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Authorities say the Taiwanese attacker planned the assault that resulted in 3 deaths and 11 injuries.

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Authorities say the Taiwanese attacker planned the assault that resulted in 3 deaths and 11 injuries.

taipei, taiwan— Taiwanese officials said Saturday that the suspect who killed three people and wounded 11 others in knife and smoke-grenade attacks in the island’s capital had planned attacks and fires at other locations earlier in the day.

The suspect, identified as Chang Wen, a 27-year-old man, fell from a department store building in Taipei and died after the attack on Friday.

The attacks shocked Taiwan, where violent crimes are rare, prompting authorities to step up security in crowded places and large events, including New Year’s Eve celebrations that typically draw many locals and tourists for the outdoor countdown.

Chang Jung-seon, director general of the National Police Agency, said the suspect launched a series of attacks at 3:40 p.m. local time, first setting fire to streets and damaging cars and motorcycles. He also set fire to the place where he lived.

After the attack, the suspect took an underground route.

Chang said the suspect later threw smoke grenades near two exits of the Taipei Main Metro station and used a knife to fatally wound a man. After the attack, the suspect took an underground route to return to the hotel where he was staying. He then threw more smoke grenades and used his knife to kill another man outside the Eslite Spectrum Nancy department store, the officer said.

He also fatally wounded another man on the fourth floor of the department store building before jumping to his death from the fifth floor, Chang said.

The smoke grenade the attacker used could be purchased online and the suspect had visited the sites before the attack, an official said.

“The suspect planned to attack indiscriminately. He acted according to his plan,” Chang said. He said the preliminary investigation did not find that the suspect worked in collaboration with anyone else.

Authorities were still investigating his motive. Chang said the suspect had volunteered to serve in the military but was fired for driving under the influence. According to him, the suspect has been on the loose since July after not showing up for military duty.

“The suspect has not contacted his family for more than two years,” Chang said. “They said the suspect has been interested in guns and weapons since childhood.”

Six injured people are still in the hospital. Two were being treated in intensive care units but were in stable condition after surgery, officials said.

After receiving information from authorities, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te called for a thorough investigation of the incident, examining the suspect’s background, motives, financial resources and whether he had received help from others.



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The dark secrets of black holes may be revealed by the brilliant formula developed a century ago by the Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.

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The dark secrets of black holes may be revealed by the brilliant formula developed a century ago by the Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.
The dark secrets of black holes may be revealed by the brilliant formula developed a century ago by the Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.

Indian mathematician's genius formula from a century ago might explain the dark secrets of black holes

It was in the year 1914 that Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan arrived in Cambridge with a notebook filled with 17 extraordinary infinite series for 1/π.

They were not only efficient but also gave accurate digits of the world’s most famous irrational number. For a century, the formulas were considered the best in number theory, but no one could explain how they worked so well.

However, now, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have discovered an unexpected link between Ramanujan’s famous formulas for pi and the modern physics used to explain black holes and turbulent fluids.

The study suggests that Ramanujan was, perhaps unknowingly, working with the same underlying mathematics that describes how matter behaves at the brink of extreme change.

Ramanujan’s remarkable pi formula

In 1914, just before leaving Madras for Cambridge, Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan published a paper that listed 17 different formulas for calculating pi.

These formulas stood out because they were far more efficient than the methods available at the time. With only a few mathematical terms,

They could generate a surprisingly large number of correct digits of pi. More than a century later, their influence remains strong. Ramanujan’s ideas form the basis of modern techniques used to compute pi on powerful computers today. “

Scientists have computed pi up to 200 trillion digits using an algorithm called the Chudnovsky algorithm,” says Aninda Sinha.

professor at the Centre for High Energy Physics (CHEP) and senior author of the study. “These algorithms are actually based on Ramanujan’s work.”

A more profound question behind the mathematics

For Sinha and Faizan Bhat, the study’s first author and a former PhD student at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc),

The interest was not just in how fast these formulas work. They wanted to understand why such powerful formulas exist at all. I

Instead of viewing them as purely abstract mathematics, the researchers looked for a connection to the physical world.

“We wanted to see whether the starting point of his formulae fit naturally into some physics,” says Sinha. “In other words, is there a physical world where Ramanujan’s mathematics appears on its own?”

Where pi meets scale invariance and extreme physics

Their search led them to a class of theories known as conformal field theories, and in particular to logarithmic conformal field theories.

These theories describe systems with scale invariance, meaning the system looks the same no matter how much you zoom in or out.

A well-known example is water at its critical point, a specific temperature and pressure where liquid water and water vapour become indistinguishable.

At this point, water exhibits scale-invariant behaviour, which can be described using conformal field theory.

Similar behaviour occurs in processes such as percolation, the early stages of turbulence in fluids, and certain theoretical descriptions of black holes.

These are all areas where logarithmic conformal field theories are used.

The researchers used Ramanujan’s structure to address physics problems.

The researchers found that the same mathematical structure underlying Ramanujan’s pi formulas also shows up in the equations of these logarithmic conformal field theories.

By using this shared structure, they were able to calculate important quantities in these theories more efficiently.

This could help scientists better study complex phenomena like turbulence and percolation. This approach closely reflects Ramanujan’s own style.

where compact mathematical expressions lead quickly to precise results.” [In] any piece of beautiful mathematics,

You almost always find that there is a physical system which actually mirrors the mathematics,” says Bhat.

“Ramanujan’s motivation might have been very mathematical, but without his knowledge, he was also studying black holes, turbulence, percolation, and all sorts of things.”

A century-old insight with modern impact

The study shows that Ramanujan’s work from over 100 years ago still offers new tools for making modern high-energy physics calculations faster and easier.

Beyond the technical benefits, the researchers say the findings underline the extraordinary depth of his ideas. “

We were simply fascinated by the way a genius working in early 20th-century India, with almost no contact with modern physics,

anticipated structures that are now central to our understanding of the universe,” says Sinha.

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The Epstein files opened: from provocative photos to call logs – what’s in them and what’s still missing?

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The Epstein files opened: from provocative photos to call logs – what’s in them and what’s still missing?

The Epstein files opened: from provocative photos to call logs – what's in them and what's still missing

The Justice Department on Friday released thousands of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell.

But vast numbers of documents remain unreleased. Congress had given the DOJ a December 19 deadline to release all records it has.

Over the past month, the DOJ and both Democratic and Republican lawmakers gradually made available some files.

Many of these files were taken from Epstein’s estate, which is separate from state and federal investigative records.

The DOJ has released Epstein files, deleting 4,000 documents and photos, which expose connections to Michael Jackson, Clinton, and Gulf Royals.

The newly released collection is available online and includes:

• Transcript of Maxwell’s interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanch • Surveillance video from the prison where Epstein killed himself in 2019 •

Flight logs documenting trips from the Virgin Islands to Palm Beach • A handwritten note asking an unknown person to gather a “bucket of roses” to give to someone at their “high school” •

Scanned pages from How to Book a Massage for Dummies •

A graphic police interview with a woman who said she was recruited to give Epstein partially nude massages when she was a minor. • Redacted government documents are displayed in a photo illustration in Washington, DC.

This occurred on December 19, 2025, after the Justice Department released records of its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Photographs of Bill Clinton in a hot tub, Michael Jackson with Epstein, and former Prince Andrew lying in women’s laps are displayed.

Photographs of Epstein’s property, including a photo of a cheque that President Trump allegedly gave to Epstein,

The photographs include a cheque that President Trump allegedly gave to Epstein, which is framed with the caption ”

Once in a Blue Moon”, as well as an image of Epstein standing over four women who are all wearing the same outfit and posing with their hands in a prayer posture.

hands in prayer posture. Further releases are expected, but no timetable has been provided for when the remaining files will be made public.

What is not included in the Epstein files?

The tranche disclosed Friday included only a small portion of the total files, which the department has said exceeds 300 gigabytes of data and physical evidence.

Financial records, internal memos from prosecutors investigating Epstein’s alleged sex-trafficking ring, key material obtained from searches of Epstein’s luxury homes

— none of it features prominently in the documents released Friday. And there is no explanation for how Epstein became so rich.

Some of those pages include the names of Epstein’s survivors, as well as an entirely blacked-out document called the “Massage List.”.

Much of the material was heavily redacted or had already been made public, Politico reported, limiting its contribution to understanding the case. Representative Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), ranking member of the House Oversight Committee,

estimated that those documents represented about 10 per cent of the material in the department’s possession. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanch acknowledged the incompleteness of the release, saying, “As our review continues,

Additional responsive materials will be produced consistent with the law and to protect victims.”

Blanch’s letter to Congress indicated that document production should be finished by the end of the year, although no specific timetable was provided for subsequent disclosures.

How did the Democrats respond?

Several members of Congress expressed disappointment over the limited release. Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.),

The sponsor of the bill mandating the disclosure said he was disappointed by the amount of documents made public and asked for a clear timeline for the remaining materials.

He warned that lawmakers could consider impeachment proceedings or criminal referrals against Blanch and Attorney General Pam Bondi if officials engaged in excessive modification or tampering. A department spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

The bill’s lead GOP sponsor, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), said the release: “

The release, according to Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), “completely disregards the spirit and letter of the legislation that @realDonaldTrump signed just 30 days ago.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticised the revelations in a statement:

“Releasing only a group of blackened pages violates the spirit of transparency and the letter of the law,” noting that “all 119 pages of one document were completely blackened. We need answers as to why.”

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The US pushes for a ceasefire in Sudan’s civil war as Kordofan violence escalates. sudan war news

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The US pushes for a ceasefire in Sudan’s civil war as Kordofan violence escalates. sudan war news

The United States is pressing for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Sudan as fighting in the vast strategic Kordofan region intensifies, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning that the continued violence is “appalling” and that all involved will face lasting condemnation.

Speaking at a year-end news conference on Friday, Rubio said the fighting in Sudan needs to stop, adding that the new year is “a great opportunity for both sides to agree on this” and will allow desperately needed aid to reach the millions of people trapped in the conflict.

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His comments come as violence in Kordofan has killed at least 100 civilians and displaced more than 50,000 people since the beginning of December.

“What’s happening there is horrific; it’s dastardly,” Rubio said, adding that “one day the story of what really happened there will be known and everyone involved will feel bad.”

Washington has stepped up diplomatic efforts following a meeting between President Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in late November, with US special envoy Massad Boulos recently returning from talks with officials from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Rubio said he has had discussions with leaders from across the region in collaboration with the United Kingdom.

The top US diplomat cited external arms supplies as a key factor maintaining the war between the government-aligned Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), now in its third brutal year.

“All of these weapons are obtained from abroad. “They have to come from somewhere else and they have to come from somewhere else,” Rubio said. He said external actors have the capacity needed to bring both sides to the negotiating table.

According to conflict monitors, the UAE provides direct material support to the RSF through a network extending to neighbouring countries, although Abu Dhabi has repeatedly denied this.

Meanwhile, the SAF has close ties with Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, while the UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are also involved in mediation efforts.

Rubio acknowledged the difficulty of achieving a ceasefire, saying that parties often agree to commitments but fail to implement them, especially when one side believes the battlefield dynamics are in its favour.

“We have emphasised that none of these groups can operate without outside support,” Rubio said, describing the United States’ role in convening the parties and encouraging outside actors to use their influence.

Fighting shifts to Kordofan

The worst fighting has now shifted from Darfur to Kordofan, where RSF and allied fighters have shelled residential areas of Dilling over the past two days, killing at least 16 people, including women, elderly residents and children, according to the Sudan Doctors Network.

El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan and an important transportation hub linking South Sudan, East Sudan and Darfur, appears to be the next likely target, according to Mohammed Refait, head of mission for the International Organization for Migration in Sudan.

He warned that if the fighting reached the city, more than half a million people could be affected.

On 13 December, six Bangladeshi peacekeepers were killed when drones attacked their base in Kadugli. The UN Security Council condemned it on Friday, calling it a “heinous and deliberate” attack that could amount to a war crime.

The World Health Organization said on Friday that attacks on medical facilities in Sudan have caused more than 80 per cent of deaths from such attacks globally this year. Since the conflict began in April 2023, WHO has confirmed 201 attacks on healthcare facilities, resulting in 1,858 deaths.

The Sudan Doctors Network said on Thursday that in Nyala, the self-declared capital of the RSF’s parallel government, 64 medical workers were detained after nine were released from the original group of 73.

The African Union envoy to Sudan this week rejected any parallel entity on Sudanese soil and condemned what he described as systematic RSF attacks against civilians, saying the perpetrators would not go unpunished.

Both the RSF and SAF have been accused of war crimes, with the RSF also facing allegations of genocide in Darfur, particularly in al-Fashar.

More than 100,000 people have been killed and 14 million displaced in Sudan’s war, which the United Nations calls the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

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Guterres denounced the Houthis’ detention of ten additional UN employees in Yemen. News about the Houthis

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Guterres denounced the Houthis’ detention of ten additional UN employees in Yemen. News about the Houthis

A spokesman for António Guterres called for the immediate release of the UN staff, as 69 people are now detained in the country.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the detention of 10 more UN staff by the Houthis in Yemen.

Guterres’ spokesman Stephane Dujarric confirmed on Friday that the previous day’s arrests brought the number of detained local workers to 69 and called for their immediate release.

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“These arrests destabilise the delivery of UN humanitarian assistance in Houthi-controlled areas. This directly impacts millions of people in need and limits their access to life-saving assistance,” Dujarric said.

The Houthis, who control much of northwestern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, have stepped up arrests of UN staff since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, accusing them of spying for the United States and Israel.

The United Nations has repeatedly rejected Houthi allegations that its personnel or operations in Yemen are involved in espionage, a charge that carries the death penalty in the country.

On Thursday the organisation confirmed that all those detained were Yemeni citizens.

The latest arrests come days after Guterres discussed detained UN, diplomatic, and NGO staff with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman, who has acted as a mediator in the Yemeni conflict.

Guterres also commented on this week’s referral to a criminal court of three UN staff recently detained by the Houthis, saying they were charged in connection with the “performance of official UN duties” and calling for the charges to be dropped.

change in balance of power

A decade of civil war has plunged Yemen into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, according to the United Nations.

Guterres said this week that 19.5 million people in the country – about two-thirds of the population – needed humanitarian assistance.

The conflict has recently entered a new phase, as Southern Transitional Council (STC) separatists have increased their presence in southeastern Yemen – marking one of the largest regime shifts since the war began.

They now claim to control areas including the oil-rich eastern governorates of Hadramout and al-Mahra and the port city of Aden.

The STC, which wants to establish an independent state in Yemen’s south, has in the past fought against the Houthis alongside the internationally recognised, Saudi-backed government, which is based in Aden.

However, the STC’s advances in the south bring it into direct conflict with the government in Aden, known as the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), which described the seizure of territory as “unilateral and a gross violation.”.

The leader of the STC, Adraus al-Zubaidi, has a seat in the PLC, officially serving as one of its vice-presidents.

But relations have often been volatile between the group and the internationally recognised government, which has come under great pressure this year due to power outages and a currency crisis in areas under its control.

The two entities have fought before, particularly in 2018 and 2019, in Aden and its surrounding governorates.

This week, Guterres urged all sides to “exercise maximum restraint, reduce tensions, and resolve differences through dialogue.”

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Was Putin’s response to my question about the war in Europe an olive branch?

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Was Putin’s response to my question about the war in Europe an olive branch?

Reporters ask questions of world leaders all the time.

It’s not a big deal. Correct?

But how is it to ask questions of Vladimir Putin – the president who ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the leader whose country was this week accused of “exporting chaos” by the head of MI6?

Imagine posing that question live on TV in front of millions of Russian viewers.

This is a big responsibility. You would rather not mess up.

“My question is about the future of Russia. What kind of future are you planning for your country and your people?” I ask President Putin.

“Will the future resemble the present if any public objection to the official line is punishable by law?” Will the hunt for enemies at home and abroad intensify? Will mobile Internet outages become even more common? Will there be new ‘special military operations’?”

While I speak, Vladimir Putin is taking notes. And then they answer.

He defends Russia’s repressive foreign agent laws. Hundreds of Russians who are critical of the authorities have been designated “foreign agents.”

“We didn’t invent it,” Putin told me.

The term “foreign agent” was adopted in many Western countries, including the US, in the 1930s. And all these laws, including the American law, are much more strict…”

In fact, Russian law is harsh. It excludes “foreign agents” from many aspects of public life, including teaching, civil services, elections, and public events. It imposes financial and property restrictions. A single administrative fine may be followed by criminal prosecution.

I am unable to convey this to President Putin.

However, I am unable to convey this to President Putin. After I finished my question, the microphone was taken away from me.

Suddenly the moderator intervenes to change the topic.

Anchor Pavel Zarubin says, “Here’s another question: ‘What’s going to happen to the BBC? It’s facing a billion-dollar lawsuit from the US president?’

“I think President Trump is right,” President Putin confirmed.

The Kremlin and the White House are seen facing off…on BBC.

Putin Back to my question.

“Will there be any new special military operations? There will not be if you treat us respectfully and respect our interests, as we have always tried to do with you. Unless you betray us, as you did with NATO’s eastward expansion.”

It is visible for all to see what is driving Vladimir Putin – a deep resentment of the West.

He argues that, for years, Western leaders have insulted, deceived and lied to Russia – and they are lying still further by claiming that Moscow intends to attack Europe. “What kind of nonsense is that?” The Kremlin leader announces.

But many European leaders do not trust Moscow at all.

In the run-up to the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian officials denied that they had plans for a large-scale attack.

Recently Russia has been accused of violating European airspace with fighter planes and drones, as well as carrying out cyber attacks and sabotage actions.

But as he finished answering my question, was this an olive branch to Europe from the President of Russia?

“We are ready to immediately end hostilities, provided that Russia’s medium- and long-term security is ensured, and we are ready to cooperate with you.”

However, if Moscow continues to link its long-term security to its maximalist demands on Ukraine, European leaders will remain sceptical.

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The famous Kennedy Arts Center will be renamed ‘Trump-Kennedy Center’

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The famous Kennedy Arts Center will be renamed ‘Trump-Kennedy Center’

This photo taken on August 16, 2014 shows the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts building in Washington, DC. - AFP
This photo, taken on August 16, 2014, shows the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts building in Washington, DC. – AFP

Washington’s iconic John F. Kennedy Center for the Arts will be renamed the “Trump-Kennedy Center” after President Donald Trump, the White House announced Thursday.

The extraordinary naming of a major cultural venue after a living president is the latest attempt by the 79-year-old Republican to stamp his identity on the US capital in his second term.

He has also demolished the White House East Wing to install a grand ballroom and is looking to build a larger triumphal arch.

White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt said the Kennedy Center’s board—which was split from Democrats before Trump installed himself as chair earlier this year—had “voted unanimously” for the change.

He said, “It’s because of the incredible job that President Trump has done over the last year to save the building. This is not only about rebuilding the building, but also about its financial stability and reputation.

congratulations to President Kennedy,

He said, “Congratulations to President Donald J. Trump, and likewise, congratulations to President Kennedy, because the pair will be a truly great team in the future! The building will undoubtedly achieve new levels of success and grandeur.”

The huge white monument is named after President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. The centre, which is located on the banks of the Potomac River, opened in 1971.

Trump has made several references to renaming the centre in recent months.

Earlier this month at the inauguration of a peace institute also named after him, Trump referred to it as the “Trump-Kennedy Center” before adding, “Oops, sorry.”

During his first term, billionaire Trump never attended the annual fundraising gala for recipients of the prestigious Kennedy Center Honours, as many of the artists among them vocally opposed his policies.

This time, Trump moved quickly to make the centre his own, ridding its board of trustees of Democratic appointees and ousting its president as part of a broader attack on federally funded cultural institutions he deemed too “woke”.

Trump then presented the honours himself this year, giving awards to “Rocky” actor Sylvester Stallone, disco legend Gloria Gaynor and rock band KISS.

A few days earlier, at the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on December 5, Trump received a new peace award from football’s governing body and gave a speech on stage.

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Tottenham vs Liverpool: Premier League – Teams, Start Time, Lineups | football news

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Tottenham vs Liverpool: Premier League – Teams, Start Time, Lineups | football news

Who: tottenham hotspur vs liverpool
What: English Premier League
Where: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, United Kingdom
When: Saturday 20 December, 5:30 pm (17:30 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT, before our text commentary stream. Click here to follow our live coverage.

Defending champions Liverpool will look to make it back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since September when they visit Tottenham on Saturday, but the Reds’ troubles are far from a distant memory.

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Pressure was mounting on manager Arne Slot, who had won the title the previous year in his first season in charge, after nine defeats in 12 starts.

The public rift between the Anfield club and their star forward Mohamed Salah has affected the slot situation – but it has not gone away. Spurs similarly suffered six defeats in 10 games during October and November and have hardly improved since then.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at a game that has both managers concerned for their immediate futures.

What’s the latest on Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool future?

Salah has now departed for Egypt duty at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, but that does not change his status at Anfield.

Ever since the 33-year-old claimed he was “thrown under the bus” by the Reds for their poor season – after being dropped to the bench for three consecutive games – rumours have swirled that his time on Merseyside was coming to an end.

The Saudi Pro League have made no secret of their desire to make a move for Salah, who was left out of Liverpool’s squad for the Champions League match at Milan after his outburst.

The forward returned to the bench for the visit of Brighton in the Premier League last week, but his time at the AFCON is likely to be overshadowed by speculation that a switch to Saudi Arabia will be made in the January transfer window.

What transpired in Tottenham’s most recent game?

Tottenham were beaten 3-0 at Nottingham Forest last Sunday, in a game that fuelled rumours of Thomas Frank’s demise as Spurs manager.

Callum Hudson-Odoi scored the first two goals for the home side before Ibrahim Sangare ended any hopes of a Spurs comeback in the 79th minute.

What happened in Liverpool’s last game?

Liverpool brush aside the Salah saga and speculation over Slott’s future and win 2-0 against Brighton at Anfield last Saturday.

Hugo Ekitike scored both goals in the first minute of the match, while Salah was an early substitute in the first half and assisted the second goal from a corner kick.

It remains to be seen whether that was Salah’s last game as a Red.

How has Tottenham performed in the Premier League this season?

In Frank’s first time in charge, Tottenham began their Premier League campaign with only one defeat in their opening seven matches. The north Londoners have since lost five of their last nine in the league.

A run of six defeats out of 10 in all competitions follows two wins and a defeat to Forest in the last four in all competitions. However, that is only one win from seven in the league—a run that has seen Spurs slip to the bottom half of the table.

How has Liverpool fared in the Premier League this season?

With the exception of a preseason Community Shield defeat on penalties against Crystal Palace, Liverpool won their opening seven games of the season in all competitions.

This was followed by four consecutive losses, after which a streak of nine defeats out of 12 began. In Premier League terms, the Reds have won just three out of 11 games – losing six.

After winning their first five league games of the season, the Anfield club has been able to hold on to a top-half position in the league, and they start the latest round of matches in seventh place—10 points clear of leaders Arsenal, who travel to Everton on Saturday evening.

How much pressure is there on Tottenham manager Thomas Frank?

Tottenham won the UEFA Europa League last season, but it was not enough to prevent Ange Postecoglou’s departure at the end of the campaign. Frank has come under immense pressure as a result of recent matches.

The biggest rumour is that Xavi, a former Spain and Barcelona midfielder, is being groomed to replace Frank.

Spurs are renowned for being a dismissive club, with Frank being the fifth permanent manager since Mauricio Pochettino was sacked in 2019.

Should Frank be shown the door, it would not be the shortest tenure of a Spurs manager in recent times —Numbo Espirito Santo lasted just four months and two days during his 2021 tenure.

What happened the last time Tottenham played Liverpool?

When the two teams last met at Anfield in the Premier League in April, Liverpool defeated Tottenham 5-1.

Dominic Solanke gave the Spurs the lead in the 12th minute, before Luis Diaz, Alexis McAllister, and Cody Gakpo replied for the Reds at the break.

Own goals from Mohamed Salah and Destiny Udogi completed the defeat in the second round.

What happened in the same match between Tottenham and Liverpool last year?

It was a Premier League double for Liverpool last season, as they won the first meeting of the last campaign with a nine-goal thriller at Tottenham on 22 December.

Diaz and Salah both hit braces in the Reds’ 6–3 win in a game where the opposition led 3–1 at the break and 5–1 by the 61st minute.

When did Tottenham last beat Liverpool?

Tottenham actually managed to defeat Liverpool in the first leg of the League Cup semi-finals last season. However, a 1–0 home win was not enough for Spurs, as the Reds won 4–0 in the return match at Anfield last time out.

Lucas Bergvall scored the only goal in London, while the aggregate score was level at the break in the second leg after Gakpo’s first-half attack. Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk settled matters in the second period.

When did Tottenham last beat Liverpool in the Premier League?

Tottenham’s last league win against Liverpool came in September 2023, a 2–1 home win.

Curtis Jones scored in the 26th minute, with Son Heung-min finding the net for Spurs after the first 10 minutes.

Gakpo equalised for the Reds shortly after half-time, but the second half went from bad to worse as Diogo Jota was ordered forward in the 69th minute before Joel Matip netted his own in the final minute of the game.

head-to-head

This is the 186th meeting between the two sides, with Liverpool winning 90 times and Tottenham emerging victorious on 50 occasions.

The first match was in November 1909 in the old Division One (now the Premier League), with Spurs winning 1–0 in London. Liverpool won the return match that season 2–0 in March 1910.

tottenham team news

James Maddison, Destiny Udogi, Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski are all injured, while Kota Takai and Radu Dragusin are still considered to lack match fitness as they return from knocks.

Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr are both at the Africa Cup of Nations, meaning the Franks will be without eight players for the trip to Liverpool.

liverpool team news

Salah has been Liverpool’s number one absentee, although the Egyptian has started the last four league games on the bench.

Cody Gakpo, Giovanni Leoni and Wataru Endo are all injured, while Connor Bradley is suspended.

Dominik Szoboszlai and Joe Gomez both played innings in the Brighton game and are doubts, but Jeremy Frimpong is close to returning after a hamstring injury.

predicted tottenham starting lineup

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Palhinha, Bergvall; Kudus, Simmons, Kolo Muani; richardson

predicted liverpool starting lineup

Alison; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Chiesa, Jones, Wirtz; akitike

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Zelensky calls on EU leaders to make a decision regarding the crisis involving Russia’s frozen funds.

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Zelensky calls on EU leaders to make a decision regarding the crisis involving Russia’s frozen funds.

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Ukrinform/Nurfoto Two men – one wearing a gray three-piece suit, the other wearing a black suit – stand in front of colorful flagsukrinform/nurfoto
Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever does not yet agree that funds held in Belgium should be loaned to Ukraine (file photo)

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is urging EU leaders gathered at a crunch summit in Brussels to loan billions of euros in frozen Russian funds to meet Ukraine’s military and economic needs.

Most of Russia’s €210bn (£185bn; $245bn) assets in the EU are held by the Belgium-based organisation Euroclear, and so far, Belgium and some other members of the bloc have said they oppose using the cash as a “compensation loan.”

Russia has warned the EU not to use its money, but Ukraine’s finances will collapse within months without a funding increase.

“I hope we will be able to take a positive decision,” Zelenskyy told reporters. “Without it, there’d be a big problem for Ukraine.”

The Brussels summit comes at a critical moment in the war and Russia has filed a lawsuit against Euroclear in a Moscow court to get its money back.

An official from the European government expressed a cautious optimism, not an overly optimistic view, regarding the likelihood of a deal.

On Thursday, Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever told the Belgian parliament, “I have not yet seen any text that could persuade me to change Belgium’s position.”

US President Donald Trump has said a deal is closer than ever to ending the war – which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

US and Russian officials are to meet in Miami later this week for further talks on the peace plan, a White House official told news agency AFP. It is believed that Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev will speak to Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Ukrainian officials are also visiting the US, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is in Brussels, told reporters that Kiev needs the money, either to support its military as the war continues or to direct funds towards recovery altogether.

Russia has not yet reacted to the latest peace proposals, but the Kremlin has stressed that plans for a US-backed, European-led multinational force for Ukraine would not be acceptable.

President Vladimir Putin made his feelings toward Europe clear on Wednesday when he said the continent was in a state of “complete collapse” and that “European piglets”—a derogatory description of Ukraine’s European allies—were hoping to profit from Russia’s collapse.

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Alexander Kazakov/Pool/AFP A man holding a glass stands to the right of two men in uniformAlexander Kazakov/Pool/AFP

Supporters of lending money to Ukraine believe that doing so will help deter Putin from continuing the war.

The European Commission – the EU’s executive arm – has proposed lending Kyiv about €90bn (£79bn) over the next two years – out of the €210bn of Russian assets held in Europe.

This is almost two-thirds of the €137bn that Kyiv needs to receive by 2026 and 2027.

So far the EU has paid Ukraine interest generated from cash, but not in cash.

“It is a difficult time for Ukraine to continue fighting into the next year,” a Finnish government official told the BBC. “Of course there are peace talks going on but this gives Ukraine an opportunity to say, ‘We are not desperate and we have the funds to continue the fight.'”

Commission head Ursula von der Leyen says this will also increase the cost of war for Russia.

Freezing Russian assets is not the only option for EU leaders. Another idea supported by Belgium is based on the EU borrowing money from international markets using the EU budget as a guarantee.

EU money to help Ukraine.

However, this would require a unanimous vote and Hungary’s Viktor Orban has made clear that he will not allow any more EU money to help Ukraine.

For Ukraine, the coming hours are crucial and EU leaders are keen to emphasise the critical nature of the debt decision.

“We know the urgency of this. It is intense. We all feel it. We all see it,” von der Leyen told the European Parliament.

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==EPA European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a debate on preparations for the European Council meeting of 18-19 DecemberEPA
Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament that two options were on the table for EU leaders

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has taken a leading role in pushing for the use of Russian assets, telling the Bundestag on the eve of the summit that it was about sending a “clear signal” to Moscow that continuing the war was futile.

EU officials are confident they have a solid legal basis for using frozen Russian assets, but so far the Belgian prime minister remains unconvinced. His Defence Minister Theo Franken warned ahead of the talks that lending Euroclear cash would be a big mistake.

Hungary is seen as the biggest opponent of the move and ahead of the summit, Prime Minister Orbán and his entourage even suggested that the frozen assets scheme be removed from the summit agenda. A European Commission official insisted this was not the case and that it would be a matter for the 27 member states to decide at the summit.

Slovakia’s Robert Fico has also opposed using Russian assets if it means the money is being used to buy weapons rather than for reconstruction needs.

When the deciding vote finally takes place, it will need a majority vote from at least the 15 member states that make up 65% of Europe’s population to pass. Whatever happens, European Council President António Costa has promised not to attack the Belgian people over their heads.

“We are not going to vote against Belgium,” he told Belgian public broadcaster RTBF. “We will continue to work very intensively with the Belgian government because we do not want to approve anything that is not acceptable to Belgium.”

Belgium may also be aware that ratings agency Fitch has placed Euroclear on negative watch, partly due to “low” legal risks to its balance sheet from the European Commission’s plans to use Russian assets. The chief executive of Euroclear has also warned against the scheme.

“There are still many hurdles and obstacles in the way. We have to find a way to respond to Belgium’s concerns,” the Finnish official said. “We are on the same side as Belgium. We will devise a solution to mitigate all risks to the greatest extent possible.

However, Belgium isn’t alone in its doubts, and a majority is not guaranteed.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told Italian lawmakers she would support the deal “if the legal basis is solid.”

“If this initiative did not have a solid legal basis, we would be handing Russia its first real victory since the beginning of this conflict.”

Reports also indicate that Malta, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic oppose the controversial proposals.

If the deal goes through and Russian assets are turned over to Ukraine, the worst-case scenario for Belgium would be one in which the court would order it to hand the money back to Russia.

Some countries have said they are prepared to provide billions of euros of financial guarantees, but Belgium would like to see that number increased.

At any rate, Commission officials are confident that the only way for Russia to get it back would be to pay reparations to Ukraine – at which point Ukraine would hand its “compensation debt” back to the EU.

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Former Nascar driver and his family believed to be among seven killed in plane crash

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Former Nascar driver and his family believed to be among seven killed in plane crash

A former NASCAR driver is suspected to be one of seven people killed in a plane crash at a regional airport in North Carolina, an official says.

A Highway Patrol spokesman said people on the ground confirmed that racer Greg Biffle was among those on board the plane.

Officials investigating the incident told reporters that the Cessna C550 crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport at about 10:20 local time (15:20 GMT).

“Heartbreaking news from Statesville,” North Carolina Governor Josh Stein posted on Twitter.

The BBC’s US partner CBS reported that the Cessna C550 plane was owned by a private company linked to retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle.

Mitchell Garrett, a professional baseball player, posted on Facebook that he planned to spend the afternoon with Biffle and his family.

“Unfortunately, I can confirm that Greg Biffle, his wife Christina, his daughter Emma, and his son Ryder were on that plane, as they were going to spend the afternoon with us,” he wrote on Facebook. “We are devastated. I’m devastated to share this.”

Statesville Airport Director John Ferguson described the plane as a corporate jet and said it was already in flames when he arrived at the scene.

The business jet took off at about 10:06 pm local time and was in the air for some time before the crash.

It crashed at the eastern end of the runway and officials are not yet aware of the cause.

Mr Ferguson told reporters the Statesville airport would remain closed until further notice as crews cleared debris from the runway.

Officials did not provide any information about the deaths or the people on board the plane during the media conference.

The National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the investigation, said it is launching a GO team to investigate the fatal crash. The team is anticipated to arrive at the scene on Thursday night.

The city of Statesville owns Statesville Regional Airport (KSVH), situated approximately 45 minutes north of Charlotte.

It also provides aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several NASCAR racing teams.

Biffle, whose racing career spanned two decades, was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023. The 55-year-old won 19 Cup Series races in the Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series.

NASCAR Winter Heat Series.

The Vancouver, Washington, native, known as The Biff, received national notice in 1995 when racing during that year’s NASCAR Winter Heat Series, according to his NASCAR profile.

He made a name for himself in the Craftsman Truck Series, winning the 1998 Rookie of the Year award and the 2000 series championship.

He was named the 2001 Rookie of the Year in the Xfinity Series and after winning the 2002 championship, he became the first driver with championships in both the Xfinity Series and the Truck Series.

He also co-founded the organisation’s Sand Outlaws series. Although he returned to racing after 2016, it appears he came out of retirement for a one-off race at Texas Motor Speedway in 2019, which he won.

“Racing is racing,” he told Nascar.com in 2021. “It’s that adrenaline; you want to be better than the competition, and you want to build a better piece and have a faster car. I just enjoy competing.”

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