December 2025 ~ FORTE JRNL

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NEED TO KNOW

95 passengers and nine crewmembers fell ill during a Celebrity Cruises voyage in late December
Symptoms reported included vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps
The Celebrity Eclipse made a round-trip voyage

Dozens of passengers fell sick on a Celebrity Cruises voyage in late December.

According to the CDC, 95 of the 3,042 passengers aboard theCelebrity Eclipsecruise ship reported becoming sick during the voyage, which lasted from Saturday, Dec. 20 to Sunday, Dec. 28.

Nine crewmembers also reported being ill during the trip, which was a round-trip voyage from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., making stops in the Caribbean, per data tracked byCruise Mapper.

After departing the Florida port, the ship made stops at St. Johns, Antigua, Philipsburg, St. Maarten, San Juan, Puerto Rico and Puerto Plata-Amber Cove, Dominican Republic before returning to Florida.

Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty

The outbreak was reported to the Vessel Sanitation Program on the final day of the trip.

The predominant symptoms experienced by the ill passengers and crew members were vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. The exact cause of the outbreak remains unknown.

In response to the wave of illness, Celebrity Cruises "increased its cleaning and disinfection procedures" along with consulting VSP about "sanitation cleaning procedures and reporting ill cases."

The crew also "collected stool specimens from gastrointestinal illness cases" to be tested, and isolated the sick passengers and crew.

Per the CDC, VSP "remotely monitored the situation, including review of the ship's outbreak response and sanitation procedures."

PEOPLE reached out to Celebrity Cruises and did not receive an immediate response.

The CDC reported22 outbreaks on cruise ships in 2025. Sixteen of these outbreaks were reported as norovirus. Before the Celebrity Cruises outbreak, the CDC reported anorovirus outbreak infecting over 100 passengerswho were aboard a 133-day cruise around the world.

The ship's stops included the U.S., England, Mexico, Japan and South Africa after departing from Germany in November.

Daniel Knighton/Getty

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In order to stay safe and healthy when aboard a cruise ship, the CDC recommends washing your hands often, drinking water to stay hydrated, and taking care of yourself.

If you do fall sick while on a cruise, tell the ship's medical center and follow their instructions.

Read the original article onPeople

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

95 Passengers Sickened by Unknown Illness on Celebrity Cruises Sailing

Michele Eve Sandberg/Shutterstock NEED TO KNOW 95 passengers and nine crewmembers fell ill during a Celebrity Cruises voyage in late Dece...

One of Mt. Baldy victims identified as 19-year-old Seal Beach man

(This story was updated to add new information.)

One of thethree hikers who were found deadafter an unsuccessful rescue attempt on Mt. Baldy has been identified, officials said on Wednesday, Dec. 31.

Marcus Alexander Muench Casanova, a 19-year-old resident of Seal Beach, was identified as one of the three male hikers, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Coroner said it's working to identify the other two hikers.

Authorities said they responded to a request at about 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 29 to locate an injured 19-year-old male hiker near the Devil's Backbone trail, who'd reportedly fallen approximately 500 feet. During an aerial search, authorities located the injured hiker and two others. However, due to severe winds, the helicopter was unable to complete the rescue safely, authorities said.

Severe winds continued to hamper another rescue effort later that evening, during which an air medic confirmed all three hikers were dead. The helicopter was unable to complete the recovery efforts, county officials said.

Is Mt. Baldy still closed?

The Mt. Baldy area of the San Gabriel Mountains istemporarily closeduntil 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 31, according to the Angeles National Forest.

San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Shannon Dicus said the temporary closure is "necessary to prevent additional emergencies and protect lives."

"The tragic loss of life on Mt. Baldy and repeated rescue responses highlight how dangerous current conditions are, even for experienced hikers," Dicus said. "Weather and terrain conditions remain extremely dangerous and unpredictable, posing a significant risk to both the public and Search and Rescue personnel."

Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her atpbarraza@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Mt. Baldy victim identified as 19-year-old SoCal man

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

One of Mt. Baldy victims identified as 19-year-old Seal Beach man

(This story was updated to add new information.) One of thethree hikers who were found deadafter an unsuccessful...

Images captured on March 18, 2025 show the Bella 1 vessel, which the US has been pursuing away from Venezuela. - Hakon Rimmereid/Reuters/File

Crew members aboard the aging, rusted oil tanker that the US has been pursuing at sea for nearly two weeks appear to have painted a crude image of a Russian flag on the ship's hull, which American officials believe is an attempt at claiming Russian protection, a US official familiar with the matter said.

The new insignia was spotted by Coast Guard personnel, who aretrailing the tankerfrom about a half-mile behind as it sails in the open Atlantic Ocean away from Venezuela, the official said.

It wasn't clear when the new flag appeared on the side of the Bella 1. The massive tanker has been resisting seizure since December 21, when it made a U-turn in the Caribbean Sea after the Coast Guard attempted to interdict it on its way into Venezuela to pick up oil.

It's been fleeing ever since.

The flag, which the US official said was sloppily painted on the side of the ship by its crew, was the latest development in the slow-speed pursuit of the vessel, which is under US sanctions for allegedly shipping Iranian oil. The New York Timesfirst reportedthe new flag.

US officials said the Bella 1 was flying under the flag of Guyana, which they said was not valid, when the Coast Guard originally tried to board it. Its current registration is listed as "not known" on the shipping database Equasis. By claiming Russian status, the legalities of seizing the vessel could become more complicated.

American officials no longer expect the Bella 1 to return to Venezuela to load up with oil, and it's possible the Trump administration will decide to abandon its effort to seize the ship.

But until then, assets have been readied in case the order comes from the White House to reattempt a seizure of the tanker. That would requirea Maritime Special Response Teamwith experience in boarding vessels that do not submit to seize control of it.

Officials aren't sure why the crew of the Bella 1 did not stop the ship and submit to the Coast Guard's efforts to interdict it, as two previous oil tankers did this month.

The pursuit stems from Trump'sorder of a "blockade"on sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers. Administration officials believe squeezing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's main economic lifeline is the best path to potentially ousting the authoritarian leader.

On Wednesday, the US Treasury Department tried to ramp up pressure on Venezuela's oil sector by sanctioning four more oil companies and designating four oil tankers as "blocked property."

Two of the four blocked tankers were flying Hong Kong flags while the other two were flying the flags of Guinea and Panama, according to the Treasury Department, which said the tankers finance the Maduro regime.

In a statement, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent vowed to "continue to implement President Trump's campaign of pressure on Maduro's regime."

It's the latest in a bevy of sanctions that the Trump administration has levied as part of its pressure campaign. On December 11, the USsanctionedsix other vessels that allegedly helped move Venezuelan oil. The department also sanctioned three nephews of Maduro's wife and another Maduro-affiliated businessman.

CNN's Sean Lyngaas contributed to this report.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Oil tanker pursued by US now has a Russian flag painted on its side

Crew members aboard the aging, rusted oil tanker that the US has been pursuing at sea for nearly two weeks appear to have painted a crude i...

Miami has more at stake than a CFP win vs. Ohio State in Cotton Bowl

Twenty-three years ago this week,Miami lost the Fiesta Bowlin double overtime to Ohio State and never recovered.

Ohio State and Miami were like two ships passing in the night — theBuckeyes have since kicked their dynasty to new heightsas the Hurricanes dropped several rungs down the Power Four ladder as one of the Bowl Subdivision's perennial underachievers.

That's not much of an overstatement: Miami might remain reputationally relevant, but a checkered run in the wake of that controversial loss features just one conference championship as a member of the now-defunct Big East, two division championships since joining the ACC and as many losing seasons, four, as years with double-digit wins.

Meanwhile, each of the past three permanent Ohio State coaches have won a national championship, while current coach Ryan Day has won a remarkable 87.8% of his games since replacing Urban Meyer in 2019.

Held against this backdrop, the quarterfinals of theCollege Football Playoffat theCotton Bowlbetween the No. 10 seed Hurricanes and the No. 2Buckeyesprovide an opportunity for revenge along with the chance to reverse the program's decades-long swoon and potentially jumpstart a renaissance.

Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr. breaks free on a run against Texas A&M during the first round of the 2025 College Football Playoff at Kyle Field.

After years of unrealized expectations, Miami could be poised to break through and capture a landscape-shifting win against the defending national champions.

"Certainly, we've progressed a lot as a program, and these guys have worked really hard to keep earning that progress, and now we find ourselves with an opportunity here in the College Football Playoff," said fourth-year coach Mario Cristobal. "So we're really excited about that opportunity."

Looking at this season, steady progress under Cristobal yielded a team that was simply too talented and too accomplished to leave out of the playoff despite two midseason conference losses.

While a win in the opener against Notre Dame was the eventual tiebreaker inthe final playoff rankings, the Hurricanes established their case with a furious four-game winning streak to end the regular season before pulling out an ugly but effective10-3 road win against No. 7 seed Texas A&Min the opening round.

"All three phases of the game, working together to ultimately pull out a win in what a lot of people say is one of the hardest places to play in the country, and in a playoff atmosphere, elevates that even more," said senior quarterback Carson Beck.

Miami reaches CFP with transfer portal assist

As much as any team in the playoff, Miami has been transformed by the transfer portal. The offseason headliner was Beck, who came in from Georgia and struggled through his own midseason decline but has rebounded with 12 touchdowns against just one interception in his past five games.

Overall, roughly half of the Hurricanes' starting lineup was obtained through the portal, a list that includes wide receivers CJ Daniels and Keelan Marion, linebacker Mohamed Toure and defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor. Among traditional recruits, Miami unearthed a gem in three-star receiver Malachi Toney, who leads the team with 89 receptions for 992 yards and eight touchdowns.

These newcomers have joined a roster that has been built from the inside out, with offensive and defensive lines that rank among the best in the Power Four; as predicted, Cristobal has turned Miami into one of the most physical teams in the country.

Miami is "big and strong and powerful," said Day. "They've done a really good job of recruiting and adapting to the new structure of college football. They do a good job of coaching them, and you can see as the season's gone on, they've gotten better. And we know it's going to be a great challenge for both sides of the football."

Said Beck, "Our trenches on offense and defense have led this team. We go as they go. And any good football team, that's how it's going to be. And we understand the talent that they bring in their trenches as well."

Ohio State is Miami's toughest challenge of season

This program-building philosophy helped Miami pull out a win in College Station despite just three third-down conversions, three missed field goals and a potentially costly turnover in the fourth quarter.

"It was one of those games where we felt, all right, we're holding up good and we're knocking them back," said Cristobal. "I guess what I'm trying to say is the confidence that they bring to us and being able to call and manage the game is off the charts, and certainly they were the difference today."

But the Hurricanes will face by far their toughest test to date — tougher than Notre Dame, Texas A&M or anything they took on in the ACC — against an opponent in Ohio State with no discernable weakness.

Despite losing in the Big Ten championship game to Indiana, Ohio State is considered the favorite in this year's tournament after a nearly flawless regular season that saw just one win, against Texas in the opener, decided by fewer than 18 points. The highlight was the 27-9 win against Michigan to snap the Wolverines' four-game winning streak in the rivalry.

Statistically, these are opponents breathing the same rarefied air among the elite teams in the Power Four. Ohio State ranks 24th nationally in yards per game and 12th in yards per play; Miami ranks 34th and 27th nationally, respectively. On defense, the Buckeyes lead the country in giving up 213.5 yards per game and 3.9 yards per play; the Hurricanes are allowing 281.5 yards per game and 4.5 yards per play.

"Yeah, you know, they're really a fast defense," said Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin. "They're coached really well. They have really good players. And they're a very good defense. So we have a really tough challenge against us. We have to focus on our execution as an offense."

The comparison is even more striking when looking at each team's performance against opponents with a winning record. Offensively, both have averaged 6.4 yards per play in these matchups — seven games for Miami and eight for Ohio State.

Miami win would be 'transformational'

And like the Buckeyes last season, the Hurricanes look to benefit from an opening-round matchup against an SEC opponent before turning to a Big Ten powerhouse. After losing to Michigan to end the regular season and missing the conference championship game, No. 8 seed Ohio State bulldozed Tennessee and then avenged an earlier loss to Oregon in the quarterfinals.

"I think the first thing is not having the mindset of just being here," Cristobal said. "I think that's probably the opposite of our mindset. If we're blessed enough to earn the opportunity to keep playing, our only goal was to keep getting better every single week, and we feel like we did that in our last game."

A win would be transformational. Looking back at the program's rise and fall, Miami's time in the wilderness exceeds the roughly two-decade run as perhaps the sport's defining program, which included national championships in 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991 and 2001. But beating the Buckeyes would make a thunderous statement: We're back, and maybe back to stay.

"Yeah, we're very blessed to have this opportunity," said offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa. "At this point, we're coming to take it all. To play against Ohio State at the Cotton Bowl, it's pretty much a blessing to be here."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Miami needs Ohio State win in CFP to return to college football elite

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Miami has more at stake than a CFP win vs. Ohio State in Cotton Bowl

Twenty-three years ago this week,Miami lost the Fiesta Bowlin double overtime to Ohio State and never recovered. ...

Bills DE Ed Oliver hurts knee, further delaying his return from IR

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills starting defensive tackle Ed Oliver had minor surgery for a knee injury this week, further delaying his return off injured reserve for playoff-bound Buffalo.

Coach Sean McDermott provided the update on Wednesday, by saying the injury happened while Oliver was rehabbing from a torn left bicephe sustained in late October. Oliver was originally projected to return before the end of the season.

McDermott did not have a timetable on Oliver's recovery, by saying the knee injury adds a level of uncertainty. He, however, didn't rule out the player returning should the Bills make a deep playoff run.

Buffalo (11-5) closes the regular season by hosting the New York Jets (3-13) on Sunday. The Bills are currently the AFC's No. 7 seed, with an opportunity to climb as high as No. 5, meaning they'll open the wild-card playoff round on the road.

McDermott said he has yet to determine whether to rest some of his starters on Sunday. And the players include quarterback Josh Allen, who was not scheduled to practice on Wednesday because of a sore right foot.Allen first hurt his footin a 23-20 win at Cleveland two weeks ago, and then aggravated the injury in a 13-12 loss to Philadelphia on Sunday.

Other players not scheduled to practice on Wednesday were edge rusher Joey Bosa, safety Jordan Poyer (hamstring), defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (calf) and linebacker Terrel Bernard, who has already been ruled out after hurting his calf on Sunday.

Kicker Matt Prater was schedule to practice fully after missing the past two games with a quadricep injury.

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Bills DE Ed Oliver hurts knee, further delaying his return from IR

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills starting defensive tackle Ed Oliver had minor surgery for a knee injury this week...

Lamar Jackson at practice for the Ravens as Baltimore prepares for Pittsburgh showdown

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Lamar Jackson was at practice Wednesday for the Baltimore Ravens as they prepared for this weekend's showdown at Pittsburgh for the AFC North title.

Jackson missedlast weekend's must-win game at Green Baybecause of a back injury. He hasn't had a full week of practice since early November, but his presence Wednesday suggests that's a possibility now. The two-time MVP quarterback also missed three games earlier this season because of hamstring problems.

The Ravens beat the Packers with Tyler Huntley at quarterback, but they still need a win over the Steelers on Sunday night to make the playoffs.

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Lamar Jackson at practice for the Ravens as Baltimore prepares for Pittsburgh showdown

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Lamar Jackson was at practice Wednesday for the Baltimore Ravens as they prepared for this weeke...

New Year's Eve Forecast: What To Expect As We Bid Farewell To 2025 And Say Hello To 2026

Well, it's almost time to say goodbye to 2025 (andits weather), as New Year's Eve is approaching. Here's what the weather will be up to as the ball drops across the country.

New Year's Eve (Night)

I know what you probably care most about is the weather at 12 a.m. on New Year's Day, the moment 2025 becomes 2026.

Lake-effect snow is still hanging on in the Great Lakes, so anyone planning outdoor festivities or travel should take extra care when planning their evenings. A cold front is also going to push through the Northeast with the threat of snow squalls, but on the bright side, New York City could have a few snowflakes falling as the ball drops.

Speaking of the Big Apple, if you're going to be in New York City for the big New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square, you're going to need to be bundled up, because it'll be hovering right around 30 degrees and breezy as that time-honored tradition takes place.

It will also be quite cold in the upper Midwest, with temperatures flirting with 0 degrees in the Twin Cities as 2026 arrives.

Unfortunately, another holiday will be soaked in California. Locally heavy rain, especially in Southern California, could lead to at least local flash flooding and possibly more rock/landslides. Rain will also spread into the Desert Southwest, potentially soaking 2026's arrival in both Las Vegas and Phoenix.

(192-hours: Further beef up your forecast with our detailed, hour-by-hour breakdown for the next 8 days – only available on ourPremium Pro experience.)

New Year's Day

Hello, 2026! What will Mother Nature have in store for us?

It will be cold and breezy in the Northeast and Great Lakes, with only a few patchy areas of snow in the northern and eastern Great Lakes. A heavy lake-effect snowband off Lake Ontario may continue to pound parts of upstate New York north of Syracuse.

The South will have pleasant weather and warmer than average temperatures, for the most part, after a chilly morning.

Rain and high mountain snow will continue to soak much of the Southwest, Great Basin, California and Oregon. Scattered storms and locally heavy rain looks likely across Southern California early Thursday morning. The Storm Prediction Center has introduced a marginal severe risk for Southern California, which includes a low-end tornado threat for Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Long Beach, Anaheim and Pasadena. The Rose Parade, which begins at 8 a.m. PT in Pasadena, looks wet and potentially stormy.

(MORE:The Rose Parade Could Be Wet For The First Time In 20 Years)

Wherever you'll be spending your New Year's Eve, we hope you have a safe and festive end to 2025!

Sara Tonksis a content meteorologist with weather.com and has a bachelor's and a master's degree from Georgia Tech in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences along with a master's degree from Unity Environmental University in Marine Science.

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

New Year’s Eve Forecast: What To Expect As We Bid Farewell To 2025 And Say Hello To 2026

Well, it's almost time to say goodbye to 2025 (andits weather), as New Year's Eve is approaching. Here's what...

Disney Hollywood Studios (George Wilson / NurPhoto via AP file)

A Disney employeethrew himself in front of a runaway rubber boulder,getting injured as he shielded guests from the 400-pound prop during an Indiana Jones themed attraction, officials at the Florida park said Wednesday.

Fans at Disney's Hollywood Studios were all set to see a demonstration of the"Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular"when viral video captured the wild moments of the massive ball rolling off its track .

Guests appeared to be initially entertained by the mishap during a recreation of the iconic scene from "Raiders of the Lost Ark." However, those brief laughs quickly turned to concern as the huge bouncing ball barreled off its track and toward the audience.

That's when a park employee confronted the wayward sphere, holding out his forearms and bracing for impact.

But he was no match for the faux boulder, which easily knocked him to the floor.

The man successfully halted the prop's momentum toward the crowd, but he did not immediately stand up after being struck as fellow employees rushed to the worker who was flat on his back.

The officialDisney Parks Blogsays the prop is made of rubber and weighs 400 pounds.

A Disney spokesperson confirmed the incident occurred, but did not offer any further specifics such as when exactly the mishap occurred or the extent of the employee's injuries.

"We're focused on supporting our Cast Member, who is recovering," Disney said. "Safety is at the heart of what we do, and that element of the show will be modified as our safety team completes a review of what happened."

In the classic 1981 movie, screen legend Harrison Ford played swashbuckling archeologist Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones Jr.

In an early scene of the Steven Spielberg flick, Ford's character was seeking to grab an ancient gold idol, but had to overcome a booby trapped lair that included a massive rolling boulder that he narrowly escaped.

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Disney park worker hurt shielding crowd from 400-pound prop in Indiana Jones show

A Disney employeethrew himself in front of a runaway rubber boulder,getting injured as he shielded guests from the 400-pound prop during an...

Finnish authorities took control of a vessel suspected of damaging a submarine telecommunications cable

Police from Finland have detained the Russian crew of a tanker suspected of cutting a telecommunication cable in the Baltic Sea.

Finnish authorities seized the Fitburg, a St Vincent and Grenadines-flagged cargo ship, on Wednesday. It had been travelling from St Petersburg to Haifa,Israel.

The ship's crew consists ofRussian, Georgian, Kazakh and Azerbaijani sailors, according to police, who are investigating the case as aggravated criminal damage and suspected sabotage.

The Fitburg, which was detained in Finnish waters while its anchor was down, is suspected of being "responsible for damage to [a] cable" running between Helsinki and Tallinn in the Gulf of Finland.

The incident occurred in the Baltic Sea, which has seen a huge increase in suspected sabotage attacks on undersea cables since the start of theRussia-Ukraine war.

Western officials suspect the attacks are being carried out as part ofVladimir Putin's hybrid war campaign, which is designed to punish the West for its military support of Kyiv.

Elisa, the Finnish telecoms operator and owner of the cable, said the damage had "not affected the functionality of [its] services in any way".

The company said it had informed Finnish authorities as soon as it detected a fault in the cable earlier on Wednesday.

A Finnish police spokesman said: "At this stage, the police are investigating the incident ‍as aggravated criminal damage, attempted aggravated criminal damage, and aggravated interference with telecommunications."

The Estonian justice ministry said a second telecoms cable connecting the country toFinlandfailed temporarily on Wednesday, although it was not confirmed that it was connected to the Elisa incident.

Alar Karis, the Estonian president, said onsocial mediasite X: "I'm concerned about the reported damage ... hopefully it was not a deliberate act, but the investigation will be clarified."

Finnish officials at a press conference in Helsinki

Alexander Stubb, the Finnish president, said: "Finland is prepared ⁠for security challenges of various kinds, and we respond to them as necessary."

The case under investigation is reminiscent of an incident in December 2024,when Finnish authorities boarded the Eagle S, an oil tanker linked to Russia. They suspected that its anchor had damaged five cables in the Baltic.

Finland's attempt to prosecute the Eagle S's crew collapsed. A court in Finland ruled that prosecutors had not been able to prove that the crew intentionally damaged the cables. The fact that the ship had been stopped in international – rather than Finnish – waters, led to a dispute about jurisdiction.

The Baltic Sea is crossed by as many as two thousand ships per day and has become one of the most fraught battlegrounds between Nato allies and Russia.

In an interview with the Telegraph earlier this year, a top German naval officer said it could be very difficult to prove that a rogue crew had dropped and dragged an anchor on purpose.

Seized vessel Fitburg rests in harbour in Kirkkonummi, Finland

"If you don't have a well-trained crew, it might drop the anchor because they've been told to wait three days, or because there is a lack of orders, or because there is bad weather, and not realise there is a cable underneath them," said Stephan Haisch, a Rear Admiral in the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces.

"It's stupid, because the cables are marked on the nautical chart, but they just don't know. It can happen – but it is really stupid and shortsighted," he added.

Another problem is confirming whether a ship has any ties to Russia, as in many cases the vessels will sail under the flag of an obscure country with no obvious Russian links.

In the case of the Fitburg, for example, the ship was sailing under the flag of St Vincent and Grenadines, a former UK Overseas Territory and island nation in the eastern Caribbean.

According to London Stock Exchange Group data, the owner of the Fitburg is Fitburg Shipping Company Ltd and the manager is Albros Shipping and Trading Ltd.

In addition to cutting cables, Russia-linked ships are suspected of carrying out surveillance on Nato ships and warplanes. They are typically part of Moscow's infamous shadow fleet, a group of rusty, poorly maintained ships which sail under foreign flags to evade sanctions.

When the Eagle S was boarded in a separate incident in Danish waters, the crew was unable to explain why it was carrying specialist equipment designed for such surveillance.

An ongoing Nato mission to crack down on suspicious Russia-linked ships in the Baltic Sea is being led by Germany, which last year opened a new headquarters in Rostock, on the country's northern coast.

Known as CTF Baltic, [Commander Task Force Baltic], the new Rostock headquarters has angered Moscow, which claims it violates a 1990s-era treaty that banned the stationing of new Nato forces in the former communist state of East Germany.

"I could say that people are bothered by [the task force] in Russia, and that is a good sign, if people are bothered in Russia, because then we have achieved a certain effect," said Rear Admiral Haisch.

Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays.

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Russian crew detained after undersea cable cut in ‘sabotage’

Police from Finland have detained the Russian crew of a tanker suspected of cutting a telecommunication cable in the Baltic Sea. Finnish a...

Canada adds Macklin Celebrini, throng of 4 Nations veterans to Olympic team

Nineteen-year-old sensation Macklin Celebrini is a notable new name on the final Winter Olympics roster, announced by Hockey Canada on Wednesday.

General manager Doug Armstrong's 25-man team features five players, including Celebrini, who were not part of the gold medal-winning lineup at the 4 Nations Face-Off last February. The others are forwards Nick Suzuki and Tom Wilson and goaltenders Darcy Kuemper and Logan Thompson.

NHL scoring leaders Connor McDavid (69 points) and Nathan MacKinnon (66 points) were named to the team in June along with perennial captain Sidney Crosby, fellow forwards Sam Reinhart and Brayden Point, and defenseman Cale Makar.

Celebrini, who has 60 points for the San Jose Sharks in his second NHL season, will make his Olympic debut at the tournament that runs from Feb. 11-22, 2026, in Milan, Italy.

The remaining forwards Armstrong selected Wednesday are Anthony Cirelli, Brandon Hagel, Bo Horvat, Brad Marchand, Mitch Marner and Mark Stone.

Canada's Makar-led defense corps includes 4 Nations returnees Drew Doughty, Thomas Harley, Josh Morrissey, Colton Parayko, Travis Sanheim, Shea Theodore and Devon Toews.

Kuemper and Thompson join 4 Nations starter Jordan Binnington as Canada's goalies.

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper will man the Canadian bench with assistance from veteran counterparts Bruce Cassidy, Peter DeBoer and Rick Tocchet.

The Canadians are grouped at the Olympics with Czechia, their first opponent, on Feb. 12; Switzerland, the opponent on Feb. 13; and France, whom they face Feb. 15.

Forwards dropped from the 4 Nations team to make room for Celebrini, Suzuki and Wilson were Sam Bennett, Seth Jarvis and Travis Konecny. Adin Hill and Sam Montembeault were unused goaltenders at the event.

Canada edged the United States in overtime to win the 4 Nations final in Boston.

USA Hockey plans to announce its Olympic roster Friday morning on NBC's "Today."

The initial six American selections were forwards Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, Brady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk, and defensemen Quinn Hughes and Charlie McAvoy.

The U.S. is scheduled to oppose Latvia on Feb. 12, Denmark on Feb. 14 and Germany on Feb. 15.

--Field Level Media

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Canada adds Macklin Celebrini, throng of 4 Nations veterans to Olympic team

Nineteen-year-old sensation Macklin Celebrini is a notable new name on the final Winter Olympics roster, announced by ...

Christian McCaffrey injury update: 49ers' RB misses practice

Christian McCaffreyis the engine that powers theSan Francisco 49ers' offense.

Could an injury prevent him from playing in the regular season finale? The star running back has managed to avoid those issues all season long, but he popped up on the injury report with a back ailment ahead ofWeek 18.

Early indications are that it's just a stiff back for McCaffrey and the overall concern appears to be minimal. Regardless, his status is now in question for the team's matchup against theSeattle Seahawkson Saturday, Jan. 3.

49ERS PLAYOFF PICTURE:Scenarios, chances for San Francisco to win NFC West

The No. 1 seed in the NFC is on line in San Francisco and all eyes are now on the health of McCaffrey.

Here's the latest on the 49ers running back.

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Week 1: The New England Patriots' Robert Spillane (14) and Christian Elliss (53) tackle Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (87) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. The Raiders won the game, 20-13.

Week 1: The New England Patriots' Robert Spillane (14) and Christian Elliss (53) tackle Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (87) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. The Raiders won the game, 20-13.

Week 1: New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3) fumbles the ball on a tackle by Washington Commanders safety Will Harris (3) during the first quarter at Northwest Stadium. It was a rough Giants debut for Wilson (17 of 37 passing for 168 yards) as the Commanders won the game, 21-6.

Week 1: Fireworks go off before the NFL Kickoff Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. The defending Super Bowl champion Eagles opened the season with a 24-20 victory over their longtime NFC East rivals.

Best images of the 2025 NFL season

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18)makes a catch for a touchdownagainst the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

Christian McCaffrey injury update

McCaffrey missed practice on Tuesday, Dec. 30 with a stiff back.

The running back has routinely missed the first official practice of the week all season for rest-related reasons. Given his injury history, it appears San Francisco has been doing everything in its power to ensure the star would be fresh for a postseason run.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan didn't seem too concerned about the injury for McCaffrey,telling reporters on Dec. 30that it's only a stiff back. The coach added that it was an ailment that popped up against theTennessee Titanson Dec. 14.

"I know he battled it hard that week, but I haven't heard anything about it since," Shanahan said. "It might have stiffened up in the game, and it was sore from Sunday night, so that's why we've got him on here today."

Shanahan indicated that the team has been holding walkthrough practices since their Week 18 contest against the Seahawks comes on a short week.

Injuries have been a problem for the 49ers throughout the 2025 season, but McCaffrey doesn't appear to be in danger of missing the regular season finale at this time.

That concern will ramp up if he continues to be sidelined though.

More:Seahawks at 49ers: Predictions, picks and odds for NFL Week 18 game

49ers RB depth chart

McCaffrey handles a majority of the workload in the San Francisco backfield with a small dose of Robinson snaps sprinkled in.

James and Guerendo remain on the outside looking in at this point in the season.

Shanahan indicated that James moved ahead of Guerendo on the depth chart, but it would still take an injury for him to get some playing time.

If McCaffrey can't go in Week 18, expect the 49ers to roll with a combination of Robinson and James.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Christian McCaffrey injury update: 49ers RB has stiff back

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Christian McCaffrey injury update: 49ers' RB misses practice

Christian McCaffreyis the engine that powers theSan Francisco 49ers' offense. Could an injury preven...

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NEED TO KNOW

The former chef of the New England Patriots' star receiver Stefon Diggs provided text messages she allegedly exchanged with her former boss to police after accusing him of assault
The exchange starts with the woman demanding that the recipient, who she says is Diggs, pay out her entire contact for the season despite leaving early
Diggs allegedly responded that he did not want to pay her and another chef and that he "don't got to do a mf thing"

Stefon Diggsallegedly refused to pay out the full contract of his former female chef, according to text messages she shared with police, which she claims are from the New England Patriots' star receiver.

The texts were included in an incident report created by the Dedham Police Department and obtained by PEOPLE whichdetails Diggs' alleged assault of the chef.

The exchange that the female provided to police began with a text she sent to a recipient she identified as Diggs, which read: "You will [be] paying me out for the season & the money you said you would give me for my business. wasted my f---ing time being here because you got a f---ing circus going on. I'm out of your life."

The person who the female identified as Diggs then responded: "I won't be paying you s---," followed by another text which said, "F--- I look like paying you and paying another xhef [sic]."

That same individual later texted: "I don't got to do a mf thing."

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty

It is unclear if the texts were sent before or after the alleged incident between the female chef and Diggs that resulted in police filing a felony charge of strangulation and a misdemeanor charge of assault against the footballer.

The texts are not timestamped and there is no timeline for the exchange provided in the police report.

The chef sent the texts to police after she first reported her allegations against Diggs on Dec. 16 — two weeks after the alleged incident.

She alleged to police that things escalated between her and her former employer after she approached him about back pay she claimed to be owed, according to the report. Then, Diggs allegedly walked into her bedroom after the two had "been having an ongoing text exchange over money owed to [her]," the report states.

As the two again started to discuss the matter, Diggs allegedly became "angered," the woman told police, per the report. She alleged that Diggs then "smacked her across the face," and she pushed him away.

Diggs is then accused of attacking the woman, who alleged in her interview with police that he "tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck."

She told police that she "did have trouble breathing and could've blacked out," and also alleged that "as she tried to pry [Diggs'] arm away, he tightened his grip."

Diggs allegedly released her at some point and "threw her on the bed," the woman claimed, according to the report.

She alleged that Diggs then left the bedroom and said, "Thought so."

Kathryn Riley/Getty

The female told police she did not want to file a police report when she first reported the incident, but had a change of heart on Dec. 23 and asked police to move forward with charging Diggs.

It was after that first meeting and before deciding to pursue charges that the woman provided police with her text messages, which the report noted came from a different phone number than the one provided by the female.

She told police that the texts were sent from her work phone.

A lawyer for Diggs, who is in hisfirst year of a three-year, $69 million contractwith the Patriots and recentlywelcomed a new babywith hisGrammy-winning girlfriend Cardi B, told PEOPLE he "categorically denies the allegations."

David Meier, who is representing Diggs, called the claims made by the employee "unsubstantiated, uncorroborated" before adding that they "were never investigated — because they did not occur."

He also said that the allegations are a "direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee's satisfaction."

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The Patriots reiterated that Diggs "categorically denies the allegations" in a separate statement. "We will continue to gather information and will cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary," the organization added.

The NFL said the league was monitoring the situation.

Diggs is due to appear in Dedham District Court on Jan. 23 to be arraigned in the case.

Read the original article onPeople

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Female Chef Accusing Stefon Diggs of Assault Shares Alleged Texts From Patriots Star: 'I Won't Be Paying You S---'

Kathryn Riley/Getty NEED TO KNOW The former chef of the New England Patriots' star receiver Stefon Diggs provided text messages she a...

Sydney holds moment of silence on New Year's for Bondi Beach victims

A celebratory moment turned more somber as Australia welcomed 2026.

Ahead of Sydney's festivities to ring in the New Year, attendees held a moment of silence to remember the victims of the Bondi Beach shooting, in which two gunmen fatally shot 15 people and wounded 40 others at the Sydney Jewish festival at the popular beach on Dec. 14.

At 11 p.m. local time on Dec. 31, the Sydney crowd was watching a fireworks display over the Harbor Bridge when a menorah was projected onto the structure's pylons along with the words "peace" and "unity." In response, those in attendance held up their phone flashlights in solidarity.

An hour later, the city rang in the New Year with a spectacular fireworks display. The show, titled "Calling Country," was dedicated to the country's Indigenous history.

Thousands of armed police officers were present at the event to ensure its safety following the attack.

Watch the moment of silence at the top of this story.

In this aerial view, members of the Bondi community paddle and swim into the ocean and form a circle to pay respect during a Paddle Out to honour victims, survivors and first responders of the December 14th Bondi Shootings on December 19, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. At least 16 people, including one suspected gunman, were killed and more than 40 others injured when two attackers opened fire near a Hanukkah celebration at the world-famous Bondi Beach, in what authorities have declared a terrorist incident. The government is moving to tighten gun laws across the country.