call

Al Michaels has been making play-by-play calls for prime time NFL games for 40 years.

His next game will be Saturday, when the Chicago Bears host the Green Bay Packers in an NFC wild-card game on Amazon Prime Video.

It won’t be his last.

Michaels will return to call games for Prime Video’s NFL coverage next season, the streaming service confirmed Friday. The 81-year-old Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer has been the play-by-play announcer for “Thursday Night Football,” with color commentator Kirk Herbstreit, since Prime Video acquired the rights to those games starting in the 2022 season.

After initially receiving a three-year deal from Amazon, which expired after 2024, Michaels reportedly worked this season under a one-year deal. Michaels told Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina in November that he would be happy to return in 2026 if Amazon would have him.

“It’s a two-way street here,” Michaels said. “They could tell me, ‘We got to move on, it’s time to make a transition,’ all that. I don’t know, that could happen. But as of the moment as we sit here on this mid-November afternoon, I feel really good, still love what I do and, again, work with a tremendous crew. So, yeah, I think at this moment in time, I would like to continue, yes.”

One of Michaels’ first jobs out of college was a very brief stint with the legendary Chick Hearn on Lakers radio broadcasts in 1967. Since then, he has gone on to announce some of the biggest moments in sports history, including his signature “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” call of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team’s upset of the Soviet Union.

Michaels was the play-by-play voice of ABC’s “Monday Night Football” from 1986-2005 and NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” from 2006-2021. He has called 11 Super Bowls, most recently on Feb. 13, 2022, when the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium.

WASHINGTON — Denmark and Greenland’s envoys to Washington have begun a vigorous effort to urge U.S. lawmakers as well as key Trump administration officials to step back from President Trump’s call for a takeover of the strategic Arctic island.

Denmark’s ambassador, Jesper Møller Sørensen, and Jacob Isbosethsen, Greenland’s chief representative to Washington, met on Thursday with White House National Security Council officials to discuss a renewed push by Trump to acquire Greenland, perhaps by military force, according to Danish government officials who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment about the meeting.

The envoys have also held a series of meetings this week with American lawmakers as they look to enlist help in persuading Trump to back off his threat.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet next week with Danish officials.

Trump, in a New York Times interview published Thursday, said he has to possess the entirety of Greenland instead of just exercising a long-standing treaty that gives the United States wide latitude to use Greenland for military posts.

“I think that ownership gives you a thing that you can’t do with, you’re talking about a lease or a treaty. Ownership gives you things and elements that you can’t get from just signing a document,” Trump told the newspaper.

The U.S. is party to a 1951 treaty that gives it broad rights to set up military bases there with the consent of Denmark and Greenland.

Meanwhile, Trump’s vice president, JD Vance, told reporters that European leaders should “take the president of the United States seriously” as he framed the issue as one of defense.

“What we’re asking our European friends to do is take the security of that landmass more seriously, because if they’re not, the United States is going to have to do something about it,” Vance said.

But the administration is starting to hear pushback from lawmakers, including some Republicans, about Trump’s designs on the territory.

In a floor speech Thursday, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) warned that the rhetoric from some in the Trump administration is “profoundly troubling.”

“We’ve got a lot ahead of us in 2026,” Murkowski said. “Greenland — or taking Greenland, or buying Greenland — should not be on that list. It should not be an obsession at the highest levels of this administration.”

Danish officials are hopeful about the upcoming talks with Rubio in Washington.

“This is the dialogue that is needed, as requested by the government together with the Greenlandic government,” Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told Danish broadcaster DR.

The island of Greenland, 80% of which lies above the Arctic Circle, is home to about 56,000 mostly Inuit people.

Vance criticizes Denmark

Vance said on Wednesday that Denmark “obviously” had not done a proper job in securing Greenland and that Trump “is willing to go as far as he has to” to defend American interests in the Arctic.

In an interview with Fox News, Vance repeated Trump’s claim that Greenland is crucial to both the U.S. and the world’s national security because “the entire missile defense infrastructure is partially dependent on Greenland.”

He said the fact that Denmark has been a faithful military ally of the U.S. during World War II and the more recent “war on terrorism” did not necessarily mean they were doing enough to secure Greenland today.

“Just because you did something smart 25 years ago doesn’t mean you can’t do something dumb now,” Vance said, adding that Trump “is saying very clearly, ‘you are not doing a good job with respect to Greenland.’”

Right to self-determination

Earlier, Rubio told a select group of U.S. lawmakers that it was the Republican administration’s intention to eventually purchase Greenland, as opposed to using military force.

“Many Greenlanders feel that the remarks made are disrespectful,” Aaja Chemnitz, one of the two Greenlandic politicians in the Danish parliament, told the Associated Press. “Many also experience that these conversations are being discussed over their heads. We have a firm saying in Greenland, ‘Nothing about Greenland, without Greenland.’”

She said most Greenlanders “wish for more self-determination, including independence” but also want to “strengthen cooperation with our partners” in security and business development as long as it is based on “mutual respect and recognition of our right to self-determination.”

Chemnitz denied a claim by Trump that Greenland is “covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place.”

Greenland is “a long-standing ally and partner to the U.S. and we have a shared interest in stability, security, and responsible cooperation in the Arctic,” she said. “There is an agreement with the U.S. that gives them access to have bases in Greenland if needed.”

France’s President Emmanuel Macron has denounced the “law of the strongest” that is making people “wonder if Greenland will be invaded.”

In a speech to French ambassadors at the Elysee presidential palace on Thursday, Macron said: “It’s the greatest disorder, the law of the strongest, and everyday people wonder whether Greenland will be invaded, whether Canada will be under the threat of becoming the 51st state [of the United States] or whether Taiwan is to be further circled.”

He pointed to an “increasingly dysfunctional” world where great powers, including the U.S and China, have “a real temptation to divide the world amongst themselves.”

The United States is “gradually turning away from some of its allies and freeing itself from the international rules,” Macron said.

Surveillance operations for the U.S.

The leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the U.K. joined Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Tuesday in defending Greenland’s sovereignty in the wake of Trump’s comments about Greenland, which is part of the NATO military alliance.

After Vance’s visit to Greenland last year, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen published a video detailing the 1951 defense agreement between Denmark and the U.S.. Since 1945, the American military presence in Greenland has decreased from thousands of soldiers over 17 bases and installations on the island, Rasmussen said, to the remote Pituffik Space Base in the northwest with some 200 soldiers today. The base supports missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance operations for the U.S. and NATO.

The 1951 agreement “offers ample opportunity for the United States to have a much stronger military presence in Greenland,” Rasmussen said. “If that is what you wish, then let us discuss it.”

‘Military defense of Greenland’

Last year, Denmark’s parliament approved a bill to allow U.S. military bases on Danish soil. The legislation widens a previous military agreement, made in 2023 with the Biden administration, where U.S. troops had broad access to Danish air bases in the Scandinavian country.

Denmark is also moving to strengthen its military presence around Greenland and in the wider North Atlantic.

Last year, the government announced a 14.6 billion-kroner ($2.3 billion) agreement with parties including the governments of Greenland and the Faroe Islands, another self-governing territory of Denmark, to “improve capabilities for surveillance and maintaining sovereignty in the region.”

Madhani and Ciobanu write for the Associated Press. AP writers Seung Min Kim, Konstantin Toropin in Washington and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report.

The Dodgers won’t be heading to an arbitration hearing after all.

Outfielder Alex Call (one-year, $1.6 million) and relief pitchers Anthony Banda (one-year, $1.625 million) and Brock Stewart (one-year, $1.3 million) each avoided arbitration, coming to an agreement with the Dodgers before Thursday’s MLB arbitration deadline, people familiar with the situation but unauthorized to speak publicly confirmed to The Times.

Call, the 31-year-old contact-first hitter that joined the team from the Washington Nationals at the trade deadline, hit .267 with five home runs and 31 RBIs during the 2025 season across 110 games, recording a career-high 1.5 wins-above-replacement.

After arriving in Los Angeles, Call played a reserve role behind Andy Pages and Kiké Hernández, appearing in 38 regular season games as a Dodger. The former third-round pick is set for an increased role in 2026, with utilityman Tommy Edman recovering from ankle surgery.

Banda, 32, is coming off his second season with the Dodgers — continuing to appear in a middle-relief role with relative success. The southpaw appeared in a career-high 75 games in 2025, recording a 3.18 earned-run average, 61 strikeouts and 34 walks. The two-time MLB champion also had a career-low .197 batting average against last season.

The 34-year-old Stewart, who began his career with the Dodgers before turning into a middle reliever for the Minnesota Twins from 2023-25, was expected to play a role post-trade deadline, but made just four appearances with the Dodgers before undergoing surgery on his right shoulder in September.

Stewart is expected to miss at least part of the 2026 season.

The Dodgers last went to an arbitration hearing in 2020, when the team headed into court with outfielder Joc Pederson and relief pitcher Pedro Baez. Since then, the team has mostly avoided arbitration dramatics.

Last year, after not being able to come to terms with relief pitcher Alex Vesia by the deadline, the southpaw and the team came to an agreement a few weeks later, avoiding a hearing altogether.

That contract included a 2026 club option for Vesia, which the Dodgers picked up.

Jan. 8 (UPI) — U.S. President Donald Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro held their first phone call Wednesday since the U.S. leader started his second term — a conversation described as “constructive” that could open a path to rebuilding a historically close relationship shaped by decades of cooperation on security and a fight against drug trafficking.

The more-than-40-minute conversation followed months of verbal escalation and administrative sanctions between the two governments and against a regionally tense backdrop after a U.S. operation led to the Jan. 3 capture in Caracas of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Hours after the call, Petro addressed a rally in Bogotá’s Plaza de Bolívar, convened “in defense of sovereignty,” and acknowledged that he softened a previously tougher attitude after speaking with Trump.

“If there is no dialogue, there is war. Colombian history has taught us that,” Petro said, announcing he had requested the restoration of formal communication channels between Colombia’s Foreign Ministry and the U.S. State Department.

During his remarks, the Colombian president said the call covered counternarcotics cooperation and rejected accusations linking him to drug trafficking, stating that for more than two decades, he has confronted criminal organizations and allied politicians, according to Colombian outlet Noticias Caracol.

Petro said he presented Trump with official government figures, including drug seizure levels that he said reached 2,800 metric tons by year’s end, as well as the extradition of hundreds of narcotics leaders.

He also argued that, unlike previous administrations, his government halted the growth of coca crops, which he said doubled under former President Iván Duque, while increasing by no more than 10% during his tenure. Coca leaves are used to make cocaine.

Petro defended voluntary crop substitution over forced eradication, contending the latter increases violence in rural areas.

The Colombian leader added that he briefed Trump on coordination experiences with Venezuela in the fight against drug trafficking in border regions such as Catatumbo, one of the main illicit trafficking corridors, where guerrillas, dissidents and criminal gangs operate.

In a message posted on social media, Trump said it was “a great honor” to speak with Petro and that he looks forward to meeting him “soon.”

In the same message, he said Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Colombia’s foreign minister, Rosa Villavicencio, already are working on arrangements for a White House meeting.

Colombia’s ambassador to the United States, Daniel García-Peña, told Noticias RCN that the communication was facilitated by Republican Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and that Trump extended the invitation to meet in Washington.

The diplomat described the exchange as “an extraordinary call” and said both leaders focused on issues of shared interest.

The conversation took place amid heightened domestic political tension in Colombia, marked by growing polarization and public confrontation on social media, fueled by earlier statements from Trump.

In the preceding days, the U.S. president suggested that an operation similar to the one carried out in Venezuela also “sounds good” for Colombia — rhetoric that drew strong official rebukes in Bogotá.

Petro has been a persistent critic of U.S. operations in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific, where U.S. forces have intercepted and sunk boats suspected of carrying drugs.

He has questioned that approach for its human cost, citing deaths reported during such operations.

In September, the U.S. government revoked Petro’s visa, and the Treasury Department later placed him, along with people in his inner circle, on the Office of Foreign Assets Control’s sanctions list, known as the “Clinton List,” following accusations made by Trump that the Colombian government rejected and that were not accompanied by public evidence.

Despite recent friction, bilateral ties rest on a solid historical foundation. Colombia has for decades been one of Washington’s main partners in Latin America on security and counternarcotics.

In the early 2000s, cooperation was consolidated under Plan Colombia with an initial U.S.-approved aid package of $1.3 billion in 2000, and in 2022 Washington designated Colombia a “Major Non-NATO Ally,” a status reserved for strategic partners outside the alliance.

Under Petro’s government, that partnership has faced political strain, particularly over differences on counternarcotics policy and bilateral rhetoric in a more volatile regional environment.

BBC viewers will see the beloved comedy series return to screens on Thursday night with some very familiar faves joining the cast.

Laughter is set to fill BBC screens this evening (January 8) as the second series of a popular comedy returns.

This follows hot on the heels of a new comedy featuring Dawn French and Mark Heap, which debuted on Wednesday night.

Black Ops, which originally launched in 2023, is making its comeback as viewers will see Gbemisola Ikumelo and Hammed Animashaun return as Dom and Kay.

The first series followed two East London police community support officers who unexpectedly found themselves working undercover.

Tasked with penetrating a criminal gang led by boss Tevin (Akemnji Ndifornyen), audiences were treated to a hilarious journey as the pair attempted to stay under the radar whilst Tevin grew increasingly suspicious, reports Wales Online.

Now, the cast reunite for a fresh series, which will feature appearances from Death in Paradise’s Cathy Tyson and Coronation Street’s Nigel Havers.

Discussing his return as Tevin, Akemnji revealed: “Series one was so nice, of course, we had to go and do it twice! Hugely excited to be going bigger, better and blacker for series two.

“Whatever is next for Dom, Kay – and of course Tevin – one thing is for certain, two things are for sure: it’s going to be a wild and thrilling comedy ride! Seatbelts, please!”

A synopsis for the second series reveals it begins with Dom and Kay working for MI5. Despite operating in the secretive world of espionage, their roles in the organisation are far from glamorous as they’re confined to administrative duties.

However, the situation shifts as an overview states: “All that changes when Dom meets a charismatic spy called Steve, offering the promise of more exciting, classified work.

“Dom and Kay soon find themselves embroiled in an escapade that tests their wits, their friendship, and their love of carnival to the limits.”

The series has received glowing reviews from viewers in the past, with one person commenting: “I find UK shows so much more my level of humour and cadence.. This show is excellent.”

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“The chemistry between the two main characters is spot on. It’s smart and funny and drama all at the same time. That’s hard to pull off. It’s a great storyline.”

Another viewer added: “Thought this was hilarious. The two main characters are a blast. And the series’ plot was twisting and gripping enough to also provided enough suspense to make me keep watching to the end. Loved it.”

Black Ops is available to watch on BBC One from 9:30pm

John Bobich, in his 26th season coaching San Pedro High basketball, knows a few tricks in the coaching trade. All you had to do is listen and watch in the third quarter when he put 6-foot-5 junior Aidan Applegate into the game. Applegate was crouching at the scorer’s table waiting to be buzzed in.

“This is your chance,” Bobich told him.

Applegate had a shot blocked, which didn’t deter him. By the fourth quarter, he was comfortable and confident, scoring eight points in the quarter and finishing with eight rebounds to help San Pedro pull away from Granada Hills 64-51 in a Marquez tournament game between two potential City Section Open Division playoff teams.

Applegate said when he heard Bobich’s words of motivation, he thought, “It’s my opportunity to show what I could do.”

Bobich has known Applegate since he was 8 years old. In fact, Bobich knows most of his San Pedro players from coaching or seeing them play in local recreation leagues. His son is on the team. San Pedro is 12-4 and favored to win the Marine League. Ricky Alonso led the scoring with 19 points and Elias Redlow, AJ Bobich and Chris Morgan added 10 points apiece.

Granada Hills received 20 points from Kristapor Kedikian. Applegate celebrated his 17th birthday with the team serenading him.

Girls basketball

Birmingham 54, Kennedy 46: The Patriots (14-3) received 21 points from Kayla Tanijiri.

Israel has launched intense artillery and helicopter attacks on southern Gaza despite a United States-brokered ceasefire, bombing a tent housing displaced Palestinians and killing a five-year-old girl and her uncle, according to officials.

The killings on Monday brought the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since the truce came into effect in October to at least 422, according to Gaza health authorities.

The Nasser Medical Complex in southern Khan Younis said the deadly Israeli strike hit a tent in the coastal al-Mawasi area, and that four others, including children, were also wounded.

Israel’s military said it struck a Hamas fighter who was planning to attack Israeli forces “in the immediate timeframe”. But the military did not provide evidence for the claim, and it was not clear if its statement referred to the tent attack.

Despite the ceasefire, Israeli forces have continued near-daily attacks on Gaza and have maintained restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid. Much of the enclave has been devastated by Israel’s genocidal war, with roughly 88 percent of buildings damaged or destroyed, Palestinian officials say.

Most of Gaza’s two million people are now living in tents, makeshift shelters or damaged buildings in areas vacated by Israeli troops.

The Palestinian Civil Defence said on Monday that another Palestinian home damaged in earlier Israeli strikes collapsed in the central Maghazi camp, killing a 29-year-old father and his eight-year-old son.

But the rescue service said in a subsequent statement that it was unable to respond to requests to remove hazards caused by damaged buildings because of a lack of equipment and continuing fuel shortages.

The Gaza ceasefire, agreed upon after more than two years of Israeli attacks that killed more than 71,000 people, is being implemented in phases. The first stage includes exchanges of captives and prisoners, increased humanitarian aid and the reopening of Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt.

Hamas has freed all remaining living captives and returned dozens of bodies, except for one, while Israel has released nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners, including some serving life sentences.

Hopes for Rafah crossing

However, humanitarian groups say that Israeli restrictions continue to hamper aid deliveries, while Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt remains closed. The crossing had long been Gaza’s only connection to the outside world until the Israeli military occupied the Palestinian side in May 2024.

Israel’s Kan broadcaster reported on January 1 that Israeli authorities are preparing to reopen the crossing in “both directions” following pressure from US President Donald Trump.

If confirmed, it would mark a shift from an earlier Israeli policy that stated the crossing would only open “exclusively for the exit of residents from the Gaza Strip to Egypt”. The policy drew condemnation from regional governments, including Egypt and Qatar, with officials warning against the ethnic cleansing of Gaza.

The latest Israeli report has left many Palestinians hopeful.

Tasnim Jaras, a student in Gaza City, told Al Jazeera that it was her “dream that the crossing opens so we can continue our education”.

Moaeen al-Jarousha, who was wounded in the war, said he needed to leave Gaza to receive medical treatment abroad. “I need immediate medical intervention. I live in very difficult conditions,” he said.

Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, said Palestinians in Gaza have been waiting for the crossing to open for a long time.

“For many, this isn’t about travel, it’s about survival. Parents are asking about medical access they haven’t been able to obtain over the past two years. Students think of this as an opportunity to continue their education,” he said.

“And for many families, this is an opportunity to reunite with family members who have been separated for too long. But hope here is never simple. People here have heard about these announcements numerous times, and many recall how quickly it shut again,” he added.

Israel, meanwhile, continues to retain control of 53 percent of Gaza, and witnesses on Monday reported continued demolitions of residential homes in the eastern Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City.

The Israeli military also said it attacked a Palestinian who had crossed the so-called “yellow line” – an unmarked boundary where the Israeli military repositioned itself when the truce came into effect – in southern Gaza on Monday with the aim of “removing the threat”. It did not provide evidence for the claim.

Israel also said it had carried out strikes against Hezbollah and Hamas targets in southern and eastern Lebanon.

Victoria Jones, the daughter of Academy Award-winning actor Tommy Lee Jones, was reportedly found dead at a hotel in San Francisco on New Year’s Day. She was 34.

According to TMZ, the San Francisco Fire Department responded to a medical emergency call at the Fairmont San Francisco early Thursday morning. The paramedics pronounced Victoria dead at the scene before turning it over to the San Francisco Police Department for further investigation, the outlet said.

An SFPD representative confirmed to The Times that officers responded to a call at approximately 3:14 a.m. Thursday regarding a report of a deceased person at the hotel and that they met with medics at the scene who declared an unnamed adult female dead.

Citing law enforcement sources, NBC Bay Area also reported that the deceased woman found in a hallway of the hotel was believed to be Jones and that police did not suspect foul play.

“We are deeply saddened by an incident that occurred at the hotel on January 1, 2026,” the Fairmont told NBC Bay Area in a statement. “Our heartfelt condolences are with the family and loved ones during this very difficult time. The hotel team is actively cooperating and supporting police authorities within the framework of the ongoing investigation.”

The medical examiner conducted an investigation at the scene, but Jones’ cause of death remains undetermined. Dispatch audio obtained by TMZ and People indicated that the 911 emergency call was for a suspected drug overdose.

Jones was the daughter of Tommy Lee and ex-wife Kimberlea Cloughley. Her brief acting career included roles on films such as “Men in Black II” (2002), which starred her father, and “The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada” (2005), which was directed by her father. She also appeared in a 2005 episode of “One Tree Hill.”

Page Six reported that Jones had been arrested at least twice in 2025 in Napa County, including an arrest on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and drug possession.

Mrs Brown’s Boys fans were left less than impressed as the BBC comedy returned for its second instalment on New Year’s Day

After the opening episode broadcast on Christmas Day, Mrs Brown’s Boys made its comeback with a second instalment on New Year’s Day, leaving audiences thoroughly unimpressed.

Reports suggest the 2025 Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas special failed to crack the top 10 most-watched programmes on Christmas Day, pulling in just 1.6 million viewers.

The 2024 Christmas Day special managed to secure 2.2 million viewers, according to BirminghamLive, representing a dramatic drop from the inaugural Christmas special in 2013, which commanded an audience of 11.5 million.

The plot summary for the second festive episode states: “Tensions are high as Agnes ( Brendan O’Carroll ) and the gang prepare for an incoming storm.

“Buster’s flying high as he nervously awaits his birthday parachute jump, Winnie receives a shock to the system, and a lost nun is in need of help,” reports the Express.

Within moments of the episode beginning, viewers flocked to social media to voice their opinions, with one posting on X: “GET MRS BROWN’S BOYS AXED.”

Another commented: “I swear every shot of Cathy in #MrsBrownsBoys is blurred slightly, even in HD. It’s like watching on VHS.”

A third chimed in: “As if I haven’t had to put up with enough torture today, me nans put Mrs Brown’s Boys on.

“Unfunny drivel,” declared someone else, whilst another simply wrote: “What a load of s****.”

One viewer remarked on X: “Three goalless draws on Match of the Day tonight, and yet it will still be more entertaining than the Mrs Brown’s Boys New Year’s Special.”

However, not all viewers agreed with the criticism. One fan defended the show, saying, “Still a staple of Christmas and New Year’s TV.”

Another chimed in, “The new year one is so much better than Christmas when it comes to the special effects. Keep making more and tell the haters … ‘that’s nice’.”

There was also some discontent about the Christmas Day episode, with fans taking to social media to air their grievances.

One disgruntled viewer remarked, “The BBC has just witnessed the biggest switch off in their history as they announce the Christmas special of #mrsbrownsboys.”

Another quipped: “The 1.6 million people who watched Mrs Browns Boys need to give their heads a wobble.”

Despite the complaints, many fans rallied behind the comedy, advising those who weren’t fans to simply “switch channels”.

One supporter retorted, “What’s with all the people whining about #MrsBrownsBoys? If you don’t like it, change the f***ing channel and move on. Stop ruining it for the people who enjoy it.”

The Mrs Brown’s Boys New Year Special is now available for viewing on BBC iPlayer.

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WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Dick Cheney predicted Thursday that the Soviet Union will withdraw all of its troops from Europe by 1995, a forecast that prompted key Senate Democrats to question whether President Bush’s new proposal for cutting U.S. forces should be faster and deeper.

As the Senate Armed Services Committee opened congressional debate on reshaping the nation’s military structure, Cheney and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Colin L. Powell, were repeatedly challenged on the Administration’s troop-reduction plans.

195,000 Force Level

Cheney, disclosing the Pentagon’s rough timetable for cuts in Europe, testified that it may take a year or two to carry out any U.S.-Soviet agreement on the issue.

Bush announced Wednesday night that he was recommending that each side cut its combat forces in Central Europe to 195,000, with the United States allowed to have an additional 30,000 elsewhere in Europe. Currently, the United States has 305,000 troops on the continent.

Sen. Alan J. Dixon (D-Ill.), sharply criticizing the pace of negotiations, declared that he would push the subcommittee he heads to legislate an immediate reduction of 50,000 American troops in Europe and 10,000 in Korea.

Dixon said events are overtaking negotiations, with NATO allies West Germany and Belgium already planning their own deep cuts and Soviet forces certain to be kicked out by new governments in Eastern Europe.

“I’m not saying we should strip until we’re naked,” Dixon said. “There are reasonable, moderate, fair reductions we can make.”

Later, Committee Chairman Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) applauded Bush for going beyond his proposal of last May and advocating the withdrawal of 80,000 U.S. troops, not just the 30,000 he called for then. He called it “much more relevant to the changes in Europe and to the budget realities here at home.”

But Nunn voiced strong concern when Cheney seemed to advocate keeping 225,000 U.S. troops in Europe indefinitely, despite his prediction that the Soviets would pull all of its forces out of Eastern Europe and the two Germanys would be reunited.

Nunn warned that unless the United States had plans to make substantial withdrawals in such a case, it could wind up supplying most of the ground forces for NATO as other allies disbanded their units.

The influential senator got Cheney to concede that the Administration would “take another look” at U.S. troop levels in the event of a sweeping Soviet pullback and German reunification.

Despite Cheney’s expression of flexibility, the defense secretary firmly defended Bush’s new plan. He asserted that any effort by Congress to make unilateral troop cuts before the conclusion of U.S.-Soviet arms control talks would undermine the NATO alliance and encourage greater instability in Europe.

“We are on the verge of winning one of the greatest victories in the history of the world without a shot being fired,” Cheney said. “We should not unilaterally bring them (U.S. troops) home before we get an agreement.”

Republicans Cautious

Several Republicans on the committee strongly backed that position.

“We cannot let the euphoria sweeping this nation drive us to unilateral and hasty reductions in these forces,” Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S. C.) said.

Although members of both parties warmly pledged to work cooperatively with Cheney and Powell in the battles ahead, several Democrats served notice that they would press for deep cuts in the Administration’s proposals for increased spending on strategic weapons programs.

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) proposed a “Democratic alternative” that he said would carve a $169-billion “peace dividend” out of the defense budget over the next five years, more than quadrupling the savings proposed by Bush for the same period.

Kennedy singled out the B-2 Stealth bomber, the “Star Wars” anti-missile program and other major programs for deep slashes. He argued that Bush’s budget fails to reflect a dramatically diminished Soviet military threat and a massive upgrading of U.S. strategic weapons in the last decade.

“We have to have a modernization program,” he said, “but does it have to be at the madcap pace of the 1980s?”

Cheney, while acknowledging major changes in the world, said that the Soviets continue to modernize their own strategic arsenal. “The Soviet Union remains the only nation on earth capable of destroying the United States,” he said.

Powell likewise contended that this was no time for the nation to let down its guard.

“I never want to return to that leisurely, comfortable ‘From Here to Eternity’ attitude of the 1930s that helped invite global conflict to an unsuspecting world,” he said.

Dec. 26 (Asia Today) — A controversial revision to South Korea’s Information and Communications Network Act, driven through the National Assembly by the ruling Democratic Party, is facing a growing backlash not only from conservatives but also from within the broader progressive camp, with critics urging President Lee Jae-myung to exercise his veto.

The amendment, often dubbed the “anti-disinformation law,” passed the Assembly on Dec. 24 as the Democratic Party leveraged its 170-seat majority. However, smaller progressive allies – including the Progressive Party, the Basic Income Party and the Social Democratic Party – either opposed the bill or abstained, warning that it could violate constitutional protections on freedom of expression.

“The criteria for judging what constitutes harm to the public interest are unclear,” Sohn Sol, senior spokesperson for the Progressive Party, said in a statement on Wednesday. “There is a serious risk the law could be abused as a tool to arbitrarily suppress speech critical of those in power,” she said, calling on the president to return the bill to the Assembly.

During the plenary vote, Progressive Party lawmaker Jung Hye-kyung voted against the bill, while Sohn abstained. Lawmakers Yong Hye-in of the Basic Income Party and Han Chang-min of the Social Democratic Party also cast abstentions. Even Park Joo-min, a Democratic Party lawmaker, abstained, later saying that key provisions he had championed – including the complete repeal of criminal defamation for statements of fact and changes to complaint-based prosecution – were not included in the final version.

The revised law allows courts to award punitive damages of up to five times the assessed harm against media outlets or YouTubers found to have intentionally disseminated fabricated or manipulated information. It also empowers the Korea Communications Commission to impose fines of up to 10 billion won ($7.7 million) on those who repeatedly distribute content ruled to be false by the courts. Supporters argue the measures are necessary to dismantle profit-driven fake news operations.

Despite criticism from both opposition parties and parts of the progressive bloc, the Democratic Party has held firm. Party leader Jung Cheong-rae said “irresponsible freedoms that fuel chaos and profit from malicious agitation cannot be left unchecked,” while Supreme Council member Han Jun-ho dismissed warnings about chilled speech as “overblown.”

The main opposition People Power Party said it would seek legal remedies, including filing a jurisdictional dispute with the Constitutional Court, calling the law “an unconstitutional gag order that suffocates liberal democracy.” Floor leader Song Eon-seok urged President Lee to “immediately exercise his veto.”

Attention has also turned to the Justice Innovation Party, which played a swing role in the legislative process. While the party initially pushed alternative proposals – including limits on punitive damages claims by public officials and repeal of criminal defamation for factual statements – those demands were not fully reflected. The party ultimately backed the Democratic Party’s bill, citing future discussions on criminal law revisions, while securing amendments to strengthen defendants’ rights for journalists and other targets of lawsuits.

–Copyright by Asiatoday

The new series of BBC’s Call The Midwife will feature a brand new cast playing some of the much-loved characters at the ages they were when WWII broke out

The prequel of BBC One’s Call the Midwife, set at the start of World War Two and featuring younger versions of at least three of the show’s best-known characters, will launch next year on Christmas Day.

Despite the audience not knowing the actors who will play the earlier models of Jenny Agutter’s Sister Julienne, Pam Ferris’ Sister Evangeline or Judy Parfitt’s Sister Monica Joan, BBC bosses have such confidence that the show’s loyal fans will tune in, that the drama is expected to keep its prime festive slot.

Executive producer Pippa Harris, of Neal Street Productions, revealed that the prequel would kick off in the place usually reserved for Call the Midwife. Introducing the upcoming 15th series, she was asked if BBC bosses were concerned about being left with “a blank space” for 2026 and replied: “No, it will be on at Christmas.” That festive outing will be the first glimpse that viewers have of the wartime spin-off, which came about after writer Heidi Thomas had a desire to go further back in time.

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“Having wept, laughed, and raged my way from 1957 to 1971, I found myself yearning to delve into the deeper past,” she has explained. The brand new series, which does not yet have a title and will film next year, is set in 1939, nearly two decades before Jennifer Worth’s original memoirs began in 1957.

Heidi admits she needed a “temporary pause in the usual pattern” after 15 years of Call the Midwife. “I don’t think any other show has produced a series every year for that period of time,” she said. “So I think this is a lovely opportunity for us to press pause and refresh a little bit and come back with more exciting things.”

She stressed that a 16th series, picking up in 1973, would follow on TV in due course. “We’re not going anywhere,” she stressed, “Except for maybe Australia.” A movie version for cinema release, set in 1972 and featuring the regular cast, is likely to be set in Australia.

On the film, to be shot at the end of next year, Heidi said: “Australia is likely, I can say that. But there are a number of places within Australia where that could be, all of which would be very different. We won’t be making any official announcements until we know exactly .” One possibility is that Miriam Margolyes will make a welcome return as Mother Mildred, as the actress is based in Australia.

Helen George, who has played nurse Trixie Aylward since the first episode aired in 2012, said she was happy to have a year off before returning to make the movie. “The truth is no one knows who’s going to be in the film yet,” she admitted. “It has to make sense that all of these characters end up in Australia. So even though I may want to go – of course I bloody do! – it can’t be so extraordinary that it doesn’t make sense.”

She said a feature-length film would provide the “space and the time” to explore their characters further. “Australia is so beautiful, when we did the South African Christmas special it was so cinematic and the lighting is all different. This would be their missionary work potentially, because this is what the nuns would do. It makes complete sense for them to branch out into the world.”

Trixie wasn’t born in 1939, but Helen, 41, believes that expanding the Nonnatus world backwards is also a fantastic idea. “The prequel will have characters that we know so well, but we’ll be going back and seeing the start. When we first began, we’d have sets with the remnants of buildings that had been bombed in the Blitz. It’s fascinating to go even further back, and I will definitely be watching.

“The fact that the British public still want us around is amazing,” she laughed. “It’s right to change the format – we all need a new lease of life.”

In the series starting next month, it is 1971 and the midwives and nurses are getting to grips with the women’s liberation movement. In one scene, some of the Nonnatus regulars are seen burning their bras, and while she didn’t do that herself, actress Linda Bassett, who plays nurse Phyllis Crane, said she did get involved in other ways.

“I was involved in various women’s groups – it affected all our relationships, people were very enthused,” she recalled. “I was very young and we had groups where we sat in a circle and got out speculums and looked up our own vaginas, at the cervix. That was what we did! I don’t think Heidi wanted to put that in the film. It was all about being free and feeling at one with your body and not being ashamed.”

Linda, 75, said she didn’t actually burn her bra. “That was a publicity thing. People did it and I’m not knocking it but no, I didn’t.” Annabelle Apsion, who plays Poplar’s much-loved mayor and shop-owner Violent Buckle, said it had been fun to film the bra burning, with some members of the team finding it quite emotional.

“Lisa, who directed it, was crying, because she remembered all of that. A lot of young women now don’t realise how things were. It would probably be a big shock to them to hear that women didn’t get the same pay for the same job.

“It was a beautiful day and it was hilarious how the men, like Dr Turner, were saying things like ‘have you left me a casserole?’”

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

One of the U.S. Air Force’s last remaining EC-130H Compass Call electronic warfare planes is now in Puerto Rico, video emerging on social media shows. The arrival marks the latest in an increasing buildup of military assets in the region to pressure Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and for what seems increasingly likely to be a contingency for a sustained kinetic operation over Venezuela.

You can catch up with our latest coverage on Operation Southern Spear in the Caribbean here.

The Compass Call landed 10 p.m. on Saturday at the Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport in Puerto Rico, the videographer, an aircraft spotter who uses the Instagram handle Pinchito.Avgeek, told us. Other aircraft spotters told The War Zone that this is the first confirmed Compass Call to be seen in Puerto Rico as of late. The airport is also home to the Puerto Rico Air National Guard’s 156th Wing and has seen C-17 Globemaster III and other military aircraft operating there for Southern Spear.

While there are a number of C-130 Hercules variants in Puerto Rico, a screencap of that video shows that antennas under the tail and on top of the aircraft behind the cockpit conclusively show this is an EC-130H Compass Call.

Though the Air Force is phasing these aircraft out in favor of EA-37B Compass Call jets, the EC-130H brings capabilities that would be called upon for an attack on Venezuela should one be ordered. The heavily modified C-130 Hercules cargo planes carry a suite of electronic attack gear that can find and track “emitters” like radios and radars and then scramble their signals. This equipment can also jam cell phones.

The equipment aboard the Compass Call would help to blind Venezuelan air defenses, communications and command and control, making it harder to respond to attacks by combat aircraft and cruise missiles. The four-engine aircraft can fly for many hours without refueling and much longer with tanker support, giving U.S. Southern Command a long-loitering airborne EW platform.

As we noted in an earlier story: “Previous iterations of the EC-130H-based Compass Call system have proven their value in combat zones on multiple occasions in the past two decades. A contingent of these aircraft was continuously forward-deployed in the Middle East, from where they also supported operations in Afghanistan, between 2001 and 2021. EC-130Hs supported the raid that led to the death of Al Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011 and prevented the detonation of an improvised explosive device that might have killed then-Maj. Gen. James Mattis, who later rose to the rank of General and also served as Secretary of Defense under Trump, in Iraq in 2003, among many other exploits, according to a recent story from Air Force Times.”

The current status and location of the Compass Call are not publicly known. The videographer told us he only saw it land. A U.S. official we spoke with could not comment on the arrival of the EC-130H but told us that there have been no new military orders for Southern Spear.

The EC-130H joins a squadron of E/A-18G Growler electronic attack jets, deployed on the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, as well as another squadron on land, as airborne electronic warfare assets now operating in the Caribbean. While Compass Calls offer some overlapping capabilities and some significantly different ones than the Growlers, the arrival of the EC-130J is another indication that electronic warfare is clearly taking a lopsided focus compared to the size of the rest of the fighting force deployed in the region.

While it is unclear if the Compass Call has performed any of its offensive operations yet, both the U.S. and Venezuela are using defensive jamming to protect assets. This has become an increasing problem for the region as tensions rise.

“At least some of the U.S. warships that have deployed to the Caribbean in recent months have been jamming GPS signals in their vicinity,” The New York Times reported, citing an analysis of data provided by Stanford University and a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters.

In an effort to protect important resources, “the armed forces of President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela have jammed the GPS signals around the country’s critical infrastructure, including military bases, oil refineries and power plants,” the publication noted, citing an analysis by Spire Global, a satellite data firm.

Combined, the jamming is raising concerns for aviation.

“Whether jamming is due to the U.S. or Venezuelan forces, it really doesn’t matter: You don’t want an aircraft going in there,” Gen. Willie Shelton, the former head of the U.S. Air Force’s Space Command, told The Times.

As for the EC-130Hs, the aircraft is being retired from the Air Force inventory.

“Currently, the U.S. Air Force is operating and maintaining eight EC-130H aircraft,” Capt. Ridge Miller, a spokesperson for Air Combat Command (ACC) told The War Zone Monday afternoon. “A total of 10 EA-37B aircraft are on track to be delivered while simultaneously retiring the EC-130H fleet in a phased approach. Both platforms currently operate out of the 55th Electronic Combat Group at Davis Monthan AFB in Arizona.”

The EA-37B is based on a heavily modified version of the Gulfstream G550 airframe.

In addition to the Compass Call, other C-130 variants are operating out of Puerto Rico. One of which is the Marine Corps’ KC-130J Hercules tanker/transport aircraft. The KC-130Js uses the probe-and-drogue method for Navy and Marine Corps aircraft, and is used to refuel fixed-wing fighter aircraft and helicopters.

Plane spotter @LatAmMilMovements told us that at least one of these aircraft, and sometimes two, have had a steady presence ever since Marine F-35B Lightnings arrived in Puerto Rico in September. This matches the imagery and satellite photos we have seen of the installation for months now. AV-8B Harriers, MV-22 Ospreys, and CH-53 Sea Stallions, all from the USS Iwo Jima and its flotilla, are also using the base regularly and they can all refuel from the KC-130J.

Air Force HC-130J Combat King II combat search and rescue (CSAR) planes are also flying out of Puerto Rico. Traditionally, they provide fuel to HH-60W Jolly Green Giant II CSAR helicopters, CV-22 Ospreys, and, to a lesser degree, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) helicopters.

These types are just part of a growing fleet of aerial refuelers in the region. The Air Force has also deployed KC-135 Stratotankers and KC-46 Pegasus tankers to the Dominican Republic and U.S. Virgin Islands.

As more tanker aircraft arrive in Puerto Rico, they are also building up at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. Aerial images show at least 28 KC-135s at the base. The image also shows at least two E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft are operating from MacDill, located about 1,400 miles northwest of Venezuela. As we pointed out last week, at least one Sentry was recently tracked on FlightRadar24 flying close to the Venezuelan coast. 

While E-3s may have been present but not trackable over the Caribbean in recent days, this one being trackable was not a mistake. U.S. military aircraft executing easily trackable sorties very near Venezuelan airspace have been a key component of the pressure campaign placed on Maduro. 

In addition to the growing military pressure on the Venezuelan leader, the U.S. is also raising the stakes economically. Since President Donald Trump declared a blockade against sanctioned oil tankers, U.S. authorities have seized two tankers. On Sunday, the Coast Guard was in “active pursuit” of the massive tanker Bella 1 after it refused to submit to U.S. seizure efforts. The status of that effort was unclear as of Monday afternoon. We have reached out to the Coast Guard for more details.

Though the military and economic pressure are building on Maduro, Trump’s exact intentions remain an open question, although they appear to be becoming clearer by the day. During his announcement of the new Trump class battleships Monday afternoon, the president again said that the U.S. would soon be going after drug cartels on land; however, he explained that would not just be focused on Venezuela.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com

BBC One’s new Christmas drama Stuffed has been branded “iconic” by fans

A hidden treasure of a comedy on the BBC, hailed as “brilliant” by viewers, is set to air tonight.

Stuffed, starring Guz Khan and Morgana Robinson, is a comedy-drama that follows a family embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Lapland.

Khan portrays Arslan Farooqi, who, after receiving an unexpected £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, decides to take his multi-faith family on this festive adventure.

Joined by his wife Hannah (played by Robinson), his two daughters, and brother-in-law Jamie, they trade Coventry for the enchantment of Christmas in Lapland.

However, their holiday soon descends into chaos when Arslan discovers that his bonus was given in error and needs to be returned, reports Wales Online.

The BBC’s synopsis teases: “Things go downhill fast when Arslan finds out the bonus was a mistake, and to make matters worse, they have already spent every penny of it.

“What ensues is one man’s quest to salvage a Christmas he doesn’t believe in, while ideally not losing his job, his family, and everything he has ever worked for. And surprise, surprise, it doesn’t go too smoothly.”

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The film can be streamed on BBC iPlayer and will also be broadcast on BBC One tonight at 9pm.

One enthusiastic fan recommended: “If you’ve not watched it yet, try Stuffed on the iPlayer. Brilliant new addition to the Christmas film list. Guz Khan is brilliant.”

Another viewer gushed: “Absolutely loved Stuffed on BBC iPlayer with my fav man @GuzKhanOfficial, him and Morgana are a dream team working together.”

Another viewer chimed in: “Loved it, hope some more will follow!” while a fourth echoed: “We need a regular series for this! Loved it made me laugh throughout.”

One enthusiastic fan declared: “This is iconic on tv I didn’t know what to watch during the Christmas holidays, same old home alone and polar express but this… is perhaps the best drama I’ve seen.”

Guz had previously shared his apprehensions about Stuffed’s release with The Guardian, saying: “You never know when you make something. I never thought we’d ever be in this kind of slot. There’s lots of things that come along with doing a Christmas special.”

He continued: “A lot of the work I get asked to do is like: ‘Come in and do your thing.’ I just did season two of The Gentlemen, and it was such a fun week. There’s no rules. You can go absolutely crazy.

“But this was a little bit different. You have to follow some guidelines. And so it was a really good challenge for me. Where I’d usually express myself with dialogue, I had to try and get the same feeling with an expression.”

Stuffed airs on BBC One tonight at 9pm and is available to watch on iPlayer.

Vince Zampella, the video game developer who helped launch the wildly lucrative and enduring “Call of Duty” franchise and “Apex Legends” studio Respawn Entertainment, has died.

A representative for Electronic Arts, which owns Respawn, confirmed Zampella’s death Monday in a statement shared with The Times. He was 55.

Zampella was one of two people who died Sunday afternoon in a car crash along Angeles Crest Highway, NBC 4 reported. The crash involved a red 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS, and the identities of the deceased are pending release by the county coroner, said California Highway Patrol spokesperson Sgt. Daniel Keene.

Zampella was a noted sports car collector, often sharing photos of his luxury vehicles and visits to car races on Instagram.

“This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work,” said the Electronic Arts representative in a statement. “Vince’s influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching.”

The CHP said in a Sunday news release that it received a call at 12:43 p.m. about a crash at Mile Post 62.70 of the scenic drive, which reopened in August after a years-long closure due to storm damage. Officers responded to the scene of the crash, and a preliminary investigation found that a car had been traveling southbound when, “for unknown reasons, the vehicle veered off the roadway, struck a concrete barrier, and became fully engulfed,” according to the release.

“The passenger was ejected from the vehicle, and the driver remained trapped,” the CHP statement said. “Both parties succumbed to their injuries.”

Video emerged online showing a red Ferrari shooting out of a tunnel along the highway at a high speed, slamming into a concrete barrier where the road curved and erupting into flames.

The 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS is a hybrid convertible powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 and an electric motor, producing a combined 819 horsepower.

The scenic Angeles Crest Highway, which features 66 miles of mountainside twists and turns is a favorite among motorcycle riders and car enthusiasts but also has a track record of deadly and dangerous crashes.

The CHP said Sunday it was unclear whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash.

Zampella was a formative figure in the modern gaming scene. Alongside Jason West and former creative partner Grant Collier, he co-founded the original “Call of Duty” studio, Infinity Ward, in 2002 and released the first installment of the first-person military shooting game in 2003. Activision acquired the studio that same year. Since its inception, “Call of Duty” has spawned dozens of sequels and spin-offs across various consoles and platforms, most recently “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7,” released in November.

He and West, after an acrimonious split with Activision, founded Respawn Entertainment in 2010. Though West departed Respawn in 2013 due to unspecified family issues, Zampella remained head of the studio, overseeing the creation of titles including “Titanfall,” “Apex Legends” and “Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond.” Additionally, Respawn expanded its lineup with the story-driven “Star Wars” titles “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” and “Star Wars Jedi: Survivor,” starring Cameron Monaghan.

Zampella also led the L.A. branch of Swedish video game developer DICE, which was renamed in 2021 to Ripple Effect Studios, and was appointed to oversee its “Battlefield” franchise.

“A friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator, his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment and inspired millions of players and developers around the world,” Electronic Arts said in its statement. “His legacy will continue to shape how games are made and how players connect for generations to come.”

Zampella is survived by his three children, Quentin, 26; Kyle, 22; and Courtney, 19.

US and Ukrainian envoys say “productive and constructive” talks have taken place in Miami, but there still appears to be no major breakthrough in efforts to end Ukraine’s war with Russia.

Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, issued a joint statement with the top Ukrainian negotiator, Rustem Umerov, after three days of meetings with European allies.

The pair said the meeting focused on aligning positions on a 20-point plan, a “multilateral security guarantee framework”, a “US Security guarantee framework for Ukraine” and an “economic & prosperity plan”.

Separate talks have been taking place in Miami between the US and the Russian envoy, Kirill Dmitriev.

“Our shared priority is to stop the killing, ensure guaranteed security, and create conditions for Ukraine’s recovery, stability, and long-term prosperity,” Witkoff and Umerov said in a statement.

The meetings are the latest step in weeks of diplomatic activity, sparked by the leaking of a 28-point US peace plan which shocked Ukraine and its European allies for appearing to favour Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago.

Witkoff said representatives from Russia had met himself and other US officials in southern Florida, including Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Witkoff said the meetings with Russian envoy Dmitriev were also “productive and constructive” and that “Russia remains fully committed to achieving peace in Ukraine”.

Trump has been pushing Ukraine and Russia to come to an agreement on ending the war, but so far the two countries have been unable to agree on major issues, including Moscow’s demand to keep land it has already seized.

US intelligence reports continue to warn that Russian President Vladimir Putin still wants to capture all of Ukraine and reclaim parts of Europe that belonged to the former Soviet empire, six sources familiar with US intelligence told the Reuters news agency.

This comes says after Putin told the BBC’s Steve Rosenberg that there will be no more wars after Ukraine, if Russia is treated with respect.

“There won’t be any operations if you treat us with respect, if you respect our interests just as we’ve always tried to respect yours,” he said.

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone attack damaged two vessels and two piers in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region, Russian officials said on Monday.

The damage led to a big fire, but Russian authorities say all crew were safely evacuated. Some reports say oil infrastructure was targeted.

Dec. 19 (UPI) — Attorneys for former special counsel Jack Smith again asked for a public hearing after he testified behind closed doors about his efforts to prosecute President Donald Trump.

The House Judiciary Committee deposed Smith on Wednesday during a closed hearing that lasted for about nine hours, and his attorneys wrote committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, on Thursday to ask for a public hearing, CBS News reported.

“Mr. Smith welcomed this opportunity and hopes that it will serve to correct the many mischaracterizations about the work of the Special Counsel’s Office,” said Smith’s attorneys, Peter Koski and Lanny Breuer.

“During the investigation of President Trump, Mr. Smith steadfastly followed Justice Department policies, observed all legal requirements and took actions based on the facts and the law,” they wrote in their joint letter to Jordan.

“He stands by his decisions,” they said, adding that an open hearing would enable the public to hear Smith directly and not through third-party accounts, according to Politico.

Koski and Breuer also asked Jordan and the committee to release a full recording of Smith’s deposition, during which he said evidence showed Trump illegally mishandled classified documents and tried to overturn the 2020 election results.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Smith told the committee that he would charge Trump again based on the same evidence if given the chance to do so.

Jordan and other House Republicans accused Smith of “prosecutorial misconduct and constitutional abuses” while investigating Trump on behalf of the Biden administration.

They claim Smith tried to silence the president by manipulating evidence against him and raiding his Mar-A-Lago estate without cause after other federal prosecutors said there was no justification to do so, Axios reported.

Neither the classified documents case nor the alleged conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election results case reached the trial stage.

SALT LAKE CITY — When Brice Sensabaugh drilled a wide-open three pointer in the third quarter, Lakers coach JJ Redick quickly called a timeout and began to gesture with both hands toward his players, clearly showing his displeasure with their defense.

The Lakers responded.

They especially picked up their defensive intensity for an important spurt in the fourth quarter, slowing down the Utah Jazz and in the process the Lakers’ offense took off, the two converging at the right time to push them to a 143-135 win Thursday night at the Delta Center.

The Lakers gave up 41 points in the first quarter and a season-high 78 at the half. They allowed 57 points in the second half and put the Jazz away by scoring 41 points in the fourth quarter.

“Obviously we know this Utah team can score points at a very high rate, but it was very imperative that we got stops,” said LeBron James, who had another productive night with 28 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. “We had to get stops to start that fourth and then it allowed our offense to click.”

But even with the Lakers building a 12-point lead in the fourth, the Jazz continued to put stress on L.A.’s defense, getting within four points late in the game.

The Lakers’ Lebron James dunks over the Jazz’s Kyle Filipowski at Delta Center Thursday night in Salt Lake City, Utah.

(Alex Goodlett / Getty Images)

The Lakers had answers every time, keeping the game in their hands behind Luka Doncic’s triple-double — 45 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds.

His 45-point triple-double and five steals made Doncic just the second player in NBA history to accomplish that feat since steals became official in 1973-74. Detroit Cade Cunningham (46 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, five steals) is the other player to do so, producing that against the Wizards on Nov. 2025 in overtime.

Doncic was 14-for-28 from the field, four-for-12 from three-point range and had just one turnover in 39 minutes and 33 seconds of play.

Doncic also was the first Laker to have a 40-point triple-double since Magic Johnson in 1981.

“I think, honestly, I could do so much more,” Doncic said. “But I think that one turnover is the best stat-wise on this stat sheet. So, we had seven turnovers, which is impressive for us and we won the game. And again, that’s what matters. But I think we locked in a lot in the second half. We did a great job.”

The Lakers got a scare when James went down holding his left knee after a collision with Utah’s Walter Clayton Jr.

James was dribbling the basketball near the three-point arc when Clayton went for a steal, but instead his knee hit the inside of James’ knee, knocking the Laker to the floor with 7:52 left in the second quarter.

James eventually got up and continued to play, taking a rest with 4:53 left in the half.

James described what happened on the play.

“Just a little bolt to the knee, like a sharp pain to the knee,” James said. “Got kneed on the the inside, like the medial side of the knee. And just kind of wanted to take my time a little bit as it calmed down or whatever the case may be. Or hoping it calmed down. Told Mike (Mancias) my trainer, I said, ‘We dodged a bullet there.’ ”

The Lakers were already without starters Austin Reaves (left calf strain) and Deandre Ayton (left elbow soreness), but then they added key role player Gabe Vincent (lower back tightness) to the injury list, leaving them without three main players entering the game at Utah. Vincent will be reevaluated in a week.

Lakers guard Luka Doncic celebrates after making a play during the second half of a win over the Jazz Thursday night at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

(Alex Goodlett / Getty Images)

Jaxson Hayes started at center in place of Ayton and Smart started at guard for Reaves.

Injuries also hit the Jazz, as star forward Lauri Markkanen, the ninth-highest scorer (27.8) in the NBA this season, was out because of a right groin injury.

Smart had 17 points, which included him going three-for-four from three-point range in the fourth quarter.

Hayes had 16 points, making all seven of his field goals.

Redick talked to his team at halftime about their poor defensive effort and he did again in the third quarter during that timeout.

His message was simple.

“The players gotta go out and do it,”: Redick said. “So it’s not, I don’t know if it sparked ‘em or not, and I just know that after that they were better.”

Puka Nacua thinks NFL referees are “the worst.”

He feels they fabricate calls just so their friends can see them on TV.

But, to be honest, the Rams star receiver doesn’t seem too upset about the situation.

During a livestream Tuesday with YouTubers N3on and Adin Ross, Nacua was asked if he thought referees might bend the truth at times when making their calls.

“Oh, a hundred percent,” Nacua answered matter-of-factly. “Yes, the refs are the worst.”

The third-year player continued in the same casual manner, saying that NFL officials are generally part-time employees who probably get a thrill when they appear on screen during national broadcasts — even if it’s while making a call.

“These guys are lawyers, and like really they want to be on TV, too, bro,” Nacua said. “You don’t think he’s texting his friends in the group chat like, ‘Yo, you guys just saw me on “Sunday Night Football.” Like, that wasn’t [pass interference], but I called it.’”

He added: “I mean, these guys are normal human beings, too.”

The NFL’s competition committee states on the league’s football operations website that “criticism of officiating has always been considered conduct detrimental to the League.” Such conduct is often met with a fine. Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs coach Andy Reid have all been fined for public criticism of officiating in recent years.

The NFL did not immediately respond to questions from The Times on a possible fine for Nacua.

During another portion of the livestream, Nacua agrees to do a celebration dance of Ross and N3on’s choice after his next touchdown. With Nacua out of earshot, the two YouTubers discuss whether the 2023 Pro Bowl player would get in trouble if they have him perform a move that references an offensive stereotype about Jewish people. Ross is Jewish, but he often performs the move and teaches others how to do it in his livestreams.

He ends up teaching the move to Nacua, who practices it with Ross and promises to do it during a game. Ross does not explain the meaning of the move to Nacua, and the star receiver gives no indication he knows its background.

The Times reached out to the Rams and Nacua’s agent and did not receive an immediate response.