WORLD NEWS
‘All brakes are off’: Russia’s attempt to rein in illicit market for leaked data backfires | Russia
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.”
Jolene Foo’s route to Chinese drama fandom happened after moving from her native Malaysia to Norway in her late 20s. Foo, who grew up as a “third-generation Chinese kid,” was looking for a way to reconnect with her homeland. Her friends recommended Chinese dramas, or C-dramas for short.
“What really drew me in was the cultural dimension,” she told DW. “As someone who is of the Chinese diaspora, watching C-dramas became a way of reconnecting with my roots.”
Tanvir Khan had just finished his secondary school exam in 2018 and was surfing Facebook. He came across a short video from a serialized C-drama, entitled “The Story of Yanxi Palace.” He was enthralled.
“I don’t know whether I can explain it properly or not, but you know when you see a scene and something inside you just clicks?” Khan, who is now in his final year of undergraduate studies in Dhaka, Bangladesh, told DW. “It’s like your mind tells you, Yes, this is exactly what I wanted to watch.”
From that moment on, Khan said, he was hooked. He is now an administrator for a Facebook group for C-drama fans with over 700,000 members from around the world and regularly translates subtitles from English into his native Bengali.
“I know that these are quality dramas. That is why I want to share it with my Bengali friends!” said Khan.
China’s AI dating blurs love and technology
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
A growing phenomenon
The global rise of Chinese entertainment began in the early 2000s when the poetic martial arts and sweeping visuals of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” put Chinese storytelling on the map. That momentum carried into television, where dramas evolved from historical epics to modern romances and fantasy hits.
In the 2010s, Netflix and Viki introduced these dramas to global audiences and since 2020, have moved to video-on-demand (VOD) apps. Many are now being streamed on YouTube and Facebook with local language subtitles, making them accessible to even more people around the globe.
According to Myat Pan Phyu of Media Partners Asia, an independent research firm tracking Asia-Pacific’s video entertainment industries, Chinese dramas are “a structural pillar of Asia’s premium VOD landscape, delivering sustained audience engagement and cross-border reach.”
Demand is strong in markets like Taiwan and Thailand and is rapidly growing in Southeast Asia. Though trailing in popularity to Korean drama, or K-drama, C-dramas now reach tens of millions of viewers across the region.
“Since 2022, C-dramas have expanded their share of premium VOD hours most sharply in Singapore, Taiwan and Indonesia, with moderate gains in Malaysia and the Philippines,” she added.
Journalist Naman Ramachandran tracks the entertainment industry in Asia for the American trade publication Variety. He has witnessed the rise of Chinese dramas into an industry powerhouse. But lately, he said, there has been a shift.
“The longer dramas do exist and they are doing well,” said Ramachandran. “But many of the traditional players are now going towards the shorter formats simply because that’s where the attention is.”
China vs. USA: Who will lead the global economy?
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Big drama in micro doses
These new, shorter programs are called microdramas. They are ultra-short, scripted series delivered in vertical format optimized for mobile viewing, often just a few minutes per episode. Microdramas have exploded in popularity on streaming apps, offering short, fast-paced stories on romance, family conflicts, workplace struggles, revenge plots and aspirational lifestyles.
“The storytelling and the plots, everything is heightened,” said Ramachandran. “There is no room to pause and breathe as everything has to happen in those two minutes. It hooks you!”
A recent report by Media Partners Asia forecasts that globally, microdramas will hit a revenue of $9 billion (€7.6 billion) by 2030 outside of China, up from a reported $1.4 billion in 2024.
One of the main players in the production of microdramas is COL Group, the Beijing-based digital content company behind two of the most popular apps for microdramas, ReelShort and FlareFlow.
The company started focusing on short, vertical content for the phone in 2021, when most dramas were being produced for movie theaters or television, said Timothy Oh, General Manager for Southeast Asia at COL Group.
“It is easy to watch for people who are not necessarily ready to commit to a full drama series,” said Oh. “I wouldn’t say it’s an evolution of purely Chinese dramas, but it is an evolution of how content is being consumed.”
The company is betting big on microdramas and will open the industry’s first dedicated microdrama studio near Macau featuring a 10,000-square-meter facility. It also boasts 30 international production teams across major cities allowing the company to localize content for different audiences. Both ReelShort and FlareFlow are seeing significant growth in both the US and Germany.
“I think this shows that Chinese content travels and translates well,” said Oh, adding “they are usually just simple stories from a universal perspective.”
Can China’s new aircraft carrier compete with US warships?
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Soft, dramatic power
Shaoyu Yuan, a professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey, has been following the growth of C-dramas. For him, China’s surge in drama production isn’t just about entertainment or revenue, it’s part of a broader strategy of soft power. The state shapes this ecosystem through boundaries, censorship and incentives, then amplifies stories that fit its preferred messaging.
“It is a hybrid model, market-led in creation but state-shaped in the environment, which is why the growth looks sudden even though it has been building for a long time,” said Yuan.
C-drama fan Foo says that for international viewers, China’s drive for soft power is visible through how accessible C-dramas have become. Many of these platforms now host full series on YouTube, often with multiple subtitle options released quickly and consistently.
“I don’t think that kind of accessibility happens by accident,” said Foo. “It feels to me as a pretty clear signal that they want to reach global audiences and lower the barrier to entry.”
However, for Foo and many viewers across the world, these shows offer something they cannot get anywhere else: a glimpse into contemporary China.
“While these stories are fictional and not a direct reflection of reality, they still provide a small but valuable window into a society that is often oversimplified or misunderstood,” said Foo.
For Yuan, when viewers binge Chinese dramas, they spend hours immersed in Chinese culture, its stories, romance, social norms and even the language, instead of politics. And this repeated exposure contributes to a softer, more human image of China.
“Dramas do not magically erase political concerns, but they do change the emotional baseline,” said Yuan.
Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox
Get our free Inside Washington email
Get our free Inside Washington email
A GOP lawmaker is mourning the death of his Senate campaign manager, whom he described as the “heart and soul” of his team.
Tatum Dale, who had previously served as Rep. Andy Barr’s deputy chief of staff, died on Christmas Eve, with the Congressman sharing a lengthy statement about his former colleague shortly after.
“Tatum loved her family, her faith, and her Commonwealth,” Barr wrote in the statement. “She made me a better Congressman, our staff better public servants, and we will all miss her forever.
“From Murray to Lexington and everywhere in the Commonwealth that she touched, we hope you will all join us in praying for Tatum’s family and friends — and be forever inspired by her memory to serve others.”
open image in gallery
Tatum Dale was working as Congressman Andy Barr’s campaign manager before her death (Andy Barr)
Dale began working for Barr, who is the representative for the Lexington area in Kentucky, in 2012 when he launched a bid for Congress.
According to Barr, Dale became instrumental in running his political operation, writing that she had held “almost every job in my office.”
When Barr announced he would run for the seat to replace retiring former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in 2026, Dale took over as manager of his congressional campaign.
Dale’s cause of death has not yet been made public.
Meanwhile, tributes from her Republican colleagues have flooded in on social media.
open image in gallery
Andy Barr is the US representative for the Lexington area in Kentucky. He hopes to succeed Mitch McConnell as Kentucky Senator (Andy Barr)
Former Senator Ralph Alvarado, who is running to replace Barr, wrote on X that he was “devastated” to hear about her death.
“Tatum was an amazing person, a highly respected political operative, and a truly loved and dear friend to all who were fortunate enough to know her,” he continued.
Daniel Cameron, who is running against Barr to replace McConnell, described Tatum as a “friend.”
“She will be truly missed,” he wrote on X. “Makenze and I will be praying for her family and all of Team Barr.
Sean Southard, a communications director for Montana GOP Governor Greg Gianforte, said that he was “truly shocked” by Dale’s death.
“Tatum was one of those hardworking people who seemed to be at every GOP event,” he wrote. “Praying for her family and her work colleagues.”
open image in gallery
Senator Mitch McConnell has warned, ‘This is the most dangerous period since before World War Two’ (Getty)
Dale’s death comes as the race to replace McConnell continues to heat up.
McConnell is the longest-serving senator in Kentucky history.
The 83-year-old has come under widespread criticism for remaining in power due to his advancing years. He has been recorded falling and freezing during interviews on the Hill.
I believe in being warm and cozy all winter long, which is why I practically live in comfy lounge sets. They’re truly the foundation of my winter wardrobe. I wear them while I’m working from home, running errands, having brunch with friends, shopping at the farmer’s market, flying on planes — you name it, there’s a lounge set for it.
But here’s the thing: I own so many matching sets that I don’t want to spend a fortune on them. While scrolling through Amazon’s after-Christmas sale, I happened to discover the loungewear jackpot — we’re talking thousands of lounge sets on sale for under $40. I found 10 options to get me through the winter in cozy style, and they start at just $12.
Best Amazon After-Christmas Sales on Lounge Sets
- Lightweight Jersey: Fruit of the Loom Long-Sleeve Tee and Wide-Leg Pants Set, $12 (orig. $33)
- Soft Ribbed-Knit: Evaless Ribbed-Knit Collared Top and Drawstring Pants Set, $30 (orig. $40)
- Wear Separately or Together: Wiholl Buttoned Henley and Drawstring Joggers Set, $30 (orig. $41)
- Bold Stripes: Prettygarden Crewneck Sweatshirt and Joggers Set, $36 (orig. $40)
- Oprah-Inspired: Anrabess Fuzzy Crewneck Sweater and Drawstring Pants Set, $37 (orig. $42)
- Comfy PJs: Hanes Midnights Long-Sleeve Top and Printed Pants Set, $20 (orig. $48)
- Basic Black: Aloodor Crewneck Sweatshirt and Jogger Pants Set, $32 (orig. $40)
- Over 20 Colors: Ekouaer Waffle-Knit Crewneck Top and Wide-Leg Pants Set, $30 (orig. $33)
- Soft Sweater Set: Grecerelle Chunky Sweater and Wide-Leg Pants Set, $30 (orig. $40)
- Stylish Side Slits: Ofeefan Side-Slit Top and Wide-Leg Pants Set, $39 (orig. $55)
Fruit of the Loom Long-Sleeve Tee and Wide-Leg Pants Set
Amazon
I was already enamored by this lounge set because of its lightweight jersey material, slightly slouchy fit, and contrast trim on the shirt collar and pant hems, and then I discovered it’s on sale for only $12. Plus, satisfied shoppers said the outfit is “extremely comfortable” and “holds up beautifully through laundering,” so I’m sold.
Evaless Ribbed-Knit Collared Top and Drawstring Pants Set
Amazon
This matching set includes a collared top with a V-neckline and banded cuffs, and wide-leg pants with a comfy drawstring waist, both in a “super soft and cozy” ribbed-knit material, per a reviewer. It comes in a variety of colors like light gray, black, dark green, and pink, plus sizes S–XXL.
Wiholl Buttoned Henley and Drawstring Joggers Set
Amazon
I love so many of the style details on this two-piece set, like the three-button Henley top and jogger pants with deep patch pockets and exposed seams. I’m especially eyeing it in khaki and caramel, but it comes in over 25 colors and patterns.
Prettygarden Crewneck Sweatshirt and Joggers Set
Amazon
This lounge set is the perfect match for so many of my winter activities — I’m already envisioning wearing it with ankle booties to weekend brunches, grocery store runs, and coffee dates with friends. I especially love the bold stripe details across the chest and around the arms.
Anrabess Fuzzy Crewneck Sweater and Drawstring Pants Set
REI
I spotted Meghan Markle and Oprah Winfrey in white sweater sets recently, and this one with a crewneck sweater and drawstring pants is a sleek yet cozy way to try the trend. One happy shopper said it’s “so soft and snuggly but makes you feel put together to stay home or leave the house for a casual outing.”
Hanes Midnights Long-Sleeve Top and Printed Pants Set
Amazon
I’ve been slowly upping my pajama game by tossing old, ratty sweats and tees in favor of more stylish matching PJ sets. This one definitely fits the bill, thanks to a subtly oversized, long-sleeve Henley T-shirt and straight-leg pants with a bold print and comfy elastic waistband.
Aloodor Crewneck Sweatshirt and Jogger Pants Set
Amazon
With a long-sleeve crewneck sweatshirt and drawstring jogger pants, this is a great matching set for long travel days. It’s available in almost 40 colors and patterns, plus sizes XS–3XL.
Ekouaer Waffle-Knit Crewneck Top and Wide-Leg Pants Set
Amazon
I had a waffle-knit tee in eighth grade that I wore religiously, and I’ve basically thought about it every day since. This waffle-knit lounge set is the next best thing — I love the slouchy V-neck top and drawstring pants with convenient side pockets.
Grecerelle Chunky Sweater and Wide-Leg Pants Set
Amazon
“This is the most comfortable sweater-feel lounge set ever,” a reviewer said of this two-piece ensemble. It includes an oversized crewneck sweater with stylish lantern sleeves and wide-leg pants with a drawstring waist. It comes in four neutral hues and sizes S–XL.
Ofeefan Side-Slit Top and Wide-Leg Pants Set
Amazon
With a stitched V-inset and side slits, this lounge set makes a stylish statement whether you wear it at home or on a casual day out. One satisfied reviewer said, “You feel like you are wearing your pajamas but look put together.”
WORLD NEWS
Moment Prince William spots ‘Diana’s biggest superfan’ in Sandringham crowd and calls out to him by name – before introducing him to Charlotte, Louis and George
Prince William spotted ‘Diana’s biggest superfan’ in the crowd of people lined up to greet the royals at Sandringham yesterday.
But the Prince delighted him further by calling out to royal fanatic John Loughrey, 70, by name – before introducing him to Charlotte, Louis, and George.
Mr Loughrey, wearing a hat covered in pins of the Royal Family and bearing presents for William’s children, wished the family a merry Christmas and told Prince George: ‘Diana would be proud of you’.
The royal children politely greet the superfan and thank him for their gifts, with Charlotte adding: ‘Thank you very much, that’s so kind’.
Even King Charles II recognised the man who has been called Princess Diana’s biggest superfan.
As the monarch shook hands and greeted the festive well-wishers who were lined up outside the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk yesterday, he noted Mr Loughrey’s impressive badge collection, saying: ‘You’ve collected more badges since last year!’
John Loughrey, from Wandsworth, south west London, arrived at 9pm on Christmas Eve and spent the night on a fold up chair outside the gates and was first in the queue outside Sandringham’s War Memorial gates to greet the royals on Christmas Day.
He told the Daily Mail: ‘It was cold but I had heat pads inside my jumper and hand warmers.
Mr Loughrey brought Prince William a gift – a 2012 portrait of himself bearing the Union Jack
King Charles noted Mr Loughrey’s impressive badge collection, remarking that it had increased since last year
Princess Kate looked radiant as she greeted fans yesterday wearing a silk scarf and purple tartan coat
‘There’s something special about sharing Christmas Day with the royals at Sandringham.’
The royal megafan also came armed with a portrait of himself painted in honour of Diana, Princess of Wales, back in 2012, which he hoped to pass on to Prince William.
The retired chef assist was painted by artist Rebecca Francesca Cartwright de Fontenelle and featured in the Royal Society of Portrait Painters 2012 exhibition.
‘I have met him several times before,’ Mr Loughrey said of Prince William.
‘I last saw William at the Centrepoint homeless charity a few weeks ago and I told him I would bring a special gift for him to Sandringham.’
Mr Loughrey had also met William back in March when he visited mental health charity established in 2017 by The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales called Mental Health Innovations (MHI) in White City.
Prince William also stopped in March to greet Mr Loughrey then, where he discussed his plans to have more royal memorabilia commissioned.
The superfan well known to the Press is a regular visitor to St Paul’s Cathedral and, when the Queen died in 2022, he planned to camp outside Buckingham Palace for ten days in mourning.
King Charles and Queen Camilla led the royals as they passed crowds of fans waiting for a glimpse of the family on Christmas Day
The Princess of Wales looked radiant as she greeted fans with her daughter, Princess Charlotte
An unexpected appearance was also made by Princess Beatrice and her husband Eduardo Mapelli Mozzi, despite rumours they would spend Christmas elsewhere
Yesterday, senior Royals greeted crowds as they passed to and from Mary Magdalene Church in traditional Christmas celebrations at Sandringham.
King Charles led the procession alongside Queen Camilla, who stood out in a bright red overcoat and matching hat. The couple appeared relaxed and cheerful as they acknowledged the crowds on the sunny but chilly morning.
After the hour-long service, the family returned to Sandringham House for a Christmas lunch hosted by the King, once again pausing to greet members of the public on their walk back.
The day also brought a surprise appearance from the King’s nieces, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who attended despite speculation they might spend Christmas elsewhere this year.
Beatrice was joined by her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, who later wished members of the press a merry Christmas as the family departed.
Other royals spotted included Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, with their children Lady Louise, 22, and James, Viscount Severn, 17, as well as Princess Anne and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence.
Zara and Mike Tindall attended with their children Mia, Lena and Lucas, while Peter Phillips was joined by his daughters Savannah and Isla.
Police taped off an area of Glasgow after a 38-year-old man was found injured before he was rushed to hospital for treatment – where he sadly died on Christmas Day
Officers have launched a probe into the man’s death(Image: Daily Record)
Police have launched a probe after a man was found injured on a busy Glasgow street and tragically died on Christmas Day.
This is a breaking news story. Follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Apple News, Twitter, Facebook or visit The Mirror homepage.
WORLD NEWS
US judge blocks detention of British free speech campaigner amid ‘censorship’ row | US News
A US judge has temporarily blocked the Donald Trump administration from detaining British anti-disinformation campaigner Imran Ahmed.
It comes after the US permanent resident sued officials over an entry ban for the part he played in what the US government argues is online censorship.
Washington issued visa bans on Tuesday on Mr Ahmed, 47, and four Europeans, including French former EU commissioner Thierry Breton.
It accuses them of working to censor freedom of speech or unfairly hitting US tech giants with regulation.
Nigeria latest: US warns ‘more to come’ after claiming strikes on IS targets
Mr Ahmed is CEO of the US-based Center for Countering Digital Hate, which aims to protect human rights and civil liberties online.
He is a New York resident and is believed to be the only one of the five targeted by the visa ban currently in the country.
The move angered European governments, who argue regulations and the work of monitoring groups made the internet safer by highlighting false information and pushing tech giants to do more to tackle illegal content, including child sexual abuse material and hate speech.
US President Donald Trump. Pic: AP
For Mr Ahmed, it also sparked fears of imminent deportation that would separate him from his wife and child, both US citizens, according to a lawsuit he filed on Wednesday in the Southern District of New York.
When announcing the visa restrictions, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he had determined the presence of the five people in the US had potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the nation, which meant they could be deported.
Read more:
Why Trump administration is so annoyed with Europe’s online rules
Man reveals what it’s like celebrating Christmas in country where it’s banned
Mr Ahmed named Mr Rubio, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other Trump officials in his lawsuit.
He argued officials were violating his rights to free speech and due process by threatening deportation.
US District Judge Vernon Broderick issued a temporary restraining order on Thursday, instructing officials not to arrest, detain or transfer Mr Ahmed before he has an opportunity for his case to be heard, and scheduled a conference between the parties for 29 December.
Thierry Breton. Pic: Reuters
Mr Ahmed praised the US legal system’s checks and balances in a statement provided by a representative and said he was proud to call the country his home.
“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,” he said.
In response to questions about the case, a State Department spokesperson said: “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.”
The Department of Homeland Security has been contacted for comment.
Legal permanent residents, known as green card holders, do not require a visa to stay in the US, but the Trump administration has tried to deport at least one already this year.
Mahmoud Khalil was detained in March after his prominent involvement in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University.
He was released by a judge who argued punishing someone over a civil immigration matter was unconstitutional.
A US immigration judge in September ordered Mr Khalil to be deported over claims he left out information from his green card application, but he appealed that ruling and separate orders blocking his deportation are still in place.
BREAKINGBREAKING,
Syrian state media says security forces have imposed a cordon around the area and are investigating.
Published On 26 Dec 2025
Click here to share on social media
share2
At least six people have been killed and more than 20 injured when an explosion struck a mosque in Syria’s Homs, according to Syrian state media reports.
The attack targeted the Imam Ali bin Abi Talib Mosque in the Wadi al-Dahab neighbourhood of Homs shortly after Friday prayers, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported.
State media said security forces had imposed a cordon around the area and were investigating.
Local officials told the Reuters news agency it may have been caused by a suicide bomber or explosives placed there.
Ayman Oghanna, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Aleppo, noted that Homs is home to a diverse population of Alawites, Christians and Sunni Muslims. He said the attack targeted an Alawite mosque, warning it could “inflame sectarian tensions” across the country.
He said no group had claimed responsibility for the strike, but noted a recent surge in ISIL (ISIS) activity in Syria. He added that government forces had carried out an operation near Aleppo, arresting three alleged ISIL members.
Last week the United States bombed ISIL positions in Syria in retaliation for the killings of two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter. Damascus also joined a global anti-ISIL alliance in November, vowing to crush the remaining elements of the group.
Friday’s attack underscores the country’s fragile security situation, as the new authorities in Damascus struggle to assert control.
WORLD NEWS
Nigeria provided US with intelligence for strikes on Islamist militants, says foreign minister – US politics live | US politics
Key events
Show key events only
Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature
Nigeria provided US with intelligence for strikes on militants, foreign minister says
Nigeria provided the US with intelligence on jihadists before the strikes that took place in the country on Christmas Day, its foreign ministry said on Friday.
On Thursday, the US president, Donald Trump, said the US military had carried out strikes against Islamic State militants in north-west Nigeria, after spending weeks decrying the group for targeting Christians.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the president said: “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!
“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.”
Now, Nigerian foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, has told broadcaster ChannelsTV that he was on the phone with the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and that Nigeria “provided” the intelligence.
“We spoke twice. We spoke for 19 minutes before the strike and then we spoke again for another five minutes before it went on,” Tuggar said.
He added that they spoke “extensively” and that President Bola Tinubu gave “the go-ahead” to launch the strikes.
Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar. Photograph: Light Oriye Tamunotonye/AFP/Getty Images
Tuggar said the strikes would be an “ongoing process” that would also involve other countries. He gave no further details.
Trump has previously said he would launch a “guns-a-blazing” US military intervention in Nigeria, claiming that the country’s government has been inadequate in its efforts to prevent attacks on Christians by Islamist groups.
Share
SOURCE PAGE
Stripped of its context, it seemed an ordinary moment. A player tumbling to the ground. A referee’s whistle. A penalty scored. An early lead.
But as Manozh Noori raised a fist to the sky to celebrate her first international goal in her first international game, the significance to her and her teammates was overwhelming.
“It was the moment of happiness for everyone,” Noori told DW after the match.
“All of my teammates came to me and hugged me. It was such a great moment for all of us. I dedicate this goal to all of those in Afghanistan, because they deserve happiness.”
It has been a long time in the making. Afghanistan’s women’s football team last played an international match in 2021 before the Taliban returned to power in the country that same year. The Islamic fundamentalist nationalist movement has relentlessly repressed women since regaining power and, according to the United Nations, “is closer than ever to achieving its vision of a society that completely erases women from public life.”
Women and girls in Afghanistan see no hope for the future
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
All of the players on the pitch in late October were forced to flee, with playing sport in public placing a target firmly on their backs. Just over half the squad eventually found a home in Australia, while others settled in various European countries.
Sport a faraway, but achievable, dream
Since they were exiled, regaining their status as international footballers — which means recognition from the game’s global governors FIFA — has been the preoccupation for many. Though they are driven by playing at the top level, their deeper motivation is always front of mind.
“Girls in Afghanistan don’t have any rights right now. Playing sport is maybe a faraway dream, but just a very simple one is studying and having education and they don’t have it,” goalkeeper Fatima Yousufi told DW.
“It’s just the biggest motivation for us to do this for all those girls. We’re showing them that their dreams are valid.”
Fatima Yousufi was between the sticks for Afghanistan on SundayImage: Ann Odong/FIFA
Those thoughts and memories of their homeland were etched on the faces of the players as they saw their flag fly and heard their anthem play before kickoff against Chad, who eventually won 6-1 on Sunday, with tears flowing freely.
While FIFA started the process of recognizing the team in May this year, they are currently playing as Afghan Women United, a name picked in conjunction with the players that replaced their old status as the Afghanistan women’s refugee team. As such, the tournament they are playing in is comprised of friendly matches, with Libya and Tunisia also involved. Afghanistan’s men’s team continue to compete on the global stage under Taliban control.
Yousufi was one of those who played in the team’s last fixture as Afghanistan — before the Taliban retook control following the withdrawal of US and NATO forces. Women’s football has moved on rapidly since then, with increased professionalization, booming ticket sales in many countries and increased media interest.
Afghanistan have lots of catching up to do
With players scattered across the globe and having also to concentrate on building new lives in unfamiliar lands, Afghanistan have plenty of catching up to do. That process was not helped by the delay and last-minute change of venue for the tournament after the Afghan players’ visas were rejected by the United Arab Emirates, who had initially agreed to host, and play, in it. No official statement has yet been offered as to the reason for that rejection, but the UAE has strong diplomatic links with the Taliban.
Until a few days ago, some of Afghanistan’s players and staff hadn’t even met, now they are proud to be back on the international stageImage: Ann Odong/FIFA
“It’s very difficult, when you’ve not played international football for four years, to understand what the level is, because even in that time the game has changed a lot,” said the team’s Scottish coach, Pauline Hamill.
“I think you can see that there’s a level of potential there. I think it was a case of ‘Welcome to international football’ [in the first game], and now, how do we improve moving forward? I think that’s the key message.”
FIFA promises ongoing support
Afted another defeat to Tunisia, the Afghan side showed that improvement with a 7-0 win over Libya to end the tournament on a high. But after fighting so hard to be heard and recognized for four years, the Afghan players see this as merely a first step on the path back to a sporting existence somewhat like the one they had before their lives were upended.
FIFA president, Gianni Infantino turned up to the team’s second match, posing for pictures and declaring the tournament the start of a “beautiful, beautiful story”. He has also promised to “continue to stand by all Afghan women” and “work tirelessly to ensure that every one of them receives the support they deserve to play the game they love.”
But what happens next is not yet clear. With a government unwilling to support them, competetive fixtures are currently impossible and none are arranged as the year ends.
While they may not yet be representing their country in quite the way they want, this group of exiled women has shown their resilience time and time again. As Yousufi puts it, complete with a hint of Australian twang: “Never give up on your dreams, girls.”
Edited by: Chuck Penfold. This article is part of DW Sports’ Best of 2025 series in which we revisit some of our outstanding features from the past year. The article has been updated to reflect the latter stages of the FIFA Unites tournament.
NEED TO KNOW
- Australian influencer Indy Clinton got a second nose job
- Clinton teased the results on social media before putting them behind a paywall
- After backlash, she showed off her post-surgery nose on TikTok but left the “story time” for her TikTok subscribers
Indy Clinton is spilling all the secrets behind her recent nose job — at a price.
Days before the Australian influencer revealed on TikTok a before-and-after of her second rhinoplasty, she invited fans to check on her subscription feature on TikTok, where she was set to do a full nose reveal and do a “story time” about the procedure, news.com.au reported.
According to the Australian news outlet, Clinton’s monthly subscription was discounted from her usual fee of $131.99 AUD to $111.99 AUD. The subscriber fee is $71.99 USD.
Indy Clinton puts nose job results behind paywall.
Indy Clinton/TikTok
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
With Clinton attracting over 100 paid subscribers from those desperate to see the results of her second nose job, news.com.au estimates she earned $10,000 in subscription revenue.
Facing backlash for putting her post-surgery face behind a paywall, however, led Clinton to give her regular followers a look at her results without paying the hefty price.
Although she has yet to post the full story of what happened, on Sunday, Dec. 21, Clinton shared a video stitching footage from her results post-surgery in March 2025 and earlier this month.
In the March 2025 video, taken the day her cast was removed, a shocked Clinton films herself as she tells the camera, “There’s literally no way I look like this.”
After some nervous laughter, the video cuts to a clip of a giddy Clinton in December 2025, the day after her second cast removal, smiling from ear to ear, before being overcome with emotion.
“Dr George Marcells, I am forever grateful,” Clinton wrote in the caption, adding “🥹🫶🏽” emojis next to a comment that read, “I’ve never been this happy for a stranger before.”
Clinton had been candid about her first nose job, admitting that the results weren’t what she expected and clarifying that she only asked for “minor tweaks.”
Indy Clinton subscription page on TikTok.
Indy Clinton/TikTok
Many people applauded her resilience, with one person writing in the comments, “You did it gf, you got through to the other side! Proud of you 💕.”
Other comments, however, pointed out that she had initially put her results behind a paywall.
“Those who had to pay $100+ to see it, and now we get to see it for free 😂,” one person commented, to which Clinton responded, “they get the story time, you don’t 🤭.”
Earlier this month, the social media star also made headlines when she revealed that she had “decided to change” her youngest daughter’s birthday because of its proximity to Christmas.
Indy Clinton shows off results of second nose job.
Indy Clinton/TikTok
“I just want to let you know what I’m doing as a mother. It made me think, ‘Why don’t more people do this,’ because I cannot genuinely think of any reasons why this would be a bad thing,” said Clinton In in a TikTok posted on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“She was actually too close to Christmas for my liking, and I just thought, going forward, she’s never going to know we’ve officially changed it,” she continued.
WORLD NEWS
Joe Rogan calls Trump’s recent behavior ‘nutty’ and raises concerns about president’s age
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.
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.”
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”.
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.
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