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Christmas celebrations have returned to Bethlehem, but Palestinian Christians fear they are being erased by Israeli violence and settlement expansion. Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim reports from Bethlehem, where illegal settlements are encroaching on the birthplace of Jesus.

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Two British anti-hate speech campaigners sanctioned by US state department

Good morning. Christmas is the time of peace on earth and goodwill towards all men. But there is not much sign of that in US/UK relations this morning, where the Trump administration has just sanctioned two Britons, among others, for supposedly trying to suppress free speech in the US, and that has led to the Lib Dem leader Ed Davey engaging in a Twitter spat with a senior figure in the US state department.

Let’s start with the sanctions. Yesterday Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, issued this statement saying:

The State Department is taking decisive action against five individuals who have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to censor, demonetize, and suppress American viewpoints they oppose. These radical activists and weaponized NGOs have advanced censorship crackdowns by foreign states—in each case targeting American speakers and American companies. As such, I have determined that their entry, presence, or activities in the United States have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.

The state department has sanctioned five Europeans.

The list includes two Britons: Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, and Clare Melford, who runs the Global Disinformation Index. Ahmed used to work for the Labour party and he is close to Morgan McSweeney, Keir Starmer’s chief of staff. According to Politico’s London Playbook, Ahmed is based in Washington, where he has an American wife and child, and he now faces deportation. Politico also says Melford faces having her US visa revoked.

Last night Sarah Rogers, the under secretary of state for public diplomacy at the state department, posted a thread on X defending the decision. She said the Trump administration was targeting the “censorship-NGO ecosystem”.

Today, the United States issued SANCTIONS reinforcing the “red line” I invoked on @GBNEWS. Namely: extraterritorial censorship of Americans.

Today’s sanctions target the censorship-NGO ecosystem.

These sanctions are visa-related. We aren’t invoking severe Magnitsky-style financial measures, but our message is clear: if you spend your career fomenting censorship of American speech, you’re unwelcome on American soil.

She also took a swipe at the Liberal Democrats.

None of those sanctioned is a current UK or EU official—however, we know that foreign government officials are actively targeting the United States. This week, the UK’s Liberal Democrats claimed President Trump’s National Security Strategy amounts to “foreign interference” by a “hostile foreign state” because it correctly identifies mass migration and decaying national sovereignty as existential European security concerns.

In fact, Davey did not say the national security strategy amounts to foreign interference in British politics because it is critical of mass migration. He said that because the document explicitly says US policy for Europe should prioritise, among other things, “cultivating resistance to Europe’s current trajectory within European nations”.

In a direct response to Rogers on X last night, Davey made this point himself.

Donald Trump has made it his explicit policy to ‘cultivate resistance’ in the UK and elsewhere.

So yes, I think that counts as foreign interference.

I will be blogging until about 2pm. If there is time, I may even get round to covering something festive.

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Updated at 10.51 CET

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US visa restrictions over hate speech ‘immoral, unlawful and un-American’, says campaign group

The Global Disinformation Index, which is run by Clare Melford, one of the two Britons on the list of five Europeans facing US visa restrictions because of their work to stop online disinformation and hate (see 9.28am), has described the US state department’s decision as “immoral, unlawful and un-American”. In a reponse, a GDI spokesperson said:

The visa sanctions … are an authoritarian attack on free speech and an egregious act of government censorship.

The Trump Administration is, once again, using the full weight of the federal government to intimidate, censor, and silence voices they disagree with. Their actions today are immoral, unlawful, and un-American.

And, it must be said, deeply ironic. Only the bullies and petty fascists of the Trump administration could miss the irony of decrying “speech suppression” while using state power to silence critics engaging in protected speech.

GDI exists so that the public can understand and evaluate the information they find online. We fight speech with more speech. If only the federal government were brave enough to do the same.

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This is what Sarah Rogers, the under secretary of state for public diplomacy at the US state department, said last night on her social media thread about why the two German HateAid campaigners (see 12.28pm) were facing visa restrictions.

WE’VE SANCTIONED: Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, the leader and founder of HateAid, a German organization founded after the 2017 German federal elections to counter conservative groups. HateAid is an official “trusted flagger” (a censor) under the EU’s anti-speech Digital Services Act (DSA) and routinely demands access to propriety social media platform data to help it censor more. Hodenberg cited threat of “disinformation” from “right-wing extremists” online in upcoming U.S. and EU elections when circulating a petition for the DSA to become more strongly enforced to allow data access for “researchers”.

WE’VE SANCTIONED: Josephine Ballon, co-leader of HateAid, who flags disfavored speech throughout Europe under the Digital Services Act. In addition to her running an official “trusted flagger” body under the DSA, she serves on Germany’s Advisory Council of the Digital Services Coordinator (DSC), which directly advises Germany’s DSC on the application and enforcement of the DSA. In February 2025, Ballon spoke before an American audience in a notable 60 Minutes interview, outlining her position on censorship succinctly: “Free speech needs boundaries.” In October 2024, she vowed to stop the “emotionalization of debates” by “regulating platforms”.

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German government says US sanctions against anti-hate speech campaigners unacceptable

The German government has also criticised the US decision to impose visa restrictions on five Europeans over their stance on hate speech. There are two Germans on the list: Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon, who are co-leaders of HateAid, a German group that tries to counter “hate, violence and systematic disinformation” online.

In a statement, the German justice ministry said the two activists had the government’s “support and solidarity” and the visa bans on them were unacceptable. It went on:

Anyone who describes this as censorship is misrepresenting our constitutional system.

The rules by which we want to live in the digital space in Germany and in Europe are not decided in Washington.

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Macron condemns US visa restrictions over hate speech, calling them ‘intimidation’ to undermine European digital sovereignty

We have not had any response yet from the UK government over the US decision to sanction five Europeans over their stance on hate speech. (See 9.28am.)

But Emmanuel Macron, the French president, has condemned the decision. He issued this statement this morning.

France condemns the visa restriction measures taken by the United States against Thierry Breton and four other European figures.

These measures amount to intimidation and coercion aimed at undermining European digital sovereignty.

The European Union’s digital regulations were adopted following a democratic and sovereign process by the European Parliament and the Council.

They apply within Europe to ensure fair competition among platforms, without targeting any third country, and to ensure that what is illegal offline is also illegal online.

The rules governing the European Union’s digital space are not meant to be determined outside Europe.

Together with the European Commission and our European partners, we will continue to defend our digital sovereignty and our regulatory autonomy.

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Unlike UK party leaders (see 10.48am), and the king, I don’t have a Christmas message for the nation. But I do have one for readers, which is to say: thank you very much for reading, and for taking an interest (journalism does not work without an audience); thank you for your comments, and suggestions, and even your criticisms (at least, some of them) – our reporting is better as a result of the feedback we get; and thank you in particular if you support us financially, because the Guardian doesn’t have a paywall and we can only make our stories available to everyone because enough readers believe we are providing a public good. Merry Christmas to you all and Happy New Year.

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In her tweet about why Imran Ahmed is being sanctioned (see 9.49am), Sarah Rogers said that one problem was that the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), which Ahmed runs, reportedly wants to bring down Elon Musk’s X. She was referring to this report published by the Disinformation Chronicle, a website that says it specialises in reporting on scientific disinformation.

Last night Paul Thacker, one of the reporters who wrote that story, posted a message on X welcoming the news that Ahmed might have to leave the US.

Another person who might feel vindicted by the state department’s decision is Paul Holden, the investigative journalist who recently published The Fraud, a serious, meticulous hatchet job, based on a mass trove of leaked information, examining the way Morgan McSweeney, who is now the PM’s chief of staff, and Keir Starmer went to war with the Corbynites and took control of the Labour party. Holden writes in some detail about how Ahmed and McSweeney worked together and he suggests that Ahmed’s work at the CCDH could eventually damage relations between the Trump and Starmer administrations. He says:

Ahmed and the CCDH would migrate to the US after the spectre of Corbynism had been vanquished. From this new perch, they began targeting populist politicians, including Robert F. Kennedy Jnr. Their influential advocacy for censoring social media sites provoked X’s owner Elon Musk into a ‘war’ against the organisation and attracted the ire of the incoming Trump administration, which promised that CCDH would move to the ‘top of the list’ of investigative targets upon election. If and when the notoriously vindictive Trump administration, in which Musk and Kennedy have played a key role, realises that one of its ‘top’ investigative targets was created by the man who is now chief of staff to the UK prime minister, who knows what might happen.

Holden gets the “top of the list” quote from another Thacker story, published the day after the one about the CCDH wanting to bring down X.

For the purposes of this story, it is important to remember that US rightwingers and European liberals now have very divergent views as to what ‘free speech’ and ‘censorship’ mean. Essentially, the Americans are taking an absolutist approach, while the Europeans are more supportive of restrictions on the grounds of falsehood or hate.

The CCDH has been approached for a comment.

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UK party leaders deliver their Christmas message – with Zack Polanski using his to call for rethink on small boats policy

Keir Starmer has called on Britons to show kindness to struggling friends or family this Christmas, saying being in touch with those in need can make a big difference, Jessica Elgot reports.

Here is Starmer’s video message.

From my family to yours, I wish you a very happy Christmas.

This is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Christmas story, and the Christian values that define it.

Let’s look forward and celebrate the joy and hope that Christmas brings. pic.twitter.com/XpjZbBWDm2

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) December 24, 2025

In her message, Kemi Badenoch talks about her family, and how she has had a “wonderful year” as leader of the opposition.

At Christmas we mark the birth of Christ. A wonderful story of hope, humility and peace at the most special time of year.

Christmas is a time for making merry and seeing friends, but more than anything, it’s about family.

That’s why, to those working tomorrow and spending time… pic.twitter.com/ssCAzmhrRs

— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) December 24, 2025

Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, is a bit more political in his message, citing the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, an annual gift to the UK from Norway for its support during the second world war, as a statement about friendship, and freedom.

Every year, people mock this tree. But I love it anyway.

It reminds us that if we stand together in tough times, we can overcome anything.

Merry Christmas from my family to yours. 🎄✨ pic.twitter.com/e8qdRk7MtX

— Ed Davey (@EdwardJDavey) December 24, 2025

We have not seen a Christmas message yet from Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader.

And Zack Polanski, the Green party leader, is planning to release a video Christmas message at 3pm on Christmas Day – at the same time as the king’s Christmas message on TV.

Polanski has had remarkable success since he became leader in September, but lining up against the king might be touch hubristic. But he wants to deliver a message going beyond platitudes. He filmed it in Calais, where he witnessed the French police destroying the tents used by asylum seekers, and, according to extracts released in advance, he will criticise the “militarisation and securitisation” put in place to stop small boats. Instead, he will call for a new, more compassionate approach to asylum seekers. He will say:

This has to stop – the constant political rhetoric and demonisation of people who are just trying to survive in unimaginable living conditions.

I don’t believe we’re the country who the media paint us to be. I don’t believe that we’re cruel and heartless. And I don’t believe that if people saw what I’ve seen in recent days, they would turn away …

We should be diverting that money to a humanitarian and compassionate response. The rhetoric we hear about ‘stopping the boats’ and ‘smashing the gangs’ – none of this is working.

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Why US state department says it is sanctioning Clare Melford

And this is what Sarah Rogers, the under secretary of state for public diplomacy at the US state department, said on her social media thread last night about why Clare Melford is being sanctioned.

WE’VE SANCTIONED: Clare Melford. She leads Global Disinformation Index (GDI), a UK-based organization that monitors websites for “hate speech” and “disinformation”. If you question Canadian blood libels about residential schools, you’re engaging in “hate speech” according to Melford and GDI. This NGO used @StateDept taxpayer money to exhort censorship and blacklisting of American speech and press. They also joined the deleterious EU Code of Practice on Disinformation.

Rogers’ tweet also includes this picture of an extract from a GDI report published in September 2025 on hate speech and bigotry in Canada.

Extract from GDI report. Photograph: Sarah Rogers

Here is the full passage.

The anti-Indigenous hate speech section demonstrates how deeply rooted colonial tropes have been refashioned to serve contemporary hate speech goals. These narratives frame Indigenous peoples as corrupt, undeserving of treaty rights, or actively damaging to Canadian prosperity, particularly in contexts related to land use, environmental resistance, or constitutional recognition. Digital denialism around residential schools and abuses against native communities reveals coordinated efforts to delegitimise truth and reconciliation, undermining national commitments to redress historic injustice. These findings are vital for Canada’s ongoing reconciliation efforts, including understanding how settler-state narratives are weaponised by adversarial actors in post-colonial democracies.

The analysis of misogynistic and anti-2SLGBTQIA+ narratives reveals that gendered hate speech is a critical entry point into broader extremist movements online. Women with a public profile, especially women of colour, are disproportionately targeted by harassment, hate speech, and threats of violence. Meanwhile, disinformation targeting queer and trans individuals portrays them as morally corrupt or ideologically dangerous, frequently accusing them of “grooming” or social destabilisation. These narratives are central to the rhetorical arsenal of far-right movements and require urgent attention in online safety, education, and digital governance efforts.

The anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant narratives identified in this report draw on a coherent Islamophobic framework that depicts Muslims as culturally incompatible, socially regressive, or strategically infiltrating Western institutions. These narratives often surface in response to refugee policies, equity programs, or the public visibility of Muslim figures in Canadian life. Framed as defenders of Western values, their promoters instrumentalise gender-based language and demographic fear to advance exclusionary policies. These sections highlight how Islamophobia operates not only as individual bias, but as a tool of political mobilisation and disinformation strategy.

There is more on what is meant by residential school denialism in this article for The Conversation.

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Why US state department says it is sanctioning Imran Ahmed

This is what Sarah Rogers, the under secretary of state for public diplomacy at the US state department, said on her social media thread last night about why Imran Ahmed is being sanctioned.

WE’VE SANCTIONED: Imran Ahmed, key collaborator with the Biden Administration’s effort to weaponize the government against U.S. citizens. Ahmed’s group, Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), created the infamous “disinformation dozen” report, which called for platforms to deplatform twelve American “anti-vaxxers”, including now-HHS Secretary @SecKennedy. Leaked documents from CCDH show the organization listed “kill Musk’s Twitter” and “trigger EU and UK regulatory action” as priorities. The organization supports the UK’s Online Safety Act and EU’s Digital Services Act to expand censorship in Europe and around the world.

Obviously, among other organisations supporting the UK’s Online Safety Act is – the UK government!

There is more on X trying to close down the CCDH here.

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Two British anti-hate speech campaigners sanctioned by US state department

Good morning. Christmas is the time of peace on earth and goodwill towards all men. But there is not much sign of that in US/UK relations this morning, where the Trump administration has just sanctioned two Britons, among others, for supposedly trying to suppress free speech in the US, and that has led to the Lib Dem leader Ed Davey engaging in a Twitter spat with a senior figure in the US state department.

Let’s start with the sanctions. Yesterday Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, issued this statement saying:

The State Department is taking decisive action against five individuals who have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to censor, demonetize, and suppress American viewpoints they oppose. These radical activists and weaponized NGOs have advanced censorship crackdowns by foreign states—in each case targeting American speakers and American companies. As such, I have determined that their entry, presence, or activities in the United States have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.

The state department has sanctioned five Europeans.

The list includes two Britons: Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, and Clare Melford, who runs the Global Disinformation Index. Ahmed used to work for the Labour party and he is close to Morgan McSweeney, Keir Starmer’s chief of staff. According to Politico’s London Playbook, Ahmed is based in Washington, where he has an American wife and child, and he now faces deportation. Politico also says Melford faces having her US visa revoked.

Last night Sarah Rogers, the under secretary of state for public diplomacy at the state department, posted a thread on X defending the decision. She said the Trump administration was targeting the “censorship-NGO ecosystem”.

Today, the United States issued SANCTIONS reinforcing the “red line” I invoked on @GBNEWS. Namely: extraterritorial censorship of Americans.

Today’s sanctions target the censorship-NGO ecosystem.

These sanctions are visa-related. We aren’t invoking severe Magnitsky-style financial measures, but our message is clear: if you spend your career fomenting censorship of American speech, you’re unwelcome on American soil.

She also took a swipe at the Liberal Democrats.

None of those sanctioned is a current UK or EU official—however, we know that foreign government officials are actively targeting the United States. This week, the UK’s Liberal Democrats claimed President Trump’s National Security Strategy amounts to “foreign interference” by a “hostile foreign state” because it correctly identifies mass migration and decaying national sovereignty as existential European security concerns.

In fact, Davey did not say the national security strategy amounts to foreign interference in British politics because it is critical of mass migration. He said that because the document explicitly says US policy for Europe should prioritise, among other things, “cultivating resistance to Europe’s current trajectory within European nations”.

In a direct response to Rogers on X last night, Davey made this point himself.

Donald Trump has made it his explicit policy to ‘cultivate resistance’ in the UK and elsewhere.

So yes, I think that counts as foreign interference.

I will be blogging until about 2pm. If there is time, I may even get round to covering something festive.

Share

Updated at 10.51 CET

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Santa is speeding through his Christmas deliveries, but a sheriff in Ohio had to stop him on Saturday for “flying a little too fast” with Mrs Claus through Fulton County.

“No coal was issued – just a friendly reminder that even sleighs need to slow down,” the sheriff said.

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Skip next section What are the main sticking points that are unresolved?

12/24/2025December 24, 2025

What are the main sticking points that are unresolved?

The two main issues that look likely to hinder progress in the peace talks are over control of territory in eastern Ukraine and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

On Zaporizhzhia, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: 

• No agreement has been reached with the US on who controls and operates Europe’s largest nuclear power facility
• The plant is near the front line, but lies in territory that is controlled by Russian forces
• Zelenskyy said the original US plan had been for the plant to be operated by Ukraine, Russia and the United States in a joint enterprise
• Kyiv wants the plant to be split 50-50 between it and Washington

On the issue of territory in eastern Ukraine, Zelenskyy said:

• The issue is the most complex point in the negotiations, and remains unresolved. Moscow wants Kyiv to pull all of its forces out of the region, including territory that Ukraine currently controls
• Ukraine wants the fighting to be frozen along the current frontline
• The US has suggested establishing demilitarized zones and a free economic zone in areas of Donetsk that Kyiv still holds 

https://p.dw.com/p/55vVU

Skip next section Putin briefed on revised plan, Kremlin says

12/24/2025December 24, 2025

Putin briefed on revised plan, Kremlin says

Putin said this month that Ukraine would pull out of the Donbas region or Russia would take it by force [FILE: December 19, 2025]Image: Vladimir Smirnov/TASS/ZUMA/picture alliance

Russia’s demands for peace have not changed, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday, while also noting that Moscow’s leadership will convene before responding to the revised plan.

“All the main parameters of the Russian side’s position are well known to our colleagues from the United States,” Peskov told reporters.

“Now, we will take into account the information received by our head of state to formulate our further positions and continue our contacts… as soon as possible,” Peskov said.

Russian officials also confirmed that President Vladimir Putin has received a report on recent meetings between his negotiators and US President Donald Trump’s envoys on a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine.

https://p.dw.com/p/55vY5

Skip next section What is in the new 20-point peace plan agreed by the US and Ukraine?

12/24/2025December 24, 2025

What is in the new 20-point peace plan agreed by the US and Ukraine?

Here is a closer look at some of the key points in the modified US-backed peace proposal:

• Ukraine’s state sovereignty will be affirmed by all signatories, including Russia
• Russia and Ukraine will sign a full and unconditional non-aggression pact
• To maintain the peace long-term, a monitoring mechanism will be set up to oversee the line of contact. The mechanism will use space-based monitoring and early-warning systems for violations 
• The US, NATO and European nations will provide Kyiv with robust security guarantees that mirror NATO’s Article 5, the alliance’s collective defense clause
• Ukraine will keep its armed forces at the current strength of 800,000 military personnel. The earlier US plan had called for Kyiv to cut the size of its army
• Russia will formally ensrhine a legally-binding policy of non-aggression towards Europe and Ukraine in all of its required legislation. This will need to be ratified by an absolute majority in the State Duma, Russia’s parliament

• Russia will not block Ukraine from ​using the Dnipro River and the Black Sea for commercial purposes

• All remaining prisoners of war (POWs) will be exchanged on the principle of “All for All”, and all civilian detainees and hostages will be returned

• Ukraine must hold elections as soon as possible once the agreement is signed

• The implementation of the legally binding agreement will be monitored and guaranteed by a Peace Council, chaired by President Trump. Ukraine, Europe, NATO, Russia, and the US will be part of this mechanism. Sanctions will be imposed in case of violations

But the issues of what to do with territory in eastern Ukraine and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remain unresolved.

The new plan states that a ceasefire can only take effect once those two sticking points have been addressed. 

What could push Putin to accept a draft Ukraine peace plan?

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https://p.dw.com/p/55vTQ

Skip next section Trump to sign off on critical issues

12/24/2025December 24, 2025

Trump to sign off on critical issues

Zelenksyy suggested the new draft could eventually lead to Ukraine pulling troops out of Donetsk once demilitarized zones are established.

“This is a document referred to as a framework – a foundational document on ending the war, a political document between us, America, Europe, and the Russians,” Zelenskyy said.

But he said the “most sensitive issues” must be discussed with US President Donald Trump.

Trump ‘frustrated’ about Ukraine and Russia

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“Matters such as territorial questions must be discussed at the leaders’ level,” Ukraine’s president added.

Zelenskyy presented the new plan during a two-hour press conference with journalists on Tuesday night, witth his comments embargoed until Wednesday morning.

https://p.dw.com/p/55vVR

Skip next section Zelenskyy presents revised peace plan after talks with US, European negotiators

12/24/2025December 24, 2025

Zelenskyy presents revised peace plan after talks with US, European negotiators

Zelenskyy said he does not like some aspects of the planImage: Ukrainian Presidential Office/AFP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed a new 20-point plan to end the war in Ukraine.

The 20-point plan is a revision of a 28-point proposal made by Washington in November, which leaders in Europe and Ukraine considered too conciliatory to Russia’s demands.

Kyiv has managed to secure some concessions in the new plan, which comes after intense consultations in recent weeks between negotiators from the US, Europe and Ukraine.

Key points that Ukraine had objected to in the White House’s original plan have been addressed, namely Kyiv having to immediately withdraw from the eastern Donetsk region and renounce its NATO membership bid. Also, under the new plan, the land currently occupied by Moscow will not be recognized as Russian.

While Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s and Russia’s positions had been brought closer on most points, consensus on two key points remains elusive: control of territory in eastern Ukraine and control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe.

https://p.dw.com/p/55vSf

Skip next section Welcome to our coverage12/24/2025December 24, 2025

Welcome to our coverage

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed a new, 20-point plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The announcement comes after a surge of US-led diplomatic activity in recent weeks.

The plan contains several concessions for Ukraine relative to Washington’s original 28-point proposal, which had been seen as too favorable to Moscow.

The unveiling of the new peace plan also comes a day after Russia pummeled Ukraine with hundreds of drones and missiles, killing at least three people and cutting power to thousands across the country.

Stay tuned as we bring you the latest on the efforts to end the nearly four-year war.

https://p.dw.com/p/55vSE

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Santa delivers presents for Antarctica

Santa Claus has passed over Antarctica, where he delivered presents for the handful of researchers temporarily living in the continent.

Antarctica has no permanent residents – just scientists carrying out research projects.

With many away from home and family during the Christmas period, a visit from Father Christmas will be very welcome!

He is now heading for the Solomon Islands – and it likely won’t be long before he heads into Australia.

Alex Croft24 December 2025 12:35

How Norad’s Santa tracker works

Norad says it relies on radar technology and satellites to keep track of Santa’s movements.

The aerospace agency says the system is the same as the ones it uses to protect skies over North America.

The system, according to Norad, includes 47 different checkpoints across northern Canada and Alaska.

“Norad makes a point of checking the radar closely for indications of Santa Claus leaving the North Pole every holiday season,” the agency notes on its website.

“The moment our radar tells us that Santa has lifted off, we begin to use the same satellites that we use in providing air warning of possible missile launches aimed at North America,” it says.

Alex Croft24 December 2025 12:11

Santa spotted over New Zealand

Santa’s sleigh has now been spotted over New Zealand – the largest country he has visited so far.

The number of presents he has delivered is rapidly growing as he passes through the country with a population of more than 5 million people.

He will soon pass over Christchurch, New Zealand’s second biggest city.

Present deliveries have now passed the 300,000,000 mark.

Santa is now passing over New Zealand (Norad)

Alex Croft24 December 2025 11:51

Santa sets off from the North Pole

Santa Claus has now set off from the North Pole, bringing an end to months of diligent preparation with his elves – and fitness training for the reindeer.

St Nick is currently passing through the South Pacific, and has already delivered all his presents to islands in Oceania such as Tonga and Samoa.

Incredibly, he has already delivered 270,000,000 presents to children around the world.

Santa is currently passing through the South Pacific (Norad)

Alex Croft24 December 2025 11:48

Where’s Santa? The true story behind NORAD’S 70-year tracking tradition

The magic of Christmas Eve often brings a unique question for children and adults alike: Where is Santa?

For 70 years, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has provided the answer, transforming its Cold War-era mission of monitoring skies for threats into a beloved tradition of tracking St Nick’s global journey.

This Christmas Eve, over 1,000 dedicated volunteers will staff the 1-877-HI-NORAD hotline from 4am to midnight Mountain Standard Time, ready to field calls from eager Santa-seekers.

Here’s the full story behind the Norad Santa-tracking tradition:

Alex Croft24 December 2025 11:33

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NEED TO KNOW

• Prince Harry opens up in Meghan Markle’s Netflix special, revealing a Christmas Eve tradition
• In Netflix’s With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration, Meghan prepared her mother’s gumbo for Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio
• The moment offers a rare glimpse into Harry’s close relationship with his mother-in-law, Doria Ragland

Prince Harry offered an unexpectedly intimate glimpse into his relationship with his mother-in-law, Doria Ragland, in Meghan Markle’s new Netflix holiday special.

With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration, which premiered Dec. 3, features the Duchess of Sussex cooking her mother Doria Ragland’s signature Christmas Eve gumbo for Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio. As Meghan stirs a pot at the stove, Harry pops into the kitchen with a kiss for his wife — and a surprisingly heartfelt confession.

“You must have known that I was coming,” he says as he smells the stew. “Gumbo for me is one of my favorites, especially her mom’s. But before the fish goes in.”

Meghan then shares the small but meaningful gesture her mom makes just for Harry.

“She always saves a little portion on the side for him,” Meghan says, teasing that her version uses a spicier andouille sausage. “I’ll give you a little towel because you’re going to sweat.”

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Tom Colicchio in ‘With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration’.

Jake Rosenberg/Netflix

After taking a bite, Harry is taken aback. “I can feel it puncturing through the top of my head right now,” he jokes — before delivering the line that makes Meghan’s jaw drop.

“It is delicious,” he says. “I’m not so sure it’s as good as your mom’s, but it’s certainly close.”

Colicchio lets out a “Wow,” while Meghan bursts into laughter. “What?! Oh my gosh,” she says. “Well, my mom will love you for that. You know what? What a good thing to say for your mother-in-law.”

With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration also features appearances from tennis champion Naomi Osaka, hospitality expert Will Guidara, Meghan’s close friend Kelly McKee Zajfen and her longtime friend and author-producer Lindsay Roth.

“I love the holiday season,” the Duchess of Sussex said in the trailer, which she first shared last month. “It’s about finding time to connect with the people we love, embracing traditions and making new ones.”

Meghan Markle in ‘With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration’.

Jake Rosenberg/Netflix

In the special, she visits a Christmas tree farm, prepares Christmas goodies for visiting friends, and shows off some of her DIY gift-wrapping techniques.

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! 

The new installation of Megha’s lifestyle series also coincides with the release of the first holiday collection from her brand, As ever. The new launch included sparkling wines, hand-poured candles, artisanal fruit spreads and golden California honey — several of which appear in the Holiday Celebration special as part of her hosting spread.

With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration is streaming now on Netflix.

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By NOOR QURASHI, NEWS REPORTER

Updated: 11:41 GMT, 24 December 2025

Father Christmas and his reindeers have left the North Pole as they embark on an epic round-the-world mission to deliver presents to children across the globe.

Anyone wanting to keep tabs on St Nick’s sleigh or wondering when to leave out the mince pies and carrot can keep on top of his movements with the annual NORAD Santa Tracker.

NORAD, otherwise known as North American Aerospace Defense Command, has tracked Santa for the past 70 years using advanced radar and satellite technology.

Families can visit the official NORAD Tracks Santa website or use dedicated apps to follow his journey in real-time.

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Watch our NORAD Santa Tracker 2025 stream and follow live updates below

The year 2022: A dark year for the Santa tracker

The year 2022 was a dark one, as far as the Santa tracker is concerned.

Carnage unfolded as the entire system momentarily went down.

It was never quite clear why the Santa tracker crashed. It could have been due to the amount of people trying to use the site, or related to the ferocious storm which hit the US overnight.

Blizzard conditions were seen across much of the country on that dark day, causing power outages, crashes and long delays to travel.

As the Norad tracker relies on US satellites, there’s a chance damage to communications lines on US soil may have delayed engineers desperately working to reconnect Father Christmas with his fans.

But anyway, after a few minutes … everything returned to normal.

As Keir Starmer vows to ‘stop the boats’ – will Santa make it to Britain?

Amid Keir Starmer’s vows to ‘stop the boats’, will Santa actually make it to Britain?

The odds say yes – as the Prime Minister’s plans have so far remained in tatters.

The latest Home Office figures showed some 803 people made the dangerous journey across the English Channel in 13 dinghies from northern France, starting overnight on Friday and into Saturday.

The total number of Channel crossings for 2025 now stands at 41,455 people. The annual record stands at 45,755, recorded at the end of 2022.

And it looks like those arriving by sleigh will only have more joy…

When will Santa arrive at your house?

While NORAD tracks Santa, only the man himself knows his route which means experts are unable to predict what time he will visit your home on Christmas Eve.

However, NORAD notes it appears Santa arrives only when children are asleep with most of his drop-ins taking place between 9pm and midnight.

If children are awake when he does arrive, he may move on to other houses, only returning when they are asleep.

Santa reaches RUSSIA

Santa has now reached Russia. He was last spotted in Anadyr.

There have been good flying conditions so far with no weather or travel delays, so it’s so far, so good.

The number of gifts delivered is rising … and rising …

At the time of posting, Santa has already delivered over 30million gifts.

He was last spotted in the North Pole, which is understandable given he’s only just left…

Breaking:SANTA LEAVES HIS GROTTO

Santa has TAKEN OFF.

This is not a drill.

DAILY MAIL GETS IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

Down at the Daily Mail office reporters are already getting in the festive spirit…

We’ll leave you with this gem while we wait for Santa to get a move on.

Our journalists are working hard to deliver you the latest news from Britain and all the world over this Christmas Eve.

What do you think of their MOVES

What route does Santa travel?

After leaving his workshop on the North Pole, Santa usually starts his journey at the international date line, an imaginary line in the Pacific Ocean, and heads west.

It means he often heads to the South Pacific first before flying across New Zealand and Australia. Afterwards he goes to Japan, across Asia before flying to Africa and Western Europe before crossing the Atlantic to homes in Canada, the United States, Mexico before ending up in Central and South America.

Santa ‘getting ready for take-off’

‘The time is near’.

It isn’t long now – we’ve just heard from our elf sources in the North Pole that Santa is getting ready for take-off.

Stay tuned for all the latest updates…

Santa will take off WITHIN THE HOUR

Can you hear those sleigh bells ringing yet? NORAD have confirmed Santa’s takeoff is expected ‘within the hour’.

I don’t know about you but here in the office we are on the edge of our seats…

Meanwhile, enjoy this photo of a certain Olly Murs who was spotted at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship in Alexandra Palace yesterday.

The singer, 41, rocked a festive darts themed Christmas jumper which had ‘You miss, you drink’, written across the front.

Let’s hope Santa doesn’t miss today as he drops his piles upon piles of presents down the million of great British chimneys.

Or indeed, that he still can fit. Chimney flues should never be less than 5′′ diameter – here’s to Brits abiding by the planning rules.

Why does NORAD track Santa?

The annual Christmas Eve tradition of tracking Santa began in 1955 when a child in the US accidentally dialled the number of NORAD’s prededecessor CONAD (Continental Air Defense Command) after seeing an advert in a Colorado-based newspaper urging children to call Santa.

The then director of operations Colonel Harry Shoup, answered the phone and instructed his staff to check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole.

The tradition continued when NORAD was formed in 1958 and every year since it has reported Santa’s location on Christmas Eve to millions of children and families across the globe.

Brits baffled over ‘conflicting’ Santa trackers

A few Father Christmas fans have been left distraught amid ‘conflicting’ Santa trackers.

It just goes to show you’re probably best off sticking with our Daily Mail live blog as we bring you accurate and verified updates from trusted sources.

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NORAD Santa Tracker 2025: Watch Father Christmas and his reindeers race across world to deliver gifts – live updates

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A hotel owned by Andy and Kim Murray has made a major announcement

A business owned by Andy and Kim Murray is set to close for refurbishment(Image: Max Mumby/Indigo, Getty Images)

Andy and Kim Murray’s five-star Cromlix Hotel in Kinbuck is set to temporarily shut its doors in the New Year. The couple, who have owned the 34-acre estate since 2013, will be closing the hotel due to ongoing construction work.

Since retiring from tennis last year, two-time Wimbledon champion Andy has had time to focus on his business ventures, including his Perthshire hotel. Earlier this year, Cromlix announced plans for two new restaurants, with construction getting underway in October.

The major revamp will also include a wellness facility and three additional suites. However, from January 4, the hotel will close for renovations, with a planned reopening in spring 2026.

The Courier reports that the new restaurant will accommodate up to 80 guests, offering views overlooking the estate. The kitchen will be relocated and upgraded to serve more diners, while the existing Glasshouse restaurant will host afternoon teas and other events.

The extensive refurbishment is expected to take several months, with the reopening scheduled for May 2026. Despite the closure, Cromlix’s booking team and online shop will continue to operate.

READ MORE: Carlos Alcaraz sent ‘outrageous’ contract message after split from coachREAD MORE: Carlos Alcaraz announces sudden split from coach Juan Carlos Ferrero after seven years

The Doune-based Kings Group is leading the construction work, with Perthshire architect Fergus Purdie and interior designer Suzanne Garuda also contributing to the project.

Upon the announcement of the restaurant plans, Kim said: “I’m really excited about this next phase for Cromlix.

“The Glasshouse, our current restaurant, has been doing really well and is fully booked most of the time, but the space lacks a bit of personality and doesn’t deliver aesthetically in the same way that the rest of the hotel does.

The married couple have owned the Cromlix Hotel since 2013(Image: John Phillips/Getty Images)

“We appointed a new executive head chef (James Mearing) earlier this year and he’s doing a great job, and it will be fantastic for him to put his stamp on this new food experience at Cromlix.”

The hotel has garnered numerous awards in recent years. In 2024, Cromlix was crowned Scottish hotel of the year at the AA Hospitality Awards and featured in The Times’ top 100 places to stay in the UK.

The Murrays purchased the hotel for £1.8million in February 2013. It had been closed since 2012 but reopened its doors under the new ownership in April 2014.

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A teenage British boy who was stabbed to death in Portugal has been named.

The country’s criminal police (Judicial Police) said it is investigating the death by stabbing of 13-year-old Alfie Hallett and the alleged attacker.

Local media say Portuguese police believe the perpetrator, who has also died, was the former partner of the boy’s mother.

The mother was found “showing signs of having been restrained and assaulted, and was subsequently taken to the nearest hospital”, police said in a statement.

“Both the alleged assailant and the minor presented several injuries caused by a bladed weapon but, despite vital signs still being detectable, death was declared at the scene moments later.”

Police said the GNR (National Republican Guard) were called out after the alarm had been raised about what was feared to be a domestic violence situation, in the city of Tomar in central Portugal.

“Inside the house, there was a strong smell of gas which, moments later, resulted in an explosion that injured one of the GNR officers,” the police statement added.

“The alleged perpetrator had already served a prison sentence for aggravated homicide, and the family had been flagged following domestic violence cases registered in 2022 and 2023.”

Image:
The attack took place in Tomar in central Portugal. Pic: iStock

Sport Club Operario de Cem Soldos’s basketball team in Tomar paid tribute to Alfie, saying he will “always be in our hearts”.

In a Facebook post, the club said: “(Alfie) played his last game on Saturday, played so well seemed like he knew it was his last game.

“We want to tell you how much we love you and that you will always be in our hearts.”

Chamusca Basket Clube, the club Alfie had played against in Saturday’s match, also posted a tribute on Facebook.

They wrote: “In this time of sorrow, we express our solidarity to the family, friends and all those who share this irreparable loss. May you find comfort in good memories and strength to face this difficult time.”

The British Foreign Office said in a statement: “We are in contact with the local authorities following an incident in Portugal, and stand ready to provide consular support.”

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Injuries reported in ongoing violence on both sides of the border ahead of negotiations over the renewed fighting.

Published On 24 Dec 202524 Dec 2025

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Thailand and Cambodia have reported new fighting in their ongoing border conflict, as the first talks between the sides since the latest outbreak of violence get under way.

Thailand’s military said on Wednesday that there had been clashes in the border provinces of Sisaket and Surin, Thai media reported, with Thai forces responding to Cambodian BM-21 rocket attacks with artillery, tank fire and drones.

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One Thai soldier was injured in the Pha Mo I Daeng–Huai Ta Maria area of Sisaket province, the Thai army said, before Thai forces returned fire, striking more than 19 Cambodian military targets.

Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence said Thai forces had carried out air attacks on Banan district in the northwestern border province of Battambang, hitting a civilian residential area with four bombs.

Cambodia’s Ministry of Education also released a video showing what it said were scenes of panic at a school in the province, with students fleeing as the air raid was carried out.

Further, the ministry said two civilians had been injured by Thai shelling in Banteay Meanchey province, the Khmer Times reported.

Talks begin

The latest fighting came just before a meeting of defence officials began on Wednesday. The talks are the first between the sides since renewed clashes broke out on December 7, killing more than 40 people and displacing about a million, according to official counts.

The two sides agreed on Monday to hold the talks in Thailand’s Chanthaburi, within the framework of an existing bilateral border committee, the Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee, following a regional push to end the fighting.

Thailand and Cambodia have engaged in daily exchanges of rocket and artillery fire along their 817km (508-mile) land border following the collapse earlier this month of a truce brokered by the United States and Malaysia that put an end to five days of fighting in July.

The conflict stems from a territorial dispute over the colonial-era demarcation of their 800km (500-mile) border and a smattering of ancient temple ruins situated on the frontier.

Each side has blamed the other for instigating the renewed fighting, claiming self-defence, while trading accusations of attacks on civilians.

Thailand accused of demolishing Hindu statue

Meanwhile, a Cambodian official has accused Thailand of destroying a Hindu statue in a disputed border area, condemning the destruction of items of religious significance.

Kim Chanpanha, a government spokesman in the border province of Preah Vihear, said the statue of Vishnu, built in 2014, was demolished by Thai forces on Monday.

“We condemn the destruction of ancient temples and statues that are worshipped by Buddhist and Hindu followers,” Chanpanha said.

Videos showing the demolition of the statue using a backhoe loader circulated on social media.

The Thai military has not commented on the incident, but released a statement rejecting Cambodian claims that it was using cluster munitions intended to harm civilians.

The statement said its cluster munitions were dual-purpose artillery shells used against military targets, in line with the principles of “military necessity” and “proportionality”.

It added that the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), which prohibits signatories from using such weapons, was not applicable as neither Thailand nor Cambodia was a party to the agreement.

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A man accused of posting an antisemitic social media message in support of the Bondi massacre will spend Christmas behind bars.

Martin Thomas Glynn, 39, was arrested in the Perth suburb of Yangebup and charged after a concerned member of the public reported him to police.

Officers said they raided Glynn’s home on Tuesday and seized several firearms, large quantities of ammunition and flags linked to banned terrorist organisations Hezbollah and Hamas.

Glynn appeared before Fremantle magistrates court on Wednesday to face charges of alleged conduct intended to racially harass, carrying or possessing a prohibited weapon, and failing to properly store a firearm.

He appeared without legal representation and was remanded in custody ahead of his next court appearance in February.

Glynn allegedly posted on social media in the hours following the 14 December terror attack at Bondi beach, where 15 people were killed after two gunmen allegedly opened fire on a crowd of Jewish faithful celebrating Hanukkah.

“It is appalling that, in the wake of Bondi, anyone would say anything that supports, in any way the actions of a horrific, vile, criminal terrorist act,” Western Australia’s police minister, Reece Whitby, told reporters on Wednesday.

“Words are dangerous. Words have potential to lead to catastrophic outcomes … anyone that says anything remotely intimidatory, suggestive of violence needs to be acted on very quickly.”

The state’s acting premier, Rita Saffioti, and its police chief, Col Blanch, have commended the member of the public who spoke to police after coming across the alleged post online which led to Glynn’s arrest.

“The report from the member of the public was critical and demonstrates just how important it is that the community in Western Australia is kept safe, but also the community in Western Australia engage in this process,” Whitby said.

Police said Glynn had a gun licence for hunting, and all but one of his firearms were registered, but Blanch has instructed his officers to initiate a process to cancel Glynn’s permit.

The accused is being investigated by officers linked to Operation Dalewood, which was launched by WA police in response to the Bondi attack.

He was not known to WA, NSW or federal authorities before his arrest, and there is no evidence to suggest any attacks are being planned, Blanch said.

“We don’t think there is an ongoing threat. We don’t believe there to be a network involved. We think this is an individual who has made these comments online,” he said.

Whitby reiterated WA’s tough penalties for hate-related crimes, including up to five years imprisonment for displaying Nazi symbols or performing Nazi salutes and up to 14 years for conduct intended to incite racial hatred.

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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has given details of an updated peace plan that offers Russia the potential withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the east that Moscow has demanded.

Giving details of the 20-point plan agreed by US and Ukrainian negotiators in Florida at the weekend, Zelensky said the Russians would respond on Wednesday once the Americans had spoken to them.

Describing the plan as “the main framework for ending the war” Zelensky said it proposed security guarantees from the US, Nato and Europeans for a co-ordinated military response if Russia invaded Ukraine again.

On the key question of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas, Zelensky said a “free economic zone” was a potential option.

He told journalists that as Ukraine was against withdrawal, US negotiators were looking to establish a demilitarised zone or a free economic zone.

“There are two options,” Zelensky said, “either the war continues, or something will have to be decided regarding all potential economic zones.”

The 20-point plan is seen as an update of an original 28-point document, agreed by US envoy Steve Witkoff with the Russians several weeks ago, which was widely seen as heavily geared towards the Kremlin’s demands.

The Russians have insisted that Ukraine pulls out of almost a quarter of its own territory in the eastern Donetsk region in return for a peace deal. The rest is already under Russian occupation.

Sensitive issues including questions over territory would have to be resolved “at the leaders’ level”, but the new draft would provide Ukraine with strong security guarantees and a military strength of 800,000, Zelensky explained.

Much of the updated plan resembles what came out of recent talks in Berlin involving US negotiators Witkoff and Jared Kushner with Ukrainian and European leaders. The setting then moved to Miami last weekend where US President Donald Trump’s team spoke separately to Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev and then Ukrainian and European officials.

There now appears to be far more detail on the territorial issue, although it is clear the Ukrainian side was unable to reach a consensus.

If Ukraine was prepared to pull its heavy forces back by five, 10 or 40km in the 25% of Donetsk it still holds to create a “free economic zone”, making it virtually demilitarised, then Zelensky explained Russia would have to do the same “accordingly by five, 10, or 40km”.

He emphasised that an economic zone would also have to be set up around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant currently occupied by Russia, and that Russian troops would have to pull out of four other Ukrainian regions – Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv.

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For more than four years now, General Mamady Doumbouya has been serving as Guinea’s “transitional president,” having led a coup d’etat against then-President Alpha Conde on September 5, 2021.

Doumbouya had originally promised to return power to civilians, but it appears that he has changed his mind, as he is now running for the election scheduled for December 28.

The country’s new constitution, which was adopted in September, will allow the future president to serve a seven-year term. Voters will get to choose between nine candidates, but Doumbouya’s eight rivals are largely unknown to the general public in Guinea, as the most important opposition politicians in the country have been excluded from the election. 

Guinea’s main opposition candidates Cellou Dalein Diallo (left) and Sidya Toure (right) were suspended from the election campaignImage: Str/AFP

Doumbouya’s main rivals sidelined by edict

Guinea’s new constitution also stipulates that presidential candidates must have their main residence in the country.

Using this new prerequisite, two opposition heavyweights living in exile were stopped from running for office in one fell swoop: Former Prime Minister Sidya Toure, chairman of the Union of Republican Forces Republicaines (UFR) party, and former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo, chairman of the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG) party.

Guinean authorities had suspended the entire UFDG at the end of August — alongside several other parties. The suspension was initially intended to last for 90 days, but in the case of the UFDG, that has now been extended: In a statement issued two weeks before the election, the Guinean Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization said that the documents submitted by the party showed “significant shortcomings” for its participation.

It added that the UFDG now has six months to “bring its political organization fully into line with the new legal provisions.” Otherwise, the party will lose its legal status.

Among various criticisms, the ministry underscored the fact that the UFDG has not held a party conference since Guinea’s junta dissolves government without explanation in 2015; however, authorities at the same time prohibited the UFDG from doing just that at the beginning of this year — again with little rhyme or reason.

Many people initially supported the coup by junta chef Doumbouya in 2021 but human rights’ groups now speak of a “climate of terror” Image: Cellou Binani/AFP

A ‘climate of terror’

Since 2022, the military government led by Doumbouya has banned all demonstrations in the country and has arrested, prosecuted, or driven into exile several opposition leaders. 

At the same time, reports of abductions and kidnappings of political opponents have increased significantly.

Amnesty International says that this has created a “climate of terror,” and has joined 24 other Guinean and international human rights organizations to call on “authorities to comply with their international human rights obligations, to which they committed themselves in April 2025 before the UN Human Rights Council.”

Presidential candidates: From 66 to nine

According to the election commission, 66 people originally submitted their presidential candidacies to the Supreme Court. However, the vast majority of candidates were squarely rejected.

Makale Camara, former foreign minister and the only woman among the remaining nine candidates, hopes to boost her chances by focusing on connecting with citizens: “My strategy is to mingle with the people, especially women. Wherever I can find young people,” says the chairwoman of the Front for National Alliance (FAN) party.

Ibrahima Toure, of the Union for Progress and Renewal (PRUN) party, is one of the candidates who was not approved to run — as a person who splits his time between Guinea and Germany.

His platform would have been the country’s education system — or rather a lack thereof: “The education system is a disaster. The classrooms are dilapidated and completely broken. Those who have no money cannot send their children to school.”

Dwindling support for Doumbouya?

Toure also criticizes the country’s judiciary, describing it as “corrupt.” “People are kidnapped, and there is no way to file a lawsuit. If one is filed, it is not taken seriously because the government simply has its hand in it.”

Together with several other parties, Toure has decided to support Faya Millimouno, chairman of the Liberal Bloc (BL) party, who is one of the total of nine approved candidates on the ballot.

Millimouno told DW that the initial support for Doumbouya right after the coup has long dwindled: “Very big promises were made. We know what we have today. We know what we are experiencing today under [Doumbouya’s] government. In fact, his team has come to deceive Guineans,” Millimouno explained, denouncing a “strategy of terror” which he says is aimed at  suppressing dissenting voices.

Opposition supporters were banned from holding protests against the ruling junta after the 2021 coupImage: CELLOU BINANI/AFP

Doumbouya’s political brand: Stability

On the other hand, there still is support for the strongman in certain camps: Alassane Diallo is a supporter of the controversial leader, who lives in Germany.

Diallo is optimistic about the December 28 polls: “I am convinced that Doumbouya is the right man for the job. He is the one who is capable of bringing Guineans together, uniting them across all their differences and getting them to work,” he told DW, saying he fully expected constitutional order to return to the country after the elections.

The general’s campaign headquarters are located in the city of Kankan, which was also the political stronghold of the ousted former president Alpha Conde. “In Kankan, for example, there is a project to build a 15 kilometer-long, two-lane road. We owe that to the arrival of the president,” says activist Lamine Touta Kaba.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there’s also praise for the leader from his closest ranks: Sports Minister Keamou Bogola Haba, for instance, sees an impeccable record in his leadership: “Four years of positive results in terms of security, the economy, and leadership — and thus also in terms of stability,” he said.

It is perhaps that sense of stability that is election serves as a test for, though the outcome might already be decided.

Are elections in Africa eroding trust in democracy?

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Edited by: Sertan Sanderson

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Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US

A 65-year-old woman was fatally stabbed at a Barnes & Noble in Florida while shopping for Christmas presents.

The suspected attacker, a 40-year-old man, has been charged with murder after the attack which took place shortly before 8 p.m. Monday, in Palm Beach Gardens.

Rita Loncharich was reading a magazine when she was attacked, CBS12 reports. Her husband told reporters his wife called him on her cell phone to tell him she had just been stabbed after the attack.

First responders provided aid after rushing to the scene but Loncharich died from her injuries after being taken to a local hospital for further treatment.

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The attack took place at the Barnes & Noble store on 1380 Legacy Avenue, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida (Google Street View)

Her husband told CBS12 that police had told him the alleged attacker is a homeless person from Alabama who is mentally ill and had been in Florida for just a week.

Police have not confirmed this, but said the suspected attacker, 40-year-old Antonio Moore, ran out of the store following the stabbing.

Moore was charged with first-degree premeditated murder Tuesday and is now being held without bond, online jail records show according to ABC News.

Police say that investigators are still trying to determine a motive for the attack, adding that the investigation is ongoing.

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Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said they are trying to establish a motive in the killing (Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office)

Local Barnes & Noble customers said they were shocked by the fatal attack, that took place just days before the holidays.

Carol Finger, a Barnes & Noble customer, told CBS12: “I think it’s very distressing. I really do. I’m sorry to hear that. I feel a little upset to say the least. I’m sorry that it occurred. It’s a terrible thing.”

Quinn Davis, another customer, said it is “awful”, adding that “you hear these stories, and you don’t expect it to happen, and it’s just gut wrenching”.

The Independent has contacted the Barnes & Noble press office, but the company has told other outlets that it does not comment on ongoing police investigations.

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NEED TO KNOW

• Kim Kardashian shared a glimpse of her festive preparations on Tuesday, Dec. 23
• The reality star filmed a pile of her Christmas gifts wrapped in red plaid flannel fabric stacked on the floor by a towering Christmas tree at her home
• Kardashian revealed that her daughter North helped her select the wrapping

Kim Kardashian’s 2025 Christmas wrapping paper comes with a personal festive touch.

The SKIMS founder, 45, unveiled her Christmas wrapping paper as the SKIMS pajama flannel fabric from the clothing line’s latest holiday collection in a video posted on her Instagram Stories on Tuesday, Dec. 23.

Kardashian filmed a pile of her Christmas gifts wrapped in red plaid flannel fabric stacked on the floor by a towering Christmas tree at her home as she explained the choice of wrapping paper in the clip.

“Hey, I wanted to show you guys my Christmas wrapping this year,” said Kardashian. She then revealed that her 12-year-old daughter, North West, “picked it out,” saying, “We wanted to be a little bit more festive.”

Kim Kardashian’s 2025 Christmas gift-wrapping is from the SKIMS pajama holiday collection.

Kim Kardashian/Instagram

“It’s so cute and actually, I’m wearing it right now,” Kardashian said as she panned the camera to herself wearing the SKIMS pajama set in the same plaid print.

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“So that’s the vibes we wanted to give this holiday season, feeling very flannel and it is a fabric,” she said, adding, “Of course, they got the snow all over it,” referring to her four children.

SKIMS customers can also get the same festive gift-wrapping as Kardashian when they purchase holiday gifts from the company’s website.

Kim Kardashian with her children North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm West.

Kim Kardashian/Instagram

Christmas gift-wrapping has become an annual competition between members of the Kardashian-Jenner family in recent years.

In 2023, Kardashian revealed her gift-wrapping that year as white cotton fabric — again from her clothing line SKIMS.

“I wanted to show you my wrapping this year,” she said in a video posted at the time. “I’m putting some presents in front of the tree, and I just wanted to show you guys that I used SKIMS cotton fabric for my wrapping this year.” 

“I thought it was a really fun, cool way to just have something that you can use over and over again,” Kardashian shared. “I just love the fabric and how it looks and the technique that we used to wrap it, and it looks so pretty with my tree.”

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