WORLD NEWS
Incredible story of Hercules the 70st bear who downed pints in local pub
A Scottish couple threw all social norms out the window and raised a grizzly bear as their son for over 20 years. Hercules, lovingly dubbed “Herc” became a global legend after vanishing for 24 days in 1980
12:32, 29 Dec 2025
A British couple rejected the traditional path to parenthood by raising a 70 stone bear as their ‘son’
Wrestler Andy Robin and his wife Maggie fell in love with Hercules when he was born into captivity at the Highland Wildlife Park in Kingussie. Learning he faced being put down due to a lack of space at the sanctuary, the couple stepped in and paid £50 to adopt the grizzly back in 1974. Back at their home in Sheriffmuir near Dunblane, the little bear grew quickly, weighing 30 stone after just one year. Instead of living and eating in a caged enclosure, he roamed freely throughout the house and ate dinner at the table, with spaghetti carbonara being one of his favourites.
And despite frantic phone calls from worried experts across the globe warning that ‘Herc’ would kill the couple, Andy, Maggie and the bear lived as one happy family, even enjoying pints down the pub together. “He was a happy drunk,” Maggie told the MailOnline in 2015. “And he was always very careful when he was indoors.” She added: “It was a much more innocent time. You could do tons of stuff with a bear and nobody really bothered you.”
READ MORE: ‘Cosy’ slippers and ‘beautiful’ pyjamas that ‘help with night sweats’ are 20% offREAD MORE: Audible slashed to 99p a month offering another way to get Stranger Things fixAndy Robin wrestler and wife Maggie Robin July 1985 with Hercules the bear (Image: Daily Record)
And the couple were so smitten that they sacrificed having children of their own to raise their furry friend. Maggie said of his adoption: “From that moment on our lives, and his, changed forever. We had never imagined that the little bundle of fluff we had adopted would bring us such joy and laughter, and indeed to so many others who saw him or heard of his adventures through his colourful life.”
In a recent interview with The Times, Anne Logan, 71, a vet who treated Hercules in his later years, said the connection between the trio was unlike anything else. She said: “I don’t think I can impress on people too much the bond they had. He adored Andy, and Maggie definitely was his mum. Andy was a bit more gung-ho with him, whereas Maggie could read Hercules.” She said that Maggie would feed Herc ‘prawns and Heinz beans’ when she was giving him shots and that she could sense when he wasn’t in the ‘best of moods’ to get an injection.
Hercules, being a bear, didn’t stop his parents from having dreams of what his life would or should look like. Andy set about turning their bear-child into a star, travelling the country as a wrestling double act and paying £10,000 to commission a publicity-raising documentary. Hercules soon became the face of Kleenex. What turned Hercules into a star was his dash and disappear act during whilst shooting an advert in the Outer Hebrides in August 1980.
The couple didn’t have children so they could devote themselves to Herc(Image: Daily Record)
Andy was horrified when Hercules swam across a lake and ran off during a take, but arguably it was this act that gave Herc his international fame. Rescue teams looked for three days before calling the search off, but a distraught Andy soldiered on alone.
After three long weeks Hercules was spotted swimming and brought back to Andy and Maggie, who found his weight had plummeted by 15 stone. Used to eating cooked food and with a dislike of raw flesh, the friendly beast had neglected to feed on the ample stocks of fish and cattle.
Kleenex used the saga as leverage for their ‘Big Softie’ campaign but the attention on Herc meant Hollywood came calling, and was cast in the 1983 13th James Bond movie Octopussy alongside Roger Moore and then came a Channel 5 documentary titled Hercules the Human Bear. But all good things come to an end, and Hercules’ career was brought to an abrupt end when he suffered a slipped disc while filming BBC documentary Eyewitness Bear in 1997.
Andy, however, refused to give up on his beloved best friend. They moved back from Los Angeles and used their savings to build a giant swimming pool to rehabilitate him. For six long months, Andy would spend hours a day walking Herc up and down the pool, desperately trying to get his legs working once more.
His efforts paid off, but the following winter, Hercules lost the use of both his legs and slipped away peacefully just before hibernation, aged 25, which is the normal life expectancy for bears. After Herc’s death, the couple were devastated, Maggie added: “Our lives dulled a little from that day onwards, and we miss him still. We were greatly blessed to have known him, and Hercules can never be replaced, but he can be remembered and honoured in this way.”
Andy, who died six years ago at the age of 84, first dreamt of adopting a bear when he volunteered to wrestle a black bear known as Terrible Ted for $1,000 while he was performing at the Wonderful World of Sport show in Ontario, Canada.
In August this year, theatre company Tenterhooks developed an exciting play of Scotland’s most famous bear, which ran from September to October. Ben Winger and Diane Thornton play Andy and Maggie, with Suzie Ferguson as Hercules. In an interview with The Courier, Maggie said: “…Herc has been away for 25 years, and then Andy… But the play feels like part of the fairytale continues.” Left by herself now with both husband and son gone, Maggie runs a boutique in Auchterarder, Scotland, called Bear Necessities, but the story of her son, a bear her and her husband adopted, continues to live on in different ways.
Hercules the Bear: A Love Story airs on BBC2 at 6pm on Tuesday 30 (tomorrow) and is on iPlayer now.
Skip next section What are the two leaders going to discuss regarding Gaza?
12/29/2025December 29, 2025
What are the two leaders going to discuss regarding Gaza?
The US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is expected to be one of the main topics discussed between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The second phase of the ceasefire, that has been in force since October, involves the Israeli army withdrawing its positions in the Gaza Strip, while Hamasis supposed to lay down its weapons, with the Islamist militant group seeing its disarmment as a major sticking point.
According to Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian, Netanyahu is to discuss the agreement in a view of making sure that “Hamas is disarmed” and “Gaza is demilitarized.”
Both Israel and Hamas have alleged frequent ceasefire violations from the other side.
https://p.dw.com/p/565CD
Skip next section Welcome to our coverage
12/29/2025December 29, 2025
Welcome to our coverage
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US President Donald Trump in Florida.
The two leaders are expected to discuss the second phase of the ceasefire in Gaza, as well as the current situation in Lebanon, where the Israeli army has regularly been carrying out strikes against what it said were violations of the ceasefire by Islamist militia Hezbollah.
Iranis also expected to be discussed as tensions between the Islamic republic and Israel remain high.
The meeting is expected to start at 13:00 local time (19:00 CET).
‘Onus is on Trump’ to push Israel’s Netanyahu on Gaza peace
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https://p.dw.com/p/5655y
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Two people have died in Spain after torrential rainfall and flooding buffeted swathes of the country over the weekend.
The body of a man whose van was swept away by an overflowing riverbed in Malaga was recovered on Sunday, as a desperate search continued for a missing passenger.
Authorities also confirmed the death of a young person in Granada who was swept away trying to cross a riverbed on a motorbike.
In Barcelona, a woman was hospitalised on Saturday after being hit by a lamppost torn down by 70km-per-hour winds.
Dozens of people in the Barcelona province were also forced to evacuate from a building damaged by heavy rainfall in recent days.
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Authorities clean up floods in Estacion de Cartama, Malaga, on Sunday (EPA)
Extreme weather warnings were tentatively lifted in Malaga on Monday after storms rocked the southern coast over the weekend.
The man found dead in Alhaurín el Grande on Sunday was some 3km from where they believe he ran into trouble. He has not been named by authorities.
Authorities believe the pair, aged 53 and 54, were trying to cross the Fahala River on foot when they were swept away. The van was found overturned in the river with significant damage, but nobody was inside.
Some 150 people were drawn in to help with the search.
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Some areas saw as much as 250l of water per square metre (EPA)
The victim in Granada was identified only as a young person from Zujaira.
He was trying to cross the Cañada stream on a motorbike with a friend when he was swept away, authorities said. The friend made it to safety.
Valencia, which saw more than 220 people killed in floods last year, meanwhile issued red alert warnings and urged people to stay indoors and on high ground over the weekend.
Some areas saw as much as 250l of water per square metre. A yellow weather warning remained in place on Monday.
There were eight provinces on orange alert late on Sunday, with residents warned of serious risks to themselves or property.
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A waterspout in Puerto de Mazarron, Murcia, amid violent weather conditions (Instagram/@_nataliamarin)
In Catalonia, emergency lines had been swamped with nearly 900 phone calls for related incidents by Saturday evening. The poor weather had dissipated by Monday morning.
A group of 16 people staying at a holiday camp in Girona province, to the north, had to be rescued by firefighters, as the Fluvià river swelled and left them stranded.
A dozen people trapped in a house in nearby Sant Feliu de Pallerols were also evacuated as a stream overflowed.
NEED TO KNOW
- A 5-year-old boy has died after getting his arm caught in a moving walkway at a ski resort in Hokkaido, Japan
- The incident occurred in the morning of Sunday, Dec. 28, while the boy was riding with his mom
- Hokkaido Police are investigating the incident, according to local media outlet The Asahi Shimbun
A 5-year-old boy has died in a skiing accident in Japan.
On Sunday, Dec. 28, a customer was fatally injured after getting caught in an outdoor escalator while visiting the Asari Ski Resort in Otaru, Hokkaido, the resort said in a statement. The victim was identified as 5-year-old Hinata Goto, according to the Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun.
“A serious accident occurred on the escalator connecting the parking lot and center house at around 10:12 a.m. on Dec. 28, in which a customer was caught in the escalator and died,” the resort said.
Hinata had been riding on the belt-conveyor escalator with his mother and had tried to get off the 30-meter walkway when he fell on an outdoor escalator and got his arm caught in the winding mechanism at the top, The Guardian and The Asahi Shimbun reported.
At around 10 a.m. local time on Sunday, Hinata’s mother called emergency services “about her son being caught in the escalator.” Hinata was freed from the escalator around 40 minutes later but fell unconscious, per the outlets. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Hokkaido, Japan.
Didier Marti/Getty
The Asahi Shimbun reported that no staff members were allegedly in the area where the boy got caught in the escalator. General manager of the slope, Kensuke Tamagawa, told the outlet that staffers were instructed not to go near the escalator for safety reasons.
A maintenance cover is installed at the escalator’s endpoint, which is designed to stop should an object get caught, as a safety mechanism. This, however, was not activated when Hinata was caught, officials told The Asahi Shimbun.
According to the outlet, Hinata’s mother had to push the emergency stop button installed at the end of the escalator instead for it to come to a stop.
The Hokkaido Police are investigating the incident, per The Asahi Shimbun.
Otaru, Japan.
DoctorEgg/Getty
The Asari Ski Resort continued in its statement, “We would like to express our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased customer and offer our heartfelt condolences to the family. We would also like to offer our deepest apologies for the occurrence of such a serious accident at a facility operated by our company.”
The company said that it is fully cooperating with the police investigation following the incident.
“[We] are inspecting the relevant facilities and carrying out confirmation work to prevent a recurrence. Going forward, we will make responding to the bereaved families our top priority and work with all our heart and soul,” the resort added.
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PEOPLE has contacted the local police for comment.
Anthony Joshua has reportedly been injured in a car crash in Nigeria that left two other people dead.
Joshua, 36, was in the vehicle when it smashed into a stationary truck on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in Makun, according to local media.
Footage posted online appears to show the former heavyweight world champion boxer topless and looking dazed as he sits in the wrecked Lexus Jeep among shattered glass.
He is later seen sitting in the front seat of an emergency vehicle, speaking to officials. It is reported that Joshua sustained minor injuries, and two other people were pronounced dead at the scene.
The Daily Mail has contacted Joshua’s representatives for comment.
Joshua had posted a story on his Instagram account four hours ago where he is seen topless in a video playing table tennis with another male.
He accompanied the clip with the message: ‘@healthy_mindset dishing out table tennis smoke.’
Footage posted online appears to show former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua, 36, topless and looking dazed as he sits in the wrecked Lexus Jeep among shattered glass
This is a breaking news story. More to follow.
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Anthony Joshua is injured in car crash in Nigeria which killed two others
WORLD NEWS
Chinese aircraft and navy conduct drills around Taiwan in warning against ‘external interference’ | World News
China has conducted more military drills around Taiwan in a warning against “external interference”.
Taiwan said it was placing its forces on alert and called the Chinese government “the biggest destroyer of peace”.
Air, sea and rocket troops were dispatched to take part in the joint exercises around the island, which Beijing continues to insist must come under its rule.
Taiwan’s defence ministry said 89 Chinese military aircraft and drones were detected, with 67 entering Taiwan’s response area.
The country’s transport ministry said it will divert international flights from what it says are dangerous areas or issue alternative flight routes to ensure safety.
Chinese aircraft frequently fly near Taiwanese airspace as tensions persist in the Taiwan Strait.
The drills came after Beijing expressed anger at US weapons sales to Taiwan and a statement from Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who said her military could get involved if China were to take action against Taiwan.
Senior Colonel Shi Yi, a Chinese military spokesperson, said the drills would be conducted in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, southwest, southeast and east of the island.
Col Shi said the activities would focus on sea-air combat readiness patrol, “joint seizure of comprehensive superiority” and blockades on key ports.
It was also the first large-scale military drill where the command publicly mentioned one of the goals was “all-dimensional deterrence outside the island chain”.
“It is a stern warning against ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces and external interference forces, and it is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity,” Col Shi said.
Does Trump care about Taiwan?
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Government delays Chinese ‘super embassy’ decision
Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said rapid response exercises were underway, with forces on high alert to defend the island.
“The Chinese Communist Party’s targeted military exercises further confirm its nature as an aggressor and the biggest destroyer of peace,” the ministry said.
The ministry also claimed that the drill areas include Taiwan’s territorial waters.
Taiwan has been ruled separately from China since 1949 following the civil war that brought the Communist Party to power in the mainland.
The island has operated since then with its own government, though Beijing still claims it as sovereign territory.
NewsFeed
China has begun two days of military exercises around Taiwan, including live-fire drills that Beijing says simulate a blockade of key ports. Taiwan condemned the move, launching fighter jets, and mobilising troops in response.
Published On 29 Dec 2025
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Retailers of home improvement products are having a glittering year on the London stock market, as cash-strapped UK consumers turn to DIY projects after being priced out of moving home or undertaking expensive renovations.
Publicly listed retailers including the B&Q owner, Kingfisher, as well as Topps Tiles, Wickes and the sofa seller DFS are on track for double-digit percentage share price increases of as much as 56% this year.
Kingfisher and Topps Tiles have posted share price increases of 26.5% and 13% respectively, their best annual gains since the pandemic, while a 23% year-to-date rise at DFS is its strongest year since 2019.
Kingfisher, which also operates in France and Poland, has issued two profit upgrades since September on the back of the company’s strong performance in the UK.
The biggest winner is Wickes, a leading retailer of paint, whose shares have risen 56% in its best year since listing on the London Stock Exchange in 2021.
Retailers in the home improvement sector have been aided by the closure of their rival Homebase, which collapsed into administration in November last year.
Analysts have pointed to a stagnant housing market: Halifax, the UK’s biggest mortgage lender, reported flat growth in house prices in November this year and a significant slowdown in annual growth to 0.7%, down from 1.9% in the same month last year.
Slowing house price growth reflects weaker buyer demand, as cash-stretched consumers turned their focus to cheaper DIY projects to spruce up their existing homes.
Measures introduced in last month’s budget, including increasing the minimum wage and changes to property taxes, could further spur the DIY market as the cost of activities such as eating out increases.
“That may drive a continued shift toward eating and spending more time at home,” Manjari Dhar, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets, told Bloomberg.
Data from the Office for National Statistics shows that spending on household goods has often outpaced wider retail sales this year.
However, ONS figures showed the rate of unemployment hit a four-year high of 5.1% in the three months to October, which could dampen the DIY boom.
While home improvement goods retailers have experienced a stellar year, the share prices of building materials suppliers have lagged, suggesting some homeowners have also put large home renovation projects on the back burner.
Shares in the kitchen supplier Howden Joinery Group have risen by 5% this year, while Travis Perkins has suffered an 11% fall.
Earlier this month, Halifax said buyers attempting to get on the property ladder in the UK were now in the best position to snap up a home in a decade.
Halifax said when property prices were compared with average incomes, affordability was at its strongest since late 2015.
However, data published by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors found that new buyer demand had declined to the lowest level since 2023.
US President Donald Trump will turn his focus to the Middle East on Monday, as he hosts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida for talks that are expected to cover Gaza and a range of other pressing issues.
Any decisions made could have a potentially momentous impact on questions that determine the future of the region.
The US has been Israel’s strongest military and political backer throughout two years of war in Gaza and many are now looking to the meeting as a test of the leaders’ relationship and how aligned they are on key topics.
It will be their sixth meeting since Trump’s return to office 11 months ago.
Among the expected points of discussion is the future of relations with Syria’s new government, Iranian rearmament, and Hezbollah’s role in Lebanon.
Perhaps most critically, they will discuss progress of the Gaza ceasefire deal, where Israel’s government has taken several positions diverging from those of the US government.
The talks will take place as storms continue to lash Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians remain living in basic tents that offer little protection from the cold and flooding.
On Monday, the death of a two-month-old baby due to the severe cold was reported by the Hamas-run health ministry, bringing the total killed by the wintry weather since 10 December to three, while another 17 people have been killed by damaged buildings collapsing in the storms.
The UN and numerous aid agencies have accused Israel of not meeting its ceasefire obligations by continuing to restrict full access to basic supplies and equipment. Israel has said it is meeting its obligations in facilitating an increase in aid deliveries.
The Trump administration wants to see the ceasefire progress to its second phase in January, whereby a Palestinian technocratic government would be established alongside the deployment of an international security force, Hamas would disarm, Israeli troops would withdraw, and the reconstruction of the devastated territory would begin.
Critics have suggested that Netanyahu may instead seek to delay the progress of the ceasefire, saying he does not want to engage seriously with questions of a political future for Palestinians and will instead push for Hamas to fully disarm before Israeli troops withdraw from Gaza. Hamas officials have repeatedly said that its full disarmament should take place alongside progress towards an independent Palestinian state.
The 20-point peace plan promoted by Trump and signed by both Israel and Hamas recognises Palestinian aspirations to a sovereign state, however Netanyahu and his ministers have consistently rejected Palestinian statehood since the ceasefire came into effect in October.
Last week, Defence Minister Israel Katz said his country would build settlements in Gaza and would “never fully withdraw” from the territory even if Hamas disarms, despite this being a key tenet of the ceasefire deal.
Breaking out of the current impasse is seen as crucial by many in the region as near-daily deadly attacks by the Israeli military continue to take place in Gaza despite the declared ceasefire.
In the 80 days since it came into effect, at least 414 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military in the territory, according to its health ministry.
The Israeli military, which controls more than half of Gaza, has said it has only opened fire in response to ceasefire violations.
Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in attacks that the military has blamed on Hamas over the same period.
Israel also continues to wait for Hamas to return of the body of Ran Gvili, the last remaining dead hostage in Gaza. All living and decease hostages taken during the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel, which sparked the war, should have been returned three days after the ceasefire came into effect.
Trump’s intervention and US mediation could be brought upon the fraught and unresolved sticking points, pushing Netanyahu to take a softer line on certain positions.
For instance, the Israeli government has opposed Turkey taking part in the International Stabilisation Force to be deployed in Gaza. However, few other countries have been willing to take part.
Netanyahu is also expected to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is seen as supportive of the positions of the Israeli government.
Last week, Israeli media reported that there may be an attempt by the prime minister to rediscuss Israel annexing the occupied West Bank – something President Trump has spoken against.
Israeli ministers have recently described their expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank as a de facto annexation of the territory aimed at burying the possibility of an independent Palestinian state.
Both the settlements and annexation are illegal under international law.
It is also expected that Netanyahu may use his meeting with Trump on Monday to seek US permission for further military strikes on Iran.
The Israeli government is said to believe Iran is rearming its missile capabilities after their 12-day war this summer, which saw Iran’s nuclear facilities bombed by both Israeli and US fighter jets.
The Iranian president said this weekend that said his country was in “all-out war” with Israel, the US and Europe. “They don’t want our country to remain stable,” Masoud Pezeshkian said.
Becoming a euro area member demonstrates how the Bulgarian economy has improved over the past decade. But political turmoil and rising public anger over economic mismanagement and corruption pose a serious challenge.
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President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago on Monday afternoon, with talks expected to focus on renewed tensions with Iran and the possibility of advancing to additional stages of the Gaza peace plan.
Before meeting with the president, Netanyahu is slated to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday morning.
Dr. Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, told Fox News Digital that President Trump has likely been pressuring Netanyahu since the peace plan’s implementation, noting that the American leader has little patience for Middle Eastern timelines, which he said are far longer than those in the U.S. and the real estate sector.
NETANYAHU CALLS ON NEIGHBORING NATIONS TO JOIN ISRAEL IN ‘EXPELLING HAMAS’ FROM REGION
President Donald Trump speaks to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion International Airport before boarding his plane to Sharm El-Sheikh, on Oct. 13, 2025 in Tel Aviv, Israel (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
“The problem is that Hamas knows all it has to do is survive and continue controlling the western part of Gaza while attacking Israel, as it has been doing from Gaza’s tunnel network, in order to ratchet up tensions between Israel and the U.S.,” Diker said.
Netanyahu’s mission during the visit, he continued, will be first to lay out Israel’s threat assessment regarding Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas as extremely serious, and to impress upon the president that Tehran is rebuilding its military capabilities. He is also likely to seek to persuade Trump to allow Israel to take the steps it deems necessary to defeat Hamas.
Israeli opposition leader and former prime minister Yair Lapid told Fox News Digital that “We [Israel] should be coordinating with President Trump on all the major fronts, but the top priority has to be the management of stage two in Gaza.”
Lapid added, “Israel needs to achieve the disarmament of Hamas and the removal of the threat from Gaza, and that requires the implementation of President Trump’s plan.”
Hamas terrorists marching in Gaza during a parade. (Getty Images)
IRANIAN PRESIDENT SAYS HIS COUNTRY IS AT ‘TOTAL WAR’ WITH THE US, ISRAEL AND EUROPE: REPORTS
During the meeting, Netanyahu will reportedly present Trump with plans for a potential strike on Iran. Israel has warned Washington that a recent Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps missile drill could be masking preparations for an attack, a concern that IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir conveyed to U.S. Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper during recent meetings in Tel Aviv.
In a Saturday interview reported by the country’s media, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country is engaged in what he described as a “total war” with the U.S., Israel and Europe. The Times of Israel reported him saying, “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.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the U.S. of a “grave betrayal” at the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 24, 2025, in New York City. (Jeenah Moon/Reuters)
Axios reported that U.S. intelligence assesses there is no immediate threat, while Israeli defense officials say forces remain on heightened alert.
According to Dr. Meir Javedanfar, a lecturer on Iran and the Middle East at Reichman University, Netanyahu’s plan is expected to call for strikes on Iran’s missile program.
Smoke rises after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 13, 2025. Israel attacked Iran’s capital early Friday, with explosions booming across Tehran. (Getty)
“Israel will probably hope that such a wide-scale attack would further undermine the legitimacy of Iran’s supreme leader, thereby creating greater political instability within the country. This is especially true given that after the recent war with Israel, Iran’s economy has deteriorated significantly, and the regime is not taking the necessary steps to address these problems,” he said.
RUBIO REVEALS SHARED INTELLIGENCE PREVENTED POSSIBLE HAMAS ATTACK, DISCUSSES INTERNATIONAL STABILIZATION FORCE
Israeli Minister for Settlement and National Missions Orit Strook stressed the importance of completing full Gaza demilitarization before moving forward with further stages of the plan.
She referenced Trump’s address to the Israeli Knesset in October, noting that he highlighted his role in building international support for Gaza’s demilitarization and securing a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for the full dismantling of weapons, tunnels and terror infrastructure.
The IDF announced that as part of the ceasefire agreement and in accordance with the directive of the political echelon, IDF troops under the Southern Command have begun marking the Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip to establish tactical clarity on the ground. (IDF)
“Hamas wakes up every day with a mission to hurt us,” Strook told Fox News Digital. “The IDF will not withdraw even one meter, and no rehabilitation framework will be established until full demilitarization is completed.
“If, God forbid, the opposite happens in the meeting, it will be a failure of the peace plan, a failure for Trump himself — who would be settling for fake demilitarization— and a failure for us. We will not be able to say that we won this war if Hamas remains armed,” she added.
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Trump is nevertheless expected to soon unveil the second stage of his Gaza framework, despite Hamas’s failure to return the remains of Israel Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, who was killed during the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre, and whose body was taken to Gaza by Hamas terrorists.
Fox News Digital’s Sophia Compton contributed to this report.
Amelie Botbol is a freelance journalist based in Tel Aviv. Her articles have appeared in the New York Post, Canada’s National Post, and the Washington Times. Amelie can be followed on X @DatReporter
WORLD NEWS
Why was the DOJ tracking an investigative journalist who covered Epstein? Dems demand answers
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Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have demanded answers from the Department of Justice after details of a flight taken by an investigative journalist well known for covering Jeffrey Epstein turned up in the pedophile’s files.
Miami Herald reporter Julie K Brown, author of the book Perversion of Justice, which was published in 2020, posted on X Sunday: “Does somebody at the DOJ want to tell me why my American Airlines booking information and flights in July 2019 are part of the Epstein files (attached to a grand jury subpoena)?
“As the flight itinerary includes my maiden name (and I did book this flight) why was the DOJ monitoring me?”
Brown also addressed the matter in a post on Substack in which she said she had “expected” to see her name in the Epstein files because of her reporting, but added: “What I didn’t expect to see was an American Airlines flight record from 2019 with my full name on them, including my maiden name, which I don’t use professionally. It’s an unusual name, so it’s clear it’s me.”
Her X message was reposted by the official Oversight Dems account with the comment: “The Department of Justice needs to explain why travel information and booking itineraries for a journalist are in the Epstein files.”
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Jeffrey Epstein pictured in one of the files released this month by the Department of Justice in accordance with the terms of the Epstein Files Transparency Act (DOJ)
The Independent has contacted the DOJ for comment.
The near-unanimous passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act through Congress in November set in motion a 30-day deadline for the DOJ to publish all of its past investigative material on Epstein, the billionaire pedophile and sex trafficker who died by suicide in a New York City jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial.
President Donald Trump signed off on the bill after months of pressure to release the information – as he had previously promised his supporters he would – and amid persistent questions about his past friendship with Epstein, which he has said ended “long before it became fashionable” in 2004.
Trump has not been accused of any wrongdoing in relation to the financier, and anyone’s appearance in the files should not be interpreted as evidence of guilt.
The DOJ duly published a significant tranche of Epstein documents and photographs on December 19 in compliance with the act. Still, they were found to be incomplete, lacking in context, and not presented in a searchable format, as the original bill had expressly stipulated.
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Miami Herald journalist Julie K Brown, whose reporting helped reopen the case against Epstein (Miami Herald/YouTube)
A second, even larger batch of files was posted on the department’s website on December 23, two days before Christmas, leaving interested parties scrambling to comb through the almost 30,000 pages released.
The DOJ has since said it has uncovered “over a million more” documents possibly tied to the Epstein case and that it will take weeks to release them all.
Brown is credited with helping to reopen the case against Epstein after the mysterious financier was allowed to plead guilty to two state-level prostitution offenses in 2008 as part of a plea deal with Florida prosecutors that saw him escape more serious federal charges.
The Miami Herald began publishing a series of Brown’s reports in November 2018 that saw her identify 80 potential victims of Epstein’s sexual abuse, some of whom were as young as 13 when the abuse took place, and speak to eight individuals about their experiences.
Epstein was eventually re-arrested and charged again in July 2019, a chain of events that also saw then-secretary of labor Alex Acosta resign, given that he had been the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida at the time the pedophile’s plea deal was agreed.
The deal not only shielded Epstein himself from further prosecution but also protected his co-conspirators.
Brighten your space in 2026!
If you’re looking for ways to zhuzh up your home decor at the top of the year, check out the Lego Botanicals Pretty Pink Flower Bouquet Building Set while it’s available at Amazon. It will instantly add a touch of color and warmth to any room.
Since being released in early 2025, it has become Amazon’s best-selling artificial flower product — and more than 10,000 bouquets have been sold in the past month alone. They’re a fun activity, and the result is a stunning centerpiece. With Valentine’s Day coming up, this set is a creative gift that can be displayed long after it’s built.
Lego Botanicals Pretty Pink Flower Bouquet Building Set
Amazon
Part of the Lego Botanicals line, the set is intended for ages 18 and up and comes with 749 pieces to build 15 artificial flowers. The bouquet includes daisies, cornflowers, eucalyptus, roses, orchids, a waterlily dahlia, and more — all in pretty pastel hues of pink, orange, green, and blue.
All the stems are adjustable, with the tallest flower standing 12.5 inches tall, so you can arrange your bouquet however you like in different vase sizes. You can also combine the Pretty Pink Flower Bouquet with other Lego flower sets to create a truly bespoke arrangement.
The set has been a massive hit with builders, who’ve given it more than 1,100 five-star ratings. They’ve called it a blast to build and a sharp piece of home decor. “Had so much fun assembling this bouquet,” wrote one buyer. “It looks super cute on my mantel.” Another reviewer called the finished product “stunningly realistic,” and said it “sits proudly in [their] living room.”
Snag this long-lasting and beautiful decoration for your bookshelf, desk, mantle, or entryway table. Alternatively, Lego flowers like this kit are a thoughtful gift — no water is required here.
It’s easy to see why Legos for adults have surged in popularity lately, with Lego flowers taking the cake for their somewhat challenging build, customizability, and colorful appeal. Add the Lego Botanicals Pretty Pink Flower Bouquet to your virtual cart before it sells out. Then, come back and keep scrolling for more decorative Legos, including a realistic orchid build with a near-perfect overall rating and this chrysanthemum building set that has been purchased more than 50,000 times by shoppers in the past month.
Lego Botanicals Chrysanthemum Building Set
Amazon
Lego Botanicals Bonsai Tree Building Set
Amazon
Lego Botanicals Wildflower Bouquet Set
Amazon
Lego Botanicals Orchid Artificial Plant
Amazon
WORLD NEWS
One child is dead after Christmas holiday house fire injured five: Probe into what caused blaze continues
This is the first picture of the schoolgirl who tragically died in a house fire that left her mother and another child in hospital.
Lily Kennedy, 13, described by her aunt as a ‘princess’, was killed when the raging inferno swept through her family home on Sunday lunchtime.
The blaze in the village of Hamstreet near Ashford, Kent was so fierce that three firefighters were also hospitalised, and crews spent the day and night watering down the charred structure.
Lily is the daughter of Chris Kennedy, 49, a keen amateur footballer who runs a small, independent media production company. Chris is originally from Oldham but now lives in Ashford.
Her mother is Annemarie Childs, who works as a tutor with vulnerable adults in Kent.
Ms Childs, 40, posted a series of pictures on social media of her and Lily underlining the deep bond they shared.
Posting a picture on social media, Lily’s aunt Marie Louise said: ‘Rest in peace sweet girl Xx’, while later linking to a report on the blaze she added: ‘My poor niece, thoughts and prayers are with my poor brother and Lily’s mum.’
A Go Fund Me Page was set up by a friend of Lily’s father.
Lily Kennedy, 13, pictured with her mother Annemarie Childs
The extent of the damage caused by the fire is seen on Monday, December 29
The appeal read: ‘Please can people donate what they can for a close friend of mine who lost his little girl a wonderful happy full of life child, Lily at just aged 13.
‘Lily passed away after an awful fire that tore through hers and her family home leaving them with no home and a massive part of their hearts missing RIP Lily …… all funds raised can give this little girl the send off she truly deserves x’
Meanwhile, family friend Aeryn Gower posted a tribute to Lily on social media which read: ‘I am beyond sad to hear this news. She was always smiley and knocking on our door wanting to play. She will never be forgotten.’
The next of kin has been informed of Lily’s death. This morning the area around the house remained taped off and a lone police car was parked outside.
In an update Kent Fire and Rescue Service said: ‘Firefighters have extinguished all remaining hot spots at the scene of a house fire in White Admiral Way, in Hamstreet, Ashford.
‘KFRS technical rescue unit is in attendance, as well as two fire engines, and crews are working to make the property structurally safe. An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.
‘Our thoughts and deepest condolences remain with everyone affected.’
There had been reports that the fire had started in a wood burner in the house but this was dismissed by relatives of the family online.
Lily with her mother Annemarie, who remains in hospital after the fire on Sunday
Another child and an adult remain in hospital after the house fire in Ashford, Kent on Sunday (Pictured: Deflated Christmas decorations in the front garden of the home)
Neighbours desperately tried to put out the house fire but were ‘beaten back’ by the blaze.
Those living near to the semi-detached home in Kent rushed to the scene in a bid to extinguish the ferocious flames as they tore through the property just after midday.
Firefighters arrived on the scene to tackle the blaze which brought chaos to the sleepy village on Christmas weekend, with three rushed to hospital after suffering injuries, before being released later.
The windows on the ground floor were completely blown out in the fire as Christmas decorations lay deflated in the home’s front garden.
Six fire engines and a height vehicle were deployed to the property, where crews worked to extinguish the fire, which had spread quickly.
A probe into what caused the inferno continues, and photos of the scene show the charred remains of a home.
Neighbours said they tried to rush into the house to help out but the blaze was too strong.
One told Metro: ‘It started downstairs and spread really quickly.
Lily, 13, died after a fire swept through her family home in Ashford on Sunday
Six fire engines were deployed to the semi-detached property, where crews worked to extinguish the fire, which had spread throughout the home
A height vehicle pictured at the home. A probe into what caused the inferno continues
‘There was nothing we could do at that point. It was really bad. We were all beaten back.’
Ann Millington, chief executive of Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS), said on Sunday night: ‘Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with everyone affected by this tragic incident, especially the child’s loved ones.
‘We understand this will be a distressing time for the local community and support is available at a welfare hub set up at Hamstreet Village Hall.’
A Kent Police spokesperson said: ‘Kent Police was called at 12.22pm on Sunday 28 December 2025 to reports of a fire at a house on White Admiral Way in Hamstreet.
‘Officers attended the scene and assisted Kent Fire and Rescue crews with closure of the road whilst they extinguished the fire.’
If you have a pet dog, you can only dream that they love you as much as you love them. It turns out, if they display key behaviours, they are telling you just how much they care
10:32, 29 Dec 2025
Dogs show their love in different ways (stock image)(Image: Getty)
Pet owners often hope their animals love them as much as they love their animals but, it turns out, your dog could be telling you they love you all the time. Experts claim dogs display certain behaviours to show their affection, and they could be showing just how much they care more often than you think.
Joe, known as Joe Dog Tips on TikTok, said dogs actually tell their owners they love them all the time, but people don’t always realise it. Humans don’t always pick up on it, as their love is said to be “quiet”, and is actually hidden in small behaviours.
So, if you’re hoping your animals adore you, there may be a simple way you can tell if they do. In fact, there are many tell-tale signs which imply your dog loves you a lot.
According to Joe, there are some subtle signs you should look out for to pick up on their affection. Here are the five you really need to know about.
Pausing
If your dog pauses what they’re doing to look at you, it’s said this soft eye contact “isn’t random”. Instead, it’s your dog checking in, and ensuring you feel safe.
Little you may know, a dog pausing to look at you can certainly be a sign of love and affection. This is because mutual eye contact releases the bonding hormone oxytocin in both dogs and humans.
Sometimes, however, they can also do it to communicate with you, seeking guidance or approval in a certain situation. What you need to know is a soft, relaxed gaze with loose body language is considered a bold sign of a deep connection, trust and love.
Resting close to you
If your dog decides to rest close to you, this is also a good sign. They don’t have to lie on top of you, as they just need to be close enough to “sense your breathing”. Dogs can sometimes relax better when their owner is near, which marks a strong sign of their affection, trust and loyalty.
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This behaviour shows they feel safe and comfortable enough to be vulnerable (like sleeping). They likely also view you as a vital part of their “pack” or family, as they look for your presence for security and bonding. This behaviour actually links to their pack instincts, whereby closeness to trusted members offers protection and warmth.
Joy when you return home
When a dog expresses joy when you return home, this shows a strong sign of love, joy and deep attachment. Clearly they have missed you a lot when you’ve been out.
If they show excitement when you return, they clearly feel secure and happy in your presence. It was explained: “The tail spins, the wiggles, the happy chaos. That’s not bad behaviour, that’s pure joy. In their world, you’re the person they love most.”
Gentle touches
You may not realise it, but gentle touches from a dog also imply a strong indication of love, trust and a desire for connection. Small actions, including leaning, nudging or placing a paw on you, can help to enhance the bond you share.
The way they sit
If your dog sits facing away from you, but pressed against you, they may also be telling you something important. It’s reported that dogs only turn their backs on someone they completely trust.
It may seem small, but the action is often considered a sign of affection, trust and a desire for comfort and security. By sitting this way, they are suggesting they feel safe with you, and want to be close to you, though without direct eye contact.
They may want to share warmth or they could simply be showing they trust you enough to not continuously monitor you.
WORLD NEWS
Tents flooded by heavy rains in Gaza amid calls for Israel to let in aid | Israel-Palestine conflict News
Severe weather conditions are bringing further misery to displaced Palestinians in Gaza, who have already suffered relentless bombardment, siege and loss in Israel’s genocidal war for more than two years, as Israel continues to block critical shelter and aid supplies into the territory.
Flimsy tents were flooded and makeshift camps engulfed in mud on Monday following heavy winter rains lashing the enclave in recent days.
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The harsh conditions have added to the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, most of whom are reduced to sheltering in tents and other makeshift structures since Israel’s war destroyed an estimated 80 percent of the buildings there.
Officials are warning that severe conditions also bring new dangers, with the threat of disease and illness as overwhelmed and damaged sewage systems contaminate floodwaters, and the risk that damaged buildings could collapse amid heavy rainfall.
On Sunday, a 30-year-old woman was killed when a partially destroyed wall collapsed onto her tent in the Remal neighbourhood to the west of Gaza City amid fierce winds, Al Jazeera Arabic reported.
Officials have warned people not to shelter in damaged buildings, but the tents offer limited protection from the heavy rain and no real protection against flooding.
At least 15 people, including three babies, have died this month from hypothermia following the rains and plunging temperatures, according to the authorities in Gaza.
Two-month-old baby Arkan Firas Musleh was the latest infant to die as a result of the extreme cold.
Contaminated floodwater
Reporting from Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighbourhood, where most of the buildings have been reduced to rubble by Israeli attacks, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary said the heavy rains had created deep puddles and thick mud that was difficult to pass in places.
“People are struggling to walk in those mud puddles,” she said. “These are not only water, but it’s also sewage, rubbish.”
A team of municipal workers were trying to pump sewage from the overwhelmed network, amid reports of flooded tents from residents.
“Families are saying that sewage water has been coming into their tents,” she said.
Calls for aid deliveries
Aid groups have called for the international community to pressure Israel to lift restrictions on life-saving aid deliveries into the territory, which they say are falling far short of the amount called for under the US-brokered ceasefire.
“More rain. More human misery, despair and death,” Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of UNRWA, the top United Nations group overseeing aid in Gaza, wrote on social media on Sunday.
“Harsh winter weather is compounding more than two years of suffering. People in Gaza are surviving in flimsy, waterlogged tents and among ruins.”
There was “nothing inevitable about this”, he added. “Aid supplies are not being allowed in at the scale required.”
More Israeli attacks
Meanwhile, despite the ceasefire that came into effect on October 10, Israeli attacks on Palestinians have continued in Gaza.
Three Palestinians were injured on Monday when Israeli forces targeted the Jabalia camp in northern Gaza, a medical source told Al Jazeera Arabic.
Witnesses said the attack happened in an area from which Israeli forces had withdrawn under the ceasefire agreement.
Witnesses also reported an Israeli air raid on the eastern areas of the Bureij camp in central Gaza, artillery shelling east of Rafah and further Israeli attacks east of Gaza City, Al Jazeera Arabic reported.
A 20-point plan proposed by United States President Donald Trump in September called for an initial truce followed by steps towards a wider peace. So far, as part of the first phase, there has been the exchange of captives held in Gaza and prisoners in Israeli jails, and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave. However, it still occupies almost half of the territory.
However, Israeli attacks have not stopped, while humanitarian aid flows into the territory have not been what was promised.
Since the truce went into effect, more than 414 Palestinians have been killed and more than 1,100 wounded in ceasefire violations, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.