A new wave of Israeli policies is changing the reality and boundaries on the ground in the occupied West Bank.

The Israeli government has approved the formalisation of 19 so-called settlement outposts as independent settlements in the occupied West Bank. This is the third wave of such formalisations this year by the government, which considers settlement expansion and annexation a top priority. During an earlier ceremony of formalisation, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said, “We are advancing de facto sovereignty on the ground to prevent any possibility of establishing an Arab state in [the West Bank].”

Settlement outposts, which are illegal under international law, are set up by a small group of settlers without prior government authorisation. This does not mean that the settlers, who are often more ideological and violent, do not enjoy government protection. Israeli human rights organisations say that settlers in these so-called outposts enjoy protection, electricity and other services from the Israeli army. The formalisation opens the door to additional government funds, infrastructure and expansion.

Many of the settlement outposts formalised in this latest decision are concentrated in the northeastern part of the West Bank, an area that traditionally has had very little settlement activity. They also include the formalisation of two outposts evacuated in 2005 by the government of Israeli then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

While these government decisions may seem bureaucratic, they are in fact strategic in nature. They support the more ideological and often more violent settlers entrenching their presence and taking over yet more Palestinian land, and becoming more brazen in their attacks against Palestinians, which are unprecedented in scope and effect.

The Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem estimates that settler attacks against Palestinians have forcibly displaced 44 communities across the West Bank in the past two years. These arson attacks, vandalism, physical assault and deadly shootings are done under the protection of Israeli soldiers. During these settler attacks, 34 Palestinians were killed, including three children. None of the perpetrators has been brought to justice. In fact, policing of these groups has dropped under the direction of Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who is a settler himself.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently sounded the alarm about Israel’s record-breaking expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank and the unprecedented levels of state-backed settler violence. In a briefing to the UN Security Council, Guterres reminded states that all settlements are illegal under international law. He also warned that they erode Palestinian rights recognised under this law, including to a state of their own.

In September, United States President Donald Trump said he “will not allow” Israel to annex the West Bank, without offering details of what actions he would take to prevent such a move.

But Israel is undeterred. The government continues to pursue its agenda of land grab, territorial expansion and annexation by a myriad of measures that fragment, dispossess and isolate Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and continues its genocidal violence in Gaza.

More than 32,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced from their homes in three refugee camps in the occupied West Bank for nearly a year. The Israeli army continues to occupy Nur Shams, Tulkarem and Jenin refugee camps and ban residents from returning. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have demolished and damaged 1,460 buildings in those camps, according to a preliminary UN estimate. This huge, destructive campaign has changed the geography of the camps and plunged more families into economic and social despair.

This is the state hundreds of thousands of Palestinians across the West Bank find themselves in because of Israeli restrictions, home demolitions and land grabs. The Israeli army has set up close to 1,000 gates across the West Bank, turning communities into open-air prisons. This has a direct and devastating effect on the social fabric, economy and vitality of these communities, which live on land that is grabbed from under them to execute the expansion of illegal settlements, roads and so-called buffer zones around them.

According to the UN Conference on Trade and Development, Israeli practices and policies over the past two years have cost the Palestinian people 69 years of development. The organisation recently reported that the Palestinian gross domestic product (GDP) has shrunk to 2010 levels. This is visible most starkly in Gaza, but it is palpable in the West Bank as well.

The results of these policies and this reality are Palestinians leaving their homes and Israel expanding. During the summer, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a local news station he was on a “historic and spiritual mission”, in reference to the vision of the Greater Israel that he said he was “very” attached to.

As Donald Trump threatens legal action against the Beeb, the Mirror takes a look at the broadcaster’s most recent list of top earners, which includes some surprises

US President Donald Trump is suing the BBC to the tune of $5 billion, yesterday claiming, “they put words in my mouth”.

POTUS is here referring to an episode of Panorama which aired a week before the 2024 US election, which showed comments he made to supporters ahead of the deadly 2021 Capitol riots. The episode appears to show Trump telling crowds: “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol and I’ll be there with you, and we fight. We fight like hell.”

However, these words were created from different segments of the 79-year-old’s speech, delivered nearly one hour apart. The BBC has since issued an apology over the edit, admitting to an “error of judgment” while clarifying there was no legal basis for Trump’s claim. As the row continues, the Mirror takes a look at the Beeb’s list of top earners.

READ MORE: Donald Trump sues BBC $5 billion for Panorama speech edit: ‘They put words in my mouth’

Back in July, the BBC published the salaries of its highest-paid stars as part of its annual report, and a number of significant changes amongst the top earners. Former Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker, who this year left the corporation was once again the top earner with a take home salary of £1.35million. This was followed by former Radio 2 breakfast host Zoe Ball, who took home £515,000 despite being replaced on the Breakfast Show by Scott Mills.

Match of the Day Host Alan Shearer emerged as the third highest paid BBC star of the year, increasing his salary from the year before after covering the Euros last year. The former Newcastle star boosted his paycheck to almost half a million pounds with his punditry at the tournament.

Radio host and political expert Nick Robinson also had a pay rise last year, while Radio 2 host Vernon Kay joined the top 10 for the first time. Perhaps surprisingly, BBC North America Editor Justin Webb also made the top 10, with a very impressive salary of £365,000.

The BBC’s top earners:

1. Gary Lineker £1,350,000-£1,354,999 (no change)
2. Zoe Ball £515,000-£519,999 (down from £950,000-£954,999)
3. Alan Shearer £440,000-445,000 (up from £380,000-£384,999)
4. Greg James £425,000-£429,999 (up from £415,000-£419,999)
5. Fiona Bruce £410,000-£414,999 (up from £405,000-£409,999) and Nick Robinson £410,000-£414,999 (Up from £345,000 and £349,000)
6. Stephen Nolan £405,000-£409,999 (up from £400,000-£404,999)
7. Laura Kuenssberg £395,000-£399,999 (up from £325,000-£329,999)
8. Vernon Kay £390,000 – £394,999 (joined Radio 2 in May 2023)
9. Justin Webb £365,000-£369,999 (up from £320,000-£324,999)
10. Naga Munchetty £355,000-£359,999 (up from £345,000-£349,999)
11. Scott Mills £355,000-£359,999 (up from £315,000 – £319,999)

Last year, Vernon Kay made the list for the very first time after joining BBC Radio 2. The Bolton born presenter replaced Ken Bruce and took home a whopping £320,000 from the corporation in his first year. Despite this staggering sum, his take-home pay was almost 20 per cent less than what Ken earned in the previous year in the slot.

Meanwhile, disgraced BBC News host Huw Edwards also remained on the list last year, coming in at third place with a wage of £475,000-£479,999 (up from £435,000-£439,999). Edwards, who had been off-air since July 2023, left the BBC after being named as the presenter at the centre of days of allegations and speculation regarding his private life.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , X , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

READ MORE: M&S’ coffee and cake hampers are now under £5 in time for Christmas gifting

Singapore Airlines’ ultra-long-haul route covers 9,537 miles – but it doesn’t come cheap.

The world’s longest flight links America to Asia, with travellers buckled in for nearly 19 hours. Singapore Airlines currently holds the record for the lengthiest long-haul journey, operating from New York’s JFK Airport to Singapore Changi.

The epic 9,537-mile trek boasts a scheduled flight time of 18 hours and 50 minutes and first took to the skies back in 2018.

Singapore Airlines deploys their cutting-edge A350-900ULRs on this route, aircraft capable of remaining airborne for over 20 hours non-stop.

These planes achieve such endurance thanks to a specially adapted fuel system. This enhancement boosts the aircraft’s total fuel capacity to an enormous 24,000 litres.

Yet this mammoth journey isn’t available to all, as Singapore Airlines doesn’t provide economy seating on this route. The carrier instead provides 67 Business Class seats and 94 Premium Economy Class seats.

Premium Economy travellers can relish additional legroom, a footrest, and an adjustable headrest. Passengers also benefit from noise-cancelling headphones and WiFi throughout their journey, reports the Express.

Business class flyers experience ultimate privacy, with their seats transforming into completely flat beds for proper rest during travel. Singapore Airlines maintains that the A350-900ULR delivers passengers a “more comfortable travelling experience”.

The aircraft boasts a host of additional amenities including elevated ceilings, expansive windows and specially engineered lighting systems to combat jet lag.

The carrier maintains that the aircraft’s cutting-edge carbon composite construction also enables superior air quality throughout the cabin.

Prospective passengers will need deep pockets, as tickets routinely command prices well into five-figure territory.

Singapore Airlines’ chief executive, Mr Goh Choon Phong, has previously stated that the new service will provide the “fastest way” to journey between these two metropolitan hubs.

He said: “Singapore Airlines has always taken pride in pushing the boundaries to provide the best possible travel convenience for our customers, and we are pleased to be leading the way with these new non-stop flights using the latest technology, ultra-long-range Airbus A350-900ULR.

“The flights will offer our customers the fastest way to travel between the two cities – in great comfort, together with Singapore Airlines’ legendary service – and will help boost connectivity to and through the Singapore hub.”

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 21 of his 31 points in the first half and Cam Spencer added a career-high 27 points as the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Clippers 121-103 on Monday night.

Jaylen Wells scored 16 points and rookie Cedric Coward had 12 as the Grizzlies earned a victory over the Clippers for the third time in less than three weeks. Ja Morant also scored 12 points for Memphis in his second game since returning from a calf injury.

While Morant has returned, Grizzlies center Zach Edey missed his second game of an extended absence because of a left ankle injury. Santi Aldama started at center for the second consecutive game and was held to just three points with two rebounds.

Kawhi Leonard scored 21 points and Kris Dunn added 17 for the Clippers, who have lost 12 of their last 14 games.

James Harden was held to 13 points, while John Collins and Jordan Miller each had 10 for Los Angeles in its eighth straight home loss. The Clippers last won in their own building on Oct. 31.

The Clippers led 64-63 on Leonard’s three-pointer just before the midpoint of the third quarter. The Grizzlies took charge from there, going on a 9-0 run for a 72-64 lead, while taking a 90-76 advantage into the fourth quarter. Wells had four points in the run.

Spencer made four three-pointers in less than six minutes of the fourth quarter and made a career high seven shots from long range on 10 attempts.

Jackson scored 20 points for the first time in six games, after he averaged 10.2 points over the previous five contests while shooting 42.6%. He was 13 of 18 (72.2%) from the floor.

When armed soldiers in the small West African nation of Benin appeared on national television on December 7 to announce they had seized power in a coup, it felt to many across the region like another episode of the ongoing coup crisis that has seen several governments toppled since 2020.

But the scenes played out differently this time.

Amid reports of gunfire and civilians scampering to safety in the economic capital, Cotonou, Beninese and others across the region waited with bated breath as conflicting intelligence emerged. The small group of putschists, on the one hand, declared victory, but Benin’s forces and government officials said the plot had failed.

By evening, the situation was clear – Benin’s government was still standing. President Patrice Talon and loyalist forces in the army had managed to hold control, thanks to help from the country’s bigger neighbours, particularly its eastern ally and regional power, Nigeria.

While Talon now enjoys victory as the president who could not be unseated, the spotlight is also on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The regional bloc rallied to save the day in Benin after their seeming resignation in the face of the crises rocking the region, including just last month, when the military took power in Guinea-Bissau.

This time, though, after much criticism and embarrassment, ECOWAS was ready to push back against the narrative of it being an ineffective bloc by baring its teeth and biting, political analyst Ryan Cummings told Al Jazeera.

“It wanted to remind the region that it does have the power to intervene when the context allows,” Cummings said. “At some point, there needed to be a line drawn in the sand [and] what was at stake was West Africa’s most stable sovereign country falling.”

Is a new ECOWAS on the horizon?

Benin’s military victory was an astonishing turnaround for an ECOWAS that has been cast as a dead weight in the region since 2020, when a coup in Mali spurred an astonishing series of military takeovers across the region in quick succession.

Between 2020 and 2025, nine coup attempts toppled five democratic governments and two military ones. The latest successful coup, in Guinea-Bissau, happened on November 28. Bissau-Guineans had voted in the presidential election some days before and were waiting for the results to be announced when the military seized the national television station, detained incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, and announced a new military leader.

ECOWAS, whose high-level delegation was in Bissau to monitor the electoral process when the coup happened, appeared on the back foot, unable to do much more than issue condemnatory statements. Those statements sounded similar to those it issued after the coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea. The bloc appeared a far cry from the institution that, between 1990 and 2003, successfully intervened to stop the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone, and later in the Ivory Coast. The last ECOWAS military intervention, in 2017, halted Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh’s attempt to overturn the election results.

Indeed, ECOWAS’s success in its heyday hinged on the health of its members. Nigeria, arguably ECOWAS’s backbone, whose troops led the interventions in Liberia and Sierra Leone, has been mired in insecurity and economic crises of its own lately. In July 2023, when Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was the ECOWAS chair, he threatened to invade Niger after the coup there.

It was disastrous timing. Faced with livelihood-eroding inflation and incessant attacks by armed groups at home, Nigerians were some of the loudest voices resisting an invasion. Many believed Tinubu, sworn in just months earlier, had misplaced his priorities. By the time ECOWAS had finished debating what to do weeks later, the military government in Niger had consolidated support throughout the armed forces and Nigeriens themselves had decided they wanted to back the military. ECOWAS and Tinubu backed off, defeated.

Niger left the alliance altogether in January this year, forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) with fellow military governments in Mali and Burkina Faso. All three share cultural and geographic affinities, but are also linked by their collective dislike for France, the former colonial power, which they blame for interfering in their countries. Even as they battle rampaging armed groups like Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), the three governments have cut ties with French forces formerly stationed there and welcomed Russian fighters whose effectiveness, security experts say, fluctuates.

But Benin was different, and ECOWAS appeared wide awake. Aside from the fact that it was one coup too far, Cummings said, the country’s proximity to Nigeria, and two grave mistakes the putschists made, gave ECOWAS a fighting chance.

The first mistake was that the rebels had failed to take Talon hostage, as is the modus operandi with putschists in the region. That allowed the president to directly send an SOS to his counterparts following the first failed attacks on the presidential palace at dawn.

The second mistake was perhaps even graver.

“Not all the armed forces were on board,” Cummings said, noting that the small group of about 100 rebel soldiers had likely assumed other units would fall in line but had underestimated how loyal other factions were to the president. That was a miscalculation in a country where military rule ended in 1990 and where 73 percent of Beninese believe that democracy is better than any other form of government, according to poll site Afrobarometer. Many take particular pride in their country being hailed as the region’s most stable democracy.

“There was division within the army, and that was the window of opportunity that allowed ECOWAS to deploy because there wasn’t going to be a case of ‘If we deploy, we will be targeted by the army’. I dare say that if there were no countercoup, there was no way ECOWAS would have gotten involved because it would have been a conventional war,” Cummings added.

Quickly reading the room, Benin’s neighbours reacted swiftly. For the first time in nearly a decade, the bloc deployed its standby ground forces from Nigeria, Ghana, the Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone. Abuja authorised air attacks on rebel soldiers who were effectively cornered in a military base in Cotonou and at the national TV building, but who were putting up a last-ditch attempt at resistance. France also supported the mission by providing intelligence. By nightfall, the rebels had been completely dislodged by Nigerian jets. The battle for Cotonou was over.

At least 14 people have since been arrested. Several casualties were reported on both sides, with one civilian, the wife of a high-ranking officer marked for assassination, among the dead. On Wednesday, Beninese authorities revealed that the coup leader, Colonel Pascal Tigri, was hiding in neighbouring Togo.

At stake for ECOWAS was the risk of losing yet another member, possibly to the landlocked AES, said Kabiru Adamu, founder of Abuja-based Beacon Security intelligence firm. “I am 90 percent sure Benin would have joined the AES because they desperately need a littoral state,” he said, referring to Benin’s Cotonou port, which would have expanded AES export capabilities.

Nigeria could also not afford a military government mismanaging the deteriorating security situation in northern Benin, as has been witnessed in the AES countries, Cummings said. Armed group JNIM launched its first attack on Nigerian soil in October, adding to Abuja’s pressures as it continues to face Boko Haram in the northeast and armed bandit groups in the northwest. Abuja has also come under diplomatic fire from the US, which falsely alleges a “Christian genocide” in the country.

“We know that this insecurity is the stick with which Tinubu is being beaten, and we already know his nose is bloodied,” Cummings said.

Revelling in the glory of the Benin mission last Sunday, Tinubu praised Nigeria’s forces in a statement, saying the “Nigerian armed forces stood gallantly as a defender and protector of constitutional order”. A group of Nigerian governors also hailed the president’s action, and said it reinforced Nigeria’s regional power status and would deter further coup plotters.

Not yet out of the woods

If there is a perception that ECOWAS has reawakened and future putschists will be discouraged, the reality may not be so positive, analysts say. The bloc still has much to do before it can be taken seriously again, particularly in upholding democracy and calling out sham elections before governments become vulnerable to mass uprisings or coups, Beacon Security’s Adamu said.

In Benin, for example, ECOWAS did not react as President Talon, in power since 2016, grew increasingly autocratic, barring opposition groups in two previous presidential elections. His government has again barred the main opposition challenger, Renaud Agbodjo, from elections scheduled for next April, while Talon’s pick, former finance minister Romuald Wadagni, is the obvious favourite.

“It’s clear that the elections have been engineered already,” Adamu said. “In the entire subregion, it’s difficult to point to any single country where the rule of law has not been jettisoned and where the voice of the people is heard without fear.”

ECOWAS, Adamu added, needs to proactively re-educate member states on democratic principles, hold them accountable when there are lapses, as in the Benin case, and then intervene when threats emerge.

The bloc appears to be taking heed. On December 9, two days after the failed Benin coup, ECOWAS declared a state of emergency.

“Events of the last few weeks have shown the imperative of serious introspection on the future of our democracy and the urgent need to invest in the security of our community,” Omar Touray, ECOWAS Commission president, said at a meeting in the Abuja headquarters. Touray cited situations that constitute coup risks, such as the erosion of electoral integrity and mounting geopolitical tensions, as the bloc splits along foreign influences. Currently, ECOWAS member states have stayed close to Western allies like France, while the AES is firmly pro-Russia.

Another challenge the bloc faces is managing potential fallout with the AES states amid France’s increasing closeness with Abuja. As Paris faces hostility in Francophone West Africa, it has drawn closer to Nigeria, where it does not have the same negative colonial reputation, and which it perceives as useful for protecting French business interests in the region, Cummings said. At the same time, ECOWAS is still hoping to woo the three rogue ex-members back into its fold, and countries like Ghana have already established bilateral ties with the military governments.

“The challenge with that is that the AES would see the intervention [in Benin] as an act not from ECOWAS itself but something engineered by France,” Adamu said. Seeing France instigating an intervention which could have benefitted AES reinforces their earlier complaints that Paris pokes its nose into the region’s affairs, and could push them further away, he said.

“So now we have a situation where they feel like France did it, and the sad thing is that we haven’t seen ECOWAS dispel that notion, so the ECOWAS standby force has [re]started on a contentious step,” Adamu added.

UFC title holder IIia Topuria took a break from the sport in November to fight what he is calling “attempted extortion”.

Undefeated UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria explained his withdrawal from the UFC 324 title bout on Monday, alleging he is addressing an extortion attempt and will return to the cage at the appropriate time.

Topuria is not on the UFC 324 card. An interim lightweight championship bout between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett headlines the January 24 event in Paradise, Nevada.

The 28-year-old Georgian had already denied that an injury forced him out of a title defence. Topuria (17-0) said Monday he wanted to address rumours and speculation about his absence from the sport since November.

“Over the past several weeks, I have made the difficult decision to temporarily step away from defending my title. This was not a decision I took lightly. However, when circumstances arise that threaten your personal integrity, your family, and your reputation, there comes a point when you must address them directly,” Topuria said in a statement posted to Instagram on Monday.

“In recent months, I have been subjected to severe and unacceptable pressure, including threats to disseminate false allegations of domestic abuse unless financial demands were met. These allegations are entirely unfounded. The truth is not a matter of opinion – it is a matter of evidence. All relevant evidence has been carefully preserved and documented, including audio recordings, written communications, witness statements, and video material. This evidence has been submitted to the appropriate judicial authorities in order to pursue legal action for attempted extortion, falsification of evidence, misappropriation of funds and personal property, and multiple threats.”

Topuria has two knockout wins to defend the belt since he won it from Alexander Volkanovski in February 2024 with a knockout victory.

Topuria’s most recent fight was a June 28 knockout victory against Charles OIiveira at UFC 317 and made him the first undefeated two-division champion in UFC history.

PETER Andre has shared a heartbreaking update on his mother’s health, admitting he worries this Christmas may be her last.

89-year-old Thea, who lives in Australia, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s back in 2023.

Peter has spoken over the last year about his mother’s deteriorating health and the heartache that comes with it.

And in a new interview with OK! Magazine, he admitted: “Of course I worry this could be Mum’s last Christmas.

“She’s very delicate. Her Parkinson’s has progressed quite a bit. Her speech is almost gone. She’ll say a word or two. It’s heartbreaking, because she’s our world, our pillar of strength.”

Peter, who was raised in Australia, often goes back Down Under to visit Thea and his dad Savvas, 92.

anti-social

Peter Andre reveals strict parenting rule for his youngest kids amid ‘dangers’

for Pete’s sake

Princess Andre risks wrath of Katie Price as she heaps praise on dad Peter

His older sister, Debbie, also resides back home and helps to look after their parents.

Admitting that it’s tough to also see his dad’s health decline with age, the dad-of-five said: “Then I see Dad and he’s 92 and with her every single day. But he’s getting delicate now, too.

“His memory’s going, but I am so grateful that they made that milestone I prayed for – 70 years of marriage in September.”

“It’s a raw pain. I’m a grown man, but I still can’t accept in my heart that these things happen to the people I love the most,” he added.

In September last year, Peter shared a heartwarming clip of his parents to social media as they celebrated their 69th anniversary,

His dad, Savvas, could be seen in the clip bringing wife Thea a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

He wrote at the time: “You inspire me so much mum and dad. Love you so very much.

“My 91-year-old dad giving flowers to my beautiful mum.”

Last year, Peter’s eldest children, 20-year-old Junior and Princess, 18, took a solo trip to visit their grandparents last year.

The holiday fell just days after his wife Emily MacDonagh had given birth to their third child together, Arabella.

The couple also share kids Theo and Amelia, while Peter shares his eldest children with ex-Katie Price.

At the time, the singer shared how proud he was of Princess and Junior for taking the time to visit Emily in hospital after labour before then flying to Austrlia.

He said on Instagram: “Junior and princess. The fact that you drove to Somerset to be with us hours before and the days that followed to see the arrival of your baby sister,”

“AND THEN to get on a plane and travel 12,000 miles to be with your grandmother in a very difficult time for her shows me what beautiful children you are.”

BBC Sports Personality of the Year is back for 2025, celebrating a phenomenal 12 months of sporting drama and triumph.

It has been a year to remember in sport, including England winning the Women’s Euros and Women’s Rugby World Cup, Team Europe winning the Ryder Cup, Liverpool’s Premier League title, Arsenal’s Women’s Champions League success, and the Lions’ series win in Australia.

There were also record-breaking moments in cricket, athletics, golf, tennis, rugby league and many more.

Pro-Palestine, antigovernment, anti-colonial group accused of targeting immigration agents and companies in ‘massive and horrific terror plot’.

Federal authorities in the United States have arrested four members of an antigoverment left-wing group over an alleged bomb plot targeting immigration agents and companies, among others, in California, officials have said.

Announcing the arrests on Monday, US Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation had disrupted “a massive and horrific terror plot” being prepared by the Turtle Island Liberation Front.

“The Turtle Island Liberation Front – a far-left, pro-Palestine, anti-government, and anti-capitalist group – was preparing to conduct a series of bombings against multiple targets in California beginning on New Year’s Eve,” Bondi said in a statement.

She was careful to note that among the group’s planned targets were Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and their vehicles.

Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30; Zachary Aaron Page, 32; Dante Gaffield, 24; and Tina Lai, 41, have been charged with conspiracy and possession of an unregistered destructive device. Officials said additional charges are expected.

Desert meeting

The suspects, who are all from the Los Angeles area, were arrested on Friday in the Mojave Desert as they were working on the plot, First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli told a news conference.

Officials showed reporters’ surveillance footage of the suspects in the desert moving a large black object to a table. The group was arrested before they had the opportunity to build a functional bomb, the officials said.

Essayli said Carroll had created a detailed plan to bomb at least five locations. The plot included the targeting of two “Amazon-type” logistics centres operated by US companies in the Los Angeles area on New Year’s Eve.

Backpacks filled with IEDs that were to be detonated simultaneously at midnight were to be left at the locations. The group believed the explosions would be less likely to be noticed due to fireworks detonated during the celebrations.

Two of the suspects had discussed plans for attacks targeting ICE agents and vehicles with pipe bombs early next year, according to the complaint.

Officials said the suspects were an offshoot of a group dubbed the Turtle Island Liberation Front, which says it is for the “liberation of all colonised peoples”.

The group, which has a small social media following, describes itself on Facebook as a political organisation advocating for the “Liberation of occupied Turtle Island and liberation of all colonized peoples across the world”.

The term “Turtle Island” is used by some Indigenous peoples to describe North America in a way that reflects its existence outside the colonial boundaries put in place by the US and Canada. It comes from Indigenous creation stories where the continent was formed on the back of a giant turtle.

Activists affiliated with the group have previously organised campaigns against detentions and deportations by ICE, as well as anti-colonial issues.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said while federal and local officials disagree on the Trump administration’s immigration raids, they still come together to protect residents.

Lacock village in Wiltshire is steeped in history and has been used as a filming location for Harry Potter, Downton Abbey, Pride and Prejudice and Wolf Hall, making visitors feel like they’re living in a period drama

A key filming spot for the BBC’s 1995 Pride and Prejudice adaptation, Lacock’s charming cottages and stunning countryside make visitors feel as though they’ve stepped into a period drama.

Its Wiltshire timber-framed buildings and magnificent cloisters have drawn numerous productions beyond Austen’s tale to its grounds. Lacock’s famous medieval Cloister, dating back to around 1450, also houses a verdant Cloister Garth. This striking architectural feature appeared in countless Downton Abbey scenes, and doubled as sections of the castle in the original Harry Potter films. It also featured in the BBC’s Wolf Hall adaptation. One TripAdvisor reviewer awarded the destination five stars, saying: “An absolute must if you are in the area! A beautiful village, which you can visit by parking just across the road in the National Trust car park.

“The village is a pleasure to walk around, totally untouched throughout history and is quintessentially English! From the rows of tiny cottages, the church, the tiny bakery, the village pub and a hotel, it has everything and all these are open and running. We stayed for a couple of hours and then had a wander around the Abbey which is also impressive.”, reports Gloucestershire Live. Another reviewer described the village as “frozen in time”, with Explore the Cotswolds concurring that the location “looks a lot like it would have done 200 years ago.”

Lacock’s magnificent abbey began life as an Augustinian nunnery, shuttered during Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries. Subsequently, John Ivory Talbot constructed the mock-Gothic hall – both are now in the care of the National Trust and available for afternoon exploration. A stone’s throw away stands St Cyriac’s Church. Initially believed to be a Saxon worship site, it later became Norman-controlled. The Church was erected near the close of the 11th century by Edward of Salisbury and William of Eu. The dedication to St Cyriac honours a beloved Norman saint.

The church houses numerous later memorials to the Baynards, Bonhams, Crokes, Sharingtons, Talbots and Awdreys. Yet for Harry Potter enthusiasts, the cloisters steal the show. For one devotee, exploring the cloisters topped her agenda upon arriving in Britain. She wrote: “Harry Potter fans NEED to do this! We’re from Canada. As soon as we landed in London, this was the very first thing we did. We did the Harry Potter Tour of London for Private Groups by Black Taxi. “Our guide was Richard and we can’t say enough good things about him! He was absolutely incredible! Ask him how he knows so much about this…such an interesting person, so knowledgeable and passionate about it all.”

The Victorian seaside town of Llandudno in North Wales has been attracting holidaymakers since the 1800s with its picturesque beaches, historic Great Orme clifftop and palm-lined promenade

This North Wales resort boasts an extensive history of drawing holidaymakers from across Britain, having secured the coveted title “Queen of the Welsh Watering Places”.

The Victorian seaside gem of Llandudno, with its rich heritage, is thought to have origins stretching back to the Bronze Age. These unique characteristics draw visitors keen to witness the stunning vistas of the Conwy Valley and explore the area’s captivating history.

Indeed, Llandudno has previously been recognised as among the most secure places to reside in Britain, home to roughly 19,700 lucky residents. Additionally, it’s far more budget-friendly to visit and stay in than many competing coastal resorts.

Two main beaches stretch across the shoreline – North Shore Beach and West Shore Beach. The northern section boasts an extensive promenade characteristic of any British seaside town.

Yet, what sets it apart from others is its palm-fringed pathway – evoking memories of a Mediterranean paradise. Tucked away behind North Shore Beach sits the Great Orme headland, offering an adventure on the Great Orme Tramway, carrying passengers to elevated viewpoints via cable cars.

One thrilled visitor said: “The cable car ride was amazing; for the length of the journey, £14 per return (this was the price in 2024) is pretty reasonable. The views are stunning, and you can see for miles on a really clear day, which we had.”

On the West Shore, tucked away on the opposite side of the town, visitors can soak up sweeping vistas of the Snowdonian peaks. One TripAdvisor reviewer says: “One of my favourite beaches anywhere: unspoilt, dog-friendly, free of kiosks and vendors – just sea, rock and sand. Stunning views of the Great Orme. Lots of parking.”

The delightful seaside resort of Llandudno possesses a fascinating past spanning from the Stone Age right through to the Iron Age, with countless communities established over centuries on the slopes of the limestone promontory, more commonly recognised as the Great Orme. This headland draws tourists from across the region and beyond, providing a four-hour hike packed with spectacular scenery.

The Victorian seafront, lovingly dubbed The Parade, alongside the famous pier represent two of the resort’s most treasured features, both constructed in 1877. Following major renovations, the pier has secured recognition as among Britain’s finest.

One holidaymaker described their pier adventure, explaining: “Excellent pier experience. A Punch and Judy, plenty of arcades, hair braiding/colouring, a good walk, fun stalls and a cafe with a wonderful lady singer belting out Amy Winehouse numbers. There’s even a little display of historical photos to show when the pier was used for the ferries. Well worth a visit.”

US President Donald Trump has filed a $5bn (£3.7bn) lawsuit against the BBC over an edit of his 6 January 2021 speech in a Panorama documentary.

Trump accused the broadcaster of defamation and of violating a trade practices law, according to court documents filed in Florida.

The BBC apologised to Trump last month, but rejected his demands for compensation and disagreed there was any “basis for a defamation claim”.

Trump’s legal team accused the BBC of defaming him by “intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively doctoring his speech”. The BBC has not yet responded to the lawsuit.

Trump said last month that he planned to sue the BBC for the documentary, which aired in the UK ahead of the 2024 US election.

“I think I have to do it,” Trump told reporters of his plans. “They cheated. They changed the words coming out of my mouth.”

In his speech on 6 January 2021, before a riot at the US Capitol, Trump told a crowd: “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women.”

More than 50 minutes later in the speech, he said: “And we fight. We fight like hell.”

In the Panorama programme, a clip showed him as saying: “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol… and I’ll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell.”

The BBC acknowledged that the edit had given “the mistaken impression” he had “made a direct call for violent action”, but disagreed that there was basis for a defamation claim.

In November, a leaked internal BBC memo criticised how the speech was edited, and led to the resignations of the BBC’s director general, Tim Davie, and its head of news, Deborah Turness.

Before Trump filed the lawsuit, lawyers for the BBC had given a lengthy response to the president’s claims.

They said there was no malice in the edit and that Trump was not harmed by the programme, as he was re-elected shortly after it aired.

They also said the BBC did not have the rights to, and did not, distribute the Panorama programme on its US channels. While the documentary was available on BBC iPlayer, it was restricted to viewers in the UK.

In his lawsuit, Trump cites agreements the BBC had with other distributors to show content, specifically one with a third-party media corporation that allegedly had licensing rights to the documentary outside the UK. The BBC has not yet responded to these claims, nor has the company with the alleged distribution agreement.

The suit also claims that people in Florida may have accessed the programme using a VPN or by using streaming service BritBox.

“The Panorama Documentary’s publicity, coupled with significant increases in VPN usage in Florida since its debut, establishes the immense likelihood that citizens of Florida accessed the Documentary before the BBC had it removed,” the lawsuit said.

Carl Carlton, the funk and R&B singer known for upbeat, era-embodying singles like “Everlasting Love” and “She’s a Bad Mama Jama (She’s Built, She’s Stacked)” has died. He was 72.

Carlton’s son, Carlton Hudgens II, posted to social media confirming the death on Sunday. “RIP Dad, Legend Carl Carlton singer of She’s a Bad Mama Jama. Long hard fight in life and you will be missed.” The post did not cite a cause of death.

Born Carlton Hudgens in Detroit in 1953, he debuted as “Little Carl” Carlton, but changed his stage name and moved to Houston after he was signed to the local label Back Beat Records. He had a minor soul-scene hit in 1971 with “I Can Feel It,” and broke through nationally in 1974 when his regal cover of Robert Knight’s “Everlasting Love” hit No. 6 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and spent 15 weeks on that chart.

Carlton is perhaps best known for his 1981 single, “She’s a Bad Mama Jama (She’s Built, She’s Stacked),” a grooving and awestruck ode to the female form that hit No. 22 on the Hot 100 and helped his self-titled album that year reach gold status.

The song has enjoyed a long life in popular culture — it’s been sampled by rappers like Foxy Brown, BigXThaPlug and Flo Milli, and frequently appeared on soundtracks for TV shows and films like “Friends.”

He continued releasing records into the ‘80s, and appeared several times on “American Bandstand” and “Soul Train,“ though his output slowed in the ‘90s. In 2003, he performed for Barry Glazer’s TV special, “American Soundtrack: Rhythm, Love, and Soul,” which featured Aretha Franklin and other marquee R&B and soul acts. His last album was 2010’s gospel LP “God Is Good.”

MONDAY’S RESULTS

BOYS

CITY SECTION

AMIT 43, Valley Oaks CES 25

Arleta 70, Monroe 59

Bell 52, South East 34

Bravo 83, View Park 82

CALS Early College 36, Magnolia Science Academy 20

Contreras 86, Belmont 15

Downtown Magnets 65, Lincoln 61

East College Prep 51, Brio College Prep 38

East Valley 46, Van Nuys 31

Fulton 63, Lakeview Charter 20

Garfield 48, South Gate 34

Granada Hills Kennedy 68, Reseda 23

LA Roosevelt 60, Legacy 47

Locke 59, Animo Watts 56

Orthopaedic 69, Annenberg 44

RFK Community 58, Mendez 49

Sun Valley Poly73, North Hollywood 58

Triumph Charter 69, LA Marshall 59

Vaughn 73, Panorama 58

SOUTHERN SECTION

ACE 82, PAL Academy 54

Alta Loma 48, Diamond Ranch 41

Anaheim 70, Magnolia 27

Arroyo 71, El Monte 28

Bell Gardens 68, Glenn 39

Bonita 60, San Dimas 56

Chaparral 76, California 71

Colton 83, Desert Hot Springs 67

Costa Mesa 75, Savanna 68

Crossroads Christian 39, Grove School 28

Desert Christian 67, Lancaster Baptist 54

Eastside 71, Quartz Hill 64

El Rancho 66, Duarte 30

Elsinore 58, Great Oak 55

Gabrielino 51, Rosemead 46

Highland 53, Antelope Valley 34

Hillcrest 68, Indian Springs 61

Knight 86, Lancaster 32

Lakeside 54, Patriot 42

Liberty 67, Beaumont 64

Magnolia Science Academy 55, Legacy College Prep 31

Malibu 69, Nordhoff 34

Mary Star of the Sea 64, Chadwick 60

Mesa Grande Academy 85, RSCSM 30

Mesrobian 47, New Covenant Academy 44

Montclair 84, Rim of the World 45

Moreno Valley 53, Vista del Lago 44

Ontario 68, La Sierra 27

Orange 59, Pasadena Marshall 37

Paloma Valley 56, San Jacinto 48

Pasadena 80, Burbank 53

Placentia Valencia 60, Santa Ana 32

Perris 81, Heritage 45

Redlands 46, Banning 41

Rialto 65, Norco 64

Riverside King 57, Riverside Poly 55

Santa Maria 86, Valley Christian Academy 69

Serrano 48, Arroyo Valley 37

Sherman Indian 59, California Lutheran 53

Summit 73, Yucaipa 56

Thousand Oaks 72, Simi Valley 40

Valley Torah 100, St. Monica Academy 68

Valley View 75, Jurupa Valley 45

Vasquez 98, PACS 40

Viewpoint 60, Hillcrest Christian 37

Westlake 51, Oak Park 37

Whitney 69, Godinez 63

Woodbridge 69, El Toro 48

INTERSECTIONAL

Compton 74, Crenshaw 53

Gahr 76, Rancho Dominguez 52

Marquez 65, Whittier 30

New Roads 47, Animo Venice 28

San Gabriel 66, Sotomayor 39

GIRLS

CITY SECTION

Animo Robinson 37, Smidt Tech 33

Animo Watts 55, Locke 29

Brio College Prep 24, East College Prep 20

Contreras 42, Belmont 4

Crenshaw 41, Torres 16

Granada Hills Kennedy 67, Reseda 15

Grant 64, Chavez 3

Hollywood 44, Roybal 12

Northridge Academy 58, East Valley 9

Orthopaedic 25, Annenberg 14

RFK Community 27, Mendez 18

Sherman Oaks CES 75, Fulton 7

South East 35, Bell 27

Verdugo Hills 56, Eagle Rock 31

SOUTHERN SECTION

Aliso Niguel 60, Edison 23

Arroyo 34, El Monte 25

Arroyo Valley 42, San Gorgonio 29

Baldwin Park 60, La Puente 15

Bonita 48, San Dimas 39

Burbank 64, Pasadena 40

Carter 77, Adelanto 54

Chino 58, Ayala 38

Citrus Valley 54, Liberty 52

Coachella Valley 45, Palo Verde Valley 36

Covina 49, Sierra Vista 40

Desert Christian 46, Lancaster Baptist 27

Don Lugo 53, Bloomington 16

Eastside 56, Quartz Hill 24

El Modena 40, Irvine University 15

El Segundo 60, Montebello 18

Flintridge Sacred Heart 50, Muir 43

Fontana 50, Patriot 42

Foothill Tech 35, Santa Barbara 23

Gabrielino 40, Rosemead 27

Garden Grove 53, Garden Grove Pacifica 17

Glenn 36, Firebaugh 11

Heritage 56, Corona 38

Highland 60, Antelope Valley 26

Hillcrest 61, Valley View 37

Irvine 36, Tustin 34

Jurupa Valley 47, Norco 19

Laguna Beach 42, Savanna 39

Lancaster 55, Knight 22

Loma Linda Academy 42, Desert Chapel 13

Los Altos 60, Mayfair 23

Los Amigos 43, Artesia 25

Mesa Grande Academy 80, River Springs Charter 10

Monrovia 39, Ramona Convent 31

Newbury Park 55, Santa Paula 26

Nordhoff 54, Cate 31

Paramount 58, Lakewood 40

Redlands 35, Banning 19

Royal 47, Channel Islands 39

San Jacinto Valley Academy 34, Santa Rosa Academy 26

Santa Maria 61, Valley Christian Academy 37

Schurr 45, California 37

Segerstrom 49, Long Beach Wilson 46

Silver Valley 55, Sultana 30

Southlands Christian 49, Bassett 10

Temple City 35, San Gabriel 27

Twentynine Palms 55, Cathedral City 13

Vasquez 45, Palmdale Academy Charter 6

Vista Murrieta 40, Beaumont 37

Western Christian 64, Workman 14

West Torrance 74, Torrance 36

Whittier Christian 68, NOVA Academy 13

Wiseburn-Da Vinci 66, South Torrance 60

Woodbridge 66, Katella 37

Yucaipa 51, Summit 46

YULA 64, ISLA 26

INTERSECTIONAL

Compton Centennial 43, Rancho Dominguez 16

Dominguez 50, LA Jordan 8

LACES 62, Inglewood 35

Warner 40, Anza Hamilton 33

Westchester 53, Leuzinger 52

Dec. 16 (UPI) — President Donald Trump has awarded 13 soldiers and Marines the newly established Mexican Border Defense Medal for their contributions to safeguarding the U.S. southern border.

The service members are the first to receive the commendation, created Aug. 13 in a memo signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to honor those deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border.

The commander-in-chief awarded the medals to the service members at the White House.

“On day one of my administration, I signed an executive order making it [the] core mission of the United States military to protect and defend the homeland. And today, we’re here to honor our military men and women for their central role in the protection of our border,” Trump said during the ceremony.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has overseen crackdowns on immigration and crime that have included the deployment of troops to the U.S.-Mexico border.

More than 10,000 U.S. military service members attached to Joint Task Force Southern Border have been deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border in support of the Department of Homeland Security, with the missions to secure the border, disrupt transnational criminal organizations and respond to national security threats.

Trump said Monday that more than 25,000 service members have served in this “incredible and historic operation,” which has overseen 13,000 patrols along the border.

“They’ve spent night and day enduring scorching hot and bitter cold, and they’ve given up their holidays and their weekends, working with the offices of Customs and Border Protection,” Trump said.

“And today, we give these great warriors the recognition that they have earned — and they have really earned it.”

The medal, according to the Department of Defense, is identical to the Mexican Border Service Medal awarded for service in 1916 and 1917 in the Mexican state of Chihuahua as well as the U.S.-Mexico border regions in New Mexico and Texas.

It is bronze with a sheathed Roman sword hanging on a tablet on the front, which bears an inscription that reads: “For Service on the Mexican Border.”

Those eligible for the award must have been permanently assigned to a designated Department of Defense military operation supporting CBP within the area of eligibility for at least 30 consecutive or non-consecutive days from Jan. 20 of this year.

“We’re proud of this mission,” Hegseth said during the White House event. “We’re proud to defend the American people and pinning these medals on is an example of how important it is to us.”

The Trump administration states that its crackdown has resulted in more than 2.5 million undocumented migrants removed from the United States and the lowest level of illegal border crossings since 1970.

Ever wondered what happens if you accidentally forget to put your phone on airplane mode during a flight? One pilot shared the consequences of skipping this safety precaution

There are many safety precautions that come with travelling on a flight. Not only do you spend ages passing through security, then finding your all-important gate information, there’s quite a procedure on-board the flight too.

You’re sat down waiting for your plane to leave the gate, but first, you must have your armrests down, windows up and phones on airplane mode. Now have you ever wondered why you should always put your device on airplane mode? One pilot explained what actually happens if you forget the safety precaution in a YouTube post shared by WKYC Channel 3.

The cabin crew member claimed it’s simply “not a conspiracy” and that it’s hardly the “end of the world” if you were to forget.

He said in the video which scooped more than 26,000 views: “This is just a friendly PSA the airplane mode button on your phone is not a conspiracy.

“So if you forget to put your phone on airplane mode, no it’s not the end of the world, the plane will not fall out of the sky and it won’t even mess with the systems on board.

“However, it does have the potential to mess with the headsets, if you have an aircraft with 70, 80 or 150 people on board and even three or four people’s phones start to try to make a connection to a radio tower for an incoming phone call, it sends out radio waves, there’s the potential those radio waves can interfere with the headsets the pilots are using.”

The pilot also explained a situation in San Francisco where he experienced an “annoying buzz” with his headset when one traveller forgot their phone during take-off.

Describing it as a “mosquito”, he said: “And as soon as we started to get the directions, we got this really annoying buzz with the headset.

“Not the end of the world but definitely annoying when you’re trying to copy down instructions and it sounds like there’s a wasp or something lying around you. So if you’re ever curious why you get put on airplane mode, that’s why.”

Why should you put phone on airplane mode?

Interferes with aircraft: Your phone sends out radio waves and when there’s a large number of devices involved, it could disrupt sensitive cockpit communications and navigate equipment. This could create a buzzing sound or other noise in a pilot’s headset.

Air traffic control: Having your phone on airplane mode could interfere during take-off and landing when pilots rely on clear communication.

Battery life: Without airplane mode, your phone constantly searches for cell towers which can drain your battery.

Last week’s announcement that Italian cuisine has been added to Unesco’s intangible cultural heritage list came as no surprise to anyone familiar with that country’s obsession with food. Unesco called Italy’s cooking a “communal activity” in which “people of all ages and genders participate, exchanging recipes, suggestions and stories”.

It might have added people of all walks of life, too, because in Italy being a foodie is not the “preserve” of the chattering classes. I’ve heard building workers in a low-cost trattoria gravely discussing what starter and wine best complement a certain lunch dish, and a shabbily dressed nonna at Turin’s Porto Palazzo market enthusing over a variety of carrot available only at her favourite stall.

And in this land where the salami will change from one valley to the next, many people take an endearing pride in foods from their region, village, even family. So, in no particular order, here is a selection of local delights from the Alps to Sicily.

Star baker, Verona

Panettone is now a British fixture alongside mince pies, but in fair Verona, the Christmas confection is pandoro, a soft, leavened cake made in a star-shaped tin, without the dried fruit that many dislike. It usually has a dusting of icing sugar to resemble the nearby alpine peaks. Pandoro, however, is a factory version of the older, round offella – made with sourdough matured for days, it has a denser crumb and comes topped with almonds. Try it at Antica Offelleria Verona, which uses a “mother” that is more than a century old.

Prosperity pulses, Umbria

Christmas foods vary around Italy, but on New Year’s Eve lentils are a must. With their round, flat shape, they’re supposed to resemble coins and mean a wealthy year. The best lentils in Italy (some say the world) are the small, tender and quick-cooking ones from the high Castelluccio plain in southern Umbria, near Italy’s pork capital, Norcia. Castelluccio village and Norcia are still struggling after the 2016 earthquake, and make tourists very welcome. Conjure prosperity with a sausage and lentil dinner at Granaro del Monte, close to Norcia’s basilica, which finally reopened just over a month ago.

Dairy delight, Puglia

For years it has been rare to open a menu anywhere and not find a starter involving burrata. But while this soft cheese feels luxurious, it originated in hard, thrifty lives near the ancient city of Andria in Puglia. Snowed in and unable to get their milk to market in the early 1900s, the Bianchino brothers were apparently casting around for a way to use it up. They mixed cream with scraps left from making mozzarella and stuffed them in a casing made of the same stretched-curd cheese – never imagining the wobbly pouches would later grace tables from Stockholm to Sydney. Today, Andria is known for the freshest burrata and cow’s milk mozzarella, and many Puglians, such as my friend Savio, won’t eat these cheeses anywhere else in Italy, as they’re best enjoyed within 24 hours. Buy at Caseificio Olanda, with its “milk museum”, on the outskirts of Andria.

Bread of heaven, Sardinia

Looking like an oversized poppadum, pane carasau is a crispy flatbread also called carta musica (manuscript paper). Double cooked so that it keeps, it was carried by shepherds spending months in high summer pastures and is one of Europe’s oldest breads: traces were found in 3,000-year-old nuraghe (stone tower) excavations. It is also delicious. Shards of pane carasau sprinkled with olive oil and sea salt are as moreish with drinks as any kettle chip – and much better for you. In Fonni, the highest town in Sardinia, the Sunalle bakery has made pane carasau for as long as anyone can remember. Panefratteria in Cagliari tops the flatbreads with tomato sauce, pecorino cheese and a poached egg.

Onions that won’t make you cry, Calabria

Also dating back millennia, sweet red onions grown around the seaside town of Tropea were probably brought to Italy by the Phoenicians. But Calabria has made the cipolla rossa its own, claiming you can eat them raw like an apple. Their sweetness comes not from a high sugar content but a natural lack of pungent pyruvic acid. Fresh onions are available from May through summer at the Saturday market in Tropea. When you tire of them in salads and sandwiches, stew them with olive oil, salt and a few chilli flakes to make cipollata calabrese – for cucina povera (poverty cooking) that feels anything but.

Fish in a barrel, Lombardy

From cheese and charcuterie to pickles, many delicacies arise from humans’ need to preserve food. So it was with missoltini, a freshwater answer to anchovies produced on the shores of Lake Como. Agoni, a kind of shad, are cleaned, salted, hung to dry for 10 days then packed in a barrel with bay leaves. They are traditionally eaten grilled with polenta, which modern palates may find rather strong and salty. I love them as an umami nugget in pasta or risotto recipes, or topping crisp crostini with honey and vinegar. Fishmonger and restaurant Da Ceko in Lecco does an excellent pumpkin salad with raisins and missoltini.

Four years after seizing power in a coup, Myanmar’s military junta is adapting to survive a grinding civil war that once appeared to be slipping beyond its control. In October, rebel fighters in central Myanmar described facing a level of intensity they had not seen before: sustained artillery fire, coordinated drone strikes, and repeated infantry assaults that came in relentless waves. After days of fighting near the village of Pazun Myaung, resistance forces were forced to withdraw, marking a rare tactical success for a military that had suffered major setbacks since 2023.

This shift follows Operation 1027, a coordinated rebel offensive that overran around 150 military outposts and handed resistance groups control of large swathes of borderland territory. Shaken by those defeats, the junta began reshaping its strategy. According to rebel fighters and security analysts interviewed by Reuters, the military has leaned on three pillars to stabilise its position: mass conscription, expanded use of drones and air power, and growing diplomatic and coercive support from China.

How the Junta Is Fighting Back

On the ground, resistance fighters report that the military is deploying “human-wave” tactics, sending repeated infantry units forward even as casualties mount. Rebels say some soldiers appear to be coerced into advancing, a stark contrast to earlier phases of the war when troops often retreated quickly after losses. These assaults are now closely integrated with artillery and drone strikes, creating pressure that smaller, lightly equipped resistance units struggle to withstand over time.

At the same time, the junta has rebuilt manpower through mandatory conscription introduced in February 2024. Despite widespread public fear and evasion, tens of thousands of recruits have reportedly entered the armed forces, stabilising a military that had shrunk dramatically since the coup. The command structure has also been reshuffled, with more experienced officers replacing those promoted through patronage, addressing one of the army’s long-standing weaknesses.

Air power has become more lethal as well. While conventional airstrikes remain central, they are now increasingly guided by reconnaissance drones, improving accuracy. Analysts say the military operates a diverse fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles sourced from China, Russia and Iran, giving it a technological edge over resistance groups that lack jamming equipment or air-defence systems. Lower-level commanders are also reportedly being granted faster access to air support, tightening coordination between ground assaults and aerial attacks.

China’s Quiet but Crucial Role

Beyond the battlefield, China has emerged as a decisive external factor in the junta’s partial resurgence. While Beijing maintains ties with certain ethnic armed groups, it continues to see Myanmar’s generals as the most reliable guarantors of stability along its border. Chinese officials have brokered ceasefires that have directly benefited the junta, including arrangements that returned strategically important towns to military control.

Pressure from Beijing has also constrained resistance groups’ access to weapons and financing. International researchers say China has leaned on allied militias to restrict arms flows and imposed financial and border measures to enforce compliance. In some areas, this has effectively frozen resistance operations, forcing groups into ceasefires due to shortages of ammunition and funds. For fighters on the ground, this external squeeze has compounded the military’s renewed offensive momentum.

Why It Matters

The junta’s evolving tactics do not signal outright victory, but they do mark a dangerous shift in a conflict that had increasingly favoured resistance forces. Myanmar’s frontlines remain fragmented, with no single actor dominating nationwide, yet the military’s ability to retake territory in parts of the country suggests the war is entering a new, more brutal phase. Civilians are likely to bear the cost, as intensified airstrikes, mass infantry assaults and prolonged clashes deepen humanitarian suffering and displacement.

This military push also coincides with a planned general election that international observers and rights groups have already dismissed as neither free nor fair. By reclaiming territory and projecting strength, the junta appears intent on manufacturing a sense of control and legitimacy, even as key opposition figures remain jailed and major political forces boycott the vote.

What Comes Next

Analysts expect fighting to intensify rather than subside. With conscription feeding new troops into the ranks, drones sharpening air power, and China discouraging resistance advances near its interests, the military is likely to continue probing for opportunities to retake ground. Resistance forces, meanwhile, face internal disparities in strength and growing external pressure, making coordinated nationwide offensives harder to sustain.

Over the next few years, Myanmar is likely to see a protracted stalemate punctuated by brutal offensives rather than a decisive resolution. The junta’s comeback is limited and uneven, but it is enough to prolong the conflict and raise the stakes for all sides involved.

Analysis

Myanmar’s war is no longer defined solely by a collapsing army versus a rising resistance. Instead, it is evolving into a grim contest of endurance. The junta’s use of human-wave assaults reflects both renewed confidence and underlying fragility: manpower is being substituted for legitimacy, and coercion for morale. Drones and foreign backing provide tactical advantages, but they do not resolve the political roots of the conflict. China’s role underscores how regional power politics can shape internal wars, often prioritising stability over justice. In this context, the junta’s battlefield adaptation may extend its survival, but it also deepens a cycle of violence that makes a negotiated political settlement ever more elusive.

With information from Reuters.

Stranger Things fans have pinpointed a specific tragic moment in the season 5 volume 2 trailer.

Stranger Things fans are in a frenzy after Netflix released the official trailer for the second part of season five. The epic video shows Will Byers (played by Noah Schnapp) feeling deflated after the gang failed to save the children from Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).

The teaser also shows Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink) and Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher) as they attempt to escape Vecna’s trap, while the rest of the gang discover something major about the Upside Down.

While many fans still believe Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) could be at risk in the final season, other viewers believe another major death has flown under the radar, until now. They took to YouTube to pinpoint a specific moment, just over half-way into the video, when one of the main characters is seen coming face to face with a Demogorgon.

Robin Buckley (Maya Hawke) is seen walking down a hospital corridor, flanked by two armed men, as a Demogorgon comes charging towards them. The camera then turns to face the Demogorgon as it lunges at its target. @Kaiiizerrrp said: “1:18 omg, did you see Robin behind the military? [crying emoji]” While @Obama_Plays added: “Omg Robin please runnn” and @Sham-d3y shared: “I am gonna cry so bad.”

More fans picked up on the hint, with @AviAuthorColorado adding: “I’M GONNA CRY BRO LIKE ACTUALLY,” and @Sham-d3y expressing: “FINALLY SOMEONE SAW IT. I AM 100% SURE THAT’S THE SAD DEATH WHICH THE DUFFERS WERE TALKING ABOUT, IT WAS ROBIN ALL ALONG.”

This could be the case as episode five is titled Shock Jock, which refers to a DJ on a radio show who expresses opinions in a deliberately offensive or provocative way. At the start of season five, viewers saw Robin hosting her own show for The Squawk, which serves as a decoy for them to relay information regarding military operations to the Upside Down and the rest of the gang.

This is not the first time fans have predicted Robin’s death, as they believe Netflix had teased her demise after the unveiling of some photos for the fifth and final outing. The official Netflix Instagram account posted multiple photos showing cast members staring at an unseen threat, but one person was left out.

Robin’s absence did not go unnoticed, with one fan writing: “UM HI I BEG YOUR FINEST PARDON WHERE IS MY GIRL ROBIN AT?” Another added: “Hahaha very funny, where the HELL is Robin.”

Robin’s role in season five was pivotal as she helped Will harness his powers by making him believe in himself and not fear his authenticity. She also helped validate Will’s feelings when it came to romance, as she opened up on her relationship with Vickie Dunne (Amybeth McNulty).

Fans took to Reddit to explain how they believed Robin’s emotional speech in volume one of the final season is “SO intensely ‘this character will die’ coded.” MedievZ said: “The Duffers most definitely are not killing off the main core cast. Steve is too obvious of a death.

“Robin is the perfect character to die and get the maximum emotional impact while fitting into the story nicely and being an unexpected gutpunch. We do not see much of Robin in the remaining trailer shots.”

Elsewhere in the season five, volume two trailer, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) was seen asking Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) to help her find and kill Venca, after the character’s epic return was unveiled in episode four. Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo) and Steve were also seen making a pact as they said: “You die, I die.”

Regardless of whether she meets her demise in the final season, Robin is set to live on through the latest Stranger Things novel – One Way or Another. The book, by TV writer and novelist Caitlin Schneiderhan, focuses on Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) and Robin as they solve an unexplained phenomenon.

The story is set following the events of Stranger Things season four – two months since Vecna’s earthquake tore through the town. Nancy and Robin are convinced they have discovered Vecna’s next victim – fellow student Joey Taft.

Stranger Things season 5 part 2 airs on Christmas Day in the US and Boxing Day in the UK

Australia have opted against recalling batter Usman Khawaja for the vital third Ashes Test – a match Ben Stokes has called the most important game in his time as England captain.

England, 2-0 down after defeats in the first two Tests, must win in Adelaide to keep their hopes of regaining the urn alive.

Defeat would mean a fourth successive series loss in Australia, extend England’s run without winning the Ashes to at least 12 years and heap significant pressure on the tourists’ management.

The positions of Stokes, head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key would all come under significant scrutiny.

“Throughout my career I’ve been involved in quite a few big moments. This is another one and I’m really, really looking forward to it,” Stokes told BBC Sport.

“I’ve enjoyed the build-up, I’ve enjoyed the pressure of what this game means. As it’s come closer and closer, it’s become a lot easier. That’s how I deal with big things and big moments – look at it front on, take it on and deal with all the emotions that come with it.

“What else are you supposed to do? Don’t let the moment overcome me or feel like it’s going to control me. I’ll go out, put all that stuff to one side and do what I need to do in every situation I get put in, and try my absolute best.”

Pat Cummins will return to lead Australia after missing the first two Tests as he recovered from a back problem.

Pace bowler Cummins and off-spinner Nathan Lyon are added to the Australia team that won the second Test in Brisbane, replacing Michael Neser and Brendan Doggett.

It means no return for opener Khawaja, who missed the Test at the Gabba because of back spasms. Khawaja turns 39 on Thursday and may have played the last match of an 85-Test career.

Travis Head and Jake Weatherald will continue as the opening partnership

Australia were 2-0 ahead in the last Ashes in the UK in 2023, only for England to fight back to draw 2-2.

Cummins said his team have learned a “few lessons” from that experience and was also adamant he is fit enough to bowl without restrictions in Adelaide.

The 32-year-old has not played since the tour of West Indies in July after scans detected the back issue.

Match fitness could be crucial in the high temperatures that are forecast for when the match starts on Wednesday (23:30 GMT Tuesday).

“I had 16 weeks completely off bowling, made sure the bone heals well and from there it’s ramping up,” said Cummins.

“Normally you ramp up over maybe three or four months, but that would have meant missing the Ashes.

“We set on a pretty aggressive plan to get up in six or seven weeks. I haven’t had any hiccups. I’m feeling great, probably better than I would have thought. The back has healed well, so, here we are.”

Israeli forces continue raids across occupied West Bank as Gaza reels from Israeli attacks and aftermath of a storm.

New Delhi, India – A newly released Bollywood spy thriller is winning praise and raising eyebrows in equal measure in India and Pakistan, over its retelling of bitter tensions between the South Asian neighbours.

Sunk in a sepia tone, Dhurandhar, which was released in cinemas last week, is a 3.5-hour-long cross-border political spy drama that takes cinemagoers on a violent and bloody journey through a world of gangsters and intelligence agents set against the backdrop of India-Pakistan tensions. It comes just months after hostilities broke out between the two countries in May, following a rebel attack on a popular tourist spot in Pahalgam, in Indian-administered Kashmir, which India blamed Pakistan for. Islamabad has denied role in the attack.

Since the partition of India to create Pakistan in 1947, the nuclear-armed neighbours have fought four wars, three of them over the disputed region of Kashmir.

The film stars the popular actor Ranveer Singh, who plays an Indian spy who infiltrates networks of “gangsters and terrorists” in Karachi, Pakistan. Critics of the film argue that its storyline is laced with ultra-nationalist political tropes and that it misrepresents history, an emerging trend in Bollywood, they say.

What is the latest Bollywood blockbuster about?

Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film dramatises a covert chapter from the annals of Indian intelligence. The narrative centres on a high-stakes, cross-border mission carried out by India’s Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), and focuses on one operative who conducts operations on enemy soil to neutralise threats to Indian national security.

The film features a heavyweight ensemble cast led by Singh, who plays the gritty field agent tasked with dismantling a “terror” network from the inside. He is pitted against a formidable antagonist played by Sanjay Dutt, representing the Pakistani establishment, and gangsters such as one portrayed by Akshaye Khanna, while actors including R Madhavan portray key intelligence officers and strategists who orchestrate complex geopolitical manoeuvering from New Delhi.

Structurally, the screenplay follows a classic cat-and-mouse trajectory.

Beneath its high-octane set pieces, the film has sparked an angry debate among critics and audiences over the interpretation of historical events and some key figures.

Why is the film so controversial in Pakistan?

Despite the longstanding geopolitical tensions between the two countries, India’s Bollywood films remain popular in Pakistan.

Depicting Pakistan as the ultimate enemy of India has been a popular theme retold for years, in different ways, especially in Bollywood’s spy thrillers, however. In this case, the portrayal of Pakistan’s major coastal city, Karachi, and particularly one of its oldest and most densely populated neighbourhoods, Lyari, has drawn strong criticism.

“The representation in the film is completely based on fantasy. It doesn’t look like Karachi. 
It does not represent the city accurately at all,” Nida Kirmani, an associate professor of sociology at Lahore University of Management Sciences, told Al Jazeera.

Kirmani, who has produced a documentary on the impact of gang violence in Lyari of her own, said that like other megacities in the world, “Karachi had periods of violence that have been particularly intense.”

However, “reducing the city to violence is one of the major problems in the film, along with the fact the film gets everything about Karachi – from its infrastructure, culture, and language – wrong”, she added.

Meanwhile, a member of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has taken legal action in a Karachi court alleging the unauthorised use of images of the late former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in 2007, and protesting against the film’s portrayal of the party’s leaders as supporters of “terrorists”.

Critics, including Kirmani, say the film also bizarrely casts gangs from Lyari into geopolitical tensions with India, when they have only ever operated locally.

Kirmani said the makers of the movie have cherry-picked historical figures and used them completely out of context, “trying to frame them within this very Indian nationalistic narrative”.

Mayank Shekhar, a film critic based in Mumbai, pointed out that the film “has been performed, written, directed by those who haven’t ever stepped foot in Karachi, and perhaps never will”.

“So, never mind this dust bowl for a city that, by and large, seems wholly bereft of a single modern building, and looks mostly bombed-out, between multiple ghettos,” Shekhar said.

He added that this is also in line with how Hollywood “shows the brown Third World in action with a certain sepia tone, like with Extraction, set in Dhaka, Bangladesh”.

How has the film been received in India?

Dhurandhar has been a huge commercial success in India and among the Indian diaspora. However, it has not escaped criticism entirely.

The family of a decorated Indian Army officer, Major Mohit Sharma, filed a petition in Delhi High Court to stop the release of the film, which, they claim, has exploited his life and work without their consent.

The makers of the film deny this and claim it is entirely a work of fiction.

Nonetheless, the film’s storyline is accompanied by real-time intercepted audio recordings of attacks on Indian soil and news footage, film critics and analysts say.

Is this an emerging pattern in Bollywood films?

Shekhar told Al Jazeera that focusing on a deliberately loud, seemingly over-the-top, hyper-masculine hero’s journey is not a new genre in Bollywood. “There’s a tendency to intellectualise the trend, as we did with the ‘angry young man’ movies of the 1970s,” he said, referring to the formative years of Bollywood.

In recent years, mainstream production houses in India have, however, favoured storylines that portray minorities in negative light and align with the policies of the Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Kirmani told Al Jazeera that this frequently means “reducing Muslims across India’s borders and within as ‘terrorists’, which further marginalises Muslims in India culturally”.

“Unfortunately, people gravitate towards these kinds of hypernationalistic narratives, and the director is cashing in on this,” she told Al Jazeera.

Modi himself lavished praise on a recent film called Article 370, for what he said was its “correct information” about the removal of the constitutional provision that granted special autonomous status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. Critics, however, called the film “propaganda” and said the film had distorted facts.

Another Bollywood film Kerala Story released in 2023 was accused of falsifying facts. Prime Minister Modi praised the film, but critics said it tried to vilify Muslims and demonise the southern Kerala state known for its progressive politics.

In the case of Dhurandhar, some critics have faced online harassment.

One review by The Hollywood Reporter’s India YouTube channel, by critic Anupama Chopra, was taken down after outrage from fans of the film.

Went looking for Anupama Chopra’s Dhurandhar review? It’s gone. The Hollywood Reporter India quietly made the video private.

For context, The Hollywood Reporter India was launched by RPSG Lifestyle Media, part of the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, which also owns Saregama –…

— newslaundry (@newslaundry) December 9, 2025

India’s Film Critics Guild has condemned “coordinated abuse, personal attacks on individual critics, and organised attempts to discredit their professional integrity”, in a statement.

“More concerningly, there have been attempts to tamper with existing reviews, influence editorial positions, and persuade publications to alter or dilute their stance,” the group noted.