Newcastle United‘s Joelinton is a target for Saudi Pro League clubs, Oscar Bobb could leave Manchester City if they sign Antoine Semenyo, and Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner is not intending to sign a new deal with the club.

Newcastle United midfielder Joelinton, 29, is a target for Saudi Pro League clubs and the Magpies could be open to letting the Brazil international leave depending on the conditions of any deal. (Teamtalk), external

Manchester City and Norway winger Oscar Bobb, 22, may look to leave the club if they complete the signing of Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo, 25, from Bournemouth in January. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski, 37, could be tempted by a move to Saudi Arabia as there is uncertainty over the Poland international’s future at the Nou Camp. (AS – in Spanish), external

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner does not intend to extend his contract with the Eagles beyond his current deal, which runs out in the summer. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is unsure if the club will keep Brazil midfielder Casemiro, 33, and 32-year-old England defender Harry Maguire, with the pair set to be out of contract in the summer. (Manchester Evening News) , external

Real Madrid do not intend to extend 33-year-old Austria centre-back David Alaba’s deal beyond this summer, while Germany defender Antonio Rudiger, 32, could also leave the Spanish club. (ESPN) , external

Manchester City‘s 19-year-old Argentine attacking midfielder Claudio Echeverri will end his loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen to join Girona until the end of the season. (Mundo Deportivo – in Spanish), external

The Premier League and English Football League (EFL) are to look into allowing games that kick-off at 15:00 on a Saturday to be broadcast live for the first time when they negotiate their next rights deals. (Guardian), external

Dec. 24 (Asia Today) — People Power Party lawmaker Park Chung-kwon, a former North Korean defector, criticized the Unification Ministry’s plan to change the designation for North Korean defectors to “Northbound residents,” calling it “an idea you’d expect from a dictatorship.”

Park made the remarks Wednesday on Ato TV’s “Shin Yul’s Political Check,” saying he felt uneasy about what he described as a political intent to curry favor with the North Korean regime.

Park said some defectors feel discomfort with the current term, but argued the cause was misidentified. Changing the label to “Northbound residents” would not improve matters, he said.

He said the discomfort stems from social prejudice and alienation tied to their identity as people from North Korea, not from the wording itself.

Park said the fundamental solution is for defectors to settle successfully and integrate into South Korean society as citizens. He also claimed most defectors oppose the proposed change.

Park said the term “North Korean defectors” reflects people who came to South Korea seeking freedom and escaping oppression by the North Korean regime, and argued that meaning is not reflected in “Northbound residents.”

He also alleged the Unification Ministry conducted a survey on the name change targeting defectors and provided their personal information to a polling company without their consent. Park said he requested materials related to the survey results but the ministry has not disclosed them. He claimed there was no consensus among defectors and no discussion on the change.

Separately, Park criticized the revised Information and Communications Network Act passed in a National Assembly plenary session Wednesday, saying authorities label information as false to shut down the media and the public when it does not suit the ruling camp.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

In 2025, HumAngle’s journalism did more than document suffering caused by conflicts in Nigeria, Congo, and Sudan, and other African countries, or analyse climate-driven disasters and evolving extremists in Nigeria and the Sahel; we also shaped destinies, shifted policies, and reopened pathways to justice and dignity for people long abandoned by the system. 

Across Nigeria’s most vulnerable communities, our stories became catalysts for action, prompting governments, institutions, and ordinary citizens to intervene. This year, lives were rebuilt, promises were revived, and ignored crises finally received the attention they deserved. 

We also won or were shortlisted for many awards this year. Our investigation into how IPOB uses online fundraising marathons to sustain its activities won the Illicit Financial Flow Category at the West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards. It also earned the journalist, Kunle Adebajo, the 2025 West Africa Journalist of the Year title, a title HumAngle has now clinched two years in a row. The same story earned second place in the online category at the 20th Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting, while our report on the lack of aid for IDPs in North Central Nigeria received a commendation at the awards.

At the CJID Excellence in Journalism Awards, we won two awards: first place in the health reporting category and first runner-up in the sexual and gender-based violence reporting category.

On the global stage, our report on how social media narratives fuel ethno-religious crises in Plateau State was shortlisted for the highly prestigious Fetisov Award, under the outstanding contribution to peace category.

The full scope of our impact is still unfolding, but the list below represents some of the significant results documented by our reporters:

1. Punished Without Guilt, Released Without Support

In September, HumAngle published the story of a young man who spent ten years in detention under the custody of Nigerian security forces following accusations of having links with a Boko Haram terrorist. After enduring immense hardship, he was found innocent and released through the terrorist deradicalisation programme also known as Operation Safe Corridor due to the time he spent with Boko Haram members in jail. But he struggled to rebuild his life after regaining freedom. The Kano State government also failed to fulfil its promise to support him and others.

However, after we published his story, a German-based Nigerian offered him financial support to start or strengthen his trade. The victim also said that after the story, the Kano State government, through the Hisbah Board, promised to fulfil its promise. As it stands, HumAngle’s report has become a catalyst in helping him rebuild his life after a decade in detention.

2. What Life Could Have Been For Leah Sharibu

HumAngle’s deeply human and creatively crafted feature to mark the 22nd birthday of Leah Sharibu, who was kidnapped by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) three months shy of her 15th birthday and has since remained in captivity. The story has travelled far beyond the newsroom, now being used as a teaching material at the University of Jos. Taye Obateru, a professor of journalism, media, and cultural studies, selected it as a model text for a final-year undergraduate class on advanced feature writing. Through this story, HumAngle is not only shaping public understanding of conflict and human suffering but also shaping the next generation of Nigerian journalists — inspiring them to pursue writing that is both empathetic and rigorous. 

For the students, the lesson was transformative. Treasure Ajifa, a final-year mass communication student, told HumAngle: “During our Advanced Feature Writing class, we stumbled upon a challenging concept regarding the application of creativity in storytelling. As we wrestled with understanding it, our professor cited HumAngle’s story on what should have been Leah Sharibu’s 22nd birthday celebration as a quintessential example. It was a moment of revelation for the 200 students who sat listening to him. It left us aspiring to become better storytellers who could blend creative excellence with impactful reporting.”

3. The Unknown Flesh-Eating Disease in Nigeria’s Adamawa 

After HumAngle’s feature on the mysterious flesh-eating disease affecting residents of Malabu in Adamawa State, North East Nigeria, authorities moved swiftly in response. A month after the report highlighted the rising number of cases and the community’s plea for urgent intervention, the government deployed vehicles to Malabu to evacuate all affected persons for proper medical care. Health officials also confirmed that a dedicated ward had been created at the Adamawa State Specialist Hospital, where victims are now receiving free treatment. According to Stella Samuel, a staff member at the hospital, this intervention was directly influenced by the attention the report generated, ensuring that dozens of vulnerable residents finally gained access to the care they desperately needed.

4. Malnutrition Is Affecting Displaced Mothers’ Ability to Breastfeed Newborns in North East Nigeria

HumAngle’s reporting on malnutrition and the deepening humanitarian crisis in Dalori settlement, Borno State, did far more than highlight the struggles of nursing mothers. It exposed a worsening mobility crisis that had quietly crippled the community since its relocation. For months, displaced families trekked long distances between Dalori and Maiduguri because transportation was scarce, expensive, and often completely unavailable. Menial workers could no longer reach the city for jobs, children missed school, and nursing mothers walked kilometres under the sun to fetch water or seek healthcare. The story laid bare how this mobility barrier was deepening hunger, unemployment, and vulnerability among people who were already uprooted from their homes.

Within days of the story’s publication, the Borno State government responded. Two buses were deployed to serve the Dalori–Maiduguri route, dedicated solely to helping displaced residents move safely and affordably between the settlement and the city. For a community that had been cut off both economically and physically, the impact was immediate. Movement to hospitals, markets, job centres, and schools suddenly became possible again.

The chairman of the settlement, Mohammed Bintube, acknowledged the development with relief and gratitude. “We are very happy that the government has responded to our transportation problems,” he said. “Our people used to trek from the village into the town before because transportation was scarce, and even when it was available, many could not afford it. We are happy we now have two dedicated buses that transport our people from Dalori Village to Maiduguri.”

5. The Deadly Consequences Of Blasphemy Allegations In Nigeria’s North

In Northern Nigeria, allegations of blasphemy can be extremely dangerous. Many people have lost their lives due to such accusations, often through what is commonly known as ‘jungle justice.’ In 2024, HumAngle published the stories of individuals accused of blasphemy, some of whom were detained without any attempt to ensure fairness or justice. But after the publication, two of them, Mallam Abba Gezawa and Mubarak Bala, regained their freedom. Mubarak Bala himself confirmed that HumAngle’s decision to spotlight his case played a key role in reviving his trial, which eventually gave him the right to reunite with his family. Other people detained for the same allegation, such as Sheikh Abduljabbar Kabara, have also received significant attention, with rights activists and lawyers promising to support their cases. 

6. From Elephants to Warthogs: The Shadow Wildlife Trade Financing Boko Haram in Nigeria

This investigation has created a notable impact across policy, public discourse, and security analysis in 2025. As we uncovered how the disappearance of elephants in Sambisa Forest has shifted trafficking networks toward warthog tusks and created a new micro-economy exploited by Boko Haram, the story broadened national understanding of terror financing beyond ransom payments, cattle rustling, and informal taxation. It sparked widespread online conversation among journalists, conservationists, academics, and counterterrorism experts, who shared the report as a reference point for discussions on the environmental dimensions of insecurity in the Sahel. Civil society groups and wildlife-protection advocates cited the story to highlight enforcement gaps and the need for coordinated conservation efforts between Nigeria and Cameroon, while the revelation of unregulated forest corridors around Molai and Konduga renewed debate on patrol capacity and resource allocation. 

7. Secrets, Silence, Survival: Inside a Nigerian Military Prison

This exposé broke through years of silence surrounding Wawa Barracks in Niger State, exposing a hidden world of arbitrary arrests, incommunicado detention, and severe human rights abuses. Using rare eyewitness accounts, OSINT, and satellite imagery, the investigation revealed how civilians, minors, protesters, Boko Haram suspects, and mentally ill detainees were held together in degrading, overcrowded cells where torture, starvation, and deaths were common. The story ignited nationwide debate, spreading quickly across social media and prompting activists, lawyers, and affected families to demand answers. 

When Omoyele Sowore, a rights activist in Nigeria, used images from the story to demand the release of everyone held in the prison on Nov. 8, it fueled even wider public outrage and revived conversations about military secrecy and abuses in Nigeria’s counterinsurgency operations. For many families across the South East, Middle Belt, and North East, the investigation confirmed the fate of loved ones who had disappeared for years. Within security and human rights circles, the report may now be seen as one of the consequential exposés of the year. 

8. Nigerian Graduates Struggle as JAMB Withholds Admission Validation

This story sparked outrage, especially among the affected graduates, by exposing how a bureaucratic breakdown at JAMB trapped thousands of graduates, unable to proceed to the mandatory national service (NYSC) or begin their careers. The feature story exposed a system where students were punished for institutional failures beyond their control. After the story circulated, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS),  previously stalled, faced renewed public scrutiny and was compelled to push. Their efforts, driven in part by the visibility HumAngle created, directly contributed to the reopening of the affected JAMB portal, finally giving stranded graduates a pathway to resolve their cases.

“Hi, JAMB has opened my portal,” excited Loveth Adam told HumAngle in July. 

9. What Does War Do to a Boy?

Ten years ago, Amir’s parents were arrested at the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria’s northeastern region. He was three. Now, he is 13, out of the orphanage, and living with his grandmother. What has been the consequence of war for him? We reported his story in 2024. We also wrote to the army with the details and circumstances of his mother’s detention, asking for updates on the case. Though they did not respond, they went ahead to release her this year. We published her story here. 

ANNOUNCING the arrival of her baby daughter, Bianca Wallace told how she and her movie star husband Ioan Gruffudd were ‘totally smitten’ with their ‘tiny little angel’.

But while fans were quick to congratulate the 33-year-old aspiring actress and her famous beau, Sun Showbiz can reveal the arrival of Mila Mae Gruffudd ushers in a painful new chapter for Ioan’s ex-wife.

For Alice Evans and her Welsh actor ex, who are parents to older daughters Ella, 15 and Elsie, 11, have been embroiled in one of Hollywood’s nastiest break-ups since they split back in January 2021, and according to our well-placed source, she remains in no mood to back down.

Ioan was well on his way to becoming a major star by the time he had met his first wife, with roles in the blockbuster film Titanic and the Emmy award-winning series Hornblower under his belt.

By the mid 2000s, his career had been sent stratospheric by the Marvel movies Fantastic Four and its sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. 

The couple easily slotted into the A-lister lifestyle of Hollywood, with their impressive LA family pad coming complete with lush gardens, an idyllic pool and a huge entertaining space.

But in January 2021, Alice’s world fell apart when her husband told her he was leaving.

The Brit certainly didn’t take the news lying down, famously alleging in now-deleted tweets that she was being ‘gaslit and mentally tortured’ by Ioan. 

She shared: “My beloved husband/ soulmate of 20 years, Ioan Gruffudd, has announced he is to leave his family, starting next week.

“Me and our young daughters are very confused and sad.

“We haven’t been given a reason except that he ‘no longer loves me’.”

The fallout was spectacular – Ioan filed for divorce two months later, and his estranged wife went on the warpath on social media, leading to countless public accusations flying back and forth.

The actor secured a restraining order against Alice, citing harassment, in 2022 and in August 2023, a month after their divorce was granted, accused her of ‘child abuse’ after their eldest daughter filed for a restraining order against him.

She hit back, claiming her ex had not seen or called their girls for 11 weeks. 

Aussie Bianca, who at 33 is 18 years younger than Ioan, looked to be at the heart of much of Alice’s distress.

The couple are believed to have met in Australia in 2020 when Ioan was filming the TV series Harrow, with Bianca an extra on the show.

They confirmed their relationship in October 2021 with Alice immediately, very publicly, accusing them of having an affair, an accusation Bianca branded ‘disgusting and vile’. 

Engaged by January 2024, Ioan and Bianca, who insist their relationship started after he split from Alice, married this April and on November 2, their daughter was born. 

“Alice will not hate the new baby – she is the most loving woman and best mother there can be,” said our source.

“She is angry at Ioan and Bianca but not at the new baby. 

“But she will not have her daughter’s feelings discarded or replaced when the new baby arrives. How dare he! 

“She’s also desperately sad that it appears her daughters won’t be close to their new sister due to his cruel actions.”  

‘Friends fear deeply for her’

Alice, 57, was a successful actress when she met Ioan on the set of 102 Dalmatians back in 2000.

The stars played love interests Chloe and Kevin in the movie, and their off-screen chemistry was so sizzling that the former model broke off her engagement to another man, Pablo Picasso’s grandson, Olivier.

Alice wore a white strapless gown when she tied the knot with Ioan on a beach in Mexico in 2007, surrounded by red roses, but today, her fairytale wedding seems a lifetime ago as she embarks on a painful new chapter.

Alice has been trying to balance dignity with desperation.

A source close to the star said: “News of Ioan’s growing family appears to have reopened old wounds while forcing her to confront a future that looks very different from the one she once imagined.”

“Pals say Alice is in deep emotional and financial turmoil; she is a mix of emotions.

“Friends deeply fear for her.”

While Alice and Ioan have been divorced for two years, a row over child and spousal support has continued to rage, with our source describing the former couple’s legal battles as ‘exhausting’ and ‘relentless’.

They also look to have been taking a considerable financial toll on both parties. 

In June 2022, Alice launched a GoFundMe page asking for help with her legal bills and in November 2023, she claimed she could not afford to pay rent or buy food, saying she was considering trying for a job at Starbucks but feared she was too old. 

“Alice has been trying to balance dignity with desperation,” said a Sun Showbiz insider.

‘Her priority is her children and ensuring they are safe and secure, but she is struggling to shield them from the reality of their situation, provide some sense of normality amongst the chaos and drama and protect them from emotional harm because she can’t provide a stable home for them without his support. 

“She will not back down and will fight him for every penny until her girls get what they deserve.” 

In a legal filing earlier this year, Ioan accused Alice of writing a devastating text message that looked to be sent by Ella.

“You left us and now you can’t provide for us,” it read.

“You need to get a job daddy.

“Looking after your girlfriend is not a job.

“You are a father who has abandoned his children and doesn’t see them or talk to them.

“You don’t even send Christmas presents.

“It’s pathetic and everyone sees you.

“Ps if there is enough money for us never to become homeless then why aren’t you helping us out?

“You hate mummy more than you love us.”

Despite the fears for her well-being and despite her hardship and the criticism aimed at her, Alice has reassured pals she is determined to keep going for her daughters.

Today, Alice has custody of their two children, and the trio live in a modest home in Encino in the San Fernando Valley after they left their Beverly Hills apartment when she was unable to pay the rent. 

The actress claims the existing payments she receives from Ioan, of $3,000 a month in child support and $1,500 a month in spousal support, are not enough, while the actor is trying to reduce his obligations, saying he cannot afford them. 

‘She won’t let him destroy her’

With both sides pleading poverty, it is hoped a mediation settlement conference held next month will break the deadlock, but it won’t be easy. 

“Despite the fears for her well-being and despite her hardship and the criticism aimed at her, Alice has reassured pals she is determined to keep going for her daughters,” said our source. 

“She has described the situation recently as ‘torture’, but she won’t let him destroy her – as much as he tries.” 

Besotted Bianca shared her baby news with a sweet image of her kissing Ioan in hospital, saying that the couple were ‘totally in love’ with their daughter.

But as Ioan celebrates the joyful new addition to his family, friends of his ex-wife grow increasingly concerned. 

In another cruel blow, Alice lost her beloved brother Tony, who had been a loyal supporter since the disintegration of her marriage, in August.  

A Sun Showbiz insider added: “As the legal battle continues and he moves forward with a happy, new chapter of his life, pals close to Alice fear she is stuck in a painful place trying to rebuild, trying to be heard, and, most of all, trying to hold her family together.

“Most of all, the pals worry how this will all end.”

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among fight fans after producing a slew of UFC champions in recent years.

The region has a long tradition in wrestling, thriving in the sambo style and producing a host of Olympic and world champions in the discipline.

Such success is no coincidence, though, as children from the region are often encouraged to take up combat sports, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they are able to stand on two feet.

“When I was a kid, my dad was always telling me and my little brothers that we had to be strong, firstly to protect yourself, your family, and your friends,” says Ibragim.

“So we all got used to fighting, and that’s why everyone knows how to fight in Dagestan. It’s not a surprise.

“Amir was a very good wrestler. You can see the transition from wrestling to football; obviously, it helped my little brothers a lot.

“Some of the footballers he comes up against don’t have the same base he has. That’s why he’s stocky, strong and really competitive – because of wrestling.”

Amir was just nine years old when he was being put through his paces at Sheffield United. Unaware of his age, coaches grouped him with boys five years older.

He was unfazed by the oversight and was more than comfortable holding his own against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

“They thought Amir and I were the same age, apparently,” says Ibragim.

Amir was signed up, along with Ibragim’s little brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The family’s stay in South Yorkshire was short, however, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir’s talent and he moved across the Pennines as a result.

“They played Manchester United in a tournament and Amir scored a brilliant free-kick,” says Ibragim.

“One of their scouts saw him play and picked him straight away.”

Six years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, , Amir became one of the youngest players in the club’s history to train with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

“Do you know what he said to me? ‘This is where I belong’,” Ibragim says.

“Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They need to let all the young players play right now.

“I don’t think they would play worse than the first-team players. I think the young guys are hungrier than the current first-team players.”

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once on the books of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United.

“Gazik, this kid is talented,” adds Ibragim.

“He picked up everything quicker than everyone else. He’s a good defender. He’s going to be like a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United.”

Dec. 25 (Asia Today) — North Korea released images of Kim Jong-un inspecting what it called a nuclear-powered submarine construction project, a move analysts said was aimed at casting South Korea’s debate over nuclear-powered submarines as a security threat while justifying Pyongyang’s own push to strengthen its strategic nuclear forces.

The Korean Central News Agency reported Thursday that Kim described South Korea’s pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines as a threat that must be countered and offered remarks defending North Korea’s development of nuclear-powered submarines. Analysts said the message used Seoul’s discussion as a pretext to portray North Korea’s strategic weapons buildup as inevitable.

North Korea has previously unveiled undersea capabilities, including what it called a Sinpo C-class ballistic missile submarine, the “Kim Gun Ok Hero Submarine,” which it claimed was its first “tactical nuclear attack submarine” when it was introduced in September 2024, according to state media.

South Korean maritime defense experts, including Hanyang University professor Moon Geun-sik, said the latest disclosure appears intended to showcase parallel development of what North Korea described as an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine – believed by analysts to be a ballistic missile submarine – along with an underwater unmanned system, believed to be an underwater drone.

KCNA said Kim called for a “qualitative leap” in maritime nuclear forces and described nuclear-powered submarines as a core pillar of North Korea’s nuclear deterrent.

Experts said North Korea’s claims about a “threat” from South Korea diverge from how Seoul has described its own debate. Moon and Jeong Seong-jang, deputy director at the Sejong Institute, said South Korea’s discussion has not been framed around nuclear armament or preemptive strikes. They said it has been presented as a defensive option to support longer submerged operations and covert tracking to counter North Korea’s nuclear and submarine-launched ballistic missile threats.

North Korea experts also say Pyongyang has pursued sea-based missile capabilities in recent years, including efforts they describe as adapting the KN-23 short-range ballistic missile into a sea-based short-range submarine-launched ballistic missile and conducting an underwater test launch from a new 3,000-ton diesel-electric submarine.

Analysts said Kim’s remarks amount to political framing meant to discredit South Korea’s nuclear submarine discussion while rationalizing North Korea’s strategic weapons development. They said North Korea has steadily unveiled intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and tactical nuclear weapons and is now presenting nuclear-powered submarines as a further step in that progression, with an eye toward both internal cohesion and external pressure.

Attention has also focused on the suspected construction site. Experts reviewing the newly released video and images alongside past satellite analysis pointed to shipyard facilities in the Sinpo area of South Hamgyong Province as the most likely location.

Sinpo is widely viewed by analysts as North Korea’s primary hub for submarine and submarine-launched ballistic missile activity, with infrastructure and specialized personnel linked to construction and testing, including launch test facilities and underwater launch barges.

Some experts urged caution about North Korea’s technical capacity to field and operate an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine, noting it would require reliable reactor miniaturization and shielding, radiation safety and a fuel cycle and maintenance system that can support long-term operations. Jeong and other analysts said it remains unclear whether North Korea has achieved those capabilities on a stable basis.

Still, analysts said the strategic impact can be felt regardless of the project’s maturity. Once North Korea publicly declares a nuclear-powered submarine program, they said, it reduces ambiguity and can heighten instability in the maritime environment around the Korean Peninsula.

Experts said Seoul should avoid being drawn into North Korea’s rhetorical framing while recognizing that sea-based nuclear and missile threats are becoming more entrenched. They said South Korea’s nuclear-powered submarine discussion should be refined as a defensive option within international norms and alliance cooperation and paired with broader maritime deterrence steps, including underwater surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and unmanned systems.

KCNA also reported Thursday that Kim reviewed the progress of what it described as newly developed underwater weapons and outlined plans tied to naval force reorganization and the creation of new units.

Analysts said that while Kim’s statement about South Korea’s nuclear submarine push was directed at Seoul, the broader objective was to justify North Korea’s own strategic weapons advancement. They said South Korea should separate principle from reality in its response and focus on capability building and international legitimacy rather than mirror rhetoric.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

This article contains spoilers from Season 5, Vol. 2, of “Stranger Things.”

What could be more gulp-inducing than trying to defeat a nightmarish vine-covered villain and wipe out an eerie and horror-filled alternate dimension? Maybe writing a satisfying conclusion to a mega-popular TV show built on that idea.

Ross and Matt Duffer, the sibling masterminds behind Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” are closer to finding out if they’ve achieved that in the eyes of the show’s fans. On this morning in early December, the duo are in their own alternate dimension limbo with the show’s final season release — Vol. 1 is out and they’re bracing for impact with Vol. 2.

“The day that [Vol. 1] was released, I paced around all day,” Matt says. “I did absolutely nothing, just waiting for reactions to come in and reviews to come in because you really never know how people are going to react. There’s pros and cons to the show growing in size in the way it did — people just take it apart to an insane degree. It’s scary, always scary. You never really get used to it.”

But the self-doubt keeps them sharp, he says. “It forces you to not get lazy.”

“It’s a balance between feeling very confident, then it swings to being very insecure about it — and it’s hard to keep sight,” Ross adds. “You watch these episodes dozens and dozens of times over and over again. And the strange thing about this show is that a very small group of people had seen the episodes, a really small circle, then suddenly you’re just blasting it out to millions of people all at the same time.”

The pair are sitting on a couch in the office they share — “E.T.,” “Alien” and “Batman Returns” posters adorn the walls — at their facilities, Upside Down Productions, in Los Angeles. While they were able to revel in fan reaction for a few days after the release of Vol. 1, they’re back in work mode. At this point, they still have to finalize sound and color, as well as some visual effects, on the series finale.

“Very boring visual effects,” Matt quips. “If I have to look at one more shot of spores and fog, I’m going to lose my mind.”

Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer), Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton), Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) and Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo) in Season 5 of “Stranger Things.”

(Netflix)

For now, the drip-drop release around the year-end holidays continues, with Vol. 2 (Episodes 5 through 7) now streaming. The episodes contain some of the season’s bigger emotional beats, including one of TV’s most amicable breakups between teenagers, a mended friendship and a character finally living his true self openly. The Duffers discussed that and more in this edited conversation.

Let’s start with those final 10 minutes of Episode 7. Will [Noah Schnapp] shares a part of himself that he’s kept secret for a long time. He realizes that if he wants to be successful in defeating Vecna, he can’t feel afraid about this part of myself. How did you decide Will’s coming out would be revealed?

Matt: It’s something that we’ve been planning to do for a really long time. Initially, it was planned for Season 4, and we just felt it was unearned by the end of it. We wrote that scene with him in the back of the van and him talking to Jonathan [Charlie Heaton]. But I like the idea of Will slowly building to this moment. He has a breakthrough in Episode 4 in a major way, but he has this one final step to take in order to really unlock his full potential. Something we really wanted to do with the show is tie his emotional growth with these powers that he’s developed.

Ross: Putting it at the penultimate [episode] ultimately made sense because what we’re trying to do with the second volume is get our characters in a place where they all felt confident in themselves. Will being one of the major character arcs that carries through the season, but also with Dustin [Gaten Matarazzo] and Steve [Joe Keery] and Nancy [Natalia Dyer] and Jonathan — we wanted to get people, before they go into this final battle, having dealt with their internal fears and doubts.

Matt: Because that’s what Vecna weaponizes against you. If you don’t have that self-hatred or self-doubt or those insecurities, then he can’t hurt you. When Will purges himself of that, he becomes unstoppable — or that’s the hope.

1

2

1. Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, the show’s central character. 2. With his mother, Joyce (Winona Ryder). In Season 5, Vol. 2, Will comes out to her and his friends. “It’s something that we’ve been planning to do for a really long time,” says creator Matt Duffer. (Netflix)

What did you want that moment to be? What didn’t you want it to be?

Ross: We were nervous about it because you want to get it right, particularly working with Noah, who had recently come out himself. When he read it and we got his blessing, we felt really, really good about it. For us, it clicked writing it when we started talking about, “What are Will’s actual fears here in the future?” When the show really works for us is when we can combine both our mythology and the supernatural with the emotional. In this case, it’s going: Vecna is taking these fears and weaponizing them against Will, so Will actually talking to the group about these fears, as opposed to keeping them to himself — that’s when the scene really clicked.

The original plan was for him to come out to Joyce [Winona Ryder], and we started writing it and it felt really wrong because if he’s really going to be confronting these fears, he has to open up to to his friends as well. Once we did that, and we put the group in there, and we had him talk about what he saw in his future, that’s when the scene felt, as a coming-out scene, like something very unique to this show.

Matt: It’s the scene we spent the longest on this season because we were so anxious about it and getting it right. It was the most important scene of the season. I can’t emphasize enough how much the actors influence the characters, and their journeys as people really feed into what we’re writing and how we write those characters. You’re trying to channel Noah and what he went through and his growth, which we’ve watched as a person, as he’s found himself. Most of what is in the show is the first take, the first close-up that we did of Noah. It was incredible to watch because it’s one of those moments where Noah was not acting. Those words were real that he was saying. It was very emotional. It felt so real to Noah, so truthful to him. Hopefully the scene feels like that to other people because a lot of kids are watching. You feel a certain responsibility, especially with scenes like that. You can’t be careless about it.

Shipping is a hallmark in every fandom. There’s a moment where Will mentions a crush he’s harbored. He doesn’t directly state it’s Mike, but Mike knows. The viewer knows. How would you describe their dynamic?

Ross: There is a lot of shipping that’s going on with this show. In terms of all the relationships — this goes with the Will storyline, it goes with Jonathan and Nancy — for us and the writers, what’s interesting is not who ends up with who. What’s interesting to us is, how are our characters growing as people? And most of the time, the answer to that is them finding strength within themselves as opposed to finding strength with someone else. When we were talking about Will, those are the conversations that we have. How do we get Will in a place that he feels confident and strong? And that, ultimately, is him confronting these fears and exposing himself to everyone, including Mike.

Matt: When we were growing up, shipping was not a thing. This is a new thing and it gets intense. Part of me likes it because it shows how passionate people are for the show. I don’t mind people interpreting things however they want. Obviously, Ross and I have what we intended. Ross touched on it thematically — in [Episode] 4, when Will finds his power, what we were intending was not that his love for Mike gives him these powers, but his love for himself and tapping back into how he felt when he was younger — that was the key to unlocking his full potential.

Ross: It’s more of an important message to put out to younger viewers. When I’m thinking about my younger self and our struggle growing up, to put out a message that’s “It’ll all be right if this secret crush you have works out” versus “You don’t need that.” Even if it disappoints some people, it’s the more important message to put out into the world.

Matt: Not one crush of mine worked out. It hurts you, though, right? If you feel feelings and it’s unrequited, it feels like an attack on you or makes you feel unwanted. So much of the show is two things: just our love for the supernatural in the movies that we grew up on, and the other part of it is dealing with all the feelings that we had growing up. The best thing for me in the world is when younger people come up to us, the very few that recognize us, and tell us how it helped help them through a difficult time in their lives. Even Robin’s speech to Will, giving him the confidence to come out, that makes it all worth it.

“To write them being back together and friends again was just such a relief,” says Ross Duffer of Dustin, left, and Steve.

(Netflix)

I want to move on to Dustin and Steve. The strain on their relationship comes to a head in these episodes, but also reaches a reconciliation. That moment between them on the collapsing stairwell —

Matt: It’s a very short moment, but incredibly emotional. We were really moved by Gaten and Joe’s performance. It wasn’t hard for them to get into that spot. They’re very close, they have a very sweet friendship that’s not entirely dissimilar from their friendship on the show. The one frustrating thing about the show being split in the way it is, is we didn’t put out a season of the show in Volume 1 — that’s half of a show. I’m excited for people to see Volume 2, mostly for the Steve-Dustin resolution.

Ross: It was hard even writing it, keeping them apart. We felt it was right, emotionally, but to write them being back together and friends again was just such a relief because we’ve missed them, and hopefully the audience has too.

And I love that Steve gets to have his a-ha moment where he comes up with what may be the plan that ends all this.

Ross: It’s funny, we’ve joked about this; he’s very convenient for us as writers because he’s always confused. He doesn’t know what’s going on. Dustin dings him for that in Episode 5, and it was so satisfying to have Steve come up with the final plan, or the linchpin for the final plan. That was such a thrill to write to finally give Steve a moment because the brainstorming almost always goes to Dustin.

Nancy and Jonathan, at one point, are bracing for imminent death and find themselves having this touching and tender moment, sharing confessions and hard truths. What was the lay of conversation for what you wanted from that moment — there’s the acknowledgment of their trauma bond and a slightly romantic unproposal?

Matt: It’s not dissimilar, in some ways, to the Mike-Will stuff. These are people who do love each other very much; it’s just a question of, “What does that mean? What does the future look like for them?” Whenever we talked about Jonathan-Nancy — there’s got to be this feeling that they feel like they must be together because of what they’ve been through, and how could you ever connect with somebody else who hadn’t been through the same thing? But are they right, in the long run, for each other? We wanted to express that as best as we can.

Ross: It was a challenging idea. We’ve been building to it, but to get it across in five-ish minutes, it’s a complicated thing. It’s not just a soap opera where it’s shipping and who’s going to end up with who. I’ve been through experiences similar to this, when you’re with someone for a very long time, you grow so close and you go through so many things together, and it reaches a point where you go, “Well, how could someone else understand?” But at the same time, is that suffocating to your own self-growth? So when we were talking about Nancy and Jonathan, and where do they go from here, it felt like for Nancy to really grow, it’s not about Steve, it’s not about Jonathan, it’s about giving herself the space.

Matt: And for Jonathan. They both felt the same way, they just weren’t expressing it. Especially when you’re young, you have trouble understanding or expressing those feelings. We wanted to put them in a life-or-death situation where it’s their last opportunity to confess. The reference for that scene was “Almost Famous,” when the plane’s about to crash and everybody, in the moment of near-death, tells everybody everything. And then the plane doesn’t crash and it’s awkward. This is the opposite.

Matt, left, and Ross Duffer are closer to releasing the “Stranger Things” series finale. Is it a happy ending? “Even in victory, it’s not confetti and dance parties,” Ross says.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

To return to this idea of the characters wrestling with what life looks like after this is over, if it’s ever over — is a happy or triumphant ending possible? Do you even think of it in those terms?

Matt: It’s weird because we didn’t realize until we had finished writing it, how much was a reflection on the show itself. Everybody had a tricky year emotionally; it was a real roller-coaster in terms of dealing with the fact that something we had been putting everything into for 10 years was coming to an end. Ultimately, the show is more about childhood, coming of age and leaving that behind for a new part of your life. It’s not really a question of a happy ending versus a not-happy ending. It’s just a question of capturing what it feels like to move on. It’s a bittersweet thing, but I think it’s something that everybody goes through.

Ross: Even in victory, it’s not confetti and dance parties. It’s a little more complicated than that. I remember “Lord of the Rings,” reading it and watching the films as a kid — there’s that moment when they’re just back in the Shire, and there’s bit of like, “How can you understand? And how do you move on from this?” I remember at the time, when I was younger, feeling a bit of disappointment. I was like, “Can’t they just come back and everyone just celebrate and there’s a party and then we fade out?” But watching it older now, there’s something so much more resonant about it. That’s why we talk so much over the course of this season about “Even if we are able to defeat Vecna, what does that look like for all of us?” Because this Vecna and the evil in the Upside Down brought all these people together.

Matt: In terms of the parallels to the show ending, that’s really a complicated and confusing mix of emotions. Everybody’s sad to move on, but then there’s that sense that you have to move on. We try to capture that feeling.

I need you to tell me what the workflow is like on a show like this. It’s lore, science and nerd-heavy. What are the checks and balances of making sure you’re not messing things up?

Matt: The challenge, especially as the lore and mythology has gotten too complicated, is to ensure that it’s not weighing down the show and that there’s enough room for the characters. That is more important than anything. What we’ve been trying to do as much as possible with this season, because there is so much mythology, is tie it into characters and their growth.

Ross: For instance, the Jonathan-Nancy scene — the melting lab was not an idea we had and then thought, “Oh, we could put Jonathan and Nancy in the situation.” We know we want this conversation with Jonathan and Nancy. How do we get there? Then going, “Oh, what if the dark matter makes the lab unstable?” Most of the time, you’re starting character first, and then we’re adjusting the mythology in order to make those character moments work.

Matt: But also, a melting lab is cool! Everybody was super enthusiastic about that — Netflix, our production designer.

Ross: Other dimensions, everyone was fine with the wormholes. But when we suddenly go, “The lab is going to melt,” everyone was like, “Excuse me?” No one knew how to do it.

Matt: We had to fight for that melting lab, from a production and cost standpoint.

I thought we were going to have a “Titanic” situation.

Ross: Oh, “Titanic” was a reference. But we wanted them both on the table.

1

2

1. Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink), left, and Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher). 2. Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna. (Netflix)

There’s a massive culture of forecasting and dissecting — it can be overwhelming to me as a viewer because I feel like I’m not watching closely enough. But I also love seeing how people interpret things.

Ross: Especially with the superfans, the tiniest of detail is picked up on. I think it’s fun for them because they’re rewatching this over and over again, so every little minute thing is seen as something significant even when that wasn’t our intention — not that we don’t plant things for later and do Easter eggs, but 99.9% of the writers’ room is just talking about these characters in the story they’re on. That is hopefully how you’re going to be watching the show because it can get overwhelming when you see this stuff online. But at the end of the day, we’re having people engage with a long-form story, so it makes us generally happy.

Matt: But you hit on something important, which is everybody experiences the show very differently. Sometimes I go, “What show are you watching?” Whatever show they’re watching is a completely different show than the show we thought we wrote. Then sometimes, some are on exactly our wavelength. And you see this with debates over the season. Season 3 is either the best season ever or the worst season ever. This is why you can’t write to fans, because which fan are you writing to? It would be impossible. Ross and I just try to write what we think is cool and what our writers think is cool.

There are so many theories out there about how the show is ending. Has there been one where the person got it or close to it?

Ross: I remember Season 4 someone early, very early, before we’d even released it, had figured out the Henry-Vecna-One thing, which was pretty impressive. This season, though, I have not seen anyone get the ending correct, which is, hopefully, a good thing.

Matt: I think it’s good. We’ll find out. I like that the ending is not obvious to people.

My understanding is the final scene of the series is one you’ve had in mind for about seven or so years. In the end, did you reach it the way you thought you would?

Matt: Yes. The show changed a lot in the course of seven years, so aspects of it certainly changed. But I think the fundamental state, more or less, the scene is what we always thought it was going to be.

Ross: I would say there was a key idea that we came up with, breaking [Season] 5, that wasn’t in there seven years ago. There was one element that we changed, but generally it is what we always hoped it would be. After the finale is out, we’ll be happy to tell you.

Matt: It didn’t change the scene, it just added something that I think was really important.

You spoke earlier about the circle of people that you share episodes with. How do you know you’re on the right path?

Ross: It’s such a small group. It really comes down to just our group of writers. What I love about our writers’ room is, even with Matt and I, people are very happy to tell us that an idea is not working. It’s usually everyone building off of each other, and then someone synthesizes those ideas, pitches it out to the room, and you feel this collective relief and excitement within that room. And when that happens, we go, “That’s it. That’s the idea.”

Matt: This is how we’ve always worked, once the draft is written, Ross and I will do multiple passes to the point where we’re really happy and confident. We don’t like turning in anything even remotely rough to Netflix. But the final episode, that was actually weird. We didn’t get any notes from Netflix or the producers. It is that first draft that we turned in. We did multiple drafts of it, but once we turned it in, that was it.

Were you on time with that draft?

Matt: We’re never on time, as you can tell with the gaps between seasons. Ross and I are not the fast. We were actually writing it in the midst of shooting, which was not a great idea. But Ross and I do the best work when we have a gun to our heads.

Ross: There’s not a single finale of the show that wasn’t written in the midst of production, but we like it because it allows us to get a sense of what the season is, what’s working, how the actors are performing, and we can really write to that. If you look at our season finales, generally, they’re some of our better episodes, part of it because the story is culminating, but also because we’ve learned over the course of the season what this season really is, what is really clicking. Then you can lean into that.

Matt: The only weird thing to have is because we were behind, and this has never happened before, is the Holly sequences that are in Henry’s mind, that’s in summer, so we couldn’t wait to shoot those. We were shooting any scene in the woods with Holly before the script was done. That was odd because we were handing actors scripts and scenes when they hadn’t even finished the episode. But it worked out quite well.

But now, I don’t know if it’s because of us, but Netflix won’t start shooting a season of anything until all the scripts are written. I do think they’re missing out on something because … like the sense of discovery that it allows. That’s the nerve-racking thing to me about doing a movie next, is we won’t have that ability to have it evolve.

What was the reaction at the table read for the series finale that stood out to you?

Matt: As nervous as we are of how the audience is going to react, it will never match the nerves we had in terms of how the actors were going to react to it. They’ve been in it with us since the beginning and they’re so invested in these characters. I think everybody was crying. Noah started crying first, then it just spread from there.

How do you feel you’ve changed since starting the show?

Matt: It’s hard to know. You have to try to remember back to how we were 10 years ago. We were really green. We had only directed one movie before. And we never directed television before. We’ve become, hopefully, better leaders and more confident and better at communicating. Ross and I, because we’re twins, we were really good at communicating with each other, but not with other people, and I think we’ve gotten a lot better at working with a large group of people, and hopefully we’ve evolved as as filmmakers.

Ross: There was a lot of fear making that first season. It was almost out of panic and fear both, if we get this wrong — our first movie was a failure — if we mess up, we’ll never be able to tell a story again. And the lack of experience, especially in terms of production. Production was scary because our production on the movie was such a challenge and it was a traumatic experience. Now, we know so much more. We keep making it hard for ourselves because we keep raising the bar in terms of the scale of the production [and] the number of people we’re hiring. But at this point, we can walk into a set, we’re much more flexible now if actors are coming in with ideas that are different from what we had planned, there’s a lot more ability to explore.

Caleb McLaughlin, left, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown and Gaten Matarazzo when they were much younger in “Stranger Things.”

(Netflix)

To expand on the learning curve, there was a recent report that said Millie Bobby Brown had filed a complaint of bullying and harassment against David Harbour. As first-time showrunners, how was it helming a show with young actors and figuring out how to balance the responsibility of making sure they feel safe and cared for on set?

Matt: Ross and I just love working with kids, and it was fun this season to go back to that, in terms of bringing in a new generation of kids. Mostly what we try to do is treat them respectfully and listen to them and listen to their ideas. I think you just get so much better work out of them that way. We’ve become very close because we got to know them when they were really young. It feels less parental and more like an older brother situation, and we try to make it very relaxed so they’re not nervous around us, and they certainly are not. I think what’s been challenging, and mostly challenging for the kids, who are no longer kids anymore, is when the show became bigger and [dealing with] social media. I think if something’s been damaging, it’s social media. I saw it happening with Jake [Connelly], who plays Derek this year.

Ross: And Nell [Fisher, who plays Holly], as well. That is something you feel more helpless about. But what has been beneficial for them, for Jake and Nell, [is] the kids that have been through it can help them through this more. Millie’s been through it. Finn’s been through it.

Matt: That’s the thing — yes, they have us, but they also have each other to get through this. I always think that that’s the key in terms of how they all turned out as grounded as they are. We were with all of them on this press tour, and I’m constantly impressed by how level-headed and grounded they are, and how ego-less they are; that they’re not broken by what they’ve been through. It’s been great with Jake to see it completely turn around. But that doesn’t excuse what people were doing before. It’s disgusting. I wish they had gone through this without social media.

A big talking point in Hollywood right now has been the bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery. You have forged relationships with both Paramount and Netflix, the companies vying for it. How are you feeling about this moment and where things seem to be headed?

Matt: It’s just so hard to know what things are going to be like. It’s hard to say anything right now. Ross and I have been pretty open about wanting to make sure that the theatrical experience is preserved. For as long as stories have been told, it’s often in front of a group. There’s something about the communal experience and I just don’t want people being isolated. But as long as things are getting in theaters, I think it’s going to be OK. I’m trying to be optimistic about it.

Ross: I think the two fears are, with whatever happens, is you want to try to protect theatrical, which is in not the best state right now. And if you keep shrinking these windows, it just continues to de-incentivize people to go to the theater. That is not something we want to see. It’s a reason why we’re making a movie for theaters next; we believe in it and want to fight for it. The other is you need competition for artists because that’s the whole reason “Stranger Things” exists in the first place. If it’s too much consolidation, then shows like this are just going to become increasingly extinct.

Was it an easy sell, getting Netflix on board with releasing the series finale in theaters?

Matt: Yeah, actually. This is where the internet can frustrate me because something starts as a rumor and then goes around, then it’s fact. We pitched the idea to Netflix marketing — it was mine and Ross’ idea, then [Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria] called us — it was only about five days [later] and [she] said, “Yeah, let’s do it.” We’re really grateful for them for supporting us. I cannot wait to go sneak into some theaters and watch it.

Ross: We’re definitely gonna go.

A man has been slammed for “bullying” a solo female traveller into swapping seats on a plane believing she’d be an “easy target”, and people have been left floored by the incident

When it comes to travelling on a long-haul flight, most people make sure to prebook their preferred seat for extra comfort on the journey. However, others risk it and board without paying extra to secure one of the best seats.

That’s exactly what one man decided to do when flying 40,000 ft above, but now he has been slammed for his “entitled” actions. Taking to Reddit, a dad explained: “My daughter recently took her first solo overnight international flight on a Delta A350 in a 2-4-2 Premium Select cabin. I used miles to book her an aisle seat in the two-seat section. The man in the window seat next to her asked if she would switch seats with his wife, who was seated in the middle four.

“After some persistence, she eventually agreed just to get him to stop asking. After swapping, she discovered the other person in the middle four was also a solo traveller.”

The solo traveller shared her experience with others, and every person she spoke to agreed she should have stayed put and refused the swap.

Disappointed she gave in to the “entitled” man, but pleased she travelled to her destination safely, the dad added: “Everyone she’s told this story to has pointed out – correctly – that if sitting next to his wife was that important, he should have swapped seats with the solo traveller in the middle four, not asked her to give up her seat.

“She said it ended up being fine because the people seated next to her were nice and entertaining. I told her the etiquette advice she received is absolutely right, and it was her seat to do with as she pleased but, if I’m paying for her ticket, she better not swap into a lower cabin.”

Commenting on her post, one user said: “Ugh, the entitlement these days is infuriating! Glad her neighbours ended up being nice but hate to hear that she felt she had to eventually agree because he kept asking!

“Make sure she knows for next time that it’s also polite to say ‘no and please don’t ask me again’ or just let the flight attendant know and deal with him.”

Another user added: “Yeah, young females… Oh, wait, females in general get treated like we are pushovers or disposable. Please… please… PLEASE… encourage her with love that she doesn’t have to bow down to this kind of c***.”

A third user said: “F*** the wife for letting her a******e husband bully a little girl into giving up her seat.

“She knows what it’s like to be a woman in this situation and she let it happen. Seriously who is this lady, straight to jail.”

In agreement, one more user added: “Exactly this! I would never allow my husband to do such an inappropriate thing. Of course she is going to say yes. She probably feels like she has to.”

Someone else also added: “I’ve raised my daughters to know that they aren’t obligated to accommodate anyone’s feelings at the expense of their own and/or their no. Your ‘no thank you’ does not need a justification. Period.”

One more said: “Those people irritate me! If you want to sit together, book your seats together. People who book separate seats, especially married couples expecting a solo traveller to move, are so rude and inconsiderate.”

Nikola Jokic recorded a 56-point triple-double and broke a record set by Steph Curry as the Denver Nuggets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 142-138 on Christmas Day.

The Serb hit 56 points, recorded 16 rebounds and 15 assists – becoming the first player in NBA history to hit at least 55 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in a triple-double.

Three-time MVP Jokic hit 18 of his 56 points in overtime, breaking Curry’s record of 17 overtime points from 2016.

The Timberwolves took the game in Denver to overtime after clawing back a 15-point deficit in the final five minutes of the game.

Anthony Edwards top-scored for the Timberwolves with 44 points, including the game-tying three that took the game to overtime.

But the 24-year-old was ejected in the extra period for arguing over foul calls as the Nuggets clamed the win.

The Nuggets are third in the Western Conference, with the Timberwolves in fifth.

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is remigration?

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

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

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

What are the origins of remigration?

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

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

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

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

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

Beirich said that the concept was popularised by Martin Sellner.

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

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

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

Do different groups have different ideas?

There are strands of nationalists beyond ethnonationalism.

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

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

Why is the idea of remigration becoming mainstream?

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

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

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

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

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

Where is the remigration movement picking up?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BELIEVE it or not, some of Britain’s beaches are best enjoyed in the winter.

Beautiful coastal paths make for the best crisp winter walks – and the waters might not be as cold as you’d think.

Plus, with less tourists at this time of year, you’ll often have these beaches to yourself!

Whether you’re the type to brave an ocean dip, or are looking for a new stretch of sand to walk the dogs – here’s our top 5 beaches to visit this winter.

Camber Sands, East Sussex

Best for: Wide golden sands, sea swims

This five-mile stretch of sand has continuously been named one of the best beaches to visit in winter.

The East Sussex beach is known for its hilly dunes which overlook miles of soft golden sands.

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And with its mild temperatures, it makes for one of the best beaches to take a winter sea dip.

Camber Sands averages temperatures of 9.5°C in winter, and its waters can even reach highs of 11.5°C.

Beaches in the South East of England tend to have the highest amount of sunlight hours.

And Clacton is no exception – seeing two to three times the typical daily amount of winter sunshine hours in the UK.

The iconic beach is even popular in films and amongst celebs.

Camber Sands famously stars in the 1958 film Dunkirk, and even featured as the Sahara Desert in 1967 in a Carry On film.

Plus, celebs such as Lisa Faulkner, as well as Tom and Giovanna Fletcher have been spotted here.

Camber Sands is just two hours’ drive from London, making for a great day trip from the UK capital.

Brancaster, Norfolk

Best for: Wildlife, quiet coastal walks

Brancaster in Norfolk is a fantastic place to spend a winter’s day.

Brancaster Estate is a National Trust destination, home to a meadow come-Roman fort and a picturesque harbour.

Down the road in Brancaster Staithe you’ll find the Mussel Pod – a food truck serving up fresh local mussels.

And if you keep walking along the shore, you’ll make your way along the Norfolk Coast Path through towns and villages like Thornham, Holkham and Burnham-Overy-Staithe.

Plus, the North Norfolk coast is the excellent for wildlife spotting.

Nearby Titchwell Marsh is popular with twitchers, and spotting common seals is a regular occurrence.

Seal trips by boat can even be taken at nearby Hunstanton or Cley.

With Norfolk’s clear and starry skies, the Northern lights can even be seen over the beach.

And temperatures here aren’t too bad either – averaging about
9°C throughout the winter.

Kynance Cove, Cornwall

Best for: Dramatic scenery, warmest temperatures

Kynance Cove tops the list as the warmest beach in the UK in research undertaken by Parkdean Resorts – and it’s also one of the most beautiful.

Winter temperatures average at around 11°C, and water temperatures can even reach 13°C.

It even made last year’s list of the 50 Best Beaches in the world, chosen by 1,000+ travel influencers and experts.

It sits on Cornwall‘s Lizard Peninsula, one of the most rugged and dramatic-looking coastlines in the UK.

In the height of summer under the blazing sun, this beach looks almost tropical.

But in the winter, it transforms into a peaceful coastal escape – perfect for breezy clifftop walks, and soaking up sea views without the summer crowds.

When the tide is low, you can wander between sea caves and rocky islands.

And when the tide turns high, you can watch over the bay as it transforms into a swirl of wild foaming waves.

And after a windswept walk, nothing beats warming up with a hot drink at the Kynance Cove Cafe – perched above the bay with unbelievable views.

Clacton-on-Sea, Essex

Best for: Traditional seaside town, family days out

Essex‘s Clacton-on-Sea is a popular seaside resort that makes the perfect family trip this winter.

The Victorian pier, promenade and painted beach huts give this beach a traditionally British feel.

Clacton-on-Sea has winter sunlight hours above the national annual average, so you can make the most of a long day at the beach.

Plus in December, the pier hosts seasonal events that are perfect for kids, such as a magical Santa’s Grotto experience.

You’ll also find bowling and a family-friendly restaurant inside the Pavilion.

Plus there’s no better feeling than heading for a winter walk along the shores, before popping into a cosy seafront cafe for a warming hot chocolate.

And it’s good news for swimmers – the sea here is often noted as the fastest to warm up in the Spring.

It’s even recorded the highest temperature waters of any beach in England and Wales, at a toasty 18.2°C.

Barafundle Bay, Pembrokeshire, Wales

Best for: Crystal waters and softest sands

Nestled in the Pembrokeshire coastline, Barafundle Bay is a Welsh jewel that is well worth the walk to get to.

This bay was once awarded the Best Beach in Britain – and it’s easy to see why.

The isolated location has a rugged shoreline, soft, flat sands and some of the UK’s best sunsets.

With cliffs shielding the bay from cold winds, winter temperatures here can reach a comfortable 11°C.

It sits within the National Trust’s Stackpole Estate – an area rich in history with stone landmarks dating back to the Bronze Age.

Note that the nearest car park in Stackpole is half a mile’s walk away – but the views are absolutely worth it.

England’s Ashes tour teetered on another crisis as they were bowled out for 110 by Australia on an almost farcical first day of the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The 20 wickets to fall is the most on the opening day of an Ashes Test since 1909 and surpassed the 19 of the first day of the first Test of this series in Perth.

Steve Smith, standing-in as Australia captain, said the 10mm long grass on the pitch would mean batters had to be “on their game” in the Boxing Day Test.

Smith was right. His side were hustled out for 152, then England were decimated in a single session after tea.

There was still time for Australia to face one over of their second innings before the close, only the third time in Test history the third innings of the match has begun on day one. The hosts are 4-0, leading by 46 runs.

Perth was the first two-day Ashes Test in 104 years. Melbourne could be the second in the space of five weeks.

The havoc of the evening made England’s improved performance with ball and in the field a distant memory. Pace bowler Josh Tongue was excellent in claiming 5-45.

But England were bowling again before the end of the day as their batting was flattened in 29.5 overs.

England were 8-3 and 16-4. Harry Brook’s dance, swipe and miss at Mitchell Starc from his first ball seemed witless in the moment, yet it was Brook’s audacity that kept England from a complete implosion.

Brook swatted 41, including two sixes. Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were the only other men to reach double figures.

Michael Neser claimed four wickets, Scott Boland three, with the silliness of the day summed up by Boland then opening the batting as nightwatchman.

The film, based on a true story, is based on a daring mission to the moon

We all know the story of the first moon landing when Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on its surface but almost as dramatic is the story of three astronauts who almost lost their lives on the USA’s third attempt to stand on the surface.

The Apollo 13 mission in 1969 saw Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise take off from earth on course for the moon. However, the mission almost ended in disaster and this 1995 blockbuster directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks and Lovell, Kevin Bacon as Swigert and Bill Paxton as Haise is being shown on ITV tonight.

After an unexpected explosion in space, NASA is running out of time to find a way to bring the three astronauts back to earth safely. The film was a huge commercial success when it was released, going on to become the third most successful film of 1995, behind Die Hard With A Vengance and Toy Story, which also starred Hanks.

Apollo 13 also went on to be nominated for nine Academy Awards and picked up two Oscars for Best Sound and Best Film Editing. It was also five BAFTAs and four Golden Globes.

It won over critics with an impressive 94 percent approval rating on the movie review aggregator site, Rotten Tomatoes. One critic described to film as Ron Howard’s “finest work”. They added: “In his finest directorial work, Ron Howard embraces everything that the astronauts of Apollo 13 aspired to be and ended up as. Unforgettable.”

Another said: “Director Ron Howard, who has built a career on easygoing, reassuring movies from Night Shift to The Paper, finally achieves true drama.” A third added: “For Apollo 13, the 1970 space mission, everything went wrong. But for Apollo 13, the movie, everything goes right. Director Ron Howard, who has a history of blowing hot and cold, is so far into his hot mode in this movie that he’s dang near on fire.”

Fans also couldn’t get enough of the movie. One wrote: “A phenomenal epic odyssey of the daring odds of the Apollo 13 crew trying to return back home against all odds after their space shuttle malfunctions. The cast is great, with Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, and Ed Harris all giving great performances.”

Another added: “Brilliant masterpiece!! It’s very gripping from start to finish!” While a third said: “All-time classic. An American masterpiece.”

Apollo 13 is on ITV4 at 6.35pm on Boxing Day, December 26.

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

The Denver Broncos eked out a 20-13 victory as they chase the AFC top seed the Chiefs have claimed so often in the last decade, but Travis Kelce was still the headline news in what could have been his final game in Kansas City.

The 36-year-old seemed to soak in his pre-game introduction more than usual then lingered on the field afterwards with plenty of Broncos players coming over to share a few words and show their respect to the three-time Super Bowl champion – with both his mother Donna and fiance Taylor Swift in the stands watching on.

Kelce and his Chiefs played hard despite being out of the play-offs and being two-touchdown underdogs without injured star quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

The home crowd and home defence made it tough for a Denver team looking to emulate Kansas City’s recent success, but the Broncos’ own star quarterback Bo Nix eventually got them over the line with a fourth-quarter touchdown.

Denver are certainly emulating last season’s Chiefs in winning tight games, with this their 11th one-score victory – four more than anyone else – while they’re the only team in NFL history to earn 12 comeback wins in one season.

But head coach Sean Payton will want a more explosive element to the offence, which dominated possession but struggled to make big plays and score touchdowns, making it a much closer game than it really should have been against a severely depleted Chiefs side.

While the Broncos are building there could be some upheaval in Kansas City this summer, whether that includes losing Kelce at the end of his 13th season remains to be seen.

Dec. 25 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s defense procurement agency is accelerating efforts to develop and certify defense-grade semiconductors, warning that reliance on foreign supply chains for critical chips could delay weapons deployment and weaken long-term competitiveness in arms exports.

Modern weapon systems increasingly depend on semiconductors for core functions including missile guidance and navigation, radar detection and tracking, encrypted military communications and autonomous operation in drones and unmanned platforms, defense officials and industry experts say.

Analysts say dependence on overseas sources for such components creates vulnerabilities that go beyond cost. If access is disrupted by export controls, manufacturing changes or supply discontinuation, military programs can face delays because defense-grade parts often require retesting and recertification even after minor design or packaging changes.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said it launched a task force in January 2024 to prepare for a Defense Semiconductor Center and has been building a roadmap for project planning and management along with a dedicated reliability evaluation and certification function, according to a notice posted on the government innovation portal.

In a December policy briefing, the agency said it began research and development projects tied to defense semiconductors, including high-power radio-frequency components for radars and semiconductors for space communications.

Defense semiconductor applications span a growing set of systems, including transmit-receive modules for active electronically scanned array radars, processing chips for synthetic aperture radar on unmanned aerial vehicles, satellite communications components for small satellites and tactical-grade inertial sensors, analysts said.

DAPA has pursued center establishment in parallel with research programs aimed at building a domestic ecosystem. The agency said it selected five core technology projects in May, with four expected to begin within the year. In December, it announced the start of projects including space semiconductors for small satellite communications, tactical-grade gyro sensors, chips for unmanned aerial vehicle synthetic aperture radar and chips for active electronically scanned array radars, emphasizing a goal of reducing reliance on foreign technology.

The agency also held a defense semiconductor development forum in November that brought together government officials, industry and researchers, according to the report.

Experts said the next hurdles are less about initial research and more about building an ecosystem that can certify reliability and support sustained production.

Defense-grade semiconductors must perform under extreme conditions including temperature swings, vibration, shock, electromagnetic exposure and long storage periods, requiring testing infrastructure and standards that differ from civilian certification methods.

Analysts also said South Korea will need an end-to-end supply chain covering design, manufacturing, packaging and verification. Because defense chips are often produced in small volumes across multiple specialized variants, they can be deprioritized on commercial foundry and packaging lines unless trusted production capacity is secured.

Specialized investment will also be needed in areas such as compound semiconductors and radiation-hardened components used in radars, electronic warfare systems and satellites, the report said.

To ensure research translates into deployment, experts said development should be structured around early joint design involving military users, system integrators and component makers.

Analysts said defense semiconductors should be treated as national security infrastructure that affects the speed of force deployment, operational sustainability and export reliability, rather than as an optional industrial policy goal.

– Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Ramallah, occupied West Bank – The Palestinian economy is undergoing a severe downturn, driven by Israel’s continued assault on Gaza, intensified restrictions on movement and trade in the occupied West Bank, and a sharp decline in both domestic and external financial resources.

As the Palestinian government struggles to manage an escalating fiscal crisis, official data and expert assessments warn that the economy is approaching a critical threshold – one that threatens the continuity of state institutions and their ability to meet even basic obligations.

A joint report by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) and the Palestine Monetary Authority (PMA), published in the Palestinian Economic Monitor for 2025, found that the economy remained mired in deep recession throughout the year.

According to the report, gross domestic product (GDP) in Gaza contracted by 84 percent in 2025 compared with 2023, while GDP in the occupied West Bank declined by 13 percent over the period. Overall GDP levels remain far below their pre-war baseline, underscoring the fragility of any potential recovery and the economy’s inability to regain productive capacity under current conditions.

The report documented a near-total collapse of economic activity in Gaza, alongside sharp contractions across most sectors in the West Bank, despite a modest improvement compared with 2024. It also recorded a decline in trade volumes to and from Palestine compared with 2023, while unemployment in Gaza exceeded 77 percent during 2025.

Withheld revenues and mounting debt

Palestinian Economy Minister Mohammed al-Amour said Israeli authorities are withholding approximately $4.5bn in Palestinian clearance revenues, describing the move as a form of “collective punishment” that has severely undermined the Palestinian Authority’s (PA’s) ability to function.

“The total accumulated public debt reached $14.6bn by the end of November 2025, representing 106 percent of the 2024 gross domestic product,” al-Amour told Al Jazeera.

The minister said the debt includes $4.5bn owed to the International Monetary Fund, $3.4bn to the Palestinian banking sector, $2.5bn in salary arrears to public employees, $1.6bn owed to the private sector, $1.4bn in external debt, and $1.2bn in other financial obligations.

“These pressures have had a direct impact on the overall performance of the public budget,” al-Amour said, contributing to a widening deficit and sharply reduced capacity to cover operational spending and essential commitments.

All of that has led al-Amour to conclude that the Palestinian economy is undergoing “its most difficult period” since the establishment of the PA in 1994.

Official estimates show GDP contracted by 29 percent in the second quarter of 2025, compared with 2023, while GDP per capita fell by 32 percent over the period. These figures align with a recent report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), which concluded that the Palestinian economy has regressed to levels last seen 22 years ago.

In response, al-Amour said the government was implementing an “urgent package of measures”.

“The government is rolling out a series of actions that include strengthening the social protection system, supporting citizens’ resilience in Area C [of the West Bank], and backing small and medium-sized enterprises and productive sectors, particularly industry and agriculture,” al-Amour said.

Official data show a sharp drop across nearly all economic activities. Construction contracted by 41 percent, while both industry and agriculture declined by 29 percent each. Wholesale and retail trade fell by 24 percent.

The tourism sector has been among the hardest hit. Following the start of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, the Ministry of Tourism reported daily losses exceeding $2m, as inbound tourism nearly collapsed. By the end of 2024, cumulative losses were estimated at approximately $1bn.

The Palestinian Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS), citing PCBS data, reported an 84.2 percent drop in hotel occupancy in the West Bank during the first half of 2024 compared with the same period a year earlier. Losses in accommodation and food services alone amounted to roughly $326m.

Despite the downturn, al-Amour said the Ministry of Economy is focusing on sustaining the private sector, substituting Israeli imports across seven key sectors, developing the digital and green economies, and improving the business environment. He noted that about 2,500 new companies continue to be registered each year.

Tourism collapsing

Samir Hazbun, a lecturer at al-Quds University and board member of the Palestinian Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said repeated crises have hollowed out the economy.

“Over the past five years, all economic sectors have entered successive crises, starting with the COVID-19 pandemic and followed by the war on Gaza,” Hazbun said. “Tourism, one of the most important sectors, has been especially affected, exhausting the local economy and weakening its ability to recover.”

Hazbun said preliminary estimates indicate tourism has suffered direct losses exceeding $1bn, alongside extensive indirect losses resulting from the paralysis of hotels, souvenir shops, travel agencies, tour guides and street vendors.

He added that hotel investments alone are estimated at $550m, with no financial returns for owners, forcing many workers out of the sector due to the absence of job security and safety nets.

Economic expert Haitham Daraghmeh described Palestinian debt as “accumulated debt that increases monthly”, owed to banks, suppliers, contractors, and the telecommunications and health sectors.

“The withholding of clearance revenues is no longer a temporary financial crisis; it has become a factor of complete economic paralysis,” he said.

With external aid frozen and domestic revenues at historic lows, Daraghmeh warned that the government was “no longer able to cover salaries or operational costs”.

“The government is operating like an ATM, with no real capacity for investment or economic stimulus,” Daraghmeh added.

Economic warnings

Daraghmeh said World Bank reports warn that continued failure to pay salaries and meet obligations could trigger comprehensive economic collapse. While some countries, including France and Saudi Arabia, have pledged support, he said none of that assistance has materialised.

He outlined three possible scenarios; the most likely is a continued gradual decline, driven by ongoing revenue withholding and shrinking resources. The second involves international intervention to prevent total collapse, particularly at a decisive political moment. The third scenario could see a conditional breakthrough, tied to European demands for financial reform, anticorruption measures, curriculum changes and elections.

Taken together, the data and expert assessments suggest the Palestinian economy is approaching a dangerous tipping point. Analysts warn that without an end to revenue withholding, renewed international financial support, and a shift in the political context, the economy risks sliding from prolonged crisis into outright collapse.

The question facing Palestinian officials and economists alike is how long the system can endure under siege-like conditions – and whether political and economic shifts will arrive in time to halt what many now describe as a slow and deliberate economic unravelling.

Jimmy Kimmel swapped his suit and late-night desk for a cardigan and Christmas living room scene as he shared with British viewers an important holiday message: “Tyranny is booming over here.”

Kimmel appeared on public broadcaster Channel 4 Thursday to deliver an “alternative Christmas message,” counter programming to the British monarch’s annual televised address.

Kimmel’s message focused on his battle with President Trump, who reveled in his talk show’s September suspension. Kimmel was benched for roughly a week after backlash to his comments about Charlie Kirk — and an ominous threat by the Federal Communications Commission chair. Kimmel had criticized MAGA supporters for attempting to “score political points” after the conservative activist’s killing. He also poked fun at Trump boasting about White House ballroom renovations after being asked about Kirk’s death.

“You may have read in your colorful newspapers my country’s president would like to shut me up because I don’t adore him in the way he likes to be adored,” he said. He attributed the return of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to the “millions and millions of people” who fought to get him back on the air in the name of free speech.

“And because so many people spoke out, we came back. Our show came back stronger than ever. We won, the president lost, and now I’m back on the air every night giving the most powerful politician on Earth a right, and richly deserved, bollocking,” he said, referencing the British slang for scolding. Earlier this month, Kimmel signed a contract extension with ABC through May 2027.

Past hosts of the alternative Christmas message, which began in 1993, include Edward Snowden, Jesse Jackson and a deepfake of Queen Elizabeth II.

During his address, Kimmel called the president “King Donny the 8th.” “We don’t have a problem with your king, just the guy who thinks he’s our king,” he said, apologizing for the state of America and its democratic institutions.

“Don’t give up on us,” Kimmel said. “We’re going through a bit of a wobble right now, but we’ll come around.”

There was an element of fortune to start. Travis Head dragged on to Gus Atkinson and Jake Weatherald was strangled down the leg side by Josh Tongue.

But then the latter’s skillful knack of snaffling wickets came to the fore as he bagged two of Australia’s dogged top order.

Marnus Labuschagne received a full delivery from Tongue angled into the stumps and edged to slip, before the same bowler snared Steve Smith with one which nipped to bowl him through the gate.

Michael Neser and Scott Boland followed to Tongue in consecutive deliveries – bowled by a nip-backer and caught at second slip respectively.

CricViz’s stats showed Tongue finished with 5-21 off the 24 deliveries that he pitched in the area of the pitch classed as full (3-6m).

In the ball-tracking era, only one English seamer (before Tongue today) has ever picked up five wickets from a full length in a Test innings.

That was a memorable effort by Stuart Broad at Trent Bridge in 2015.

Tongue’s pace dropped from an average of 86.7 mph in Adelaide to 85.3 mph in Melbourne. This looked and felt more like the ‘Redditch Rhythmist’, rather than the ‘Redditch Rocket’.

“It was a case of pressure really: good constant pressure and Australia couldn’t get away. England bowled how Australia did on that very hot day in Adelaide,” Tufnell added.

“You could get behind the bowling unit and clap them instead of being carved through gully. We have bowled too short all series until today but that was a good performance.

“There were a few overheads too, a few clouds, but they put it in good areas. I am delighted for Josh Tongue, he’s been the pick, without doubt. It was excellent bowling.”

England bowled full, and as their bowlers put their feet up between innings their glasses – whatever the tipple – must have been a little more than half full.

Even if their respite was shorter than they might have liked.

Dec. 25 (Asia Today) — North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun on Thursday showcased what it described as the construction site of an 8,700-ton “nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine,” calling it a “revolutionary change” in the country’s war deterrence capability.

Photos of the vessel suggest the exterior is close to completion and may already include a small reactor, which would be required for operations, analysts said. The conning tower also appeared to show what could be launch tubes for submarine-launched ballistic missiles, or SLBMs, similar in concept to North Korea’s existing 3,000-ton Kim Gun Ok submarine, the report said.

North Korea has pursued nuclear submarine development as a key defense goal since the ruling party’s 2021 congress, when it set out what it called five major tasks for strengthening national defense capabilities, Rodong Sinmun reported.

During the site visit, Kim Jong-un said North Korea had built a “nuclear shield” to safeguard national security and had secured the ability to expand it as much as necessary, according to the newspaper. He said the country would continue pursuing naval nuclear armament on both strategic and tactical levels.

Kim also said there would be no change in North Korea’s security policy and warned that if an adversary threatens what he called the country’s strategic sovereignty and security, it would “pay the price,” the report said.

The disclosure drew attention to whether North Korea can actually operate a nuclear-powered submarine of that size. The report noted questions about whether North Korea has mastered small reactor technology and large submarine construction even as it maintains uranium enrichment capabilities. It said some assessments link the possibility of technological support to North Korea’s closer ties with Russia since the Russia-Ukraine war, including speculation that North Korea could have acquired relevant technology from Russia.

The public rollout also comes as South Korea’s own debate over nuclear-powered submarines has gained momentum, and some analysts viewed North Korea’s disclosure as a show of force aimed at Seoul, the report said.

Cho Han-beom, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said the visible SLBM tubes on the conning tower indicate North Korea’s technology remains limited and suggested the disclosure may have been rushed in response to South Korea’s discussion. Yoo Yong-won, a People Power Party lawmaker, said the altered conning tower appears designed to accommodate as many as 10 SLBMs and resembles the Kim Gun Ok submarine, which he said has drawn criticism for its unusual shape.

Rodong Sinmun also reported on a congratulatory message that Russian President Vladimir Putin sent to Kim on Dec. 18, saying Putin praised North Korean troops’ “heroic participation” and highlighted expanded ties across politics, trade and the economy and other areas.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.