Welcome back to this week’s Lakers newsletter, where we’re making our interview lists and checking them twice. I have something to share: I never celebrated Christmas growing up. We didn’t do presents, trees, decorating or any of that.

What we did was basketball.

From spending Christmas Day eating my mom’s home-cooked meals and watching the NBA, I will now be at Crypto.com Arena covering the game my parents will inevitably ask about later. Talk about a special holiday gift.

LeBron James rounds into form

At this stage of LeBron James’ career, it’s not enough to just evaluate the Lakers superstar’s performance in a vacuum. So when coach JJ Redick was asked in Utah before James played his 10th game of the season whether the 21-time All-NBA honoree was “looking more like himself,” Redick didn’t have a straightforward answer.

“Well, I think you have to contextualize it,” Redick told reporters. “[He’s] ‘looking like himself’ as a 41-year-old coming off [a knee injury] and sciatica.”

Redick is premature in calling James a 41-year-old — his birthday is not until next week — but James is at least back to a version of himself. About a month since his season debut, James is starting to round into form, moving past the informal training camp and preseason period after sciatica kept him out all offseason.

James is averaging 27.6 points, 6.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds in the last five games during which the Lakers (19-8) went 3-2. His shooting percentage improved to 53.8% compared to 41.3% in his first six games.

But James is in a new era of his play. His usage rate is the lowest it’s ever been. Redick commended the superstar’s willingness to play off the ball more with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves emerging as the team’s primary ballhandling options.

There are moments when James’ age is showing. A second jump that isn’t as quick as it once was. A dunk that looks more deliberate than explosive. Then he turns back the clock by bulldozing Luke Kornet on a vicious one-handed dunk. James, always one of the league’s best in transition, still leads the Lakers with 6.4 transition points per game.

Lakers star LeBron James dunks over San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet at Crypto.com Arena on Dec. 10.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

“The thing about LeBron — it’s why he’s so great — is he can play with anybody,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “So it doesn’t matter who’s on the floor, but he’s always going to be effective.”

James showed he can still carry the team for stretches when Doncic suffered a left leg bruise during the first half against the Clippers, and the shorthanded Lakers, who entered the game without three starters, still chopped the Clippers’ 22-point lead to seven in the fourth quarter.

Doncic (leg) will remain out for Tuesday’s game against Phoenix, along with Rui Hachimura (groin) and Gabe Vincent (back). Reaves (calf) is questionable as his absence has surpassed one week.

The Lakers have been short at least one player for almost every game this season, Deandre Ayton pointed out Monday after practice as he prepared to return from a two-game absence because of an elbow injury. The injuries, highlighted by James’ 14-game absence, has made Redick feel like this team’s primary identity at the quarter mark of the season is “chaos.”

Yet leadership from players such as James has helped the Lakers find calm amid the confusion.

“This is not a quiet team,” Ayton said. “… We communicate. That’s what brings closure, where you know the guy might not be out there, or superstars might not be out there, but they with us in spirit.”

James was a vocal leader even while injured. When he returned to the court, his energy was infectious in practice, Reaves said, who often marvels at how James, despite playing in a record 23rd NBA season, still feels like one of the biggest kids in the gym.

So a month after his return, when asked in Utah about how James looked in the context of his age and recent injury history, Redick didn’t hesitate to follow up.

“Pretty damn good,” Redick said.

Holiday spirit

Lakers star LeBron James stands on the court during player introductions before a game against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena on Nov. 18.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

While the NFL tried to use Beyoncé to take over Christmas last year, the games were all laughers. The NBA, meanwhile, planted its flag with a thrilling slate that had four of five games decided by six or fewer points.

“I love the NFL,” James said into the ABC camera last year after the Lakers won a 115-113 nail-biter over the Golden State Warriors. “But Christmas is our day.”

The Lakers are playing on Christmas for the 27th season in a row. James is slated for his 20th Christmas Day game, but even he’s grown tired of his personal tradition.

“I’d much rather be at home with my family,” James said. “But it’s the game. It’s the game I love. It’s the game I watched when I was a kid on Christmas Day, watching a lot of the greatest to play the game on Christmas. It’s always been an honor to play it. Obviously, I’m going to be completely honest, I would like to be home on the couch with my family all throughout the day. But my number is called, our numbers are called, so we have to go out and perform. And I look forward to it.”

The Lakers are 25-26 on Christmas Day. This year’s lineup is delicious. The Lakers at home against Houston — the only team in the league besides Oklahoma City ranked in the top five in offensive and defensive rating — is the prime-time entree. The 11:30 a.m. PST appetizer between San Antonio and Oklahoma City could be the star of the night.

Outside of James’ slightly Grinchy mood about playing, the Lakers were getting into the holiday spirit last week. Doncic gifted e-bikes to everyone in the organization, 103 in total. Jarred Vanderbilt and Jaxson Hayes held charity events. Vanderbilt and his foundation held a holiday giveback at the Boys & Girls Club last Friday while Hayes had giveaways in Compton and his native Cincinnati.

“Stuff like that just fills my heart up and makes me feel better,” Hayes said. “… Stuff like that, I just feel like it’s why God put us here, we’re here to help others.”

On tap

Records and stats current entering Monday’s games

Dec. 23 at Suns (15-13), 6 p.m. PST

Nine days after the Lakers barely survived a dramatic fourth-quarter Phoenix comeback attempt, the Lakers and Suns run it back. In the midst of a challenging portion of their schedule that featured games against Western Conference front-runners Oklahoma City, Denver and Houston, the Suns have lost seven of their last nine games, including three of their last four.

Dec. 25 vs. Rockets (17-9), 5 p.m.

Entering Monday’s game against the Clippers, the Rockets lost three of their last four games. All the losses — to Denver, New Orleans and Sacramento — came in overtime. Kevin Durant is averaging 25.3 points while center Alperen Sengun is putting together a career year with 23.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists.

Dec. 28 vs. Kings (7-22), 6:30 p.m.

The Kings scored an improbable victory over the Rockets to break a six-game losing streak but remain in the Western Conference cellar. The Lakers needed a career-high 51 points from Austin Reaves to survive against the Kings on Oct. 26 without Doncic or James.

Status report

Lakers star Luka Doncic controls the ball during a loss to the Clippers on Dec. 20. Doncic sustained a left leg contusion in the game.

(Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

Luka Doncic: left leg contusion

Doncic suffered the injury when he was kneed in the leg by the Clippers’ Bogdan Bogdanovic. He sat out of the second half and was seen on the practice court Monday with a wrap around his left calf. He is out for Phoenix, but is day to day.

Austin Reaves: left calf strain

Reaves was a partial participant in practice Monday and remained day to day. He passed the initial estimated one-week mark since being diagnosed with a mild left calf strain on Dec. 12.

Deandre Ayton: right elbow soreness

The center appeared to suffer the injury when he got tangled up with Phoenix’s Mark Williams on Dec. 14 and missed two games but will return against the Suns on Tuesday.

Rui Hachimura: right groin soreness

Redick said Hachimura started feeling pain in his hip after the game at Utah on Dec. 18. The coach expects Hachimura to be sidelined for three to five days, which leaves a Christmas Day return possible.

Gabe Vincent: low back soreness

Vincent will not be reevaluated until at least Christmas after a back issue first popped up before the game at Utah.

Favorite thing I ate this week

A meal worth savoring at Santa Monica’s Elephante: (clockwise from top) the pizza bianco, vodka sauce pasta and squash agnolotti.

(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)

I finally crossed an essential L.A. dining experience off of my list this week. I visited Elephante in Santa Monica and very much understand the appeal.

Everyone talks about the whipped eggplant, which we got, but the vodka sauce pasta was my favorite because the pasta was perfectly cooked and the sauce had a slight smoky kick from the Calabrian chile. We also ordered the pizzo bianco, which is finished with a drizzle of hot honey and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. An order of the squash agnolotti pasta that features sage, brown butter and walnut pesto completed the spread.

In case you missed it

Lakers want Luka Doncic, LeBron James to engage more on defense

Luka Doncic gifts more than 100 e-bikes to Lakers players, staff

Lakers eventually respond to JJ Redick’s call for change, rally to beat Jazz

Natalia Bryant gets new restraining order against alleged stalker with added protection for family

Blake Griffin, Candace Parker among Basketball Hall of Fame nominees

Lakers’ Marcus Smart fined $35,000 for making obscene gesture at official

Lakers lose Luka Doncic to injury, then fall to Clippers despite LeBron James’ 36 points

Lakers ask officials for consistency as technical fouls pile up in loss to Clippers

Lakers’ Deandre Ayton expected back Tuesday, Austin Reaves injury status upgraded

Until next time…

As always, pass along your thoughts to me at thucnhi.nguyen@latimes.com, and please consider subscribing if you like our work!

Dec. 24 (UPI) — A million more files that might pertain to the former Jeffrey Epstein case have been found and will be released in weeks, federal officials announced on Wednesday.

Officials with the office of the U.S. attorney for Southern New York said they found more than a million more records and will review and redact those subject to the Epstein Files Transparency Act and release them.

“We have lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims, and we will release the documents as soon as possible,” the Justice Department said in a post on X.

“Due to the mass volume of material, this process may take a few more weeks,” the Justice Department said. “The department will continue to fully comply with federal law and President [Donald] Trump’s direction to release the files.”

The files were located in the Southern District of New York, which is based in New York City, and by the FBI, both of which forwarded them to the Justice Department for processing and eventual release as required by law.

The recently enacted Epstein Files Transparency Act required the Justice Department to release all Epstein-related files after reviewing them and redacting certain types of information, including the identities of victims, child abuse materials and others.

All files were to be released no later than Dec. 19, which is the date that the Justice Department released hundreds of thousands of files, some of which were completely redacted and blacked out.

The Justice Department posted them on its Epstein Library webpage, where all released documents are to be deposited and made available to the general public via a dedicated search engine.

Despite posting hundreds of thousands of files, the department earlier said hundreds of thousands more files also will be released after undergoing review and redactions.

Some lawmakers have accused the Justice Department of violating the Epstein Files Transparency Act by not posting all available files by the deadline.

Officials said they have a large team of attorneys reviewing each file and redacting information as required and will post all additional documents as soon as possible.

The new batch of more than a million files that might be related to the Epstein case will greatly complicate and slow that process.

Epstein was a financier and convicted sex offender who hung himself while jailed in Manhattan in 2019 amid federal charges accusing him of sex trafficking of minors and related offenses.

Nasry Asfura has been declared the winner of Honduras’ razor-thin presidential election, after weeks of delays following technical problems and allegations of fraud.

The conservative National Party candidate – backed by US President Donald Trump – won with 40.3% of the vote, according to the National Electoral Council (CNE), edging out Salvador Nasralla of the centre-right Liberal Party, who got 39.5%.

In a post on X, Asfura said: “Honduras: I am ready to govern. I will not let you down.”

Meanwhile, Nasralla said at a press conference: “I will not accept a result built on omissions.” But he also urged his supporters to remain calm.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged all parties to respect the result “so that Honduran authorities may ensure a peaceful transition of authority”.

But the president of the country’s Congress, Luis Redondo, posted saying the result was “completely illegal”.

The vote was held on 30 November but the count was delayed twice by technical outages, which electoral officials called “inexcusable”.

The president of the CNE, Ana Paola Hall, blamed the private company tasked with tabulating the results for the delay.

She said the firm had carried out maintenance without warning or checking with the CNE.

The stoppage came a day after the portal displaying real-time results had crashed.

Results of the election were tight and, because of the tumultuous nature of the processing system, around 15% of the tally sheets had to be counted by hand for the winner to be decided.

There have been tensions in Honduras as a result of the delays with protests held across the country last week.

Thousands of supporters of the governing Libre party demonstrated in the capital Tegucigalpa over what they considered fraud in the vote.

The outgoing President, Xiomara Castro, had alleged that an “electoral coup” was taking place and earlier this month said the election was being marred by “interference” from Trump.

When he endorsed Asfura for president, Trump said there would be “hell to pay” if his very narrow lead was overturned in the count.

He also threatened to withdraw financial support from the US if Asfura didn’t win.

In a surprise move, the US president also pardoned Juan Orlando Hernández, a member of Asfura’s National Party, who was serving a 45-year jail sentence in the US on drug and weapons charges.

Castro was barred by the constitution from standing for a second term.

Nine days after the vote, Nasralla accused “corrupt people” of manipulating the vote count in the Central American nation. He also said Trump’s comments had damaged his chances of winning.

In his statement following the announcement of the result, Rubio said the US would “look forward to working with his incoming administration to advance our bilateral and regional security co-operation”, adding the two countries would “end illegal immigration” to the US, while strengthening economic ties.

Princess Kate and her daughter Princess Charlotte shared a touching moment at the royals’ carol concert, Together At Christmas, that had fans in tears, as Louis stole the show

The Princess of Wales and her daughter, Charlotte, delighted fans by sharing a. beautiful moment together at the royal carol service. The concert was filmed at the beginning of December but aired on ITV on Christmas Eve.

Opening the concert, Catherine and Charlotte took to the piano together for a song. As a voiceover from the Princess spoke about the meaning of Christmas, a pre-recorded duet with her daughter played.

The mother and daughter played Holm Sound, a 2020 piece of music by Erland Cooper. It was written for the composer’s mother, Charlotte. Cooper hails from the Orkney Islands, and his work is inspired by nature and connection, themes which, according to ITV, are of deep importance to The Princess of Wales.

READ MORE: Kate Middleton surprise as she duets with Princess Charlotte at carol concertREAD MORE: Kate Middleton gets surprise nod from King Charles in his 2025 Christmas speech

“Omg! It’s The Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte on the piano!” one fan wrote online. Another added: “Aaaw, a mother daughter duet from the Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte. How lovely.”

A third said: “The Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte! So beautiful.” Another added: “Princess Charlotte and our beautiful Princess of Wales playing piano together. What a beautiful vision and spoken words – Together at Christmas. Wow.”

One emotional fan particularly loved Catherine’s speech: “What a gorgeous opening, well spoken and incredibly thoughtful. 1st speech I’ve wanted to listen to this festive season. Found myself quite tearful.”

The Royal Family teased Kate and Charlotte’s musical moment before the concert. They posted a teaser of Kate on the piano to Instagram with the caption: “A special duet…” Fans were excited, and many remembered when the princess accompanied Tom Walker on the piano in 2021.

The Princess has been playing the piano since she was a child. Her second public performance came in 2023 when she appeared in a segment of the Eurovision Song Contest’s opening sequence. She has passed on her love of the piano to her daughter.

During the concert, fans also pointed out how lovely it was to see the whole of Kate and Prince William’s family together. “Beautiful images of the Prince & Princess of Wales & their three gorgeous children. What a wonderful example of family unity & love.”

William and Kate have two sons, as well as Charlotte. George is their eldest, and Louis is their youngest. The younger son is known for his tendency to steal the show at big events, with his outgoing and often silly nature.

In 2023, Louis made many smile as he provided some hilarity to the service. During one song, he leaned over and blew out his sister’s candle. Charlotte was left giggling at her brother’s behaviour, as were many fans.

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

We’ve built five quizzes to celebrate five BBC shows – but only those with the biggest football trivia brains can beat them all.

So, is your knowledge the Strongest Link or is it more Pointless?

With the exception of our Mastermind quiz, which has used past questions on the show, all these quizzes have been written by the BBC Sport team and are just inspired by the relevant BBC quiz.

The quizzes get harder as you go – good luck with our Only Connect finale. It’s time to put yourself to the test!

Dec. 24 (UPI) — Sean “Diddy” Combs’ attorney filed an expedited federal appeal in seeking his immediate appeal from federal prison on the hip-hop mogul’s two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

The appeal was filed Tuesday with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City, seeking an acquittal or vacating his conviction and remand for resentencing.

In the 84-page appeal, attorney Alexandra A.E. Shapiro argued U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian “acted as the 13th juror” and found that Combs “coerced,” “exploited” and “forced” his girlfriends to have sex and led a criminal conspiracy, which “trumped the verdict.

The speedy appeal process was granted last month. The federal governor’s brief is due by Feb. 20 and Comb’s reply is due by March 13.

Combs, 56, is serving a 50-month prison sentence. He is now in a low-security prison in Fort Dix, N.J. He was moved there after being detained in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., since his arrest on Sept. 16, 2024.

On July 2, a jury in Manhattan convicted Combs after two days of deliberations and a six-week trial. He was found not guilty of one count of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.

Later that day, Subramanian denied his bail request because he said it would be impossible for him to prove he does not pose a danger.

The defense proposed travel restrictions, regular drug testing and a $1 million bond co-signed by himself, his mother, his sister and the mother of his oldest daughter.

Prosecutor Maurene Comey also opposed the request.

“There is serious, serious conduct here that will mandate a lengthy period of incarceration,” Comey said.

He was sentenced on Oct. 5, along with five years of supervised release after his prison term and a maximum fine of $500,000. Comb has an estimated $400 million net worth.

“There is a light at the end of the tunnel,” the judge said. “These letters, all those letters that I saw, show that you have a universe of people who love you. Let them lift you up now, just like you’ve lifted them up for so many years.”

His expected release date is May 25, 2028, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Shapiro wrote prosecutors failed to provide their case and noted girlfriends and third parties were adults who “willingly and enthusiastically” participated in so-called freak-offs, which are days-long, drug-fueled sexual encounters.

And the sentence was illegal because it was “draconian.”

She said the enhanced sentence violates his constitutional rights.

Shapiro also noted her client had already served 16 months of his sentence, which is the average one for what he was convicted of.

“If the court does not overturn Combs’ conviction, it should release him immediately and instruct the district court to resentence him only for the conduct of which he was convicted,” the filing reads.

This case isn’t Combs’ only legal situation with more than 70 civil lawsuits filed. In October, Texas-based attorney Tony Buzbee announced he would represent 120 accusers.

The alleged victims include children, teens and adults. There are short-term and long-term romantic partners.

He has denied all of the allegations and claimed that security footage in which Combs is seen beating ex-R&B star Casandra “Cassie” Ventura Fin was altered. His ex-girlfriend testified during the trial.

During sentencing, he addressed the court after he submitted a four-page letter to the judge that included an apology to the victims.

Combs apologized to Fin and another ex-girlfriend, identified as “Jane.”

“I want to personally apologize again to Cassie Ventura for any harm or hurt that I caused to her, emotionally or physically. My actions were disgusting, shameful and sick,” Combs said.

China’s military aerospace sector is clearly in a period of rapid growth and innovation right now. As it continues to roll out new combat aircraft designs, crewed and uncrewed, for domestic use, it’s also lining up new exports of at least three of its in-production fighters. That’s one finding from the unclassified version of an annual Pentagon report to Congress on China’s military, released yesterday.

The latest Pentagon assessment of the military and security developments involving China doesn’t include much in the way of new information on the individual aircraft programs for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

The report does mention the debut in the last 12 months of “two stealth aircraft with novel tailless design features,” the aircraft that are now known informally as the J-36 and the J-XDS. Other debuts highlighted include the land-based J-35A fifth-generation combat aircraft and the J-15D carrier-borne electronic warfare aircraft. Also of note is the statement that the new airborne early warning and control aircraft based on the Y-20B transport is “meant to identify and track advanced stealth aircraft.”

Perhaps the most significant military aerospace development is the assertion in the report that China aims to produce six aircraft carriers by 2035, which would provide a total of nine (China’s third, the Fujian, began its inaugural sea trials in May). Recent imagery indicates that China is progressing with work on a new aircraft carrier, its fourth, which is expected to introduce nuclear propulsion. There are increasing reports that Beijing may also still be working on at least one more conventionally powered carrier, too. If these plans are accurate, then the gap between China’s fleet of carriers and the U.S. Navy’s 11 active nuclear-powered supercarriers is growing smaller at an even faster pace.

When it comes to China’s fighters for export, the report identifies the fifth-generation Shenyang FC-31 (export variant of the J-35), the fourth-generation Chengdu J-10C, and the JF-17, which it defines, somewhat puzzlingly, as a light combat aircraft. The last of these, also named Thunder, is a China-Pakistan coproduction, not used by the PLA.

In terms of orders already achieved, the Pentagon states that, as of May 2025, the FC-31 has no sales. However, it does say that there are “interested clients,” which include Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The first prototype FC-31 took to the air in 2012 and was followed, in 2016, by a significantly reworked and greatly refined version, which we discussed in detail at the time. More recently, developmental focus has been on the J-35 version for carrier-based service with the PLA Navy. Alongside this, Shenyang has also developed the J-35A, a land-based stealth fighter that has been under development for some time and which publicly emerged late last year.

The long-term PLA Air Force plans for the J-35A remain unclear, but the carrier-capable J-35 may well now be in operational PLA Navy service. Since the base design was developed primarily for export, foreign sales are almost certainly still being sought.

Somewhat surprising is the fact that the Pentagon doesn’t link Pakistan with a potential FC-31 order. After all, there had been a previous announcement of official Pakistani plans to acquire a land-based version of the jet.

Pakistan is interested in buying FC-31.

The details are subject to further negotiations, but it’s unlikely we’ll sell the AF version of the J-35 (more developed form of FC-31).

It’s more likely a bespoke version of FC-31 for Pakistan
1/2 pic.twitter.com/X4PdRNSpAy

— Zhao DaShuai 东北进修?? (@zhao_dashuai) January 3, 2024

As for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, all these nations are known to be looking for new fighters.

Egypt was once destined to receive 24 Su-35s from Russia, before the threat of U.S. sanctions and a teased offer of F-15s put an end to that sale. In particular, Washington had said it would put sanctions on Cairo under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). In the event, it appears those same Su-35s, or at least some of them, ended up in Algeria.

In Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, the FC-31 would join a relatively packed list of competitors for that country’s next batch of fighters.

Saudi Arabia was long expected to buy more Eurofighter Typhoons, in a deal that would be brokered by BAE Systems of the United Kingdom. With that potential deal held up by concerns over Saudi human rights abuses, Saudi Arabia entered talks to buy 54 Dassault Rafale fighters, as we reported back in 2023. More recently, Boeing confirmed that it was offering the F-15EX Eagle II to Saudi Arabia, while last month it was reported that the Trump administration was weighing up the sale of up to 48 Lockheed Martin F-35As to the kingdom.

Selling the stealth jet to Saudi Arabia would be a significant policy shift, with Washington previously being unwilling to export F-35s to Arab states in the region, for fear of upsetting the strategic balance in relation to Israel. The same applies to the United Arab Emirates, where, like in Saudi Arabia, Beijing seems to be offering its stealthy FC-31 as a direct alternative to the F-35.

An arms package for the United Arab Emirates, approved at the end of the previous Trump administration and valued at up to $23.37 billion, included 50 F-35As, among other weapons. In 2021, the Emirati government reportedly said it wanted to scrap the plan, due to concerns over stringent safeguards to protect these systems — somewhat ironically — against Chinese espionage.

For the J-10C, the report notes that the only exports of this type are the 20 units delivered to Pakistan. These are part of two previous orders from Islamabad totaling 36 aircraft since 2020. It’s unclear when the remaining jets are set to be delivered to the Pakistan Air Force. Since entering Pakistani service, the J-10C saw its combat debut in this year’s clashes between India and Pakistan. Many observers pointed to the potentially significant impact made by the jets, especially in conjunction with their much-vaunted PL-15 air-to-air missiles — the latter of which you can read about in depth here. Regardless, China went into overdrive to publicize the claimed success of the J-10C and its Chinese-made missiles in Pakistan Air Force hands.

Meanwhile, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Iran, and Bangladesh are all said to have expressed interest in the J-10C.

Aside from the aforementioned Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, and Bangladesh are all known to be looking for new fighter equipment.

Indonesia signed a contract for the 42 Rafales, which it followed up by announcing plans to buy up to 24 F-15EX fighters, specifically a derivative known as the F-15IND, as you can read more about here.

Dassault Rafale (T0302) Multirole Fighter destined for Indonesia spotted at Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport.

?: Willy Josse – Bordeaux Mérignac Spotters pic.twitter.com/8cmgU6PmQB

— OSINTWarfare (@OSINTWarfare) November 8, 2025

The prospects of a J-10C sale in Iran may be somewhat better.

Iran’s geriatric air force has been particularly hobbled by historic arms embargoes and the country’s increasing pariah status in the global community. In the past, Iran has been linked with a potential transfer of Su-35s, which so far hasn’t materialized, while the country’s fighter force almost certainly suffered heavy attrition in the conflict with Israel earlier this year.

As for Bangladesh, this country may also now be out of the market for a new fighter. Earlier this month, it was reported that it had signed a letter of intent with Italy’s Leonardo to buy an undisclosed number of Typhoons.

Turning to the JF-17, which is the lowest-end and cheapest offering of the three fighters, has also done the best in terms of exports.

As of May 2024, the Pentagon records JF-17 sales to Azerbaijan, Burma, and Nigeria, as well as Pakistan. The report also says that, as of 2024, negotiations were underway regarding a possible JF-17 transfer to Iraq.

Iraq is an intriguing candidate customer. Although it has been a keen customer of Chinese arms for many years, the country’s fighter needs would appear to be well met by its Lockheed Martin F-16s — provided they are still operational.

Back in 2023, the Pentagon reported that the F-16IQ had become Iraq’s most reliable platform for carrying out airstrikes against ISIS terrorists, at least in part due to a shortage of spare parts for Iraq’s Russian-made attack helicopters as a result of the war in Ukraine. U.S. and Iraqi authorities were said to be looking into the possibility of modernizing the F-16IQ’s notoriously limited air-to-air capabilities.

It’s unclear why Iraq might have started to look at buying JF-17s. One possibility is simply to increase the size of its fighter fleet and do it more cheaply, but it’s also possible that Iraq’s F-16s may be suffering from some of the same kinds of problems they did in the past. Indeed, as of 2020, it was announced that the withdrawal of maintenance teams from Iraq meant that its F-16 fleet was at risk of effectively ceasing to exist.

Overall, we don’t know how accurate the Pentagon’s assessments of potential export sales for China’s fighters are, but they remain interesting.

Not least for the fact that China, the world’s fourth-largest arms supplier, is increasingly active at the higher end of military aerospace exports. Indeed, with three different fighter designs on offer, it is well able to meet different requirements in terms of costs and capabilities. With its stealthy FC-31, China can offer a competitor not only to the F-35 but also to the Turkish TF Kaan and the South Korean KF-21 Boramae at the lower end of that segment.

Furthermore, China is increasingly well-positioned to offer complementary drones to operate alongside these crewed fighters. China is currently making great leaps in drone technology and is in hot pursuit of equivalents to the U.S. Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). Such designs could be offered paired with these fighters, putting even smaller countries within reach of the latest concept of operations and airpower capabilities.

In addition, as the Pentagon report notes, “arms transfers are a component of China’s foreign policy and complement assistance and initiatives that are part of the Belt and Road Initiative. Many developing countries, especially in Africa, purchase China’s weapons systems because they are less expensive than Western systems.” This latter point certainly holds true for the JF-17, in particular, although that jet has added significant new capabilities in its later versions, including an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.

Beijing is also more willing than most Western nations to offer financial incentives such as trade for minerals and flexible payment options.

Overall, all three fighters, like all Chinese weapons designs, also have the major advantage of being immune to the tight export restrictions that typically apply to Western products. The story of Beijing’s fighter exports indicates that it is far more likely to grant export licenses to countries that might be prohibited from buying a Western design.

Provided China can secure an export sale for the FC-31, this would be a hugely significant development, greatly helping China break farther out into the higher-end fighter marketplace — especially if it is offered at an attractive price. At the same time, foreign orders for the jet would help offset further development costs and lower production costs, making it even more attractive on the export market.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

Netflix is currently streaming a ‘bittersweet’ documentary tracking the tumultuous life of a beloved musician

Netflix viewers have been encouraged to watch a ‘bittersweet’ documentary that tells ‘one of the saddest stories ever’.

Avicii: I’m Tim chronicles the life of late DJ Avicii, real name Tim Bergling, charting his meteoric rise to stardom before his heart-breaking death by suicide in 2018.

Avicii narrates the film from his perspective and offers insight into his life away from the stage. The documentary also features previously unseen material from the Swedish artist’s life and conversations with his collaborators, including Coldplay’s Chris Martin.

The Stockholm-born sensation ruled the EDM world during the 2010s with number-one anthems like Wake Me Up and Levels. However, he battled health and substance abuse issues away from the spotlight, reports the Daily Record.

Audiences were moved by the film at the time of its release, with many urging others to tune in. On X, formerly Twitter, one excited supporter declared: “AVICII’S LAST SHOW AND HIS DOCUMENTARY ARE ON NETFLIX RUUUUUUN.”

Someone else commented: “I have just finished watching ‘I’m Tim’ the new Avicii documentary on Netflix. It was very nicely put together and helps show the true genius and character of Tim Bergling. I recommend checking it out” whilst a third shared: “Avicii doc on Netflix… A must-watch.”

Another viewer lauded the film, saying: “This Avicii I’m Tim documentary that was just released on Netflix was absolutely incredible.”

Some reflected on the DJ’s personal battles, with one X user stating: “Avicii’s documentary on Netflix is one of the saddest stories I have ever watched.”

Music fans also took to Reddit to commend the documentary, with one admitting: “I really enjoyed the ‘I’m Tim’ documentary. Very well done.

“And to watch the last show after that was…bittersweet. Sad that Tim just wanted to make music and the success of his music became too much for him.”

The film quickly climbed Netflix’s charts when it premiered in December 2024, and it was released alongside a concert special of his final performance in Ibiza, titled Avicii: My Last Show.

The gig took place on 28 August 2016, at the renowned party hotspot, Ushuaïa Hotel. Despite 2016 marking his final live performance, Avicii continued to produce music for another two years before tragically ending his own life in April 2018.

Avicii – I’m Tim and Avicii: My Last Show are streaming now on Netflix. For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website.

In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie.

PHOENIX — Austin Reaves returned from a left calf strain that sidelined him for three games, but the Lakers’ second-leading scorer did nothing to fix the team’s most glaring weakness.

The Lakers’ defense collapsed in a 132-108 loss to the Suns on Tuesday at Mortgage Matchup Center, giving up a season-high field goal percentage (59%) and tying their mark for most points allowed in a loss this season. Led by a combined 17-for-29 shooting from star guard Devin Booker (21 points) and Dillon Brooks (25 points), the Suns easily eclipsed the 56.5% they shot against the Lakers on Dec. 1.

“The theme with our team again is like these young teams that move, we just can’t move,” said coach JJ Redick, whose team is 1-2 against the Suns (16-13). “So it’s like we’re stuck in mud.”

The Lakers (19-9) remain in the top half of the competitive Western Conference, but with blowout losses to Atlanta, Oklahoma City and San Antonio, L.A. is clinging to a plus-1.1 in point differential. They lost consecutive games for the first time Tuesday and limped into a marquee Christmas Day matchup against the Houston Rockets with a multitude of injuries.

Playing without Luka Doncic, who is day to day with a left leg contusion he sustained Saturday against the Clippers, LeBron James led the Lakers with 23 points on seven-for-14 shooting. Deandre Ayton had a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double while Reaves came off the bench for the first time in two seasons and scored 17 points with two assists and three turnovers.

Redick said Reaves was not on an official minutes restriction after his weeklong absence, but that the team would monitor his workload “in real time.”

“It’s hard for me to start, at the rotation that Bron has, for me to stay around that 20-25 minute mark,” said Reaves, who played 21 minutes and 46 seconds. “So [coming off the bench] got brought up in my shooting time. I said I was open to whatever. Definitely felt weird coming off the bench, but it’s basketball at the end of the day.”

Calf injuries, even the most minor, have been major concerns for the NBA since three stars suffered Achilles tendon tears during last season’s playoffs. Reaves, who carried the team during the early part of a season that has featured injury absences from James and Doncic, led the team in minutes per game. His 775 minutes entering Tuesday were second-most on the team behind Rui Hachimura. The Japanese forward missed his second consecutive game with right groin soreness.

Lakers star Lebron James puts up a shot against the Suns on Tuesday night. James finished with 23 points.

(Rick Scuteri / Associated Press)

When asked whether Reaves needed a physical reset after carrying such a large load, Redick acknowledged a break may have been necessary.

Reaves looked out of sorts when he entered with 5:23 remaining in the first quarter. He fumbled the handoff on his first touch coming off a screen. When he tried to thread bounce passes through tiny windows, the ball was kicked away or deflected. He got attacked on defense and gave up consecutive driving layups to Suns guard Jamaree Bouyea.

Bouyea had 14 points off the bench, including a layup over Marcus Smart, who failed to draw a charge call, in the third quarter. While Smart laid in the key appealing to officials, Bouyea didn’t hesitate to leap over the Lakers’ guard and score. The Lakers fell behind by as many as 29 in the third quarter, and Redick quietly waved the white flag with 5:22 remaining in the third when he put reserve forward Maxi Kleber and rookie Adou Thiero onto the floor.

The Phoenix crowd started to file out in bunches with seven minutes remaining when the lead reached 30.

Even courtside seats were empty in the final minutes. Brooks took advantage, sitting in a courtside seat on the baseline as Thiero stepped to the free throw line with 1:16 remaining. Brooks waved his arms as a distraction. Thiero split his two shots.

Etc.

Center Jaxson Hayes left the game with left ankle soreness in the second quarter and didn’t return.. Redick said it was an aggravation of a previous injury suffered last week.

Dec. 24 (UPI) — Nasry Asfura, with backing by U.S. President Donald Trump, on Wednesday was declared the winner of Honduras’ presidential election that took place one month ago and included fraud allegations.

The 67-year-old right-wing candidate received 40.27% of the vote, with center-right Salvador Nasralla getting 39.53%. The margin was 28,000 votes out of 3.7 million for the election on Nov. 30.

Naralla, 72, served as vice president in the current Liberty and Refoundation, or Libre, but joined the right-wing Liberal Party in his fourth bid for president. Nasralla is a sportscaster and host of the long-running game show on television.

Asfura, nicknamed Tito and Papi, is a construction magnate and former mayor of Tegucigalpa, the capital, from 2014 to 2022.

“Honduras, we now have the official declaration from the CNE [electoral council],” he posted on X. “I recognise the great work carried out by the councillors and the entire team that ran the election. Honduras: I am ready to govern. I will not let you down. God bless Honduras.

His four-year term will begin Jan. 27.

The electoral council declared him the winner before finishing an audit.

There was a review of all tally sheets under “special scrutiny” last week to recount ballots flagged as Inconsistent.”

The electoral council comprised three councillors: one aligned with Asfura’s party, one with Nasralla’s and one with the party of the leftist president, Xiomara Castro, whose candidate finished third, Rixi Moncada, with 19.2%.

Only two councillors declared him the winner. The representative linked to the president’s party alleged that an “electoral coup” was underway and filed a complaint with the public prosecutor’s office.

Nasralla, refusing to concede, alleged fraud in the counting process, including “forgery of public documents,” claiming “the data from the original tally sheets were altered.” He made the allegations in a series of posts on X.

The results could be challenged in court.

“I have not found proof of widespread or large-scale fraud,” Hector Corrales, the director of the Honduran research institute NODO, who worked for the European Union’s electoral observer mission, said Tuesday.

But there already were doubts about the election integrity, he said.

“That will have an impact on the government’s credibility,” Corrales said. “And that is going to ruin his administration if he doesn’t know how to handle it.”

The top two candidates were different politically than the leftist Libre party, focusing on concerns about crime and corruption.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X: The people of Honduras have spoken: Nasry Asfura is Honduras’ next president. The United States congratulates president-elect Asfura and looks forward to working with his administration to advance prosperity and security in our hemisphere.”

Like Asfura, Nasralla also tried to appeal to Trump. His wife was seen wearing a MAGA hat.

A few days before the election, Trump publicly backed Asfura, and the United States would only support the next government if he won. He called the other leading candidates communists or allies of Venezuela’s dictator, Nicolas Maduro.

On the day before the election, Trump pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was sentenced to 45 years in U.S. prison for allegedly creating a “cocaine superhighway to the United States.”

He was president for eight years until Jan. 27, 2022.

Lift the spirits and venture into nature by planning a unique late winter or spring getaway for the family – uncover the delights the stunning UK countryside has to offer from the Lake District to the Jurassic Coast

At around this time of year, a relaxing hotel stay with the family could be just the thing to give us a lift amid the winter gloom. Or maybe your thoughts have already turned to spring, when the family will be ready for a break.

There’s nothing better to blow away the cobwebs of the cooler months than getting out into nature and letting the kids run or swim free while the adults in the family can enjoy a relaxing spa or indulge in some fine-dining cuisine.

As the new Good Hotel Guide goes live online, we asked their team to suggest five great family-friendly hotels. There’s something to delight all ages with stays in star-gazing treehouses, sea views of a beach where you can go dolphin-spotting, and even a hotel with a lakeside ice rink. Here are their top picks.

Toddlers up to age three stay for free in their parents’ room at this resort on the 500-acre Farncombe Estate in Cotswold countryside above photogenic Broadway. Centred on a Scandi-style lodge, with accommodation scattered over the hillside, it comprises rooms and suites in a former coach house, stables and other buildings, as well as adults-only shepherds’ huts and three ‘treehouses’ with bunks for kids aged up to 12.

Tiny tots will like the outdoor play area, but this is more a destination to appeal to adventurous older children, with paid-for activities for those aged 12 and upwards, including archery and axe-throwing. Falconry is open to all from age four; wine tastings are for adults only, and duck herding is for large groups.

The rooms are country chic, with a soothing pale palette, all with an espresso machine, smart TV, Temple Spa toiletries. Some have a private terrace with views over the Vale of Evesham, and a few interconnect. A bar/lounge menu provides a casual dining option, with burgers, hot dogs, salads and light bites. For more sophisticated dining, Hook by Martin Burge has a fairly wide-ranging menu, strong on seafood, with such options as haddock schnitzel with smoked anchovies, sauce gribiche and seaweed fries alongside steak bèarnaise with roasties. A children’s menu, vegan dishes and Sunday roast beef should keep everyone happy.

And if raptors, axes and bows, and arrows aren’t your thing, you can borrow maps from the boot room and explore, or, when the sun shines, bag a deckchair beside a small lake.

B&B doubles from £220, family suites from £295, rooms with terrace from £275, extra bed for child 3-16 years £60.

Close to and a world away from Salcombe, lapped by gently rolling National Trust countryside, wildflower bejewelled and ablaze with gorse in summer, this low-built hotel is the perfect child-friendly, dog-friendly bolthole for an outdoorsy break. Formerly the 10-bedroom Sea View Guest House, unofficial officers’ mess for Bolt Head Airfield, and once famed for its meringue afternoon teas, it has been owned, run and cherished by the Makepeace family since 1978.

The 22 smart-contemporary rooms and suites – all but one at ground level – have glass doors to a patio and were designed to optimise the stunning views. The sheltered beach is one of the loveliest in South Hams, perfect for paddling, sandcastle-building, crabbing, dolphin-spotting. Guests have use of the spa and indoor saltwater swimming pool, a lounge with books and board games.

Activities locally include sea safaris and seal-watching trips. You can order a picnic (crab sandwiches!) and walk the Southwest Coast Path, return for a cream tea (no meringues now), dine in the glass-walled, sea-facing restaurant on such dishes as Fowey mussels with sea herbs and mussel velouté, Dexter beer burger, fish and chips, cauliflower steak with sauternes raisins, cauliflower purée, pickled shallots and romesco sauce. There is a short kids’ menu, and the night’s desserts might include the Pavlova that Audrey Hepburn declared ‘divine’ when she visited in 1987. Mobile coverage here is limited, so it’s a detox for screen-addicted teens – no Facetime, just pure quality time.

Family rooms from £211.50 (continental breakfast; cooked breakfast £15).

Kids stay free when sharing with parents at this Jacobean manor house in 14-acre grounds amid the Wiltshire countryside, part of the small Luxury Family Hotels collection. Everything is geared to making families feel welcome and relaxed, with the Ofsted-registered Four Bears Den, where children aged eight and under enjoy arts and crafts, toys, dressing up and outdoor adventures.

There is a spa, indoor pool and, in summer, a heated outdoor pool, a library with pool table, air hockey and table football, the Green Fingers gardening club in the walled garden with its resident ducks and hens. Organised activities include Cooking with Chef, jewellery-making and tropical-animal discovery sessions.

Book a Baby’s First Break package and they’ll provide a Bugaboo cot and giraffe highchair and a baby monitor. With all the family bases covered, the hotel is not short on the promised luxury, with comfy lounges, beautifully presented bedrooms, indulgent spa treatments and adults-only swim times.

You can order a cream tea in the garden, dine informally in the Orangery, or in either of two dining rooms, one dog friendly, from a menu of steaks, burger, fish and chips, maybe lentil dahl, garden pumpkin, chickpea, smoked onion and coriander, or sea trout with crushed potato and fennel. Literary buffs should check out also, sister properties Fowey Hall, Cornwall, believed to have been Kenneth Graham’s model for Toad Hall, and Moonfleet Manor, Dorset, which inspired John Meade Faulkner’s 1898 novel of shipwrecks and smuggling, Moonfleet.

B&B family rooms for around £246.

‘A very strange stranger it must be who does not see the charms in the immediate environs of Lyme,’ wrote Jane Austen in Persuasion. Like Austen, Kathryn Haskins spent happy family holidays in this historic resort on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast. In fact, her parents were so smitten with its charms that, in 1982, they bought Lyme’s landmark hotel. A Georgian house built for the Earl and Countess of Poulett, it is now owned by Kathryn, who brings to it her experience of working in hotels around the world, and who can personally vouch for its appeal to a child.

The ambience is informal, the interiors achieving a kind of unshowy chic without upstaging the glorious sea views. Some larger bedrooms can sleep four, or families might take one of two self-catering apartments, each big enough for six. Apartment guests have access to all hotel facilities, and menu items can be delivered by room service.

In the light-filled Ammonite Restaurant, typical dishes include pan-fried halibut, fried polenta, cauliflower puree, cranberry gel; ribeye steak and chips; gnocchi. ‘It’s like staying in a comfy country-house hotel,’ says Guide readers, all of whom have particularly warm words for the staff. And, since family is not just about children, a word of praise for the ‘personal touches’ that really made the stay for one reader and her parents on their Golden Wedding anniversary. Ask for a packed lunch and spend the day fossil hunting, walking the coastal paths, swimming, sailing, windsurfing, and return with an appetite for afternoon tea.

B&B large doubles from £330, cots £8, extra bed for a child £44.

There is a real Swallows and Amazons vibe at this dog-friendly new lifestyle resort, the frumpy old Rampsbeck Hotel reinvented as a cool destination. As well as fabulously stylish bedrooms and suites, some for families, in the original Georgian house and modern wings, there is a two-bedroom treehouse with decking and outdoor bath, and shepherds’ huts, some with an extra bunk room, all with a log burner and star-gazing roof.

This is a place that revels in the landscape and in its lakeside situation, where days might be spent wild swimming, paddleboarding, hiking and fell walking. Right now, too, because it’s winter, there’s even a lakeshore ice rink. Other facilities include a 20metre indoor pool, outdoor hot tub, cardio and treatment rooms. The Ofsted-registered Kids’ Zone encourages learning through play: staff take the youngsters outside as much as possible to follow animal footprints, build campfire and go on nature hunts with ‘bingo’ sheets for outdoor I-Spy.

In the fine-dining Rampsbeck Restaurant, menus feature such locally sourced dishes as roast Cartmel Valley venison haunch, caramelised celeriac puree, savoy cabbage, Anna potato, pickled walnut ketchup, venison samosa, juniper sauce (from the children’s menu maybe garden patch soup, mac and cheese, chocolate brownie). There is more casual dining in the Living Space (steak and fries, rice bowls, wraps and burgers), woodfired pizzas in the Glasshouse by the vegetable garden, and hearty pub grub at sister venture The Brackenrigg.

B&B doubles, Stay and Skate from £240, family room from around £340, extra bed for age 3-plus 25% of double room price.

These are the key developments from day 1,400 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Here is where things stand on Thursday, December 25:

Fighting

• An explosion in Moscow killed three people, including two police officers, just days after a car bomb killed a high-ranking Russian general in the same area of the capital.
• An official from Ukraine’s military intelligence, known as GUR, told The Associated Press news agency that the attack had been carried out as part of a Ukrainian operation and the two police officers were targeted for taking part in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
• ‍Russian air ‍defence units downed 16 Ukrainian drones en route to Moscow throughout Wednesday, the capital’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.
• Sobyanin said the drones were repelled ​over a period of about 17 hours, and emergency ‍crews were examining fragments where the drones hit the ground, but no damage was reported.
• Two of four major airports ‍servicing Moscow were forced to limit operations for a time due to the drone attacks, Russia’s civil aviation authority said on Telegram.
• Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its aerial defence units destroyed 172 Ukrainian drones overnight, nearly half of them over regions bordering Ukraine.

• Ukraine said its drones ​had struck the Yefremov synthetic rubber plant ‌in Russia’s Tula region, south of Moscow, and a storage facility for marine drones in Russian-occupied Crimea.
• Tula regional governor, Dmitry Milyaev, said ‌debris from a downed Ukrainian drone ignited a fire at an industrial ‌site, and Russian air defence units destroyed 12 Ukrainian drones over the region.
• A sunflower oil spill, caused by Russian aerial bombardments, has contaminated the shoreline around the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa, killing wildlife and triggering warnings from conservationists, the AFP news agency reports.
• “The cause was damage to sunflower oil tanks as a result of massive enemy attacks on port infrastructure, causing some of the oil to spill,” Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper said in a statement. The Pivdenny port in the region was temporarily closed on Wednesday to help with the cleanup.
• A Russian-backed court in occupied Ukraine sentenced a Colombian man to 19 years in prison for fighting for Kyiv’s army.
• Russia’s Prosecutor General said the Supreme Court in the Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Donetsk region sentenced Oscar Mauricio Blanco Lopez, 42, to 19 years in jail. The Colombian arrived in Ukraine in May 2024 to sign up with the Ukrainian army and had been “taken prisoner by Russian servicemen” in December 2025.

Ceasefire talks

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed for the first time details of an agreement between the United States and Ukrainian negotiators on ending the war with Russia. The 20-point plan, agreed on by US and Ukrainian negotiators after marathon talks, is now being reviewed by Moscow.
• As part of the plan, President Zelenskyy said Ukraine would be willing to withdraw troops from the country’s eastern industrial heartland if Moscow also pulled back and the area becomes a demilitarised zone monitored by international forces.
• A similar arrangement could be possible for the area around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is currently under Russian control, Zelenskyy said. The Ukrainian leader said that any peace plan would need to be put to a referendum in Ukraine.

• Asked about the latest development in ceasefire talks, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow would decide its position based on information received by Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who met with US envoys in Florida over the weekend.
• Russia has given no indication that it will agree to any kind of withdrawal from land it has seized in Ukraine. Moscow has also insisted that Ukraine relinquish the remaining territory it still holds in the Donbas. Russia has captured most of Luhansk and about 70 percent of Donetsk – the two areas that make up the Donbas.

Politics and diplomacy

• A majority of Russians expect the war in Ukraine to end in 2026, Russia’s state pollster VTsIOM said, in a sign that the Kremlin could be testing public reaction to a possible peace settlement as diplomatic efforts ⁠to end the conflict intensify.
• During the pollster’s year-end presentation, VTsIOM Deputy Head Mikhail Mamonov said 70 percent of the 1,600 respondents ​saw 2026 as a more “successful” year for Russia than 2025, while for 55 percent that hope ‍was linked to a possible end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
• A Russian court has scheduled the first public hearing in a criminal case against German sculptor Jacques Tilly, who is accused of discrediting the Russian military through his satirical Carnival floats depicting Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.
• The court in Moscow said the trial will begin on December 30 and proceedings will be held in absentia, as Tilly – who faces up to 10 years in jail or a fine – is not in Russia.
• Zelenskyy said in his Christmas address on Wednesday that despite marking the holiday at a “difficult” time, the nation’s unity remains intact. “Ukrainians are together tonight,” Zelenskyy said, adding the country had “without a doubt” been changed by the war. “It hardly matters what dishes are on the table – what matters is who is at the table,” he said.

Regional security

• France’s ‍President Emmanuel Macron said he spoke ⁠with NATO ​chief Mark Rutte to ‍discuss the situation in Ukraine and ‍the work undertaken ⁠by the “coalition of the willing”. “Starting in January in Paris, we ​will ‌continue the work begun within this framework to provide ‌Ukraine with solid security ‌guarantees, a ⁠prerequisite for a robust and lasting peace,” Macron ‌said on social media.
• Democratic senators in the US have urged President ‍Donald Trump to ‍reverse a recall of nearly 30 career ambassadors, warning the move leaves a dangerous leadership vacuum that allows adversaries like Russia and China to expand their influence. The Trump administration in recent days has ordered career diplomats serving across Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America back to Washington to ensure US missions abroad reflect its “America First” priorities.

Economics

• Kazakhstan’s exports of its flagship CPC Blend of oil will be their lowest in 14 months in December, as bad weather delays efforts to repair Russian loading infrastructure after Ukrainian drone strikes last month, two sources told the Reuters news agency.
• On November 29, Ukrainian drones hit the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal located near ‍Russia’s Black Sea port ⁠of Novorossiysk, leaving just one out of three jetties operational and prolonging export delays. Poor weather has added to the difficulty of carrying out maintenance work necessary to allow exports to recover.
• Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance said ‍it ‍completed the settlement of a deal to restructure $2.6bn of growth-linked debt.

SUPERSTAR singer Dua Lipa has raked in £23million in just ONE year.

The 30-year-old is also set to have another NINE figure payday on the way – adding to her estimated £130million fortune.

That’s before she’s paid from her £112m grossing Radical Optimism world tour.

The Levitating star turned over the monster sum from her music-making and deals with firms like Versace and Porsche and helped herself to £14.1m.

The income was paid into her Radical 22 Ltd firm and annual accounts for 224 reveal a big jump in cash.

The firm is worth £55.8m and has £21m invested and holds readies of £22m.

GLITTERY GODDESS

Dua Lipa looks sensational as she strips down to glittering purple bikini

bikini babe

Dua Lipa looks incredible as she strips to tiny bikini with lookalike sister

A report revealed: “The directors believe that the gross core income from royalties, sponsorship and endorsement income will continue to be generated in the immediate future at a satisfactory level.

“The directors use many key performance indicators to monitor the performance of the company. They regard the following as the key financial indicators of performance, all of which can be observed in the attached financial statements.

“The directors’ expect the performance of the company to be comparable in the following year as a result of similar activity within artist sponsorships and royalty distributions.”

Dua Lipa maintains lucrative multi-million dollar deals as a global ambassador for YSL Beauty, along with partnerships with Porsche, Versace, and Puma.

Her media platform Service95, which includes a newsletter, podcast, and book club, has become a core part of her business empire.

Dua, who lives in London, said that her parents’ struggle as immigrants to the UK from Kosovo influence her work ethic.

She said previously: “What’s maybe the immigrant mentality…this thing I have in my head where I know that, if I don’t work hard enough, the rug could just be pulled from under my feet.”

Part of that work ethic is keeping immaculate records and schedules to maintain her sanity.

Dua added: “I don’t even want to show you my phone [calendar], because I’m embarrassed about it, but it’s really down to the minute: where I’m going, what I’m doing: ‘Wake up, glam, prep for podcast.

“I have to watch Succession, so I’ve got to schedule that.”

Her fiance, Brit actor Callum, 35, who starred in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, is thought to be worth around £3million.

The couple, who got engaged last Christmas, ranked in the under 40 rich list, which included Louis Tomlinson and Zara McDermott.

They’re on the lookout for a place in the sun – after spending the summer months soaking up the rays in Ibiza.

They called on a property expert to tap up a series of very posh holiday homes in Andalusia in southern Spain, with a source telling The Sun: “Dua and Callum are looking for a sunny bolthole to enjoy with their families.

“Their preference has been pretty clear: nice weather and properties that have space.

“They have a man scouting for homes in Portugal and Andalusia, which have amazing weather all-year round.

“The house has to be able to comfortably fit Dua and Callum, as well as their family and friends.

“They also want peace and tranquility, that has been made very clear.

“Dua and Callum have a healthy budget too. They’ve been sent details on properties priced between £3million and £9million and are weighing them up.

“They’ve been shown massive mansions overlooking the sea, as well as a huge retreat in the hills of Marbella.

“Dua and Callum have been spending time looking through all the properties and are expected to put an offer in soon.

They’re really excited about getting a secret bolthole in the sun.”

Matthew Stafford was voted to the Pro Bowl this season, but the Rams veteran quarterback stopped concerning himself about the recognition more than a decade ago.

In 2011, the then third-year pro passed for more than 5,000 yards and 41 touchdowns for the Detroit Lions.

Stafford thought he had a chance to make the NFC roster, but Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Cam Newton got more votes.

“Wasn’t even close,” Stafford said, chuckling, on Wednesday. “So at that point, I kind of reserved myself to just go play, have fun and whatever happens, happens.

“But it is cool to be a part of it.”

Stafford, who also was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2023, is a leading contender for perhaps the NFL’s most prestigious award — most valuable player.

Stafford, 37, has passed for a league-leading 4,179 yards and 40 touchdowns, with five interceptions, while leading a Rams team that is 11-4 and currently seeded No. 6 in the NFC going into Monday night’s game against the Atlanta Falcons (6-9) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Rams are averaging 30.5 points and 396.7 yards per game, both tops in the NFL. They rank second in passing (270.5 yards per game) and fifth in rushing (126.3 yards per game).

In last Thursday’s 38-37 overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Stafford passed for 457 yards and three touchdowns. Yet he was outdueled by fellow Pro Bowl pick Sam Darnold, who led a touchdown drive in overtime and capped it with a game-winning two-point conversion pass.

Stafford is preparing to face a Falcons defense that ranks 14th overall, but eighth against the pass, giving up 195.1 yards per game.

Asked if he was surprised that Stafford has only been voted to the Pro Bowl three times, Rams coach Sean McVay said yes, adding that there were “a lot of layers to the Pro Bowl stuff.”

“You talk to the real football people. … I think he’s seen as a guy that’s one of the best ever to do it,” McVay said. “I think that’s been very well acknowledged this year but I think it’s probably overdue.”

Stafford has “elevated” everybody around him since the Rams traded for him in 2021, McVay said.

“The best part about Matthew is, he’s got this great humility,” McVay said, adding, “What he cares about are the respect of his teammates, his coaches and the people he’s playing against. And I think when you talk to those who know, hes got great respect and admiration for the way that he competes, the way he goes about it and what type of player he is.”

Etc.

Receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) and offensive lineman Kevin Dotson (ankle) are making “good progress,” but McVay did not provide a definitive update on their status for the game against the Falcons. … The Rams opened the 21-day window for cornerback Roger McCreary (hip) to return from injured reserve. McVay said “most likely” that the Rams will open the 21-day window for safety Quentin Lake (elbow) next week to return from injured reserve. Lake is expected to be ready for the playoffs, or possibly for the final game against the Arizona Cardinals. … The Rams are off Thursday. They are expected to practice Friday at SoFi Stadium, and Saturday at their Woodland Hills facility.

Dec. 24 (UPI) — Pope Leo XIV brought back the Christmas Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City on Wednesday night, which is the first held there since 1994.

About 11,000 attended the mass, inside and out, despite rainy conditions, the Catholic News Agency reported.

Regarding the birth of Jesus, Pope Leo described it as, “God gives us nothing less than his very self, in order to ‘redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own.'”

To find the savior, he said, “We must look below to find God among us in the manger.”

A baby’s need for care “becomes divine since the son of the father shares in history with all his brothers and sisters,” he continued.

“The omnipotence of God shines forth in the powerlessness of a newborn; the eloquence of the eternal word resounds in an infant’s first cry; the holiness of the Spirit gleams in that small body, freshly washed and wrapped in swaddling clothes.”

Pope Leo also discussed the “infinite dignity of every person” and contrasted that with a world in which humanity often tries become god-like while dominating others, according to Vatican News.

“In the heart of Christ beats the bond of love that unites heaven and Earth, creator and creatures,” the Pope said, adding that the key to changing history is to recognize such realities.

“As long as the night of error obscures this providential truth, then ‘there is no room for others either, for children, for the poor, for the stranger,'” he added, quoting Pope Benedict XIV’s homily at Christmas Mass on Dec. 24, 2012.

“These words of Pope Benedict XVI remain a timely reminder that on Earth, there is no room for God if there is no room for the human person,” the pontiff said.

The pope afterward greeted those standing in the rain in St. Peter’s Square and told them that, while St. Peter’s Basilica is large, it is not large enough to hold all of them.

He thanked those who attended the mass while outside, wished them a merry Christmas and gave them his blessings.

About 6,000 attended the mass that started at 10 p.m. local time in the basilica, while another 5,000 watched on large video screens placed outside in St. Peter’s Square.

The blast tore through a mosque in Maiduguri as worshippers gathered for evening prayers, witnesses say.

An explosion has ripped through a mosque in northeastern Nigeria as worshippers gathered for their evening prayers, killing and wounding several people, according to media reports.

The blast took place at about 6pm on Wednesday (17:00 GMT) in the city of Maiduguri in Borno State, the Reuters and AFP news agencies reported, citing witnesses.

Police spokesman Nahum Daso confirmed the explosion and told AFP that an explosive ordnance team was already on site at the mosque in Maiduguri’s Gamboru market.

There was no official word on casualties.

But mosque leader Malam Abuna Yusuf told the AFP at least eight people had died, while a militia leader, Babakura Kolo, put the figure at seven.

Another witness, Musa Yusha’u, told AFP that he saw “many victims being taken away for medical treatment”.

The cause of the blast was not immediately known, but it occurred ‍in a ⁠city that has been at the heart of an armed rebellion waged by Boko Haram and ISIL’s (ISIS) offshoot in the region, the Islamic State West Africa Province, for nearly two decades.

The conflict has killed at least 40,000 people and displaced about two million from their homes since 2009, according to the United Nations.

Though the violence has waned since its peak about a decade ago, it has spilt into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

Concerns are also growing about a resurgence of violence in parts of the northeast, where armed groups remain capable of mounting deadly attacks despite years of sustained military operations.

Maiduguri itself – once the scene of nightly gun battles and bombings – has been calm in recent years, with the last major attack recorded in 2021.

Fans of the show have been given a ‘Christmas Eve gift’ from the streaming service

Netflix has given fans of its beloved romcom Emily in Paris an early Christmas present just days after the release of the eagerly-awaited fifth season.

In a post to its official social media accounts, Netflix shared a video featuring Lucien Laviscount, who plays Alfie Peterson on the show, dressed in a brown trench coat and holding a number of large white placards while standing in a road. It captioned the clip: “Lucien Laviscount has a Christmas Eve gift for you.”

In a nod to classic Christmas film Love Actually’s placard scene, the star then looks directly into the camera as he reveals what each card says, with every single one bearing a handwritten message.

“Hey beautiful. Can you stop scrolling for a second?” the first reads, as Lucien waves to viewers before revealing a second that says: “Please read everything I’m about to show you in a British accent.”

“The holidays bring lots of feelings. This is your sign to exhale,” reads the third. The message continues: “You are my favorite gift this year. Your smile sparkles brighter than the Eiffel Tower and your lips are made to be under a mistletoe.”

The subsequent cards continue: “Aside from your beauty you are an incredible soul, an incredible mother/daughter/sister/best friend. Your optimism is infectious. It even makes me blush.

“I am proud of you and love how you show up for yourself. You deserve all the love that you abundantly give. happy holidays, I love you.”

Fans were quick to react to the surprise clip, with one commenting: “This is such a charming holiday surprise and definitely the best reason to stop scrolling today.”

A second fan agreed, adding: “A very on-brand Christmas Eve surprise from Lucien Laviscount, consider this gift happily received,” while a third gushed: “Cheers, Lucien – feeling the holiday warmth now.”

Despite being Emily Cooper’s (Lily Collins) love interest in past seasons of Emily in Paris, Alfie was shown pursuing a connection with her best friend Mindy Chen (Ashley Park) in the latest series which released on December 18.

However, Mindy’s reluctance to go public with their situationship causes the duo to go their separate ways. The synopsis for Season 5 reads: “Now the head of Agence Grateau Rome, Emily faces professional and romantic challenges as she adapts to life in a new city. But just as everything falls into place, a work idea backfires, and the fallout cascades into heartbreak and career setbacks.”

Emily in Paris Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix

NEW YORK — Four years ago, New York City Mayor Eric Adams swept into office with swaggering confidence, pledging to lead a government unlike any other in history and declaring himself the “future of the Democratic Party.”

On the first promise, the mayor more than delivered. But as his tumultuous term comes to an end, Adams, 65, finds himself in the political wilderness, his onetime aspirations as a party leader now a distant memory.

Instead, he has spent his final weeks in power wandering the globe, publicly mulling his next private sector job and lashing out at the “haters” and “naysayers” whom he accuses of overlooking his accomplishments.

For many of his supporters, the Adams era will be looked back on as a missed opportunity. Only the second Black mayor in city history, he helped steer New York out of the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, often linking the city’s comeback to his own rise from humble roots in working-class Queens.

At a moment when many Democrats were struggling to address voter concerns about public safety, he drew national attention for a “radically practical” agenda focused on slashing crime and reactivating the economy.

But while most categories of crime returned to pre-pandemic levels, Adams will probably be remembered for another superlative: He is the only New York City mayor of the modern era to be indicted while in office.

“That’s a disappointment for voters, especially for Black voters, who had high expectations and aspirations,” said Basil Smikle, a political strategist who served as executive director of the state’s Democratic Party. “He entered with a lot of political capital, and that was squandered, in part because of his own hubris.”

Equally memorable, perhaps, were the strange subplots along the way: his hatred of rats and fear of ghosts; the mysteries about his home, his diet, his childhood; and his endless supply of catchphrases, gestures and head-scratching stories that could instantly transform a mundane bureaucratic event into a widely shared meme.

“So many mayors want to be filtered, they want to pretend who they are and act like they are perfect,” Adams said during a recent speech at City Hall, a freewheeling affair that ended with the mayor burying a time capsule of his achievements beneath a Manhattan sidewalk. “I am not.”

Swagger versus seriousness

Adams took over from Mayor Bill de Blasio in January 2022, amid a COVID-19 spike that was killing hundreds of New Yorkers every day, along with a worrisome uptick in both violent crime and unemployment.

Adams, a former police captain, Brooklyn borough president and state senator, increased patrols on streets and subways, brought back a controversial anti-crime unit and appointed the department’s first female police commissioner. He also raised eyebrows for installing many of his former Police Department allies, including some ex-officials with histories of alleged misconduct.

As he encouraged New Yorkers to return to their pre-pandemic lives, Adams made an effort to lead by example, frequenting private clubs and upscale restaurants in order to “test the product” and “bring swagger back” to the city, he said.

But if New Yorkers initially tolerated Adams’ passion for late-night partying, there seemed to be a growing sense that the mayor was distracted, or even slacking off, according to Hank Sheinkopf, a longtime Democratic consultant and supporter of Adams.

“There was a tension between swagger and seriousness,” Sheinkopf said. “New Yorkers wanted to see more seriousness. They didn’t want to see him out partying at some club they couldn’t afford to go into.”

It didn’t help that Adams often declined to say who was footing the bills for his meals, his entry into private clubs or his flights out of the city. When reporters staked out his nighttime activities, they found that Adams, who long professed to be a vegan, regularly ordered the branzino.

Asked about his diet, the mayor acknowledged that he ate fish and occasionally “nibbled” on chicken, describing himself, as he often would in the coming years, as “perfectly imperfect.”

City Hall in crisis

The corruption investigation into Adams’ campaign, launched quietly in the early stages of his mayoralty, first spilled into public view in the fall of 2023, as federal agents seized the mayor’s phones as he was leaving an event. It loomed for nearly a year, as Adams faced new struggles, including a surge of migrants arriving in the city by bus.

Then, on Sept. 26, 2024, federal prosecutors brought fraud and bribery charges against Adams, accusing him of allowing Turkish officials and other businesspeople to buy his influence with illegal campaign contributions and steep discounts on overseas trips.

Investigators also seized phones from the mayor’s police commissioner, schools chancellor and multiple deputy mayors. Each denied wrongdoing, but a mass exodus of leadership followed, along with questions about the mayor’s ability to govern.

Adams insisted, without evidence, that he had been politically targeted by the Biden administration for his criticism of its immigration policy. But his frequently invoked mantra — “stay focused, no distractions, and grind” — seemed to lose potency with each new scandal.

Among them: a chief adviser indicted by state prosecutors in a separate alleged bribery scheme involving a bike lane and minor TV role; another longtime adviser forced to resign after handing a chip bag filled with cash to a reporter; and a string of abuse and corruption allegations within the Police Department, many of them linked to longtime friends Adams had installed in high-ranking positions.

Looking back at what went wrong, both supporters and critics of the mayor tend to agree on at least one point: Adams could be loyal to a fault, refusing to distance himself from long-serving allies even after they appeared to cross ethical lines.

“There was one City Hall made up of dedicated and competent leaders focused on executing his priorities,” said Sheena Wright, Adams’ former first deputy mayor. “There was another City Hall made up of people who knew the mayor for a long time, and who were allowed to operate outside the norms of government.”

‘A nuclear bomb’

Facing a plummeting approval rating and the prospect of years in prison, Adams began aligning himself with President Trump, going to great lengths to avoid criticizing the Republican and even leaving open the possibility of switching parties.

That seemed to work: Weeks after Trump took office, the Justice Department dismissed the corruption case, writing in a two-page memo that it had interfered with Adams’ ability to help with the president’s immigration agenda.

But in the view of Evan Thies, one of Adams’ closest advisers at the time, that was the moment that sealed Adams’ fate as a one-term mayor.

“The memo hit like a nuclear bomb,” Thies said.

The damage worsened a few days later, when Adams appeared on “Fox & Friends” alongside Trump’s border director Tom Homan, who threatened to “be up his butt” if the mayor didn’t comply with Trump’s agenda.

“It seemed to confirm the belief that he had traded his duty to New Yorkers for his personal freedom,” Thies recalled. “It wasn’t true, but that was perception.”

Adams adamantly denied striking a deal with the Trump administration. He has continued to suggest a broad conspiracy against him, at times blaming bureaucrats in the “deep state.”

Even with his case behind him, Adams struggled to build a reelection campaign. Earlier this year, his approval rating sank to a record low. In September, he abandoned his efforts, throwing his support behind former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a onetime rival he’d recently referred to as a “snake and a liar.”

As of late December, Adams’ plans for life after he leaves office remain uncertain.

“I did what I had to do, I left everything I had on the ice, and I’m looking forward to the next step of my journey,” he said during a farewell speech at City Hall.

Then, for the third time in as many months, Adams took off on an international trip. This time, the destination was Mexico.

Offenhartz writes for the Associated Press.

The stockings have been hung and the tree has been decorated – but who is that hiding behind those baubles?

Do you think you can identify the dozen Welsh sports stars obscured by our Christmas hangings?

They are all personalities who featured in Wales’ sporting headlines during 2025.

Take our quiz and see how many you can spot.

Christmas celebrations return to Bethlehem as thousands gather in Manger Square for the first time since 2022.

Thousands of people have gathered in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve for the first public celebrations since 2022 after the city cancelled or muted festivities for two years out of respect for the thousands killed during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

Families filled Manger Square in the occupied West Bank city as a giant Christmas tree returned to the plaza, replacing a nativity display used during the war that showed baby Jesus amid rubble and barbed wire, symbolising the devastation in Gaza.

The celebrations were led by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Catholic leader in the Holy Land, who arrived in Bethlehem from Jerusalem in the traditional Christmas procession and called for “a Christmas full of light”.

Scout bands from towns across the West Bank marched through Bethlehem’s streets, their bagpipes draped with tartan and Palestinian flags.

Since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, its forces have carried out near-daily raids across the West Bank, arresting thousands of Palestinians and sharply restricting movement between cities.

Palestinians say the intensified military presence, road closures and checkpoint delays have deterred visitors, paralysing the tourism sector on which Bethlehem’s economy depends.

The vast majority of those celebrating were local residents, with only a small number of foreign visitors.

Unemployment in Bethlehem surged from 14 percent to 65 percent during the genocidal war on Gaza, Mayor Maher Nicola Canawati said earlier this month. As economic conditions deteriorated, about 4,000 residents left the city in search of work, he added.

Israeli raids and settler attacks

The return of Christmas celebrations comes despite continued raids and large-scale military incursions across the occupied West Bank, even after a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, which has been repeatedly violated by Israeli forces, took hold in October.

The raids often entail mass arrests of Palestinians, home searches and demolitions, as well as physical assaults that sometimes lead to deaths.

Attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians have reached their highest level since the United Nations humanitarian office began recording data in 2006. The attacks have involved killings, beatings and the destruction of property, often under the protection of the Israeli military.

Earlier on Wednesday, more than 570 Israeli settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem under police protection, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

Palestinians say such incursions violate the longstanding status quo governing Islam’s third-holiest site.

Israel’s security cabinet has also signed off on plans to formalise 19 illegal settlements across the West Bank, in a move Palestinian officials say deepens a decades-long project of land theft and demographic engineering.

The United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and other countries condemned the move on Wednesday.

“We call ‍on ⁠Israel to reverse this decision, as well as the expansion of settlements,” said a joint statement released by the UK, Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain.

“We ‌recall that such unilateral actions, ‌as part ⁠of a wider intensification of the settlement policies in the West Bank, ‌not only violate international law but also risk fuelling instability.”