News Desk

The three journalists worked for a committee supervising Egyptian aid in Gaza and were documenting a newly set-up camp.

At least 11 Palestinians, including two children and three journalists, have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since dawn, with six others injured, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.

Munir al-Bursh, director-general of the ministry, told Al Jazeera that the photojournalists killed when their vehicle was struck on Wednesday worked for the Egyptian Committee for Gaza Relief, which supervises Egypt’s relief work in Gaza.

Anas Ghunaim, Abdul Ra’ouf and Shaath Mohammad Qeshta were documenting developments on the ground in central Gaza near the so-called Netzarim Corridor when they were hit in an Israeli strike, colleagues and medical officials told Al Jazeera. A fourth person was also killed in the attack, an Al Jazeera team on the ground reported.

Video footage circulating online showed their charred, bombed-out vehicle by the roadside, smoke still rising from the wreckage.

Mohammed Mansour, the committee’s spokesman, told The Associated Press news agency that the journalists were filming a newly established displacement camp. He said the strike occurred about 5km (3 miles) from Israeli-controlled territory and that the vehicle was known to the Israeli military as belonging to the Egyptian committee.

Israeli Army Radio, citing an Israeli security source, said that the Israeli Air Force had targeted a vehicle in central Gaza, claiming that its occupants were using a drone to collect intelligence on army forces.

Three killed from single family

In a separate attack in central Gaza, three other Palestinians from a single family – including a child – were killed in eastern Deir el-Balah, sources at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital told Al Jazeera.

The victims were a father, his son and another relative, the sources said.

In southern Gaza, a 13-year-old was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers, an Al Jazeera team on the ground reported.

The Associated Press reported, quoting hospital staff, that the child was shot while collecting firewood in the eastern town of Bani Suheila.

In footage circulated online, the boy’s father could be seen weeping over his son’s body on a hospital bed.

A 32-year-old woman was shot and killed in a separate attack in the vicinity of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, an Al Jazeera team reported.

Two other Palestinians were killed in attacks in the north of the strip, the Wafa news agency reported.

Repeated ceasefire violations

Palestinian officials said Israel has repeatedly violated the United States-brokered ceasefire since it came into effect on October 10.

Israel continues to restrict the entry of food, medical aid and shelter materials into Gaza, where about 2.2 million people face acute humanitarian need in cold weather, barely shielded by flimsy tents.

Israel still has military control of large swaths of Gaza, including much of the south, east and north, according to Israeli military data, but, in effect, occupies the entire territory.

On the one-year anniversary of the start of his second term, US President Donald Trump spent 104 minutes in the White House press room listing his accomplishments.

Trump started the briefing by showing a stack of photos of people who had been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis, the site of large-scale raids and counterprotests as well as the fatal shooting of an American citizen by an ICE agent.

Addressing a roomful of reporters, Trump proceeded to highlight policies he has put in place since taking office in January 2025. He sometimes stuck to the prepared text, but often digressed into related and unrelated issues, occasionally repeating remarks more than once.

Trump also took questions, many of which addressed foreign policy, including his efforts to acquire Greenland, his establishment of a “Board of Peace” to oversee reconstruction in Gaza, and the state of the government in Venezuela after the US abduction of its then-leader, Nicolas Maduro.

The press conference came a day before Trump’s scheduled departure to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Economy

On the economy, Trump said, “Everyone said, ‘Oh tariffs will cause inflation.’ We have no inflation. We have very little inflation.”

For Trump’s one-year anniversary, we looked at a wide range of price data for the past year and found that overall prices are still increasing, although some specific items, such as eggs and gasoline, have seen price declines.

Immigration

On immigration, Trump said his administration was prioritising deporting criminals. “We’re focused on the murderers, the drug dealers,” he said.

In his first year, Trump has deported somewhere between 300,000 to 600,000 people. The administration hasn’t published detailed deportation data so it’s unclear how many of those people had a criminal history.

But about 74 percent of the nearly 70,000 immigrants in immigration detention have no criminal convictions, according to reports carried in the US media.

Investments

During the briefing, Trump repeated some inaccurate claims he’s made in the past. He said the US has “secured a record-breaking $18 trillion in commitments for new investments”.

The White House website since mid-November has shown a figure of $9.6 trillion. In addition, experts have cautioned PolitiFact that some of the $9.6 trillion in pledges may not come to fruition and others are unrealistically large compared to the gross domestic product of the countries involved.

Gasoline prices

Trump also said gasoline is “at $1.99 in many states”. In the second week of January 2026, the average price per gallon nationally was $2.78, compared with $3.11 in January 2025.

No state has seen its average price fall below $2. The lowest average price in any state in mid-January was $2.34 per gallon, in Oklahoma.

Four states – Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming – had at least seven stations selling gasoline for less than $2 on January 20, according to the gas price app Gas Buddy, and a handful of other states had between one and four stations selling gasoline for under $2.

Jobs

Trump said that under his predecessor, Joe Biden, “one out of four jobs added was a government job.”

This is exaggerated. Over four years, the economy added more than 16 million jobs, of which about 1.8 million were federal, state or local government positions; that’s about 11 percent of the total.

During Biden’s final year in office, the economy added more than 2 million jobs overall, compared with 473,000 in 2025 under Trump.

Fentanyl overdoses

Trump said 300,000 people died last year because of fentanyl overdoses, but that’s far above the most recent federal data.

In the 12 months before August 2025, about 69,000 people in the US died from all types of drug overdoses, not just fentanyl, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

Ending wars

Trump repeated his assertion that he’d “ended eight unendable wars in 10 months”, an exaggerated claim similar to one we rated Mostly False. He also said “no president’s probably ever settled one war,” which we rated False.

Richard Ricci was a handyman who was questioned by police over the disappearance of Elizabeth Smart.

Netflix has just released its latest true crime documentary, Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart, which sees Elizabeth recall the harrowing events of her kidnapping more than two decades on.

Elizabeth was abducted from her bedroom in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the early hours of the morning on June 5, 2002. Her sister, Mary Katherine, watched in shock as Elizabeth was taken at knifepoint.

In the immediate aftermath, Elizabeth’s own family were investigated but nothing suspicious was found. Nine months after her disappearance, her kidnappers, Brian David Mitchell and his wife Wanda Barzee, were finally caught and arrested.

While Mitchell was holding Elizabeth captive, another man was questioned by police – Richard Ricci. Ricci once worked in the Smart home as a handyman and had a criminal record unrelated to Elizabeth’s abduction.

He denied any involvement in the Smart case. During the investigation, Ricci was being held at the Utah State Prison in Draper for a parole violation unrelated to the case when he was found unconscious.

In August 2002, he died at the age of 48 after undergoing six hours of emergency surgery to correct a spontaneous brain haemorrhage. He had been complaining of a headache whilst in prison.

He was taken to the prison infirmary, then airlifted to hospital in Salt Lake City by helicopter. There was no indication of foul play according to the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Department.

A couple of months before his death, Ricci’s wife Angela spoke to ABC News’ Good Morning America, telling viewers her husband had been “devastated” at the news of Elizabeth’s disappearance.

She had said: “He put his face in his hands. He knows that pain and he just felt that for Mr Smart. He knew the kids, he worked in the home, he spoke with them. He was devastated.”

Elizabeth’s father, Edward Smart, said he had not been aware of Ricci’s criminal record and Ricci had been referred to him by another contractor.

As for the convicted kidnapper, Brian David Mitchell, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole after being found guilty of kidnapping and transporting a minor across state lines for sexual activity.

He had been serving his sentence at the US Penitentiary in Indiana, but in October 2025 it was reported he had been moved. Mitchell, who is now 72 years old, was transferred to the Federal Correctional Institution-Lewisburg in Pennsylvania.

In 2012 Elizabeth married Matthew Gilmour, a Scottish native whom she met while on a mission trip to Paris. She told Skip Intro: “Because he didn’t know anything [about] my past, he wasn’t afraid to tell me what he really thought.

“I appreciate that I’m not my past [with him]. I am just who I am right now, right here in the moment.” They have three children and still live in Utah.

Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart is on Netflix

SDF chief Mazloum Abdi urged US-led coalition to ‘bear responsibilities’ for securing facilities coming under gov’t control.

Syrian government forces have entered the vast Al-Hol camp housing thousands linked to ISIL (ISIS) after Kurdish forces who had been controlling the facility for years withdrew.

Armoured vehicles carrying troops moved into the camp, located in the desert region of Hasakeh province, on Wednesday. The peaceful transfer of control suggests that the four-day ceasefire between the government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), announced the previous day, appears to be running smoothly.

The transfer of control of the camp, which houses some 24,000 people – mostly women and children linked to ISIL – came after two weeks of fighting between the army and the SDF that was brought to a halt by Tuesday’s truce.

The fighting has seen the SDF, which played a major role in defeating ISIL in alliance with a United States-led international coalition, lose swathes of north and east Syria.

The Kurdish forces had controlled the territories during the chaos of Syria’s civil war, which ended in December 2024 with the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

The government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus, which toppled al-Assad and is now replacing the SDF as the US’s key partner in the battle against ISIL, wants the Kurdish fighters to integrate into the Syrian state. That process may now get under way should the ceasefire hold.

Tom Barrack, the US envoy to Syria, said in a statement on Tuesday that the SDF’s role as the primary anti-ISIL force had “largely expired” and that the government in Damascus is “both willing and positioned to take over security responsibilities”.

Earlier this week, President al-Sharaa and SDF chief Mazloum Abdi had agreed that the Syrian state would take over responsibility for ISIL prisoners.

Abdi on Tuesday urged the US-led coalition to “bear its responsibilities in protecting facilities” holding ISIL members.

Largest ISIL camp

Al-Hol is the largest camp for people with links to ISIL, which was defeated in Syria in 2019.

The camp was established by Kurdish forces after they took control of swathes of Syria, with coalition backing.

Those held at al-Hol include about 14,500 Syrians and nearly 3,000 Iraqis.

Some 6,500 others, many of them loyal ISIL supporters who came from around the world to join the armed group, are separately held in a high-security section of the camp.

The SDF remains in control of the vast majority of more than a dozen prisons where some 9,000 members of ISIL have been held for years, according to The Associated Press.

The largest facility, holding about 4,500 ISIL-linked detainees, is the Gweiran Prison, located in the city of Hasakeh, which is still under full control of the SDF.

On Tuesday, the Syrian Interior Ministry said 120 ISIL members escaped from the Shaddadi prison in Hasakeh province.

The army accused the SDF of releasing ISIL detainees from the facility, while the Kurds said they lost control of the facility after an attack by Damascus.

Since then, many of the detainees who fled were captured by government troops who took control of the jail, state media reported.

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The Chase star Mark Labbett rushed to defend host Bradley Walsh after furious ITV viewers slammed a controversial ruling.

The Chase‘s Mark Labbett has defended host Bradley Walsh after a viewer branded a decision during the show “disgraceful”.

The quizzer, dubbed The Beast, features on the popular ITV programme alongside fellow Chasers Shaun Wallace, Anne Hegerty, Paul Sinha, Jenny Ryan and Darragh Ennis.

During yesterday’s repeat episode, Mark faced off against student Marsha and retired supply manager Ian, who had progressed to the final chase.

The pair were battling for a £45,000 prize pot, having answered 18 questions correctly. Under the show’s rules, the contestants can push Mark back by correctly answering questions he gets wrong.

During the round, both the Chaser and contestants were posed the question: “In the Bible, King David saw which beautiful woman bathing?”, reports the Express.

The Beast responded: “Jezebel,” which was incorrect.

Ian hesitated: “I can’t think of anything,” whilst Marsha interjected with “Helen”, as Ian simultaneously offered: “Bathsheba”.

Bradley explained: “Bathsheba is correct, however, Marsha without nomination looked at me and called the answer first, which was Helen.

“I have to accept the first answer and have to tell you that is wrong, we remain eight to catch.”

One viewer was left fuming, taking to X to complain: “Disgraceful making rules up on the spot. Brad.”

Another furious viewer wrote: “cheating b******s on #thechase. Both gave answers at the same time. So it should have been clarified which answer was to be taken. If Marsha hadnt been nominated as Walsh claimed, her answer should have been ignored.”

“Now that was just cruel! Rematch needs to happen,” someone else wrote, while another said: “Absolutely robbed.”

One viewer said: “Very very harsh – Brad should have asked the spokesperson to answer – ref Bathsheba … very unlucky.”

Another called it “gutting”, and several said the players were “robbed” after the “brutal” round.

Another added: “Brad should have taken Ian’s answer as he was the nominated player to give their answers to push backs. Or at least asked them which answer they wanted to offer.”

Another person defended Bradley’s comment, writing: “Marsha piped up with “Helen” when Brad asked for the final answer, fractionally quicker than Ian with “Bathsheba”. That’s why the answer wasn’t allowed. How I see it.”

Another claimed: “Technically, Marsha wasn’t the spokesperson so her Helen answer should have been overlooked.”

Mark later rushed to the defence of Bradley, saying it had never been his decision.

He wrote on X: “I can guarantee that the adjudicator made that call rather than Brad.”

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website

Mark has previously addressed the gameshow being “fixed”, remarking: “We do have people say, ‘They give you the answers though, right?’

“I always point out that we’re all international quizzers, I mean, Anne is a two-time work ladies champion.

“They think you can’t be that good and the answer is we are.”

The Chase airs weekdays at 5pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

Hague-based agency for fighting international and organised crime says it has dealt ‘massive blow’ to narco traffickers.

European police have smashed a major network manufacturing synthetic drugs in illegal labs across several countries.

Polish prosecutors announced on Wednesday that investigators had seized more than 9.3 tonnes of narcotics and arrested more than 100 suspects in an operation targeting ⁠a criminal network centred in the Central European country and spanning the European Union.

The operation dismantled 24 industrial-scale labs and seized about 1,000 tonnes of chemicals, imported legally from China and India, used to make street drugs such as MDMA, amphetamine and meth, according to news agency AFP.

Andy Kraag, head of Europol’s European Serious Organised Crime Centre, which coordinated police actions across borders, said the operation had dealt a “massive blow to organised crime groups involved in drug trafficking”.

“I’ve been in this business for a while. This is by far the largest-ever operation we did against synthetic drug production and distribution,” he said.

The yearlong operation involved police from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain. Among those arrested were two suspected ringleaders, both from Poland, Kraag said.

Laboratories and drug production lines were located in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland, which served as the logistical hub.

The majority of those arrested were from Poland, but Belgian and Dutch nationals are also thought to have been involved.

Suspicions were raised in 2024 when Polish police noticed a network importing vast quantities of chemicals from China and India.

Investigators discovered they were being repackaged, mislabelled and redistributed across the EU to the labs.

Kraag said the operation was part of a “supply-chain strategy” to choke off the synthetic drug industry at its source.

“These criminal groups, they don’t have their supply any more,” he said.

A U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol jet executed a rare presidential Combat Air Patrol (CAP) flight on Monday. It took place while President Donald Trump was attending the College Football Playoff National Championship (CFP) at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. The aircraft provided “incident awareness assessment (IAA) support” for the United States Secret Service (USSS) during the presidential CAP, U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) told The War Zone.

“IAA involves the use of Department of War (DoW) assets to provide situational awareness in support of domestic operations,” NORTHCOM stated. “IAA has been successfully utilized in the past for similar high-profile events, such as disaster response operations and large-scale public gatherings, where DoW assets provided critical situational awareness to support civilian authorities. A P-8 aircraft was identified as available to assist with this mission.”

Using a P-8 for presidential CAPSs “doesn’t happen very often,” a NORTHCOM spokesman added, however, he could not immediately provide greater details about the frequency.

@aircraftspots first posted about the peculiar flight, which was later highlighted by another open source plane tracker, @TheIntelFrog. The militarized 737 derivative, callsign JULIET ECHO 191, was launched from its home at Naval Air Station Jacksonville at 4:51 PM Eastern and began doing orbits at nearly 18,000 feet starting roughly 30 miles north of the stadium and extending over the Atlantic Ocean.

Around 7:14 PM, the jet then flew tighter orbits at about 3,700 feet around 1.5 miles west of the stadium before flying a wider pattern at the same altitude, a few miles south, that lasted until about 8 PM, according to ADS-B data. It then flew additional loops at altitudes ranging from 15,000 feet to 18,000 feet east, southeast and northeast of the stadium before returning to base just after 10 PM.

The lower-altitude passes coincided with Trump’s arrival in the area, but did not appear to follow the motorcade route. According to the White House, Marine 1 landed at North Perry Airport at 7:03 PM Eastern. Trump’s motorcade traveled south and arrived at the stadium at 7:08 PM.

The president and his family attended the game, which the Indiana Hoosiers won over the Miami Hurricanes by a 27-21 score. Trump left at 10:47 PM.

The P-8 can provide overwatch capabilities fitting into the requirements of an IAA. According to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD): “IAA is similar to DOD’s definition of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR). However, ISR is conducted outside the United States over foreign territory or within the United States during Homeland Defense events, while IAA is conducted within the United States in support of DSCA [Defense Support of Civil Authorities] operations. The change in title is necessary to make it clear that DOD does not collect Intelligence on US persons. IAA operations focus on providing timely and usable information to all levels of command and to local, State, Civil, and Federal leaders in order to save lives, reduce human suffering and protect property.”

There are three IAA mission sets, including Broad Area Coverage (BAC), Damage Assessment (DA), and Situational Awareness (SA). 

“Similar to ISR in the HD mission, IAA capabilities include Electro-Optical (EO), Infra-red (IR), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Multi-spectral/Hyper-spectral (MSI/HSI), and Full Motion Video (FMV),” NORAD notes. 

While the P-8 is largely known for its anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare, and sea control roles, its suite of sensors makes it very well suited for an IAA operation over land as well.

The P-8 is equipped with a very powerful Wescam MX-20HD electro-optical turret capable of capturing high definition moving video of targets on the earth’s surface. This combined with the P-8’s extensive communications system, as well as its fast response times due to its jet speed while still being able to loiter relatively low and slow, would be reason enough to use it for a mission like this. In addition, its onboard radar and electronic surveillance measures (ESM) suite could also come into play, to a lesser degree. A handful of P-8s can also carry the slab-like Advanced Airborne Sensor (AAS) that is attached to the lower forward fuselage of the aircraft. This is an incredibly capable and secretive radar capable of taking very high definition synthetic aperture radar maps and detecting moving objects down below in complex littoral areas. It likely has other functions that are not disclosed, possibly including spotting low-flying aircraft. You can read all about this system here. Other modular surveillance payloads remain undisclosed, but an advanced communications intelligence system has been spotted bolted below the aircraft’s chin. Because of its size, the P-8 can also serve as an impromptu command and control platform, taking on specialist crewmen, if need be.

For a good sense of what it is like to fly the P-8 on real-world missions, we covered that in this past feature of ours.

Suffice it to say, P-8s are extremely capable, multi-role aircraft. And that is why they are so heavily tasked around the globe.

While P-8s likely help monitor maritime movements near where the president may be staying in some circumstances, flying a presidential CAP over land is unusual for a Poseidon. DHS has many aircraft that are equipped with similar imaging capabilities and are far more efficient than the P-8. It isn’t clear if these aircraft were simply unavailable or if some of the P-8’s unique capabilities were needed for this specific mission.

There is a wide range of threats, from drones to bad actors on the ground, that exist at such a high-profile affair as the College Football National Championship. This is all magnified when the president is in attendance, with many more contingencies being needed to be set in place, including route clearing for the motorcade and general overwatch of the facility and the area surrounding it. Security concerns may have been further heightened in the wake of threats Iranian officials made against Trump for his calling for anti-government protests there to continue while still mulling military action against the regime. The regime in Tehran has a long history of making direct threats against Trump, including implying they could use drones to assassinate him.

We may see Poseidons called upon for more presidential CAPs in the future. In the past, P-3C Orion patrol planes were sometimes used for these missions, the NORTHCOM spokesman told us, but the Navy stopped flying them last year.

The CAP flight can be added to the already relatively huge and still expanding number of mission sets the P-8 can be called upon to execute at any given time.

Update 7:35 AM Eastern Jan. 21-

Aircraft spotter Nick Strader, who uses the X handle @indyspotter, shared a photo he took of the Poseidon at about 5:22 PM Monday as the aircraft was heading south toward the Miami area. The jet was flying over Withem Field in Stuart, Florida, at the time.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com

South Korean K-drama Can This Love Be Translated? starring Kim Seon-ho has earned an 8.1 IMDb rating with fans calling it a “masterpiece” and a series you can “finish in one sitting”.

The South Korean rom-com Can This Love Be Translated?, written by Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ran, stars Kim as Ho-jin, an interpreter who crosses paths with budding actress Mu-hee (Go) during a trip to Japan. Despite being new to the industry, Mu-hee swiftly lands a significant role and reunites with Ho-jin, who serves as her interpreter during an interview.

Their lives intertwine again when she participates in a reality show, hinting at a potential deeper bond.

At the heart of this Netflix original K-drama is a show within a show, where Mu-hee chases Japanese actor Hiro Kurosawa (Sota Fukushi) across the globe on a reality dating series named Romantic Trip. Ho-jin aids them in overcoming the language barrier, but Mu-hee’s insecurities and past trauma trigger a mental health crisis, with Ho-jin fervently dedicated to supporting her.

Featuring Sota Fukushi and Choi Woo-sung in secondary roles, the series is currently available for streaming in the UK on Netflix, with all 12 episodes having been released on the platform in mid-January (January 16), reports the Express.

While professional critics have yet to extensively review this series, Can This Love Be Translated? has received acclaim from viewers, boasting an impressive average user rating of 8.1 out of 10 based on 65 reviews on IMDb.

Awarding it a perfect 10 out of 10, one viewer declared the series “an absolute masterpiece” and “hands down” the “best romance of 2026”. Elaborating on their thoughts, they confessed: “I honestly don’t even know where to begin because I am still sitting here, staring at a blank screen, trying to process the emotional rollercoaster I just went through.”

They urged, “If you are looking for a sign to watch this, this is it. Do not hesitate. This isn’t just a drama; it is an experience, and it has completely ruined me for any other romance series in 2026.”

Another viewer described the programme as “a masterclass in romantic chemistry and emotional depth”, explaining: “‘Can This Love Be Translated?’ moves beyond the typical tropes to ask profound questions about communication and intimacy. I was particularly impressed by how the show handles mental health and past scars without losing its lighthearted charm.”

They concluded: “It’s sophisticated, heartwarming, and internationally resonant. Netflix has found a true gem here.”

Branding it “outstanding”, a third viewer praised: “Lead actors did a great job, this is not your typical romcom giddy type of series, you have to be open-minded to really appreciate the premise of the story, the subtle delivery of funny lines, and of course, the most awaited romance was perfect. Loved it. I finished it in one sitting. The cinematography was superb.”

A fourth admirer of the programme shared their thoughts: “This series made me feel everything. A quiet, emotional love story about misunderstandings, unspoken feelings, and the courage it takes to truly understand someone.”

They continued: “The chemistry is soft but powerful, the pacing is slow in the best way, and every glance says more than words ever could. Not just a romance – it’s a reminder that love itself is a language.”

The man who killed Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a campaign event in 2022 has been sentenced to life in prison. Al Jazeera’s Patrick Fok explains why the court ruling has divided public opinion.

The period between 2025 and 2026 witnessed a significant increase in the level and scope of intelligence, military, and security cooperation between the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate and the Chinese Ministry of State Security “MSS” (which acts as China’s intelligence agency). This development raised considerable concern within Israeli security and intelligence circles (Mossad). This concern stemmed particularly from the shift in the level and scope of Egyptian-Chinese cooperation from an economic framework to an intelligence and technological partnership aimed at bolstering Egyptian sovereignty and diminishing Israel’s qualitative edge in the fields of espionage and aerial surveillance. This cooperation encompassed areas such as electronic warfare and surveillance systems, including the provision of advanced Chinese radars to Egypt, granting it a high capacity for detecting aerial threats independently of systems technically linked to the United States or Israel.

  On the other hand, the Chinese Ministry of State Security (Chinese intelligence) closely monitored Egyptian moves and the pressure exerted by the head of Egyptian intelligence, Major General/ Hassan Rashad, on the Israeli Mossad during the Gaza peace negotiations in October 2015. Chinese intelligence devised a strategy of “pressure against the Mossad” aimed at curbing the Mossad’s ambitions in the region and ensuring the stability of Egypt’s borders amidst regional tensions. This strategy also aimed to safeguard China’s interests and its Belt and Road Initiative. The Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate collaborated with its Chinese counterpart, the Ministry of State Security, to protect vital waterways and straits, including the (Suez Canal, the Gulf of Aden, the Bab El-Mandeb Strait, and the Strait of Hormuz), thereby limiting Israeli and American actions that could harm China’s interests in Egypt and the region.

  In September 2025, Chinese intelligence, military, and security reports indicated that the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate had successfully uncovered and thwarted a Mossad “secret plan” to carry out an airstrike to assassinate Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital, Doha. Egypt (with the knowledge of the Chinese Ministry of State Security) informed the Qatari side of the operation just 25 minutes before its execution, thus disrupting it and triggering extensive internal investigations within the Israeli Mossad to understand how the Israeli intelligence plan was leaked to Cairo and the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate with the assistance of Chinese intelligence agencies. This success demonstrated Cairo and its General Intelligence Directorate’s superiority over the Israeli Mossad, thanks to China’s provision of a massive fleet of advanced Chinese satellites to monitor all Israeli movements around the clock and limit Israel’s influence.

  Here, cooperation between Egyptian General Intelligence and the Chinese side in confronting Israel takes on a largely undeclared strategic character, but it has recently emerged through several security and technical channels that have raised concerns in Israeli circles. This cooperation takes the form of technical and intelligence cooperation (aerial surveillance). The Egyptian Ministry of Defense has signed several memoranda of understanding with Chinese state-owned companies, such as (Norinco), to enhance Egyptian-Chinese cooperation in sensitive defense industries. Egypt has also acquired Chinese air defense systems, raising Israeli questions about how advanced Chinese technology is being transferred to Cairo to undermine Israel’s qualitative military edge, which is currently dominated by advanced American technology. This highlights the growing Egyptian-Chinese military rapprochement, aimed at “diversifying Egypt’s arms sources”  and maintaining the independence of Egyptian security decision-making. Israel and Washington are monitoring this development cautiously, as it could diminish Western influence in the region. In May 2025, several Israeli media reports accused Egypt of coordinating with China to use advanced Chinese early warning aircraft, known as the (KJ-500) aircraft, to penetrate Israeli air defenses.

  Which has proven effective in testing or penetrating Israeli air defenses. Israeli reports also claimed that Egypt exploited the “Civilization Eagle” joint air exercises with China in April-May 2025 to secretly monitor the deployment of Israeli forces using advanced Chinese surveillance technology. Israeli researchers and military personnel from the (Israeli Institute for National Security Studies) alleged that Egypt used the joint air exercises with China to secretly monitor the deployment of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). They considered this an unprecedented “intelligence provocation” by Cairo with the support of Beijing.

 Here, Chinese intelligence agencies, specifically the Ministry of State Security (MSS), play a significant role in intelligence cooperation with Egypt regarding the Palestinian issue. This is achieved through Chinese assessments of all Israeli and American actions in this regard. Intelligence reports indicate that the MSS is evaluating the “high-risk maneuvers” conducted by Egyptian intelligence with Mossad, reflecting a deep Chinese interest in Egypt’s approach to managing the conflict with Israel.

 Furthermore, Chinese state agencies and their intelligence apparatus are working to support the Egyptian position in the face of Mossad’s stalling tactics. This support is manifested through Chinese intelligence and diplomatic coordination with Egypt to promote a two-state solution and reject the forced displacement of Palestinians, which Israel views as an attempt to undermine its influence and politically isolate it. The Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) has also shown increasing interest in the outcomes of the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, which involved the heads of intelligence agencies from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States.

 The Chinese Ministry of State Security is also supporting Egypt through numerous military deals and security communications, including arms sales to Cairo and the arrival of several Chinese fighter jets, known as the (J-10C) to Egypt in 2025. Several Israeli analysts and military officials considered this Chinese military deal with Egypt a “silent crossing” and a challenge to the US-backed Israeli air superiority in the region.

 The Israeli Mossad and its leadership in Tel Aviv described the Egyptian-Chinese air force exercises in Sinai from April to May 2025, known as “Eagles of Civilization,” given their proximity to the Israeli border, as clear strategic messages to Israel and deterrents regarding the diversification of Egypt’s power sources and its aerial and military surveillance capabilities against Israeli military deployments, with Chinese assistance. The joint Egyptian-Chinese “Eagles of Civilization” military exercises included realistic simulations of combat operations and the planning of air missions. Israeli analysts considered this a strategic shift that could affect the regional balance of deterrence in Egypt’s favor in its military confrontation with Israel.

 China adopts a strategic vision for the conflict and tensions between Egypt and the Mossad (or the Israeli side in general). This vision focuses on strengthening Egypt’s defense capabilities against Israeli pressure. A key feature of this vision is Chinese support for a strategic balance between Egypt and Israel in the face of Washington. Through deepening its military cooperation with Egypt, China aims to create a kind of “strategic deterrence” that reduces Israeli hegemony in the region. Israeli security circles have expressed growing concern over China’s provision of advanced military technologies to Egypt, such as air defense systems, electronic warfare equipment, and early warning aircraft, known as the (KJ-50).

  The Chinese Ministry of State Security (which acts as China’s intelligence agency) is also closely monitoring the outcomes of negotiations and the pressure exerted by US intelligence agencies, including Mossad, on Egypt regarding sensitive and complex issues for China, such as the management of the conflict in the Gaza Strip. China views Egypt as a pillar of stability and rejects the “law of the jungle” and the policies that Israel and the United States are attempting to impose on Cairo concerning the forced displacement of Palestinians. Furthermore, Chinese intelligence agencies, represented by the Ministry of State Security, have played a significant role in indirect cooperation to thwart Western and Israeli intelligence attempts aimed at destabilizing the Egyptian army or using terrorist political groups, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, to dismantle it.

  Here, China is working to thwart Israeli espionage attempts through Mossad and the “CIA” by countering all technological infiltrations of Cairo. This is being done through China’s promotion of replacing Israeli and American software and technologies with more secure Chinese alternatives in the region.

 To this end, the Chinese Ministry of State Security and all its relevant agencies are working in political alignment with Egypt against the escalation in the besieged Gaza Strip. China agrees with Egypt on the necessity of an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and rejects the forced displacement of Palestinians. China supports the Egyptian mediation role, believing that regional stability begins with a just solution to the Palestinian issue, one that is independent of imposed Israeli security solutions.

   Consequently, Israeli concerns have grown regarding Chinese influence in Egypt and the wider region, which they believe is detrimental to Israeli interests. Israeli security research centers and military leaders believe that China is using its close ties with regional states, including Egypt, to gather intelligence on Israeli technology and military capabilities, and then using this information to spy on Israel and on American interests, which are China’s rivals in the region. The intelligence crisis between Beijing and Tel Aviv reached its peak in September 2025 when Israeli Prime Minister “Benjamin Netanyahu” accused China of leading propaganda campaigns aimed at politically isolating Israel and weakening its international support.

The remains of the original Griffith Park Zoo are imbued with memories of the past. Forgotten animal pens, decaying cages and stony backdrops now sit in various states of abandonment.

It is, in other words, a prime location for a haunted narrative.

“Ghost in the Machine: The Old Zoo” is just that, a site-specific interactive experience in which specters come to life via our mobile phones. In the story, our devices become a gateway to another world — or, rather, a halfway point between our universe and the afterlife. We’ll see visions of a medium, hear fragmented remembrances and explore a trail while discovering a tale that feels like an intimate glimpse into a grief-stricken past. And we’ll learn a little bit of Griffith Park history along the way.

The augmented reality project is the vision of Koryn Wicks, a trained dancer and choreographer who has created her own immersive entertainment pieces while working in the broader theme park space. The project is being remounted this Friday and Sunday afternoons at Griffith Park to coincide with “Ghosts in the Machine” being named a finalist for an award with IndieCade, a once in-person independent game festival that now exists primarily online.

Koryn Wicks, designer of “Ghosts in the Machine: The Old Zoo.” Wicks is an independent immersive creator who works in the theme park space.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

John Houser, 43, from the San Gabriel Valley playing the augmented reality game “Ghosts in the Machine: The Old Zoo.”

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

“Ghosts in the Machine” exists as an app in a testing phase, hence the reason for the event-like approach to letting guests experience it. Wicks will be stationed outside the old zoo’s location for about two each hours each day, facilitating downloads and answering questions about the self-guided experience.

Once those who opt to play are set up with the game and near the old zoo, which opened in 1912 with a collection of only 15 animals and closed in 1966 to make way for the current animal park, they’ll receive a call. A medium, but “not like a celebrity medium,” has been trying to reach someone, anyone, and is at risk of losing her memory as she’s trapped between worlds. We’re asked to turn on our camera, and via augmented reality we see an alternate version of the landscape in front of us, one obscured by blue and green hues, and filled with static. The images feel fragile.

This medium, Phoebe, needs our help, and if we agree, the game begins. We’ll be directed to follow a map toward abnormalities around the old zoo. Things may get a little frightening. An apparition will appear before us. Yet Phoebe is telling us ghosts are not meant to be feared. A spirit, she says, is usually lost and confused.

“I wanted to do sort of a haunted location,” says Wicks, 36. “I’m a big nerd for horror stuff. I really like it. I really like the idea of ghosts. I read this book called ‘Ghostland’ and it looked at ghost stories throughout American history and the way they’re practiced and who gets cast as a ghost versus who gets haunted. So the first scripts I was writing were more meta, they were about ghosts in general. Then I gradually narrowed into an actual story with characters. That’s the dancer in me. I tend to think a little more abstractly.”

As the story was honed, it became one that focused more on familial bonds. Without spoiling the experience, which should be able to be completed in a little less than an hour, “Ghosts in the Machine” gradually transitions from a haunt to a tale that focuses on forgotten promises, lost loved ones and the lonely pings that can come from unresolved grief. “Ghosts in the Machine” begins with tension. It resolves as something more meloncholic, a game-like story built for contemplation.

John Houser, 43, left, and Parker Cela, 26, right hold up their phones to scan the staircase while playing the augmented reality game “Ghosts in the Machine” at Griffith Park.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

And it’s staged in a location perfect for rumination. “Ghosts in the Machine” will take us up stairs, around pathways and into now-deserted zoo enclosures as we try to free a spirit from purgatory. There are some game-like mechanics as we’ll gather fragments of memories hidden throughout Griffith Park.

The park, the character of Phoebe tells us, is a “beacon for spiritual phenomenon.” Throughout, she’ll allude to stories of mistreated animals and the Griffith Park fire of 1933, heightening the sense that we are in the presence of unnatural occurrences. The space is dear to Wicks: it’s where her husband proposed, but “Ghosts in the Machine” pulls from more painful memories in her life.

“It had a lot to do with grief and memory,” Wicks says. “It can be so painful to engage with memory when we’re going through grief, and it can also be really complicated. Because there are good memories and there are also complicated memories. How do you hold space for both? That was something I was thinking of a lot at the time.”

The project was born during the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Wicks, who had in the past staged numerous dance performances for small groups, initially envisioned a show in which audiences would use their smartphones to follow a dancer through an outdoor space. It gradually morphed into something more ghostly.

With a tiny team, a day job and the occasional teaching gig, Wicks has found that maintaining the app to the degree in which it can be properly released has not been feasible. For instance, for this weekend’s pop-ups, the map function had to be completely rebuilt. That’s another reason Wicks will be on site, aiming to help those who may be new to AR, or to troubleshoot on the various devices audience members may bring.

“I think we like to talk about technology as having a permanence to it, but there is no permanence to it,” Wicks says. “Very few people still have their cassettes. Records are still around, but technology phases out.”

Wicks is open to the idea of continuing to develop “Ghosts in the Machine,” and has looked into institutional or commercial support. But she confesses she hasn’t hit on a solution yet.

In the meantime Wicks, who hopes to stage a show later this year that intermixes dance with tarot themes, has created an experience that uses modern augmented reality technology and yet feels ephemeral. And that’s fitting, of course, for a ghost story.

SEOUL, Jan. 21 (UPI) — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Wednesday that North Korea is producing enough nuclear fissile material to build between 10 and 20 nuclear weapons each year, warning that Pyongyang presents a growing danger to the world beyond the Korean Peninsula.

Lee made the remarks during a New Year press conference in Seoul, where he outlined his administration’s foreign and security priorities amid heightened regional tensions and an accelerating North Korean weapons program.

“North Korea is assessed to be producing material sufficient for roughly 10 to 20 nuclear warheads annually,” Lee said.

The North also continues to develop intercontinental ballistic missile technology aimed at striking the U.S. mainland, he added.

“One day, North Korea will believe it has enough nuclear weapons to sustain its regime, as well as ICBM technology capable of threatening the entire world, including the United States,” Lee said. “Once they have a surplus, the danger will overflow beyond their borders, posing a global risk.”

Lee said the estimate highlights the need for pragmatic efforts to reduce tensions and prevent miscalculation.

He reiterated a call for a previously proposed three-stage plan for addressing North Korea’s nuclear program, beginning with a halt to Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons development, followed by a reduction of its arsenal and ultimately full dismantlement.

“A halt to nuclear material production and further development of ICBM technology, as well as preventing overseas exports, would be beneficial,” Lee said.

Lee also pledged renewed efforts for Seoul to act as a “pacemaker” in facilitating dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang, calling U.S. President Donald Trump a “unique figure.”

“A Trump-style approach seems helpful in dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un,” Lee said.

Trump met Kim three times during his first term — in Singapore in 2018, in Hanoi in 2019 and briefly at the Demilitarized Zone later that year — but the talks collapsed amid disagreements over sanctions relief and steps toward denuclearization.

During a visit to South Korea in October, Trump said he wanted to meet Kim Jong Un, though the two sides were unable to coordinate timing.

Kim has also signaled a willingness to resume diplomacy with the United States but warned that any discussion of giving up his regime’s nuclear arsenal would be off the table.

In a June report, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimated that North Korea currently possesses about 50 nuclear warheads and has enough fissile material for 40 more.

US allies reacted to President Donald Trump’s threats to take over Greenland on Tuesday, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney telling delegates at Davos that it was time to imagine a future without US leadership.

BROOKLYN Beckham claimed his mum hijacked his first dance with his wife Nicola and performed an “uncomfortable” routine instead.

He is understood to be the only one with the footage of Victoria dancing at his 2022 wedding after he mentioned it in a brutal social media post towards his famous family.

A strict no-phones rule means only Brooklyn, 26 and his wife Nicola, 31, have the tape from the videographer.

This comes after a wedding guest claimed in an Instagram post that Brooklyn’s version of events is correct.

The “uncomfortable” and “embarrassing” dance was referenced in a nuclear statement Brooklyn posted to social media which claimed Victoria, 51, sabotaged her son’s wedding to the American actress.

As the internet is left speculating on what the dance could be, should Brooklyn release the video and back up his claims?

Have your say in our exclusive poll.

Love to debate? Join Sun Club for just £1.99 a month for the boldest opinion on the issues shaping Britain.

Jan. 21 (UPI) — The U.S. military has seized a seventh tanker transporting oil from Venezuela, as the Trump administration seeks to control the nation’s oil exports and revenue.

The tanker, identified as motor vessel Sagitta, was captured by U.S. military forces Tuesday morning, U.S. Southern Command said in a statement, saying the operation was conducted “without incident.”

The Sagitta is a U.S. sanctioned vessel, first blacklisted by the United States in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, and again on Jan. 10, in an attempt to cut off an important revenue source from the Kremlin.

According to the statement from U.S. Southern Command, the vessel was leaving Venezuela with Venezuelan oil, in “defiance of President [Donald] Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.”

The U.S. military seized its first tanker on Dec. 10 amid growing tensions between the United States and Venezuela.

A U.S. military buildup was underway in the Caribbean. On Dec. 16, Trump ordered a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers transiting to and from the South American country.

Tensions between the two exploded earlier this month, when the U.S. military detained Venezuela’s authoritarian leader, Nicolas Maduro, in a clandestine operation.

Trump and other U.S. officials have said that the United States intends to control the sale of Venezuelan oil on U.S. and global markets, and that the proceeds from those sales will initially be deposited in international bank accounts under the Trump administration’s control.

The funds will then be used to stabilize the Venezuelan economy, with decisions about their use to be made under U.S. oversight.

Earlier this month, Trump said Venezuela’s interim government will be giving the United States between 30 million and 50 million barrels of “high quality, sanctioned oil,” and that Venezuela was to use the funds from that deal to buy only American-made goods.

Trump on Tuesday told reporters that oil companies were getting ready to make “massive investments in Venezuela,” while stating that the United States has received 50 million barrels of oil from the South American country in the last four days.

“We’ve got millions of barrels of oil left,” he said. “We’re selling it on the open market. We’re bringing down oil prices incredibly.”

Artillery fire, gunship attack, demolitions in war-battered Gaza as PM Netanyahu accepts US ‘peace board’ position.

DAVID and Victoria Beckham have returned to social media after their eldest son Brooklyn Beckham’s scathing six-page rant about their alleged “controlling” behaviour.

Brooklyn, 26, launched a nuclear attack on his famous parents on Monday – blasting his Spice Girls star mother, 51, in a damning six-page message posted on social media.

The budding chef, who wed actress Nicola Peltz in April 2022, said: “I’ve never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life.”

In his jaw-dropping upload, he made 12 key accusations towards his loved ones in his full statement including allegations of “bribery” and telling Bates Motel star Nicola “she’s not family”.

Brooklyn also said he does “not want to reconcile” with his family, and accused his parents of “controlling” the narrative.

Understandably, Posh and Becks were left “floored” by the claims yet have bravely made a comeback on Instagram.

read more victoria beckham

CLEMMIE MOODIE

Beckhams ‘floored’ by attack… and Brooklyn could still make explosive move

POSH’S DEFENCE

Katherine Ryan says Brooklyn Beckham is ‘ungrateful nepo baby’ after rant

Failing to address the scandal, they opted to focus on positive moments with their pals instead.

Posh Spice Victoria uploaded a throwback snap showing her with Baby Spice Emma Bunton to celebrate her 50th birthday.

It showed Victoria giving her bandmate a piggy back and added the caption: “Happy Birthday Emma Bunton.

“Love you so much”.

Meanwhile, David took to his own account to mark former Manchester United teammate Nicky Butt’s special day.

He posted a snap showing the midfielder in his Premier League prime and wrote: “Birthday Boy”.

The latest on Brooklyn’s seismic statement…

The former England ace then followed with another upload to mark the birthday of another Red Devils alum, Phil Neville, and his sister Tracey.

He wrote: “Happy birthday you two,” before sharing an image of himself and Phil on the pitch alongside the words: “Happy Birthday mate”.

STAY SILENT

As yet, Victoria and David have not commented on Brooklyn’s six-page statement.

Yet the former footballer was seen for the first time since the scandal broke as he attended the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

During his public appearance yesterday, David stayed silent and refused to answer questions on Brooklyn.

Though in a chat after the event, the ex Manchester United ace did admit his children had “made mistakes on social media”.

Speaking live on CNBC’s financial program Squawk Box, Becks said: “I have always spoken about social media and the power of social media . . . For the good and for the bad.

“What kids can access these days, it can be dangerous.

“But what I have found personally, especially with my kids as well, use it for the right reasons.

“I’ve been able to use my platform for my following, for UNICEF.

“And it has been the biggest tool to make people aware of what’s going on around the world for children.

“And I have tried to do the same with my children, to educate them.

“They make mistakes, but children are allowed to make mistakes. That is how they learn. That is what I try to teach my kids.”

He added: “You sometimes have to let them make those mistakes as well.”

Sources close to Victoria have also told The Sun she is “embarrassed” about various memes circulating online about her “inappropriate” dancing.

As such, Posh Spice has been left distraught by the mockery.

A source said: “Victoria is really embarrassed now she’s being mocked online, it’s just devastating to her.”

Jan. 21 (UPI) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Wednesday accepted the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump to join his intergovernmental Board of Peace organization as questions — and concerns — loom over its potential members.

The prime minister’s office announced the decision in a statement published on its Facebook account, making Netanyahu the latest world leader to join the board.

Trump has been courting world leaders to join the board, which he first announced in September as part of a 20-point plan aimed at securing a cease-fire in Gaza.

So far, at least eight nations, including Israel, have publicly stated they will join the Board of Peace, a U.S.-led intergovernmental organization that has been endorsed by the United Nations Security Council in relation to its Gaza peace mandate.

Other nations include Argentina, Belarus, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, and Hungary, while invitations have been sent out to several others, including Canada, Britain, France and Russia, among others.

While conceived as a mechanism to maintain peace in Gaza, the board’s charter makes no reference to the Palestinian enclave. The suggestion that it could seek to address other conflicts has raised concerns that it may undermine the United Nations, a frequent target of Trump.

Asked Tuesday during a White House press conference if he wants the Board of Peace to replace the U.N., Trump said, “it might.”

“I wish the United Nations could do more. I wish we didn’t need a Board of Peace,” he said, later adding, “The U.N. just hasn’t been very helpful. I’m a big fan of the U.N. potential, but it has never lived up to its potential.”

Trump has confirmed that an invitation to join the board has been sent to Russia’s authoritarian president, Vladimir Putin, whose potential inclusion has also raised concerns, along with the inclusion of Netanyahu, who is the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes, and Alexander Lukashenko, the authoritarian leader of Belarus who aided Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.

Britain — whose leader, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has been invited to join the board — has signaled that it may decline the offer.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Tuesday, Britain’s Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the proposal for the board being presented now is “very different” from what had been expected.

She also said, “Putin is not a man of peace and I don’t think he belongs in any organization with peace in the name.”

France is reportedly preparing to decline joining the board, which led Trump on Tuesday to threaten a 200% tariff on French wine and champagne in response.

Membership on the board also reportedly costs $1 billion, which Canada said it will not pay although it does intend to join.

Speaking to reporters at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland on Tuesday, Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said that “there’s a lot of details to be worked out but, one thing which is clear is that Canada is not going to pay if we join the Board of Peace.”

The man who killed Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe has been sentenced to life in prison, three and a half years after he shot him dead at a rally in the city of Nara in 2022.

Tetsuya Yamagami had pleaded guilty to murder at the trial’s opening last year, but how he should be punished has divided public opinion in Japan. While many see the 45-year-old as a cold-blooded murderer, some sympathise with his troubled upbringing.

Prosecutors said Yamagami deserved life imprisonment for his “grave act”. Abe’s assassination stunned the country, where there is virtually no gun crime.

Seeking leniency, Yamagami’s defence team said he was a victim of “religious abuse”.

His mother’s devotion to the Unification Church bankrupted the family, and Yamagami bore a grudge against Abe after realising the ex-leader’s ties to the controversial church, the court heard.

On Wednesday, Judge Shinichi Tanaka from the Nara district court said the fact that Yamagami “shot [Abe] from behind… when he was least expecting it” showed how “despicable and extremely malicious” his actions were, AFP news agency reported.

Yamagami sat quietly with his hands clasped and eyes downcast as the sentence was handed down. Nearly 700 people had lined up outside the courtroom to attend the hearing.

Abe’s shocking death in broad daylight prompted investigations into the Unification Church and its questionable practices, including soliciting financially ruinous donations from its followers.

The case also exposed links with politicians from Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and resulted in the resignations of several cabinet ministers.

Journalist Eito Suzuki, who covered all but one of Yamagami’s court hearings, said Yamagami and his family seemed “overwhelmed with despair” throughout the trial.

Yamagami “exuded a sense of world-weariness and resignation”, recounts Suzuki, who began looking into the Unification Church long before Abe’s shocking murder.

“Everything is true. There is no doubt that I did this,” Yamagami said solemnly on the first day of his trial in October 2025.

Armed with a homemade gun assembled using two metal pipes and duct tape, he fired two shots at Abe during a political campaign event in the western city of Nara on 8 July 2022.

The murder of Japan’s most recognisable public figure at the time – Abe remains the longest-serving PM in Japanese history – sent shockwaves around the world.

Calling for a jail term of no more than 20 years, Yamagami’s lawyers argued that he was a victim of “religious abuse”. He resented the church because his mother donated to it his late father’s life insurance and other assets, amounting to 100 million yen ($633,000; £471,000), the court heard.

Yamagami spoke of his grievance against Abe, who was 67 when shot, after seeing his video message at a church-related event in 2021, but said he had initially planned to attack church executives, not Abe.

Suzuki recalls Abe’s widow Akie’s look of disbelief when Yamagami said the ex-leader was not his main target. Her expression “remains vividly etched in my mind”, Suzuki says.

“It conveyed a sense of shock, like she was asking: Was my husband merely a tool used to settle a grudge against the religious organisation? Is that all it was?”

In an emotional statement read to the court, Akie Abe said the sorrow of losing her husband “will never be relieved”.

“I just wanted him to stay alive,” she had said.

Founded in South Korea, the Unification Church entered Japan in the 1960s and cultivated ties with politicians to grow its following, researchers say.

While not a member, Abe, like several other Japanese politicians, would occasionally appear at church-related events. His grandfather Nobusuke Kishi, also a former PM, was said to have been close to the group because of its anti-communist stance.

In March last year, a Tokyo court revoked the church’s status as a religious corporation, ruling that it coerced followers into buying expensive items by exploiting fears about their spiritual well-being.

The church has also drawn controversy for holding mass wedding ceremonies involving thousands of couples.

Yamagami’s sister, who appeared as a defence witness during his trial, gave a tearful testimony on the “dire circumstances she and her siblings endured” because of their mother’s deep involvement with the church, Suzuki recalls.

“It was an intensely emotional moment. Nearly everyone in the public gallery appeared to be crying,” he says.

But prosecutors argue there is “a leap in logic” as to why Yamagami directed his resentment of the church at Abe. During the trial, the judges also raised questions suggesting they found it hard to understand this aspect of his defence.

Observers, too, are divided on whether Yamagami’s personal tragedies justify a reduced penalty for his actions.

“It’s hard to dismantle the prosecution’s case that Abe didn’t directly harm Yamagami or his family,” Suzuki says.

But he believes Yamagami’s case illustrates how “victims of social problems are led to commit serious crimes”.

“This chain must be broken, we must properly examine why he committed the crime,” Suzuki says.

Rin Ushiyama, a sociologist at Queen’s University Belfast, says sympathy for Yamagami is largely rooted in “widespread distrust and antipathy in Japan towards controversial religions like the Unification Church”.

“Yamagami was certainly a ‘victim’ of parental neglect and economic hardship caused by the [Unification Church], but this does not explain, let alone justify, his [actions],” Ushiyama says.

As metaphors for the American dream go, Gabriel Tallent’s taut and engrossing second novel, “Crux,” is exceedingly direct: It’s literally a book about climbing.

Its two main characters, Dan and Tamma (short for Tamarisk) are 17-year-old high-schoolers living in the scruffy outskirts of Joshua Tree National Park. Whatever free time they can scrape together is wholly dedicated to climbing boulders, despite their lack of equipment — neither can afford pads or ropes to break their falls, and Dan salvaged his climbing shoes from a dumpster. (Hard living is Tallent’s specialty: His 2017 debut, “My Absolute Darling,” centered on a tween girl living by her wits in a forest near the Mendocino coast.)

No romance is in the offing between the two — Dan is straight and Tamma is exuberantly profane about being gay — so their bond is built almost entirely around climbing. “Any day you were going to climb granite was the best day in the world,” Tallent writes.

Tallent is well-versed in the lingo of the sport, and some of the book’s finest, most lyrical passages are constructed around it: “Her left foot greased out from beneath her, and she came cheesegrating down the slab,” he writes of Tamma slipping on a boulder. There’s no glossary, but the main terms are clear enough: to “send” a climb is to finish it; a “crux” is a crucial pivot point. The language is infused with intensity, lust and earthy rudeness: Climbs have names like Fingerbang Princess and Tinkerbell Bandersnatch.

Dan and Tamma are climbing toward something, of course: He’s pursuing a college scholarship and she is determined to infiltrate the world of professional climbers. If that doesn’t pan out for either of them, Tamma figures they’ll just chuck it all and live off the grid in Utah: “After graduation, you just go, ‘I’m not going to college! PSYCH! I’m going to Canyonlands with Tamma! Later, bitches!’ Then spike your diploma to the floor and walk out.”

But as her intensity suggests, both of them are running from things too. Each of their families are struggling, laid low by astronomical, ever-escalating medical costs and poor relationship decisions. Tamma’s mother is partnered with a drug-dealing layabout; Dan’s mother, a onetime successful novelist, has a worsening heart condition.

It doesn’t help that civilization seems determined to cut them off from the desert’s wonders. Crowds of weekend warriors limit their ability to climb in isolation, and the region is rapidly filling up with “mansions, survivalist compounds, movie-star bungalows” and more.

“Don’t ever mistake this for a country in which you can set off on your own,” Dan’s father tells him. “It’s not a place dreams come true, at least not anymore.”

If the novel stayed in that lecturing, gloomy zone, it’d be easy to lose patience with it. More often, though, Tallent demonstrates his characters’ precarity rather than declaiming about it. Dan has legitimate reason to wonder whether his college applications are worth filing in an era of late capitalism and a dying mother. Tamma is trying to find the emotional stillness to deal with a dysfunctional family that makes plenty of demands but offers little support. In that regard, “Crux” recalls the best recent novels that have drilled deep into the physical and emotional damage of life on America’s lower rungs: Atticus Lish’s “The War for Gloria” (2021), Barbara Kingsolver’s “Demon Copperhead” (2022) and Ayana Mathis’ “The Unsettled” (2023).

Such a list might also include “My Absolute Darling” too. But where that novel was intentionally defined to make the reader feel closed in, here the Mojave Desert vistas are free and expansive; whenever Dan and Tamma make a break for the boulders, it’s as if their hearts have cracked wide-open. “Every crunching footstep was real,” Tallent writes. “And when you were up on the rock, then every crystal, crack, and ripple was endowed with indissoluble, life-saving importance, each dike and chickenhead inalienably itself.”

But if the desert offers a source of inspiration and possibility, it’s also an inescapably punishing landscape, and the main theme of the novel is how much success — especially now, especially in America — is going to have to depend on individual resolve. Culturally, this typically gets framed as alpha-male, gym-rat bluster about bootstrapping. Here, a woman commands most of the stage. Tamma’s best lines in the novel are unquotable in a newspaper — they involve physically strenuous sexual fantasies involving Ryan Reynolds and various members of Fleetwood Mac — but her exhortations are typically 10 parts insult to five parts inspiration, with a dash of terror that she may fail. “I’ve seen into your heart, dude,” she tells Dan. “Your mom, she doesn’t know who you are, but I do. You’re not that guy. You don’t want to be safe.” It’s fun, headlong reading with a shot of melancholy. She’s trying to convince him, and her — and maybe us.

Dan, as bookish as he is athletic, approaches matters in a calmer register: “How should I conduct my life? Do you trust yourself, or do you not?” Still, the fear and frustration are much the same, and in this novel the tension, smartly and lyrically rendered, is at once wide as the horizon — how do we survive in this country? — and narrow as the slightest of nearly invisible footholds its characters require to get even a little bit ahead.

Athitakis is a writer in Phoenix and author of “The New Midwest.”

US president resumed journey to Europe on Boeing 757 that departed just after midnight on Wednesday.

United States President Donald Trump’s plane has been forced to make a U-turn about an hour after departing its base for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Air Force One, carrying the president, his entourage and reporters, returned to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland shortly after 11:00pm (04:00 GMT) on Tuesday night, owing to a “minor electrical issue”, said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Trump resumed his journey to the forum, where he is due to hold meetings with several world leaders and deliver a speech, on a smaller Boeing 757.

The plane, which is normally used for domestic trips to smaller airports, departed just after midnight local time (05:00 GMT) on Wednesday, more than two hours after the initial flight took off.

With its classic blue and white livery, Air Force One is arguably one of the world’s most iconic planes and an instantly recognisable symbol of the US presidency.

The two planes currently used as Air Force One have been flying for nearly four decades. Boeing has been working on replacements, but the programme has faced a series of delays.

The planes are equipped with radiation shielding and antimissile technology, and include a variety of communications systems to allow the president to maintain contact with the military from anywhere in the world.

Last year, the ruling family of Qatar gifted Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet to be added to the Air Force One fleet, which is currently being retrofitted to meet security requirements.

Leavitt joked to reporters on Tuesday night that the Qatari jet was sounding “much better” now.

Last February, an Air Force One plane carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Germany had to return to Washington because of a mechanical issue.

In October, a military plane carrying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had to make an emergency landing in the United Kingdom due to a crack in the windshield.