WORLD NEWS
‘Keeps your mind alert’: older Swedes reap the benefits of learning for pleasure | Sweden
Record numbers of Swedish retirees are enrolling in a university run “by pensioners for pensioners” amid increased loneliness and a growing appetite for learning and in-person interactions.
Senioruniversitet, a national university that collaborates with Sweden’s adult education institution Folkuniversitetet, has about 30 independent branches around the country which run study circles, lecture series and university courses in subjects including languages, politics, medicine and architecture.
The Stockholm branch, which is Sweden’s largest, has become so popular since it was founded in 1991 that it is now run across multiple venues across the capital by about 100 volunteers. Its most popular event, the Tuesday lectures, gets about 1,000 people each week.
Recent Stockholm lectures have included “The art of awarding Nobel prizes” by a former member of a Nobel committee, “Disinformation and AI – the threat we invented ourselves” and “From soap to cultural heritage/canon and vice versa.”
Inga Sanner, chair of Senioruniversitetet in Stockholm, said membership nationally was at an all-time high. “We had a dip during the pandemic, of course, but we have come up again to the same number and increased even more. Our membership is the highest ever.”
In 2023 there were 2,099 events held across Sweden attended by 161,932 participants, according to Folkuniversitetet. This year, that number is projected to increase to 177,024 participants across 2,391 events.
Gunnar Danielsson, secretary general of Folkuniversitetet, said: “The desire to learn for pleasure’s sake, or for the sake of learning as such, is a joy to experience in a society which is increasingly obsessed with learning and education as preparation for work.”
The increasing popularity of Senioruniversitetet was not reflected by the level of government funding, though, he said, which had “significantly decreased” over the past few years. “More likely it reflects a desire to actually meet other people in real life rather than on the internet.”
Sanner, a retired history professor, said older people were “more and more alert” and that there is a “fantastic hunger for education”. She added: “It’s totally fascinating that there are so many who want to learn more and learn more about the world. It is so very needed in our time.”
The wider societal role that Senioruniversitetet plays is becoming increasingly important, she said, and the learning and wellbeing of its members has a knock-on effect to their families and beyond.
“It is to do with democracy issues and education. Senior citizens don’t live in a vacuum. If nothing else, it has an effect on children and grandchildren,” she said. “You are an example. Not just sitting rocking in a rocking chair, but you are out and want to learn more. Then you can share that with your grandchildren and children.”
She added: “The lectures are fantastic. You become completely fulfilled when you have been to an event and then it bubbles over when you meet others.”
For many of their volunteers, their office in central Stockholm is like a workplace. “It is very meaningful work, but also you have such a lovely time and meet others.”
Sanner said the demographic of its membership does, however, tend to be “too homogenous”, adding that they need to do more to extend their reach to a more diverse audience.
Susanne Abelin, 66, a former journalist from Norrtälje, near Stockholm, volunteers on the university’s newsletter and is learning Italian.
Ageism is rife in Sweden, she said, and palpable in day-to-day life. “You are seen more or less as an idiot. Maybe it’s because we have had it so materially well over generations that we don’t need each other so much – for good and for bad.”
But Senioruniversitetet, where over-55s can learn for a relatively low fee, is “a bit of the Swedish welfare system that is still left”.
Her Italian class has a WhatsApp group so they can stay in touch outside lessons and last year she went to Italy with one of her classmates. “I’m absolutely not fluent in Italian and will never be, but it is inspiring and it keeps your mind alert. Instead of doing crosswords and suduko you can study some verbs.”
Joachim Forsgren, 71, a former physician who now volunteers for the Stockholm branch, has given lectures on “man and drugs” and tuberculosis.
Volunteering, he said, gives people a “sense of meaning and that they are contributing still”. He added: “People can get the feeling that they are not contributing once they leave their jobs. Pensioners is a word I hate.”
By volunteering, he said, “we are contributing to some kind of democracy project. This is really trying, especially in this day and age, to get people interested in what is going on”. Amid the rise of online disinformation and populism, the university helps people to “look critically at the amount of information we are almost drowning in every day”.
Skip next section Zelenskyy says he will meet with Trump soon
12/26/2025December 26, 2025
Zelenskyy says he will meet with Trump soon
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday he had agreed to a meeting with US President Donald Trump in the “near future.”
“A lot can be decided before the New Year,” he posted on social media.
The announcement follows weeks of stepped-up diplomatic efforts to end Ukraine’s war with Russia.
On Thursday, Zelenskyy gave a positive assessment of his conversation with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner about ending the war.
This followed his presentation of a 20-point draft peace plan developed with US officials on Tuesday.
The draft marked a sharp shift from earlier proposals that would have forced Kyiv to give up territory and abandon NATO ambitions.
It calls for security guarantees to prevent future Russian attacks and includes measures to rebuild Ukraine. It also demands Russia to withdraw from several regions, including Kharkiv and Mykolaiv, while Ukraine would create a demilitarized zone in parts of Donetsk, but only if Moscow reciprocates.
However, the Kremlin, buoyed by battlefield gains, is unlikely to accept the deal. It said it was analyzing proposals brought back from the US.
President Vladimir Putin reiterated last week that Ukraine must leave Donetsk and Luhansk and rule out NATO membership.
https://p.dw.com/p/55z3q
Skip next section North Korea’s Kim orders factories to make more missiles in 2026
12/26/2025December 26, 2025
North Korea’s Kim orders factories to make more missiles in 2026
North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un has ordered a major boost in missile production.
State media reports he visited munitions factories and told officials to expand capacity and build new plants to meet growing military demand.
“The missile and shell production sector is of paramount importance in bolstering up the war deterrent,” Kim said according to state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Pyongyang has sharply increased missile tests in recent years, aiming to improve precision strikes and challenge the United States and South Korea. Analysts say the weapons are also being prepared for export to Russia.
North Korea and Russia have strengthened ties since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Pyongyang has supplied troops, artillery shells and rocket systems, while Russia provides financial aid, technology and food.
https://p.dw.com/p/55z49
Skip next section Welcome to our coverage 12/26/2025December 26, 2025
Welcome to our coverage
Could Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump meet before the New Year?
The Ukrainian president seems to think so.
On Friday, Zelenskyy said he’s agreed to meet his US counterpart, adding: “A lot can be decided before the New Year.”
Washington and Kyiv appear close to finalizing a plan to end the war in Ukraine, though questions remain about Russia’s response and lingering disputes.
A White House meeting could seal the deal, or go off the rails, as one earlier this year did.
We’ll bring you the latest updates right here in this blog.
https://p.dw.com/p/55z3o
WORLD NEWS
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky says he will meet Trump and hopes for peace breakthrough ‘before New Year’
Ukraine’s president Zelensky appears to wish death to Putin in Christmas message
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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that plans were in place for him to meet US president Donald Trump soon, amid hopes of a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia.
“A lot can be decided before the New Year,” Zelensky wrote on the social media platform X.
Earlier, he had hinted at progress on a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, following a “really good conversation” with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff on Christmas Day.
Ukraine said it used British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil refinery on Thursday, reporting explosions at a site supplying fuel to Moscow’s forces.
The Ukrainian military said it targeted the Novoshakhtinsk refinery in Russia’s Rostov region, adding: “Multiple explosions were recorded. The target was hit.”
Officials said the plant was one of southern Russia’s main producers of petrol products and was “directly involved in supplying the Russian Federation’s armed forces”.
The UK authorised Ukraine to deploy Storm Shadow missiles against targets inside Russia last year.
Separately, Ukrainian long-range drones hit oil product storage tanks at the southern port of Temryuk in the Krasnodar region and a gas processing plant in Orenburg, around 1,400km from the Ukrainian border.
Russian drones damage foreign-flagged vessels, Ukraine says
Ukraine’s deputy prime minister said on Friday that Russian overnight drone attacks damaged Slovakia-, Palau- and Liberia-flagged vessels in ports in Ukraine’s Odesa and Mykolaiv regions.
Ukrainian officials said Moscow aimed to isolate Ukraine from the Black Sea and divide civilians.
There were no casualties following Friday’s attacks, according to a statement made by the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Oleksiy Kuleba, on the Telegram app. However the strikes did cause power cuts and damage elevators and civilian warehouses in the Odesa region.
The drones also caused damage to a locomotive and a freight car at the northwestern Kovel railway station, around 60 kilometres (37.28 miles) from Poland.
“Despite Russia’s deliberate terror, Ukraine’s logistics system continues to function,” Kuleba said.
Russia did comment on the issue.
Shaheena Uddin26 December 2025 08:14
Ukrainian president Zelensky says he plans to meet Trump soon
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that he had agreed to hold a meeting with US president Donald Trump in the near future, as diplomatic efforts intensify to bring an end to Ukraine’s war with Russia.
“A lot can be decided before the New Year,” Zelensky wrote on social media platform X.
Namita Singh26 December 2025 07:30
Ukraine president Zelensky’s cryptic Christmas wish for Putin
Volodymyr Zelensky has appeared to wish for the death of Vladimir Putin in a Christmas message after Russia continued to bombard Ukraine with missiles and drones.
In a video posted to X on Christmas Eve, Mr Zelensky said that “despite all the suffering that Russia has brought, it is not capable of occupying or bombing what matters most. That is our Ukrainian heart, our faith in one another, and our unity”.
Appearing to refer to Russian president Vladimir Putin, Mr Zelensky added: “Today, we all share one dream.“And we make one wish – for all of us. ‘May he perish’, each of us may think to ourselves. But when we turn to God, of course, we ask for something greater, we ask for peace for Ukraine. We fight for it, we pray for it, we deserve it.”
Namita Singh26 December 2025 07:00
Russia sees slow but steady progress in Ukraine peace talks
Russia sees “slow but steady progress” in peace talks with the United States over Ukraine, foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.
“In the negotiation process on a settlement of the Ukraine conflict, I mean in the negotiation process with the United States, there is slow but steady progress,” she said.
Spokeswoman of the Russian foreign ministry Maria Zakharova attends a press conference (Reuters)
Zakharova added that western European powers were trying to torpedo the progress and suggested that the United States should counter such moves.
Namita Singh26 December 2025 06:30
Zelensky holds ‘really good’ Christmas Day peace talks with Trump envoys
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says he spoke on Thursday for about an hour with US president Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner about how to end the war with Russia.
“It was a really good conversation: many details, good ideas that we discussed. There are some new ideas on how to bring real peace closer, and this concerns formats, meetings and, certainly, the timeline,” Zelensky said on the Telegram app.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky during a meeting with journalists in Kyiv (UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE/AF)
Trump has been pushing for a deal to end the nearly four-year-long war, and in recent weeks peace efforts led by Witkoff and Kushner have been slowly inching forward.
Earlier this week, Zelensky presented a 20-point draft peace plan that he described as the main framework for ending the war.
The draft is a slimmed-down version of an earlier 28-point plan that the United States previously discussed with Russia and that was widely seen as favouring Moscow, including demands that Kyiv cede territory and limit its armed forces.
However, key territorial issues remain unresolved in the new 20-point draft, Zelensky said, adding that a meeting with Trump would be required to resolve the most sensitive questions.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that Moscow was analysing documents on ending the war that were brought to Russia by its special envoy Kirill Dmitriev from the United States.
Zelensky said Ukraine’s top negotiator, Rustem Umerov, planned to hold another conversation with US negotiators later in the day.
“We are truly working 24/7 to bring closer the end of this brutal Russian war against Ukraine and to ensure that all documents and steps are realistic, effective and reliable,” he said.
Namita Singh26 December 2025 06:00
Watch: ‘May he perish’ says Zelensky in Christmas address
Appearing to refer to Russian president Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said: “Today, we all share one dream.And we make one wish – for all of us. ‘May he perish’, each of us may think to ourselves.
“But when we turn to God, of course, we ask for something greater, we ask for peace for Ukraine. We fight for it, we pray for it, we deserve it.”
Ukraine’s president Zelensky appears to wish death to Putin in Christmas message
Maira Butt26 December 2025 05:30
Russian court sentences opposition leader and Putin critic to six years in prison
A court in Russia on Thursday convicted a pro-war activist and critic of president Vladimir Putin of justifying terrorism and sentenced him to six years in prison.
Sergei Udaltsov, the leader of the Left Front movement that opposes Putin and is affiliated with the Communist Party, was arrested last year.
According to Russian independent news site Mediazona, the charges against him stem from an article Udaltsov posted online in support of another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist organisation. Those activists were convicted earlier this month and handed sentences ranging from 16 to 22 years in prison.
Udaltsov has rejected the charges against him as fabricated. On Thursday, he denounced the verdict as “shameful” and said he was going on a hunger strike, Mediazona reported.
According to the court ruling, the activist will be serving his sentence in a maximum security penal colony.Udaltsov was a prominent opposition figure during the 2011-12 mass protests in Russia, triggered by reports of widespread rigging of a parliamentary election. In February 2012, he took part in a meeting that then-president Dmitry Medvedev held with various opposition figures.
Russian authorities have ramped up their crackdown on dissent and free speech after the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine, relentlessly targeting rights groups, independent media, members of civil society organisations, LGBTQ+ activists and some religious groups. Hundreds of people have been jailed and thousands of others have fled the country.
In December 2023, a Moscow court sentenced Udaltsov to 40 hours of compulsory labor for violating procedures relating to organising a rally after he was detained on Red Square, where he tried to unfurl a flag with the image of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, according to Russia’s state news agency Tass.
Udaltsov was previously imprisoned in 2014 and sentenced to 4 years on charges related to his role in organising a 2012 demonstration against Putin that turned turbulent. He was released in 2017.
Namita Singh26 December 2025 05:15
Zelensky hints at progress in peace talks after ‘really good’ conversation with Witkoff
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukrainian representatives and US negotiators have discussed ways to bring “real peace closer” during a conversation on Christmas Day.
“It was a really good conversation: many details, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelensky said on Telegram. “There are some new ideas on how to bring the real peace closer, and it concerns formats, meetings, and, certainly, the timeline.”
Earlier, we reported that the Ukrainian leader had taken part in a conversation with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and businessman Jared Kushner.
(Getty Images)
Maira Butt26 December 2025 05:00
Poland intercepts Russian plane over Baltic, reports airspace breaches from Belarus
Poland scrambled fighter jets to intercept a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying near its airspace over the Baltic Sea and said dozens of objects entered its airspace from Belarus overnight, warning the incidents during the holiday period could amount to a provocation.
“Earlier today, over international waters in the Baltic Sea, Polish fighter jets intercepted, visually identified and escorted out of their area of responsibility a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying near the borders of Polish airspace,” the Polish army said yesterday.
Countries on Nato’s eastern flank have remained on heightened alert for potential airspace violations since September, when three Russian military aircraft breached Estonia’s airspace for 12 minutes, days after more than 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace.
Poland’s National Security Bureau said several dozen objects crossed into Polish airspace from the Belarusian side, with four so far identified as likely smuggling balloons.
“The mass nature of the airspace violations, their occurrence during the holiday season, the assessment of the Russian aircraft’s activity in the Baltic Sea, and similar incidents recently recorded in Lithuania may indicate a provocation disguised as a smuggling operation,” it said.
The Belarusian and Russian embassies in Warsaw did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Namita Singh26 December 2025 04:45
Putin critic sentenced to six years in prison by Russian court
A Russian court sentenced a pro-war activist and critic of President Vladimir Putin of justifying terrorism to six years in prison on Thursday.
According to Russian independent news site Mediazona, the charges against him stem from an article Udaltsov posted online in support of another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist organisation.
Those activists were handed sentences ranging from 16 to 22 years in prison after being convicted earlier this month.
Udaltsov has rejected the charges against him as fabricated. On Thursday, he denounced the verdict as “shameful” and said he was going on a hunger strike, Mediazona reported.
Maira Butt26 December 2025 04:30
NEED TO KNOW
- We scoured the internet to uncover the best after-Christmas sales happening now at Amazon, Lululemon, Nordstrom, Pottery Barn, and more.
- Our top deals start at $8 and go up to 71 percent off, including notable picks like a $59 pair of Lululemon leggings, Hoka sneakers for under $100, and a Dyson vacuum that’s down to $350.
Feel like you’ve wrapped up all your shopping for the year?
Not so fast. Some of our favorite stores have rolled out standout after-Christmas sales with savings up to 71 percent off. Starting today, Amazon, Nordstrom, Pottery Barn, Lululemon, Quince, and more are marking down must-have finds across every category, including brands like Dyson, Kate Spade, Levi’s, and Hoka.
Whether you’re hoping to snag gifts that didn’t make it under the tree or want to kick off the new year feeling fully stocked, we’ve rounded up the best deals worth shopping now. Keep scrolling for our favorites starting at just $8.
Best After-Christmas Sales:
- Sparkle Your New Year’s Eve Outfit Deserves: BaubleBar Erica Statement Drop Earrings, $8 (orig. $15); baublebar.com
- $280 Off Dyson Deal: Dyson V11 Origin Cordless Vacuum, $350 (orig. $630); amazon.com
- Winter Weather-Ready: Levi’s Maxi Puffer Coat, $130 (orig. $225); nordstrom.com
- Interior Designer-Approved Accent Piece: Pottery Barn Remmy Swivel Chair, $489 (orig. $1,149); potterybarn.com
- Buy Now, Unbox Later: Ebern Designs Dossena Wicker 3-Person Patio Set, $330 (orig. $1,143); wayfair.com
- In Reese Witherspoon’s Closet: Spanx AirEssentials Half-Zip Sweater, $59 (orig. $128); spanx.com
- An Everyday Standout: Kate Spade Lena Straw Bucket Bag. $119 (valued at $429); katespadeoutlet.com
- Comfort That Moves with You: Lululemon Align High-Rise Pants, $59 (orig. $98); shop.lululemon.com
- PEOPLE Tested Winner: Hoka Mach 6 Sneakers, $87 (orig. $140); zappos.com
- Relief for Hot Sleepers: Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheet Set, $168 with code PEOPLE (orig. $258); cozyearth.com
Some of the best after-Christmas deals we found include under-$10 earrings that make a great addition to New Year’s outfits, plus a patio set that’s marked down a whopping 71 percent. You can also score everyday essentials for a fresh start to the year, like a Dyson cordless vacuum, along with a sleek bucket bag from Kate Spade. We’re also eyeing a celeb-approved half-zip sweater from Spanx that shoppers describe as “buttery soft.”
Where to Shop After-Christmas Sales
- Amazon: Dyson vacuums, Apple AirTags, and Oprah’s “favorite” slippers this year are among the thousands of deals on sale today.
- Nordstrom: Snag Le Creuset best-sellers, Coach bags, cold-weather outerwear, and beauty essentials for up to 58 percent off.
- Lululemon: Save on Align leggings, belt bags, sports bras, and more must-haves before they’re gone.
- Quince: Score up to 30 percent off on over 300+ pieces across fashion, outerwear, handbags, eyewear, home decor, bedding, and more during their End of Year Sale.
- Wayfair: Thousands of can’t-miss home and kitchen finds — including inviting patio furniture sets — are up to 71 percent off.
- Kate Spade Outlet: Save up to 70 percent, plus get an extra 25 percent off on clearance items.
- Spanx: Save on celeb-approved loungewear, shapewear, denim, and more starting at just $19.
- Pottery Barn: Take up to 60 percent off furniture, snuggly throw blankets, and more during Pottery Barn’s Holiday Sale.
- BaubleBar: Score up to 80 percent off on sparkling earrings, bracelets, rings, and more.
- Zappos: Stock up on sneaker and shoe brands that are podiatrist-approved, including Hoka, Vionic, Brooks, and Dr. Scholl’s.
- Cozy Earth: Shop deals on Oprah-approved bamboo bedding, bath towels, robes, and joggers when you use the code PEOPLE at checkout.
Apple Airtag 4 Pack
Amazon
Keep track of your luggage and everyday items with this smart gadget, which connects to the Find My app on Apple devices. I never leave on vacation without mine. They’ve garnered more than 32,000 perfect ratings and have been snapped up by over 10,000 Amazon shoppers in the past month alone. If you don’t need multiples, you can snag a single AirTag on sale for $24.
Hoka Mach 6 Sneakers
Zappos
These sneakers strike a smart balance between comfort and durability thanks to a lightweight EVA midsole and a sturdy rubber outsole that holds up to daily wear. The breathable mesh upper keeps feet cool, and even after one of our shopping writers wore them extensively, the sneakers still looked fresh.
Fit-wise, they run true to size and have a roomy toe box. However, the width is slightly snug and some heel rubbing may occur. If you like a little more wiggle room, we recommend going up half a size.
Lululemon Align High-Rise Pants
lululemon
These Lululemon Align Leggings are the kind of pants you forget you’re wearing — in the best way. The ultra-soft, lightweight fabric feels smooth, making the leggings just as comfortable for wearing during yoga as they are for running errands. We also love the cropped length, which hits just below the calf, and the flattering high-rise fit that doesn’t feel restrictive.
Sealy Cool 12-Inch Memory Foam Mattress
Wayfair
If your mattress could use an upgrade, this Sealy memory foam option is worth a look. It’s earned more than 7,000 five-star ratings from Wayfair shoppers, who say it feels supportive and comfortable with just the right balance of firmness and softness. With its extra edge support and low-motion transfer, you won’t be disturbed if your partner tosses and turns while they sleep.
“I’ve been sleeping so well that it’s actually hard to get out of bed in the mornings,” exclaimed one person. “Definitely one of the best purchases I’ve made for better sleep.”
Levi’s Maxi Puffer Coat
Nordstrom
You’ll reach for this Levi’s puffer jacket again and again as the temperature drops. The longer length adds noticeable warmth, and the side zippers come in handy when you need a little extra room or airflow. The stand collar and hood are also great for cutting the wind, especially on brisk days.
One shopper who’s always cold shared that the coat is “super warm,” adding that it’s “great for cold early mornings and middle of the night runs with [their] puppy.”
Keep scrolling to shop more of the best after-Christmas deals from Lululemon, Amazon, and other stores.
BaubleBar Erica Statement Drop Earrings
Bauble Bar
Dyson V11 Origin Cordless Vacuum
Amazon
Spanx AirEssentials Half-Zip Sweater
Spanx
Ebern Designs Dossena Wicker 3-Person Patio Set
Wayfair
Mongolian Cashmere Crewneck Sweater
Quince
Dyson Special Edition Airwrap I.D. Multi-Styler
Nordstrom
Kate Spade Lena Straw Bucket Bag
Kate Spade Outlet
Pottery Barn Remmy Swivel Chair
Pottery Barn
Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag
lululemon
Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheet Set, $168 with code
Cozy Earth
WORLD NEWS
Louisiana factory boss gifts 540 employees six-figure Christmas bonuses totaling $240 million
More than 500 workers at a Louisiana factory walked away with six-figure bonuses totaling $240 million after their boss fought for them when he sold the company for $1.7 billion.
Graham Walker, who is set to step down as CEO of Fibrebond on December 31, told prospective buyers he would only sell the company his father founded if they earmarked 15 percent of the proceeds for the company’s employees.
The requirement was non-negotiable, Walker told the Wall Street Journal, arguing that without the stipulation, his employees – who did not own stock in the company – would walk out.
Ultimately, executives at power management company Eaton agreed to Walker’s terms, and in June, 540 full-time Fibrebond workers began receiving payouts averaging $443,000, to be allocated over the next five years.
Long-time employees received even more.
When each worker started receiving their bonus amounts in envelopes, some were overwhelmed with emotion, while others thought it was a prank.
Lesia Key, a 29-year veteran at the factory who started in 1995 making $5.35 an hour, broke down when she opened her letter.
‘It was surreal, it was like telling people they won the lottery. There was absolute shock,’ recounted Hector Moreno, a business development executive at Fibrebond.
‘They said, “What’s the catch?”‘
In June, 540 full-time Fibrebond workers started to receive payouts averaging $443,000, which would be allocated over the next five years
For Key, 51, who had three young children and a pile of debt when she started at the factory, the funds represented a new start.
She used the money to pay off her mortgage and even open her own clothing boutique.
‘Before, we were going paycheck to paycheck,’ she said. ‘I can live now.’
Moreno, meanwhile, used his money to take his entire extended family on a trip to Cancun, Mexico.
Others also paid down credit cards, bought cars outright, funded college tuition, or boosted their retirement savings.
Longtime assistant manager Hong ‘TT’ Blackwell, 67, even used the several hundred thousand dollars she received to retire.
Blackwell, an immigrant from Vietnam who spent more than 15 years in Fibrebond’s logistics operation, explained that she used part of the bonus to buy her husband a Toyota Tacoma and set the rest aside.
‘Now I don’t have to worry. My retirement is nice and peaceful,’ she told the Journal.
The bonuses also boosted Minden’s economy, a town of about 12,000, with Mayor Nick Cox saying: ‘There’s a lot of buzz about the amount of money being spent.’
That is one of the reasons Walker said he wanted to give each of the employees bonuses, telling the Journal he wanted to do something good for the town, which had spent years losing jobs, residents and watching businesses move to Texas.
‘It seems sometimes progress evades us,’ he said. ‘We don’t often see good things here.’
Walker also sought to reward the employees who had stayed by the company’s side through tumultuous times.
The bonuses provided a boon to the economy of Minden, a town of about 12,000
Fibrebond was founded in 1982 by Walker’s father, Claud Walker, with a dozen employees building shelters for electrical and telecommunication equipment.
It thrived during the cellular boom of the 1990s, when it shifted to build concrete enclosures for cellphone towers, then nearly collapsed when its factory burned to the ground in 1998.
Hard times continued into the early 2000s amid the dot-com bubble, which slashed Fibrebond’s customer base to just three clients, forcing layoffs that cut the workforce from roughly 900 to 320.
Still, the Walkers continued to pay their employees even as production stalled.
Graham and his brother later took over the day-to-day operations, selling assets and paying down debt while searching for a new market.
And the staffers stuck around, some treasuring the close-knit work environment, where they enjoyed snacks every Thursday at 2pm.
Choices were also limited in Minden, where Walmart is the only other major employer.
When the Walkers then had to freeze salaries for several years, Fibrebond set up a fund to help employees struggling to pay their bills.
By 2015, Graham became the CEO and rehired some of those who had been laid off during the rough times.
He then decided that instead of handing out individual bonuses, Fibrebond would begin giving ground bonuses when the company met safety and other targets.
Prospects improved, he said, but the business’s ups and downs caused ‘whiplash.’
Graham (second from left) became the CEO in 2015, and hired back some of those that were laid off during the rough times
Walker said he wanted to do something good for the town, which had spent years losing jobs, residents and watching businesses move to Texas
Graham then had to plead with employees to trust his leadership, promising they would benefit if the company ever made it big.
‘We were scratching and clawing for any order, let alone profitable ones,’ Moreno recounted.
The turnaround finally came with a risky $150 million investment to pivot into building modular power enclosures for data centers, which paid off when cloud computing demand surged during the COVID pandemic.
Interest in artificial intelligence further boosted sales, as has the demand for terminals exporting liquefied natural gas.
As a result, sales jumped 400 percent over five years, drawing interest from large industrial players, before Eaton finally agreed to Graham’s 15 percent demand.
‘We came to an agreement with this second-generation family-owned business that honors their commitments to their employees and the community,’ a spokesperson for the company told the Journal.
Graham said he is now just asking his employees one favor – to let them know how the money changed their lives.
‘I hope I’m 80 years old and get an email about how it’s impacted someone,’ he said.
Events cancelled after alert issued due to concerns
A number of festive swim events have been cancelled amid concerns over the weather turning cold(Image: Sonia Mullineux / SWNS)
Cold temperatures are set to continue with frost overnight and a health alert in parts of the UK, the Met Office said. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a yellow cold health alert, which lasts until noon on December 27 for south-west England.
Low temperatures are likely to have minor impacts on health and social care services, including “increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people” and a “greater risk to life of vulnerable people”, according to the UKHSA.
There is likely to be frost overnight into Boxing Day, Met Office meteorologist Zoe Hutin said. “Boxing Day we’re going to see some good spells of sunshine, we will see a little in the way of cloud for the South and North West, some light rain, but for the vast majority it’s going to be dry,” she said.
“While it will still be breezy, it won’t be as windy as Christmas Day. “It’s still going to feel chilly, top temperatures between 6-7C, in the south it’s going to feel closer to 4-5C.
“A low chance of snow, it’s not expected at all.” The weather will be similar on Saturday and Sunday, there could be drizzle where the cloud is thicker, Ms Hutin said, and it will stay quite breezy.
Temperatures will be around average at between 6-7C. Ms Hutin said: “It’s good news for people who have got the week off and want to go on walks.”
It comes as beachgoers have been urged not to swim, with two men in their 60s and 40s still missing after getting into difficulty off the coast of Devon on Christmas Day.
Emergency services were called to Budleigh Salterton at 10.25am following reports of people in the water.
Detective Superintendent Hayley Costar, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: “There have been weather warnings in place this week and a number of official and unofficial swims have already been cancelled.
“While there are no official warnings in place for tomorrow, we urge anyone with plans to go swimming in the sea on Boxing Day not to.”
WORLD NEWS
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un pushes more missile production as ‘war deterrent’ | Kim Jong Un News
North Korean leader calls for increased production of missiles, shells and more factories to produce them.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered his officials to step up production of missiles and artillery shells and construct more factories to meet his military’s growing need for the weapons, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) has reported.
In a visit to munitions plants accompanied by top officials, Kim ordered the factories to prepare for a busy year ahead, KCNA said on Friday.
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“The country’s missile and shell production sector is of paramount importance in bolstering war deterrent,” Kim said, according to KCNA.
“To further expand the overall production capacity” and keep pace with demand from North Korea’s armed forces, Kim also ordered the building of new munitions plants, KCNA said.
Kim’s call for more missiles followed after he was featured on Thursday visiting a shipyard to oversee the construction of what North Korea reports will be an 8,700-tonne nuclear-powered submarine capable of launching surface-to-air missiles.
Photos of Kim at the shipyard showed him inspecting a huge, burgundy-coloured vessel, coated with what appears to be anticorrosion paint, under construction inside an assembly hall with senior officials and his daughter.
It was the first time North Korean state media had released images of the submarine since March, when they mostly showed the lower sections of the vessel.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits the construction site of a purported nuclear-powered submarine [KCNA via Reuters]
Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Seoul-based Korea Institute for National Unification, wrote in a report on Thursday that the design of the submarine’s hull indicates it has been equipped with a nuclear reactor, and the vessel is almost ready to sail.
During the inspection of the submarine, Kim warned that South Korea’s plans to build nuclear-powered submarines would “worsen the instability” in the region, describing the move as a threat to North Korea’s national security.
At a summit with United States President Donald Trump in November, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called on Washington to support South Korea’s efforts to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. Trump later said the US was open to sharing closely held technology to allow South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine.
Kim orders more missile production
Kim was also reported on Thursday to have overseen the test launch of new-type high-altitude long-range anti-air missiles over the Sea of Japan.
The North’s leader was quoted as saying that “new modernisation and production plans” would be unveiled at his ruling Korean Workers Party’s congress, which is expected in early next year.
Analysts say Kim’s recent focus on stepping up missile testing is aimed at improving precision-strike capabilities, with a view to pressuring both the United States and South Korea as well as testing weapons systems before potential exports to Russia.
This picture taken on December 24, 2025, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observing a test-fire of new-type anti-air missiles at an undisclosed location in North Korea [KCNA via KNS/AFP]
Already strong relations between Pyongyang and Moscow have further tightened since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago. North Korea has sent troops, artillery shells, missiles and long-range rocket systems to support Russian forces, analysts say, as part of a mutual defence pact signed by Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In exchange for Pyongyang’s military support, Russia has reportedly provided North Korea with financial assistance, military technology and supplies of food and energy.
Washington has also said there is evidence that Moscow’s support includes advanced space and satellite technology.
Ahn Chan-il, a researcher originally from North Korea, said Pyongyang was also expected to “seek advanced military technologies from Russia, including nuclear-powered submarine capabilities and fighter jets”.
WORLD NEWS
UK ministers urged to cap political donations to ‘rebuild voter confidence’ | Party funding
Ministers should legislate to cap political donations to “rebuild voter confidence” in democracy, campaigners have said before the introduction of a landmark elections bill.
The government is being urged to show more ambition as it prepares to publish legislation early next year that will extend the franchise to 16- and 17-year-olds.
In a letter sent this week to Steve Reed, the communities secretary, and Samantha Dixon, the democracy minister, 19 civil organisations said “a donations cap is the best way to protect our democracy and to rebuild voter confidence in the system”.
Its signatories include the Electoral Reform Society, Transparency International UK, Hope not Hate and the UK Anti-Corruption Coalition.
The call comes weeks after Nigel Farage’s Reform UK declared it had received £9m from the Thailand-based crypto investor Christopher Harborne, the largest donation made by a living person to a British political party.
As well as reducing the voting age to 16, ministers are planning to use the elections bill to reduce loopholes in political finance.
Last summer, the government said it would tighten the rules around political donations from shell companies and unincorporated associations and empower the Electoral Commission to issue much bigger fines – increasing the maximum from £20,000 to £500,000.
The campaigners’ letter called on the government to use the bill to ban political donations made in cryptocurrency, after similar action taken by Ireland and Brazil.
The Guardian reported this month that ministers were exploring doing so amid growing concerns that cryptocurrency donations endanger the integrity of the electoral system because it is difficult to establish where they come from. Farage’s party became the first to accept donations in crypto earlier this year.
Pat McFadden, the work and pensions secretary, said in July that banning cryptocurrency donations was “definitely something that the Electoral Commission should be considering” and that it was “very important that we know who is providing the donation”.
However, ministers have so far shied away from legislating to limit political donations after last year assessing a proposal by the Institute for Public Policy Research for a £100,000 cap.
Like other major parties, Labour relies on private fundraising to fund its campaigns. Its biggest donors in recent years have included the former Autoglass boss Gary Lubner and the green energy entrepreneur Dale Vince.
The letter also called on ministers to legislate to introduce automatic voter registration, which is being piloted in Wales. The measure, which Labour officials have been exploring since they were in opposition, would mean voters are added to the electoral roll automatically without needing to actively register.
Campaigners say the move would improve voter turnout and increase electoral participation by renters and people from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds, who are less likely to be registered to vote.
Finally, the letter urged ministers to safeguard the Electoral Commission’s independence after the Conservatives legislated to allow ministers to set strategy and policy for the regulator.
The signatories warned that the Tory move “creates serious risks of interference and political capture” and that “while it may seem politically expedient to maintain this power while in government, it is essential that independence be returned”.
Campaign groups that signed the letter to Reed and Dixon included Generation Rent, The 99% Organisation, Make Votes Matter, the Black Equity Organisation and the website Byline Times.
A Transparency International report concluded that in 2023, £56.6m in donations – 66% of the total coming from private sources – came from 19 mega-donors.
An MHCLG spokesperson said: “Our elections strategy sets out tough new rules on political donations including plans to increase transparency and close loopholes for foreign funding as we modernise UK democracy and ensure its protection for generations to come.”
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The United States airstrikes that targeted Islamic State militants in northwestern Nigeria on Thursday marked a major escalation in an offensive that Nigeria’s overstretched military has struggled with for years.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media that the “powerful and deadly” strikes were carried out against Islamic State militants “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians.” Residents and security analysts have said Nigeria’s security crisis affects both Christians, predominant in the south, and Muslims, who are the majority in the north.
Nigeria, which is battling multiple armed groups, said the U.S. strikes were part of an exchange of intelligence and strategic coordination between the two countries.
The Associated Press could not confirm the extent of the strikes’ impact. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a post on X about the airstrikes, said: “More to come…”
The militants targeted by US airstrikes
The armed groups in Africa’s most populous country include at least two affiliated with the Islamic State — an offshoot of the Boko Haram extremist group known as the Islamic State West Africa Province in the northeast, and the lesser-known Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) known locally as Lakurawa and prominent in the northwest.
Although officials did not say exactly which group was targeted, security analysts said the target, if indeed against Islamic State militants, was likely members of Lakurawa, which became more lethal in border states like Sokoto and Kebbi in the last year, often targeting remote communities and security forces.
The Nigerian military has said in the past that the group has roots in neighboring Niger and that it became more active in Nigeria’s border communities following a 2023 military coup. That coup resulted in fractured relations between Nigeria and Niger, and affected their multinational military operations along the porous border.
Militants invited to provide security now torment villages
Multiple analysts have said Lakurawa has been active in northwest Nigeria since around 2017 when it was invited by traditional authorities in Sokoto to protect their communities from bandit groups.
The militants, however, “overstayed their welcome, clashing with some of the community leaders … and enforcing a harsh interpretation of sharia law that alienated much of the rural population,” according to James Barnett, an Africa researcher with the Washington-based Hudson Institute.
“Communities now openly say that Lakurawa are more oppressive and dangerous than the bandits they claim to protect them from,” according to Malik Samuel, a Nigerian security researcher with Good Governance Africa.
Lakurawa controls territories in Sokoto and Kebbi states, and has become known for killings, kidnapping, rape and armed robbery, Samuel said.
But some of the attacks blamed on Lakurawa are by the Islamic State Sahel Province, which has expanded from Niger’s Dosso region to northwestern Nigeria, according to the U.S.-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project.
“ISSP has maintained a low profile, operating covertly to infiltrate and entrench itself along the Niger-Nigeria border, and is now also expanding its operations toward the Beninese border,” the project said in a recent report.
Nigeria’s insecurity is deep-rooted in social issues
The security woes are more of a governance problem than a military one.
Motives for attacks differ but the gangs are often driven by the near absence of a state and security presence in conflict hot spots, making recruitment easy. Those hot spots, data show, have some of the country’s highest levels of poverty, hunger and lack of jobs.
Nigeria’s Minister of Defense Christopher Musa once said in his past capacity as the defense chief that military action is only 30% of what is needed to fix the country’s security crisis, while the remaining 70% depends on good governance.
“The absence of the state in remote communities is making it easy for non-state actors to come in and present themselves to the people as the best alternative government,” said Samuel.
US strikes seen as crucial support for Nigeria’s military
Thursday’s U.S. strikes were seen as crucial help for Nigeria’s security forces, which are often overstretched and outgunned as they fight multiple security crises across different regions.
In states like Sokoto, the military often carries out airstrikes targeting militant hideouts and Nigeria has embarked on mass recruitment of security forces.
But analysts say military operations targeting the gangs are not usually sustained and the militants easily move on motorcycles to new locations through vast forests that connect several states in the north.
They also often use hostages — including schoolchildren — as cover, making airstrikes difficult.
WORLD NEWS
Trump launches ‘powerful and deadly’ strike on ISIS in Nigeria and warns of more if attacks persist
Donald Trump announced a ‘powerful and deadly’ Christmas Day strike on ISIS ‘terrorist scum’ in Nigeria and warned that radicals will continue to pay for the persecution of Christians.
The president, who previously threatened to send the US military to the West African nation ‘guns-a-blazing,’ made the announcement in a Truth Social post Thursday evening.
‘Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!’ he wrote.
A spokesperson for the Pentagon confirmed to The Daily Mail that the Nigerian government approved of and worked with the US military on the strikes.
The US Africa Command posted on X that it had ‘conducted a strike at the request of Nigerian authorities in Soboto State killing multiple ISIS terrorists.’
Nigeria’s foreign ministry said the strikes were carried out as part of ongoing security cooperation with the United States, involving intelligence sharing and strategic coordination to target militant groups.
‘This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the North West,’ the ministry said in a post on X.
A video posted by the Pentagon showed at least one projectile launched from a warship. A US defense official said the strike targeted multiple militants at known ISIS camps.
Donald Trump announced a ‘powerful and deadly’ ChristmasDay strike on ISIS ‘terrorist scum’ in Nigeria and warned that radicals will continue to pay for the persecution of Christians
A video posted by the Pentagon showed at least one projectile launched from a warship. A US defense official said the strike targeted multiple militants at known ISIS camps
Trump said in his lengthy post that the ISIS militants have had it coming for some time.
‘I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.’
‘The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing. Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper,’ Trump added.
The president signed off with a warning for the terrorists that they will continue to pay if the murder of innocent Christians goes on.
‘May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.’
The president’s post did not include information about how the strike was carried out and what effects it had and the White House did not immediately provide further details.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth affirmed the president’s message in a social media post of his own.
‘The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end. The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas. More to come… Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!’
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Nigeria has been roiled by internal violence in the wake of a jihadist insurgency spearheaded by extremist group Boko Haram in the northeast since 2009
Trump, 79, had already designated Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern,’ but he took his condemnation of the situation in the country even further after hearing it on Fox News
Nigeria has been roiled by internal violence in the wake of a jihadist insurgency spearheaded by extremist group Boko Haram in the northeast since 2009.
In November, Trump threatened to take on the terrorists with ‘guns-a-blazing.’
Trump, 79, had already designated Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern,’ but he took his condemnation of the situation in the country even further after hearing about it on Fox News, threatening to cut aid and even send in US troops.
Some Christian communities have welcomed the US president’s menace, believing that foreign armies are needed to restore peace in their homeland.
Amid the various forms of bloodletting around the country – including ethnic rivalry and banditry – the Islamist militants have been slaughtering Christians as well as Muslims they regard as ‘apostates’ for failing to comply with their brand of Islam.
There has also been a separate onslaught by Fulani Muslim tribesmen against mainly Christian farming communities, a protracted crisis linked to a tangle of issues like religion, ethnicity and a scramble over the dwindling supply of arable land.
While Christians are among those targeted, analysts say the majority of victims of armed groups are Muslims in Nigeria’s Muslim-majority north, where most attacks occur, according to the Associated Press.
Trump’s threat, which came after he watched a Fox News segment about the conflict in Nigeria, triggered alarm bells across West Africa.
Anonymous sources from the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), which directs American military operations across the continent, told the Washington Post Trump’s announcement prompted concern.
They said a US military operation in an area where there is little US intelligence was unlikely to make a difference, and leaders called for their sovereignty to be respected.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has said that the country ‘welcomes’ the US helping
‘We welcome U.S. assistance as long as it recognizes our territorial integrity,’ Daniel Bwala, an adviser to President Tinubu, told Reuters.
Trump’s explosive announcement also came via Truth Social.
‘If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,’ he wrote.
‘I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action.
‘If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!’
Bwala sought to play down tensions between the two states, despite Trump calling Nigeria a ‘disgraced country.’
‘We don’t take it literally, because we know Donald Trump thinks well of Nigeria,’ Bwala said.
‘I am sure by the time these two leaders meet and sit, there would be better outcomes in our joint resolve to fight terrorism,’ he said.
The president previously threatened to send the US military to the West African nation ‘guns-a-blazing’
Nigeria, a country of more than 200 million people and around 200 ethnic groups, is divided between the largely Muslim north and mostly Christian south.
Islamist insurgents such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have wrought havoc in the country for more than 15 years, killing thousands of people, but their attacks have been largely confined to the northeast of the country, which is majority Muslim.
While Christians have been killed, the vast majority of the victims have been Muslims, analysts say.
In central Nigeria there have been frequent clashes between mostly Muslim herders and mainly Christian farmers over access to water and pasture, while in the northwest of the country, gunmen routinely attack villages, kidnapping residents for ransom.
Nigeria ‘does not discriminate against any tribe or religion in the fight against insecurity,’ Bwala said. ‘There is no Christian genocide.’
In mid-December, Trump placed the country on a list of 15 that faced partial travel bans to the US in a response to anti-Christian violence in Nigeria.
‘The United States is taking decisive action in response to the mass killings and violence against Christians by radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani ethnic militias, and other violent actors in Nigeria and beyond,’ Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
Pope Leo has called for an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, saying that the sides should find the ‘courage’ to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue
Pope Leo XIV waves to the crowd from the popemobile before delivering the Urbi et Orbi message (Image: Getty Images)
In his first Christmas address to the gathered faithful at St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo urged Russia and Ukraine to show the “courage” required for face-to-face peace negotiations, whilst Moscow’s relentless shelling of Kyiv continues.
During his customary Urbi et Orbi speech, traditionally delivered to worshippers assembled in Vatican City on Christmas Day, he made an impassioned plea for an end to conflicts across the world. Speaking directly about the Ukrainian crisis, the Pope proclaimed: “May the clamor of weapons cease, and may the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue.”
His appeal emerges during ongoing American-led diplomatic efforts seeking to establish a ceasefire. Throughout these recent rounds of peace initiatives, direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have been notably missing, despite Washington’s efforts to mediate a settlement both nations could accept.
Pope Leo XIV lamented several wars raging across the globe(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
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Pope Leo also voiced his distress over violence and carnage plaguing other regions globally, including Thailand and Cambodia, where fatal frontier confrontations have erupted anew following a July truce, reports the Irish Star.
He called for “reconciliation and peace” and the restoration of the “ancient friendship” between Southeast Asian countries. Earlier during Christmas Day Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo contemplated worldwide displacement and the destruction caused by armed conflict.
“Fragile is the flesh of defenseless populations, tried by so many wars, ongoing or concluded, leaving behind rubble and open wounds,” he said. He added that the story of Jesus’ birth illustrated how God had “pitched his fragile tent” among humanity.
Pope Leo XIV stands in front of the Virgin Mary as he performs the Christmas mass(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
“How, then,” he asked, turning his attention to the Palestinian crisis, “can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?”.
Following Hamas’ assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel launched a military operation that has ravaged Gaza through Israeli shelling.
Winter tempests have exacerbated conditions for the 2.1 million inhabitants in the territory, with nearly all displaced and their homes either damaged or destroyed.
Aid organisations have urged Israel to permit more tents and vital supplies into Gaza. According to Cogat, the Israeli military body overseeing Gaza’s border crossings, nearly 310,000 tents and tarpaulins have been delivered since the ceasefire started in October.
Poland’s defence minister said Russian aircraft was ‘escorted’ from area and did not pose immediate security threat.
Published On 26 Dec 2025
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Poland said its air force intercepted a “Russian reconnaissance aircraft” flying near the border of its airspace just hours after tracking suspected smuggling balloons coming from the direction of neighbouring Belarus.
“This morning, over the international waters of the Baltic Sea, Polish fighter jets intercepted, visually identified, and escorted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying near the border of Polish airspace from their area of responsibility,” the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said in a post on X on Thursday.
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Polish forces also tracked unknown “objects” flying in the direction of Poland from Belarus during the previous night, prompting Warsaw to temporarily close civilian airspace in the northeast of the country.
“After detailed analysis, it was determined that these were most likely smuggling balloons, moving in the direction and at the speed of the wind. Their flight was continuously monitored by our radar systems,” Operational Command said.
The post did not disclose any further details about the number or size of the balloons.
Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on X that the incidents did not pose an immediate threat to Poland’s security, and he thanked the “nearly 20,000 of our soldiers who, during the Holidays, watch over our safety”.
“All provocations over the Baltic Sea and near the border with Belarus were under the full control of the Polish Army,” he said.
Translation: Another busy night for the operational services of the Polish Army. All provocations, both over the Baltic Sea and over the border with Belarus, were under full control. I thank nearly 20,000 of our soldiers who, during the Holidays, watch over our safety – and as can be seen – do so extremely effectively.
The Belarusian and Russian embassies in Warsaw did not immediately respond to the Reuters news agency’s requests for comment.
Smuggler balloons from Belarus have repeatedly disrupted air traffic in neighbouring Lithuania, forcing airport closures. Lithuania says the balloons are sent by smugglers transporting cigarettes and constitute a “hybrid attack” by Belarus, a close ally of Russia. Belarus has denied responsibility for the balloons.
The latest air alerts in Poland came three months after Poland and NATO forces shot down more than a dozen Russian drones as they flew over Polish airspace between September 9 and 10.
The event was the largest incursion of its kind on Polish airspace since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Following the incident, NATO-member Poland called an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the “blatant violation of the UN Charter principles and the customary law”.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said at the time that Russia was testing how quickly NATO countries could respond to threats.
President Donald Trump has said the US launched a “powerful and deadly strike” against the Islamic State (IS) group in north-western Nigeria.
The US leader described IS as ” terrorist scum”, accusing the group of “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians”.
Trump said the US military “executed numerous perfect strikes”, while the US Africa Command (Africom) later reported that Thursday’s attack was carried out in co-ordination with Nigeria in the Sokoto state.
Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar told the BBC it was a “joint operation” targeting “terrorists”, and it “has nothing to do with a particular religion”.
Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, saying this depended on “decisions to be taken by the leadership of the two countries”.
In his post on Truth Social late on Thursday, Trump said that “under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper”.
In November, Trump ordered the US military to prepare for action in Nigeria to tackle Islamist militant groups.
He did not say at the time which killings he was referring to – but claims of a genocide against Nigeria’s Christians have been circulating in recent months in some right-wing US circles.
Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday he was “grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation”.
“Merry Christmas!” he added, writing on X.
The US Department of Defense later posted an unclassified short video that appeared to show a missile being launched from a military vessel.
On Friday morning, the Nigerian foreign ministry said in a statement that the country’s authorities “remain engaged in structured security co-operation with international partners, including the United States of America, in addressing the persistent threat of terrorist and violent extremism.
“This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the North West,” the statement said.
Groups monitoring violence say there is no evidence to suggest that Christians are being killed more than Muslims in Nigeria, which is roughly evenly divided between followers of the two religions.
An adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu told the BBC at the time that any military action against the jihadist groups should be carried out together.
Daniel Bwala said Nigeria would welcome US help in tackling the Islamist insurgents but noted that it was a “sovereign” country.
He also said the jihadists were not targeting members of a particular religion and that they had killed people from all faiths, or none.
President Tinubu has insisted there is religious tolerance in the country and said the security challenges were affecting people “across faiths and regions”.
Trump earlier announced that he had declared Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” because of the “existential threat” posed to its Christian population. He said “thousands” had been killed, without providing any evidence.
This is a designation used by the US state department that provides for sanctions against countries “engaged in severe violations of religious freedom”.
Following this announcement, Tinubu said his government was committed to working with the US and the international community to protect communities of all faiths.
Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have wrought havoc in north-eastern Nigeria for more than a decade, killing thousands of people – however most of these have been Muslims, according to Acled, a group which analyses political violence around the world.
In central Nigeria, there are also frequent clashes between mostly Muslim herders and farming groups, who are often Christian, over access to water and pasture.
Deadly cycles of tit-for-tat attacks have also seen thousands killed – but atrocities have been committed on both sides.
Human rights groups say there is no evidence that Christians have been disproportionately targeted.
Last week, the US said it had carried out a “massive strike” against IS in Syria,
The US Central Command (Centcom) said fighter jets, attack helicopters and artillery “struck more than 70 targets at multiple locations across central Syria”. Aircraft from Jordan were also involved.
After days of relentless torrential rains leading to mudslides and flash floods, California was hit by another powerful storm on Christmas Day.
The storm on Thursday prompted authorities to issue evacuation warnings and high surf advisories.
An evacuation warning was issued for Wrightwood, a mountain town about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Los Angeles, a day after rescuing people stuck in cars during a mudslide.
The storm, driven by an atmospheric river known as “the Pineapple Express,” which moves heavy moisture from Hawaii to the US West Coast, is expected to dump months’ worth of rain in California over a few days.
The storm has left thousands of people out of power Image: William Liang/AP Photo/picture alliance
The storm and the accompanying by torrential rains have rendered more than 70,000 people without power on Thursday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us.
On Wednesday, at least two people were reported dead due to heavy rains and strong winds.
Poor weather conditions to continue
While there was a pause in the rain in parts of southern California on Thursday, the rain is going to continue through Friday, according to NWS.
It warned of a “broad plume of moisture” producing heavy rain in California on Thursday.
“Numerous flash flooding events are possible. In addition, many streams may flood, potentially affecting larger rivers. The flooding may include debris flows in or near recently burned areas,” the service said, referring to areas affected by wildfires.
The flash floods have left roads covered in debris and rocksImage: William Liang/AP Photo/picture alliance
The NWS has warned that some areas could see winds with gusts of up to 55 miles per hour (88.5 kilometers per hour).
State authorities declared a state of emergency in several counties, including Los Angeles.
“We’re not out of it yet. Rain continues to fall across LA County making roadways, waterways and flood channels extremely dangerous. Check conditions before venturing out today,” Los Angeles County officials said Thursday on X.
Edited by: Farah Bahgat
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Three Palestinians were arrested on accusations of lighting a Christmas tree on fire and damaging part of a Nativity scene at a Catholic church in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Jenin, the Palestinian Authority Police announced.
The attack happened at around 3 a.m. Monday, according to the church.
Palestinian Authority Police said Wednesday the three were taken into custody after a review of surveillance footage targeting the Holy Redeemer Church of Jenin. Tools believed to have been used in the attack were seized from the suspects.
Police condemned the apparent attempt to incite sectarian and religious tensions in the West Bank.
CHRISTMAS RETURNS TO HOLY LAND CITIES AS BETHLEHEM’S CHRISTIAN POPULATION DWINDLES, NAZARETH REMAINS STRONG
Palestinian parishioners check a recently installed Christmas tree after the previous one was destroyed at the Holy Redeemer Latin Church in the West Bank town of Jenin Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (AP)
The church shared photos on social media showing the skeleton of a synthetic Christmas tree that had been cleared of the green plastic branches, and red and gold ornaments were scattered across a courtyard.
The torched tree was quickly cleaned up by the church, which erected a new one a day after the attack in time for Christmas Mass.
The church held a special ceremony with local Muslim and Christian leaders and politicians in attendance. Rev. Amer Jubran, the local priest at the church, said the arson was an isolated incident and emphasized the city’s unity.
“This occasion reaffirmed that attempts to harm religious symbols will never diminish the spirit of the city nor the faith of its people,” the Holy Redeemer Church said in a statement.
Palestinian Authority Police said the trio was taken into custody after a review of surveillance footage. (Getty Images)
The small Christian community in the West Bank is facing increasing threats of extremism from various sides, including both Israeli settlers and Palestinian extremists, prompting them to escape the region.
Christians make up between 1-2% of the West Bank’s roughly 3 million residents, and the vast majority of the community is Muslim. Across the entire Middle East, the Christian population has been declining as people have fled conflict.
In Israel, some church authorities and monitoring groups have documented a recent uptick in anti-Christian sentiment and harassment, including in Jerusalem’s Old City. Extremist Israeli settlers have also reportedly vandalized and torched areas around churches and Christian villages.
POPE LEO XIV DELIVERS FIRST CHRISTMAS CALLING FOR END TO VIOLENCE IN MIDDLE EAST, RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Police condemned the apparent attempt to incite sectarian and religious tensions in the West Bank. (Getty Images)
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The Israel-Hamas war in Gaza kicked off a surge of violence in the West Bank, with the Israeli military’s offensive targeting terrorists killing hundreds of Palestinians and displacing tens of thousands. Terrorists have also attacked and killed Israelis in Israel and the West Bank.
The conflict has coincided with an increase in Israeli settler violence and Palestinian attacks on Israelis.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
WORLD NEWS
How David Harbour’s ‘Fear’ of Losing Millie Bobby Brown Influences ‘Stranger Things’ Finale (Exclusive)
Warning: This story contains spoilers for Stranger Things season 5, Volume 2.
NEED TO KNOW
- Tensions are high between Hopper (David Harbour) and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) in Volume 2 of Stranger Things season 5
- When it comes to Eleven, Hopper is “more protective than most parents because of his history,” the Duffer Brothers tell PEOPLE
- Volumes 1 and 2 of Stranger Things season 5 are streaming now on Netflix, and the finale drops Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET
Eleven is keeping secrets heading into the Stranger Things finale, and the tension between her and Hopper seems ready to implode.
Things are tense between the father-daughter duo throughout season 5, Volume 2, as Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is furious and feels betrayed by Hopper (David Harbour).
In Volume 1, it was revealed that he had a suicide plan that he’d kept to himself for months. Eleven discovered the truth as they broke into the government facility in the Upside Down at the end of Volume 1. Though he claimed it was just a “failsafe,” Eleven was not convinced, and her distrust has lingered into the next round of episodes.
Their tension has left an opening for Eight (Linnea Berthelsen) to convince Eleven to partake in her own self-destructive plan heading into the finale.
The “messy and complicated” dynamic between Hopper and Eleven is a key piece of the puzzle as the final episode of the series approaches, the Duffer Brothers say.
“It’s just a dynamic that we really wanted to explore, which is this dynamic of a parent and their child, who’s actually no longer really a child anymore, is actually a young adult, becoming an adult — and how do you deal with that?” Matt Duffer tells PEOPLE. “How do you deal with letting them go, giving them independence, when, especially Hopper, feels protective of her?”
Hopper is even “more protective than most parents because of his history,” having lost his daughter, Sarah, years earlier, to cancer.
David Harbour as Jim Hopper and Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in ‘Stranger Things’ season 5.
Courtesy of Netflix
That tricky dynamic between a parent and child is “really a big part, I think, of everyone’s journey in transitioning from childhood or young adulthood to adulthood,” Matt says.
In Hopper’s case, his grief drives him, and “he had to confront it again as he was going to save Will in season 1, and then he had to confront it again over the various seasons as he sort of adopted Eleven as his own daughter,” says Ross Duffer.
Hopper’s “greatest fear” is that “Eleven wouldn’t be able to live happily and that she would die at the end of all this,” Ross says, and that now “seems to be a possibility,” given the suicide pact she makes with Eight.
As episode 7 ends, the gang heads into the Upside Down to begin “Operation Beanstalk,” their plan to defeat Vecna before he brings the Abyss to Earth. Eight tells Eleven that they can’t “leave with the others” and instead must stay behind so that “when the Upside Down vanishes, so will we.”
At first, Eleven is hesitant, but she gives her sister a subtle nod just before the episode ends that seems to indicate she’s in on the secret plan.
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As for what that means for Hopper, Ross teases that his fear “is what we really explore moving into the finale.”
David Harbour as Jim Hopper in ‘Stranger Things’ season 5.
Courtesy of Netflix
In episode 7, Hopper shared his fears for Eleven’s safety with Joyce (Winona Ryder) before their final mission kicked off.
“I can work on repairing things between us when I get on the other side of this, but right now, I need to make sure she gets out of this alive,” he said.
“That Kali makes one false move, I swear to god, I’m gonna kill her. I’m gonna kill her. I will not hesitate. Anything happens to El in that tank, I am pulling her out. I can’t lose her, Joyce,” Hopper said, his voice breaking as he gave voice to his biggest fear. “I can’t.”
Volumes 1 and 2 of Stranger Things season 5 are streaming now on Netflix. The finale drops Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET.