Queen Camilla has spoken for the first time about how she fought off a sex attacker on a train when she was just a teenager. 

The King’s wife chose to address the issue publicly with BBC racing commentator John Hunt, whose wife and two daughters were brutally murdered last year, as part of a wider conversation about women, violence and misogyny on Radio 4’s Today programme this morning.

The Queen said she was left ‘so angry’ and ‘furious’ after the attack which took place during a journey to meet her mother when she was 16 or 17 years old. 

She explained that while she had ‘sort of forgotten’ about her ordeal, she was encouraged to speak up after hearing about the courage of Mr Hunt and his eldest daughter Amy.   

‘I remember something that had been lurking in the back of my brain for a very long time,’ the Queen said. ‘That, when I was a teenager, I was attacked on a train… I remember at the time being so angry.’

Camilla explained during the panel discussion, that was guest edited by former Prime Minister Baroness Teresa May, how she ‘fought back’ against the sex pest. 

She said: ‘Somebody I didn’t know. I was reading my book, and you know, this boy, man, attacked me, and I did fight back.

Queen Camilla has spoken for the first time about her ordeal as a young victim of indecent assault in a moving radio broadcast

The Queen previously recorded a radio broadcast with BBC racing commentator John Hunt and his daughter Amy, whose family were murdered at their home

Pictured: Carol, John, Amy, Louise and Hannah Hunt

‘And I remember getting off the train and my mother looking at me and saying, “Why is your hair standing on end”, and “Why is the button missing from your coat”.

‘But I remember anger, and I was so furious about it, and it’s sort of lurked for many years.

‘And I think, you know, when all the subject about domestic abuse came up, and suddenly you hear a story like John and Amy’s, it’s something that I feel very strongly about.’

The Queen has campaigned for more than a decade on the issue of sexual violence against women and domestic abuse, making it a cornerstone of her public work. 

This morning she praised the courage of the Hunt family, saying: ‘I’d just like to say, wherever your family is now, they’d be so proud of you both.

‘And they must be from above smiling down on you and thinking, my goodness me, what a wonderful, wonderful father, husband, sister.

‘They’d just be so proud of you both.’

And after hearing Camilla’s story, Amy Hunt told her: ‘Thank you for sharing that, Your Majesty. It takes a lot to share these things because every woman has a story.’

The Queen’s sex attack ordeal was first reported earlier this year in a book titled Power and the Palace by journalist Valentine Low. 

It emerged that the royal had fought off a sex pest on a train as a teenager by hitting him in the groin with her shoe before reporting it to police. The man was arrested.

Low said Her Majesty had confided in former London Mayor Boris Johnson about the incident during a private meeting at Clarence House in 2008 to discuss her opening a new women’s refuge.

Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend the ceremonial welcome at Windsor Castle on December 3

John Hunt (pictured with Carol) and his surviving daughter, Amy, were invited by the Queen to Clarence House in November to discuss issues around women and violence

He told his former communications director, Guto Harri, who many years later recalled it to Low.

While Camilla, 78, had never intended for the story ever to be made public – and indeed would have been guaranteed lifetime anonymity as a victim of a sex crime – a palace source responded saying her attitude was that: ‘If some good comes of this publication, which is that the wider issues are discussed, it de-stigmatises the whole topic and empowers girls today to take action and seek help, and to talk about it, then that’s a good outcome.’

Louise Hunt, 25, and her sister Hannah, 28, were murdered alongside their mother Carol, 61, by Louise’s ex-partner Kyle Clifford – who had armed himself with both a crossbow and a knife – at their home in Bushey, Hertfordshire, on July 9 last year.

Clifford, 27, was sentenced to a whole life order in March, after pleading guilty to the murders and receiving a further conviction for raping Louise, which he had denied and in doing so forced her family to sit through days of distressing evidence.

It was described as a brutal and cowardly attack motivated by ‘self pity’ by spineless and controlling man who couldn’t handle even Louise’s kind and gentle attempts to split up with him.

After his murderous attack Clifford went on the run and tried unsuccessfully to kill himself when the police caught up with him.

John Hunt and his surviving daughter, Amy, were invited by the Queen to Clarence House in November to discuss issues around women and violence with Today host Emma Barnett.

It is understood that Camilla is particularly keen to lend her support to calls for more education in schools to counter misogyny.

Today’s broadcast comes ahead of a fundraising gala for a new Hunt Family Fund, set up in memory of Carol, Louise and Hannah, which will take place on Thursday evening to support causes that that help and inspire young women.

Speaking of the Queen’s decision to take part in the broadcast, a senior royal aide stressed that she had previously chosen not to talk about her experience as she has always wanted the focus of her work championing the victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence to be on the stories of other women.

‘While it is not a situation of her choosing, now that it has been put in the public domain she decided to talk about it with John and Amy in the particular context of misogyny and the patterns of behaviour that lead to it,’ they said.

‘Her Majesty is keen not for the specifics of her case to be trawled over and it is important to stress that it is not what has inspired her work in this field. Nor has not been a lifelong stigma or shame that she has carried with her.

‘However it has given her perspective and some understanding of the issues involved around violence against women and formed a [natural] part of their conversation focusing on calling out patterns of behaviour during an incredibly emotive meeting.’

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The Tories have been branded ‘pathetic’ after attempting to defend one of their frontbenchers acting as a lawyer for Russian oligarch and former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich

Roman Abramovich sold Chelsea football club in 2022 after he was sanctioned by the UK over his alleged ties to Vladimir Putin (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

The Tories have been branded “pathetic” after attempting to defend one of their frontbenchers acting as a lawyer for Russian oligarch and former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

Justice minister Jake Richards savaged the Conservative party and said shadow attorney general David Wolfson’s role in Abramovich’s legal battle was a “clear conflict of interest”.

He said Kemi Badenoch’s “desperate defence” of the issue showed her opinion and leadership is “really weak”. And he said Lord Wolfson should step down from his shadow cabinet role if he continues to represent Abramovich. It comes after the Tories branded Labour’s attack “pure politics”.

It emerged earlier this week that Lord Wolfson has been instructed in Abramovich’s legal battle with the Jersey government, which is probing the source of more than £5.3billion in assets linked to him which are held there.

Separately, the Government is pursuing former Chelsea owner Abramovich for more than £2.5billion, which would be used to benefit the people of Ukraine.

READ MORE: Fury as top Tory gives Roman Abramovich legal support amid Ukraine ultimatumLord Wolfson has been instructed in Roman Abramovich’s legal battle with the Jersey government(Image: PA)

Earlier this month, Keir Starmer issued an ultimatum to the billionaire – warning he would face legal action if he does not cough up £2.5billion from the sale of the Chelsea club to help Ukraine. But it is understood Abramovich has argued the transfer of assets to benefit Ukraine cannot happen until proceedings in Jersey have concluded.

Mr Richards, who on Monday night sent a letter to Ms Badenoch demanding answers, said he agrees with Lord Wolfson’s previous comments that a surgeon should not be judged by their patients, nor a lawyer by their clients. But he said the issue is not about him representing Abramovich, per se, but that he is doing so while advising Ms Badenoch on the Tories’ Russia-Ukraine position.

“Picture the scene. There’s a Shadow Cabinet meeting, Kemi Badenoch asks for views about what the Conservative Party policy should be on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, on sanctioned individuals and about reclaiming some of these assets,” Mr Richards told Times Radio.

“She goes around the room, and at the same time, Lord Wolfson is getting paid by Roman Abramovich to represent his interest in litigation on this very subject. There could not be a clearer conflict of interest.

Justice minister Jake Richards said Kemi Badenoch had shown ‘weak’ leadership on the issue(Image: TIM ANDERSON)

“The fact that they are trying to desperately defend this position very late at night, yesterday evening, sending me a response to my letter, which didn’t answer any of the questions, by the way, shows just how pathetic their position is on this. And actually it shows Kemi Badenoch’s opinion and leadership is really weak.”

Asked whether Lord Wolfson – who is not an MP but serves in the shadow cabinet as a peer – should step down as shadow attorney general, Mr Richards said: “He just has to choose one or the other. It’s perfectly reasonable for him to represent Roman Abramovich, or he can act as Shadow Attorney General, but he cannot do both… There is a clear conflict of interest. Kemi Badenoch should take action. The fact that she’s not is actually quite remarkable.”

Mr Richards also praised Boris Johnson’s position on Ukraine, saying he has an “enormous amount of respect for the amount of work and effort that he put into Ukrainian war effort”. He questioned whether the former Tory PM would think it okay for a senior member of the Conservative Party team to be getting paid by Roman Abramovich.

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The Ukraine Solidarity Campaign (USC) yesterday voiced its alarm over Lord Wolfson’s role, saying: “It is difficult to believe that a Shadow Cabinet member would take on such a case without the knowledge or approval of the party leadership .

“Are we seeing early indications that, ahead of any Trump–Putin attempt to impose an unjust peace on Ukraine, the Conservatives are preparing to return to “business as usual” with Russia? Is this laying the groundwork for a future alignment with Nigel Farage by normalising troubling attitudes of Reform UK toward Russia?”

The group called on the Government to pass emergency legislation to prevent sanctioned individuals from “exploiting the UK legal system to delay accountability”. It said: “The rights of victims of Russian aggression must come before the privileges of oligarchs.”

Abramovich sold Chelsea football club in 2022 after he was sanctioned by the UK over his alleged ties to Vladimir Putin following the invasion of Ukraine.

The money was intended for humanitarian causes linked to the Ukraine war but it remains frozen in a UK bank account due to a standoff between Mr Abramovich’s lawyers and the Government. The oligarch, who made his money in oil and gas, wants it to be used for “all victims of the war” – meaning Russians could benefit.

In a letter to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, Labour’s Mr Richards wrote: “As a paid representative of Mr Abramovich, he has a financial interest in the question of whether and when Mr Abramovich’s assets are transferred to benefit the people of Ukraine.”

He went on: “Lord Wolfson’s ability to advise you in respect of this matter is clearly compromised by the fact that he is being paid to act on behalf of Mr Abramovich. If he wants to continue to represent clients whose interests directly bear on the policies of the Government and HM Opposition that is a matter for him – but he cannot do it while serving in your Shadow Cabinet.”

“It is for him to decide, and for you to decide, which of these roles is more important.” Mr Richards also asked the Tory leader to clarify whether the Opposition was aligned with the Government position that Mr Abramovich must transfer more than £2.5 billion to benefit the people of Ukraine.

He wrote: “The cab rank rule (an ethical principle in which a barrister is required to accept any case in their field of expertise, regardless of who their client is) is an important principle which should always be respected, but it cannot remove conflicts of interest, or eliminate the responsibility of politicians to avoid such conflicts,” Mr Richards said in his letter to Mrs Badenoch.

“Lord Wolfson’s ability to advise you in respect of this matter is clearly compromised by the fact that he is being paid to act on behalf of Mr Abramovich.”

The Tories said Lord Wolfson is not instructed on the matter of Chelsea FC and branded Labour’s attack “pure politics”. A Conservative party spokesman said: “Lord Wolfson is instructed in on-going legal proceedings in Jersey. He is not instructed on the Chelsea FC matter.

“Jake Richards’ comments are pure politics, and they show Labour still does not understand how the Bar works. Barristers act for clients, not causes. And it’s a bit rich from this Government. Labour should stop throwing mud. Their own Attorney General has acted for Gerry Adams and involved himself in the Shamima Begum case. This is rank hypocrisy.

“The Conservative Party led the way on supporting Ukraine and we remain committed to their cause. To suggest anything else is just Labour sinking to new depths.”

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Anthony Albanese has commended the “courage and compassion” shown in Australia after the Bondi Beach attack in his New Year’s message.

The Australian prime minister started his address on a sombre note, saying: “Right now, the joy that we usually feel at the start of a new year is tempered by the sadness of the old.

“Following the terror inflicted on Jewish Australians at Bondi Beach, our hearts ache for every life lost and every life changed forever.”

Fifteen people were killed and dozens more were injured when gunmen opened fire towards an event attended by more than 1,000 people celebrating the Jewish festival Hanukkah on Sydney’s Bondi Beach on 14 December.

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Bondi Beach hero: ‘I risked my life for innocent people’

Police believe the attack was inspired by the terror group Islamic State.

But Mr Albanese said the response to the attack showed “the best of the Australian spirit in all its courage and compassion”.

“That is why I’m optimistic and determined that in the new year we will rise to meet the challenges ahead of us,” he said.

Image:
Police officers patrol the Sydney Opera House concourse as crowds gather ahead of the fireworks display. Pic: Reuters

Crowds have started to gather at the Sydney Opera House, where a major fireworks display is set to illuminate the sky to welcome in the new year.

The fireworks display is set to feature a tribute to the victims of the Bondi Beach terror attack.

Heightened security

Security in the city has been heightened, with security checks set up at popular viewpoints.

Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales (NSW), where Bondi Beach is located, said police will be deployed “in massive numbers”.

Image:
A sign reading ‘Please prepare for security screening’ is displayed near a checkpoint at the Opera House. Pic: Reuters

He added that some will be carrying weapons that residents have not seen before, in what is being reported as an unprecedented display of firepower by officers, according to Sky News Australia.

Mr Minns also urged locals to show “defiance” by attending 31 December fireworks and other events with friends and family.

“Because of the weird ideology of some of these terrorists, what they want is for us to crawl up into a ball and not have fun with our family and friends,” he said, according to Sky News Australia.

“I’m calling on the people of Sydney to step out, to do what you would ordinarily do, to thumb your nose at the terrorists.”

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The West African countries say the bans are equivalent to those imposed on their citizens by the United States.

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Mali and Burkina Faso have announced their plan to apply reciprocal visa bans to citizens of the United States, weeks after President Donald Trump included the West African countries in an expanded travel ban list.

In separate letters shared late on Tuesday, both countries emphasised that the new measures were aimed at applying the same rules to Americans travelling to their countries as their citizens face when travelling to the US.

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Mali’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said US citizens travelling to the country would experience “the same conditions and requirements as those imposed by the American authorities on Malian citizens entering the United States”.

It added that the changes were being introduced as “a matter of reciprocity and with immediate effect”.

Burkina Faso said it was applying “equivalent visa measures to citizens of the United States of America” and emphasised that it “remains committed to mutual respect, the sovereign equality of States, and the principle of reciprocity in its international relations”.

The announcements came after Trump said on December 16 he was adding seven more countries, as well as the holders of Palestinian Authority documents, to a list of countries whose nationals were “fully” restricted and limited from entering the US.

Burkina Faso and Mali were among the countries added to the list, all of which were either Arab or African nations.

Trump said at the time that the changes were being introduced to meet US “foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives”.

A section explaining the reasons for the ban on nationals from Burkina Faso said the US Department of State had found “terrorist organisations continue to plan and conduct terrorist activities throughout Burkina Faso”.

It also cited visa overstays and a historic refusal to “accept back” nationals deported from the US.

In relation to Mali, Trump’s announcement said the State Department had found “armed conflict between the Malian government and armed groups is common throughout the country and that “terrorist organisations operate freely in certain areas of Mali”.

In total, the new additions brought the total to 19 countries plus Palestine, the countries banned under Trump, who also introduced similar travel bans during his first presidency.

Together with Niger, which was also included in the list of new countries banned by the US in mid-December, Mali and Burkina Faso have recently sought to distance themselves from Western countries while working together in a new grouping known as the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

All three countries are led by military leaders who have forged closer ties with Russia in recent years, while kicking out French and US soldiers previously stationed there.

Mali has welcomed Russian forces, including about 1,500 personnel from the Wagner mercenary group and roughly 1,000 fighters from the Kremlin-controlled paramilitary group Africa Corps.

At a recent Sahel summit in Bamako, Mali, the three countries announced the launch of a joint military battalion aimed at fighting armed groups across the region.

However, they have struggled to improve the security situation at home amid rising attacks from separatist groups as well as armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS).

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Police have praised the courageous efforts of an officer who entered crocodile-filled waters in far north Queensland after a man drowned in monsoonal floods.

Dozens of roads remained closed and communities were isolated as flood waters continued to rise in outback Queensland late on Wednesday.

A man in his 70s was found dead in a submerged vehicle in the far northern town of Normanton on Tuesday.

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Mount Isa District Acting Supt Paul Austin praised the efforts of emergency services who responded.

“The SES operator was able to align their vessel [with the submerged car], and one of the police officers entered into a significant depth, and was able to get into the vehicle and recover the deceased male,” he said.

“If he hadn’t done what he did, it certainly would have made it a very difficult operation to try and retrieve that vehicle with the deceased in it.

“There’s some really big crocs in the Norman River … what he did was very courageous.”

The Queensland premier, David Crisafulli, said the loss of the local man was “a deep tragedy for the North West community”.

“Our big focus remains on infrastructure … it’s the roads, it’s the bridges. We have to make sure that people remain connected.”

The mayor of McKinlay shire in north-west Queensland, Janene Fegan, said it could be weeks before the full extent of the damage and stock losses was known.

After days of severe rain, conditions did not clear until Wednesday, allowing graziers to launch helicopters.

“We just don’t know officially yet – it’s just sitting and waiting but it doesn’t look good in parts of the north-west of our shire,” Fegan said.

“We’ve been told that the water level is quite high, and there’s places that could be higher than 2019.”

The Bureau of Meteorology warned that isolated heavy falls of 100mm were possible in parts of the Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders, North West and Central West districts.

The bureau’s Miriam Bradbury said rain and thunderstorm activity would continue “but we should start to see more of an easing across more widespread areas late in the weekend into early next week”.

Disaster relief has been activated for five north Queensland councils after the widespread flooding caused by monsoonal rainfall over the Christmas period.

In Western Australia, emergency services were assessing the damage caused by ex-tropical cyclone Hayley, which crossed the Kimberley coast as a category three storm over the Dampier Peninsula on Tuesday.

Winds up to 158km/h were recorded along with 132mm of rain.

There were no reports of major damage or injuries.

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Tatiana Schlossberg, the granddaughter of former US President John F Kennedy, has died aged 35.

Her family announced her death in a social media post shared by the John F Kennedy Library Foundation, writing: “Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts.”

In November, Schlossberg, a climate journalist, announced her diagnosis of an aggressive form of cancer. She said in an essay that she had been given less than a year to live.

Schlossberg was the daughter of designer Edwin Schlossberg and diplomat Caroline Kennedy, and is survived by her husband George Moran and their two children, three-year-old Edwin and one-year-old Josephine.

In an article published last month in The New Yorker titled, “A Battle With My Blood,” Schlossberg revealed she had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in May 2024, after giving birth to her second child.

“My first thought was that my kids, whose faces live permanently on the inside of my eyelids, wouldn’t remember me,” she wrote.

Schlossberg described the treatments she received, including chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, but shared that doctors did not give her a good prognosis.

She also wrote of the pain she feared her passing would cause for her family, which has endured multiple personal tragedies. Her grandfather, President Kennedy, was assassinated in 1963 and her uncle, John F Kennedy Jr, died in a plane crash in 1999.

Her younger brother, Jack Schlossberg, is running for Congress in New York.

“For my whole life, I have tried to be good, to be a good student and a good sister and a good daughter, and to protect my mother and never make her upset or angry,” Schlossberg wrote.

“Now I have added a new tragedy to her life, to our family’s life, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it,” she said.

In her essay, Schlossberg also expressed disappointment in her relative Robert F Kennedy Jr’s appointment to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

Another relative, Maria Shriver, a journalist and the former first lady of California, paid tribute to her “sweet, beloved Tatiana” as someone who “loved her life”.

“She created a beautiful life with her extraordinary husband George, and children Eddie and Josie. She fought like a warrior. She was valiant, strong, courageous.”

“Tatiana was a great journalist, and she used her words to educate others about the earth and how to save it”, Shriver wrote on Instagram.

Before her widely-read essay about her diagnosis, Schlossberg forged a successful career as a climate journalist.

Schlossberg authored the book “Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don’t Know You Have”. She also wrote about climate and other beats for the New York Times.

In December 2021, she reported on local experiments to harness the energy of the London Underground to provide heat to homes, in an effort to fight climate change.

“I think climate change is the biggest story in the world, and it’s a story about everything,” she told NBC News in 2019. “It’s about science and nature, but it’s also about politics and health and business. To me, looking at this as a journalist, it seemed like a really important story to tell.”

“And if I could help communicate about it, that might inspire other people to get involved and work on the issue,” she said.

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Huge protests over Iran’s soaring cost of living boiled over on Tuesday as students joined shopkeepers in daring demonstrations against the regime.

Hundreds of students rallied across four universities in Tehran for a third day of protests, after bazaar merchants took to the streets, chanting slogans and occupying the roads.

Chants could be heard in support of Reza Shah, the late founder of the royal dynasty ousted by the Islamic Revolution.

Some Iranians also took to social media to voice their outrage. One user, Soroosh Dadkhah, said that high prices and corruption had led people “to the point of explosion”.

Facing mounting pressure, the government took the unusual decision to seek dialogue with the protesters, assuring on Tuesday that a dialogue mechanism would be set up to talk to the organisers.

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Current and pre-revolution Iranian banknotes are displayed by a street money exchanger (AP)

“We officially recognise the protests,” said government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani.

“We hear their voices and we know that this originates from natural pressure arising from the pressure on people’s livelihoods.”

President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a meeting with trade unions and market activists on Tuesday that the government will do its best to resolve their issues and address their worries.

Videos shared on Monday showed hundreds of people taking part in rallies in Saadi Street in downtown Tehran, as well as in the Shush neighbourhood near the city’s Grand Bazaar, which played a crucial role in the 1979 revolution.

On Sunday, protest gatherings were limited to two major mobile markets in downtown Tehran, where the demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans.

The demonstrations are the first major protests since Israeli and US assaults on Iran in June, which prompted widespread expressions of patriotic solidarity.

Iran now faces renewed pressure to maintain order after US president Donald Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu weighed fresh strikes this week.

The US and Israel carried out 12 days of airstrikes on Irans military and its nuclear installations in June aimed at stopping what they believe were efforts to develop the means to build an atomic weapon.

Separately, the Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russian president Vladimir Putin had discussed Iran’s nuclear programme with Pezeshkian in a phone call.

As Iran faces the threat of more kinetic action, its rial currency has lost nearly half its value against the dollar this year, with inflation reaching 42.5% in December.

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Iran’s economy has plunged in 2025, forcing merchants onto the streets in protest (AP)

The rapid depreciation is compounding inflationary pressure, pushing up prices of food and other daily necessities and further straining household budgets.

Reports in official Iranian media said that the government also plans to increase taxes in the Iranian new year, which begins in March, adding to concerns.

The economy has suffered since US sanctions were reimposed by Donald Trump in 2018, as he ended an international deal over the country’s nuclear programme.

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A shocking undercover video by a citizen journalist has blown the lid off Minnesota’s Somali-owned daycares – empty buildings raking in taxpayer funds.

But as Donald Trump dispatches federal agents to crackdown on the crisis, there are fears that the fraud might bleed into America’s most hallowed system: its elections.

Kamala Harris, running alongside Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, won the state in 2024 by just over 138,000 votes, a thin 4.2 percent margin.

Lawmakers are now demanding whether permissive voting regulations have left the Land of 10,000 Lakes drowning in election fraud.

Minnesota has over the last month emerged as ground zero in Donald Trump’s battle against illegal immigration amid staggering reports of fraud in the Somali community – including taxpayer funds funneled to Islamist terrorists in north Africa.

The President has threatened Democratic Gov. Walz with federal prosecution for ‘gross incompetence’ and accused Rep. Ilhan Omar, who represents thousands of Somalis in the state, of marrying her brother to illegally obtain US citizenship.

Walz claimed the state has ‘spent years cracking down on fraud – referring cases to law enforcement, shutting down and auditing high-risk programs.’ 

Omar, meanwhile, has urged people not to blame the entire Somali community for the actions of a few. 

But the outrage reached fever pitch on Friday after a viral video by journalist Nick Shirley uncovered scores of empty Somali-run daycare centers in receipt of taxpayer funds.

Minnesota has the highest incidence of voter fraud in the country, according to a database compiled by the Heritage Foundation. It had 138 cases dating back to 2004 (the highest per capita, ~23.7 per million), and far exceeding the number in more populous states such as North Carolina (123 cases, ~11 per million), Illinois (117, ~9.2), and Florida (93, ~3.9)

Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, speaking at a news conference on Thursday, December 4

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) looks on during a news conference on reintroducing the Neighbors Not Enemies Act on Capitol Hill on January 22

Now, amid concerns over a systemic culture of fraud, lawmakers in Washington are demanding measures be taken to enshrine the sanctity of Minnesota’s elections.

Of particular concern is an election law that allows a registered voter to ‘vouch’ for up to eight people seeking same-day registration without an ID.

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon’s website explains the process — which is entirely unique among the United States. 

‘A registered voter from your precinct can go with you to the polling place to sign an oath confirming your address. This is known as “vouching.” A registered voter can vouch for up to eight voters,’ it says.

Not only this, but voting forms add that ’employees of a residential facility may vouch for an unlimited number of facility residents.’

Senator Mike Lee of Utah on Sunday called for the Senate to immediately pass his SAVE Act (Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility) that would require proof-of-citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.

Voting rights activist Scott Presler, whose work Lee cited, warned that Minnesota’s vouching system was ripe for exploitation. 

‘Does this allow for potential fraud and abuse of our elections? Absolutely – especially when you consider that Minnesota has same-day voter registration,’ he said.

Elon Musk, referring to the vouching system, suggested it was a sinister voting loophole that was ‘made for fraud’ in a post on X. 

Minnesota, like 42 other states, requires a sworn affirmation of citizenship under penalty of perjury for voter registration.

But while this is not unique to Minnesota, the state rejected just 54 out of 1,372,437 registrations between 2022 and 2024 — a minuscule 0.003 percent rate.

This is far below the 3.0 percent national average, and significantly lower than similarly sized states such as Alabama which rejected 3,843 registrations (0.3 percent) and Colorado which invalidated 91,871 registrations (2.4 percent). 

The data comes from the 2024 Election Administration and Voting Survey, a biennial report the US Election Assistance Commission published in June 2025 to collect comprehensive data on federal election administration.

The furor over Minnesota’s Somali-run daycares exploded on Friday after a viral video by independent journalist Nick Shirley uncovered empty buildings that were receiving taxpayer funds 

The report, which did not specify the reasons for the rejected registrations, credits Minnesota’s mature online system, handling 20.5 percent of applications, for ‘greatly reducing’ duplicates and invalids.

Yet while other states also process large volumes digitally, few match Minnesota’s extraordinary near-zero rejection rate, leaving a question mark over whether the system is properly vetting voters.

According to a database compiled by the conservative think-tank, the Heritage Foundation, Minnesota has the highest incidence of voter fraud in the country. 

It had 138 cases dating back to 2004 (the highest per capita, ~23.7 per million), far exceeding the number in more populous states such as North Carolina (123 cases, ~11 per million), Illinois (117, ~9.2), and Florida (93, ~3.9).

Recent cases have struck at the heart of Minnesota’s Somali community. 

Muse Mohamed, a Somali-American volunteer for his brother-in-law, state Senator Omar Fateh, escaped jail in November 2022 after lying to a grand jury about mishandling absentee ballots.

The then-31-year-old was sentenced to house arrest and two years probation after claiming that he received two ballots directly from voters and hand-delivered them to a voting center during the 2020 primary election.

But the people who were named on the ballots testified at his trial that they had never met Mohamed. 

In another 2022 conviction, Abdihakim Amin Essa, from Minneapolis, was sentenced to 180 days probation after pleading guilty to four vote fraud counts in the 2018 election.

He was accused of signing as a witness for 13 people who cast absentee ballots when he legally couldn’t because he wasn’t a US citizen, and signing with his father’s name.

Essa told investigators that he worked for a political campaign, but prosecutors did not specify which candidate. 

These convictions have intensified scrutiny on Minnesota’s Somali community, while other cases call into question the state’s electoral system more broadly. 

In a shocking prosecution earlier this year, Ronnie Williams, 58, and his girlfriend Lorraine Combs, 57, pleaded guilty to filling out more than 500 phony voter registration forms while living in West St. Paul, outside Minneapolis.

Somali-American voters vote at a polling place at Brian Coyle Community Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota on November 3, 2020

Anti-ICE protesters march through frigid conditions, with temperatures near 10 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 12 Celsius), in a neighborhood in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on December 20

An unnamed foundation paid Williams to register the voters between 2021 and 2022. Prosecutors haven’t named the foundation because the investigation remains active. 

State officials, including Secretary of State Simon, insist voter fraud remains ‘exceedingly rare.’

Cassondra Knudson, a spokeswoman for Simon, hit back at claims that the state’s vouching system was easy to exploit.

‘Vouching can only be used to provide proof of a potential voter’s residence in the precinct. The potential voter must still provide their Minnesota driver’s license or ID card number or the last four digits of their Social Security number for identity verification,’ Knudson said.

‘Vouching is most commonly used in senior living facilities by residents who have not updated their driver’s licenses to reflect their current residence. It is also sometimes used in cases where an eligible voter has recently moved to a new address and lacks identification indicating the new address.’ 

Simon is already battling Pam Bondi’s Justice Department over a federal lawsuit demanding broad access to Minnesota voter data.

Bondi wants all voter registration records going back at least two years, including partial Social Security numbers and drivers license numbers, arguing the DOJ needs the files to ensure voter lists are correct.

Simon on December 23 moved to dismiss the case, calling it a ‘fishing expedition’ involving sensitive personal information and arguing Minnesota has taken great pains to balance privacy rights and voter-data access.

The Trump administration has launched similar lawsuits against 22 states and the District of Columbia following a March executive order alleging widespread voter fraud.

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From huge pop stars and TV shows inspiring parents to long-forgotten ‘dad names’ making a comeback, we reveal the nation’s favourite baby names of 2025 – with key predictions for the year ahead

Parents have been inspired by huge pop culture moments this year (stock photo)(Image: Getty Images)

The top baby names of 2025 list has revealed some surprising new trends, and now experts have weighed in on the intriguing shake-ups.

In what appears to be a dramatic shift in tastes, once popular choices such as Frankie, Amelie and Summer have dropped out of the top 100 altogether, while former favourites Luna, Nova, Thea and Delilah have seen a notable decline.

But while certain names may have lost their shine, a number of previously forgotten monikers have seen an huge reemergence, with experts picking up on a retro Eighties vibe in the charts – likely a huge nod to our obsession with Stranger Things.

“Familiar, steady, and nostalgic” ‘dad names’ previously deemed “too dated” for modern use are taking on a fresh new lease of life, with picks from the Decade of Decadence making a bigger comeback than Depeche Mode.

It’s believed Taylor Swift will have considerable influence on the choices of 2026 parents(Image: Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)

Once delegated to faded registers from Eighties classrooms, the names Jason, Samuel, Luke, Alexander, David, Daniel, Nathan and Adam are enjoying an unexpected renaissance. Picking up on this key trend, BabyCentre’s Baby Name expert SJ Strum told The Mirror: “While there’s been a huge rise in unique names, each trend has its counter and among all the modern, quirkier choices, ‘normcore’ is having a quiet revival, speeding up the re-popularity of the ‘dad name’ in the charts.

She continued: “These names are now being chosen by a new generation of parents who are favouring familiarity, simplicity and nostalgia over ultra-modern styles.” This isn’t the only intriguing development among parents to be having that all important conversation, with pop culture also having a powerful influence. And one titan of pop in particular is providing inspiration.

While the Shakesperean name Ophelia hasn’t made this year’s BabyCentre’s Top 100 this year, a revival is expected for 2026, with the songwriting of a certain Ms Taylor Swift making a typically seismic impact. Commenting on the so-called ‘Taylor Swift effect,’ Strum continued: “Ophelia is fascinating. Pop culture is so influential that Swift’s cultural moment will almost certainly give it a bounce back next year.

Sci-fi hit Stranger Things has also provided plenty of inspiration(Image: Netflix)

“It’s a beautiful, lyrical name with a long literary history, so it never truly disappears. It’s the kind of choice that, much like Swift herself sings, never truly goes out of style. We’re now seeing names go in and out of fashion at an unprecedented speed.”

Music aside, characters from talked-about TV shows are also providing plenty of inspiration, with Stranger Things’ Max, El and Lucas being particular muses for modern baby name lists. Faye Mingo, Chief Growth Officer for BabyCentre said: “Our 2025 data shows just how quickly naming styles are evolving. Parents today are drawing inspiration from everywhere, nostalgia, pop culture, personal meaning and even social media trends.

“Whether it’s the Taylor Swift effect boosting interest in names like Ophelia, or big TV moments such as the Stranger Things finale sparking conversations around leading character’s names, modern parents are more influenced by cultural moments than ever before. Whether families are reviving familiar favourites or experimenting with bold new choices, what’s clear is that baby names have never been more expressive, or more reflective of the moment we’re living in.”

Harper is one ‘fashionable’ name which now feels like a timeless classic(Image: WireImage)

‘Fast-fashion baby names’ are also a hot topic this year, highlighting just how quickly flash-in-the pan chart toppers can start to feel a little stale. However, this has also emphasised how some on-trend names can instantly feel timeless after just a few short years in the spotlight.

As an example, Harper, which saw a boost after David and Victoria Beckham chose it for their baby girl in 2011, now feels very much like a modern classic rather than a trendy passing fad. On this note, Strum said: “Names follow trends and with pop culture speeding up the churn of aesthetic trends, it’s natural for names to follow pace. Having a fast-fashion name will become iconic of the time you were born, so honestly, I’m embracing this revolving door era of baby names.”

Top girls’ names of 2025

1 Amelia (+1)

2.Olivia (-1)

3.Lily (0)

4.Ivy (+5)

5.Eliana (+33)

6.Elsie (+8)

7.Freya (+1)

8.Poppy (+16)

9.Ava (-4)

10.Mia (+1)

11.Sophia (-4)

12.Isla (-8)

13.Isabella (-1)

14.Ella (+6)

15.Grace (-9)

16.Harper (+13)

17.Maya (+13)

18.Ayla (+27)

19.Sienna (-1)

20.Luna (-3)

21.Aria (+5)

22.Maryam (+11)

23.Evelyn (0)

24.Willow (-14)

25.Daisy (-12)

26.Maeve (+26)

27.Ruby (+27)

28.Layla (+3)

29.Lottie (+12)

30.Millie (+2)

31.Chloe (+20)

32.Phoebe (-10)

33.Rosie (-5)

34.Sofia (-15)

35.Zara (+13)

36.Zoe (+13)

37.Aurora (-12)

38.Fatima (+1)

39.Florence (-23)

40.Arabella (+17)

41.Charlotte (-14)

42.Emily (-21)

43.Violet (+4)

44.Bonnie (-2)

45.Evie (-30)

46.Mila (-10)

47.Matilda (-3)

48.Hannah (+11)

49.Sophie (-12)

50.Anaya (+36)

51.Isabelle (+7)

52.Jasmine (-12)

53.Mabel (+7)

54.Emma (+22)

55.Hallie (-20)

56.Ada (-3)

57.Amara (-57)

58.Maisie (-24)

59.Elodie (-64)

60.Maria (+6)

61.Nur (+12)

62.Gracie (-64)

63.Lara (+24)

64.Nova (-64)

65.Gianna (+17)

66.Clara (+19)

67.Delilah (-5)

68.Eden (+7)

69.Emilia (-23)

70.Esme (+2)

71.Myla (+18)

72.Raya (+25)

73.Alice (-23)

74.Erin (-9)

75.Robyn (-14)

76.Sarah (-21)

77.Talia (+14)

78.Thea (-9)

79.Abigail (+4)

80.Dua (New!)

81.Ellie (-25)

82.Nora (+14)

83.Scarlett (-5)

84.Aisha (-5)

85.Hana (New!)

86.Margot (+2)

87.Anna (New!)

88.Ariella (-4)

89.Eloise (New!)

90.Nana (New!)

91.Orla (-10)

92.Princess (-21)

93.Zahra (+5)

94.Bella (-26)

95.Bump (New!)

96.Hazel (-33)

97.Imogen (-23)

98.Bean (New!)

99.Olive (-22)

100.Penelope (-30)

Top boys’ names of 2025

1.Muhammad (0)

2.Noah (0)

3.Leo (1)

4.Theo (-1)

5.Luca (3)

6.Oliver (-1)

7.Ethan (+4)

8.Eli (+12)

9.Arthur (-3)

10.George (-3)

11.Henry (+2)

12.Oscar (+2)

13.Liam (+6)

14.Freddie (-5)

15.Adam (+17)

16.Jude (0)

17.Caleb (+33)

18.Charlie (-6)

19.Jack (-9)

20.Alfie (-3)

21.Luca (-3)

22.Nathan (+12)

23.Teddy (+1)

24.Archie (-9)

25.Arlo (-2)

26.Daniel (+16)

27.Theodore (+11)

28.David (+7)

29.Finley (+4)

30.Joshua (-1)

31.Ezra (-5)

32.Mohammed (+17)

33.Rory (+3)

34.Harry (-6)

35.Albie (+2)

36.Ali (+19)

37.Jayden (+2)

38.Kai (+22)

39.Roman (+6)

40.Jacob (-19)

41.Asher (+21)

42.Jesse (+24)

43.Alexander (New!)

44.Louie (+19)

45.Luke (+28)

46.Max (-15)

47.Oakley (+18)

48.Reuben (-4)

49.James (-27)

50.Mohammad (-3)

51.Rowan (+17)

52.Hudson (+4)

53.Ibrahim (+23)

54.Isaac (-24)

55.Gabriel (+2)

56.Louis (+3)

57.Tommy (-30)

58.William (-4)

59.Harrison (-8)

60.Musa (+21)

61.Samuel (+6)

62.Austin (+29)

63.Nathan (New!)

64.Thomas (-39)

65.Zion (+5)

66.Mason (-14)

67.Yahya (New!)

68.Yusuf (+19)

69.Michael (-8)

70.Omar (+23)

71.Toby (+18)

72.Alex (-32)

73.Dylan (-30)

74.Ronnie (+11)

75.Zayne (New!)

76.Adriel (New!)

77.Hugo (-19)

78.Bean (New!)

79.Logan (-31)

80.Matthew (+8)

81.Zachary (-3)

82.Hunter (-8)

83.Myles (+1)

84.Ryan (-31)

85.Enzo (New!)

86.Isaiah (New!)

87.Joseph (-18)

88.Junior (New!)

89.Levi (-3)

90.Eli (New!)

91.Mateo (New!)

92.Micah (New!)

93.Reggie (-18)

94.Ahmad (New!)

95.Aiden (-49)

96.Ayaan (New!)

97.Jason (New!)

98.Leon (New!)

99.Abdullah (-17)

100.Ahmed (-3)

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

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Scroll back through the last year, and the same words come up again and again.

The top-trending terms of 2025, from artificial intelligence to Zohran Mamdani, shaped headlines across politics, conflict, technology and climate.

As the year comes to a close, AJ Labs has compiled an A to Z list of names, places and issues that generated sustained interest throughout 2025, according to a loose analysis of our own most-viewed story tags and those that appeared in Google’s most searched.

Taken together, these terms are a patchwork of issues that are also likely to spill into 2026, from ongoing conflicts to a changing technosocial landscape not seen since the dawn of the internet.

This is 2025 from A to Z, by the words that made the year.

Artificial Intelligence

AI adoption is rapidly growing, and some of the biggest conversations this year have been on how it will shake up the workplace and reimagine economies.

In October, the Reuters Institute carried out a survey in six countries and found that the proportion of respondents who said they used a generative AI system such as ChatGPT jumped from 40 percent to 61 percent this year. As governments try to regulate the fast-growing technology, fears of job losses and echoes of a dotcom-style bust have also resounded with big AI players such as Nvidia, Google, Meta and OpenAI making monumental circular deals this year.

According to UBS projections, global annual AI spending is expected to swell to $375bn by the end of the year before topping $3 trillion annually by 2030 – this includes spending on AI infrastructure, as well as power and resources for electricity demand.

Bitcoin

Bitcoin surged to new heights in 2025, driven by institutional inflows and the maturation of crypto ETFs in the US.

President Trump positioned himself as the “crypto president,” and propelled family crypto ventures and the broader sector into the mainstream. He overturned the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s crackdown on crypto companies, rewarding those pro-crypto executives and firms who donated millions in the 2024 election cycle to support candidates aligned with their agenda.

On October 6, Bitcoin reached an all-time high of $126,080, marking a defining moment for the digital asset, before reminding investors how quickly momentum can reverse as it finishes the year at $88,400.

Charlie Kirk

Conservative activist and media figure Charlie Kirk became a central and controversial figure in 2025 following his assassination, which sent shockwaves through US politics and globally.

As the founder of Turning Point USA, Kirk had spent years at the centre of campus culture wars, where he built a large following through provocative speeches on university campuses and through his close alignment with Donald Trump and the MAGA movement.

On September 10, he was shot dead near where he was engaged in a debate at Utah Valley University. His assassination triggered reactions across the political spectrum, and intensified debates around political violence and extremism in the US.

Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump warrants a standalone article for the scale, speed and unprecedented nature of changes he unleashed during his second term, and for the wide web of issues tied to his leadership.

In 2025 alone, he signed 225 executive orders, surpassing the number he signed during his entire first term.

Returning to office on January 20, he began his term by pardoning those involved in the 2021 Capitol Hill riots. Soon after, he announced sweeping global tariffs – but often focused on China, followed by the “One Big Beautiful Bill”, which triggered deep federal spending cuts and stripped funding from major US programmes, including USAID. His administration tightened immigration enforcement and rolled back environmental and diversity policies.

Internationally, he questioned longstanding alliances, scaled back support for Ukraine and escalated pressure on Iran, including US strikes on its nuclear facilities. Domestically, his policies polarised Americans and politicians alike, especially when it came to healthcare and defence spending, which led to the longest government shutdown right before Thanksgiving.

And that’s just some of what he did this year.

Elections

Following an unprecedented election cycle in 2024, polls were a little more muted this year, but still noteworthy, with some 69 elections taking place globally, involving hundreds of millions of eligible voters worldwide.

National elections took place in countries such as Germany, Canada and Japan, alongside dozens of parliamentary, presidential and local contests across Africa, Asia and Europe. In Japan, Sanae Takaichi became the first woman to hold the post of prime minister.

Far right

Far-right politics took centre stage, especially on social media, where such narratives were prominent in shaping public opinion.

In Europe, far-right parties recorded some of their strongest results on record, including becoming the second-largest force in Germany’s federal election, where the AfD won 20.8 precent of the vote.

Elsewhere, rallies in the UK, such as “Unite the Kingdom”, led by right-wing activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, caused a huge turnout of protesters and counter-protesters in August. Elon Musk’s role in the rally – where he appeared in front of protesters via a live link – highlighted the influence social media networks now play in promoting particular narratives and the powerful figures steering the wheel.

Gaza

Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza passed two years, with Israeli forces continuing their air and ground assaults, displacing the population repeatedly. A particular turning point was when the IPC declared famine in Gaza in August, following Israel’s continued blockade of aid and the purposeful starvation of the population.

In 2025 alone, Israel killed at least 25,000 Palestinians and injured 62,000 others.

In October, a ceasefire was brokered between Hamas and Israel. However, Israeli attacks have continued.

Houthis

The Iran‑aligned Houthis in Yemen were central in the wider Middle East crisis, drawing global attention for both military actions and diplomatic developments.

The group’s attacks on commercial shipping and military targets in the Red Sea and against Israel continued to disrupt a key global trade route, prompting Israeli and US air strikes on Houthi positions and infrastructure throughout the year.

According to ACLED, there were more than 48 strikes on Yemen in 2025 from Israel, including strikes on Hodeidah port.

Iran

On June 13, Israel launched a barrage of strikes, hitting dozens of nuclear, military, and infrastructure sites across Iran, including the country’s main nuclear facility in Natanz.

During the 12-day conflict, Israel also attacked residential neighbourhoods, killing several nuclear scientists and military commanders. Iran retaliated with hundreds of ballistic missiles against Israeli cities.

On June 22, the situation escalated when the United States joined the attacks, bombing three nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

The attacks drew widespread international concern, prompting emergency UN Security Council meetings and sparking sharp retaliation from Iran, including ballistic missile launches toward US bases in the region and threats to global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Jeffrey Epstein

In 2025, the Jeffrey Epstein saga continued to make headlines as new documents, emails and images were released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, with the New York Times claiming more than 130,000 papers have been released to date.

Photos of Epstein’s private island, call logs and email exchanges with high‑profile figures were published by the House Oversight Committee, drawing global attention and sparking heated political debate.

Among the most talked‑about revelations in late 2025 were emails in which Epstein allegedly referenced Donald Trump and claimed a victim had spent time at his house, leading to fierce partisan disputes over context and accuracy. The White House called the disclosures a smear, while critics argued they raised uncomfortable questions about elite networks.

Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar was one of the most-talked-about artists in music, driven by the ongoing effect of his song Not Like Us, which became his longest-charting rap song ever, spending more than 50 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song also topped charts after Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance, which was watched by more than 133.5 million viewers.

Louvre

In October, the Louvre Museum in Paris was shaken by one of the most audacious art robberies in recent memory, when thieves made off with priceless French crown jewels worth an estimated $102m.

Using a truck‑mounted lift to reach a second‑floor window, the gang broke in during broad daylight, cut display cases with power tools and escaped on scooters in a brazen raid that took less than eight minutes while the museum was open to visitors.

French authorities launched a nationwide manhunt, but the bulk of the stolen jewels remains missing. The heist exposed significant security gaps at the world’s most‑visited museum, prompting emergency upgrades.

Migration

This year, migration debates continued to grip government chambers worldwide, with polarising policy changes adopted in different countries.

In Europe and North America, asylum rules and border controls were tightened – a deal between France and the UK for a “one in, one out” plan on small boat crossings came into effect under the Labour government.

Across the pond, the US saw one of the most aggressive immigration enforcement policies, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) escalating operations in the country. More than 68,000 people were detained by ICE, and hundreds of thousands are reported to have been deported.

Nuclear

As it stands, in 2025, there are 12,241 nuclear warheads active worldwide, with several countries increasing or modernising their stockpiles instead of reducing them, as they have for the past two decades.

Most significantly, the year was marked by direct US and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, with Pentagon officials saying it delayed Iran’s nuclear programme by about one to two years.

On the energy front, 2025 saw a mix of expansion and contraction in nuclear power. The US and UK signed a landmark partnership to accelerate advanced and small modular reactors, promising thousands of jobs. While in Germany, nuclear phase-out continued, with the closing of ageing plants, despite other European nations looking towards nuclear power for green energy.

Occupied West Bank

In parallel to Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, it launched the largest military assault in decades on the West Bank, expanded illegal Israeli settlements, and carried out regular home demolitions.

The UN’s OCHA documented 1,680 attacks by Israeli settlers in more than 270 communities across the West Bank so far in 2025 – an average of five incidents per day.

The olive harvest has also continued to be marked by widespread settler violence, with 178 attacks documented in October and November in 88 communities.

Pope

In April, the Catholic Church underwent a historic leadership transition with the death of Pope Francis and the election of a new pontiff.

The 2025 conclave was notable for being the largest in the Church’s history, with 133 cardinal electors gathering in the Sistine Chapel to vote on the next pope, surpassing previous limits on electors and reflecting the global diversity of the College of Cardinals.

After several rounds of secret ballots, the cardinals selected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who took the name Pope Leo XIV, marking the first time a pope has been elected from the United States.

Qatar

In 2025, Qatar was not only a key diplomatic player, but also a flashpoint in the region’s wider conflicts.

In September, Israel carried out an unprecedented air strike on Doha, targeting Hamas leaders who were meeting to discuss a US‑backed ceasefire deal, killing a Qatari security official and others, and triggering widespread condemnation of the attack as a violation of Qatari sovereignty and international law.

The strike prompted emergency meetings of Gulf and Islamic bodies in solidarity with Doha, as it became the sixth country that Israel attacked this year.

RSF

Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were a central driver of the country’s devastating civil war, expanding their territorial control and deepening what the United Nations described as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

The paramilitary group consolidated its grip over large parts of western Sudan, including areas around el-Fasher in North Darfur, where UN officials and rights groups reported mass killings that left tens of thousands of civilians dead and widespread destruction of displacement camps.

According to ACLED, at least 4,200 civilians were killed by the RSF. They were accused of systematic abuses, including ethnically targeted violence, sexual assault, looting and attacks on hospitals and aid convoys.

Syria

December 8 marked one year since the al-Assad dynasty, which lasted more than half a century, was removed from power by a rebel offensive.

The 14-year-long war led to one of the world’s largest migration crises, with some 6.8 million Syrians, about a third of the population, fleeing the country at the war’s peak in 2021.

More than 782,000 Syrians documented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have returned to Syria from other countries over the past year.

Tariffs

On April 1, Trump imposed reciprocal tariffs on the US’s trading partners, rattling global trade and increasing tensions in international relations.

The levies also led to a number of companies saying they would shift supply chains. It is estimated that the US-imposed tariffs generated more than $124.5bn in revenue between January and September 2025. However, the Tax Foundation estimates that Trump tariffs amount to an average tax increase of $1,100 per US household in 2025.

Ukraine

The war in Ukraine entered its fourth year in 2025 and was defined by intensified fighting, stalled diplomacy and a shift in US policy that reshaped the conflict’s trajectory.

On the battlefield, Russian forces controlled roughly 19 percent (118,000 square kilometres or 45,550sq miles) of Ukrainian territory, having made incremental but costly gains over the course of the year on the eastern front.

The conflict saw a marked escalation in advanced warfare, including expanded use of long-range missiles and, significantly, the use of drones on both sides.

Venezuela

Another foreign policy campaign under the Trump administration that drew global attention was the situation in Venezuela, where Trump’s mandate against “narcoterrorists” transformed the Caribbean into a new battlefield.

Since August, Washington deployed thousands of troops, warships and aircraft across the region, reopened military bases in Puerto Rico and conducted drills, in what analysts describe as the largest US presence in Latin America in decades.

In September, the US began a series of strikes on Venezuelan boats it claimed were trafficking drugs to the US, with the total death toll as a result of these attacks tallying more than 100 dead.

Weather

The year 2025 kicked off with the devastating Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, which destroyed thousands of homes and buildings. According to Gallagher Reinsurance Brokers, total global insured loss for the first nine months of 2025 for natural catastrophes and climate-related events was estimated at $105bn, making it the sixth consecutive year with losses of more than $100bn.

Other extreme weather events, such as heavy rains and flooding, also battered large parts of Asia in late 2025: Northern Vietnam experienced historic flood levels after prolonged tropical rainfall, while India and Pakistan dealt with monsoon‑related floods that were among the deadliest of the year. Typhoon Ragasa and other Pacific storms brought intense winds and floods to the Philippines, Taiwan and southern China.

In October, Hurricane Melissa became the strongest storm to hit Jamaica, making landfall as a Category 5, causing widespread damage.

Xi Jinping

Xi Jinping pushed for strategic autonomy and regional dominance in 2025.

At home, he oversaw China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, with state media citing steady growth and laying the groundwork for 2026. He also chaired the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin, hosting more than 20 heads of state and positioning China as a central force in Global South and Eurasian security.

Relations with the US were dominated by renewed and aggressive trade and technology tensions, following Trump’s tariff mandate, which saw both sides escalate into a tit-for-tat of levies, which, at one point, entered triple digits, but a mid-year truce saw pressure ease on global markets.

Yoon Suk Yeol

In December 2024, South Korea was thrust into a political crisis after then-President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, citing rising unrest and an alleged threat to national security.

It resulted in the deployment of troops, detention of opposition lawmakers and the curtailing of press freedom. A year on, prosecutors indicted Yoon Suk Yeol for insurrection on December 15, accusing him of seeking to provoke military aggression from North Korea to help consolidate his power.

Earlier this month, special prosecutor Cho Eun-seok told a briefing that his team had indicted Yoon, five former cabinet members, and 18 others on insurrection charges, following a six-month probe into his declaration of martial law last year.

Zohran Mamdani

After Trump, the most talked about US politician in 2025 might just be Zohran Mamdani, who became New York City’s first Muslim, South Asian and African-born mayor by winning 50.8 percent of the vote.

Campaigning on rent freezes, universal childcare, public transit and green infrastructure and galvanising multiracial working-class coalitions across the city, he won the primaries in June.

However, his campaign experienced intense scrutiny and backlash online, with Equality Labs tracking more than 17 million social media posts about him in 2025 containing Islamophobic, xenophobic and polarising content.

Mamdani is scheduled to be sworn in on January 1, 2026.

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Eurostar said it plans to run a full service on Wednesday but warned of possible knock-on disruptions after a power supply issue halted Channel tunnel train trips connecting London to the European mainland.

Travellers making journeys in the busy run-up to the new year were left scrambling to find alternatives after the operator postponed all services between London, Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels.

“Services have resumed today following a power issue in the Channel tunnel yesterday and some further issues with rail infrastructure overnight,” said a Eurostar statement.

“We plan to run all of our services today, however due to knock-on impacts there may still be some delays and possible last-minute cancellations.”

The service had earlier warned passengers to postpone their journeys to a different date and warned them of severe delays as well as last-minute cancellations.

Eurostar’s site earlier showed that even services on the continent not using the Channel tunnel – such as ones between Paris and Brussels – had been cancelled during the day.

As well as the power problem, there was also a failed LeShuttle train in the Channel tunnel, the 31-mile (50km) undersea rail link between Folkestone in south-east England and Coquelles in northern France.

Crowds of stranded travellers, many with suitcases, swelled at London’s St Pancras International station and Gare du Nord in Paris as they were notified that their end-of-year holiday plans were being thrown into doubt.

A record 19.5 million passengers travelled on Eurostar in 2024, up nearly 5% on 2023, driven by demand from visitors to the Olympics and Paralympics in Paris.

Eurostar has held a monopoly on passenger services through the tunnel linking Britain and France since it opened in 1994. The Virgin businessman Richard Branson has vowed to launch a rival service. Italy’s Trenitalia has also said it intends to compete with Eurostar on the Paris-London route by 2029.

Tuesday’s disruption affects Eurostar at a time when the company faces criticism over its high fares, especially between Paris and London.

An electrical fault forced the cancellation of Eurostar services and severe delays on others in August. The theft of cables on train tracks in northern France caused two days of problems in June.

LeShuttle operates vehicle-carrying trains between Folkestone in south-east England and Calais in northern France.

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Thailand has released 18 Cambodian soldiers that were captured in July during deadly border clashes as part of a ceasefire the two countries agreed to on Saturday.

The handover was delayed by a day over Thai concerns over alleged violations of the ceasefire, but took place after sustained Chinese diplomatic pressure to ensure the deal holds.

Simmering tensions along Thailand-Cambodia border exploded early this month and went on for weeks, forcing nearly one million people from their homes.

Saturday’s deal had seen both sides agree to freeze the front lines where they are now, ban reinforcements and allow civilians living in border areas to return as soon as possible.

The 18 Cambodian soldiers, dressed in civilian clothes, were greeted by well-wishers as they were escorted over a border checkpoint and handed to the Cambodian authorities.

Their captivity since July – during an earlier round of deadly clashes – has inflamed nationalist sentiment in Cambodia, their release being one of the main demands of the its government in the ceasefire talks with Thailand.

On Wednesday, Thailand’s foreign ministry said the release of the soldiers was a “demonstration of goodwill” and that it hopes Cambodia would “reciprocate this goodwill through its concrete actions”.

Cambodia confirmed the return of its troops, with its defence ministry saying it “remains hopeful” that this will help build “mutual trust and confidence”.

One of the terms of the ceasefire was that the 18 soldiers had to be handed over within 72 hours – by noon local time on Tuesday. But this was delayed after Bangkok accused Phnom Penh of violating the truce by flying more than 250 unmanned aerial vehicles into Thailand on Sunday.

Despite Thailand’s complaints, the latest ceasefire appears to be holding so far.

Disagreement over the border dates back more than a century, but tension increased early this year after a group of Cambodian women sang patriotic songs in a disputed temple.

A Cambodian soldier was killed in a clash in May. Then in July, five days of intense fighting along the border left dozens of soldiers and civilians dead. Thousands more civilians were displaced.

The two countries agreed to a fragile ceasefire in July and signed it in October, brokered by US President Donald Trump. But the ceasefire collapsed when fresh tensions erupted early this month, with both sides accusing the other for the breakdown.

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New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will be sworn into office at an abandoned subway stop below City Hall on New Year’s Eve to pay tribute to the “lifeblood” of the Big Apple.

The private ceremony will take place at Old City Hall Station just before midnight on Thursday, and Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James will administer the oath of office to the democratic socialist.

“The New York City subway system is the lifeblood of New York — a reminder of the city Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is fighting for: a city built by and for New Yorkers,” a press release about the ceremony read.

Mamdani further explained the meaning behind the location of his private ceremony in a public statement.

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New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will be sworn into office at an abandoned subway stop below City Hall on New Year’s Eve to pay tribute to the ‘lifeblood’ of the Big Apple (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)

“When Old City Hall Station first opened in 1904 — one of New York’s 28 original subway stations — it was a physical monument to a city that dared to be both beautiful and build great things that would transform working peoples’ lives.

“That ambition need not be a memory confined only to our past, nor must it be isolated only to the tunnels beneath City Hall: it will be the purpose of the administration fortunate enough to serve New Yorkers from the building above,” Mamdani said.

The ceremony will be followed by a public swearing-in by Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, on the steps of City Hall later Thursday. Usually, just 4,000 ticketed guests would be allowed to attend the ceremony, but, in addition to these guests, Mamdani has invited all New Yorkers to celebrate with a block party on Broadway.

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New York Attorney General Letitia James will administer the oath of office to the democratic socialist (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

James and Sanders have become allies of Mamdani, endorsing him during his run for mayor as the Democratic nominee against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was running as an independent, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.

Mamdani won the November 4 election with roughly 50 percent of the vote. Cuomo received about 41 percent of the vote, and Sliwa roughly 7 percent.

After months of attacking Mamdani as a “communist,” President Donald Trump in November said he will be “a really great mayor” for his home city after a closed-door meeting at the White House.

Seated behind his desk in the Oval Office while Mamdani stood next to him during what became a half-hour love-fest between the two men, Trump told reporters he’d congratulated his hometown’s next chief executive and pledged to help him bring prices down for New Yorkers.

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After months of attacking Mamdani as a ‘communist’ Trump in November said the democratic socialist will be ‘a really great mayor’ for his home city after a closed-door meeting at the White House (REUTERS)

“I think you’re going to have, hopefully, a really great mayor — the better he does, the happier I am,” Trump said.

For his part, Mamdani described the meeting at the time as “productive” and “focused on a place of shared admiration and love” between he and Trump — New York City — and “the need to deliver affordability to New Yorkers, the eight and a half million people who call our city their home, who are struggling to afford life in the most expensive city in the United States of America.”

Ahead of Mamdani’s swearing in, James wrote on X, “I’m honored to swear in @ZohranKMamdani at the Old City Hall subway station at the turn of the new year.” She added, “Our subways connect us all, and they represent exactly what our next mayor is fighting for: a city every New Yorker can thrive in.”

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By NICHOLAS COMINO, NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA

Published: 02:19 GMT, 31 December 2025 | Updated: 05:11 GMT, 31 December 2025

Thousands of people have joined massive queues around Sydney Harbour ahead of the world-famous New Year’s Eve fireworks – with some setting up camp at 4am. 

The gates to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, the city’s most sought-after vantage point, opened at 9.30am, sparking a frantic stampede. 

By dawn, more than 2,000 people were queuing, some having camped overnight to secure front-row seats for the midnight show.

Once the gates opened, the foreshore became a kilometre-long racetrack with people dragging picnic rugs and eskies in the scramble for territory.

International visitors were also swept up in the excitement.

‘I live in Germany, I’ve never experienced anything like this,’ one tourist told the ABC.

Sydney Harbour is set to host over a million spectators tonight, with tens of thousands already packed into viewing areas long before sunset.

Mrs Macquarie’s Chair remains Sydney’s ‘crown jewel’ for New Year’s Eve, offering iconic views of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

People have been queuing since 4am to get a front row seat for Sydney’s firework display

 Revellers were seen running with chairs and blankets once gates opened at 9:30am 

People were seen queuing up outside Mrs Macquarie’s Chair since Thursday 

Extra security measures are in place across the Sydney CBD following the Bondi Beach attack

‘We’re expecting big crowds in the city tonight – more than a million people coming to join in the celebrations,’ NSW Transport Minister John Graham said. 

To manage the influx, Graham announced a huge transport operation.

‘More than 1,000 extra services are going to be in place, that’s a 40 per cent uplift on a normal day,’ he said. 

He confirmed public transport will run continuously for 46 hours, with Metro trains expected to clear crowds ‘in about half the time it would usually take’.

Premier Chris Minns urged families to enjoy the festivities despite the lingering impact of the Bondi Beach terror attack, which left 15 people dead on December 14.

‘We can’t be in a situation where this horrible criminal terrorist event changes the way we live in our beautiful city. We have to show defiance,’ he said. 

He also reassured Sydneysiders about security.

‘Police are on high alert. Transport is ramping up. There is a massive logistical exercise, with tens of thousands of public servants keeping you safe,’ he said. 

More than 2000 people were queuing to go into Mrs Macquarie’s Chair before 9am

The Sydney Harbour front vantage points have been taken up and filled by NYE revellers 

Crowds have filled the best spots to view the New Years fireworks in Royal Botanic Gardens

Huge queues were seen at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney

The aftermath of the Bondi massacre has led to unprecedented police measures across Sydney. 

‘There’ll be a number of heavily armed officers deployed across metropolitan Sydney… They’ll be operational and highly visible,’ Minns confirmed.

He explained that new protocols mean armed officers will mingle with the crowd.

‘If you see a heavily armed officer, it doesn’t mean there’s an active operation. It means they’re there in preparation for any eventuality. We want the community to see police and know they can enjoy the night without fear.’

The citywide operation will include riot squads, PolAir helicopters, dog units and marine police. 

Details around tactical changes remain secret.   

‘We’re not going to be cowered by terrorism,’ Minns said. 

‘The best way to demonstrate defiance is to live your life and get some joy out of New Year’s Eve, safe in the knowledge that thousands of officers are protecting you.’

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New Year’s Eve chaos kicks off as huge crowds swarm to snag spots for Sydney’s iconic fireworks – with some queuing since 4am for a front row seat

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The Met Office has a weather warning in place for snow and ice for Thursday and Friday, by which time some 30cm (11 inches) could build, and says travel disruption is expected

The weather map turns blue this week as it is getting colder(Image: Ventusky)

This striking weather map is an icy blue as daytime temperatures will feel as cold as -12C this week.

Temperatures are set to drop as a northerly wind takes hold later this week. It sends snow sweeping southwards throughout Friday and into Saturday, heaviest across Scotland and north Wales at different times.

The Met Office says some 11 inches (30cm) of snow will build up by the early hours of Saturday, which will lead to travel disruption and power cuts. Air temperatures will actually range from 4C to -4C across the UK but it will feel significantly colder everywhere, particularly due to the gales.

Winds will be fiercest along the east coast on Friday morning, particularly across Humberside and Cleveland. Saturday’s gales will be even stronger, as brutal as 65mph, in and around Scarborough and Bridlington.

READ MORE: UK snow: Met Office forecasts up to 11 INCHES of the white stuff amid Arctic blastREAD MORE: Narrowboats still stranded on Shropshire Union Canal one week after sinkhole chaosSnowy scenes are pictured in Knutsford, Cheshire(Image: Andy Stenning/Daily Mirror)

Weather maps, issued by the Metdesk, show it will snow heavily across the UK on Friday. The weather warning concerns parts of Scotland, such as Grampian, Strathclyde and Central, Tayside and Fife. These areas will see snow fall throughout the early hours of Friday.

It will then move southwards and, by 6am, it will snow across parts of the Midlands and Northwest of England. Cheshire will see a significant dumping, as will parts of Staffordshire during Friday morning. Snow will be widespread later on Friday morning with heavy snowfall in north Wales, Shropshire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire by midday.

Snow will fall across parts of the Northwest of England and the Midlands on Friday morning(Image: Ventusky)

The band of low pressure quickly moves further southeast and, by early afternoon, residents in Essex and parts of Kent will suffer travel disruption due to snow and ice. The Home Counties, including Buckinghamshire, will see a dusting by late afternoon. During the early hours of Saturday, there will be flurries of snow across south Wales, according to forecasters at Metdesk.

The Met Office has warned Brits of “a chance of injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces” and that “untreated pavements and cycle paths might be impassable” due to snow and ice on Friday. It says: “Showers will turn increasingly to snow through Thursday as a strong, perhaps locally gale force northerly wind sets in. Initially accumulations will mainly affect higher routes, but by evening some accumulations will start to build even to low levels, with 2 to 5, locally 10 cm of lying snow accumulating by Friday morning.

Children will get chance to enjoy the snow at the start of 2026(Image: Daily Mirror)

“Above 200m some places could see 10-20cm of snow accumulate, and on the highest routes and hills, 30cm or more may build through this period. Given the strength of the wind some significant drifting of snow is likely. Lightning may well be an additional hazard.”

The weather agency continues: “Snowy, wintry weather can cause delays and make driving conditions dangerous, so to keep yourself and others safe: plan your route, checking for delays and road closures, amending your travel plans if necessary; if driving, leave more time to prepare and check your car before setting off; make sure you have essentials packed in your car in the event of any delays (warm clothing, food, water, a blanket, a torch, ice scraper/de-icer, a warning triangle, high visibility vest and an in-car phone charger).”

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