Somalis rally against Israel’s world-first recognition of Somaliland | Protests News
Protests have erupted across Somalia following Israel’s formal world-first recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland, with demonstrators taking to the streets in multiple cities, including the capital, Mogadishu.
On Tuesday morning, large crowds gathered at locations including Mogadishu’s main football stadium and around the city’s airport, where protesters waved Somali flags and chanted slogans calling for national unity.
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The demonstrations, which also took place in Baidoa, Dhusamareb, Las Anod, Hobyo and Somalia’s northeastern regions, came as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud travelled to Istanbul for talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan following a stop in neighbouring Djibouti.
Somalia and Turkiye have close political and security ties, with Ankara emerging as a regional rival to Israel in recent months.
Small gatherings also took place in Borama, a city in western Somaliland, where the population has appeared more ambivalent about separation from Somalia, to express opposition.
Somaliland unilaterally declared independence in 1991 following a civil war, but has failed to gain international recognition despite maintaining its own currency, passport and army.
Somaliland’s leaders say the state is the successor to the former British protectorate, which voluntarily merged with Italian Somaliland and has now reclaimed its independence. Somalia continues to claim Somaliland as part of its territory and does not recognise its independence.
Israel became the first and only country to formally recognise it as a sovereign state last Friday, describing the move as being in the spirit of the Abraham Accords that normalised ties between Israel and several Arab nations.
President Mohamud urged Somaliland’s leadership over the weekend to reverse the decision, warning that its territory, overlooking the strategic gateway to the Red Sea, must not be used as a base for targeting other nations.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have said any Israeli presence in Somaliland would be considered “a military target for our armed forces”.
Shortly after Somaliland announced mutual recognition with Israel on Friday, President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi said the move “is not a threat, not an act of hostility” towards any state, and warned that Somalia’s insistence on unified institutions risks “prolonging divisions rather than healing” them.
The widespread public anger in Somalia reflects a rare show of political unity, where leaders across the spectrum have condemned Israel’s decision.
On Monday, the National Consultative Council — chaired by Mohamud and including the prime minister, federal state presidents and regional governors — rejected the recognition as an “illegal step” that threatens regional security stretching from the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
Four federal member states issued coordinated statements over the weekend denouncing the move. However, Puntland and Jubbaland — both of which recently announced their withdrawal from Somalia’s federal system over electoral and constitutional disputes — have remained silent.
Most United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members slammed Israel’s recognition of Somaliland at a meeting convened on Monday in response to the move, which several countries said may also have serious implications for Palestinians in Gaza.
The United States was the only member of the 15-member body not to condemn Israel’s formal recognition at the emergency meeting in New York on Monday, although it said its own position on Somaliland had not changed.
Somalia’s UN ambassador, Abu Bakr Dahir Osman, warned that the recognition “aims to promote the fragmentation of Somalia” and raised concerns it could facilitate the forced relocation of Palestinians from Gaza to northwestern Somalia, a fear echoed by several other nations.
“This utter disdain for law and morality must be stopped now,” he said.
US deputy representative Tammy Bruce told the council that “Israel has the same right to establish diplomatic relations as any other sovereign state”, though she added Washington had made “no announcement” regarding its own recognition of Somaliland.
Israel’s deputy UN ambassador, Jonathan Miller, defended the decision as “not a hostile step toward Somalia” and made the case to the UNSC for other countries to follow its lead.
Somalia’s state minister for foreign affairs, Ali Omar, thanked UNSC members for their “clear and principled” stance on the issue in a post on X.
Abandoned UK ghost village that’s cut off for 310 days a year finally opens to public
A TOWN frozen in time since World War II will open to the public for a limited time.
The abandoned ghost village stays cut off from the world for most of the year, with visits only permitted this week.
History buffs and nature lovers alike swarm to the area, where 150 people once lived until 1943.
Since then, the abandoned village of Imber in Wiltshire, only sees visitors for 12 days out of the year.
During the second World War, residents of the area were given 47 days to evacuate their homes so the village could be turned into a military training area for troops.
While they were promised they would be able to return after the war, the village is still occupied by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to this day.
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And now it has invited the public to visit, with roads opening through Imber this week, until 8am on Friday, January 2.
Public access has been granted to the village as well as the Grade I-listed St Giles Church, which will be open from 11am to 4pm daily.
The original surviving building is free to visit during open days with any donations going towards the Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) for maintenance and restoration.
Along with an old pub, the church is one of the few remaining original structures in the village.
Most of the larger stone buildings were damaged during military training, and were subsequently demolished.
Meanwhile, other houses in the village are either hollowed-out shells or have been converted into modern windowless buildings createdto simulate urban environments for military training.
While those who once lived in the village have the right to be buried on the church grounds, the only living residents now are an abundance of undisturbed wildlife, including owls, badgers, birds, and foxes.
Imber also holds open days during Easter weekend and a single day in summer, with all visitors required to adhere to the public rights of way and designated areas, and comply with signposting.
Kali’s chilling Vecna link in Stranger Things ‘confirmed’
Stranger Things fans got a hint about the finale in a cryptic social media post
Netflix’s gargantuan hit Stranger Things is on the home run now with only one episode left to drop. The epic sci-fi fantasy series is promising a cinematic-scale series finale, with a feature-length runtime to match the story. Many have been theorising about how the show will end, who will die and the real villains.
However, Stranger Things die-hards have now been sent into overdrive after the official Instagram account for the Netflix drama dropped a cryptic post ahead of the finale. The account shared an embroidered number from Henry Creel’s (played by Jamie Campbell Bower) Hawkins Lab uniform, which read: “1106” and captioned the post: “did you notice….henry creel’s badge number [sic].”
Many correctly pointed out that this was also 6th November when Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) first disappeared and is essentially Stranger Things day. One person posted under the comment: “It’s the day Will goes missing – November 6th !”, with the Stranger Things account responding with a looking eyes emoji. As a second fan simply said: “Lucas’ theory” and got a response from the official account: “idk about you but I don’t believe in coincidences [sic].”
READ MORE: Did Jonathan and Nancy break up in Stranger Things?READ MORE: Who is Meg in Stranger Things?
Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin) predicted that everything had to happen on this date as it connected everything. A third person commented: “The day Henry was transported in the cave, the day of Joyce’s play in the 50s, the day Will Byers vanished, Stranger Things Day.” Their thoughts were echoed by another fan: “All. Connected. Will. Henry. The Play.”
Although this is a key date in Stranger Things and vital to the plot, there was another chilling connection that some might have missed after one Stranger Things fan noted: “1 + 1 + 0 + 6 = 008.” However, someone else said: “it is the date will is capture, it’s probably just a coincidence but kali / 008 has been acting really suspicious lately.”
Yet another fan made an astute observation: “wait but remember when Dustin says, I don’t know about u, but I don’t believe in coincidences. He says this in the episode of them in d&d club with Eddie and they r fighting vecna.. js saying. Maybe not a coincidence? [sic].” While another fan said: “Kali is def betraying el [sic].”
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Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.
This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things.
There’s already been plenty of speculation that Kali Prasad (Linnea Berthelsen) is actually an evil character after she told Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) that they needed to sacrifice themselves to break the evil cycle to stop creating more monsters. Eleven was hoping to flee with Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) from Hawkins and start over, but Kali warned her that they would be found and her powers exploited.
On Reddit, some fans speculated about Kali’s true motives as fan suggested she was the Mindflayer because she shares her name with the Hindu goddess of destruction and rebirth. Moreover, they drew another connection between Vecna, Kali and the Mindflayer: “Additionally, 008, or Eight, matches the motif of Spiders that fascinated Henry.”
However, another fan debunked this theory and said: “In Hindu culture, Kali is the goddess of destruction/ time and rebirth and she is famously depicted slaying monsters. Kali is motivated to put an end to all of this. She is going to kill the Mindflayer. Maybe because of the hive mind, all Mindflayer particle becomes kaput once you kill him. As a result El may live.”
The user went on to explain their theory: “This may cause a “Snape” moment with the audience, flipping her perception and making her bad***. I also think somebody will be left behind in the Abyss at the end of finale , and I think it will be Kali, to shape the Abyss.”
While someone else commented: “This is too complex for the Duffers to have planned. So it will definitely not happen. It’s too good.” A third person noted Kali’s neck tattoo: “It looks like two dice with a rolled one. Which would be called snake eyes. The duffer brothers said the word traitor summorizes the series, so I think Kali is the snake [sic].”
For now, it looks like the jury is out about whether Kali will be a force for good or evil at the end. However, there’s not much longer to wait for the Stranger Things finale to land and everything to be revealed once and for all, including which beloved characters will meet their maker.
Stranger Things season 5, volume 3 is released on Netflix UK & Ireland on New Year’s Day at 1am
Lion King’s longest performing star reveals all about the West End’s best show (including the good cheap seats)
THE COLOURFUL costumes and heart-warming songs of The Lion King first graced the West End over 26 years ago, yet one person knows the show more intimately than anyone else.
Leading actor George Asprey never imagined he would’ve stayed playing Scar in The Lion King for six months, let alone over 17 years, but it didn’t take him long to fall in love with the production.
Since then, millions have watched him act Scar on stage at the Lyceum Theatre.
And as a result, the actor obviously has a lot of tips for visitors.
His first piece of advice, is that whether you are new to the show or have seen it a thousand times, to come with no expectations.
He said: “Allow yourself to just open up to the set and the costumes.
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“It is difficult to take everything in, in one sitting, and when you come again, you’ll pick up the different nuances.
“Maybe in the scenery, for example.”
George shared how this is particularly true for one fan, who has seen the show over 100 times “just because she loved it so much and said there was always something to see”.
He added: “She would say ‘this is what I love to do’ – different shows affect different people in different ways, and for her, it was just her love of life in the show.”
One moment is particularly special though, admitted George.
He said: “When people watch The Lion King for the first time, they will never get that experience again – that feeling or reaction.
“I think I am always aware of that kid in the audience, mainly because of having my own children and I know firsthand, as to him and to everyone at the show, I need to be the best possible Scar I can be.
“It is a huge responsibility for all of us to consider the legacy and I think that’s probably one of the reasons I like to think the show continues to impress people.”
And having been in the show for such a long time, George of course has tips for those heading to the show.
He revealed: “I’ve had friends right at the front of the stalls and I have had friends right at the bottom end of the upper circle, and I think the one thing about the Lyceum is that all of the viewing is extraordinary.
“I really don’t think there’s a vantage point in the upper circle where you won’t see everything still.
“I think it its decent price for a reason and I don’t think it’s not worth it and I wouldn’t avoid coming if you can only afford a certain seat, because you still get a wonderful experience.”
George added how it is so much more than a show, that the costumes are all like their own pieces of art.
“Like you have a full-size elephant just walking down he aisle – it is such a feast for the eyes,” he said.
“There are just so many incredible moments in the show.
“I follow two of the greatest numbers in the show – Scar comes on and completely changes the tone.
“I think the Lion King has one of the greatest opening numbers of any musical ever,” he added.
And whilst people may think The Lion King is a show for kids, they couldn’t be more wrong.
George said: “When you’re younger, of course, you think Scar is the scariest character, but then as you get older – you start to think the language is so beautiful, his costume is so interesting and everything he says actually has a point to it.
“It truly is a family show, because every member of the family will get something different from it.”
Each time George performs, he gets to the show around 5:30pm and then by 6pm he is in costume.
He revealed: “We have to be there at 6pm, to start vocal and physical warm up – which runs until 6:30pm – then I am straight into hair and makeup and after makeup straight down to costume.
“I’ll get back to my dressing room by five past 10 and considering the amount of makeup I’m wearing, I’m so quick at getting it off – I am normally out the building by 10:15/10:20pm.”
Of course, they are days where it is more difficult though, like when he is unwell, but he did share “it’s never to do with the job itself”.
As for his routine to ensure he doesn’t get unwell often, he makes sure to eat clean – apart from Sundays, when “all bets are off”.
He also works out as much as he can.
Through 17 years George has had many memorable moments as well – but the most memorable?
“The first show back after Covid,” he revealed, “theatre was the last thing to return so it was a long time coming.
“And of course, it meant a lot to everyone.
“I’m actually welling up at the thought of it.
“To not be able to do what you love doing for 17 months and not seeing the people you love seeing – it’s hard and suddenly, people could enjoy the theatre again.”
He concluded: “All I can say is that it is a huge honour [to play Scar] and something that I never take for granted.”
For more inspiration on things to do in London, here’s everything you can do at one of London’s most popular attractions before it closes ahead of £240million renovation.
Plus, London’s best free indoor attractions for families – perfect for rainy days.
California is ending coverage for weight loss drugs, despite TrumpRx
SACRAMENTO — Many low-income Californians prescribed wildly popular weight-loss drugs will lose their coverage for the medications in the new year.
Health officials are recommending diet and exercise as alternatives to heavily advertised weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound, advice that experts say is unrealistic.
“Of course he tried eating well and everything, but now with the medications, it’s better — a 100% change,” said Wilmer Cardenas of Santa Clara, who said his husband lost about 100 pounds over two years using GLP-1s covered by Medi-Cal, California’s version of Medicaid.
California is joining several other states in restricting an option they say is no longer affordable as they confront soaring pharmaceutical costs and steep Medicaid cuts under the Trump administration, among other financial pressures. Despite negotiated price reductions announced in November that the White House said would “dramatically lower cost to taxpayers” for the drugs and enable Medicaid to cover them, states are going ahead with the cuts, which providers say may undermine patient health.
“It will be quite negative for our patients” because data show people typically regain weight after stopping the drugs, said Diana Thiara, medical director of the UC San Francisco Weight Management Program.
Although California and New Hampshire will not cover GLP-1 prescriptions for obesity beginning Jan. 1, they will continue to cover the drugs for other health issues, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease.
Michigan, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Wisconsin are planning or considering restrictions, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s most recent survey of state Medicaid programs.
That reverses a trend that saw 16 states covering the medications for obesity as of Oct. 1. Interest in providing the coverage “appears to be waning,” the survey found, probably because of the drugs’ cost and other state budget pressures. North Carolina pulled back GLP-1 coverage in October, but Gov. Josh Stein reinstated it in December, bowing to court orders despite a lingering budget shortfall.
Catherine Ferguson, vice president of federal advocacy for the American Diabetes Assn. and its affiliated Obesity Assn., said it’s unclear how states will adjust to the White House plan to lower the cost of several of the most popular GLP-1s through TrumpRx, an online portal for discounted prescription drugs. The price of Wegovy, for example, will be $350 per month for consumers, versus the current list price of nearly $1,350, and Medicare and Medicaid programs will pay $245, according to the plan.
“Many states are facing budgetary challenges, such as deficits, and are working to address the impacts of the changes to Medicaid and SNAP,” Ferguson wrote, referring to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. “As more details become available for the Administration’s agreements, we will see how state Medicaid responds.”
The Department of Health and Human Services referred questions to the White House, which did not respond to requests for comment on states’ termination of Medicaid coverage for the weight-loss drugs.
California projected its costs to cover GLP-1s for weight loss would have more than quadrupled over four years to nearly $800 million annually if it didn’t end Medi-Cal coverage for that use. Medi-Cal has covered weight-loss drugs since 2006, but use of GLP-1s soared only in recent years. By 2024, more than 645,000 prescriptions were covered by Medi-Cal across all uses of the medications. The California Department of Health Care Services could not readily provide a breakdown of whether the drugs were for weight loss or other conditions.
When asked whether the state would reconsider its plans in light of the announced price cuts, Department of Finance spokesperson H.D. Palmer said it had no plans to do so. California’s cut is written into the state’s budget law.
California officials would not say how much it could save under the TrumpRx plan, citing federal and state restrictions on disclosing rebate information.
Healthcare providers don’t expect the Trump administration’s negotiated price cuts to make much difference to consumers, because pharmaceutical companies already offer discounts.
“The out-of-pocket costs will still be very cost-prohibitive for most, especially individuals with Medicaid insurance,” Thiara said.
New Hampshire will also end its coverage Jan. 1. Officials with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to requests for comment.
About 1 in 8 adults are taking a GLP-1 drug for obesity, disease or both, up 6 percentage points from May 2024, according to KFF poll results released in November. More than half of users said their GLP-1s were difficult to afford, and many who had stopped the treatment cited the cost.
Public and private payers have been trying to wean patients off of the drugs to save costs. California health officials said Medi-Cal members and their healthcare providers should consider “other treatment options that can support weight loss, such as diet changes, increased activity or exercise, and counseling.” That echoes advice from the New Hampshire Medicaid program.
California Department of Health Care Services spokesperson Tessa Outhyse said in an email that the official advice to try those other approaches now “is not meant to dismiss any past efforts, but to encourage Medi-Cal members to take a renewed, proactive, and medically supported approach with their healthcare provider that may appropriately include these additional options.”
But that may be unrealistic, said Kurt Hong, founding director of the Center for Clinical Nutrition at Keck School of Medicine of USC.
“We definitely want patients to do their part with the diet and exercise, but unfortunately, and from a practical standpoint, that itself frequently is not enough,” Hong said, adding that usually by the time patients see doctors, they have failed at achieving results through those means.
Hong understands why Medicaid programs, as well as private providers, want to cut back on covering the drugs, which can cost thousands of dollars per patient per year. However, they can produce twice the weight loss as the medications typically used previously, he said.
A school of medical thought supports people gradually ending their use, but Hong said obesity is generally considered a chronic condition that requires indefinite treatment.
“Once they reach their target weight, a lot of people will try to see whether or not they can wean off,” Hong said. “We do see a lot of patients — when they try to get off, unfortunately, then the weight comes back.”
Medi-Cal members younger than 21 will remain covered for purposes including weight loss, California officials said, citing a federal requirement.
Medi-Cal members will be able to keep their GLP-1 coverage if they can demonstrate it is medically necessary for purposes other than weight loss, the Department of Health Care Services said. Members who are denied coverage can seek a hearing, the department said in a letter to members.
Members will still be able to pay for the prescriptions out of pocket and may be able to use various discounts to lower costs. Another option is new pills to treat obesity, which will be cheaper than their injectable counterparts. The Food and Drug Administration approved a pill version of Wegovy on Dec. 22, which probably will cost $149 a month for the lowest dosage, and similar weight-loss pills are expected to be available in the first half of the year.
Although Cardenas said his husband, Jeffer Jimenez, 37, uses GLP-1s primarily for weight loss, Jimenez’s prescription is for diabetes, so the couple hoped to continue receiving coverage through Medi-Cal.
“He tried a thousand medications, pills, natural teas, exercise program, but it doesn’t work like the injections,” Cardenas said. “You need both.”
Thompson writes for KFF Health News, a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF.
Why the Rams are suddenly staggering ahead of the playoffs
ATLANTA — The Rams wanted to make the playoffs in the worst way.
Mission accomplished. They’re headed to the playoffs in the worst way imaginable.
Monday night’s 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons was an abomination — you could feel that vibe in the postgame locker room — but the Rams need to study it, even if it requires contraptions to pry open their eyes.
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Gary Klein breaks down what went wrong for the Rams in their 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.
“I think if we play the way that we did in the first half … we’re going to be at home watching everything go down in two weeks,” defensive tackle Kobie Turner said. “We’ve got to get our stuff together.”
This was one of only three times in Sean McVay’s nine seasons that his team was held scoreless in the first half, which is bad enough. But that the going-nowhere Falcons built a three-touchdown halftime lead is absurd. Not so long ago, Atlanta lost seven of eight.
The Rams looked nothing like the team that just about everyone had at the top of their power rankings for most of the season. Matthew Stafford had three interceptions. Fill-in left tackle D.J. Humphries had a pair of penalties that wiped out two huge receptions. And Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson would still be running now but decided to stop once he reached the end zone (after a 93-yard touchdown, mind you.)
Those Rams who started 9-2 (and should have won those games against Philadelphia and San Francisco) are a fading memory. Since, they have lost three of five.
Now, all the other NFC contenders are getting hot — Seattle, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago — and the Rams are shuddering in an emotional ice bath.
Suddenly, their erstwhile insignificant finale against Arizona on Sunday is vitally important. They need to rediscover their rhythm rather than hoping to do so in the first round of the playoffs. They can’t change their swing in the middle of this golf tournament. They need to work out the kinks on the practice range.
Getting receiver Davante Adams back is key, and he looked good in warmups, running as if his hamstring problems are behind him. But he’s desperately needed in the red zone, and that will lift some weight off the shoulders of Puka Nacua.
Just as important, the team needs left tackle Alaric Jackson and right guard Kevin Dotson back from injuries. The Rams are getting a taste of what the Chargers have been through all season, their offensive line going through a reshuffle every week.
And the defense should benefit greatly from the return of Quentin Lake, a quarterback on that side of the ball.
Regardless, good teams overcome the loss of key players and find ways to win with backups. Every team would love to be at full strength.
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua pulls in a long pass over Atlanta Falcons cornerback C.J. Henderson in the first half Monday.
(Brynn Anderson / Associated Press)
And while the Rams should have been in position to kick the tying field goal down the stretch — there was an unflagged pass interference against Tutu Atwell, who made a good attempt to catch a deep ball with his hand that wasn’t being grabbed — they shouldn’t have been in that predicament in the first place.
As they watched their lead evaporate, the Falcons had to be having flashbacks to their catastrophic 25-point collapse to New England in the Super Bowl. After all, the Rams outscored them in the second half, 21-6.
But all of that was cold consolation to the visitors, who couldn’t close the deal.
The Rams have lost back-to-back games, and were looking for a boost after blowing a 16-point fourth-quarter lead in Seattle. Instead, they got a slap in the face.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford speaks to reporters after a 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday.
(Brynn Anderson / Associated Press)
It’s ultra-rare for a team to head into the playoffs on a down note yet still reach the mountaintop. The last franchise to do that was Baltimore in 2012, a club that lost four of its last five games — albeit missing a slew of injured stars — then beat in succession teams quarterbacked by Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and an in-his-prime Colin Kaepernick.
So it can be done. A bumbling team can find its way. And it looked for a moment Monday night as if the Rams had turned a corner.
Jared Verse blocked a Falcons field-goal attempt, recovered the bouncing ball and returned it for a 76-yard touchdown. As he tore past the Atlanta sideline, he glanced over and playfully raised his hand to form a G-rated gesture.
Unless a dramatic change is coming, it’s a message the rest of the playoff teams could be saying to the Rams.
Peace out.
Israeli strikes on Gaza are relentless as displaced endure flooded camps | Israel-Palestine conflict News
Israeli attacks, violating a ceasefire agreement, are reported across Gaza, as Palestinian misery compounded by rains.
Israeli forces have carried out strikes across the Gaza Strip as they continue with their near-daily violations of the ceasefire agreement, with Israel’s genocidal war on the besieged enclave continuing apace and displaced Palestinians enduring the destruction of their few remaining possessions in flooding brought about by heavy winter rains.
Israeli air strikes on Tuesday targeted locations north of Rafah and east of Khan Younis, the Maghazi camp in central Gaza and Beit Lahiya in the north of the Strip, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary reported.
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Reporting from Gaza City, Khoudary said artillery shelling had been reported in the territory’s southern and central regions, while there had also been an attack in the Gaza City neighbourhood of Shujayea, striking close to the tent of a displaced family.
She said the latest attacks, in violation of the United States-brokered ceasefire that came into force in October, numbering nearly 1,000 now, were coming at a time of immense hardship for hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians, as heavy rains and strong winds had ravaged their makeshift camps, destroying the few possessions they had left.
Gaza’s Government Media Office said on Sunday that Israel had committed 969 ceasefire violations since it came into effect on October 10, resulting in the deaths of 418 civilians and injuries to more than 1,100.
“Palestinians are still very traumatised and anxious,” Khoudary said. “The situation on the ground continues to deteriorate as the rain continues.”
Calls to allow supplies in
Aid groups have repeatedly called for Israeli authorities to lift restrictions to allow more supplies, including shelter equipment, into the territory, where displaced families have been trying to stay dry in flimsy, battered tents that offer scant protection from the elements after months of use.
“Families here are helpless while the Israeli authorities continue to restrict all kinds of shelter into the Gaza Strip,” Khoudary said.
Officials have warned that the severe conditions also bring new dangers, with the threat of disease and illness as overwhelmed and damaged sewage systems contaminate floodwaters, as well as the risk that buildings could collapse amid heavy rain and wind.
At least two people have been killed by damaged structures falling amid the severe weather in recent days.
‘We are still suffering’
In a displacement camp east of Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, heavy rain in recent days has left tents submerged in muddy water, destroying the few possessions that the families had taken with them from their homes.
Inside the tents, an Al Jazeera team found essential items like pillows, mattresses and bedcovers soaked in muddy water.
“The tent has been flooded,” said Mohammed al-Louh, a resident.
“I took my family out, but I couldn’t even get a blanket, a mattress or a bag of flour. I have no way to sleep with my children or keep them warm.”
Another man, Haitham Arafat, said he had lost his son and daughter as well as his home to Israel’s genocidal war, and was still suffering amid the severe conditions.
“I fled to this place. Does this mean the war is over?” he said.
“No, we are still suffering. We haven’t slept for two days because of the heavy rain.”
Reporting from the camp, Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim al-Khalili said the winter storms had brought a new “chapter of suffering” for Palestinians who had been plunged into a humanitarian crisis by Israel’s war.
“What was meant to be a temporary shelter for them has turned into a flooded trap,” he said.
Families can save up to 25% on Orlando theme parks visits in package seller’s huge January sale
Dreaming of the Florida sunshine for 2026? Now is the time to get booking!
Right now, holidaymakers can save up to 25% on major Orlando parks, including Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando.
AttractionTickets.com January Sale
AttractionTickets.com’s sale kicked off on Boxing Day, and runs until 2nd February.
This gives you plenty of time to plan the ultimate Orlando escape with huge savings across theme parks, hotels and space adventures.
It’s one of the best chances right now for families to lock in next year’s holiday at a lower price.
The sale kicks off with 25% off Orlando theme park tickets, and an impressive 25% off the Walt Disney World Orlando 14-Day Disney Magic Ticket.
Perfect for families planning a school summer holiday getaway, this offer applies to start dates between July 20 and September 7, 2026.
The Disney Magic Ticket grants access to all six Disney parks, including Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, plus the water parks Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon.
Plus, there’s also 15% off all other Orlando attraction tickets, including Universal Orlando Resort.
Here, you’ll find The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Minion Land, Jurassic World, and the upcoming Super Nintendo World.
Guests can also save on accommodation, with 10% off Walt Disney World Resort Hotels and 12% off Universal Orlando Resort Hotels, giving visitors perks like early park entry, free transport, and extra magic hours.
AttractionTickets.com savings
From 26th December to 2nd February, AttractionTickets.com is offering huge savings.
- 25% off Walt Disney World Orlando 14-Day Disney Magic Ticket, from £37 per day – shop here
- Summer 2026 Universal Orlando Resort Holiday, from £132 per person – shop here
- SeaWorld Parks 3-Visit Ticket + Eat Free, from £60 per day – shop here
- 15% off Universal Orlando All Parks Ticket, from £35 per day – shop here
Head over to AttractionTickets.com to find a good deal on next year’s adventures.
Holiday destination under an hour from London has ‘UK’s only desert’ and warmest beach, plus plenty of free attractions
With 140 miles of beautiful coastline, rolling countryside dotted with nature reserves and endless eating and drinking options, Sussex offers all your holiday essentials.
This is a county packed with things to do, from wildlife watching to delving into a history that will intrigue both adults and children.
Add to that fun family days out and the brilliant beaches of both East and West Sussex and the hardest question on your upcoming £9.50 Holiday will be: where to visit first?
Foodies can whet their appetite with a meal at somewhere like The Fig in Rye, where MasterChef finalist Rosie Furnival creates dishes such as wild garlic arancini and tuna ceviche.
If you’re into seafood, The Crab & Lobster in Sidlesham is a good choice, while CrabShack in Worthing and The Salt Room in Brighton are also highly rated for theirs.
You’ve also got your choice of chippies by the sea, with Paddy’s Plaice in Selsey and The Pilot in Dungeness being recommended by Sun readers and local experts.
Dungeness used to be called Britain’s only desert, but the Met Office stopped that officially in 2015, as deserts need little rainfall and large differences in day and night temperatures… and it has neither.
When it’s time to burn it all off, take your pick of activities, including paddleboarding in a sheltered inland lake near Camber Sands with a company like Rye Water Sports.
A recent Parkdean actually showed that Camber Sands is the Uk beach to get warmest first in spring, hitting highs of 19C.
Active families could hit a cycle path together, with options that include the South Coast East route, which traces the seafront of Worthing and beyond.
Wet weather options include Sussex’s impressive range of free museums, like The Novium Museum in Chichester and The Shipwreck Museum in Hastings, which both offer activities for children.
Arundel Castle, Tangmere Military Aviation Museum and Brighton’s Royal Pavilion are also highly rated as indoor options.
You can step back in time at a variety of historic attractions, like Chichester Cathedral, Hastings Castle (Britain’s first Norman castle) and Henry VIII’s Camber Castle.
To dive deeper into Tudor life, you could head to the Anne of Cleves House in Lewes, which has a traditional Tudor garden and a dressing-up box for kids.
Or perhaps you prefer to soak up Sussex’s natural beauty.
If so, then a bracing walk along the white cliffs is a must – the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head are stunning places to start.
Near Chichester, Kingley Vale is home to an ancient forest of yews, while Rye Harbour Nature Reserve is teeming with wildlife.
You can watch birds from one of the nature reserve’s hides – with oystercatchers, curlews and lapwings among the frequently spotted species.
For something more energetic, you could hop onto a boat for a seal-spotting safari, with tours available in both East and West Sussex (Rye Harbour and Chichester Harbour).
If your idea of holiday bliss is simply to relax on the beach, then Sussex has you covered.
You’re in for a treat with both pebble and sandy beaches running right along the coastline, and traditional seaside resorts.
Brighton, Bognor Regis, Eastbourne and Rye offer pretty promenades and piers loaded with attractions and arcades.
And West Wittering, Camber Sands, Seaford and Worthing beaches are all consistently highly rated, with West Wittering and Hove awarded Blue Flag status for safety and water quality.
But you’re also never far from a quieter beach.
Those looking to escape the crowds can slink off to somewhere like the far end of Seal Bay in West Sussex or the beach at Rye Nature Reserve, both recommended by our £9.50 Holiday park staff.
from theme parks to affordable steam trains and free soft play
Keeping the kids entertained on holiday is a non-stop job, especially when sunshine isn’t guaranteed.
Thankfully, Devon has loads to offer families, from days spent building sandcastles on beaches to adventure parks with fun rides and animals to meet.
There are plenty of options if you’re looking to keep on a budget, with free things to do around the county, from events to museums that don’t cost a penny.
We chatted to local experts and Sun readers who know Devon well to find out what they would recommend to families heading there on a £9.50 Holiday.
We’ve also added in our own tips, plus Tripadvisor top-rated family attractions, so you and your family will have a £9.50 Holiday to remember…
Fun on the farm
If you and the family are based in North Devon, a day out could be well spent at The Big Sheep, around a 45-minute drive from Croyde and its surrounding beaches.
Paul Braithwaite, General Manager at Ruda Holiday Park, said: “The Big Sheep is a family-friendly theme park with animals and attractions – including North Devon’s biggest and fastest rollercoaster.”
The park is a good rainy day option, with an indoor playground including giant slides, a baby sensory room and cafe.
Winter indoor play is from £4.50 for adults, £6 for kids, £4 for children under 3 ft and £2 for babies.Tip: Book online for the best rates.
On the south coast, the top-rated Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth has free entry and parking.
Spark their imaginations
Forget stuffy museums – The Box in Plymouth is packed with fun, interactive exhibits to wow your kids.
It’s free to enter, and has also been voted Best Family Attraction in the 2024 Muddy Stilettos Awards for Devon.
You can expect awesome artwork and creative activities such as the weekly sensory art sessions for one to four-year-olds (tip: these have an additional cost of £7 for the first child and £4 for each additional child).
Don’t miss the free Friday storytelling sessions – half an hour that will engage under-fives.
Free daddy daycare
Dads (or male guardians) can make the most of free soft play sessions that take place every Thursday in Plymouth.
The Dads N’ Dinkies club has been recommended by Gem Krupa, Holiday Home Sales Manager at Challaborough Bay holiday park.
She said: “On Thursdays, Barnardo’s runs a Dads and Dinkies session, which is free soft play for dads and the children.
Mums can have a rest while Dads take the kids down to the YMCA for a play.”
Sessions run on Thursdays at 1.30pm. Tip: pre-booking essential.
Go to the big screen
On a rainy day, nothing beats the cinema.
And the Everyman Cinema in Plymouth comes highly-rated for families by Gem Krupa.
She said: “As well as adult sessions in the evening, the cinema has family-friendly screenings in the day.
It’s not that much more expensive than a regular cinema ticket but it’s a really cool experience.
There are sofas and armchairs in there. You get a blanket and a menu and you can order cocktails, or burgers and desserts.”
Family tickets are available.
Steam train magic
Sun reader Richard Tilley from Devizes in Wiltshire has visited South Devon numerous times with his family, most recently staying at Parkdean Resorts Torquay.
Richard, 62, recommends exploring the South Devon coastline by steam train and ferry, like he did with his children when they were younger.
He said: “We used to take the family on the steam train from Paignton to Kingswear, then hop on a ferry over to Dartmouth and back. The kids loved it – it now brings back happy memories.”
Tickets from £14pp for a family of five.
Tripadvisor’s Top 5 things to do in Devon with kids
Devon’s top-rated family attraction is Kents Cavern, a prehistoric labyrinth of underground passages in Torquay.
Kids will love exploring this cave, which was home to ancient humans sheltering from extreme weather and hunting Ice Age animals.
Nearby, Babbacombe Model Village and Gardens is also highly rated by Tripadvisor users, allowing you to step inside a miniature world.
Paignton Zoo Environmental Park, Pennywell Farm in Buckfastleigh and The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth also make the top-rated list.
The UK holiday destination with great family attractions for all types of British weather
For a family-friendly holiday, Wales has it all.
No matter the age – or the weather – there are attractions to suit, from adrenaline-fuelled water parks to museums that will ignite their passion for science. And the best bit? You don’t need to break the bank.
If you’re heading to North Wales, you’ve got the epic natural playpark of Snowdonia to explore, as well as thrilling zip wire rides through quarries, such as Zip World Penrhyn Quarry for a treat.
Or how about taking mini marine biologists to spot sea creatures at the Anglesey Sea Zoo?
Meanwhile, South Wales is home to the capital – you could head to Bute Park for a picnic (tip: grab some traditional Welsh cakes from Bakestones) or see the Norwegian Church where children’s author Roald Dahl was christened (free to visit).
The Cardiff Bay area also has free things to do on a day out, like scooting the Barrage embankment to the skate park and taking a selfie at the Enormous Crocodile bench.
But don’t just take our word for it. We’ve chatted to Wales experts and Sun readers who have taken £9.50 Holidays in Wales for their favourite best family attractions located near our £9.50 Holiday parks.
Here’s what they said…
Fun on the farm
Chantelle Hawkins, Guest Experience Manager at Trecco Bay, recommends Wiggleys Fun Farm for families.
She said: “It’s about 15 minutes away from our park and is a really good day out. They’ve got indoor and outdoor play areas as well as animal paddocks, sit-on tractors and a cafe.”
Open every day except Christmas and Boxing Day, the park is great value, costing from £4 for kids and from £2 for adults.
Big thrills at the Aqua Park
Steph Powell, a parent blogger from South Wales, recommends taking older water babies to let off steam at the Aqua Park in Cardiff Bay (suitable from age eight upwards) with its inflatable slides, towers and “flip stations”.
There are plenty of wallet-friendly activities nearby for a family day out too.
Steph said: “In the summer holidays, Cardiff Bay Beach is free to enter, with rides and attractions for the whole family. We like the Bay and its surroundings, so usually we grab a coffee and stroll across Cardiff Bay Barrage.
“We enjoy the sea air, and taking in the views as we go.
There’s a sandy play park and skate park along the route, too. These days can be as cheap or expensive as you like. We often take a picnic so it only means covering parking, petrol and coffees/ice creams.”
Spark their imaginations
Chantelle Hawkins recommends Techniquest, a science attraction in Cardiff, around half an hour from Trecco Bay.
Kids of all ages can dive into science, technology and engineering via over 100 hands-on exhibits and live shows.
A good all-weather option, highlights include a planetarium, sensory garden and a Mini Metro Play Zone for under-sevens.
Chantelle said: “It’s really fun for all ages and isn’t expensive.” Tickets cost £11.81 for adults and £10 for children; free for under-threes.
Hit the market…and fairground at Tir Prince
Nicola Jones, 36, from Worsley, Manchester, has been visiting Lyons Robin Hood, on the coast of Rhyl in North Wales, since she was a child.
She said: “It’s somewhere where we’ve always gone. We usually go to Tir Prince Market because there’s loads of parking and a fairground next to it, which the kids love.”
The fairground has everything from rollercoasters for thrill seekers, to bumper cars and caterpillar rides for little ones.
The market is also a great place to pick up a bargain, with Pound shops and hundreds of stalls and a car boot area selling things like fresh food and second-hand household goods.
Go wild at the zoo
With stunning panoramic views of Colwyn Bay, the Welsh Mountain Zoo is within easy reach of Lyons Robin Hood, just a half-hour drive along the coast.
Nicola Jones said: “It’s a great option for children. They have some more unusual animals there, like tigers, camels and snow leopards.
“The site is mostly outdoors, so bring warm clothes and prepare for steps and narrow paths.”
Tip: if you’re taking a buggy, pick up a free map at the entrance showing pram-friendly routes. Tickets from £12.98pp for a family of four; free for under-threes.
I moved from the US to the UK
Zach Lincoln, 36, from Olympia (Seattle) Washington
Two children named Lilith age five and Maeve age three.
The decision to move from America to the UK came after Zach felt a lot of tensuion in the states, including expressing your own opinion and aROUNDF WOMEN’S RIGHTS.
So, for his family’s benefit, he decided to move to the UK and as for where they settled, that was London.
Since being in the Big Smoke, Zach has realised several differences between American and British people as well as contrasts in day-to-day activities.
Read more on travel inspo
The kindness
One of the biggest differences Zach has noticed is how kind the people in the UK are.
He said: “[I was surprised by] how welcoming and friendly the people are here.
“The US is huge and very regional, which means people act differently depending on where you are in the country.
“Washington state, for example, people are very reserved and you don’t really engage witg people.
“[So] when random people started talking to us in the UK – like stopping me to get my story – I was surprised.
“I had to come up with a two-minute elevator pitch about myself.”
He added: “People here are very tactile too, the let me touch them to express connection, like a hand on a shoulder.
“But people are so afraid to do this in the US.”
The queueing
Speaking to children
Zach said: “People talk to children here, but this doesn’t happen in the US – they don’t want to intrude.
“It gives them a level of autonomy (in the UK) but it has been a big adjustment.
“For example, we were out for a meal and my children were asked what they wanted.
“They looked at me but I said they had been asked and let them figure it out for themselves.”
Cafe culture
Zach said: “Cafe culture is very large here – or third spaces in general [places that aren’t your home or work environment] like pubs, cafes, coffee shops, malls for example.
“People often run into people they know here or feel confident enough to chat to a stranger.
“I think walking to a corner cafe and getting a pastry is a lovely activity.”
He also shared how he has noticed the UK tends to have more dogs, which isn’t surprising as according to the PDSA, three in 10 people have a dog in the UK.
And cafe culture and dogs often mix, Zach has noticed.
“We essentially have a dog by proxy,” he said.
“You go into a cafe and there will a dog there that is well-adjusted and friendly – my kids love them.”
Walking everywhere
Zach said: “People are very mobile and walk-centric.
“People are just out walking all hours of the day, but the US is very car-centric.
“In London, I went from 2,000 to 15,000 steps a day.”
Grocery prices
Zach has also noticed how some things are less expensive in the UK, most notably groceries.
He compared the price of pears for example, sharing how in the states he could often pay around $10 (£7.41) for a bag of pears.
Yet, in the UK, he can grab some for just £1.
Though, he did admit that housing seems to be on the less affordable end of the spectrum.
Perhaps most surprisingly, Zach even found M&S cheap compared to US grocery stores.
In a week in the UK he found that he was spending around £50 on food, but in the US this was around $150 (£111.18).
Eating out is cheap as well in comparison, according to Zach.
“I love a ‘cheeky Nandos’,” he said, “you can just jump in, be seat and be eating within 20 minutes.”
Clothes shopping
Similar to the difference in the price of groceries between the US and the UK,
Britain’s busiest railway is shutting in just HOURS for £60million demolition
THE busiest railway in Britain is temporarily shutting down for demolition in a matter of hours.
This isn’t good news for anyone who was planning to travel for New Year’s Day, though the project was far from a snap decision.
In fact, engineers have spent 12 months preparing and perfecting the enormous steel structure of a new bridge set to carry trains on the West Coast Main Line over the M6.
The previous bridge in place that’s being demolished – Clifton Bridge – is now nearly 60 years old and can only carry one train at a time due to weight restrictions.
Replacing this with a brand-new bridge will smooth out services and prevent delays – beneficial to safety as well as customer satisfaction.
The new bridge will be installed by Network Rail in partnership with Skanska during a two-week period at the beginning of 2026.
As a result the M6 will be shutting down for two consecutive weekends, including:
- 8pm on Friday January 2 and 5am on Monday January 5 2026
- 8pm on Friday January 9 and 5am Monday January 12 2026
During this time frame, the motorway will close in both directions between junction 39 at Shap and junction 40 near Penrith as well.
Further to the weekend closures, parts of the West Coast Main Line won’t be operating in the North West, so it’s necessary to check your upcoming travels:
- January 1-4 2026, the line will be closed through Preston, between Oxenholme and Carlisle, and Carlisle to Dumfries and Lockerbie
- January 5-6 2026, the line through Preston will be open. The railway between Oxenholme and Carlisle, and Carlisle to Dumfries and Lockerbie, will remain closed for work.
- January 7-14 2026, the line north of Carlisle will be open. The railway between Oxenholme and Carlisle will be closed as the work to replace Clifton bridge continues until the early hours of 15 January.
Speaking on the importance of the project Network Rail’s project manager William Brandon says: “This is a vital project which will improve journeys for passengers for decades to come.
“While we close the railway to replace the M6 bridge we’ll also be renewing more than 80 kilometres of overhead lines and continuing our major modernisation of signalling systems.
“We appreciate passengers’ patience while this work is completed, and I would urge anyone planning to travel in this period to check National Rail Enquiries in advance.”
Octopus Energy to spin off $8.65bn tech arm Kraken
Archie MitchellBusiness reporter
Getty ImagesOctopus Energy is set to spin off its Kraken Technologies arm as a standalone company after a deal to sell a stake in the platform valued it at $8.65bn (£6.4bn).
The energy giant, Britain’s biggest gas and electricity supplier, has sold a $1bn stake in the AI-based division to a group of investors led by New York-based D1 Capital Partners.
The move paves the way for Kraken to be demerged from Octopus, and for a potential stock market flotation for the business in the future.
Octopus founder and chief executive Greg Jackson told the BBC there was “every chance” Kraken would list its shares “in the medium term”, with the location of the flotation “between London and the US”.
Kraken uses AI to automate customer service and billing for energy companies and can manage when customers use energy, rewarding them for reducing consumption at peak times.
It was initially built for use by Octopus but has since picked up a raft of other utilities clients, including EDF, E.On Next, TalkTalk and National Grid US. It now serves 70 million household and business accounts around the world.
The majority of the $1bn investment will go to Octopus to fund its expansion, with Kraken receiving the rest. Mr Jackson said Kraken will be operating completely independently of Octopus “within a few months”.
Other investors in the business included Fidelity International and a unit of Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, with Octopus maintaining a 13.7% stake in Kraken.
Kraken chief executive Amir Orad said the spinoff would give it the “focus and freedom” to grow, with the company having previously struggled to do business with Octopus’s rivals.
Mr Jackson said that for a large tech firm such as Kraken, the location for its share listing would be either London or the US.
“One thing about Kraken is we’ve got this global investor base… and so really the stock exchanges have got to kind of show why they are the right one for business.”
A London listing for Kraken’s shares would reverse a trend of firms snubbing the UK in favour of floating in the US.
Mr Jackson said Octopus had created 12,000 jobs in the UK, with 1,500 of these attributed to Kraken.
He said the company would keep its headquarters in the UK, and that “if London can be the right place to list, I would love that”.
“But it’s down to be where you’re going to get the most investor support and the most support from the stock exchange.”
The demerger comes amid the continued growth of Octopus Energy, which overtook British Gas to become the UK’s largest energy supplier earlier this year, serving 7.7 million households.
But it confirmed this year it was one of three retail energy firms that had not yet met regulator Ofgem’s financial resilience targets.
Octopus, which will unveil its annual results on Tuesday, said the cash injection would “almost double Octopus Energy Group’s already strong balance sheet”.
The real stand-ups who helped punch up Bradley Cooper’s comedy-drama ‘Is This Thing On?’
It was abundantly clear to actor-director Bradley Cooper that if “Is This Thing On?,” his comedy-drama set in New York’s stand-up scene, lacked authenticity, the film would fail. With the iconic Comedy Cellar at its heart, he found the key to unlocking that — by casting several of the real-life comedians who regularly take the stage there. Among them were two women at the top of their game right now with sold-out shows and substantial social media followings: Chloe Radcliffe and Jordan Jensen.
“Bradley fell in love with the Comedy Cellar and the relationships that go on there,” Jensen recalls.
“Is This Thing On?” is based on an anecdote from the life of British comedian John Bishop, whose career started when he stumbled into an open-mic night in Manchester, England, while temporarily separated from his wife. In the film, Will Arnett plays a fictionalized version of Bishop, Alex Novak, a finance guy, and the narrative shifts to New York.
“The idea was, ‘If we use people who aren’t comics to play comics, there’s not going to be a juxtaposition between Arnett and this super-tight group of people,’” Jensen says. “His character is this stuffy, bored guy, and he enters into this world of people who have day jobs just like him, but they step into this room, and it’s all dirty humor and busting each other’s balls.”
Radcliffe realized early on that Cooper, who also produced and co-wrote the film, understood the level of commitment required to portray the stand-up world realistically. She saw the first signs of him getting it when he screened 10 minutes of test footage for the comedians at his home, just a few blocks from the Greenwich Village club.
Comedian Chloe Radcliffe on stage as her character, Nina, in “Is This Thing On?”
(Jason McDonald / Searchlight Pictures)
“The second the test footage started, I immediately felt so confident that we are in the right hands,” she recalls. “Any lingering doubt or trepidation was totally washed away immediately, because Bradley just has such clarity of vision and taste. It was clear that he and Will had both embedded themselves deeply in the world of stand-up. Bradley wanted to capture what is real, and he was like, ‘If that means going off script, do it. If that means going to a weird place, do it.’”
Jensen adds, “I don’t think I said one actual line from the script. I would improvise something, and along the way, as I got the point across, it was OK. He might occasionally tell us to say a line, but it was in between 100% moments of improvisation, and he would be rolling camera.
“When I saw the movie, it was really moving. The way he showed it reintroduced me to it and made me be like, ‘Oh yeah, this place is f— magical.’”
Cooper wanted to capture what goes on offstage as well as on, and a significant part of that happened around a particular table at the Olive Tree Cafe, which sits above the underground comedy club. It’s where the acts gather before, after and in between their sets.
“We shot a scene around the comics’ table on the very first day,” Radcliffe says. “About a week or 10 days later, Bradley wanted to reshoot it because he looked at the footage and realized that it looked like a movie. He wanted to make something that looked like the real environment. I admire that so much. Not only is he willing to ask us for our input, but he’s also willing to go back and make new decisions based on new information.”
According to Jensen, in another scene in the cafe, the filmmaker asked whether the comedian’s coats, which PAs had removed from the shot, would be there, and when he was told they would, ordered them to be put back. The level of detail even extended to whether the comics would share fries from a single plate or have their own. It all mattered.
Comedian Jordan Jensen was used to riffing through her scenes on camera while playing her character, Jill, in “Is This Thing On?”
(Jason McDonald / Searchlight Pictures)
Radcliffe describes Cooper’s reverence for the Comedy Cellar and the comics as an appreciated display of “humility and willing” that extended to both the filmmaker and Arnett, asking for their input on techniques that would improve Novak’s set.
“We wound up chatting about things like where the funny idea is in a punch line, so you might rearrange the sentence so that the most surprising part of it comes at the end. That’s an unnatural way of delivering that sentence,” she reveals. “I would see Will running the set at the Cellar before the shoot, and he is so naturally funny that even if he went off script and started riffing, he instinctively hits punch lines. He has this natural sense of rhythm.”
However, neither the actor nor the director, who also plays Novak’s best friend, Balls, rested on their laurels. To gauge real audiences’ reactions to the material, they ran it multiple times in rooms for months before filming started. It’s something Jensen calls “the ballsiest thing I’ve ever seen a person do.”
“I would be on a show months before the movie was happening,” she says. “They’d be like, ‘Here’s Alex Novak,’ and I was like, ‘Who is that?’ I would see that it was Will Arnett and then I’d be like, ‘F—, he’s bombing. Oh, this is the movie.’”
However, the bombing was intentional, and things would change as the set progressed. She continues, “What I realized is they had written it so that the first chunk in the movie, he doesn’t do so great, the second chunk he does a little better, and the last chunk he does the best, which is how comedy works. I can’t imagine in a million years doing that and not breaking at some point, and being like, ‘Hey, by the way, I’m actually doing this for a movie.’”
While Arnett was on stage, Cooper would stand in the back of the room, taking notes, making changes and doing research. However, Jensen says watching Arnett tank, even on purpose, was “brutal.”
Will Arnett with director Bradley Cooper on the set of “Is This Thing On?”
(Jason McDonald / Searchlight Pictures)
“These were not open mic nights; they were real shows. It was Will Arnett’s reputation, and he was bombing on purpose, but it totally worked out in the long run. He was operating like a real comic up there.”
There were also little things that Arnett did, sometimes by accident, that made his delivery next-level. One example is when he breathes into the microphone.
“It was totally an improvised thing,” Jensen enthuses. “It was this moment of awkwardness that is so authentic that it makes you immediately empathize with him. You’re like, ‘Oh, man, I know that feeling of the air leaving your mouth, hitting the mic, and now everybody has heard that you’ve let out a sigh of grief.’”
Radcliffe, who plays Nina, and Jensen, who plays Jill, are close friends in real life and read for each other’s roles. Aside from being able to take Cooper and Arnett behind the curtain of the comedy scene, their relationship added an extra level of authenticity to the film and to each other’s performances.
“We’ve been really close since pre-pandemic, and she and I have a lot of similar energies,” Radcliffe muses. “We can both be trashy little gremlins. She has a level of aggression that I don’t quite step into, and I think I have a level of exasperation that she doesn’t quite step into. We play off each other really well. She’s so subversive and transgressive, and she’s got such a magnetism in where she is willing to go on stage that I think is unmatched in a lot of other comics working right now.”
Jensen, who is a big fan of Cooper’s work, recalls being starstruck when he first opened the door to his home when the cast came over to read the script for the film. “He opened the door and said, ‘Hi, I’m Bradley.’ I just looked at Chloe over his shoulder, beelined right to her, and snuggled up next to her on the couch, because I was so intimidated,” she said. “It would have still been great if she weren’t there, but having her there was the best. It’s one of those things where when I’m really old, I’ll tell people, and they won’t believe me.”
Major boost for incredible £7.4bn tunnel that will connect Europe and Africa
A feasibility study has concluded that a railway tunnel beneath the Strait of Gibraltar is technically viable, with Spain now commissioning blueprints for the ambitious project
A colossal underwater tunnel linking Europe and Africa could finally be on the cards after the project received a major boost.
The ambitious project, which would see the tunnel burrow beneath the Strait of Gibraltar, has been reignited by Spain after being mooted by various governments for decades. Now scientists have declared that such an engineering feat is possible.
In October, a study commissioned by the Spanish Government and carried out by German tunnel experts Herrenknecht concluded that drilling a railway tunnel below the Strait would be technically achievable with current technology. Since then, Spanish consultancy firm Ineco has been tasked with drawing up a blueprint for the project by the end of next year, with hopes that Government approval could be granted as early as 2027.
The concept of creating a man-made link between Europe and Africa first surfaced in the 1970s, popping up intermittently in election campaigns and Government agendas since then, but no tangible steps have been taken until now. Previous proposals included the establishment of a joint Spain-Morocco committee in 1979 to assess the feasibility of the plan.
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The proposed tunnel, to be drilled beneath the nine-mile stretch of water separating southern Spain from Morocco, would take inspiration from the Eurotunnel, which opened in 1994 and links Britain to northern France under the English Channel.
The Herrenknecht report, formally commissioned by the Spanish Society for Studies on Fixed Communication across the Strait of Gibraltar (Secegsa), under the Ministry of Transport, has assessed the feasibility of constructing the railway tunnel in its most complex sections, especially under the Camarinal Threshold – an area with extremely difficult geological conditions.
The most recent cost estimate for the project is €8.5 billion (£7.4 billion), according to Voz Populi.
The project, featuring two separate railway tunnels each carrying trains in one direction, is set to connect Punta Paloma in Cadiz with Morocco’s Cape Malabata, near Tangier. The tunnel would span roughly 26 miles, with nearly 17 miles of the route submerged underwater, reports the Express.
It’s also projected to reach a depth of 1,540 feet – significantly deeper than the Channel Tunnel, which only dips to 246 feet below sea level. Upon completion, the journey is estimated to take about 30 minutes by train, with the capacity to carry both passengers on high-speed AVE trains and freight.
The project faces significant technical challenges, particularly due to its location at the boundary between the Eurasian and African tectonic plates along the Azores-Gibraltar fault line, Morocco World News reports.
If given the green light, fieldwork is anticipated to commence in 2030, with the main construction phase scheduled for between 2035 and 2040. However, these dates could be subject to change.
While initial plans aimed to complete the tunnel by 2030, coinciding with the FIFA World Cup co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, experts have since stated that this timeline is unrealistic, given the project’s complexity and its current preliminary stage of studies.
The current proposed route, from Punta Paloma to Cape Malabata, comes after decades of discarded proposals, including an early concept for a suspension bridge. This type of connection was eventually ruled out due to the Strait’s depth, seismic activity and extreme wind conditions.
The project is being jointly managed by SECEGSA and its Moroccan counterpart, SNED (National Society for Strait Studies). Both organizations are working to establish a reliable rail connection for passengers and freight between Europe and North Africa.
High school basketball: Monday's scores
CIF City Section and Southern Section high school boys’ and girls’ basketball scores for Monday’s games.
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How are China’s new war games around Taiwan different from earlier drills? | Military News
China has held two-day military drills – Justice Mission 2025 – around Taiwan, marking the sixth round of large-scale war games since 2022, when then-Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited the island.
The exercise included 10 hours of live fire drills on Tuesday as Chinese forces practised encircling Taiwan and blockading its major ports.
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What happened during the Justice Mission 2025?
The war games began on Monday in the waters and airspace to the north, southwest, southeast and east of Taiwan’s main island, according to China’s Eastern Theatre Command spokesperson Shi Yi.
The exercises saw China deploy its naval destroyers, frigates, fighter planes, bombers, drones, and long-range missiles to simulate seizing control of Taiwan’s airspace, blockading its ports, and striking critical infrastructure, “mobile ground targets” and maritime targets, Shi said.
The exercises also simulated a blockade of Taiwan and its main ports, Keelung and Kaohsiung.
Tuesday’s live-fire drills were held in five zones around Taiwan between 8am and 6pm local time (00:00 GMT and 10:00 GMT), according to the Eastern Theatre Command. Chinese forces fired long-range rockets into the waters around the island, according to a video released by the military on social media.
Taiwan’s coastguard said seven rockets were fired into two drill zones around the main island.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defence said it had tracked 130 air sorties by Chinese aircraft, 14 naval ships and eight “official ships” between 6am on Monday and 6am on Tuesday.
Ninety of the air sorties crossed into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ), an area of land and sea monitored by Taipei, during the 24 hours, in the second-largest incursion of its kind since 2022.
How were the exercises different from last time?
Justice Mission 2025 was the largest war game since 2022 in terms of the area covered, according to Jaime Ocon, a research fellow at Taiwan Security Monitor.
“These zones are very, very big, especially the southern and southeast zones around Taiwan, which actually breached territorial waters,” he told Al Jazeera, referring to the region within 12 nautical miles (22km) of Taiwan’s coast. “That’s a big escalation from previous exercises.”
They also focused explicitly on blockading Taiwan, unlike past iterations, sending a strong message to Taipei and its unofficial allies, particularly the US and Japan.
“This is a clear demonstration of China’s capability to conduct A2/AD – anti-access aerial denial – making sure that Taiwan can be cut off from the world and that other actors like Japan, the Philippines, or the United States cannot directly intervene,” Ocon said.
A blockade would impact not only the delivery of weapons systems but also critical imports, such as natural gas and coal, that Taiwan relies on to meet nearly all its energy needs. It would also disrupt vital global shipping routes through the Taiwan Strait.
Alexander Huang, director-general of Taiwan’s Council on Strategic and Wargaming Studies, told Al Jazeera the drills were similar to those held after Pelosi’s visit in August 2022.
“For this drill, it actually interfered with international civil aviation routes and also maritime shipping routes. In previous drills, they tried to avoid that, but this time they actually disrupted the air and maritime traffic,” he said.
The drills also put pressure on Taiwan’s maritime and transport links to Kinmen and Matsu islands, which are closer to the Chinese mainland.
Why did China stage the exercises now?
China has a history of holding military exercises to express its anger with Taiwan and its allies, but large-scale exercises have become more frequent since Pelosi’s Taiwan visit.
Beijing claims Taiwan as a province and has accused the US of interfering in its internal affairs by continuing to sell weapons to Taipei and supporting its “separatist” government led by President William Lai Ching-te.
Washington does not officially recognise Taiwan, whose formal name is the Republic of China, but it has pledged to help Taipei defend itself under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act and the 1982 Six Assurances.
The Justice Mission 2025 came just days after Washington approved a record-breaking $11.1bn arms sale to Taiwan.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday that the drills were a “punitive and deterrent action against separatist forces who seek ‘Taiwan independence’ through military build-up, and a necessary move to safeguard China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity”. Beijing sanctioned 30 US firms and individuals over the arms sale.
Experts also say the exercises were linked to a separate but related diplomatic row between China and Japan.
Beijing was angered in November by remarks from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that an attack on Taiwan would be a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan. Such a scenario would legally permit Japan to exercise its “right of collective self-defence” and deploy its military, she said.
How is Taiwan responding to the drills?
Taiwan cancelled more than 80 domestic flights on Tuesday and warned that more than 300 international flights could be delayed due to flight rerouting during the live-fire drills.
Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said the coastguard monitored the exercises near the outlying islands and that an undisclosed number of naval vessels had also been deployed nearby. Taipei also monitored all incursions into its ADIZ, including the Taiwan Strait, sections of coastal China, and waters around Taiwan.
In a statement on Tuesday, Defence Minister Wellington Koo said, “[Beijing’s] highly provocative actions severely undermine regional peace and stability [and] also pose a significant security risk and disruption to transport ships, trade activities, and flight routes.”
Koo described the exercises as a form of “cognitive warfare” that aimed to “deplete Taiwan’s combat capabilities through a combination of military and non-military means, and to create division and conflict within Taiwanese society through a strategy of sowing discord”.
How did the US respond to the drills?
US President Donald Trump has so far remained quiet about the military drills, telling reporters on Monday that he was “not worried”.
“I have a great relationship with President Xi, and he hasn’t told me anything about it,” Trump said when asked about the exercises during a news conference, according to Reuters. “I don’t believe he’s going to be doing it,” he added, seemingly referring to the prospect of actual military action targeting Taiwan.
William Yang, a senior analyst for Northeast Asia at the International Crisis Group, told Al Jazeera that Trump might avoid saying much about the Justice Mission 2025 exercises as he hopes to meet President Xi Jinping in April to discuss a US-China trade deal. “It’s a diplomatic strategy to make sure the US response is not going to immediately upset the temporary trade truce between the US and China,” Yang said.
“I think it’s quite consistent with how he personally and his administration have been handling the issue of Taiwan by trying to de-prioritise making public statements,” he said.
K-pop band breaks up after bitter feud with record label
Kelly Ngand
Jake Kwon,Seoul correspondent
Chart-topping K-pop band NewJeans is losing one of its members in what is yet another twist in the group’s bitter year-long feud with its record label.
Ador announced on Monday that they had “terminated” their contract with 20-year-old Danielle Marsh and the return of Minji remains uncertain, leaving the band with three members.
On Tuesday, local media reported that Ador is suing Danielle, her family member, and ex-boss Min Hee-jin for $32m in damages. None of them have spoken publicly yet. The BBC has reached out to Hybe, Ador’s parent company, for comment.
Coming less than two months after reports that NewJeans would return to the label as a band of five, this news dashes fans’ hopes of a comeback.
Many took to social media with the slogan: “NewJeans is five or nothing, while others questioned why Danielle was singled out.
“Does this make any sense??? NewJeans without Danielle isn’t NewJeans. Do you think you can just erase a member this easily? Give us back Danielle,” one wrote in an X post.
“It’s not fair at all. Free NewJeans [all 5 members],” another wrote on Instagram. “All they wanted to do was to be [artists] and make their fans happy.”
NewJeans, which became the eighth biggest-selling act in the world a year after their debut in 2022, were seen as a game-changer by critics for their blend of 1990s R&B and sugar-coated pop melodies.
Then came a dramatic fallout with Ador in 2024, sparked by the controversial dismissal of the agency’s former CEO Min Hee-jin, whom NewJeans regarded as a mentor.
The move shook the K-pop world, setting off a battle between hugely successful and very young stars – they are between 17 and 21 years of age – and a South Korean entertainment giant, Hybe, which owns Ador.
NewJeans accused Ador of “mistreatment” and “deliberate miscommunications and manipulation”, then announced they would leave the agency. Ador in turn launched a lawsuit blocking their departure, which it won in October this year. A district court ruled that NewJeans must honour their contract with the label which runs until 2029.
A month later, local media reports indicated that all five members would return to the agency.
Getty ImagesThen in a surprising turn, Ador issued a statement on Monday, saying it would take legal action against a family member of Danielle’s and Min, who founded the label and created NewJeans before her dramatic departure.
Both of them, Ador claims, “bear significant responsibility” for the fallout between the agency and the K-pop group.
Monday’s statement did not mention a lawsuit against Danielle, saying only that Ador had decided it was difficult to continue working with her, and told her they would be ending the contract.
Ador also claimed that NewJeans’ members had been “exposed to persistently distorted and biased information” which led to “significant misunderstandings” about the label.
That statement named two other NewJeans members: Hanni, who it said decided to remain with the label after “extended conversations” which included her family, and Minji, who is still in “ongoing conversations” with the agency.
It’s been a whirlwind for fans, especially since Ador initially announced in November that only two members, Hyein and Haerin, would return to the agency, sparking fears the group would split up.
These fears were allayed when Hanni, Danielle and Minji said in a separate statement hours later that they too would return – but only for a short time, as it turns out.
Getty Images“NewJeans is a very important group that changed the world of female K-pop acts. For the music listeners and fans, it has been the hope to see their return as a full five-member team. That’s no longer possible,” music critic Lim Hee-yun told the BBC, adding that this outcome would not “make anyone happy”.
Mr Lim believes Ador would be pressured to recruit new members into the group, especially if Minji also leaves the label.
It is hard for three-member groups to find success in the K-pop industry, where fans pay close attention to the relationships and chemistry between members.
Danielle’s future as a musician is also uncertain.
“Not only will there be a large part of the public that see her negatively [because of this controversy], but the record labels will too… She might need to pursue being a solo act as an actor, model, or an influencer,” Mr Lim said.
Additional reporting by Leehyun Choi and Hosu Lee in Seoul
Los Tigres del Norte appear in latest “The Simpsons” episode
Los Tigres del Norte have gone gold and platinum many times, but on Sunday the acclaimed group went yellow for the first time.
The Grammy-winning band appeared in animated form on the latest episode of “The Simpsons,” which aired Sunday, and performed an original corrido about the escapades of Homer Simpson and Pedro Chespirito (also known as the Bumblebee Man).
The unexpected collaboration came with some anticipation as the long-running show promoted the group’s appearance Friday on social media.
“A legendary band. An original song. A very Simpson twist. @lostigresdelnorte perform “El Corrido de Pedro y Homero” this Sunday on FOX,” the program’s official Instagram page wrote in a post alongside a pair of stills from the episode.
The “Jaula de Oro” artists appear only in the end credits and their tune recaps the zany adventures of Homer and Pedro within the episode. In the Simpsons-verse, Pedro Chespirito plays a beloved character on the slapstick comedy Spanish-language show “Channel Ocho.” The character is an homage to Mexican television icon Roberto Gómez Bolaños, better known as “Chespirito.” Bumblebee Man is a nod to “El Chapulín Colorado,” and “Channel Ocho” is a reference to to Gómez Bolaño’s best known character, El Chavo del Ocho.
“We are deeply grateful and very happy for this special moment in our history, being part of the universe of The Simpsons,” Los Tigres Del Norte told Rolling Stone. “For us, it’s an honor that our stories continue to cross borders, cultures, and generations. “When music tells stories, it can reach anywhere… even Springfield.”
The episode’s head writer Cesar Mazariegos told Rolling Stone the band’s inclusion was a “tip of the hat” to the show’s sizable Latin American fandom, specifically its Mexican and Mexican American fans.
“They are absolute, worldwide legends. I mean, they were on tour when we reached out to ask them for a song. I assumed they wouldn’t have time,” Mazariegos said. “When we heard back that they were game, I couldn’t have been more thrilled.”
Mexican director and Oscar winner Alejandro González Iñárritu was also portrayed and voiced himself in Sunday’s episode.
Los Tigres del Norte’s guest spot is only the most recent in a long line of musical legends featured on “The Simpsons.” U2, Paul McCartney, Green Day, Ringo Starr, Sting and Dolly Parton have made an appearance on the show.
Other Latinx artists have popped up in Springfield as well, including Tito Puente, Linda Ronstadt and Los Lobos. In 2021, Bad Bunny made a special appearance in “The Simpsons” universe when he released an animated music video for his 2020 ballad “Te Deseo Lo Mejor” — which sees him drawn into the same universe as “The Simpsons.”
New Year Honours 2026: Jayne Torvill, Christopher Dean & Sarina Wiegman recognised
Knighthood
Christopher Dean (former ice skater), for services to ice skating and to voluntary service
Damehood
Jayne Torvill (former ice skater), for services to ice skating and to voluntary service
Sarina Wiegman (England football manager), honorary damehood as she is a Dutch national
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Jonathan Davies (former Welsh rugby player), for work as president of the Velindre Cancer Care Trust
Daniel Levy (former Tottenham Hotspur executive chairman), for services to charity and the community in Tottenham
Leah Williamson (England captain), for services to football
Fergus McCann (former Celtic chief executive) for services to the economy and charity.
Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Zoe Stratford (England captain), for services to rugby union
Derek Brewer (former Nottinghamshire and MCC chief executive, and former board adviser, England and Wales Cricket Board), for services to cricket
Dr Ann Budge (former chair and chief executive officer, Hearts), for services to sport and to the community in Midlothian
Dr James Craig (former Celtic player), for services to Scottish football and to charity
Gabby Logan (broadcaster), for services to sports broadcasting and to charity
John Mitchell (England head coach), for services to rugby union
Barry O’Brien (cricket administrator), for services to the law, to cricket and charity
Marlie Packer (England international), for services to rugby union
Sarah-Jane Perry (squash player, grassroots champion and mentor), for services to squash
Stuart Pringle (chief executive officer, Silverstone Circuit), for services to motorsport
Paula Radcliffe (broadcaster and former athlete), for services to sport
Clive Tyldesley (broadcaster), for services to sports broadcasting and to charity
Gill Whitehead (chair, Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025), for services to women’s rugby
Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Dr Frances Akor (non-executive director, UK Anti-Doping), for services to sport
Joe Appiah (athlete), for services to sport, public health and public service
Susan Briegal (chief executive, World Netball) for services to sport
Daniel Costello (chair, Spartans Football Club), for services to community, sport and youth development
Kerry Davis (former England international), for services to football and to diversity in sport
Simone Fisher (director of equality, diversity and inclusion, Professional Footballers’ Association), for services to football
Alex Greenwood (England international), for services to football
Isa Guha (broadcaster and former England cricketer) for services to inclusivity and cricket
Megan Jones (England international), for services to rugby union
Tara Jones (referee), for services to rugby league
Sadia Kabeya (England international), for services to rugby union
James Keothavong (umpire), for services to tennis and tennis umpiring
Ellie Kildunne (England international), for services to rugby union
Louise Kingsley (director of performance, Great Britain rowing team), for services to sport
David Laing (chair, Scottish Borders Disability Sports Group) for services to sport
Julia Lee (former referee and advocate for women’s rugby league), for services to rugby league
Sarah Massey (managing director, Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025), for services to women’s rugby union
Rhys McClenaghan (gymnast), for services to gymnastics
Dr Ritan Mehta (head of medical and team doctor, England women’s football team), for services to football
David Perks (athletics coach), for services to athletics
Kambiz Ramzan Ali (Taekwondo master) for services to taekwondo and the community
Toby Roberts (Olympic champion), for services to sport climbing
Georgia Stanway (England international), for services to football
Ella Toone (England international), for services to football
Nigel Travis (boxing coach), for services to boxing and the community
Keira Walsh (England international), for services to football
Colin Wright (co-founder, Rushmoor Gymnastics Academy), for services to women’s gymnastics
Marie Wright (co-founder, Rushmoor Gymnastics Academy), for services to women’s gymnastics
Kim Jong Un praises new rocket system that can ‘annihilate the enemy’
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) visited a factory producing a multiple rocket launcher system, which he described as capable of “annihilating the enemy” through precise and devastating strikes, state media reported Tuesday. Photo by KCNA/EPA
SEOUL, Dec. 30 (UPI) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for a major increase in the production of new multiple-rocket launcher systems that can “annihilate the enemy,” state media reported Tuesday.
During a Sunday visit to a munitions factory, Kim described the weapons as the “main strike means” that would transform the composition of the Korean People’s Army’s artillery forces and serve as a central tool in future military operations, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.
Kim said the rocket launcher “is a super-powerful weapon system” that can “annihilate the enemy through sudden precise strike with high accuracy and devastating power” and can also be used as a “strategic attack means,” KCNA reported. North Korea frequently uses the term “strategic” to signal nuclear capability.
Analysts warn that North Korea’s expanding long-range rocket artillery poses a growing conventional threat to South Korea, where much of the population and key military infrastructure lie within range of such systems.
Kim’s entourage included Defense Minister No Kwang Chol, ruling party secretary Jo Chun Ryong and Missile Administration General Director Jang Chang Ha.
The factory inspection comes amid a surge in weapons-related activity by Kim ahead of an upcoming key party congress, underscoring a broader push to expand North Korea’s arms production capacity.
On Sunday, Kim oversaw the test launch of long-range strategic cruise missiles in the Yellow Sea, saying the drills demonstrated “the absolute reliability and combat readiness of our strategic counterattack capability.” The missiles flew for roughly two hours and 50 minutes along a preset flight orbit before striking a target, KCNA said.
South Korea’s military confirmed detecting the launches and warned that further tests could follow toward the end of the year.
Last week, Kim visited the construction site of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine, highlighting Pyongyang’s continued push to expand its strategic deterrent.
The inspection was accompanied by renewed calls from Kim to boost missile and artillery shell production capacity as North Korea ramps up weapons manufacturing ahead of the ruling Workers’ Party’s Ninth Congress, expected in early 2026.
The emphasis on munitions production has fueled speculation that Pyongyang is seeking to sustain or expand arms exports to Russia amid deepening military ties between the two countries. According to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, North Korea has sent thousands of shipping containers of munitions to Russia and deployed about 15,000 troops to assist Russian forces in the Kursk region.
In return, experts assess that Moscow is providing Pyongyang with advanced military technology, including assistance related to space launch vehicles, reconnaissance satellites and air defense systems.
The party congress is expected to outline a new five-year economic plan and recalibrate North Korea’s military and foreign policy priorities. Analysts say the meeting could further entrench a hard-line stance toward South Korea, which the North officially designated a “hostile state” last year as Kim abandoned the long-standing goal of reunification.