Joe Rogan said that Donald Trump’s behavior has been ‘nutty’ of late, prompting concerns about the 79-year-old president’s age. 

Fellow comic Tom Segura appeared on Rogan’s show and suggested that Trump was ‘losing it’ based on some recent decisions, including the renaming of the Kennedy Center after himself. 

‘I think everybody does when you get to a certain age,’ agreed Rogan, before agreeing that Trump’s recent behavior was ‘nutty.’ 

Rogan, who endorsed Trump in 2024, then brought up the president’s new ‘wall of fame’ plaques that brutally trolled Joe Biden and Barack Obama on his podcast. 

‘There’s nothing nuttier than the plaques underneath the president’s names,’ Rogan said. 

Biden is referred to by his nickname ‘Sleepy Joe Biden’ and dubbed ‘by far, the worst President in American History’ in his plaque.

As Rogan went on reading the plaques, he asked: ‘How is this real? How are you allowed to do that?’

Amid his befuddlement, Rogan suggested that Trump get ‘a right-hand man’ who would talk him down from his worst impulses. 

Joe Rogan said that Donald Trump’s behavior has been ‘nutty’ of late, prompting concerns about the 79-year-old president’s age

Fellow comic Tom Segura appeared on Rogan’s show and suggested that Trump was ‘losing it’ based on some recent decisions, including the renaming of the Kennedy Center after himself

Rogan suggested it might be something Trump needs, given his age and the stress of his job and life in recent years. 

‘The stress of going through what that guy went through, where they were trying to jail him when they were going after him with the Russia thing, the Russia hoax, and all that s**t,’ he said.

He also pointed out that the president was still under 18 months from when he faced an assassination attempt.  

‘Like they were trying everything they could to destroy him, just that alone has gotta break your brain, and then they took a shot at him.’

Rogan’s age concerns come at the end of a year where the administration has consistently tried to set the record straight on the president’s health. 

Earlier this month, a leaked version of his schedule showed that Trump is regularly working over 10 hours a day. 

Over nearly two weeks, the president averaged about 21 meetings a day, with travel and other events adding to the long, grueling hours in the White House. 

The president regularly begins his day at around 8:30 in the morning with a series of calls, then takes an average of 21 different meetings with staff, politicians, and dignitaries. One day, he had a meeting with an unnamed ‘television personality.’

Rogan was aghast as the White House’s Presidential Walk of Fame got upgraded this week with new descriptive plaques under each of the president. Some use very Trumpian language 

President Joe Biden was already portrayed as an autopen on the Presidential Walk of Fame, but the new plaques go even further criticizing his record 

The president also regularly checks in with America’s business community, as meetings with various CEOs populated 10 of the 12 days. 

Some of these meetings take as little as a few minutes, but others can go on for much longer, as Trump met with the likes of ‘Ice Maiden’ Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and other key cabinet figures.

On December 3, Trump held a total of 32 events, easily his busiest day, while the day of the Pennsylvania rally, December 9, was his longest, running from 9:46am to 10:55pm.

The average day doesn’t tend to end for Trump until well after 8pm, though he doesn’t even hold to that sometimes, as his appearance at the primetime Congressional ball showed Thursday.

This came after a New York Times piece claimed that, on average, Trump would start scheduled events at 10.31 am during his first tenure in 2017.

However, this year, the President started attending events later in the afternoon, on average at 12.08pm. 

‘Name-calling and personal insults don’t change that, nor will our journalists hesitate to cover this administration in the face of intimidation tactics like this,’ A Times spokesperson told the Daily Mail. 

‘Expert and thorough reporters like Katie Rogers exemplify how an independent and free press helps the American people better understand their government and its leaders.’

The president averages about 21 meetings a day, with travel and other events adding to the long, grueling hours in the White House

Earlier this year, pictures emerged from the Oval Office showing Trump with bruising on his hand, which was sometimes covered up by makeup. The White House claimed the bruising originates from the president shaking too many hands 

The overall number of Trump’s official appearances at White House events has declined by 39 percent compared to his first term, according to the New York Times’s analysis.

Earlier this year, pictures emerged from the Oval Office showing Trump with bruising on his hand, which was sometimes covered up by makeup. The White House claimed the bruising originates from the president shaking too many hands.

After photos showed him with swollen legs and ankles, the White House revealed in July that he had been diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency – a condition where leg veins can’t send blood back to the heart efficiently.

On Tuesday, Trump traveled to Mount Pocono, in the northeast part of the commonwealth, to give what was billed as an address on the economy. 

In reality, the event had the makings of a campaign rally, as he defended his second-term record ahead of next year’s midterm races in front of a raucous crowd of MAGA faithful.

Throughout Joe Biden’s time in the White House, Trump and his Republican allies slammed the Democratic leader over his old age, lack of public appearances, and cognitive ability. 

SOURCE PAGE

Former England cricket captain Freddie Flintoff previously opened up about his battle with drinking and how it affected his relationship with wife Rachel

Freddie Flintoff has struggled with alcohol in the past(Image: Photo by Dominic Lipinski/Getty Images)

Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff, one of television’s most cherished personalities, has returned to our screens once more with Bullseye over the festive season.

The former cricketer enjoyed a remarkable career at the highest level of sport, but also faced numerous deeply personal struggles that took a toll on his life and relationships. Despite being hailed as the hero of the 2005 Ashes, Flintoff battled both bulimia and alcohol abuse throughout his sporting career, though he never described himself as an alcoholic.

The cricket icon has previously acknowledged that his drinking habits, which he used to conceal his mental health difficulties, put his wife “through hell”. Despite this, the couple have remained together for 19 years.

Rachel Wools has stood by her husband through the most challenging periods. In 2022, they faced another ordeal together when Flintoff was involved in a near-fatal accident whilst filming for Top Gear.

In his Daily Mail column a decade ago, Flintoff disclosed the extent of his drinking habits, even well into his 30s.

READ MORE: Inside Stuart Broad’s love life from Miss England and lingerie models to pop star fianceeREAD MORE: Ben Stokes springs Ashes surprise as Shoaib Bashir decision made for vital third Test

He confessed he never truly matured when it came to alcohol, frequently consuming shots and bizarre mixtures, none of which he actually enjoyed. Flintoff then explained why he no longer drinks.

“I’m 37 now and I don’t touch drink for lots of reasons,” he wrote in 2015. “First, it can turn me into an idiot. Secondly, I get really fat when I drink and I don’t want to get really fat.

Freddie Flintoff drank heavily well into his 30s(Image: 2025 Philip Brown)

“Above all, I don’t drink now because I’ve used drink in the past to change my feelings. Whether it was feelings of insecurity or depression I’d drink in the hope that I wouldn’t go on feeling that way.

“Three or four pints in you feel like cock of the walk. But then you keep going and you end up in oblivion. And the next day you wake up and, however bad your problems felt without a hangover, with a hangover they’re always a lot worse.”

In 2017, Flintoff shared the pivotal moment that led him to quit alcohol. During an appearance on BBC Radio 5 Live Sport, he disclosed an incident on a plane where, whilst intoxicated, he mistakenly tried to urinate in the cockpit.

Rachel has been with him through thick and thin(Image: Corbis via Getty Images)

“I open the door, pull my pants down,” he explained. “I fling my head back. I open my eyes, I’m not in the toilet – I’m in the cockpit! There’s two German pilots, turned around and she says, ‘Get him off my plane!’

“So then, like all football fans do when they’ve disgraced themselves, the security comes through, I get marched off the plane. I’ve now got to walk past the line of a hundred yards of England football fans who now think I’m the Messiah! They think I’m the man, this is brilliant, that I’m a football fan.

“I was skulking down, I had my head down as they’re chanting my name. But I’m not happy with that, it’s something that will never happen again and one of the many reasons I stopped drinking.”

SOURCE PAGE

Last week, Republican Ohio gubernatorial hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy challenged other Republicans over their idea that ancestry or heritage is what makes someone truly American.

“The idea that a ‘heritage American’ is more American than another American is un-American at its core,” Ramaswamy, who was born to Indian immigrant parents, said during Turning Point USA’s annual conference.

Remigration — once a fringe far-right notion advocating the deportation of ethnic minorities — is now gaining traction in United States Republican circles as President Donald Trump’s second term enters the final weeks of its first year.

Earlier this year, reports said that the US State Department was considering creating a department of remigration. A few months later, the Department of Homeland Security posted in favour of remigration online.

But it is not just American far-right figures evoking the idea of remigration; European far-right leaders are also joining in.

Here is a closer look at what remigration means and what its origins are.

What is remigration?

Broadly, remigration refers to when an immigrant voluntarily returns to their country of origin.

However, in the context of far-right movements, remigration is a method of ethnic cleansing.

For white ethnonationalists, remigration is a process through which all non-white people are forcibly removed from traditionally white countries.

What are the origins of remigration?

Ideas of remigration trace back to Nazi Germany in the late 1930s. The Nazis attempted to “remigrate” the Jews in Germany to Madagascar.

But the concept got wind through the work of Renaud Camus, a French novelist who devised the Great Replacement conspiracy theory in his 2011 book, Le Grand Remplacement.

His widely debunked white nationalist theory suggests that elites are replacing white Christians in the West with non-white, primarily Muslim, people through mass migration and demographic changes. Camus calls this “genocide by substitution”.

Far-right nationalists in Europe and beyond have borrowed ideas from this theory.

Heidi Beirich, an expert on the American and European far-right movements, told Al Jazeera that the term remigration is “relatively new” in far-right circles.

Beirich said that the concept was popularised by Martin Sellner.

Sellner, 36, is the leader of Austria’s ultranationalist Identitarian Movement, a far‑right group known for anti-immigration activism and promoting ethnonationalist ideology. Ethnonationalists define the nation primarily by shared ethnicity, ancestry, culture and heritage.

“Remigration advocates the forced removal of non-white people from what Sellner and others with his beliefs view as historically white countries, basically Europe, Canada, the US, Australia and New Zealand,” Beirich explained.

Beirich said remigration in essence, is a “policy solution to the white supremacist ‘Great Replacement’ conspiracy theory”.

Do different groups have different ideas?

There are strands of nationalists beyond ethnonationalism.

Civic nationalists, who also called liberal nationalists or constitutional nationalists, define the nation by shared political values, laws and institutions, regardless of ethnicity. They believe that a person belongs to a country if they hold legal citizenship and are committed to the state’s principles.

While civic nationalists are less enthusiastic about remigration than ethnonationalists, to them, remigration means voluntary return migration. This could mean policies or incentives for immigrants to return to their country of origin if they choose, often for economic, family or cultural reasons.

Why is the idea of remigration becoming mainstream?

Beirich said that Sellner has been pushing this idea with far-right parties in Europe for the past two years.

“The astounding thing is not that a xenophobic political party like AfD in Germany would be open to this, but rather that a white supremacist policy position is now being pushed by the US government.”

The AfD is a far-right party called Alternative for Germany, which is designated an “extremist” organisation in the country.

In May 2025, Axios reported, quoting an unnamed State Department official, that the department is planning to create an “Office of Remigration”.

Then, in an X post on October 14, the Department of Homeland Security wrote “remigrate,” adding a link to its mobile application, which allows US immigrants to self-deport.

Where is the remigration movement picking up?

The idea of remigration has been revived by far-right leaders in Europe as well.

This includes Herbert Kickl, the leader of Austria’s far-right anti-immigration Freedom Party (FPO).

“As People’s Chancellor, I will initiate the remigration of all those who trample on our right to hospitality,” Kickl said in the FPO manifesto ahead of the election in September 2024.

While FPO won most seats in the election, other parties — the conservative People’s Party (OVP), the Social Democrats (SPO) and the liberal NEOS — came together to form a ruling coalition under an early 2025 deal which sidelined the FPO.

Across the border in Germany, Alice Weidel, the leader of the AfD, referred to “remigration” while supporting the closure of the country’s borders to new immigrants at a party conference in January.

In May 2025, a conference called the Remigration Summit was held in Italy. It was attended by far-right activists from across Europe. InfoMigrants, a website which covers migration issues in Europe, estimated that 400 right-wing activists attended the summit.

But Beirich said that remigration, if implemented as a policy, would in effect be an “attempt to create all-white countries through ethnic cleansing”.

SOURCE PAGE

Russia is scrambling to rein in the country’s sprawling illicit market for leaked personal data, a shadowy ecosystem long exploited by investigative journalists, police and criminal groups.

For more than a decade, Russia’s so-called probiv market – a term derived from the verb “to pierce” or “to punch into a search bar” – has operated as a parallel information economy built on a network of corrupt officials, traffic police, bank employees and low-level security staff willing to sell access to restricted government or corporate databases.

While leaked databases exist everywhere, the scale and routine use of probiv is uniquely Russian. It grew out of the country’s deeply corrupt state infrastructure and became indispensable both to those seeking to exploit the system and to those trying to expose it.

For a modest fee – sometimes as little as $10 – buyers can obtain passport numbers, home addresses, travel histories, car registrations and internal police records. At the higher end, entire dossiers could be purchased on individuals, including metadata on calls and movements.

Probiv, whose use remains controversial among Russian journalists, have underpinned high-profile investigations, including tracing the FSB state security unit behind the poisoning of Alexei Navalny.

It also served the police and security services themselves, who routinely used the black market to track activists, opposition figures and anyone who fell outside the state’s favour.

“It is one of the paradoxes of modern Russia: on the one hand, these services are illegal and rely on leaked data, yet on the other, they are far more convenient for day-to-day police work than the multitude of official departmental databases,” said Andrei Zakharov, an investigative journalist who recently published a book on probiv.

But as the war in Ukraine stretched into its fourth year, the Kremlin began to view probiv less as a tolerated convenience and more as a threat.

Phone scam syndicates were using leaked data on an industrial scale, while Ukrainian intelligence had learned to exploit the country’s porous information landscape to identify and assassinate military officials inside Russia.

During his annual phone-in with the nation last year, President Vladimir Putin himself admitted that a close friend had fallen victim to a phone scam.

That incident, said Zakharov, was the signal for security services to start closing down on the probiv market. Over the past year, Putin has signed laws tightening penalties for data leaks, imposing up to 10 years in prison for accessing or distributing such information.

The security services have also begun an aggressive hunt for probiv operators, detaining several brokers and targeting the infrastructure they rely on. Among the most high-profile arrests was of the team behind Usersbox, one of the widest-used and cheapest services.

But the Kremlin’s war on probiv appears to have had the opposite effect, Zakharov said. Many of the leading probiv operators and brokers have moved their businesses abroad where they are far less constrained by informal deals with the security services or fear of immediate arrest.

“Before, they still worked with the security services, or would think twice before releasing something extremely sensitive. Now all their brakes are off,” Zakharov said. “They’re dumping one sensitive leak after another.”

He cited last year’s massive FSB database known as Kordon-2023, which was leaked online, containing details of people who had crossed Russia’s borders between 2014 and 2023. Zakharov described it as one of the largest and most consequential leaks to date.

Well-known services such as Himera, which had been known to cooperate with the authorities, have changed course: the group said it had cut off law-enforcement access and relocated all its staff.

Ukrainian hackers have joined in. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, pro-Ukrainian hackers and other intelligence groups have repeatedly breached Russian state and commercial systems, stealing data and releasing it openly – often for free, and largely for ideological reasons.

Last year, the Ukrainian hacker group KibOrg published online a database belonging to clients of Alfa Bank, Russia’s largest private commercial bank.

The leak allegedly contained personal data on roughly 24 million individuals and more than 13m organisations.

“Taken together,” Zakharov said, “it has never been easier to find private Russian data on the market.”

SOURCE PAGE

A US judge has temporarily blocked the detention of British social media campaigner Imran Ahmed, who took legal action against the US government over having his visa removed.

The Center for Countering Digital Hate founder was among five people denied US visas after the Trump administration accused them of seeking to “coerce” tech platforms into censoring free speech.

The move brought a backlash from European leaders defending the work of organisations monitoring online content.

Mr Ahmed, a US permanent resident, had warned that being detained and possibly deported would tear him away from his American wife and child. Praising the judge’s decision, he told BBC News he would not be “bullied”.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said online that the individuals were blocked over concerns that they had organised efforts to pressure US platforms to censor and “punish American viewpoints they oppose”.

Mr Ahmed filed a legal complaint on Wednesday against officials including Rubio and US Attorney General Pamela Bondi over the decision to have him sanctioned.

In court documents seen by the BBC, US District Judge Vernon S Broderick said on Thursday he had granted Mr Ahmed’s request for a temporary restraining order.

The judge also temporarily blocked the officials from detaining Mr Ahmed without the chance for his case to be heard.

The BBC has contacted the state department and White House for comment.

When approached by AFP news agency, a state department spokesperson was quoted as saying: “The Supreme Court and Congress have repeatedly made clear: the United States is under no obligation to allow foreign aliens to come to our country or reside here.”

Mr Ahmed said: “I will not be bullied away from my life’s work of fighting to keep children safe from social media’s harm and stopping antisemitism online.”

His lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, said the speed of the judge’s decision was telling.

“The federal government can’t deport a green card holder like Imran Ahmed, with a wife and young child who are American, simply because it doesn’t like what he has to say,” she said.

In 2023, Mr Ahmed’s centre was sued by Elon Musk’s social media company after it reported on a rise in hate speech on the platform since the billionaire’s takeover of the firm, now called X.

The case was dismissed but an appeal is pending.

SOURCE PAGE

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

SOURCE PAGE

Ukraine’s president Zelensky appears to wish death to Putin in Christmas message

On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents

Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents

Get a weekly international news dispatch

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

SOURCE PAGE

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

SOURCE PAGE

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. 

SOURCE PAGE

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.”

SOURCE PAGE

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.

Recommended Stories

list of 4 itemsend of list

“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”.

SOURCE PAGE

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.”

SOURCE PAGE

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!’

Join the debate

Should the US intervene militarily in other countries to protect persecuted religious groups?

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. 

SOURCE PAGE

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)

READ MORE: Trump attacks Epstein ‘sleazebags’ in Christmas rant after new DOJ photos

READ MORE: Boy, 3, left an orphan at Christmas after crash kills parents and sibling

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.

SOURCE PAGE

Poland’s defence minister said Russian aircraft was ‘escorted’ from area and did not pose immediate security threat.

Published On 26 Dec 202526 Dec 2025

Click here to share on social media

share2

Share

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.

Recommended Stories

list of 4 itemsend of list

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.

SOURCE PAGE