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Patches of the moon to become spacecraft graveyards, say researchers | The moon
Patches of the moon are destined to become spacecraft graveyards where dead lunar satellites and other defunct hardware can be crashed into the ground, far away from sites of cultural and scientific importance, researchers say.
The number of satellites circling the moon is set to soar in the next two decades as space agencies and private companies build moon bases and dabble with mining operations and constructing scientific instruments on the barren terrain.
The surge in activity will be supported by constellations of lunar satellites for positioning, navigation and communications. But when the satellites run out of fuel, operators have few options other than steering them into the ground, where they will be smashed to pieces.
“These satellites will have to be crash-landed on the moon, so it will potentially become a rubbish site,” said Dr Fionagh Thomson, a senior research fellow at the University of Durham, who convened an expert panel on the issue at the Space-Comm meeting in Glasgow in December.
Beyond scattering satellite parts across the surface, researchers fear that if scores of dead satellites rain down across the moon, they risk causing damage to buildings, scientific instruments, historic sites such as the first astronaut footprints, and pristine sites of scientific interest.
With impact speeds of 1.2 miles per second, the collisions will produce intense vibrations, which could disrupt the sensitive instruments scientists want to build on the moon. The scars carved into the surface are expected to stretch for tens of metres and produce vast clouds of abrasive dust that could obscure telescopes and damage equipment.
“It’s not an immediate concern, given the surface area of the moon, but the more lunar satellites there are, the greater the chance that some may crash into scientifically or culturally sensitive locations,” said Prof Ian Crawford of Birkbeck, University of London. “We do need a plan going forward.”
Satellite operators routinely use Earth’s atmosphere to dispose of dead satellites drifting around the planet. Each year, thousands of defunct satellites are incinerated on re-entry. But because the moon has no atmosphere, lunar satellite operators need other solutions.
And they need them soon. More than 400 moon missions are planned in the next two decades. They include the Nasa-led Lunar Gateway, a space station that will orbit the moon, and the Artemis base camp on the surface. A second moon base is planned by China and Russia.
Next year, the European Space Agency will launch the Lunar Pathfinder satellite, a testbed for its Moonlight constellation of lunar satellites that should be operational by 2030. Work is under way on how to dispose of Lunar Pathfinder at the end of its eight-year lifetime.
Lunar satellite operators have three main options. With a propulsion unit and sufficient fuel, a satellite can fly off and orbit the sun. But this is costly. Alternatively, it could move to a more remote lunar orbit, but the moon’s lumpy gravitational field makes this difficult. Finally, satellites can be crashed into the ground, but this needs careful planning.
Sarah Boyall, the head of the Office of Regulation at the UK Space Agency, said the UN’s Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultation (Atlac) and the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC), which the UK currently chairs, are working to establish best practices for disposing of lunar satellites.
Spacecraft graveyards are a leading contender, with operators required to crash old satellites at designated spots, or into giant craters that would contain the dust kicked up on impact. Both the UK Space Agency and signatories to the US Artemis accords, a set of principles for future space exploration, are pursuing the approach.
“Establishing graveyard zones on the moon is the most practical solution,” said Ben Hooper, senior project manager for Lunar Pathfinder at SSTL, the Surrey-based satellite manufacturer. “Designating specific regions as ‘impact zones’ would limit the spread of human artefacts across the lunar surface, preserving other areas for scientific exploration and future operations.”
Charles Cranstoun, the head of the ESA’s Moonlight programme office, said when the time came, the satellites would be crashed into the surface in a controlled manner “in specified zones”, to avoid “sites of scientific interest and historical importance and ongoing missions”.
John Zarnecki, emeritus professor of space science at the Open University, said crash-landing satellites in graveyard zones could be put to good use because the impacts generate seismic waves at known spots, to shed light on the moon’s structure. “If you have an object of known mass, known geometry and known speed, and you know pretty much where it impacted, that’s a fantastic experiment in seismometry,” he said.
The Israeli government on Monday approved plans to shut down one of the country’s respected military radio stations, claiming it broadcasts “divisive content” which is not in line with military values.
Founded in 1950 and staffed by both military and civilian personnel, Galei Tzahal (literally: “Waves of the IDF”) is Israel’s third most popular radio station with a market share of almost 18%.
Despite its inherent links to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Galei Tzahal (abbreviated as GLZ) has a reputation for impartial journalism, reliable information and public debate. As such, it also broadcasts programs which are critical of the Israeli government and the IDF, thus bringing it to the attention of Defense Minister Israel Katz.
“Over the past two years, throughout the war, many soldiers and citizens, including bereaved families, have repeatedly complained that they feel the station does not represent them, and that it even undermines the war effort and morale,” Katz said, justifying his proposal to close the station.
He accused GLZ of broadcasting “political and divisive content that is not in line with the values of the Israeli army” and claimed that “a situation in which a radio station intended for all citizens is operated by the military is an anomaly that does not exist in democratic countries.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged ministers to back Katz’ proposal, saying: “There have long been recurring proposals to remove Galei Tzahal from the military framework, abolish it, or privatize it.”
He claimed that only “North Korea and maybe a few other countries” have public news radio stations controlled by the military. “And we certainly don’t want to be like them,” Netanyahu stressed.
‘They can’t control reality, so they try to control minds’
The Israeli opposition has slammed the move, accusing Netanyahu’s government of clamping down on freedom of speech and attempting to control the media ahead of elections scheduled for October 2026.
“They can’t control reality, so they try to control minds,” opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote, warning against the closure of other critical media outlets.
“They won’t stop,” he continued. “Wherever there is a truth that is uncomfortable for the government, they act to eliminate it.”
Israeli television station i24news reported that the head of Galei Tzahal, Tal Lev-Ram, intends to challenge the decision in the Supreme Court.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who also serves as the government’s legal adviser and is currently facing dismissal proceedings initiated by Netanyahu, said the move “poses questions regarding an infringement on freedom of expression and of the press” and “raises concerns about possible political interference in public broadcasting.”
Her office stated that closing the station would require a vote in parliament, while an appraisal seen by the AFP news agency stated that the decision “does not meet the required legal criteria and cannot be advanced in its current form.”
Trump’s Gaza truce plan stalls over key sticking points
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Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko
Huckabee says Iran’s ‘ultimate goal is to destroy the US’
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, speaking at the Israel National Security Studies conference, says President Donald Trump has been clear that Iran will not be allowed to go nuclear. (Video: srael National Security Studies.)
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking a meeting with President Donald Trump as Israeli officials warn that recent Iranian missile drills could be used as cover for a surprise attack, raising fresh urgency around Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and military posture ahead of the expected Dec. 29 talks.
Those concerns were echoed publicly on Monday by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who warned that Iran’s nuclear ambitions and military posture pose a direct threat not only to Israel but also to the United States and Europe.
Speaking Monday at the Israel Institute for National Security conference, Huckabee said Trump has maintained a consistent red line on Iran. “All I can do is point out to you what the president has said repeatedly, and he consistently has said Iran is never going to enrich uranium, and they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
ISRAELI PRESIDENT ISAAC HERZOG THANKS TRUMP FOR ‘HISTORIC’ IRAN STRIKE
A police officer stands guard during a demonstration honoring Iran’s military forces, following the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, on June 24, 2025, in Tehran. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)
“It presents a threat, but not just to Israel, not just to the United States. This presents a real threat to all of Europe,” he added. “And if the Europeans don’t understand this, then they’re even dumber than I sometimes think they are.”
Huckabee suggested in his interview that Iran may not have taken that message seriously until U.S. military action earlier this year. “I don’t know that they ever took him seriously until the night that the B-2 bombers went to Fordow,” Huckabee said. “I hope they got the message, but apparently they didn’t get the full message because, as you have mentioned, they appear to be trying to reconstitute and find a new way to dig the hole deeper and secure it more,” he said at the conference.
Huckabee also framed Iran’s long-standing threats as fundamentally aimed at Washington. “Iran has threatened America for 46 consecutive years, from 1979, when the ayatollahs took power,” he said. “They’ve always said, ‘Death to Israel, death to America,’ in the same sentence.”
“Israel is only the appetizer because you’re closer, and you’re an easier target than the vast geographical expanse that represents the United States,” Huckabee continued. “But they’ve never hidden the fact that the real entrée, their ultimate goal, is to destroy the United States.”
HEGSETH, PENTAGON BRASS PRAISE TRUMP’S ‘SPECTACULAR’ MILITARY SUCCESS IN IRAN NUCLEAR STRIKES
A drone view shows an impacted residential site, following an early morning missile attack from Iran on Israel, in Be’er Sheva, June 24, 2025. (Yonatan Honig/Reuters)
The remarks come amid heightened concern in Israel over recent Iranian military activity. According to Axios, Israeli officials warned the Trump administration over the weekend that an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps missile exercise “could be preparations for a strike on Israel,” citing three Israeli and U.S. sources with knowledge of the issue. One Israeli source told Axios that while intelligence currently shows force movements inside Iran, Israel’s tolerance for risk is far lower than it was before Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack.
A senior Israeli official told Fox News Digital on background that concern over the Iranian drills is rooted in history rather than speculation. “Iran is doing drills. A concern that the drill will become a surprise attack is a real concern based on history. The Yom Kippur War started that way. I remind you, we shouldn’t ignore it,” the official said.
The source dismissed speculation that the drills signal imminent coordinated military action with Washington. “If we were planning an attack with the U.S., it probably wouldn’t make it into the media,” the official said.
UN NUCLEAR CHIEF SAYS IRAN HAS MATERIAL TO BUILD BOMBS, BUT NO PLAN TO DO SO
President Donald Trump greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he arrives at the White House for a meeting on April 7, 2025. (Chen Mengtong/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)
The official acknowledged that the Iranian activity has also shifted Israel’s domestic political conversation, including debate over draft evasion legislation. “The headlines in Israel are now about the Iranian threat instead of the bill,” the official said. “Is it spin? Is there something special? Is there truth? Maybe. But we always need to be prepared.”
NBC News reported on Saturday that Netanyahu plans to use his meeting with Trump to argue that Iran’s renewed expansion of its ballistic missile program poses a growing threat that could require swift action. According to the report, Netanyahu is expected to emphasize that Iran’s activities endanger not only Israel but also broader regional stability and U.S. interests.
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Iranians burn American flags during an anti-U.S. demonstration outside the former U.S. embassy headquarters in Tehran, on May 9, 2018. (Ali Mohammadi/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
NBC reported that Netanyahu is expected to present Trump with several options, including potential U.S. involvement or support, should Israel determine that additional military action against Iran is necessary.
Asked Thursday about a possible Dec. 29 meeting with Netanyahu, Trump told reporters, “We haven’t set it up formally, but he’d like to see me.” Israeli officials have announced that a meeting is planned for Dec. 29.
Fox News Digital reached out to Netanyahu’s spokesperson but did not get a response.
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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A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa’s capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 kilometers (210 miles) from where the mass shooting took place on Dec. 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect’s vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
NEED TO KNOW
- Flu cases continue to spike in the U.S. with a 14% increase in hospitalizations this week alone
- Flu activity is “high” or “very high” in 14 states, per CDC data, as fewer people are receving the flu shot
- The surge is being driven by a flu variant, subclade k, but experts say the vaccine still offers some protection from the mutated strain
Cases of the flu continue to spike in the U.S., with the most recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control showing a 14% increase in hospitalizations and a 4% increase in visits to a medical care provider for respiratory illness.
Two pediatric deaths from the flu were also reported, the agency says. Per the American Academy of Pediatrics, last year’s flu season hit a tragic milestone as the most fatal for children, with 288 kids dying from influenza.
There are two types of influenza, Flu A and Flu B — and driving this spike, experts say, is a Flu A variant, Subclade K, identified this year. “We’re seeing subclade K everywhere we see influenza,” Dr. Andrew Pekosz, PhD, professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health, said in a press release.
Stock image of a full hospital waiting room.
Getty
As the CDC noted, of flu viruses that underwent additional testing, “89.8% belonged to subclade K.”
“It’s very difficult to predict a flu season, but right now, we’re at the beginning of what will probably be a pretty severe influenza season, driven primarily by this subclade K virus,” Pekosz says.
Subclade K rose to prominence after this year’s vaccines were developed. Still, this year’s vaccine offers protection against the virulent variant, which “has mutations that may allow it to evade some, but not all, of the influenza vaccine-induced protection.”
As for the other flu strains circulating, the vaccine appears to be a good match.
So far this year, the CDC says there have been nearly 2,000 deaths from the flu, with 4,600,000 illnesses and 49,000 hospitalizations. Localized outbreaks have been reported: A third of students from a school district in Bolinas, Calif., were out sick with flu-like symptoms, per SFGate. And New York State declared the flu “prevalent” amid a spike in cases, specifically in New York City.
According to the CDC, flu activity is high or very high in Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and South Carolina.
Experts say a factor in the increase of cases is the more than 6% decrease in vaccinations this year, per CDC data. It takes 10-14 days after a flu shot for a proper immune response to develop, so “we’re really at the beginning of the influenza season here in the U.S.,” Pekosz says. “It’s certainly not too late [to be vaccinated], especially as we’re thinking about holiday gatherings and travel.”
Stock image of a woman getting a vaccine.
Getty
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As he explains, “It’s very difficult to predict a flu season, but right now, we’re at the beginning of what will probably be a pretty severe influenza season, driven primarily by this subclade K virus.”
Experts recommend frequent handwashing, disinfecting commonly touched surfaces, opening a window or running an air purifier during gatherings, and wearing a mask in crowds, along with the vaccine.
“The vaccine is your armor,” Dr. Seema Lakdawala, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the Emory University School of Medicine, told The New York Times. “It’s going to prevent you from getting badly beaten. But it’s not going to get you to win the war.”
Jeffrey Epstein appeared to be kissing and cuddling little girls on his private jet in disturbing photos released in the Justice Department’s latest trove of files.
The stomach-churning photographs, which were framed and put on display at his mansion on Little St James Island, show the pedophile embracing youngsters who appear to be minors.
One image showed the financier holding what appears to be a girl in his lap during a flight on his Lolita Express.
In another photo, he is seen seated next to another passenger, seemingly a youngster, with a book and a magazine sprawled out in front of him.
Other horrifying photos made public during Friday’s records release showed Epstein cuddling what appeared to be a child and kissing a red-headed girl on the head.
It is unclear if the females seen in the undated photographs were victims of Epstein’s sex trafficking ring. He has been accused of abusing girls as young as 11 years old.
The images were among the more than 300,000 files released by the DOJ on Friday. The records were heavily redacted and no major revelations emerged.
At least 16 photographs, including one of the President flanked by women in bikinis, were mysteriously removed from the online records Saturday, prompting accusations of an alleged cover-up by the Trump Administration. They have since been reinstated.
Jeffrey Epstein appeared to be kissing and cuddling young girls on his private jet in disturbing photos released in the Justice Department’s latest trove of files
The stomach-turning photographs were framed and put on display at his mansion on Little St. James Island. In one image, Epstein is seen seated next to another passenger, seemingly a young girl, with a book and magazine sprawled out in front of him
The thousands of records posted publicly offer the most detailed look yet at nearly two decades’ worth of government scrutiny of Epstein’s sexual abuse of young women and underage girls.
The tranche of materials released Friday included photographs of former president Bill Clinton and other famous names such as pop stars Sir Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson.
But some of the most consequential records expected about Epstein were nowhere to be found, such as FBI interviews with survivors and internal Justice Department memos examining charging decisions.
Those records could help explain how investigators viewed the case and why Epstein was allowed in 2008 to plead guilty to a relatively minor state-level prostitution charge.
Democrats also accused Republicans of a cover-up after files that had been available Friday were no longer accessible on the DOJ’s website by Saturday.
The missing files included images of paintings depicting nude women, and one showed a series of photographs along a credenza and in drawers.
In that image – inside a drawer among other photos – was a photograph of Trump, alongside the pedophile, Melania Trump and Epstein’s longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
The DOJ said that the image of the Trump was flagged by the Southern District of New York ‘for potential further action to protect victims’.
Other horrifying photos made public during Friday’s records release showed Epstein kissing a red-headed girl on the head
Epstein is cuddling what appeared to be a child. It is unclear if the females seen in the undated photographs were victims of Epstein’s sex trafficking ring. He has been accused of abusing girls as young as 11 years old
Various photos from a room near the sex dungeon in Jeffrey Epstein’s home released by the Department of Justice on Friday
Following furious backlash, the image was reinstated on Sunday morning after it was determined that ‘there is no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted in the photograph’, a statement posted on X said.
Trump, who was friends with Epstein for years before the two had a falling-out, tried for months to keep the records sealed.
Though the President has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, he has argued there is nothing to see in the files and that the public should focus on other issues.
Friday’s drop of files, replete with redactions, has not dulled the clamor for information, given how many records had yet to be released and because some of the materials had already been made public.
California Democrat Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, have indicated they could draft articles of impeachment against Attorney General Pam Bondi for what they see as the gross failure of the department to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
‘It’s not about the timeline, it’s about the selective concealment,’ Khanna said on CBS’ Face the Nation, adding that the redactions in the released files are excessive.
He said he believes there will be ‘bipartisan support in holding her accountable, and a committee of Congress should determine whether these redactions are justified or not.’
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York argued that there needs ‘to be a full and complete explanation and then a full and complete investigation as to why the document production has fallen short of what the law clearly required,’ but he stopped short of backing impeachment.
This photo of an open drawer containing an image of Donald Trump, alongside Epstein, Melania Trump and Ghislaine Maxwell, was removed but then later reinstated in the files
The Department of Justice claimed the photo was removed to ensure no victims were pictured
But Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on Sunday defended the redactions DOJ’s decision to release just a fraction of the Epstein files by the congressionally mandated deadline as necessary actions to protect the pedophile’s victims.
He pledged that the Trump administration eventually would meet its obligation required by law – but stressed that the department was obligated to act with caution as it goes about making public documents that can include sensitive information.
Blanche called that pushback disingenuous as the Trump Administration continues to struggle with calls for greater transparency, including from members of his political base, about the government’s investigations into Epstein.
‘The reason why we are still reviewing documents and still continuing our process is simply that to protect victims,’ Blanche told NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday.
‘So the same individuals that are out there complaining about the lack of documents that were produced on Friday are the same individuals who apparently don’t want us to protect victims.’
He also defended the department’s decision to remove several files related to the case from its public webpage, including a photograph showing Trump, less than a day after they were posted.
Blanche said the documents were removed because they also showed victims of Epstein. He added: ‘It has nothing to do with President Trump. There are dozens of photos of President Trump already released to the public [showing] him with Mr Epstein.’
The deputy attorney general’s comments were the most extensive by the administration since the file dump.
The tranche of materials released Friday included photographs of former president Bill Clinton and other famous names such as pop star Michael Jackson. The pair pose with Diana Ross
Sir Mick Jagger and the former US president have their picture taken with a woman
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is seen lying across women at a black-tie event with Maxwell at the royal estate in Sandringham, UK
Kevin Spacey (second from the right, next to Clinton) was also pictured in the files, seen here in the Churchill War Rooms in London. Maxwell is wearing a cream blouse
Federal prosecutors in New York brought sex trafficking charges against Epstein in 2019, but he killed himself in jail after his arrest.
Maxwell, Epstein’s onetime girlfriend, is serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for her 2021 conviction for sex trafficking crimes.
The deputy attorney general also defended the decision by the federal Bureau of Prisons to transfer Maxwell to a less restrictive, minimum-security federal prison earlier this year, soon after he interviewed her about Epstein.
Blanche said that the transfer was made because of concerns about her safety.
‘She was suffering numerous threats against her life,’ Blanche said. ‘So the BOP is not only responsible for putting people in jail and making sure they stay in jail, but also for their safety.’
It wasn’t a quiet weekend for Andrew Mountbatten Windsor with the release of the first tranche of the Epstein files throwing his connection to the sex offender back into the spotlight
16:25, 22 Dec 2025
Andrew’s weekend was mired by the release of the Epstein files
Andrew’s something of a “grinch” this Christmas. New reports over the weekend have claimed that for the first time in 20 years, the King’s disgraced brother has not even felt up to decorating his home for the festive season – even though it is the last time he will enjoy the celebrations in his opulent Royal Lodge home.
Andrew – who shares the lavish 30-room property with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson – finally agreed to give up his lease on the property in October, when his elder brother Charles unceremoniously stripped him of his royal titles.
Public outcry over Andrew’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell is yet to diminish, despite the monarch’s move to “distance” himself from the scandal. One expert believes that the trouble for Andrew and Fergie is far from over, claiming that stories and allegations about the former couple’s ties to Epstein will continue to “drip” on for some time.
READ MORE: Epstein files: Infamous Andrew photo taken at Sandringham ‘sex and drugs party’READ MORE: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Christmas celebrations face disaster amid warning
Andrew photographed in the Epstein files
With the release of the first tranche of the so-called Epstein Files by the US Justice Department, many questions were left unanswered, but more pictures of Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell – who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking – seemingly inside royal residences were included in the dump, as was a photo of the creepy Spitting Image puppet of Andrew, which was included in a claim made by Virginia Giuffre against the former prince, which he vehemently denies.
Not only did the ongoing controversy around Epstein likely mire Andrew and Fergie’s weekend, but a major update about their family’s festive plans was reported that will see the shamed pair share a pretty gloomy Christmas season indeed. It all seems to be taking its toll on the former prince, who was today spotted looking particularly downbeat as he drove his Range Rover out of Royal Lodge…
Andrew leaving Royal Lodge today(Image: Invicta Kent Media/Shutterstock)
Christmas snub
Andrew and Fergie won’t be joining King Charles at Sandringham for the royal’s traditional Christmas celebrations this year. The last time the pair attended was in 2023, but last year, when controversy surrounding Andrew’s ties to an alleged Chinese spy emerged, they stayed away.
Princess Beatrice went ahead and spent the festive season with her uncle and other royal relatives in Norfolk, but this year she has reportedly decided to give both options a wide berth, instead jetting off on holiday with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and some pals, to avoid having to pick a side. The Sun reports a friend of the Princess as saying, “Beatrice doesn’t want to cause any embarrassment and was torn between loyalty to the King and her parents.”
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are facing some difficult choices when it comes to Christmas, a royal expert says(Image: GettyImages)
The source added that Beatrice was conscious that going either to Norfolk or her parents’ home in Windsor could bring some awkward optics. “It was easier to go off with friends,” a source said.
Beatrice and her sister Eugenie did make sure to carve out some time with their royal relatives, attending the big Christmas lunch the monarch hosts each year in London with the entire extended family last week. The sisters were spotted dressed up and grinning broadly on their way to the family get together, whilst Andrew enjoyed a moody horse ride near his Windsor home, leaving one expert to claim that he might be making them feel a little “guilty”.
Another expert, Andrew Lownie, author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, told the Mirror that Andrew was “clearly sending out a message,” with his downcast horseriding. “He is beginning to try and play the victim too,” the expert said. “It’s a weird thing, because I think most children would stick with them, however awful their parents are, would stick with their parents and spend Christmas with them.
The sisters are feeling torn(Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
“But I think Beatrice didn’t do that last year. She went to Sandringham, so she knows which side her bread is buttered on. So I think we are going to see the fracturing of this supposedly very close family.”
However, the Sun reports that Beatrice was pretty “tormented” when it came to making her Christmas plans, as is her sister Eugenie, with the pair looking to “avoid embarrassment”. Eugenie is reported to be planning to spend the day elsewhere with her husband Jack Brooksbank.
‘Ramshackle’ new home
It has been reported that Andrew will be moving to Marsh Farm on the Sandringham Estate when he finally hands back the keys to Royal Lodge. King Charles owns the 20,000-acre Norfolk estate privately, but Marsh Farm will be a serious step down from the mansion Andrew currently occupies.
Royal expert Jennie Bond told the Mirror that the five-bedroom property might need some renovations, but it boasts its own grounds, and is a “pleasant” place to live. “Marsh Farm appears to be a perfectly pleasant old farmhouse, set in its own grounds,” she said. “Apparently it will need a fair bit of work, but if that’s true, it will undoubtedly be done at the King’s own expense.”
Andrew will be moving out of Royal Lodge(Image: ©2025)
About seven miles from the main house on the estate, it is a former working farm, and the no-fly zone around the King’s estate has reportedly been extended to include the property that Andrew might occupy. The Sun reports it is a “ramshackle” collection of buildings and is surrounded by a bog.
Creepy puppet emerges in Epstein files
A puppet that was part of an allegation by Virginia Giuffre appeared in a photo included in the document dump this weekend, which saw the US Justice Department release thousands of files relating to Jeffrey Epstein. The latex Spitting Image puppet of Andrew was spotted in the background of a photo taken of Maxwell wearing a flight suit, seemingly in Epstein’s New York mansion.
Giuffre alleged that Andrew once used the puppet to “grope” her breast when she was 17 as well as that of Johanna Sjoberg, who was 21, whilst they were in the study at Epstein’s $60 million property in Manhattan.
The puppet appears in the background of an image of Ghislaine Maxwell(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
In her book, she wrote, “When Andrew cupped my breast with a doll made in his image, I only giggled away”. Andrew denies all the allegations against him made by Giuffre, which include that she was forced to have sex with him three times when she was a teenager.
Other photos of Andrew and Fergie appeared in the document dump, though appearing in photos or being named in the files is not a sign of wrongdoing. In one image, Andrew grinned widely as he lay across the laps of women, appearing to be in the saloon at Sandringham with Maxwell standing behind them. Another image showed Maxwell and Epstein in the countryside at Balmoral.
A Russian general has been killed by a car bomb – the third such killing of a senior military officer in a year.
Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, head of the Operational Training Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff, died after the blast in southern Moscow.
Svetlana Petrenko, a spokesperson for Russia’s investigative committee, suggested Ukraine may be behind the killing.
“Investigators are pursuing numerous lines of inquiry regarding the murder. One of these is that the crime was orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence services,” she said.
Russian authorities have blamed Kyiv for several assassinations of military officers and public figures in Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago.
Ukraine has claimed responsibility for some of them, but has not yet commented on the latest death.
Ivor Bennett reports from southern Moscow where a Russian general was killed in a car explosion.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said President Vladimir Putin had been immediately informed about the killing of Sarvarov, who fought in Chechnya and had taken part in Moscow’s military campaign in Syria.
Previous assassinations have included Lt Gen Igor Kirillov, the chief of the military’s nuclear, biological and chemical protection forces, who was killed just over a year ago.
Ukraine’s security service claimed responsibility for the attack after he and his assistant were killed by a bomb hidden on an electric scooter outside his apartment.
An Uzbek man was quickly arrested and charged with killing Kirillov on behalf of the Ukrainian security service.
Putin described Kirillov’s killing as a “major blunder” by Russia’s security agencies, noting they should learn from it and improve their efficiency.
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Ukraine, which is outnumbered by Russia’s larger, better equipped military, has frequently tried to change the course of the conflict by attacking in unexpected ways.
Russia says it has no intention of attacking Europe
Meanwhile, Moscow has claimed it is ready to confirm in a legal agreement that it has no intention of attacking either the European Union or the US-led NATO military alliance.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said: “In responding to the adventurous and provocative steps taken by NATO countries, we have, on the one hand, demonstrated considerable restraint, while, on the other, we have consistently sent important warning signals to our opponents about the strategic risks they pose, coupled with our unwavering commitment to firmly defending our national security interests.”
He added that significant risks of a clash between Russia and NATO remained due to Europe’s hostile actions.
“Frankly, this doesn’t breed optimism as it clearly shows that even amid a more balanced Russia policy pursued by Washington, risks of a confrontation between Russia and NATO remain significant due to inadequate and hostile actions by European countries,” he said.
However, Rybakov claimed Moscow had no plans to attack Western countries and was “even ready to legally enshrine this with regard to a potential solution to the current crisis based on the principle of equal and indivisible security”.
Western officials have repeatedly accused Russia of staging a campaign away from the battlefield, accusing it of orchestrating dozens of incidents of disruption and sabotage across Europe as part of an effort to sap support for Ukraine. Moscow has denied the claims.
WORLD NEWS
At least three killed in Israeli attack on southern Lebanon’s Sidon | Israel attacks Lebanon News
Deadly Israeli air strike is latest in Israel’s near-daily violations of 2024 ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.
At least three people have been killed in an Israeli attack near the southern Lebanese city of Sidon, the country’s National News Agency (NNA) is reporting, in the latest Israeli breach of a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Health said on Monday that the three people were killed in an Israeli air strike on a vehicle on Quneitra Road in the southern Sidon district, according to NNA.
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The Israeli military said in a statement that it had targeted Hezbollah members in the Sidon area, without providing further details.
The deadly strikes come a day after another Israeli attack on southern Lebanon on Sunday killed one person and wounded two others. The Israeli army said it killed a Hezbollah member in that attack.
Israel has repeatedly violated the November 2024 ceasefire agreement with the Lebanese group, carrying out near-daily attacks across Lebanon, particularly in the south, that have drawn widespread condemnation.
Between January and late November, Israeli forces carried out nearly 1,600 strikes across Lebanon, according to data compiled by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED).
Late last month, the United Nations said at least 127 civilians had been killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since the ceasefire took effect, prompting a call from the United Nations human rights office for a “prompt and impartial” investigation.
Delegations meet in southern Lebanon
Israel’s attacks have continued despite the November 2024 ceasefire agreement, which includes provisions for Hezbollah’s disarmament in parts of southern Lebanon and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Lebanon was close to completing the disarmament of Hezbollah in the area south of the Litani River.
That is a key provision of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which designates the zone between the Litani River and the Israeli border as an area where only the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers are permitted to operate.
Hezbollah has long rejected calls for full disarmament, saying its weapons are necessary to defend Lebanon against Israeli attacks and occupation.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has consistently said the group will end its military presence south of the Litani River in line with the ceasefire, but insists it will retain its weapons elsewhere in Lebanon.
Under the 2024 ceasefire agreement, Israeli forces were also required to withdraw fully from southern Lebanon, south of the Litani River, by January. But Israeli troops have only partially pulled back and continue to maintain a military presence at five border outposts inside Lebanese territory.
Hezbollah officials have previously said the group would not fully implement its commitments under the ceasefire while Israeli forces remain deployed in southern Lebanon.
Meanwhile, a committee overseeing the ceasefire agreement continues to hold talks in southern Lebanon as Israel and the United States increase pressure on Hezbollah to disarm.
Civilian and military delegations from Israel and Lebanon met in the southern town of Naqoura on Friday in closed-door discussions.
Following the talks, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met with diplomat Simon Karam, who has been appointed as Lebanon’s chief civilian negotiator.
Hezbollah has been critical of the appointment of Karam, who has previously served as the ambassador of Lebanon to the US.
In a statement, the Lebanese presidency said Aoun stressed that enabling tens of thousands of displaced Lebanese civilians to return to their villages and homes was “an entry point for addressing all other details” of the agreement.
Aoun said the committee’s next meeting is scheduled for January 7.
He also welcomed a separate diplomatic agreement reached in Paris between the US, France and Saudi Arabia to organise an international conference in early 2026 to support the Lebanese army and internal security forces.
Donald Trump has sparked a fresh row with Denmark after appointing a special envoy to Greenland, the vast Arctic island he has said he would like to annex.
Trump announced on Sunday that Jeff Landry, the Republican governor of Louisiana, would become the US’s special envoy to Greenland, a semi-autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Gov Landry said in a post on X it was an honour to serve in a “volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the US”.
The move has angered Copenhagen, which said it would will call the US ambassador for “an explanation”. Greenland’s prime minister said the island must “decide our own future” and its “territorial integrity must be respected”.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has revived his long-standing interest in Greenland, citing its strategic location and mineral wealth.
He has refused to rule out using force to secure control of the island, a stance that has shocked Denmark, a Nato ally that has traditionally enjoyed close relations with Washington.
Greenland, home to about 57,000 people, has had extensive self-government since 1979, though defence and foreign policy remain in Danish hands. While most Greenlanders favour eventual independence from Denmark, opinion polls show overwhelming opposition to becoming part of the US.
Denmark’s Foreign Minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, described the appointment of Landry as “deeply upsetting” and warned Washington to respect Danish sovereignty.
He told Danish broadcaster TV2: “As long as we have a kingdom consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, we cannot accept actions that undermine our territorial integrity.”
Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said the territory was willing to cooperate with the US and other countries, but only on the basis of mutual respect.
He said: “The appointment of a special envoy does not change anything for us. We decide our own future. Greenland belongs to Greenlanders, and territorial integrity must be respected.”
Writing on social media, the US president said Landry understood how “essential Greenland is to our national security” and would advance US interests.
The significance of this appointment is both the US presumption that Greenland is separate to Denmark and the new appointee’s assertion that he will help the island become part of the US.
Envoys are informal appointments and unlike official diplomats, do not have to be approved by the host country.
What this appointment shows is that Trump’s ambition to control Greenland remains undimmed.
As with his military and rhetorical aggression towards Venezuela, it indicates Trump is determined to gain greater control over what his recent National Security Strategy called “the Western hemisphere”, a sphere of influence that he hopes will cover the whole of the Americas.
Landry has previously voiced his opinion on Greenland, writing on his personal X account in January: “President Donald J. Trump is absolutely right! We need to ensure that Greenland joins the United States. GREAT for them, GREAT for us! Let’s get it done!”
Landry is a military veteran and former police officer who was a US Congressman and Louisiana’s attorney general before being elected governor in 2023. He said his new role would not affect his duties as governor.
The dispute over his appointment comes as strategic competition in the Arctic grows, with melting ice opening new shipping routes and increasing access to valuable mineral resources.
Greenland’s location between North America and Europe also makes it central to US and Nato security planning.
The US has maintained a base in Greenland since World War Two, after invading to establish military and radio stations across the territory after the Nazis occupied Denmark during the conflict.
Vice-President JD Vance visited the base in March as he asked Greenland’s people to “cut a deal with the US”.
The US reopened a consulate in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, in 2020 – during Trump’s first term – after closing it in 1953. A number of European countries, as well as Canada, have honorary general consulates in Greenland.
British singer and songwriter Chris Rea has died at 74, his family’s spokesperson said.
Rea, the artist behind the holiday hit “Driving Home for Christmas,” passed away after a brief illness.
The singer had his pancreas removed in 2001 due to pancreatic cancer, while also suffering a stroke in 2016.
The spokesperson said he was surrounded by his family at the time of his passing.
A star of the 80s, 90s
After finding success in the 1970s and 1980s, including a Grammy nomination for the song “Fool (If You Think It’s Over),” he became one of the biggest solo artists in the UK just before the nineties, with two of his solo albums making it to the top of the charts in the UK.
“Driving Home For Christmas,” which was released in 1986, also featured in this year’s festive advert of British retail giant M&S.
Chris Rea was born in 1951 to an Italian mother and an English father in the northerastern city of Middlesbrough, England.
Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko