China announced “major” military exercises around Taiwan on Monday amid rising tensions with Japan over the status of the self-governing island that Beijing claims as its territory.

The military exercises, named “Just Mission 2025,” will involve live-fire drills starting on Tuesday, China’s military said.

“This serves as a serious warning ​to ‘Taiwan ​Independence’ separatist forces and external interference forces, and it is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity,” Shi Yi, a spokesperson for China’s Eastern Theater Command said in a statement.

“The exercise focuses on training for maritime and aerial combat readiness patrols, gaining integrated control, sealing off key ports and areas and conducting multi-dimensional deterrence.”

Taiwan vows to protect ‘democracy, freedom and sovereignty’

Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te urged China “not to misjudge the situation and become a troublemaker in the region.”

“In response to the Chinese authorities’ disregard for international norms and the use of military intimidation to threaten neighboring countries, Taiwan expresses its strong condemnation,” presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo said in a statement.

China’s Eastern Theater Command published a diagram showing where drills would be conducted around TaiwanImage: Meng Lijing/Xinhua/picture alliance

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said on Monday morning that it had detected two Chinese planes and 11 Chinese ships operating around the island in the past 24 hours. China confirmed its Eastern Forces Command was operating in the Taiwan strait.

The Taiwanese Defense Ministry also said it had set up a rapid response center and vowed to “protect democracy, freedom, sovereignty and safety” on the island.

“A response centre has been established, and appropriate forces have been deployed,” the Taiwanese military said, adding that its armed forces “have carried out a rapid response exercise.”

Rising tensions between China and Japan

Democratic Taiwan has governed itself for decades but China considers it to be a separatist province and has long vowed to retake it by force if necessary.

Monday’s announcement comes after Beijing expressed anger over comments by Japan’s new nationalist Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who suggested that any Chinese action against Taiwan could constitute a “survival-threatening situation” — a designation under Japanese law that opens the door to military intervention.

US riles China with $11 billion arms deal for Taiwan

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It also comes after the United States announced its largest-ever weapons sale to Taiwan, with a package valued at $11.1 billion (€9.4 billion).

While China’s military has conducted live-fire drills and practiced port blockades around Taiwan in the past, Monday’s announcement was the first time it publicly stated that drills were aimed at “deterrence” of outside military intervention.

Edited by: Rana Taha

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Hamas is rebuilding a new Gaza terror apparatus and using the ceasefire with Israel to boost its military, restore a problematic leadership structure and recruit a new generation of teenage fighters, according to a leading national security analyst.

Professor Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, told Fox News Digital that the pause in fighting has given Hamas breathing room to regroup.

“Everything that is happening will continue happening as long as Hamas continues to effectively control the western part of the Gaza Strip,” Michael said.

“Generally speaking, Hamas now has full freedom of movement,” he warned.

TWO IDF SOLDIERS KILLED AMID ‘SEVERE’ CEASEFIRE VIOLATION, ‘IT’S NOT THE LAST,’ ANALYST SAYS

Hamas terrorists stand guard on the day of the handover of hostages held in Gaza since the deadly October 7, 2023, attack.  (Hatem Khaled/Reuters)

Since Israeli forces withdrew from parts of Gaza in October under a new ceasefire framework, Hamas has moved to fill the power vacuum.

At the time, police forces returned to the streets as Hamas fighters targeted and executed suspected opponents.

Multiple reports indicate Hamas is now rebuilding across significant portions of Gaza, including areas where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) previously operated.

A December report by the Jewish News Syndicate found that Hamas is “actively rebuilding its regime of terror” in nearly half of the territory it controls.

TREY YINGST: HAMAS MUST ACCEPT TRUMP PEACE PLAN TO END WAR ONCE AND FOR ALL

Banners with the photograph of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas terrorist leader who was killed in an Israeli attack, are hung on the streets in Tehran, Iran on Oct. 19, 2024. The giant banner hung in Palestine Square read, “Sinwar’s Storm continues.”  (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Hamas is also preparing to elect a new political leader following the deaths of Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel.

According to The Jerusalem Post, senior Hamas figures Khalil al-Hayya and Khaled Mashaal are the contenders, with Hayya seen as the favorite because of his popularity in Gaza and his role in the West Bank.

Michael said the leadership race is unlikely to alter Hamas’s already dangerous course.

“Both leaders are problematic,” he said. “Each one, in his own way, is considered to be more militant and more radical in his Gazan orientation and his support for armed resistance.”

Even Mashaal, often described as more politically oriented, “is still in favor of the continuation of armed resistance,” Michael added.

TRUMP WARNS HAMAS WILL BE ‘HUNTED DOWN, AND KILLED’ UNLESS ISRAELI HOSTAGES RELEASED BY SUNDAY

Hamas politburo member Khalil al-Hayya attends a news conference in Damascus, Syria October 19, 2022.  (Yamam al Shaar/REUTERS/File Photo)

“When it comes to Hamas, it doesn’t really matter who is going to be the next political leader of this terror organization.”

Michael said one of the most alarming developments is Hamas’s growing success in recruiting teenagers during the ceasefire.

“It has become very easy for Hamas to recruit teenagers now because they effectively control the western part of the Gaza Strip,” he said, noting Hamas has become “the most reliable employer in the Gaza Strip,” offering small incomes to boys as young as 16 or 17.

“It seems to be very natural for them to join Hamas, because some of them have also lost relatives, and therefore there’s a revenge incentive.”

“They also might prefer to be in the bullyish-types of neighborhoods, like in the ghettos in Chicago,” he said.

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Michael suggested that because Hamas has “full freedom of movement, they have also been rebuilding tunnels.”

“They also appointed new governors to the different districts in Gaza and are reconstituting their government and military stockpiles,” Michael added.

Emma Bussey is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Before joining Fox, she worked at The Telegraph with the U.S. overnight team, across desks including foreign, politics, news, sport and culture. 

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NEED TO KNOW

• A woman asked her future mother-in-law to wear a satin dress at her wedding, and received backlash from her fiancé’s sister
• The sister told her that “their mom hates satin and will be miserable all day,” the bride-to-be shared in a Reddit post
• Users on the platform said the bride’s request was out of line, and criticized her behavior

A bride-to-be has ruffled some feathers over an unusual request for her soon-to-be in-laws — especially her future mother-in-law.

The young bride asked her fiancé’s mom to wear a fabric she “hates” to her wedding, upsetting some of her future in-laws in the process, and decided to share her side of things in a post on Reddit’s “Am I the A——” forum. The post gained traction on the platform, where users seemed to agree that the bride was being out of line.

In the post, the 21-year-old woman explained that she is getting married in February, and has spent the last year planning the ceremony. Among the planning was a unique request for her future mother-in-law. As a result, the woman said, “her future sister-in-law accused me of not considering my fiancé’s family throughout this process.”

Months earlier, the woman and her fiancé “decided that we liked a specific shade of blue and stretch satin material” from a bridal brand that she described as “relatively affordable.” The couple then decided to ask not only the bridesmaids, but also all of their moms, sisters and grandmas to pick their dress from the website in that exact shade and material.

Stock image of an upset bride.

Getty

“We are being pretty specific about the material because even if you order the same color in a different material, it will look completely different,” the bride-to-be wrote. But people were not happy with the request.

While discussing wedding planning, the woman wrote, “my future sister-in-law accused me of being inconsiderate of my fiancé’s family.”

“She also said that their mom hates satin and will be miserable all day and I’m inconsiderate for not asking her (the mom) if she likes satin” prior to deciding on the fabric, the bride wrote, noting that she and her fiancé made the decision together.

The bride-to-be also noted in her post that she’s “tried my best to be mindful of their family so that we all have a great time.” She cited changing her wedding destination from overseas due to her future in-laws’ “legal status,” accommodating their “very large immediate family,” and working to include aspects of the ceremony in Spanish, which is their dominant language.

“So,” she concluded the post, “[am I the a——] for wanting my mother-in-law to wear a satin dress to the wedding and [having] been inconsiderate of my fiancés family during my wedding planning process?”

Stock image of an adult woman in a satin gown.

Getty

Most users who responded to her post agreed that she is, in fact, in the wrong — and out of line — and defended her future mother-in-law.

Several pointed out that her request is “not customary,” and argued that satin is not a preferred fabric for many people due to both its fit and the fact that it can be uncomfortable to wear. One user even wrote that they looked at the dresses from the company the bride selected, and argued that “there is not one single dress that is appropriate for a middle-aged woman.”

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The user with the top-voted response wrote, “People are considered guests for the wedding, not props for the color matching. Unless it’s silk, satin is pretty uncomfortable, and expecting people to shell out money for something they’ve no choice in is not appropriate.” Another agreed, arguing that the bride’s future mother-in-law “is not a prop to make your wedding look a certain way.”

“She’s not a bridesmaid and should not be dictated to on what to wear,” another user echoed, suggesting the bride “provide a swatch and the mother of the groom should be free to buy her dress wherever she wants and wear what is comfy.”

“You care more about your vision over her comfort,” the same user wrote, adding that the mother-in-law “doesn’t need you dictating the fabric she puts on [her] body.”

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One of Australia’s most scenic mountain trails is set to be reopened after it was closed to the public for five years. 

Mount Warning – also known as Wollumbin – near Murwillumbah, in the NSW Northern Rivers, has been off-limits to the public after it was ‘temporarily’ closed during the Covid pandemic in 2020. 

The closure was extended numerous times, for a period of almost five years, to protect the site’s Indigenous heritage. 

Many feared the popular trail would remain closed amid claims the area had cultural significance and sensitivities for the local Indigenous people. 

The controversial ban left many Aussies outraged and had spurred protests from hikers, led by NSW Upper House MP John Ruddick and Marc Hendrickx, who is a member of advocacy group Right to Climb. 

Last year, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service extended the closure until December 31 to allow ‘additional time for careful consideration of the site’s future’. 

On Monday, NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe announced the closure would be overturned.

However, hiking enthusiasts will have to wait until July 2027 before the trail is reopened to the public.   

One of Australia’s most scenic mountain trails is set to be re-opened after it was closed to the public for five years

Sharpe explained the period before the trail is reopened to the public would allow time for a thorough resolution to any issues. 

‘Over the past year, I continued constructive discussions with a wide range of stakeholders, including user groups, councils, the Wollumbin Consultative Group and other community members,’ she said. 

‘These conversations highlighted Wollumbin’s significance to Aboriginal communities and the wider public.  

‘I understand extending the temporary closure will disappoint some visitors. 

‘However, a number of practical challenges – such as ensuring safe access – must still be addressed.

‘The additional time will help us create a clear plan for the future of this special place that respects cultural responsibilities and safeguards visitor safety.’

Mr Hendrickx welcomed the news, but said he had some reservations as to the conditions of its reopening. 

‘We will need to see what conditions are attached,’ he told The Courier Mail.

Mount Warning – also known as Wollumbin – near Murwillumbah, in the NSW Northern Rivers, has been off-limits to the public after it was ‘temporarily’ closed during the Covid pandemic in 2020

‘If people can visit the summit without having to pay exorbitant fees or be forced to join a tour then that’s great news.’

Mr Hendrickx has lobbied the NSW government for years to reopen the trail after the summit was shut down in 2020. 

Once visited by 120,000 visitors visitors every year, Mount Warning is the highest peak at Australia’s most easterly point and is the first part of the nation each day to get sunlight.  

The summit trail was shut down in 2020 after the Wollumbin Consultative Group successfully petitioned the then Liberal state government to ban access to non-Aboriginal Australians.

The group, made up of Indigenous families and community organisations, stated the trail has cultural and spiritual significance to the Bundjalung men.

The group also claimed allowing females – including those of indigenous heritage – on the site would ruin its cultural significance.  

Mr Hendrickx, who authored A Guide to Climbing Mt Warning, was among dozens of protesters who climbed the mountain on Australia Day this year. 

Three months later, the prominent activist became the first person to be fined for climbing the mountain since the hiking ban was enacted.

Mr Hendrickx copped a $300 fine for breaching the National Parks and Wildlife Regulation 2019 for entering ‘a park that is closed to the public’. 

The engineering geologist previously told Daily Mail the move to ban visitors to the site goes against the values Australians uphold. 

‘Access to these wonderful natural places is part of what really underlies and builds our Australian character,’ Mr Hendrickx said.  

‘If we were unable to access these places, then really it’s like an attack on being Australian.’

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The Interoceanic Train, which links Mexico’s Pacific and Gulf coasts, has derailed in Asunción Ixtaltepec, Oaxaca leaving almost 100 people needing hospital treatment

01:55, 29 Dec 2025Updated 02:07, 29 Dec 2025

Mexican Army soldiers and Civil Protection members rescue passengers from the Interoceanic train(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

At least 13 people have died and 98 were injured after a train derailed in Mexico on Sunday, according to the Mexican Navy.

The train derailed on Sunday December 28 in Asunción Ixtaltepec, Oaxaca, on the train’s main line between Veracruz and Salina Cruz. There were reportedly 250 on board at the time.

In a press release released at 6pm local time, Mexico’s navy said, “Regrettably, 13 people have been confirmed dead,” adding, “98 people have been injured, and 36 of them are being hospitalized.”

Mexican Army soldiers and Civil Protection members at the scene(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

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Mexico’s Navy (SEMAR) said on X (X, formerly Twitter) that “a train deviated off the track on the railway line Z passing through the Isthmus of Teuantepec,” adding, “We are cooperating with local authorities to support passengers and deal with the accident.”

Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, also addressed the incident, taking to X to confirm: “The Secretariat of the Navy has informed me that in the Interoceanic Train accident, unfortunately 13 people died; 98 are injured, five of them seriously.

“The injured are in IMSS hospitals in Matías Romero and Salina Cruz, as well as in IMSS-Wellbeing hospitals in Juchitán and Ixtepec. I have given instructions for the Secretary of the Navy and the Deputy Secretary of Human Rights of the Secretariat of the Interior to travel to the site and personally attend to the families; also the delegates of IMSS and IMSS-Wellbeing.

“The Secretary of the Interior will coordinate the efforts. I appreciate the support of the Governor of Oaxaca and his team. We will continue to provide updates.”

Managed by Mexico’s Navy, the Interoceanic Train links Mexico’s Pacific and Gulf coasts.

An investigation will be opened to determine the cause of the derailment, Mexico’s Attorney General Ernestina Godoy said in a post on X.

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At least 13 people have died and dozens more are being treated for their injuries after a train derailed in Mexico, authorities have said.

The ⁠accident happened between the ‌towns of Chivela ‍and Nizanda in the ​southern state ​of Oaxaca, on a line connecting the Pacific Ocean with the Gulf of Mexico, on Sunday.

Some 250 people, including 241 passengers and nine crew members, were on board, according to details released by the Mexican Navy, which controls the route.

At least 13 people were killed, the navy said, with 98 injured – including 36 who needed hospital medical assistance. President Claudia Sheinbaum said on X that five of the injured are in a critical condition.

Image:
Passengers gathered by tracks after the train derailment in Oaxaca state, Mexico. Pic: Social media video via Reuters

During extensive search and rescue operations, the navy said it deployed a total of 360 personnel, 20 vehicles, four ground ambulances, three air ambulances, and one tactical drone.

An investigation into the incident has already been opened, Attorney General ​Ernestina Godoy Ramos said in a post on social media.

The interoceanic train launched in 2023 under the country’s former president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

It forms part of the broader Interoceanic Corridor project, designed to modernise the ‌rail link across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec – ⁠connecting the Pacific port of Salina Cruz with ‌Coatzacoalcos on the Gulf Coast, covering a distance of approximately 180 miles (290km).

Image:
The derailment happened on an interoceanic route connecting the Pacific Ocean with the Gulf of Mexico, in the southern state of Oaxaca

The Mexican government ‍has been working to develop the strip of land into a strategic trade corridor, expanding ports, railways and industrial infrastructure with the goal of creating a route that could compete with the Panama Canal.

In a statement, the Mexican Navy expressed condolences to the families of those “who lost their lives in this tragic accident”.

The governor of Oaxaca, Salomon Jara Cruz, also sent condolences to the families of those killed and said state authorities were coordinating with federal agencies to assist those affected.

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South Australian police hold grave fears for a woman missing in the outback for 16 days and have renewed search efforts near where her car was found abandoned.

Trisha Graf was last seen in the early hours of Friday 12 December in the Roxby Downs area, 510km north of Adelaide.

The 41-year-old Andamooka woman was driving a white 2012 Ford Territory, with SA registration S254BCX, which was found abandoned and unable to be driven near Blue Dam, east of Andamooka, on 13 December.

Police conducted an extensive air and ground search operation, including specialist dive teams, which failed to locate any sign of Graf.

On Monday, police were undertaking a further aerial search focusing on an area between Blue Dam and Andamooka, 32km from Roxby Downs, expanding the area already covered during extensive ground searches.

Trisha Graf’s car was found abandoned and unable to be driven near Blue Dam, east of Andamooka, on 13 December. Photograph: South Australia police

Police said they hold “grave concerns” for Graf’s welfare.

Anyone with information about Graf’s whereabouts or her movements leading up to her disappearance is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au.

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The Albanian nationalist Vetevendosje party has won a landslide victory in Kosovo’s parliamentary elections, according to preliminary results.

With 90% of the votes counted, the party, whose name means “self determination”, was on 50.8%, meaning a third term in power for its leader, Albin Kurti.

The two main opposition parties, the centre-right Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), were on 20.98% and 13.89%, respectively.

Vetevendosje won elections in February, but without a majority, and Kosovo has been without a functioning government since then.

The impasse meant there was one big question hanging over this second parliamentary election of the year.

Would voters punish Kurti for the long months of deadlock in the country’s National Assembly – or the opposition parties who refused to countenance a coalition with Kurti’s left-wing movement?

The electorate has given a clear answer. This will not be quite enough to deliver enough seats for Kurti to govern without coalition partners. But he should not find it difficult to find support among the MPs from the ethnic minority parties who are guaranteed 20 of the 120 seats in the National Assembly.

It is the fourth successive victory in parliamentary elections for Vetevendosje. The result is vindication after the opposition parties blocked his attempts to form a government following the previous polls on February 9.

Kurti claimed it was “the greatest victory in the history of the country” – and said he expected opposition parties to cooperate, rather than frustrate, this time around.

Arben Gashi, of the third-placed Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), indicated that could be possible. “When voters speak, the result cannot be ignored,” he posted on social media. “Reflection and responsible action are required,” he added.

There is plenty at stake. Kosovo has missed out on hundreds of millions of euros’ worth of European Union funds because of the lack of a functioning government. Kurti also cited potential agreements with the World Bank which would bring the total sum to more than €1bn.

Repairing relations with Kosovo’s strongest international supporters, the EU and the US, should also be on the agenda. Kurti angered Brussels and Washington by repeatedly targeting institutions serving Kosovo’s Serb minority – from post offices to healthcare facilities. This increased tensions in majority-Serb north Kosovo.

The EU has finally agreed to remove the punitive measures it imposed in 2023. But it will be looking for Kurti to take a pragmatic approach to the long-stalled normalisation dialogue with Serbia, rather than stick to his usual dogmatic line. Given his frosty relations with Serbia’s president, Aleksandar Vucic, this may be a vain hope.

The fact that Kosovo’s voters have resoundingly endorsed such a polarising figure reflects their jaundiced view of the alternatives. Parties connected to the Kosovo Liberation Army dominated government in the decade following 2008’s unilateral declaration of independence – but failed to deliver on their promises of prosperity.

One analyst, Artan Muhaxhiri, noted Vetevendosje’s “countless violations of the constitution, the lack of economic development and the breakdown of relations with allies” over its years in power.

But he concluded that “despite all the shortcomings, citizens have considered the opposition to be more harmful”.

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Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti won a clear victory in Kosovo’s second parliamentary election in 2025 with some 49.3% of the vote, results suggested on early Monday, with most of the votes counted.

His left-wing Self-Determination party fell just short of an absolute majority. But it remains to be seen whether he will need a coalition in order to form a government.

“After fair, democratic and free elections, we are even more victorious today than we were at the beginning of February,” Kurti said in a short speech broadcast on television.

“Once the results will be ⁠certified we should swiftly constitute the parliament and then form immediately a new government,” he added, calling on the opposition to support his international loan deals, which would need a two-thirds majority to pass.

What else do we know about the preliminary election results?

The Democratic Party of Kosovo came second with (PDK) 21% of the vote, followed by the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) with 13.6% and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) with 5.7%, as per results after 99% of the votes were counted.

Kosovo has been mired in political paralysis for most of the year, after Kurti’s leftist party lost the absolute majority it had won in 2021 and failed to secure the support of any other party to form a government.

Months of unsuccessful coalition talks led to President Vjosa Osmani dissolving the parliament in November and calling an early election.

Since then, Kosovo’s legislature has been unable to agree on its leadership, leaving the body effectively paralyzed and unable to function.

Why Kosovo’s upcoming parliamentary election matters

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High stakes for Kurti and rivals

Kurti, who has governed since 2021, was hoping for a decisive result similar to his 2021 victory, when he was able to form a government largely on his own. His reform agenda has produced mixed results so far.

Opposition parties have repeatedly refused to govern with Kurti, criticizing his handling of relations with Western allies and his policies toward Kosovo’s ethnically divided north, where a Serb minority lives.

Kurti, in turn, has blamed the opposition for the ongoing impasse.

Bedri Hamza, a former finance minister and new head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), was Kurti’s strongest challenger.

Hamza blends national values with liberal economic policies championing free markets, economic growth, a stronger private sector and social protection.

Voters in Kosovo cast ballots in an early parliamentary electionImage: Florion Goga/REUTERS

Funding and institutional deadlines loom

Failure to form a government would prolong the crisis at a critical moment. Lawmakers must elect a new president in April and ratify around €1 billion ($1.2 billion) in loan agreements with the European Union and the World Bank, which are set to expire in the coming months.

Kosovo has also faced financial pressure following tensions with Serbia in 2023, which prompted the EU to impose sanctions.

The bloc has said it will lift the measures after ethnic Serbian mayors were elected in northern municipalities, though the sanctions are believed to have cost Kosovo hundreds of millions of euros.

Campaign promises and voter disillusionment

During the campaign, Kurti pledged an extra month of salary per year for public sector workers, one billion euros annually in capital investment and the creation of a new prosecution unit to combat organized crime.

Opposition parties focused on promises to improve living standards. Many voters say they are disillusioned.

Edited by: Louis Oelofse, Saim Dušan Inayatullah, Rana Taha

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A man accused of planting pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican National Committees before the January 6, 2021 attack told investigators after his arrest that he believed someone needed to “speak up” for people who believed the 2020 election was stolen, according to federal prosecutors.

He said he targeted the political party headquarters because they were “in charge,” according to a new filing from U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.

Brian J. Cole Jr., 30, allegedly told investigators that “something just snapped” after “watching everything, just everything getting worse” in the wake of the election.

Cole was arrested earlier this month and charged with transporting explosives across state lines and with maliciously attempting to use the bombs to damage or destroy property.

Authorities had not previously outlined a possible motive for the pipe bombs or detailed any connection between the devices and the Capitol insurrection. But it was previously reported that Cole appeared to tell agents that he believed conspiracy theories that President Donald Trump was cheated out of the 2020 election.

open image in gallery

Brian J Cole Jr allegedly told federal investigators that ’something just snapped’ after ‘watching everything, just everything getting worse’ in the wake of the 2020 election (Department of Justice)

According to new details in the Sunday filing, Cole admitted in an interview following his arrest that on the day of the attack he “was going to a protest in support of [then President] Trump” but later admitted he traveled to Washington, D.C., specifically to plant the pipe bombs, not to attend the protest.

Trump continues to falsely insist that the 2020 election was “rigged” and “stolen” from him, claims that launched a spurious legal battle to overturn results and fueled a mob that stormed the halls of Congress in an attempt to block Joe Biden’s victory.

Cole admitted to investigators that he “has never really been an openly political person” and that “no one knows” his political views, including his family, according to Sunday’s filing.

“I didn’t agree with what people were doing, like just telling half the country that they — that their — that they just need to ignore it. I didn’t think that was a good idea, so I went to the protest,” Cole said, according to the filing. “If people feel that their votes are like just being thrown away, then … at the very least someone should address it.”

But when asked why he targeted the RNC and DNC headquarters, Cole responded “I really don’t like either party at this point.”

He added that he wanted to do something “to the parties” because “they were in charge.”

Cole initially maintained that he did not plant the devices. But after investigators showed him a photo of a Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoe worn by the suspect seen on surveillance footage, he admitted that he “used to have a pair” and said he “threw them away” because “they were old and they were coming apart.”

Federal agents then reminded him that lying to them could result in additional criminal charges. Asked again whether it was him in the video, Cole then paused for approximately 15 seconds, “placed his head face down on the table, and answered, ‘yes,’” according to the filing.

But Cole denied that the pipe bombs were directed at Congress or tied to the certification of the electoral college votes at the Capitol.

He “explained that the idea to use pipe bombs came from his interest in history, specifically the Troubles in Ireland,” according to the filing.

The Justice Department is asking a judge to detain Cole pending trial, arguing there is an “intolerable risk that he will again resort to violence to express his frustration with the world around him.”

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Agents arrested 30-year-old Cole at his home in Woodbridge, Virginia, and charged him with at least two federal felony charges (FBI)

open image in gallery

Cole allegedly confessed to planting the bombs after investigators showed him footage from outside RNC and DNC headquarters (FBI)

During his interview, Cole also walked investigators through the construction, transportation, and placement of the pipe bombs in detail, according to the filing.

He revealed that he learned how to make the powder from a video game that listed the ingredients and supplemented that knowledge by watching science-related videos on YouTube, investigators said.

Cole then said he transported the devices to D.C. on Jan. 5, 2021, inside a shoebox in the back seat of his Nissan Sentra. He wore a mask, hood, and gloves to avoid identification and fingerprints and used Google Maps to locate the RNC and DNC headquarters, the filing stated.

He told investigators he placed one device near the DNC, setting the timer to its maximum 60-minute duration, then returned to his car to retrieve the second device and walked to the RNC, where he repeated the process, investigators said.

The devices — which the FBI previously described as “viable” and “could have seriously injured or killed innocent bystanders” — did not detonate.

open image in gallery

Pipe bombs were placed near the offices of both the Democratic and Republican national committees hours before an angry mob stormed into the Capitol in a bid to halt the certification of Joe Biden’s victory (REUTERS)

According to the arrest affidavit viewed by The Independent, Cole’s checking account and six credit cards show purchases between 2019 and 2020 of materials consistent with the devices left at the DNC and RNC — including galvanized pipes, end caps, battery connectors, kitchen timers, wires, and homemade black powder ingredients.

Cole’s phone reportedly connected to Washington-area cell towers seven times between 7:39 p.m. and 8:24 p.m. on Jan. 5, 2021. The towers included coverage areas for both the DNC and RNC headquarters. Those timestamps align with surveillance footage showing the person planting the bombs.

About 20 minutes before the planting was captured on video, a license plate reader scanned Cole’s vehicle as he exited I-395 onto South Capitol Street, less than 1.5 miles from the bomb locations. The FBI also noted Cole had visited the area several weeks earlier, eating at a nearby restaurant December 14, 2020.

When Cole saw himself on the news, he discarded all his bomb making materials at a nearby dump, according to the filing.

Cole is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.

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NEED TO KNOW

• U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday, Dec. 28
• The politicians discussed brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine
• Trump said the two countries “could be very close” to a peace deal, despite “thorny” and “tough” issues

Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy had another meeting aimed at brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine.

The U.S. leader met the Ukrainian president at his Palm Beach, Fla., home and resort, Mar-a-Lago, on Sunday, Dec. 28. During their time together, Trump, 79, and Zelenskyy, 47, discussed ending the war in Ukraine, and how it is becoming more of a reality.

“We could be very close,” Trump said, according to CNN. “There are one or two very thorny issues, very tough issues. But I think we’re doing very well.”

“We made a lot of progress today, but really, we’ve made it over the last month,” he continued. “This is not a one-day process. It’s very complicated stuff.”

For his part, Zelenskyy agreed, stating, per The Hill: “We discussed all the aspects of the peace framework.”

Volodymyr Zelenskyy (left) and Donald Trump (right) on Dec. 28.

Joe Raedle/Getty 

Two days prior to the politicians’ Dec. 28 meet-up, Politico reported that Trump was optimistic about his meeting with Zelenskyy.

“I think it’s going to go good with him. I think it’s going to go good with [Vladimir] Putin,” Trump said, further explaining that he planned to speak with the Russian president “soon, as much as I want.”

Trump also told The New York Post, “I think we have a good shot at [a ceasefire]. I think [Ukraine] want to do it now, and I think that Russia wants to do it. But every time one wants to do it, the other doesn’t.”

However, the president also maintained in his remarks to Politico that he held the cards over Zelenskyy.

“He doesn’t have anything until I approve it,” Trump said of the Ukrainian president’s plan for peace. “So we’ll see what he’s got.”

This latest meeting followed a contentious White House encounter between Trump, Zelenskyy and Vice President JD Vance back in February.

During that meeting, the U.S. planned to sign a natural resources agreement with Ukraine and make progress on negotiating a peace deal. However, the visit quickly turned into an aggressive confrontation, with Trump and Vance, 41, berating the Ukrainian president.

Vance accused Zelenskyy of being “disrespectful” for trying to litigate U.S.-Ukraine policy in front of the American journalists gathered in the Oval Office.

“You should be thanking the president for trying to bring you into this conference,” Vance angrily told Zelenskyy, who replied, “We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel, because you’re in no position to dictate that.”

Immediately after Zelenskyy left the White House, dozens of world leaders jumped to his defense and criticized the behavior of the Trump administration.

A few months later, Trump invited Zelenskyy back, along with seven other European leaders. At the time, they had a “productive meeting” as a show of support for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

The White House summit in August came just a few days after the U.S. president flew to Alaska to meet with Putin in person. Despite presenting the Russian president with a personal plea from first lady Melania Trump, Trump returned home without a deal.

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Despite that disappointment, Trump maintained that he was the man to get the job done. During the Aug. 18 conference with Zelenskyy and other leaders — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte — Trump was caught on a hot mic.

“I think he [Putin] wants to make a deal. I think he wants to make a deal for me, you understand that?” he said. “As crazy as it sounds.”

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A dog owner was saved by his loyal pet after he collapsed on a beach in Dorset. 

David Howarth collapsed when walking along an empty Sandbanks beach in Poole after enjoying a dip in the sea. 

Fortunately, his faithful Labrador Beau was with him when the incident happened, and the pooch began bouncing up and down on Mr Howarth, running around on the sand and barking to draw attention. 

A passer–by noticed the dog’s unusual behaviour and stopped to help, saving the 71–year–olds life. 

Claire Dashwood was walking with her partner when she spotted five–year–old Beau next to Mr Howarth. She immediately ran over to help. 

She and her partner Paul Harrold turned Mr Howarth, who had stopped breathing, onto his back and began CPR while being guided by a paramedic over the phone. 

Two off–duty doctors, Rachel Hall and Chris Hovell, who were walking on the prom, spotted the scene unfolding and came to help, taking turns with Ms Dashwood, 65, to carry out compressions. 

When paramedics arrived, Mr Howarth was shocked with a defibrillator three times before he began to show signs of life. 

David Howarth, pictured with his Labrador Beau who was with him when he collapsed 

David Howarth collapsed when walking along an empty Sandbanks beach in Poole after enjoying a dip in the sea

Beau jumped up and down on Mr Howarth, ran around on the sand and barked to draw attention when his owner collapsed 

He was taken to a nearby hospital where doctors implanted a defibrillator near his heart. 

He was discharged after a week, and has made a full recovery.  

Speaking of the incident, Mr Howarth said: ‘I feel I owe Beau my life. I feel like I’ve won the lottery. I have this feeling of euphoria.

‘I feel extremely high–spirited, upbeat, optimistic and incredibly thankful for Beau and the people who went out of their way to save me.

‘I call them my angels. Every day I feel like the bubble will burst but it’s a year on and it hasn’t.

‘I’m just so glad to be alive, to be here, to have another chance.’

Ms Dashwood said she thought Beau was playing on the beach at first, and only realised something was wrong when she saw Mr Howarth on his back. 

‘He was dead, purple and freezing cold,’ she said. ‘I checked his pulse and his airway but there was nothing.

‘I was aware of lots of people around us saying, ‘he’s dead, he’s gone’, but I just blocked it all out and kept going.

‘The dog could have growled at me or attacked me but he kept on licking me. He knew I was helping David.

‘Beau is my little hero. Every time I see him, he licks my face – and I never let a dog lick my face!’ 

Claire Dashwood was walking with her partner when she spotted Beau next to Mr Howarth

Two off–duty doctors, Rachel Hall and Chris Hovell, who were walking on the prom, spotted the scene unfolding and came to help

Mr Howarth was taken to hospital where doctors implanted a defibrillator near his heart

Ms Hall, one of the doctors who stopped to help, added that she was ‘genuinely astonished with the outcome because David was completely gone when we saw him on the beach.’

Sam Kennard, community defibrillator manager at the British Heart Foundation said the story is a stark reminders of ‘how crucial it is to act fast in an emergency.’ 

‘Lives were saved because someone recognised the signs of cardiac arrest and started CPR immediately,’ they said. 

‘Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time.’

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The government is warning a voluntary window to return any money owed to taxpayers claimed through pandemic-era schemes closes shortly before midnight on December 31

People who wrongly claimed under schemes such as Eat Out to Help Out are being urged to repay

Suspected Covid fraudsters and those who wrongly took taxpayers’ cash have just 48 hours to repay – or face more severe penalties.

A voluntary window to return the money claimed through pandemic-era schemes closes shortly before midnight on December 31. Launched in September allows individuals to pay back financial support they didn’t need or weren’t entitled to as the virus ripped through the country.

They include programmes such as furlough, bounce-back loans, business support grants, and the Eat Out to Help Out scheme – set up by ex Tory PM Rishi Sunak.

The Treasury warned those who fail to comply face being slapped with 100% fines and in some cases charged interests and penalties. In the most serious cases where fraud or deliberate abuse is suspected, claimants face criminal action and a potential prison sentence.

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Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “The message is clear – if you wrongly claimed, put it right now. This money belongs to your local community – our NHS, our schools and our vital public services took tax-payer-funded help they weren’t entitled to and who fails to come forward will face the consequences.”

In September, Counter-fraud commissioner Tom Hayhoe urged people to use the voluntary window to “wipe the slate clean and move on”. Launching the scheme in an article for The Mirror, he had warned: “This offer won’t be around forever. New investigatory powers are coming. Businesses could be shut down.

“People could be banned from running a company. Thousands could face their day in court. The worst offenders will go to prison.” He added: “My message is clear – pay now, clear your conscience, or face the consequences.”

It comes after the government set up a Covid fraud reporting hotline, which has so far received 300 allegations totalling £35million. A new fraud team will begin work in the New Year investigating the claims.

Earlier this month, Mr Hayhoe found an eye-watering £10.9billion was lost to the taxpayer during the pandemic. His final report said some £1.8billion had been clawed back but “much of the shortfall is now beyond recovery”.

But Mr Hayhoe said “areas remain where investing in recovering money paid out incorrectly is worthwhile and work should continue.” Mr Hayhoe said the then Tory Government “paid too little attention to the risk of fraud” as it battled to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

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Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy say they have made “a lot of progress” towards finalising a peace agreement to end Russia’s war in Ukraine – although “one or two very thorny issues” remain.

At a news conference following around two hours of talks at Mr Trump‘s residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, the two leaders hailed an “excellent” meeting during which they discussed “all aspects” of a 20-point peace framework.

The US president said the outcome of the talks would be known in a few weeks, saying Ukraine is “a lot closer” to a deal and that the pair had “made a lot of progress on ending that war”.

Image:
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump held a news conference following the peace deal talks in Florida. Pic: AP/ Alex Brandon

Russia “wants to see Ukraine succeed”, he maintained at the news conference, during which he repeatedly praised the Ukrainian leader as “brave”.

Mr Zelenskyy said the 20-point peace plan was “90% agreed”, with US-Ukraine security guarantees 100% agreed – although Mr Trump put the security agreements at 95%.

“We agreed that security guarantees are a key milestone in achieving lasting peace and our teams will continue working on all aspects,” Mr Zelenskyy said.

Opening the floor to questions from the media, which started with the issue of security, Mr Trump said: “I just think we’re doing very well. We could be very close or one or two very thorny issues, very tough issues. But I think we’re doing very well.

“We’ve made a lot of progress today, but really we’ve made it over the last month. This is not a one-day process deal. There’s very complicated stuff.”

Asked which thorny issues remain unsolved, Trump said the issue of some Ukrainian land.

The Donbas issue

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Future of Donbas ‘unresolved’

Russian leader Vladimir Putin wants to take control of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region as a condition for ending the war, despite not controlling the entire area. Ukraine has previously ruled out accepting this.

Speaking about the Donbas region, Mr Zelenskyy said he had to “respect our law and our people”, as well as the territory controlled by Ukraine.

“And of course, our attitude is very clear,” he said. “That’s why President Trump said this is a very tough question.”

Ukraine has “a different position to Russia” on the matter, he added.

Image:
Mr Trump and Mr Zelenskyy sat down with secretary of state Marco Rubio, Mr Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and White House chief of staff Susan Wiles, and Ukrainian delegates, before the talks. Pic: Reuters

Mr Trump was also asked about Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which has been under Russian control since the war began in February 2022.

Mr Putin is “working with Ukraine on getting it open”, the US president said. “He’s been very good in that sense. He wants to see that open.”

“He hasn’t hit it with missiles,” Mr Trump added.

The US president, who spoke with Mr Putin earlier in the day, insisted the Russian leader is “very serious” about peace in Ukraine, despite Moscow launching attacks on Kyiv ahead of the talks.

The meeting in Florida was the latest stage in Mr Trump’s year-long effort to secure a ceasefire, after previously saying he would end the war on the first day of his term in office.

UK ‘committed to sustaining momentum’

Image:
Mr Trump and Mr Zelenskyy spoke with European leaders, including Sir Keir Starmer, after their meeting. Pic: PA

Following the discussion, Mr Trump and Mr Zelenskyy spoke with European leaders, including Sir Keir Starmer.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the UK prime minister was eager to sustain the momentum of the peace talks.

“The discussion focused on ongoing efforts to secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, with leaders commending President Trump for the progress achieved so far,” a statement said.

“They underlined the importance of robust security guarantees and reaffirmed the urgency of ending this barbaric war as soon as possible.”

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The spokesperson said Sir Keir had emphasised the UK’s “commitment to working closely with partners to sustain momentum in the coming days – with President Trump highlighting his leadership in driving coordinated international support for Ukraine as talks continue”.

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said the Trump-Putin call before the talks had been “friendly, benevolent and businesslike”.

The US and Russian leaders were due to speak again “promptly” after Mr Trump’s meeting with Mr Zelenskyy.

Attacks over the weekend

Image:
Russia launched attacks on Ukraine over the weekend, despite the talks. This image shows a house destroyed in Kyiv on Saturday. Pic: AP/ Evgeniy Maloletka

Mr Ushakov said a “bold, responsible, political decision” would have to be made by Ukraine on the Donbas region and other matters in dispute for there to be a “complete cessation” of hostilities.

In overnight developments, three guided aerial bombs launched by Russia struck private homes in the eastern city of Sloviansk, according to the head of the local military administration, Vadym Lakh. Three people were injured and one man died, Mr Lakh said in a post on the Telegram messenger app.

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Israel on Friday announced it is officially recognising Somaliland, a first for the self-proclaimed republic since 1991.

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The leader of Yemen’s Houthi rebels has warned any Israeli presence in Somaliland would be considered a “military target”, in the latest condemnation of Israel’s move to recognise the breakaway region.

“We consider any Israeli presence in Somaliland a military target for our armed forces, as it constitutes aggression against Somalia and Yemen, and a threat to the security of the region,” said the group’s chief, Abdel-Malik al-Houthi, according to a statement published by rebel media online.

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Israel announced on Friday that it is officially recognising Somaliland, a first for the self-proclaimed republic that in 1991 declared it unilaterally separated from Somalia.

The Houthi chief warned that the move carried grave consequences, saying that recognition is “a hostile stance targeting Somalia and its African surroundings, as well as Yemen, the Red Sea, and the countries along both shores of the Red Sea”.

Somaliland, which has for decades pushed for international recognition, enjoys a strategic position on the Gulf of Aden and has its own money, passport and army.

Regional analysts say a rapprochement with Somaliland would provide Israel with better access to the Red Sea, enabling it to hit Houthi rebels in Yemen.

After launching its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, Israel repeatedly struck targets in Yemen in response to Houthi attacks on Israel, which the Yemeni rebels said were in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

The Houthis have halted their attacks since a fragile truce began in Gaza in October.

Somaliland has been diplomatically isolated since its unilateral declaration of independence, even if it has generally experienced greater stability than Somalia, where al-Shabab fighters periodically mount attacks in the capital, Mogadishu.

Israel’s recognition of Somaliland was criticised by the African Union, Egypt, Turkiye, the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Saudi-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

The European Union insisted that Somalia’s sovereignty should be respected.

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