12/29/2025December 29, 2025

Berlin homeless charity ‘overwhelmed by solidarity’ after van fire

One VW minibus was totally burned out, while the one parked next to it sustained more superficial damageImage: Rolf Zoellner/epd-bild/picture alliance

The Berliner Stadmission protestant charity has praised the response after two of its three “cold buses” providing winter assistance to the homeless in the German capital were put out of action by a fire, with arson suspected. 

“We are overwhelmed by the people’s solidarity,” spokeswoman Barbara Breuer told Germany’s DPA news agency, a day after the news of the fire first broke in the city. “Other organizations and businesses from Berlin have offered their assistance.”

Breuer said initial donations had already come in, though she could not yet provide a precise tally. 

“The cold bus trips are assured again, and we are utterly grateful,” she said.

The Berliner Stadtmission provides various assistance from more than 70 sites in and around the Berlin diocese, particularly to those in more extreme need or poverty.   

One of the vehicles was a write-off, while the flames also put the one parked next to it out of action temporarilyImage: Sebastian Gollnow/dpa/picture alliance

One of the minibuses was found totally burned out on Sunday, with another one parked next to it sustaining minor damage that will put it out of service temporarily. 

Police said they had launched an investigation on suspicion of arson. 

Volunteers use the vehicles on cold winter nights to tour the city, providing hot food and drinks and other assistance like sleeping bags and blankets, as well as transporting some of them to shelters for the night. 

Berlin is typically one of the colder cities in northern Germany, and freezing temperatures are currently forecast overnight on Monday and Tuesday, with the possibility of snow in the early hours of Wednesday.

City authorities estimate that just over 53,000 people were in homeless accommodation or other shelters in Berlin as of the start of 2025. The less reliable estimates for the number of people sleeping on the streets have not yet been published. But in 2024, that figure stood at just over 6,000.

Berlin’s Cold Bus helping the homeless

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While the United States presses for negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, Russia is signaling a parallel strategy — deepening cooperation with U.S. adversaries and portraying itself as resistant to Western pressure.

That posture was on display this week when Iran announced that three of its domestically designed satellites were launched into orbit aboard a Russian rocket.

The launch was broadcast by Iran’s Arabic-language state television channel Al-Alam News Network, which aired footage showing the satellites lifting off from Russian territory. The Associated Press and Reuters reported that the satellites were carried into orbit aboard a Russian rocket launched from eastern Russia, marking the seventh time Iran has conducted a satellite launch with Russian assistance.

IRANIAN PRESIDENT SAYS HIS COUNTRY IS AT ‘TOTAL WAR’ WITH THE US, ISRAEL AND EUROPE: REPORTS

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian shake hands as they meet in Moscow, Russia Jan. 17, 2025. (Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool via Reuters)

Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali said the satellites were “designed and produced by Iranian scientists,” adding that cooperation between Tehran and Moscow continues “despite all the sanctions and threats,” according to Iranian state media cited by Reuters.

Iranian officials claim the satellites are intended for civilian purposes, including environmental monitoring and agriculture, though Western governments have long warned that Iran’s space program could advance technologies applicable to ballistic missile development.

The launch underscored a broader strategic relationship between Moscow that has expanded significantly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Iran has supplied Russia with drones and other military equipment used on the battlefield, while Russia has provided diplomatic cover, economic cooperation and advanced technical support amid sweeping Western sanctions on both countries.

IRAN REPORTEDLY DEVELOPING CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL MISSILE WARHEADS AS PROTESTS SPREAD OVER COLLAPSING ECONOMY

A Russian warship and an Iranian army speed boat attend a joint naval exercise on Tuesday. (AP/Iranian Army)

The growing Russia-Iran alignment comes as tensions between Tehran and Washington continue to rise. After President Donald Trump recently warned that the United States could strike Iran again if it attempted to rebuild its nuclear program, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a sharp response.

According to the Associated Press, Pezeshkian said any U.S. attack would be met with a “harsh and discouraging” response. Iranian officials framed the warning as defensive, arguing it was meant to deter potential U.S. aggression rather than signal an intention to initiate conflict. Tehran has repeatedly said its nuclear program is peaceful, a claim the United States and its allies dispute.

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Russian army Mi-24 helicopters fly above a warship at the Turali range on the Caspian Sea coast in the Republic of Dagestan in Southern Russia on Sept. 23, 2020 during the “Caucasus-2020” military drills gathering China, Iran, Pakistan and Myanmar troops, along with ex-Soviet Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus. (Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP via Getty Images)

The exchange highlights how Iran and Russia are increasingly positioning themselves as partners pushing back against U.S. pressure, even as Washington attempts to pursue diplomacy on multiple fronts. Russia has portrayed its partnerships with Iran and other sanctioned states as evidence that Western efforts to isolate Moscow have failed, while Iran has used its cooperation with Russia to showcase technological resilience under sanctions.

Efrat Lachter is an investigative reporter and war correspondent. Her work has taken her to 40 countries, including Ukraine, Russia, Iraq, Syria, Sudan and Afghanistan. She is a recipient of the 2024 Knight-Wallace Fellowship for Journalism. Lachter can be followed on X @efratlachter.

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President Donald Trump’s plans for a White House ballroom are not unique, according to the longest-serving top aide in the executive residence. Gary Walters, who spent over two decades as White House chief usher – a role akin to the residence’s general manager – under presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, provides context.

In an interview with The Associated Press about his recently published memoir, Walters stated: “All the presidents that I had an opportunity to serve always talked about some possibility of an enlarged area” for entertaining.

President Trump himself has discussed building a White House ballroom for years, even before entering politics.

In July, the White House announced a 90,000-square-foot space would be built on the east side of the complex to accommodate 650 seated guests, with an estimated cost of $200 million. President Trump has stated that it will be funded with private donations, including his own.

Walters said there is a long history of projects on the campus, ranging from conservatories, greenhouses and stables being torn down to build the West Wing in 1902, to the expansion of the residence with a third floor, to the addition of the East Wing itself during World War II. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

The Republican president later upped the proposed ballroom’s capacity to 999 people and, by October, had demolished the two-story East Wing of the White House to build it there. In December, he updated the price tag to $400 million — double the original estimate.

Images of the East Wing being demolished shocked historians, preservationists and others, but Walters said there is a long history of projects on the campus, ranging from conservatories, greenhouses and stables being torn down to build the West Wing in 1902, to the expansion of the residence with a third floor, to the addition of the East Wing itself during World War II to provide workspace for the first lady, her staff and other White House offices.

“So there’s always been construction going on around the White House,” Walters said.

Other presidents bemoaned the lack of space for entertaining

When Walters was on the job, the capacity of the largest public rooms in the White House was among the first topics he discussed with the incoming president, first lady and their social secretary, he said. The presidents he served all talked about the limited number of people the White House could handle.

When set up for a state dinner, the State Dining Room can hold about 130 people: 13 round tables each with seating for 10, Walters said. The East Room can accommodate about 300 chairs — fewer if space is needed for television cameras.

Trump often complains that both rooms are too small. He has also complained about the use of large tents on the south grounds, the main workaround for big events such as ritzy state dinners for foreign leaders. Walters said the tents had issues.

“When it rained, the water flows downhill and the grass became soggy, no matter what we tried to do,” Walters said. “We dug culverts around the outside of the tent to try and get the water.” Tents damaged the grass, requiring more work to reseed it, he said.

Walters admitted it was a bit jarring to see the East Wing torn down, and said he had fond personal memories of the space. “I met my wife at the White House and she worked in the East Wing, so that was a joy for me,” said Walters, 79.

His wife, Barbara, was a receptionist in the visitors office during the administrations of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. The couple recently celebrated 48 years of marriage.

Broken bones alter usher’s career trajectory

Walters owes his place in history as the longest-serving White House chief usher to the misfortune of a broken ankle.

He was 23 in early 1970, honorably discharged from the Army and looking for a job that would allow him to finish college at night. The Executive Protective Service, a precursor to the U.S. Secret Service, was hiring and accepted him.

But shortly before the graduation ceremony, Walters broke an ankle playing football. He could not patrol out of uniform, wearing a cast and hobbling around on crutches, so he was given a temporary assignment in the White House Police Control and Appointments Center. He stayed for five years.

“This injury also changed the course of my career,” Walters wrote in his memoir, “White House Memories: 1970-2007: Recollections of the Longest-Serving Chief Usher.” He gained an ”in-depth knowledge of the ways and security systems of the White House that would ultimately greatly benefit me in my future role in the Usher’s Office.”

A few months after being promoted to sergeant in 1975, he learned of an opening in the Usher’s Office. He applied and joined as an assistant in early 1976.

A decade later, he was elevated to chief usher by Reagan, who gave Walters the top job in the residence overseeing maintenance, construction and renovation projects, and food service, along with administrative, financial and personnel functions. He managed a staff of about 90 butlers, housekeepers, cooks, florists, electricians, engineers, plumbers and others.

Walters retired in 2007 after 37 years at the White House, including a record 21 years as chief usher. He served under seven presidents, from Nixon to George W. Bush.

In that time, Walters saw a broad swath of presidential history: the only president who ever resigned, an appointed vice president become the only unelected president, a president be impeached and stay in office, a father and son become president and the Supreme Court decide the most closely contested presidential election in U.S. history.

He’s often asked what he liked most about his work and “without hesitation, I say it is getting to know and interact directly with the president, first lady, and other members of their family. It was an honor to get to know them with my own eyes and ears,” Walters wrote.

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NEED TO KNOW

• Jessica Alba’s estranged husband Cash Warren reflected on his year in an Instagram post on Wednesday, Dec. 31
• In the post, he shared photos with his and Alba’s three kids, Honor and Haven and Hayes and shared other highlights from his year
• The post comes amid Warren and Alba’s divorce, with the latter announcing their separation in January

Jessica Alba’s ex Cash Warren is reflecting on his year and sharing some lessons he’s learned along the way.

The film producer, 46, shared an Instagram post on Wednesday, Dec. 31, noting that despite the year starting out as something he “wanted to forget” — likely referring to Alba, 44, announcing their split in January — he was “thankful” for how it evolved.

“You started out as the year I wanted to forget but so damn thankful you grew into the year I’ll always remember,” he wrote alongside a collage of photos and videos featuring his kids and other memorable moments from his year.

“A few lessons I learned over last 365 days,” he continued. “Acceptance is suffering’s antidote. Our minds are the OG algorithm.  Negative thoughts will play on repeat if you allow them to[.] The line between enlightenment and narcissism is razor thin. Don’t be fooled by those who don’t know the difference.”

Cash Warren poses alongside his kids, Honor, Haven and Hayes on vacation.

Cash Warren/Instagram

He kicked off his post with a series of family photos showcasing his and Alba’s three children; daughters Honor, 17, and Haven, 14, and son Hayes, 8. The photos appeared to be taken during a family tropical vacation and showed the family smiling together on a beach and Hayes sporting some sunglasses.

He also shared photos of the family during their everyday lives, including a snap of him hanging out with Haven on a couch, a snap of Hayes showing him a bagel with cream cheese and an outdoor photo with Honor on a bench. He also shared a photo he took of his two daughters at dinner and all of his kids appearing to nap on top of him.

Cash Warren shares a photo of his three kids taking a nap on top of him.

Cash Warren/Instagram

Warren also shared clips and videos of him hanging out with his friends, surfboarding, walking on the beach and enjoying sunsets. However, the bulk of his caption was dedicated to his three kids. He noted that Honor’s “ability to stay focused” on her goals no matter what life threw her way this year “was inspiring” and he thanked her for “continuing to blaze the trail for your sister and little bro,” He then revealed, “You’re going to freaking YALE!!!”

For his middle child, Haven, he wrote, “thanks for holding me accountable and for communicating so openly when things weren’t sitting right with you,” adding that her “transparency is everything!” He also noted that she taught him “about the fine art of being nonchalant.”

As for his youngest son, he noted that the 8-year-old taught him “about living life with no regrets.” He also recalled a moment when his son told him, “Dad, you know how many people in the world made a mistake at the exact same time as me?  It’s not a big deal,” as he wished him a happy eighth birthday.

“From my day 1s to my new-news … I am so grateful 🥂❤️ 🥳. Thanks for extending your hands to help me get back on my feet.  Happy New Year!!,” he completed his caption.

Cash Warren shares a photo with daughters Haven and Honor.

Cash Warren/Instagram

This comes amid a tumultuous year for Warren, whose actress wife, Alba, announced on Instagram that she and her estranged husband were embarking “on a new chapter of growth and evolution as individuals.” 

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The Fantastic Four star continued, “We are moving forward with love and kindness and respect for each other and will forever be family. Our children remain our highest priority and we request privacy at this time.” 

Cash Warren, Haven Garner Warren, Jessica Alba and Honor Warren in June 2024.

Phillip Faraone/Getty

She officially filed for divorce on Feb. 7, citing irreconcilable differences in court filing obtained by PEOPLE. Alba filed for joint custody of their children and requested that her legal name be restored to Jessica Marie Alba, according to the filing. The former couple’s date of separation was listed as Dec. 27, 2024.

Despite no longer being together, they have continued to put their kids first with their new co-parenting dynamic. The Honest Renovations star shared photos on Instagram, including one taken on Easter of herself reuniting with her estranged husband as they spent time with their children for Easter. “Easter Sunday w the fam 💐🐰🫶🏽,” she captioned the photo.

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Russian Leader Vladimir Putin gave a New Year’s message angled towards his troops in Ukraine as he defied Donald Trump’s efforts to find peace



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Saudi Arabia’s strike on Mukalla port has triggered tensions with its partner in the Arab coalition in Yemen and its Gulf Arab neighbour, the United Arab Emirates.

The coalition spokesman, Major-General Turki al-Maliki, said two ships entered the port of Mukalla, carrying more than 80 vehicles and containers of weapons and ammunition destined for the Southern Transitional Council (STC), without informing Saudi Arabia or the internationally recognised Yemeni government.

There are serious differences between the two allies in Yemen, and now it is at its peak and perhaps a turning point that would impact Yemen.

The Yemeni government has lost control of events following a military escalation between Saudi Arabia and the UAE in Hadramout governorate, where Mukalla lies, in December.

The Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) is divided into two factions, each loyal to one party in this conflict. The difference had been simmering for years away from the spotlight until it exploded publicly over the past few days.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are key members of the Arab military coalition in Yemen, formed to confront the Houthis, who took full control of the capital, Sanaa, by force in 2015 and later imposed their own government.

This conflict of interest between Saudi Arabia and the UAE has been escalating gradually since the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) formed in 2017 as a separatist political and military force seeking an independent state in the south – South Yemen – an independent state between 1967 and 1990.

Earlier in December, the STC forces crossed red lines by controlling all southern governorates, including Hadramout and al-Mahra governorates. That did not go down well in Saudi Arabia, which considered the move a threat to its national security.

Hadramout also represents economic depth for Yemen with its oil and gas resources and related infrastructure, and also has a vital border crossing with Saudi Arabia, making it part of the equation for border security and trade.

The latest public fallout between Saudi Arabia and the UAE will cast a dark shadow over the situation in Yemen politically, economically, and militarily. The Yemeni political circles were divided into two camps, with the government members each following one of the external parties to the conflict – Saudi and Emirati.

The clearest outcome of the differences would be seen in the eight-member PLC, an internationally recognised body, which is already divided into camps loyal to Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

One camp is headed by Rashad al-Alimi, the PLC president, and includes Sultan al-Arada, Abdullah al-Alimi Bawazir, and Othman Hussein Mujalli. The second is led by the head of the STC force, Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, and includes Abdul Rahman al-Mahrami (also known as Abu Zaraa), Tariq Mohammed Saleh, and Faraj Salmin al-Bahsani.

The leaders of both camps issued two different statements regarding the calls made by al-Alimi for the UAE to withdraw from Yemen following the Saudi strike on the ships carrying weapons to the STC. One was in favour of the UAE’s exit from Yemen, and the other was against — showing they are representing the interests of regional players and at the same time confirming that Yemen is a venue for a proxy war.

Within the Yemeni political landscape, the quick developments and successive events are pushing Yemen into a new phase of an internal war among political and military components that make up the legitimate government, with new internal fighting among many armed factions.

It is also taking the focus away from the Houthi rebellion in the north, which controlled Sanaa and the most populous provinces in Yemen.

The main goal for the legitimate Yemeni government and the Saudi-led Arab coalition was to confront the Houthis’ takeover. Now, the country is on the brink of collapse and a new phase of turmoil after more than a decade of armed conflict, which could help the Houthis to expand their influence beyond their current areas of control.

The latest event will weaken the Saudi-led coalition further and cast doubt over its cohesion and ability to achieve its declared joint goals for Yemen.

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His work is consistently ranked among the world’s most expensive art, with paintings fetching more than a $100m at auction. But you no longer need to be a multimillionaire to own a Picasso – for €100, anyone in the world has the chance to walk away with a painting by one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.

The French charity Alzheimer’s Research Foundation announced recently it was raffling Picasso’s 1941 portrait, Tête de femme, which is worth more than €1m, to a single winner. Proceeds from the tickets will help fund Alzheimer’s research, one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide.

The project, entitled “1 Picasso for 100 Euros”, is the first of its kind in the world, and a natural continuation of Picasso’s legacy, according to his grandson Olivier Picasso.

“My grandfather was very generous, but he was also discreet,” Olivier told the Guardian. “He helped his family, especially my grandmother Marie-Thérèse [Walter]. He helped friends. He helped people in need during the civil war in Spain, during the second world war, and even after, in the 50s and 60s.

Olivier Picasso, grandson of the artist, poses next to Tête de femme. Photograph: Benoît Tessier/Reuters

“So for me, this project is an absolutely logical and legitimate part of his legacy. I hope in the future to be able to do this every year if possible.”

The raffle is the brainchild of Péri Cochin, a French television producer and owner of the tableware company Waww La Table. Cochin came up with the idea after seeing her mother use them at fundraising events she hosted.

“I thought, wouldn’t it be great to do a worldwide raffle, by selling tickets online? I decided it should be a piece of art, and what is the most famous name in art? Obviously, it’s Picasso,” she said.

Cochin contacted Olivier Picasso, a childhood friend of hers. When he and the rest of the Picasso administration and the Picasso estate gave their approval, she reserved the 1941 painting from the Opera gallery, which will receive just under €1m after the draw.

“We are used to hearing about Picasso and these high-priced auctions, but this was the first time where Picasso was really related to a charity,” she said.

Olivier said the family “had an instant connection with the project”, not least because the money raised is going to a good cause. There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, and no treatment that can stop or reverse its progression. “Now that we are living older than before, we or people around us could be affected by this disease. And I know how difficult and painful it is,” he added.

The goal is to sell 120,00 tickets, raising €11m for Alzheimer’s research. The draw is scheduled to take place at Christie’s auction house in Paris on 14 April. If not enough tickets are sold to cover the cost of the painting, all participants will be reimbursed.

Olivier said Tête de femme was a “very interesting” work that was painted in the same studio in the Left Bank in Paris as Picasso’s 1937 masterpiece Guernica. “The period was important for my grandfather, because he was at the end of a process to divorce his first wife, Olga Khokhlova – a divorce that never happened because Franco abolished the divorce law [in 1939], despite meeting my grandmother and Dora Maar.

“The period was also very complicated because of the occupation of Paris by the Nazis. And so the colours are darker than usual, with brown, black, and grey. While it’s a beautiful depiction of a woman, there is still the ambience of Picasso. My grandfather kept the painting as a souvenir of the moment.”

Cochin has organised two previous raffles for Picasso paintings, in 2013 and 2020, raising a total of more than €10m. The first winner was 25-year-old Jeffrey Gonano, who became the owner of a Picasso drawing valued at €860,000. “He put the painting in the Museum of Pittsburg for a while, and now it’s in storage at Christie’s in New York, because he didn’t want to keep it at home,” she said.

The second winner was Claudia Borgogno, an accountant from Ventimiglia, Italy, whose son had given her a raffle ticket for Christmas. She became the owner of a 1921 Picasso valued at €1m.

“She still has the painting, she said it would change her life. It’s a really beautiful story,” Cochin added.

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Reuters

Kaja Kallas accused the Kremlin of trying to derail the peace process with allegations of a Ukrainian attack on government sites

The EU’s top diplomat has called Moscow’s claims that Ukraine targeted Russian government sites a “deliberate distraction” and an attempt to derail the peace process.

Kaja Kallas’ comments on social media appear to be a reference to the Kremlin’s allegation that Ukraine attempted a drone strike on one of Vladimir Putin’s residences.

“No one should accept unfounded claims from the aggressor who has indiscriminately targeted Ukraine’s infrastructure and civilians,” Kallas wrote on social media.

Earlier this week Moscow accused Ukraine of targeting Putin’s private home on Lake Valdai in north-west Russia.

Russia would review its position in the ongoing peace negotiations as a result, the Kremlin said.

Since Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov first shared the claims, Russian state media and politicians have discussed the alleged attack in increasingly incendiary tones.

“The attack is a strike on the heart of Russia,” said Andrei Kartapolov, head of the Russian parliament’s defence committee. “After what [Ukraine] has done, there can be no forgiveness.”

Although the Kremlin initially said it saw no point in sharing proof of the alleged attack, on Wednesday the Russian army released what it said was evidence of the attempted strike.

It included a map allegedly showing that the drones were launched from the Sumy and Chernihiv regions of Ukraine and a video of a downed drone lying in snowy woodland. A serviceman standing next to the wreckage claims it is a Ukrainian Chaklun drone.

The BBC hasn’t been able to verify the footage, and it is not possible to locate where it was shot.

The profile of the wrecked UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) does bear similarities to Ukrainian-produced Chakluns – but because the components of the drone pictured are inexpensive and widely available online, they cannot be conclusively to traced to the Ukrainian military.

Russian defence ministry

Russia’s defence ministry released a map which it claimed showed the path of the drones launched by Ukraine

Russia’s defence ministry also released a video of what it said was a local resident who described hearing noises like a rocket at the time of the alleged attack.

However, one Russian investigative media outlet said it had spoken to more than a dozen residents of the area around Putin’s residence and none had heard anything that could indicate 91 drones had approached or been shot down by air defences.

“If something like that had happened, the whole city would have been talking about it,” one person told the outlet.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has strenuously denied the allegations, tying them to the ongoing US-led process to reach a ceasefire in Ukraine.

In recent weeks the American and Ukrainian delegations have been working closely and Zelensky has expressed cautious optimism that his country’s demands were going to be taken into account.

In his view, he said on Tuesday, the claims about the drone attack on Putin’s Valdai residence were about “the fact that over the past month there were quite successful talks and a positive meeting between our teams, culminating in our meeting with President Trump.”

Russia wanted to disrupt the “positive momentum” between the US and Ukraine, Zelensky said.

When the claims emerged Zelensky also warned that the alleged drone strike would be used as an excuse to carry out strikes on Kyiv and Ukrainian government buildings. Overnight on Wednesday air alerts briefly rang out in the capital as a drone approached, but no hits or damage were reported.

State Emergency Service of Ukraine

On 30 December Odesa suffered an intense attack which left several civilians injured

Instead, several locations across the country were hit by drones and Odesa on the Black Sea suffered a large-scale attack which saw an apartment block hit and six people injured, including three children. More than 170,000 were also left without power as temperatures struggled to push past 0C.

Odesa has been coming under sustained attack for several weeks. The intensity of the strikes appears to have increased since Putin’s threat in early December to cut off Ukraine’s access to the sea in retaliation for drone attacks on tankers of Russia’s “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea.

Mariya, Yuliya and Diana sang carols in one of Kyiv’s squares to raise money for the Ukrainian armed forces

With hours to go until the end of another year of war, many in Kyiv only had one wish for 2026.

“We hope that all of this will end. We want this to be over and to live as we did before,” 26-year-old Mariya said.

Standing outside the golden-domed St Sophia monastery in Kyiv, she added: “We have a very beautiful country with enormous potential. Our strength is in our people, and that is why we keep going.”

As she spoke, teenage carollers nearby sang Christmas songs, collecting donations for the armed forces. “We all want victory to come in 2026. It’s our united wish,” said one.

Zelensky has expressed the desire for peace negotiations to resume and accelerate early in January with the involvement of both American and European officials. But any deal will ultimately need Russian buy-in, which does not seem forthcoming – and which the alleged drone incident over Putin’s residence may have pushed further into the distance.

So could next year truly bring peace? “We truly hope so, but we can’t say for certain. We are doing everything we can,” Mariya said.

Next to her, a woman named Ksenia shrugged and turned her eye to the sky: “Really, only God knows.”

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NEED TO KNOW

• Kate Hudson tells PEOPLE she believes in soulmates
• “I think certain people in your life come into your life for a certain reason, and you just have this thing, and you just love them so much, and it feels like you just understand each other,” the Song Sung Blue star says
• The Oscar nominee reveals her Glass Onion costar, Kathryn Hahn, is one of her soulmates

Kate Hudson is a big believer in soulmates.

“I believe there’s many of them, and I believe they come in all forms,” she explains.

The Golden Globe nominee, whose performance in the new musical biopic Song Sung Blue has garnered further award season buzz, speaks to PEOPLE on all things soulmates for this week’s issue.

“I believe there’s people that have been in your life over and over and over again, and you find them,” Hudson says.

Kate Hudson at the Paris, France premiere of ‘Sur un Air de Blues – Song Sung Blue’ on Nov. 23.

Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty 

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“I think certain people in your life come into your life for a certain reason, and you just have this thing, and you just love them so much, and it feels like you just understand each other,” the Almost Famous actress says. “Even getting to know them, it’s like you already knew them, and then getting to know them was like everything that you knew it would be.”

She adds, “I think everybody feels that, whether they categorize it as like soulmate or not.”

In fact, Hudson has an “acting girlfriend” who she considers a soulmate: none other than Kathryn Hahn.

Kate Hudson and Kathryn Hahn in 2022.

Alberto Rodriguez/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty

“We could go a year without seeing each other, and it’s like nothing’s ever changed,” Hudson says. “She’s definitely one of my acting soulmates.”

The pair played best friends in the classic 2003 rom-com How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and later reunited in Rian Johnson’s 2022 mystery Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Hahn played politician Claire Debella, while Hudson played former supermodel Birdie Jay.

“I loved playing Birdie. That was one of my favorite characters to put on. She was so much fun,” Hudson says. “I was like, ‘Can’t we do a television spinoff of Birdie?’”

Hudson and Hugh Jackman star in Song Sung Blue, now in theaters.

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By ASHLEY NICKEL, NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA

Updated: 13:29 GMT, 31 December 2025

Follow along with New Year’s Eve celebrations here.

More than a million people are expected to gather in Sydney for the city’s famous midnight firework display in a show of unity and defiance.

NSW Police have increased security measures to unprecedented levels at the event in light of the Bondi Beach massacre.

All eyes will be on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which will be lit white with a menorah projected onto its pylons at 11pm to commemorate the victims.

NSW Premier Chris Minns encouraged Australians to enjoy the night.

‘We want to make it clear that we are not going to be in a situation where the way we live in our beautiful city is substantially altered as a result of the behaviour of these terrorists,’ he told reporters.

Thousands of armed officers have been deployed to metropolitan Sydney in a bid to bolster safety as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese encouraged everyone to show kindness.

‘What Bondi also showed us was the best of the Australian spirit, in all its courage and compassion,’ he said.

Police will also be out in force in Melbourne, with about 500,000 people expected to flock to the city for the fireworks and laser display at midnight.

Check out our coverage below. 

PICTURED: Sydney’s NYE fireworks

Welcome to 2026!

Sydney’s skies lit up at midnight with colourful fireworks as Australia rang in the New Year.

At midnight AEDT, a massive 12-minute display covered the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT were the first Australian states to welcome 2026.

South Australia followed half an hour later. Queensland and the Northern Territory celebrated an hour after Sydney.

Western Australia had the longest wait to 2026, three hours behind NSW.

PICTURED: Melbourne welcomes 2026

‘Where’s the menorah?’

Australia’s Jewish community was outraged last week after it was announced the tribute to the lives lost in the Bondi attack would be the image of a dove.

Community leaders claimed the vague dove symbol dismissed the identity of those targeted in the attack – Jewish.

Following the uproar, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore announced the dove would be replaced by a menorah for the minute of silence at 11pm.

The dove would instead appear as the bridge turned blue earlier in the night.

However, many Aussies thought the menorah on display was disappointing, to say the least.

The small outline picture was difficult to spot with many missing it all together.

‘A beautiful moment at Sydney Harbour minutes ago as 11pm struck and a packed foreshore awaiting the fireworks lit up their phones in a minute’s silence for the Jewish victims of Bondi. No menorah on the bridge as expected,’ one wrote.

‘Beautiful minute’s silence at NYE on Sydney Harbour – but where was the menorah?’ another wrote.

‘Where’s the Menorah? Is there going to be nothings to honour the Bondi Beach victims on the Sydney Harbour Bridge as promised?’ another asked.

The menorah appeared in the same style as the social media image created by the NSW Government following the attack.

The image showed a line drawing of a candle alongside the words, ‘Stronger together, unite for Bondi’.

Australia falls silent in honour of the 15 lives lost in the Bondi Beach terror attack

Millions of Australians around the country fell silent at 11pm AEDT in honour of the innocent lives lost on December 14.

On that day, alleged gunman Naveed Akram and his father, Sajid Akram, allegedly opened fire on a Jewish festival celebrating the first night of Hanukkah.

What should have been a fun day for families quickly turned into one of the darkest in Australia’s history.

A total of 15 innocent people lost their lives, aged 10 to 87.

Australians beside Sydney Harbour lit their torches to create a sea of light as a menorah – the candelabrum used for Hanukkah – was projected on the bridge pylons.

The menorah appeared as an outline drawing at the bottom of the pylons, making it difficult for some audience members to see.

Sydney Harbour Bridge turned blue in display of support and unity

Beyond Blue is the official charity partner of this year’s NYE event in Sydney.

At a time when all sides of the city are feeling uneasy, Beyond Blue has reminded Aussies there’s always someone to talk to.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge was lit blue at 10pm while pylons displayed an image of a dove alongside the words ‘peace’ and ‘unity’.

It’s a reminder for all Australians to come together and be there for each other following the terror attack at Bondi Beach.

WATCH: Play School celebrates its 60th anniversary in Sydney

Wollongong scraps NYE fireworks

Wollongong, south of Sydney, announced on Wednesday afternoon it would not go ahead with its firework show.

‘Unfortunately, due to dangerous ocean swells impacting Wollongong Harbour, Wollongong City Council has made the very difficult decision to cancel the planned New Year’s Eve fireworks display scheduled for 9pm this evening,’ the council said in a statement.

‘Due to the height of waves impacting the break wall, and the predicted increase leading up to and beyond the scheduled 9pm start-time, it has been determined that the fireworks cannot be safely released from their planned launch positions.

‘Unfortunately, it was not possible to safely rearrange launching points to mitigate the risks and  ensure public safety and the safety of staff in time for the scheduled 9pm start.

‘It is not the way we wanted to end 2025, but we wish our community a very happy New Year and all the very best for 2026.’

Viewers slam ‘boring’ show

Viewers around Australia have been left disappointed by this year’s NYE lineup.

From ‘old’ performers to ‘boring’ fireworks, the overall consensus is Aussies expected more.

But the night’s still young with the main firework show more than two hours away.

Pictured: Fireworks dazzle Sydney

Aussies disappointed by NYE coverage

A 9pm short display of fireworks has set off the celebrations ahead of the 12pm main event.

But less than an hour into the ABC’s coverage of Sydney’s New Year’s Eve festivities and many Aussies are already calling for a different broadcaster.

The coverage has included a lengthy segment and multiple musical numbers focusing on the ABC’s own show Playschool celebrating it’s 60th year on air next year.

ABC kicks off coverage with a Welcome to Country

The ABC kicked off its coverage of Sydney’s New Year’s Eve event with a Welcome to Country.

Aunty Joan Bell presented the Welcome to Country, which she described as an ‘honour’.

‘Country is alive in the glowing animals, the waratah, the moon, and the spirit that transforms loss into beauty,’ she said.

‘With this welcome, I ask that you all walk gently, respectfully and with care.

‘This is my welcome to you, from the heart.

‘I welcome you to the land of my Gadigal ancestors. Welcome to my Country.’

Aunty Bell was followed by Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore who acknowledged the city is still ‘reeling’ from the recent attack at Bondi Beach but urged Sydneysiders to use the night as a ‘celebration’ for a ‘safer and more peaceful 2026’.

‘This celebration is more than just fireworks,’ she said.

‘It’s a celebration of who we are – creative, diverse, inclusive.’

Pictured: ABC NYE hosts Zan Rowe and Charlie Pickering

Anthony AlbaneseChris Minns

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New Year’s Eve Australia LIVE UPDATES: Australia among first in the world to ring in 2026 with spectacular fireworks show

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We all need the right amount of vitamins and minerals to keep us healthy but many watch some more closely than others

A deficiency can affect your vision

Most people know they need to keep an eye on their vitamin and mineral intake to make sure they stay healthy. Many will add an extra glass of orange juice to breakfast to boost their vitamin C or eat spinach and kale to up their iron and calcium levels.

But one vitamin tends to hide in the background despite carrying the risk of serious health problems if it falls too low. Vitamin E is a nutrient that supports a healthy immune system – too little and your body will not function properly.

As most people can get all they need from a healthy diet, it is rarely in the spotlight. However, people with some conditions which mean their body is less able to absorb fat, can find they are failing to get the nutrients from their diet.

According to the Cleveland Clinic Vitamin E is an antioxidant which protects your cells from free radicals. It explains: “Free radicals are chemical reactions that can damage your cells.

“Your body needs plenty of vitamin E to fight free radicals. If you lack vitamin E, your immune system may have trouble protecting you against illnesses and infections.”

It says the vitamin has a number of uses. It is also important because it:

• Supports healthy skin
• Promotes good vision
• Prevents blood clots
• Reduces inflammation

Symptoms of Vitamin E deficiency

The Cleveland Clinic says: “Vitamin E deficiency symptoms mostly affect your nervous system. These may include muscle weakness, vision issues and problems controlling your body movements.

“Other symptoms include numbness and fatigue. Severe cases can lead to blindness.” Other symptoms of vitamin E deficiency can include:

• Bleeding within the brain
• Abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eyes
• A blood disorder called Haemolytic anaemia
• Slow reflexes
• Trouble walking
• Weakened immune system

Causes of vitamin E deficiency

“Fat absorption disorders and certain genetic disorders usually cause vitamin E deficiency,” advises the Cleveland Clinic. “Less commonly, low vitamin E intake causes the condition. Vitamin E is found in many foods. So people who are healthy rarely have the deficiency.”

Fat absorption disorders

In countries such as the UK and USA where there is plenty of food for most people, deficiency of vitamin E is uncommon. If you do have vitamin E deficiency, it’s often due to a disorder that prevents your body from absorbing fat. These diseases include:

• Liver disease
• Pancreatitis
• Cystic fibrosis
• Crohn’s disease
• Celiac disease

Certain rare genetic diseases can also lead to the condition. These include abetalipoproteinemia and ataxia with vitamin E deficiency.

Low intake of vitamin E

In countries with high rates of food insecurity, the most common cause of vitamin E deficiency is a lack of vitamin E in the foods you eat. A very low-fat diet doesn’t contain a lot of vitamin E. And your body needs some fat to digest and absorb it.

Those most at risk?

“Newborns — particularly premature infants — have a higher risk of being deficient in vitamin E. That’s because very little vitamin E crosses the placenta during fetal development. So, when they’re born, they don’t have a lot of the vitamin stocked up,” says the Clinic.

“With age, their risk goes down. Babies can usually get the vitamin E they need through breast milk or formula.

“Your risk of developing vitamin E deficiency goes up if you don’t eat foods with any fat in them. Your body needs fat to digest and absorb certain vitamins.”

When to see a doctor

If you have any of these symptoms, the Cleveland Clinic recommends you contact your healthcare provider

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Robbers stole items worth up to $105bn from safe-deposit boxes held at a German retail bank in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia state, during the Christmas holiday, German police said on Tuesday.

The German news agency dpa reported that it may rank among the biggest thefts in the country’s history.

What happened and what was stolen?

The thieves broke into a branch of Sparkasse bank in the city of Gelsenkirchen, in North Rhine-Westphalia state, from an adjacent parking garage, according to the police, at some point when businesses were closed for the Christmas holiday.

The German state is home to museums and Gothic architecture. Its capital, Dusseldorf, is known for its shopping boulevard and the Rheinturm telecommunications tower.

Using a large drill, the thieves bore through a thick concrete wall of the bank and gained access to an underground vault room. Then, they forced open some 3,000 safe deposit boxes, before making off with cash, gold and jewellery.

A police spokesperson likened the break-in to the movie, Ocean’s Eleven, and described it as “very professionally executed”, according to the AFP news agency.

“A great deal of prior knowledge and/or a great deal of criminal energy must have been involved to plan and carry this out,” the spokesperson told the agency.

The bank said “more than 95 percent of the 3,250 customer safe deposit boxes were broken into by unknown perpetrators.”

Police say they were alerted to the robbery when a fire alarm went off on Monday, but have not confirmed exactly when the robbery took place.

How much are the stolen items worth?

Investigators estimate the total value of the stolen items to be anything between 10 and 90 million euros ($11.8m and $105.7m), according to police spokesperson Thomas Nowaczyk.

Police said the average insured value of each deposit box was more than 10,000 euros ($11,700). However, officers said several victims have reported that the contents of their boxes were worth significantly more than the insured amounts.

What do we know about the robbers?

No arrests have been made, and the thieves remain at large.

Security camera footage showed a black Audi RS 6 leaving the bank’s parking garage during the early hours of Monday, with masked people inside.

The police said the car’s licence plate had been stolen earlier in the city of Hanover, about 200km (124 miles) northeast of Gelsenkirchen, where the robbery took place.

How have bank customers reacted?

On Tuesday, angry customers rallied outside the bank branch, demanding answers about the robbery from the bank.

The police spokesperson told AFP that the bank branch remained closed for security reasons after threats were made against bank employees.

“We’re still on site, keeping an eye on things,” AFP quoted the police spokesperson as saying, adding “the situation has calmed down considerably.”

How has the bank responded?

The bank is writing to notify all customers affected by the robbery. It also set up a customer hotline for those affected.

It said it is also working with insurers to determine how compensation claims will be handled.

“We are shocked,” said bank press spokesman Frank Krallmann. “We are standing by our customers and hope that the perpetrators will be caught.”

Which other significant heists have happened recently?

October 2025: The Louvre, France

In late October, a gang of robbers broke into the Louvre Museum in Paris and stole eight Napoleonic pieces of jewellery in less than seven minutes. The thieves made off on motorcycles laden with eight items dating back to the Napoleonic era, dropping a ninth on their way out.

The stolen items of jewellery were estimated to be worth $102m.

So far, French authorities have arrested eight suspects over the Louvre heist.

The first four suspects, three men and a woman, were arrested, formally investigated and charged.

The last four suspects taken into custody are two men aged 38 and 39, and two women aged 31 and 40, from the Paris area. They are being investigated as possible accomplices. The names of the suspects arrested have not been made public.

September 2025: Museum of Natural History, France

On September 30, a 24-year-old Chinese woman was arrested in Barcelona on suspicion of stealing six gold nuggets from the National Museum of Natural History in Paris. The gold nuggets were worth about 1.5 million euros ($1.76m).

The woman was arrested while trying to dispose of melted gold – it is unclear who melted it or how. The museum’s alarms and security system had been disabled in a cyberattack, but it is also unclear whether the thieves were also behind that cyberattack or whether the theft was opportunistic.

March 2024: Los Angeles cash site, United States

Thieves stole at least $30m in cash from a GardaWorld facility in Los Angeles over the Easter weekend.

GardaWorld is a global security company which provides services such as facilities management, property management and cash handling.

Local media called the heist one of the biggest cash heists in LA history. There has not been a public announcement indicating that the burglars have been caught.

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Snowfall is expected across much of the UK in a chilly start to the new year, forecasters have said, as revellers were advised to wrap up with near-freezing temperatures expected on New Year’s Eve.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations are expected to go ahead after last year’s cancellation due to high winds, despite yellow warnings for snow across northern Scotland.

Elsewhere in the UK, the weather is likely to be perfect for fireworks, dry with clear skies, though temperatures are due to be chilly, making extra layers a necessity, the Met Office said.

Moving into Friday, weather warnings for snow are in place in Northern Ireland and stretching from Wales, across parts of the north-west, the West Midlands and through to London and most of the south-east of England.

Transport is expected to be affected, with people advised to allow extra time for journeys on the road and delays and cancellations expected on public transport.

The forecaster Simon Partridge said as 2026 begins it would be “cold regardless of where you are”.

He said: “At midnight in London there will be mostly clear skies, it will be quite chilly, but with fairly light winds, with temperatures around 1-2C. For Cardiff it’s again dry, there will be a bit more cloud around but still dry, again light winds, temperatures there a little bit warmer, 2-3C.”

Partridge said further north there would be cloudier skies, but this was not expected to affect visibility for watching fireworks displays. “We are not looking at low cloud, mist or murk, so you should be able to see fireworks, just not stars.”

Cars drive through fog across Dorney Common, Buckinghamshire, on 31 December. Photograph: Maureen McLean/Shutterstock

Wednesday had a frosty start to the morning with fog lingering in the south-west but this made way for winter sunshine.

Patches of freezing fog were expected in the west and north-west of England during the day, the national weather service said, and advised those travelling early on New Year’s Day to take care.

In a post on X, the Met Office said: “A cold New Year’s Eve evening for those out celebrating, so extra layers will be needed.”

In London, where tens of thousands of partygoers will head to the banks of the Thames to watch the mayor’s annual fireworks display, the temperature will be just above freezing when Big Ben strikes midnight.

Going into 2026, temperatures are expected to drop further as snow and gale-force winds are expected to batter the north of the country.

About 10cm of snow is expected to have accumulated in some areas by Friday morning, reaching up to 30cm on the highest roads and hills.

Meanwhile, amber cold health alerts have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the north-east and north-west of England and are due to remain in place until noon on 5 January, with temperatures expected to fall to 3-5C.

The UKHSA said this meant the weather was likely to cause significant impacts across health and social care services, including a rise in the number of deaths among those with health conditions or aged 65 or over.

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Armed police carrying assault rifles patrol outside the Sydney Opera House

Thousands of heavily armed police officers are patrolling the streets of Sydney as people mark the new year – a rare and stark sight in Australia, following the Bondi Beach mass shooting.

Some officers were authorised to carry high-grade weapons as part of heightened security measures. The attack on 14 December targeted Australia’s Jewish community and killed 15 people at a Hanukkah festival.

New South Wales (NSW) Police said more than 2,500 officers would be on duty across the city.

Official New Year’s Eve parties were paused at 23:00 local time (12:00 GMT) for a minute’s silence to commemorate the victims of the attack, while the Sydney Harbour Bridge was lit up by a white light to symbolise peace.

Getty ImagesAFP via Getty Images

An image of a menorah was projected onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Crowds turned on their mobile phone flashlights as they observed the minute’s silence

Pictures from Sydney Harbour – where huge crowds gather every year to watch the city’s famous fireworks display – show officers patrolling the crowds with longarm weapons.

In the lead up to the event, Premier Chris Minns had warned that some people may find the sight “confronting”, with police “carrying firearms and weapons that you haven’t seen before”.

“But I don’t make any apology for that. We want people to be safe in our community,” he added.

British tourists Joe and Lucy said the increased police presence reassured them.

The pair – who timed their Australia trip to coincide with the fireworks – were in Melbourne when the shooting occurred.

“We had our worries about coming for New Year’s Eve”, Joe told the BBC, adding, “but we were reading more recently in the news… how more police were going to be here, it would be a bit safer”.

Getty Images

Thousands surrounded the Opera House at Sydney Harbour to watch the city’s fireworks display

Separately, Minns had urged Sydneysiders to not let the “horrible criminal terrorist event” at Bondi change the way they live, as he called on people to “show defiance” and celebrate the new year.

This sentiment was shared by some of the spectators.

Out among the crowds at Barangaroo’s Observatory Hill, a close spot to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, was Hélène from Belgium.

She told the BBC people “cannot live in fear” following the attack.

Hours ahead of the countdown, hundreds of thousands of people flocked towards the harbour, with many official viewing areas filling to capacity by early evening.

On the harbour, sailboats dotted the water – one of the best spots to watch the midnight fireworks display.

Sydney’s celebration – with its iconic fireworks display – kicks off a chain of events, from Dubai, to London and New York.

Additional reporting by Harry Sekulich

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Finnish police on Wednesday seized a vessel suspected of damaging a telecommunications cable between Helsinki and Tallinn, Estonia.

The vessel was spotted with its anchor lowered near the site in Estonia’s exclusive economic zone where telecom provider Elisa detected a fault early Wednesday.

A Finnish border guard vessel and helicopter located the ship and ordered it to stop, raise its anchor, and move into Finnish territorial waters.

“Finland is prepared for security challenges of various kinds, and we respond to them as necessary,” President Alexander Stubb wrote on X.

Undersea ‘sabotage’ has countries ‍on high alert

There was no immediate information about the ship’s flag or its origin.

Finnish police said they were investigating the incident as “aggravated criminal damage, attempted aggravated criminal damage, and aggravated interference with telecommunications.”

There have been a series of outages affecting power cables, telecom links, and gas pipelines connecting Nordic, Baltic, and other European countries since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Europe’s undersea cables under attack?

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Experts and political leaders have viewed the suspected cable sabotage as part of a “hybrid war” carried out by Russia against Western countries.

NATO stepped up patrols in the Baltic Sea earlier this year due to the number of incidents.

Edited by: Sean Sinico

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