Huckabee says Iran’s ‘ultimate goal is to destroy the US’

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, speaking at the Israel National Security Studies conference, says President Donald Trump has been clear that Iran will not be allowed to go nuclear. (Video: Israel National Security Studies.)

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country is engaged in what he described as a “total war” with the U.S., Israel and Europe.

In an interview published Saturday by Iranian state media, Pezeshkian said that he believes the Western powers want to bring Iran “to its knees,” The Times of Israel reported.

“In my opinion, we are at total war with the United States, Israel and Europe,” Pezeshkian said. “They want to bring our country to its knees.”

Pezeshkian argued that the current conflict is more complex than the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, saying his country is now under pressure “from every angle,” according to The Times of Israel.

IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER REITERATES ‘SERIOUS DAMAGE’ TO NUCLEAR FACILITIES, DESPITE AYATOLLAH’S COMMENTS

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks with Fox News Channel’s Martha MacCallum during an interview on Sept. 25, in New York City.  (John Lamparski/Getty Images)

“If one understands it well, this war is far more complex and difficult than that war. In the war with Iraq, the situation was clear, they fired missiles, and we knew where to hit,” Pezeshkian said, according to The Jerusalem Post. 

“Here, they are besieging us from every aspect, they are creating problems for us in terms of livelihood, culturally, politically, and security-wise.”

Despite the strain, Pezeshkian claimed Iran’s military emerged stronger following its June conflict with Israel, according to The Times of Israel.

“Our beloved military forces are doing their jobs with strength and now, in terms of equipment and manpower, despite all the problems we have, they are stronger than when they attacked. So if they want to attack, they will naturally face a more decisive response,” he said.

IRAN’S LEADER THREATENS ‘EVEN BIGGER BLOW’ AGAINST US, TRUMP SAYS HE’S IN ‘NO RUSH’ TO TALK

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu participates in a joint press conference with President Donald Trump at the White House, Sept. 29, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

The interview with Pezeshkian was released ahead of a planned meeting this coming week at Mar-a-Lago between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Tensions remain high following a brief but intense air conflict in June that was kicked off by Israel. 

The fighting resulted in roughly 1,100 deaths in Iran, including senior military commanders and nuclear scientists, while Iranian missile attacks killed 28 people in the Jewish State.

TRUMP’S BIG ACHIEVEMENT IN BOMBING IRAN, STILL SLAMMED BY CRITICS – AS HE SUGGESTS ‘REGIME CHANGE’

President Donald Trump will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu next week. (Andrew Harnick/Getty Images)

On June 22, President Donald Trump announced U.S. forces had launched attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

“Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror,” the president said. “Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.”

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A US-brokered ceasefire between Iran and Israel took effect on June 24.

Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.

Sophia Compton is a Writer at Fox News Digital. Sophia was previously a business reporter covering finance, energy and tourism and has experience as a TV news producer. She graduated with a journalism degree in 2021 from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

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Jeffrey R. Holland, a high-ranking official in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who was next in line to become the faith’s president, has died. He was 85.

Holland died early Saturday morning from complications associated with kidney disease, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced on its website.

Holland led a governing body called the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which helps set church policy while overseeing the many business interests of what is known widely as the Mormon church.

He was the next longest-tenured member of the Quorum of the Twelve after President Dallin H. Oaks, making him next in line to lead the church under a long-established succession plan.

Henry B. Eyring, one of Oaks’s two top counselors, is now next in line for the presidency.

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Jeffrey R. Holland was next in line to lead the church under a long-established succession plan (AP)

Holland had been hospitalized during the Christmas holiday for treatment related to ongoing health complications, the church said. Experts on the faith pointed to his declining health in October when Oaks did not select Holland as a counselor. He attended several church events that month in a wheelchair.

His death leaves a vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve that Oaks will fill in coming months, likely by calling a new apostle from a lower-tier leadership council. Apostles are all men in accordance with the church’s all-male priesthood.

Holland grew up in St. George, Utah, and worked for many years in education administration before his call to join the ranks of church leadership. He served as the ninth president of Brigham Young University, the Utah-based faith’s flagship school, from 1980 to 1989 and was a commissioner of the church’s global education system.

Under his leadership, the Provo university worked to improve interfaith relations and established a satellite campus in Jerusalem. The Anti-Defamation League later honored Holland with its Torch of Liberty Award for helping foster greater understanding between Christian and Jewish communities.

Holland is widely remembered for a 2021 speech in which he called on church members to take up metaphorical muskets in defense of the faith’s teachings against same-sex marriage. The talk, known colloquially as “the musket fire speech,” became required reading for BYU freshmen in 2024, raising concern among LGBTQ+ students and advocates.

Holland is survived by his wife, Patricia Terry, their three children, 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Associated Press writer Jeff Martin in Atlanta contributed.

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NEED TO KNOW

• A woman is rethinking returning to a beautician who refused to let her use the bathroom during a three-hour, at-home appointment
• She recounted the experience and shared her frustrations on the community forum Mumsnet
• Users reacted to the situation, with one calling the beautician’s actions “bizarre”

After three years as a loyal client, a woman isn’t sure if she’ll return to her beautician.

The woman has been going to the beautician, who works out of her home, for about three years, according to a post on the U.K. community forum Mumsnet. She gets her eyebrows and lashes done, plus a manicure and pedicure, and typically the appointments last three hours or longer.

“She operates out of her house and must be busy, as she always makes out she has lots of clients,” the woman wrote, before recounting the recent appointment that made her rethink her longstanding relationship with the at-home beautician.

The woman said she recently had her first appointment with the beautician after the birth of her baby 12 weeks earlier, and noted that after childbirth, “my bladder is not what it used to be.” After her mani-pedi was complete, and the beautician had given her a coffee per usual, the pair were going to move on to brows and lashes when the woman asked to use the bathroom.

Stock image of a woman getting their eyebrows shaped.

Getty

The beautician refused, telling the woman that “it’s not clean up there,” and she “wasn’t expecting anyone to use it,” according to the Mumsnet post. So the two continued with the appointment.

By the time the woman’s brows were done — and the client was still trying to hold out — things got “desperate.”

“I didn’t say anything and then let her do my brows. By this point, I was getting really desperate and told her I was going to have to nip to a nearby supermarket to use the toilet and come back,” the woman said. But that also caused issues.

The beautician “said if I did that she wouldn’t be able to do my lashes due to time, but I’d still have to pay for them as that’s what I’d booked,” the woman recalled in the post. “I knew I couldn’t wait,” she said, so she paid, left without her lashes completed and drove to a nearby grocery store to use the restroom.

After the experience, the woman is wondering if she will continue to be a regular, or find a new beautician after their three-year history. “I really like her and I love the way she does my brows,” she wrote, “but this has got me questioning whether I should go back.”

“I’ve had treatments done at other people’s homes before, and they’ve always offered me use of the toilet,” she said. Elsewhere in the post, the woman anticipated that in response, Mumsnet users would find her “unreasonable here because I’m a grown adult who should be able to hold my bladder” — but most people did not.

“You are not being unreasonable in the slightest,” one person wrote, calling it “completely bonkers” that the beautician would not allow a client to use her bathroom. “Completely understandable that you’d need access to a toilet, especially for an appointment that long!”

Stock image of a woman waiting outside a bathroom.

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The same user continued, “I get my nails done at [somebody’s] home as well, and we are welcome to use the loo and it’s always kept spotless because of that. Perhaps you could message her with some feedback before deciding never to go back? See if she listens? But if you aren’t allowed to use the loo there that would be a dealbreaker for me as I wouldn’t be able to relax during my appointment.”

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“If she’s running her business from home then she should expect people may need the bathroom and make sure [it’s] clean,” a different user echoed. “It was a perfectly reasonable request you made.”

Another commenter agreed, writing, “If she’s offering appointments to the public then she needs to be offering a toilet. I’ve got pretty good bladder control, but I couldn’t go that length of time without a wee.” The same person also advised the frustrated woman to “find a professional salon for future treatments.”

“Bizarre of her,” another Mumsnet user wrote, adding that if they were in the woman’s shoes, they “wouldn’t go back.”

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By NICHOLAS COMINO, NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA

Published: 02:02 GMT, 28 December 2025 | Updated: 02:02 GMT, 28 December 2025

A prominent state MP who is one of South Australia’s wealthiest men will spend a second night in custody after he was charged over the alleged assault of his wife of more than three decades.

Police were called to a Conmurra property on the state’s Limestone Coast on Saturday morning following reports of a ‘domestic assault’.

Independent MacKillop MP Nick McBride, 56, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, breach of bail, and breaching an intervention order over the alleged incident involving his wife Katherine.

He was refused bail and will appear in Mount Gambier Magistrates Court on Monday.

An 82-year-old man from Kingston South-East, understood to be McBride’s father, was also interviewed by police and later reported for aggravated assault. 

He will be summoned to appear in court at a later date.

A police spokesperson told Daily Mail that investigations into the alleged incident continue. 

The charges come just 83 days before South Australians head to the polls on March 21, where McBride hopes to be re-elected for a third term.

Nick McBride (left) has been charged over the alleged assault of his wife Katherine (right)

The independent SA MP hopes to be re-elected for a third term in March

A prominent grazier, McBride was elected to state parliament in 2018.

His MacKillop electorate covers 34,138 km stretching south and west from the mouth of the Murray River to the Victorian border.

He easily retained his seat at the 2022 election with 62.3 per cent of the primary vote and 72.6 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.

However, McBride spectacularly quit the Liberals a year later, blaming ‘dark forces’ and ‘divisive factionalism’ within the party for his departure.

Now an independent, he still holds a largely Liberal stance on social issues.

McBride describes himself as a ‘primary producer, long established business owner, Chairman and board member of numerous local not-for-profit organisations’.

‘Nick prides himself on his approachability, and the open and honest relationships he has with local people of all ages,’ his website reads.

The McBride family is influential in both politics and agriculture. 

Nick McBride and his wife Katherine were married for more than three decades

His great-grandfather, Sir Philip McBride, was a founding member of the Liberal Party and served as Defence Minister under then-Prime Minister Robert Menzies.

Their power also extends deep into farming, with the family controlling over 1.1million hectares of land across South Australia and Queensland, making them one of the nation’s largest landholders.

McBride has been campaigning for re-election as an independent.

Daily Mail contacted McBride and his wife for comment.

The couple have been married for more than 30 years and have two children.

Ms McBride is a registered nurse who works in the not-for-profit aged care sector.

She previously attempted a stint in politics when she took on federal MP Tony Pasin for preselection in the safe Liberal seat of Barker in 2023 but lost out to the incumbent member.

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High profile MP Nick McBride in custody over alleged assault of his wife months out from the South Australian state election

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David Smith, who brutally killed a grandad and later trafficked drugs in prison, died behind bars at HMP Northumberland, with a report into his death now released

David Smith, 45, died in February 2024(Image: NEC)

A man who murdered a grandad and later became involved in drug trafficking in prison died behind bars.

David Smith, 45, attacked Steven Youll, 45, on the street in Benwell, Newcastle, in 2013 after a drinking session. Smith carried out the killing alongside Michael Wait following a dispute with Mr Youll. The dad-of-three and grandad suffered 71 injuries. Both Smith and Wait were jailed for life, with a minimum term of 16 years. Smith died of multiple drug toxicity on February 8, 2024, while serving his sentence at HMP Northumberland.

Following his death, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) launched an investigation, which found that Smith’s clinical care was reasonable and equivalent to what he could have expected to receive in the community. However, the recently published report also stressed a number of findings, Chronicle Live reports.

An investigation was launched after David Smith died while serving his sentence at HMP Northumberland(Image: mirror.co.uk)

The report said Smith claimed he had no problems with drugs or alcohol, and there was no evidence of him taking illicit drugs at Northumberland. However, post-mortem tests found bromazolam, buprenorphine and olanzapine in his body, none of which had been prescribed to him.

Underlying ischaemic heart disease also contributed to his death. He had been diagnosed with heart failure in 2016 and had other cardiovascular conditions. While care plans were in place to monitor him in prison, he sometimes “missed appointments”.

The report highlighted that HMP Northumberland, a category C prison in Morpeth, has implemented measures to tackle drugs and build recovery, including scanning mail, acquiring additional drug detection dogs, enhanced gate security, customised training and greater collaboration with the police and specialist teams. The latter has been “particularly fruitful in addressing staff corruption”.

Smith’s prison records described him as “helpful and well regarded”. However, around 20 security intelligence reports in 2023 linked him to trafficking drugs and mobile phones, partly through his roles in the education department and as a cleaner, the report said.

“There was no evidence that this information was considered when reallocating Smith to his role as a cleaner towards the end of that year,” it said.

According to the PPO report, an intelligence report in July 2023 indicated a large amount of drugs was available in the prison and, as an orderly, Smith was implicated in their rapid distribution.

The report suggested he was one of two men running the drug network on House Block 1. Although staff were unable to corroborate the information, the high number of prisoners found under the influence at the time lent credibility to the allegation.

Further intelligence suggested that Smith and another prisoner were facilitating the drug trade and had obtained a new strain of Spice. There were reports that they coerced another prisoner into trying it. Several prisoners subsequently became very unwell, with some experiencing seizures and convulsions.

The report alleged that drugs were smuggled via the education department and that some prisoners hid substances in socks and trainers to bypass body scanners.

An intelligence report indicated that Smith kept mobile phones and drugs, which he hid during cell searches. He received them by mail and in visits, using codes and pictures to order them. The risk was assessed as high impact and required a targeted search.

A further report noted increasing drug use. Staff suspected that Smith and a prisoner in the adjacent cell were trafficking drugs from the education department. The informant alleged the drugs were crack, heroin, steroids, Valium, diazepam and Spice.

At his last meeting with a prison key worker, Smith asked to return to work as a cleaner and he resumed this role shortly afterwards. The report found that the security department only assesses prisoners who apply for jobs outside of the house-block.

Those applying for other jobs are only brought to their attention if they are of very high interest. The PPO said that security checks should be made for positions of trust within the house-block, to mitigate potential risks.

After Smith’s death, a notice reminded staff of the key requirements when conducting welfare checks on prisoners. The PPO advised reviewing the allocation process for positions of trust to ensure security information and potential risks are fully considered.

The most recent inspection of HMP Northumberland took place in August and September 2022. It found that safety and respect inside the prison had improved compared to 2017. However, inspectors noted that more prisoners at similar prisons reported that it was easy to obtain drugs and a larger proportion had developed drug problems.

Inspectors reported that several steps had been taken to reduce the demand for and the supply of illicit substances, including improved gate security and appointing a drug strategy manager.

The report found that managers had appropriately focused on responding to intelligence on drug and alcohol use. Inspectors noted that there was strong partnership working between the substance misuse team and the prison, links with the police were good and the prison was actively addressing staff corruption.

An HMP Northumberland spokesperson said: “Our thoughts continue to be with the family of Mr Smith. We have cooperated fully with the Prisons and Ombudsman’s investigation, and have already implemented the agreed actions from its report.”

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These are the key developments from day 1,403 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Published On 28 Dec 202528 Dec 2025

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Here is where things stand on Sunday, December 28:

Fighting

• At least two people were killed in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and the surrounding region, after Russian forces launched a massive attack with hundreds of missiles and drones, ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s meeting with United States President Donald Trump to work out a plan to end nearly four years of war.
• The attack also wounded at least 46 people, including two children, according to Ukrainian officials.
• Zelenskyy, who was on his way to meet Trump in Florida, said that Russia had launched nearly 500 drones and 40 missiles, targeting energy and civilian infrastructure.
• Ukraine’s state grid operator, Ukrenergo, said that energy facilities across Ukraine were struck, and emergency power cuts had been implemented across the capital. DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, said the attack had left more than a million households in and around Kyiv without power.
• Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba said that more than 40 percent of residential buildings in Kyiv were left without heat, as temperatures hovered around 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) following the attack.
• Poland’s Air Navigation Services Agency said in a statement on X that the Rzeszow and Lublin airports in the country’s southeastern region were temporarily shut following Russia’s strikes on Ukraine. The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said that Polish and allied jets were deployed during the attack, but no violations of Polish airspace were reported.
• In Russia, air defence forces shot down 11 drones headed for the capital, Moscow, according to the city’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin.
• Russia’s aviation watchdog, Rosaviatsia, said that Moscow’s Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo airports imposed temporary restrictions on airspace due to security reasons.
• Russia’s Ministry of Defence also said that its air defence systems had intercepted and destroyed more than 100 Ukrainian drones in three hours over six other Russian regions.
• Russian commanders told President Vladimir Putin that Moscow’s forces had captured the Ukrainian towns of Myrnohrad, Rodynske and Artemivka in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, as well as Huliaipole and Stepnohirsk in the Zaporizhia region, the Kremlin and Russian news agencies said on Telegram.
• But Ukraine’s military said in its daily battlefield update that its forces had beaten back Russian attempts to advance in the vicinity of Myrnohrad and Huliaipole.

Politics and diplomacy

• Zelenskyy announced in a Telegram message that he would hold talks with European leaders after his meeting with Trump on Sunday, as Kyiv pushes for a stronger position in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations to prevent Russia from prolonging the war in Ukraine.
• Zelenskyy said he wants to discuss with Trump territorial issues, the main stumbling block in talks to end the war, as a 20-point peace framework and a security guarantee deal near completion.
• On the way to the meeting in Florida, Zelenskyy stopped in Canada’s Halifax to meet Mark Carney, the Canadian prime minister said in a statement after the meeting.
• Carney denounced the latest Russian attack as “barbarism”, stressing that it is important for allies to “stand with Ukraine in this difficult time”. He also announced $1.83bn in additional economic aid to Ukraine.
• Zelenskyy spoke to European leaders following the meeting with Carney. In a statement posted on X, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “We welcome all efforts leading to our shared objective – a just and lasting peace that preserves Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. And that strengthens the country’s security and defence capabilities.”
• Antonio Costa, the president of the European Council, which represents the bloc’s 27 member states, echoed von der Leyen’s promise to continue backing Ukraine, saying on X: “The EU’s support for Ukraine will not falter. In war, in peace, in reconstruction.”
• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Zelenskyy had “the full support” of European leaders ahead of his talks with Trump. The leaders of NATO and the European Union said they would work “in close coordination” with the US “for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine”, Merz added in a statement.
• French President Emmanuel Macron said in a call with Zelenskyy that the latest Russian strikes on Kyiv showed that Moscow was not interested in ending the war, the AFP news agency reported, citing officials from Macron’s office. During the call, Macron highlighted what he called the “contrast” between “the willingness of Ukraine to build a lasting peace and Russia’s determination to prolong the war that it started”, the report said.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia could see Kyiv was in no hurry to end the war by peaceful means, according to the Interfax news agency. Putin said that if Ukraine did not want to resolve the conflict peacefully, then Russia would accomplish all goals of its “special military operation” by force, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (right) and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney (left) speak to the media as they meet in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, ahead of the former’s meeting with US President Donald Trump on Sunday [Ukrainian Presidential Office/Handout Photo via AFP]



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A winter snow storm wreaked havoc across New York City and other parts of the US Northeast over the weekend, causing major travel disruptions during the holiday season.

New York City received about 4 inches (10.2 centimeters) of snow Friday night into early Saturday, with up to 10 inches of snow seen in other parts of the state.

“The good news is that the heaviest snow is done,” said Bob Oravec, a Maryland-based forecaster at the National Weather Service.

“The storm is definitely winding down, a little bit of flurries across the Northeast [on Saturday morning],” he added.

New Yorkers were urged to stay indoors ahead of the blanketingImage: John Angelillo/UPI Photo/IMAGO

Flights cancelled across Northeast

More than 1,600 flights were cancelled nationwide on Friday and another 800 flights were cancelled on Saturday, according to air traffic tracker FlightAware.

Thousands more flights were delayed due to the wild weather.

The snow storm reduced visibility at New York’s main airportsImage: Charles Guerin/abaca/picture alliance

Many of the cancellations were flights out of New York’s John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, as well as nearby Newark airport.

Additional flights were cancelled as far away as Philadelphia and Toronto.

Cities emerge from state of emergency

Ahead of the snow storm, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for more than half the state.

“The safety ⁠of New Yorkers is my top priority, and I continue to urge extreme caution throughout the duration of this storm,” she said in a statement on Friday.

But as the weather cleared later on Saturday, many took to New York’s parks to enjoy the winter wonderland, with one interstate tourist telling the Associated Press news agency that the blanketing was “absolutely beautiful.”

Some New Yorkers seized the opportunity to play in the snowImage: Angela Weiss/AFP

Acting New Jersey Governor Tahesha Way had also declared a state of emergency.

“This storm will cause dangerous road conditions and impact holiday travel,” she said.

“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.”

The wild weather began to ease later on SaturdayImage: Deccio Serrano/NurPhoto/picture alliance

Edited by: Rana Taha

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People across Taiwan have reported feeling “shaking” and tremors after a magnitude 6.6 earthquake hit the island’s north-east coast.

The earthquake started at around 11.05pm local time on Saturday – 32 kilometres (20 miles) from the coastal town of Yilan – but was felt across the island.

Buildings in the capital Taipei shook as Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te urged residents to be alert for possible aftershocks.

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Taiwan lies near two tectonic plates and is accustomed to earthquakes (AFP via Getty Images)

One resident in Yilan County described how a building shook first vertically and then horizontally.

“It kept on shaking for a while. Then I ran out, but most people did not run out. I was scared,” he said.

The epicentre was 70 kilometres (43 miles) deep, and there were no immediate reports of widespread damage or casualties.

Local television showed hanging TVs swaying inside an office building, and spilt cleaning products and broken bottles that had fallen off supermarket shelves.

More than 3,000 homes in Yilan briefly lost power, Taiwan Power Company said, as Taipei’s city government reported isolated cases of damage including gas and water leakage and minor damage to buildings.

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An earthquake last year saw buildings collapse in Hualien City, eastern Taiwan (AP)

It designated the incident a category four earthquake, meaning minor damage is possible.

TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, said that a small number of its facilities in the Hsinchu science park, where it is headquartered, reached evacuation criteria due to the quake.

The weather administration warned people should be on alert for aftershocks between 5.5 and 6.0 in the coming day, but that damage from the quake should be limited because it was relatively deep and hit offshore.

A number of “high wave” advisories were issued in the Japanese regions of Hokkaido, Tohoku, Hokuriku, and Okinawa, but no tsunami alerts or warnings were given.

Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is prone to earthquakes. An earthquake with a magnitude between 6.0 and 6.9 is described as “strong” on the Richter scale.

More than 100 people were killed in a quake in southern Taiwan in 2016, while a 7.3 magnitude quake killed more than 2,000 people in 1999.

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NEED TO KNOW

• A landlord in Washington has been arrested after the body of a man, who was reportedly his tenant, was discovered in a barrel on his property
• Ricky Dean Miller, 67, was charged with second-degree murder and unlawful disposal of human remains on Dec. 17
• The victim was identified as 71-year-old Dennis Eugene Schmitt, and his body showed signs of “multiple blunt-force injuries to the head” and “evidence of strangulation,” per police

A landlord in Washington has been charged with murder after a body was discovered in a barrel on his property — and the victim was reportedly his tenant.

Authorities responded to a report of “suspicious circumstances” in the 3600 block of Old Lewis River Rd. in Cowlitz County at 6:53 p.m. local time on Dec. 16, per a press release shared by the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) on Tuesday, Dec. 23. 

The call came from a family member of local man Ricky Dean Miller, 67, who claimed Miller told them he had “killed someone” and that the victim’s body was hidden on his property, according to the statement.

Police obtained a warrant to search Miller’s property, where they located the body of 71-year-old Dennis Eugene Schmitt in a barrel. 

Schmitt was reportedly Miller’s tenant, and he lived in a separate structure on the property, per the statement.

Washington state patrol car.

Washington State Patrol

An autopsy conducted on Dec. 19 revealed that Schmitt had sustained “multiple blunt-force injuries to the head,” and his body showed “evidence of strangulation,” per police.

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Miller was booked without bond into Cowlitz County Jail on charges of second-degree murder and unlawful disposal of human remains on Dec. 17, per public arrest records. Police ask that anyone with information regarding the case contact Detective James Hanberry at 360-577-3092.

PEOPLE reached out to the CCSO and the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office for comment on Saturday, Dec. 27, but did not receive an immediate response.

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By GABRIEL MILLARD-CLOTHIER

Published: 23:33 GMT, 27 December 2025 | Updated: 23:52 GMT, 27 December 2025

Road safety experts were calling for an inquiry on Saturday night as it was revealed motorists are three times more likely to die in hybrids than in petrol cars.

A total of 122 people died in hybrid car crashes last year, compared with 777 in accidents involving petrol cars, according to Department for Transport figures analysed by The Mail on Sunday.

But as hybrids are outnumbered by almost 20 to 1 on Britain’s roads by petrol models, that means hybrids are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash.

Experts believe the higher death rates could be explained by hybrids’ combination of petrol engines and batteries and electric motors, which can be harder to control and more prone to fires.

The RAC Foundation, a transport research organisation, called for a ‘dedicated investigation branch’ to look into the trend. ‘It’s high time we had a specialist resource to address road safety risk’, director Steve Gooding said.

The cars’ batteries may also be to blame. They can be damaged by the heat of the engine, which burns at extremely hot temperatures, making them more liable to set ablaze.

The high electric current running through the car also increases the risks for passengers involved in crashes. First responders need special training and equipment due to the different nature of hybrid fires, and the potential for toxic gas to be released.

Some experts blame the number of miles that hybrids can clock up, with many taxi drivers using them due to their fuel efficiency. But as they age, the risks posed by the cars grows as the batteries wear down and performance wanes. 

A total of 122 people died in hybrid car crashes last year, compared with 777 in accidents involving petrol cars, according to Department for Transport figures analysed by The Mail on Sunday (file photo)

Hybrids are outnumbered by almost 20 to 1 on Britain’s roads by petrol models, that means hybrids are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash (file photos)

The figures show that diesel cars are slightly safer, with electric vehicles (EVs) found to be safest – causing just 23 fatalities last year despite making up nearly 2million of the cars on British roads.

Nicholas Lyes, of road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, said: ‘Plug-in hybrids are often heavier and more complex vehicles owing to the fact they run on both a traditional combustion engine and a battery.’

They have two power sources, two cooling systems and more complicated electronics and wiring. They can create ‘complex fire scenarios’ which are harder for firemen to put out.

Hybrids were found by a leading insurer of company cars, Tusker, to burst into flames at higher rates than others. Among their fleet of 30,000 cars, hybrid vehicles had an almost three times’ higher risk with 3,475 fires per 100,000​​​​.  

There are less than a million hybrid cars in the UK and their popularity has stagnated recently. Less than a third of voters back the proposed ban of new petrol and diesel cars as Britons’ enthusiasm for Net Zero cools.

Industry figures have privately raised concerns that demand for EVs and hybrids is not strong enough for the target to be met. With Labour’s ban due to take effect in five years’ time, the new figures will be a worry for ministers as they grapple with a declining interest in hybrid vehicles.

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Death rates in hybrids ‘three times higher than petrol cars’ leading road safety experts to call for inquiry

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy is preparing for crucial talks with Donald Trump tomorrow to once again try to bring to an end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The meeting between the two presidents will take place after hours of air attacks by Russia on Ukraine‘s capital Kyiv on Saturday. At least two people died and more than 30 others were injured, according to authorities.

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A firefighter walks at the site of a Russian attack in Kyiv. Pic: Reuters

Mr Zelenskyy has held discussions with Mr Trump several times this year, most recently at the White House in October, as the US leads the diplomatic push to end the war that has been raging for almost four years.

This time, they will meet in Florida to discuss several issues, including territory, security guarantees and the future of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the Ukrainian leader has said.

Afterwards, he will hold further talks with European leaders.

Mr Zelenskyy said he hopes the “very important” meeting with Mr Trump will be “very constructive”. A 20-point peace framework and security guarantee deal to be discussed “is about 90% ready” and “a lot can be decided before the New Year”, he said.

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Mr Zelenskyy met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Saturday. Pic: Reuters

Ahead of the discussions with the US leader, the Ukrainian president made a pit-stop in Canada to meet the country’s prime minister, Mark Carney.

Mr Carney announced an additional $2.5 ​billion ​of economic ‍aid for Ukraine – and condemned Russia’s latest strikes on Kyiv as acts of “barbarism”.

Explosions boomed across the Ukrainian capital for hours early on Saturday as ballistic missiles and drones hit the city. In a post on Telegram, Mr Zelenskyy said Russia targeted Ukraine with almost 500 drones and 40 missiles of various types.

“There have been many questions these days,” he wrote. “Where is the Russian response to the proposals to end the war, which were made by the United States and the world?”

The strikes left at least a third of the city without power, with private electricity company DTEK reporting around 500,000 families were without power at one point.

Read more:
Peace talks: What are the main issues remaining?
Analysis: How Trump has supercharged the new world dis-order

The Russian defence ministry said it carried out a “massive strike” overnight, using “long-range precision-guided weapons from land, air, and sea”, as well as drones, on energy infrastructure facilities “used by the Ukrainian armed forces” and “Ukrainian military-industrial complex enterprises”.

But several residential buildings were also hit, according to Ukraine’s interior minister Ihor Klymenko.

Russia said the strike came in response to Ukraine’s attacks on “civilian objects” in Russia.

Earlier on Saturday, its defence ministry said it had shot down seven Ukrainian drones over the Russian regions of Krasnodar and Adygeya overnight. On Saturday afternoon, the ministry said 147 more drones were shot down over a number of Russian regions.

Poland said it scrambled fighter jets and temporarily closed two of its airports in the east of the country in response to Russia’s attack.

There was no violation of Polish airspace, the country’s armed forces command said on X.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin said on Saturday that Russian forces had captured one town in the Donetsk region and one in Zaporizhzhia.

Both areas are heavily contested and key to Russia’s territorial ambitions in the east of Ukraine.

Sky News could not independently verify the battlefield reports.

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Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza, surrounded by tents and debris, are suffering through more winter rains after two years of Israeli bombardment destroyed much of the Strip.

A polar low-pressure system accompanied by heavy rain and strong winds swept across the Gaza Strip on Saturday. It is the third polar low to affect the Palestinian territory this winter, with a fourth low-pressure system forecast to hit the area starting on Monday, meteorologist Laith al-Allami told the Anadolu news agency.

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Many families have been living in tents since late 2023, for most of the duration of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

The enclave is imminently facing freezing temperatures, rain and strong winds, as the authorities warn the downpour could intensify into a full-blown storm.

Mohammed Maslah, a displaced Palestinian now in Gaza City, told Al Jazeera in his rugged tent that he did not have a choice but to stay there.

“I could not find anywhere to live in Gaza, except Gaza Port,” he told Al Jazeera. “I’m forced to stay here because my home is under Israeli control. After just a few hours of rain, we were soaked.”

In Deir al-Balah, Shaima Wadi, a mother of four children who was displaced from Jabaliya in the north, spoke to the Associated Press. “We have been living in this tent for two years. Every time it rains and the tent collapses over our heads, we try to put up new pieces of wood,” she said. “With how expensive everything has become, and without any income, we can barely afford clothes for our children or mattresses for them to sleep on.”

The heavy rains earlier this month flooded tents and makeshift shelters across Gaza, where most of the buildings have been destroyed or damaged by Israeli attacks.

So far in December, at least 15 people, including three babies, died from hypothermia following rains and plunging temperatures, with several buildings collapsing, according to the authorities in Gaza. Aid organisations have called for Israel to allow more shelters and other humanitarian aid into the territory.

Ibrahim Abu al-Reesh, head of field operations for the Civil Defence in the Gaza Port area, said that his teams responded to various distress calls as weather conditions got harsher in places where displaced people set up fragile tents.

“We worked hard to cover some of these damaged tents with plastic sheets after they were flooded by rainwater,” he told Al Jazeera.

Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim Al Khalili, reporting from Gaza City, said that winter has been adding to the suffering of tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians who do not have safe shelters.

“The same misery repeats as each rain fills neighbourhoods with muddy water,” he said.

Ceasefire talks

As Palestinians face dire conditions in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to visit Washington, DC, in the coming days while negotiators and others discuss the second stage of the ceasefire that took effect on October 10.

The progress in the peace process has been slow. Challenges in phase two of the ceasefire include the deployment of an international stabilisation force, a technocratic governing body for Gaza, the proposed disarmament of Hamas and further Israeli troop withdrawals from the territory.

So far, the agreement has partially held despite Israel’s repeated violations.

Since the ceasefire went into effect, more than 414 Palestinians have been killed and 1,142 wounded, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.

It also said the bodies of 679 people were pulled from the rubble during the same period, as the truce makes it safer to search for the remains of people killed earlier.

The ministry on Saturday said that 29 bodies, including 25 recovered from under the rubble, had been brought to local hospitals over the past 48 hours.

The overall Palestinian death toll from Israel’s war has risen to at least 71,266, the ministry said, and another 171,219 have been wounded.

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A man has been arrested after a woman and a man – both aged in their 30s – died in an alleged double fatal stabbing in Sydney.

Police said emergency services were called to the home in Quakers Hill just before 5am on Sunday, responding to reports of a disturbance.

Around half an hour after emergency services responded, police arrested a 47-year-old man after he went to Blacktown police station.

“Officers from Riverstone police area command attended and found a man on the footpath, suffering stab wounds,” police said in a statement.

“A woman, aged in her 30s, was found deceased inside the home. She is yet to be formally identified.”

The man who suffered stab wounds was taken to Liverpool hospital after being treated at the alleged crime scene by paramedics. The man, also aged in his 30s, later died.

“A crime scene has been established, and detectives have commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident,” police said.

The police investigation is ongoing.

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The European Union on Saturday called for Somalia’s territorial integrity to be upheld after Israel became the first country to formally recognize the breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent state.

Israel’s move, a day earlier, has been denounced internationally, with many African and Middle East nations insisting that Somalia’s borders can’t be changed unilaterally.

Israel officially recognizes Somaliland

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What did the EU say?

EU foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni said the bloc “reaffirms the importance of respecting the unity, the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.”

“This is key for the peace and stability of the entire Horn of Africa region,” the spokesman said in a statement.

“The EU encourages meaningful dialogue between Somaliland and the Federal Government of Somalia to resolve long-standing differences,” El Anouni added.

Somalia denounces Israel’s ‘illegal aggression’

Somalia’s government reacted with fury at Israel’s announcement, labeling it a direct assault on its sovereignty.

Officials in Mogadishu said they would pursue diplomatic and legal measures to counter what they called an “unlawful” and “deliberate” attempt to legitimize secession.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud accused Israel of violating international norms, insisting Somaliland remains an integral part of Somalia.

Wave of international rejection

Several governments and regional bodies also swiftly rejected Israel’s move. Egypt, Turkey, Djibouti and members of the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the recognition, warning it risked destabilizing the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea corridor.

The African Union and East African bloc IGAD reiterated their longstanding position that Somalia’s borders are internationally recognized and cannot be altered unilaterally.

Nigeria and several Middle Eastern states also issued statements urging countries to refrain from recognizing breakaway regions.

A joint declaration from more than 20 nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation warned of “serious repercussions” for regional and global security.

The United States said it continued to recognize Somalia’s territorial integrity, including the territory of Somaliland.

Somalia and Somaliland: Here are the differences and issues

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Why has Israel acted now?

Israel framed the step as part of the expanding network of partnerships inspired by the Abraham Accords, which have opened diplomatic and economic channels between Israel and several Arab and Muslim‑majority states since 2020.

The Abraham Accords were mostly signed during US President Donald Trump’s first term in office and with mediation from Washington.

But despite Trump’s return to the White House at the start of this year, no new Arab countries have joined the accords, with the war in Gaza complicating any potential agreements.

Somaliland, which has operated as a de facto state since 1991 with its own institutions, currency and security forces, hopes Israel’s recognition will break decades of diplomatic isolation and encourage other countries to follow suit.

Edited by: Rana Taha

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NEED TO KNOW

• Mariah Carey celebrated Christmas with her 14-year-old twins, Monroe and Moroccan, who towered over her in a festive photo posted on Instagram
• The five-time Grammy winner shares the twins with ex-husband Nick Cannon
• Carey previously posted a series of photos showing her and the twins posing alongside Santa Claus and a reindeer outside of one of her estates on Christmas Eve

Mariah Carey’s twins, Monroe and Moroccan, are all grown up this Christmas. 

On Friday, Dec. 26, the “All I Want for Christmas Is You” singer, 56, shared a photo of herself posing in front of a Christmas tree alongside her 14-year-old twins, whom she shares with ex-husband Nick Cannon. 

While Carey sported a red sequined dress and a pair of black boots, each of her children towered over her while wearing jeans and matching holiday sweaters with their mom’s face printed on the front. 

Just two days prior, Carey gave fans a further glimpse into her family’s Christmas Eve celebrations by sharing a snapshot of the trio posing alongside Santa Claus and a reindeer outside of one of her estates. She also included a family photo of herself and the twins sitting indoors on a sofa next to a smiling Kris Kringle. 

“Christmas Eve 🎅🦌🦌🦌🦌,” Carey captioned the photos. 

Mariah Carey celebrates Christmas Eve with twins Monroe and Moroccan.

Mariah Carey/Instagram

While Monroe and Moroccan are both seemingly taller than the so-called “Queen of Christmas,” they were still quite a few inches shorter than Carey when they joined her onstage last November during their mom’s 2024 Christmas concert series at the Hollywood Bowl. 

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“What do you guys think about taking over the show while I go backstage for a little while?” Carey said onstage at the time before turning to her kids, who excitedly replied, “Really? Seriously, Mom?”

“Yes! Come on, you’re going to be great,” Carey responded, before she summoned her glam squad to walk her offstage. “You know I always need an escort.”

Beyond spending quality time with her kids during the winter holiday season, Carey shared pictures on Instagram of herself and the twins dressed as popular Japanese characters while spending Halloween overseas.

While the “Emotions” singer opted for a Japanese Kawaii-inspired costume this year, wearing a white and blue dress with hot pink hair styled in two ponytails, her kids both wore similar Kigurumi outfits, with Monroe choosing a bright yellow onesie and Moroccan opting for baby blue. 

“Happy Halloween from Japan!!! 👻🇯🇵,” Carey captioned the Oct. 31 post.

In September, the singer-songwriter took her kids on yet another adventure and shared a few snapshots of the trio posing together on the Great Wall of China in Beijing. And while Carey stayed glam in a black dress, oversized sunglasses and heels, she later revealed on X that she ended up regretting her fashion choices. 

“At the Great Wall of China,” she wrote alongside the photos. “Someone should’ve warned me about heels 👠.”

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