CharlieH

A gunman has shot dead 14 people and injured another 25 at a university in Prague, officials say, in the deadliest attack in modern Czech history. Police say the 24-year-old gunman was also "eliminated" following the shooting at Charles University in the historic centre of the capital. University staff were told to barricade themselves in rooms during the attack. Prime Minister Petr Fiala said he had cancelled upcoming engagements in light of the "tragic events" on Thursday. The shooting started at about 15:00 local time (14:00 GMT) at the university's Faculty of Arts building on Jan Palach Square. Dramatic footage later emerged on social media showing some people jumping to safety from one of the building's ledges several storeys up, and gunshots are also heard. In a separate video, terrified crowds are seen fleeing the area popular with tourists. At a briefing on Thursday evening, the country's police chief and the interior minister said the gunman had been a student at the faculty. They said he was from a village 21km (13 miles) outside Prague. The suspect's father had been found dead earlier on Thursday. The gunman's motives were not immediately known. Preliminary information suggested that no police officers were injured in the attack, the authorities said. The police said they were also working on the theory that the gunman may have been responsible for the deaths of two people last week in a forest near Prague. FULL STORY

At least 20,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been reported killed since Israel began bombing the territory in the wake of Hamas's 7 October attacks. BBC Verify examines what Gaza's death toll reveals about the conflict. On average, nearly 300 people have been killed each day since the start of the conflict, excluding the seven-day ceasefire, data from Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry indicates. The World Health Organization's regional emergency director Richard Brennan says he considers these casualty figures trustworthy. Counting the dead is a challenge in any war zone, and doctors in Gaza say the death toll is likely to be significantly higher as it does not include bodies buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings or those not taken to hospitals. BBC Verify has looked in detail at the figures, how they compare with other conflicts and the impact on Gaza's young population. A high death toll The pace of killing in this war has been "exceptionally high", says Prof Michael Spagat, who specialises in examining death tolls in conflicts around the world, such as the 2003 Iraq war, Colombia's civil conflict, wars in the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as previous wars between Israel and Gaza. "Within the series of Gaza wars stretching back to 2008, the current one is unprecedented both for the number of people killed and for the indiscriminateness of the killing," he adds. FULL ARTICLE

Bought 2 items on Lazada, paid COD. when opened wrong item/model humber on both of them so no use. Entered Return reason, uploaded photo of items showing wrong model number. Almost instantly the money was in my Lazada wallet and I don't have to return the wrong items. (Suspect because low value) Anyway, quick easy efficient.process.

It claims Roast Turkey is the top element, while Pigs in Blankets are in fifth place It's a meal that many of us look forward to all year. But what exactly are the best items in a British Christmas Dinner? While many of us see the Roast Turkey, Goose or Ham as the main event, others prefer the trimmings, whether it's pigs in blankets, stuffing, or even Brussels Sprouts. With just 10 days to go before we get to devour our Christmas Dinner, MailOnline asked ChatGPT to rank the elements on the meal. So, do you agree with the AI chatbot's ranking? The best items in a British Christmas Dinner, according to AI Roast Turkey Stuffing Roast Potatoes Gravy Pigs in Blankets Brussels Sprouts Carrots and Parsnips Mashed Swede and Mashed Potatoes Cranberry Sauce Christmas Pudding or Mince Pies To get to the bottom of the Christmas Dinner ranking, MailOnline simply asked ChatGPT: 'How do you rank the elements of a British Christmas dinner?' Within seconds, the AI bot began to reply, diplomatically stating that 'the ranking of elements can vary based on personal preferences and regional traditions.' However, it eventually landed on 10 key items. Roast Turkey was named the best element, although ChatGPT said that Roast Beef, Goose, or Ham would also suffice. 'The roast main course takes the top spot and is often the centerpiece of a British Christmas dinner,' ChatGPT said. Stuffing took the second spot, described by the AI bot as a 'popular and flavorful accompaniment to the roast.' The 'beloved side dish' of roast potatoes came in third place, with ChatGPT stipulating that they must be 'crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside,' Meanwhile, 'rich and flavorful' gravy was deemed the fourth most important element on Christmas Dinner. SOURCE

Never liking or commenting on social media is linked to anxiety disorder Passive users are less tolerable of unfamiliar situations because of social anxiety Browsing through social media but never liking or commenting on posts may be a sign of a mental health condition, a new study has revealed. Researchers at the Central China Normal University found that people who use platforms 'passively' are more likely suffer from social anxiety compared to people who use it actively - uploading posts and sharing life updates. The team surveyed more than 500 college students on their mental health and social media use, finding that 'voyeurs' were more afraid of unfamiliar situations in their physical lives. The study, published in BMC Psychology, included 571 students from Shanxi Province and Hubei Province in China from May to July 2022. The group completed questionnaires measuring openness, active and passive social media use, self-evaluation and social anxiety. To measure openness, subjects were asked to rank a series of statements: one for strongly disagreed to four for strongly agreed. These statements included: 'I see myself as someone who is inventive' and 'I see myself as someone who has an active imagination.' The next measurement, active and passive social media use, was a nine-item questionnaire that asked how much they post, such as status updates, likes and comments. The study noted that 'active use refers to information-generating behaviors that enhance communication, such as posting status updates or comments. FULL STORY

Apple has launched a $17 billion rescue mission to save its smartwatches from being banned in the US due to patent infringement claims. Engineers will use the funds to adjust how devices' algorithms measure oxygen saturation and show data to users before the clock runs out on December 24. That is when all Apple Stores in the US must stop selling the Series 9 and Ultra 2 models after an order by America's trade watchdog, which ruled the tech giant stole copyrighted tech. The blood oxygen feature is the focus of a legal dispute involving Apple and California-based biotech company Masimo, which says Apple poached its staff and stole IP to use in its own devices. Apple will stop selling the watches on its website on Thursday and pull devices from its roughly 270 brick-and-mortar outlets by December 24. But customers who placed orders can collect them at stores before the deadline. The move is expected to lose Apple around $200 million around the holiday season. The company's wearable industry is worth around $18 billion in revenue a year. And if the White House does not veto the ban, Apple would have to wait until 2028 to begin sales because that is when Masimo's two patents expire. The company's retail locations have already been told to swap out signs for the wearable, promoting the device without showing images of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 - Apple's latest smartwatches that are the focus of the ban. A report from Bloomberg revealed Apple's rescue mission, stating Apple could settle with Masimo, the Irving-based company that filed the suit, but the move is improbable. FULL STORY

Apple has released a new iPhone update called iOS 17.2.1 The tech giant recommends it for all users because it has bug fixes READ MORE: iPhone users in uproar over Apple's new Journal app Apple is closing the year with a new iOS update that the tech giant recommends to all users. iOS 17.2.1 is now available for download on the iPhone and includes 'important bug fixes,' according to the release note. In Japan , the update says it fixes battery drain issues - something that has plagued users since the previous iOS system was released earlier this month. But the English notes do not mention the problem. Apple released iOS 17.2.1 on Tuesday to address issues found in the previous update, iOS 17.2, which arrived with the Journal app earlier this month. iOS 17.2.1 is available now for iPhone XS and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 2nd generation and later, iPad Pro 10.5-inch, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 6th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later. To install it on your device, open the Settings app, then General and Software Update. If your device is compatible, you'll see iOS 17.2.1 listed. You can either download it immediately or overnight, although you'll need to make sure your iPhone is on charge for this to happen. FULL STORY

President Joe Biden has said there's 'no question' Donald Trump engaged in an 'insurrection' on January 6 as he sided with the Colorado Supreme Court justices who disqualified him from the 2024 ballot. In his first public comments since the staggering ruling, Biden said it is now up to the Supreme Court to decide if Trump violated the 14th Amendment and should be barred from holding public office. The president responded as outraged Republicans across the country vowed to kick him off their ballots as revenge for the unprecedented decision and strategists suggested it would boost Trump's chances in 2024. The 4-3 decision from Democratic-appointed justices was that Trump engaged in an insurrection on January 6 and disqualified himself from running for public office. It is the first time in history that the insurrection clause has been used to prevent a presidential candidate from appearing on a state's presidential ballot. Biden, who beat Trump by 13 points in Colorado in 2020, avoided getting into the legal details of the case when he walked over to the press on his trip to the battleground state of Wisconsin on Wednesday. A recent DailyMail.com poll showed Biden is ahead of Trump by five points in the swing state that will be crucial in crowning the general election winner next November. FULL STORY

Prince Andrew may be facing his own nightmare before Christmas, as the names of dozens of his chum Jeffrey Epstein's associates are set to be released in the New Year. At least Andrew needn't sweat it on the financial front. I hear one of his perennially unsuccessful business ventures is finally likely to end the year out of debt — thanks to a mysterious donor's bail out. Indeed, I can disclose that a corporate filing published this week shows a company set up to manage Prince Andrew's private investments has somehow secured £210,000 worth of funding in the form of non-redeemable shares. Urramoor Limited, of which the Duke of York is listed as having 'significant control', incorporated in 2013 and was £208,000 in the red when latest accounts were revealed. However, according to a recently filed share allotment document, a total of 210,402 shares, with a nominal value of £1 each, were allocated on December 14, 2023 — which just about pulls the company out of debt, providing it's not lost even more money since 2022. This would be a first for Urramoor, which has never been profitable in the nine sets of accounts it has filed since its creation. The company's director, Arthur Lancaster, also runs Doug Barrowman's firm AML Tax Ltd, which was found to be running tax avoidance schemes earlier this year by HM Revenue and Customs. Barrowman himself, meanwhile, faced the media spotlight this week, after a car crash interview with his wife, disgraced Conservative peer and lingerie tycoon Michelle Mone, revealed the couple stands to benefit from £60million in profits from a notorious PPE deal that she previously denied any connection with. Andrew, 63, however, is sure to be delighted with the inexplicable investment — and would likely have a few words of advice for Barrowman, should Lancaster put them in touch. FULL STORY

Xi reportedly expressed to Biden during last month's APEC Summit in San Francisco, California, that China would 'reunify' with Taiwan Top lawmakers are expressing concern that the U.S. is projecting 'weakness' The White House downplayed the report, saying Xi's reported remarks are not 'different or new' Top lawmakers are expressing concern that the U.S. is projecting 'weakness' after a new report revealed Chinese President Xi Jinping told President Biden he is planning to take over Taiwan soon. Xi expressed to Biden during last month's APEC Summit in San Francisco, California, that China would 'reunify' with Taiwan, but the timing was still not determined, according to NBC News. The Chinese president added that his preference is that Taiwan would be taken over 'peacefully' and not by force, according to three U.S. officials. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who serves as the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee called the report 'beyond unnerving.' 'To communist China, if you think you can bully your way into destroying world order without consequences, you will be making Putin's decision to invade Ukraine look wise,' he said in a statement to DailyMail.com. The top Republican pledged to work with his Democratic colleagues to first push through a 'robust' defense aid package to Taiwan and also draft 'pre-invasion' sanctions on China. He said imposing 'sanctions from hell' on China will deter the nation from trying to seize Taiwan. The South Carolina senator added that 'apparently China sees weakness' when it comes to the Biden-led United States. Another top Republican, Rep. Mike Waltz, echoed concerns that the Biden administration is projecting weakness. 'China's dictator came to American soil and told Biden his face he's taking Taiwan,' Waltz, R-Fla., wrote on X. 'The world will not survive 5 more years of this WEAKNESS in the White House!,' he continued. FULL STORY

Assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland Sir Keir Starmer believes the law on assisted dying should be changed, opening the door for Labour to end the ban if it is voted in. He has previously said that, if safeguards are in place, people who want to end their lives could be helped by someone 'acting out of compassion'. It is understood that his view is unchanged. While Labour is not planning to set aside legislative time to change the law if it wins the next election, Sir Keir's personal views suggest he could allow a free vote on the issue. Assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. In Scotland, it is not a specific criminal offence, but assisting the death of someone can leave a person open to a murder charge. A bid to change the law was brought before Parliament in 2015 when Sir Keir described the ban as an 'injustice' and voted in favour of the Bill, which failed. He told the Commons: 'I understand those who say that we should revert to a position where nobody should be given any assistance at all, but we have arrived at a position where compassionate, amateur assistance from nearest and dearest is accepted but professional medical assistance is not, unless someone has the means and physical assistance to get to Dignitas.' Sir Keir, who issued the current guidance on assisted dying when he was Director of Public Prosecutions, has also stated the law 'needs to be changed'. But he has stressed the importance of safeguards to protect vulnerable people, while letting those who 'wish to die be assisted by someone acting out of compassion'. Dame Esther Rantzen, who has lung cancer, said this week she had joined the Dignitas assisted-dying clinic in Switzerland. Since then, politicians including ministers Michael Gove and Mel Stride have said it was time for another parliamentary debate. The Commons health and social care committee is due to publish a report into assisted dying and assisted suicide. FULL STORY

Hamas says it will only discuss a permanent ceasefire in exchange for hostages Leader Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Cairo for talks prompting hope for progress Israeli PM Netanyahu said Israel would not stop until Hamas is eliminated Hamas has threatened to not release any more hostages unless Israel agrees to end its war in the Palestinian territories. The warning came as the terror group's chief landed in Cairo for talks over a ceasefire. Ismail Haniyeh flew into Egypt from his home in Qatar – prompting hopes that a new wave of releases could be imminent. The militant leader typically wades publicly into diplomacy when progress seems likely. But US President Joe Biden warned last night that he did not expect a deal to be struck soon given the great divide between Israel and Hamas. Israel has insisted all remaining women and infirm men must be released and accepts it may have to release Palestinians convicted of serious offences in return. But Hamas says it will only discuss a permanent ceasefire in exchange for hostages, rather than a temporary halt to hostilities, which Tel Aviv will not agree to. A Palestinian official said: 'Hamas's stance remains, they don't have a desire for humanitarian pauses. Hamas wants a complete end to the Israeli war on Gaza.' Responding to the claims, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said: 'We won't stop fighting until we've achieved all the objectives we've set ourselves – the elimination of Hamas, the release of our hostages and the end of the threat from Gaza.' Negotiations are also complicated as another Palestinian militant group, Islamic Jihad, has some of the 129 hostages in Gaza. It said its leader would also visit Egypt to try to bring a possible end to the war. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said the world must pressure Hamas, not just Israel, after wide global criticism of Israel's military campaign in Gaza. 'There seems to be silence on what Hamas could do, should do, must do if we want to end the suffering of innocent men, women and children,' he said. 'It would be good if the world could unite around that proposition as well.' Mr Blinken also said he was hoping for a positive outcome on a second UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire. FULL STORY

The Colorado supreme court ruling on Tuesday that bars Donald Trump from the state’s presidential ballot has kicked off a firestorm among Republicans and legal scholars, and fury from Trump himself. Though the former president did not address the decision during a rally on Tuesday night in Iowa – where he went on abusive rants against immigration – he posted on his social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday. “What a shame for our country!!!” Trump wrote. “A sad day for America!!!” Noah Bookbinder, president of the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, which brought the suit in Colorado on behalf of Republican and independent voters, praised the decision. It was, he said, “not only historic and justified, but is also necessary to protect the future of democracy in our country”. “Our constitution clearly states that those who violate their oath by attacking our democracy are barred from serving in government,” he said. Republicans have largely lined up behind Trump, railing against the ruling for allegedly infringing the right of Americans to choose their leaders. Elise Stefanik, a Republican representative from New York, said in a statement: “Democrats are so afraid that President Trump will win on Nov 5th 2024 that they are illegally attempting to take him off the ballot.” The Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy pledged to drop out of the Republican primary in Colorado, piling pressure on his fellow candidates to do the same or be seen as “tacitly endorsing this illegal maneuver which will have disastrous consequences from our country”. The Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, who is also campaigning for the Republican nomination, voiced an unusual theory that the Colorado decision was in fact a move from Democrats to incite Trump’s base and deliberately help him win the primary. FULL STORY

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The European Union is wielding its sweeping new rules for big online platforms in order to crack down on pornography sites Pornhub, Stripchat and XVideos. The European Commission, the bloc’s executive body, announced Wednesday that it had added the sites to its list of “very large online platforms” or VLOPs, a classification that subjects them to tougher standards covering age verification, content moderation and transparency under the landmark Digital Services Act. “Creating a safer online environment for our children is an enforcement priority under the DSA,” European Commissioner Thierry Breton said on X as he unveiled the three additions. The commission said in a statement that, following an investigation, it had found that all three platforms had at least 45 million average monthly users in the EU — the threshold for becoming a VLOP. Pornhub said in a statement on its site that, in the six months to the end of July, it had 33 million average monthly users in the EU. A European Commission told CNN Wednesday that it judged Pornhub to have met its higher threshold through its investigation, which included an analysis of information provided by third-party sources and discussion with Pornhub. One example of such sources is search engines. FULL STORY

Warner Bros. Discovery Chief Executive David Zaslav met on Tuesday with Paramount Global Chief Executive Bob Bakish, and they broached a potential merger between the two companies, two people familiar with the matter told CNN. A potential merger of the two media giants would create an entertainment and news juggernaut, encompassing Warner Bros. and Paramount studios as well as CBS, CNN, and other cable television assets. The discussion over lunch, which was first reported by Axios, took place at Paramount’s global headquarters in New York City’s Times Square. Spokespeople for Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount declined to comment. While a potential merger between the two studios could once again upend the media industry, the talks aren’t a complete surprise. Zaslav, who executed a number of acquisitions at Discovery, has talked in recent months about going shopping for additional assets to boost Warner Bros. Discovery’s content offerings. Meanwhile, Paramount is in need of a strategic partner to survive in the current media landscape. Shari Redstone, the family heiress of Paramount’s parent company, National Amusements, has reportedly been in talks to sell her stake in the company. A person familiar with the matter confirmed that Zaslav has spoken to Redstone about a possible deal. Analysts expect consolidation in the media business to continue as legacy entertainment companies bulk up in their efforts to compete with tech titans in Silicon Valley, which are increasingly wading into the content space. Investors weren’t happy, though: Warner Bros. Discovery’s (WBD) stock fell immediately after Axios published its report and ended the day down 5.7%. It fell another 1.4% in after-hours trading. Paramount’s stock rose initially on the report but was a little less than 1% lower after hours. FULL STORY

One of the court challenges to Donald Trump's eligibility to run for president in 2024 has finally struck gold. The Colorado Supreme Court's ruling to disqualify the former president from the Republican Party's upcoming primary ballot is yet another unprecedented moment in US politics. It's a decision that further blurs the lines between America's political and judicial systems, setting up a fresh collision between the election campaign and the courts. However, this latest legal setback is unlikely to seriously damage Mr Trump's bid to return to the White House - and he is already using it to his political advantage. The activists who brought the case in Colorado - a liberal watchdog group and collection of anti-Trump Republican and independent voters - may be celebrating their victory. But the response so far by Democratic politicians - the ones who will stand before voters next year and are working to defeat Mr Trump at the ballot box - tells a different story. This isn't a fight they want. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold - who had declined to act unilaterally to block Mr Trump from the state's primary - issued a response to the court's decision on Wednesday that didn't exactly drip with enthusiasm. "This decision may be appealed," she said. "I will follow the court decision that is in place at the time of ballot certification." Trump disqualified from 2024 ballot in Colorado Can Trump still run for president after Colorado ruling? Voters react to Trump being kicked off Colorado ballot Part of the reason for her seeming reluctance to weigh in - and the relative silence of other Democrats - is that the ultimate outlook for the Colorado challenge isn't bright. FULL STORY

Seems more likely to be a "user error" and this topic is now closed so as not to mislead people as the headline is NOT correct. CLOSED

She obviously entered the wrong code.I would have let it play out and pleaded ignorance if questioned after all you didn't do it.

The head of a Gaza hospital has admitted to being a senior Hamas commander — and detailed how the terror group transformed the medical site into an operational hub that once housed a kidnapped Israeli soldier. Ahmad Kahlot, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Jabaliya, made his taped confession to the Israeli security service Shin Bet after his arrest during last week’s raid on the facility in northern Gaza. In a video of his interrogation released on X on Tuesday, Kahlot, dressed in an Israeli jail uniform and seated in front of Israel’s flag, said he joined Hamas in 2010 and held a rank equivalent to a brigadier general. Kahlot revealed that about 16 hospital staffers, including doctors, nurses, paramedics and clerks, were also members of Hamas’ notorious military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. According to the hospital chief, the medical facility under his care had been turned into an elaborate military hub where up to 100 Hamas terrorists had been holed up for days before moving to a different location. Full Story and video.

A federal judge in New York has ordered the names of dozens of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged victims and associates to be made public in 2024, according to documents. The order, issued Monday by Judge Loretta A. Preska, is the latest filing in a settled case by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, an American woman who claimed Epstein sexually abused her while she was a minor and that Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend and longtime accomplice, aided in the abuse. Epstein was indicted in 2019 on federal charges of operating a sex trafficking ring in which he allegedly sexually abused dozens of underage girls. The multi-millionaire died by suicide in jail while awaiting trial. Prosecutors in New York indicted Maxwell on sex trafficking charges involving multiple victims. She was convicted last year. While the 2015 defamation lawsuit brought by Giuffre was settled in 2017 and placed under a protective order, parts of it have been unsealed since then as Giuffre, Maxwell and a number of third-party figures have debated what should and shouldn’t be released to the public.In August 2019, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit unsealed hundreds of pages of documents a day before Epstein died in prison, ruling that the district court judge had improperly sealed hundreds of filings. That judge had since died. The appeals court then remanded the case back to the district court to go through the rest of the documents individually and determine what could be unsealed. Judge Preska, who has since taken over the case, ruled for the unsealing of more documents in July 2020, including Maxwell’s 2016 deposition related to the lawsuit as well as emails and depositions by others. Many of the alleged victims gave public interviews and have already been identified by the media, while others “did not raise an objection” to the unsealing of documents, according to Preska’s Monday order. Preska is giving the Jane and John Does 14 days to file an appeal before the parties confer and make the documents public. As for the Epstein associates, it’s unclear how many have been investigated for alleged wrongdoing or will be. FULL STORY

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the coronavirus subvariant JN.1 is now causing about 20% of new Covid-19 infections in this country, and it’s the fastest-growing strain of the virus. It’s already dominant in the Northeast, where it is estimated to cause about a third of new infections. JN.1 is descended from BA.2.86, or Pirola, a subvariant that came to the world’s attention over the summer because of the large number of changes to its spike proteins: more than 30. Scientists feared that it was so mutated that it would completely escape the protection of vaccines and antibodies against Covid-19, perhaps sparking another tidal wave of illness the way the original Omicron variant did in 2021. That never happened, but BA.2.86 hung around, growing very slowly in some countries, including the US. Some studies suggested that it never really took off because it may have lost some of its ability to infect our cells. Enter JN.1, which is two generations removed – a granddaughter, so to speak – of BA.2.86. JN.1 has only one change to its spike protein compared with its ancestor, but that seems to have been enough to make it a fitter and faster virus. The CDC estimates that prevalence of JN.1 more than doubled in the US between late November and mid-December. It seems to be getting an assist from holiday travel and waning immunity. “When I just look at the growth curve, it is rising quite sharply, and it seems to coincide with the Thanksgiving break in terms of timing,” said Dr. Shishi Luo, who heads infectious diseases for the genomic sequencing company Helix. Variant trackers say they expect JN.1 to become the leading coronavirus variant around the world in a matter of weeks. The World Health Organization named it a variant of interest on Tuesday because of its “rapidly increasing spread” but noted that the additional public health risk remains low. “It’s already pretty clear that it is highly competitive with existing XBB variants and looks like it’s on track to become the next sort of globally dominant group of variants,” said Dr. T. Ryan Gregory, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Guelph in Ontario, who has been tracking the evolution of the virus that causes Covid-19. The mutation in JN.1’s spike is at a position that Gregory said seems to help the virus escape our immunity. FULL STORY

Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie weighed in on the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to knock former President Trump off the state’s ballot, arguing voters, not the courts, should decide if Trump should be “prevented” from being reelected to the White House. “What I will say is I do not believe Donald Trump should be prevented from being President of the United States, by any court,” Christie said in a statement Tuesday. “I think he should be prevented from being the President of the United States by the voters of this country.” Christie said he doesn’t believe “it’s good” for the U.S. if Trump is kept off the ballot by a court. “I think it’s bad for the country if that happens,” Christie said. “Now, the other reason I believe that is because, you know, he will have had to incite insurrection, be a part of an insurrection for him to be excluded. There’s been no trial of him on that.” Trump is currently facing charges from the Department of Justice related to his alleged efforts to stay in power after losing the 2020 presidential election, which included blocking the certification of 2020 election votes. The trial is slated to begin March 4, though Trump is attempting to have the case tossed out on the grounds he has presidential immunity from federal prosecution. The Colorado Supreme Court issued a ruling Tuesday night arguing Trump should be prevented from appearing on the state’s Republican primary ballot because of his alleged role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. In a 4-3 ruling, the court ruled Trump was involved in an insurrection by promoting false claims of election fraud and directing his supporters to the Capitol, where some participated in the riots in an attempt to stop the certification of 2020 election results. FULL STORY

Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed, as the war with Russia nears a two-year mark. At a news conference in Kyiv, he said his commanders were seeking "450,000-500,000 individuals", admitting this was a "sensitive" and costly issue. He said he needed more details before backing the move, hinting that 500,000 soldiers were already on the front. His comments come in the wake of aid setbacks from the US and the EU. Republicans in the US Congress first blocked a $60bn (£47bn) military package for Ukraine earlier this month. This week, representatives of both the White House and the State Department said the US was planning one more military aid package to Ukraine - but that it had limited ability to send more help after that unless Congress acted. The US setback was followed by Hungary's blocking of the EU's €50bn ($55bn; £43bn) financial aid deal last week. EU leaders, however, said Ukraine would not be left without support. Ukraine is facing an ammunition shortage as it continues to fight occupying Russian forces, following Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Kyiv's counter-offensive ground to a halt at the start of winter and there are fears that the Russians could simply outgun Ukraine. Olena Zelenska, Ukraine's first lady, warned in a BBC interview earlier this month that Ukrainians were in "mortal danger" of being left to die without further Western support. Russia President Vladimir Putin said this week that Moscow would continue its invasion, vowing that all his goals would be achieved. The Kremlin leader also said that 617,000 Russian soldiers were currently taking part in what Moscow describes as its "special military operation". But he admitted that the armed forces had problems with air defence systems and communication, and needed to increase the production of drones. Ukraine cuts military operations as aid dries up Republicans block Biden aid package to KyivHungary blocks €50bn of EU funding for Ukraine Inside Putin's carefully choreographed phone-in President Zelensky's end-of-year news conference was held in the Ukrainian capital on Tuesday, with the time and venue being kept secret from the general public. Invited Ukrainian and foreign media had been given the details in their confirmation letters. FULL STORY

Colorado's Supreme Court has ruled Donald Trump cannot run for president next year in the state, citing a constitutional insurrection clause. In a decision that upends the White House race, the court ruled 4-3 that Mr Trump is not an eligible candidate. It is the first time that Section 3 of the US Constitution's 14th Amendment has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate. Several attempts to kick Mr Trump off the ballot in other states have failed. Tuesday's decision - which has been placed on hold pending appeal until next month - does not apply to states outside Colorado. The top court wrote in its ruling: "We do not reach these conclusions lightly. We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us. "We are likewise mindful of our solemn duty to apply the law, without fear or favor, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach." The decision reverses an earlier one from a Colorado judge, who ruled that the 14th Amendment's insurrection ban did not apply to presidents because the section does not explicitly name them. That same lower court judge also found that Mr Trump had participated in an insurrection on the day of the US Capitol riot in 2021. Supporters of the former president stormed Congress on that day while lawmakers were certifying President Joe Biden's election victory. The Colorado Supreme Court's decision does not go into effect until at least 4 January 2024. That is the eve of the deadline for the state to print its presidential primary ballots. In a statement, Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, called the ruling "completely flawed" and lambasted the justices, who were all appointed by Democratic governors. "Democrat Party leaders are in a state of paranoia over the growing, dominant lead President Trump has amassed in the polls," Mr Cheung said. "They have lost faith in the failed Biden presidency and are now doing everything they can to stop the American voters from throwing them out of office next November." Mr Cheung added that Mr Trump's legal team would "swiftly file an appeal" to the US Supreme Court. The legal bid to take Trump off ballot, explained Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (Crew), the group that brought the case, welcomed the ruling. "It is not only historic and justified, but is necessary to protect the future of democracy in our country," the group's president, Noah Bookbinder, said in a statement. Similar lawsuits in New Hampshire, Minnesota and Michigan have failed. The 14th Amendment was ratified after the American Civil War. Its Section 3 was intended to block secessionists from returning to previous government roles once southern states re-joined the Union. It was used against Confederate president Jefferson Davis and his vice-president Alexander Stephens, both of whom had served in Congress. It has seldom been invoked since. Mr Trump lost the state of Colorado by a wide margin in the last presidential election. But if courts in more competitive states followed suit on Tuesday's ruling, Mr Trump's White House bid could face serious problems. During a one-week trial in Colorado last month, the former president's lawyers argued he should not be disqualified because he did not bear responsibility for the US Capitol riot. But in its Tuesday ruling, the Colorado Supreme Court majority disagreed. They said Mr Trump's messages before the riot were "a call to his supporters to fight and… his supporters responded to that call". Carlos Samour, one of three justices who dissented, argued the government could not "deprive someone of the right to hold public office without due process of law". "Even if we are convinced that a candidate committed horrible acts in the past - dare I say, engaged in insurrection - there must be procedural due process before we can declare that individual disqualified from holding public office," he wrote. FULL STORY