As part of its naval blockade of Venezuelan oil, the US claims to be looking into a third tanker off Venezuela’s coast. According to the US, sanctions give it the authority to seize ships. Caracas claims that it is piracy. Which is correct, then? explains Soraya Lennie.
Published On 22 Dec 2025
Nikita Kuzmin has revealed his next move after this year’s Strictly Come Dancing came to an emotional end on Saturday. The professional dancer, 27, competed in the 2025 series alongside Amber Davies, who replaced his original partner Dani Dyer when she left the show.
However, despite entering the final minute, Amber and Nikita stunned the judges with unwavering chemistry and a dance floor presence. Karen Carney and her partner Carlos Gu defeated the pair to reach the final.
Nikita will be performing his very own high-octane dance show in 2026 in addition to the Strictly Live tour. This year will be busy. With a whopping 35 venues booked and multiple dates spread out across the UK over the summer, Burn the Floor: Supernova will debut.
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READ MORE: Strictly star calls out Karen Carney’s secret training amid ‘false claim’ she’s a novice
Jason Gilkison, a BAFTA award-winner, will create the show. Fans of Nikita will be able to witness the charismatic dancer combining ballroom, Latin, and contemporary dances, while the professional dancer will bring new life to traditional Americanas like Foxtrot and Viennese Waltz.
Burn the Floor is Gilkison’s ballroom-based dance company, and it’s performed worldwide, thrilling audiences in Broadway in New York City and the West End in London since 1999. The company is credited with reinventing the ballroom dance form, to make way for the likes of Strictly. Tickets for Nikita’s tour are available here.
Because his sister is also a talented performer, Nikita’s talent for dancing must be in the Kuzmin’s blood. Since 2012, Anastasia Kuzmina has been a professional dancer on Ballando con le Stelle, the Italian version of Dancing with the Stars.
Originally from Ukraine, the siblings moved to Italy when Nikita was nine, with both of them getting involved in the country’s dance scene. Anastasia has also moved into musical theatre, having appeared in the Italian production of Neverland in 2024.
However, Nikita revealed that Anastasia’s sister has a successful reality TV career as well, which is not her only foray into fame. She won the Italian Race Across the World competition, which she took part in.
Proud brother Nikita shared about her experience on Instagram, crediting her with inspiring him. He wrote: “Little fact. My sister @anastasia__kuzmina has done the Italian version of @raceacrosstheworld about 12 years ago (and Won It).
Seeing her travel through India inspired me to travel there ten years later, which is still my favorite solo trip ever.
Fans were also made to believe Nikita and Amber had more in common after he was caught kissing her on the head after rehearsals. Although the two parties are in relationships, there are concerns that the infamous “cure” may be about to break out once more.
The observer remarked to the Sun, “The pair seemed very at ease in each other’s company. He seemed to be able to tenderly kiss her head and hold her delicately.
They added: “The couple are described as being locked in their own little world at times and the chemistry between them has raised eyebrows amongst their Strictly colleagues,” and also noted that there is an ‘undeniable spark’ between the Love Island winner and her partner.
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READ MORE: There’s still time to snap up this ‘absolutely wonderful’ festive tableware set before Christmas
Published On 22 Dec 2025
Following President Donald Trump’s appointment of a special envoy to Greenland, Denmark has summoned the US ambassador.
Lars Lokke Rasmussen, the foreign minister of Denmark, expressed his “deep resentment” over the appointment of Louisiana governor Jeff Landry as the governor of the autonomous Danish territory, which Trump has repeatedly threatened to annex.
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Rasmussen expressed concern over Landry’s comments regarding the appointment, which praised plans to “make Greenland a part of the US.”
He pleaded with Washington to respect Danish sovereignty and said the US ambassador would soon be summoned for “an explanation” in response to the statement, which he described as “totally unacceptable.”
Trump has repeatedly stoked the Nordic state by promising to overthrow Greenland, which is largely self-governing but incorporated into Denmark, despite that country’s alliance with NATO.
Trump has argued for security reasons why the island’s abundance of resources is necessary. He noted in March that the US would “go as far as we have to” and has not ruled out the use of military force to seize control.
The enormous Arctic island is not for sale, according to Danish and Greenland’s leaders, who have stated on numerous occasions that they will decide the country’s future.
The majority of Greenland’s 57, 000 people, according to a poll conducted in January, want to secede from Denmark but do not want to join the US.
On Sunday night, Trump appointed Landry as the country’s ambassador and stated in a statement on his Truth Social platform that the governor of Louisiana “understands how crucial Greenland is to our national security and will strongly advance our country’s interests.”
In a post on X, Landry directly addressed Trump and said, “It’s an honor to serve you in this volunteer position.”
Landry’s appointment, according to Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, “does nothing for us here at home,” adds to the US-Denmark simmering tension.
Following media reports of a US covert influence campaign in Greenland, Denmark summoned the US charge of affairs in August.
Paul Lim becomes the first player to reach the 1990 World Championship with a nine-dart finish.
The 71-year-old became the oldest player to have won a match at the PDC World Championship after winning the first-round match against Jeffrey de Graaf in the first round this year.
READ MORE: “Still excited” – Lim, 71, the town’s oldest flinger
The big sister of Amber, 16, gave an emotional statement about how important Strictly Come Dancing is to her, and the film production student looked just as glamorous as her famous mother.
She captioned the post, “Wow. What a fantastic Strictly Come Dancing final was last night. I’m so fortunate to have worked with the absolute best people because of the magic that love and joy solely creates.
“Last night was undoubtedly emotional, but most importantly, it was a celebration of the show and the 21-year-old mother who has been performing it.” I will cherish all of these strict memories forever, thanks to you, my dear. I’ve known my entire life since my mother gave birth to me, so I can’t imagine life without Strictly, and for that reason I’ll always be my show’s number one fan.
Head coach Brendon McCullum admits it will be up to him to decide his future, but that he wants to stay in charge of England.
McCullum previously predicted that his team would “define” themselves in an Ashes defeat in Australia in a series that he had presided over.
The New Zealander’s contract with England runs until the 50-over World Cup in 2027, which also includes the following year’s home Ashes.
It’s a pretty good performance,” said one performer. It’s entertaining, McCullum claimed. You try to play some exciting cricket with the lads and accomplish some goals while traveling the world.
Ben Stokes stated in the aftermath of his third Test defeat against Australia that he “wants to remain England captain.”
After agreeing to a new central contract in November, Stokes will remain with England until 2027.
Rob Key, the managing director of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), whose position will also be closely watched, might decide the fate of both men. The fourth Boxing Day Test will take place on Tuesday in Melbourne, where Key is scheduled to address the media.
McCullum responded, “I don’t know, but I’m curious if I think I’ll be in charge for the home summer of next year.” I’m not really up to it, is it?
“I’ll just keep trying to do the job, trying to learn some lessons that haven’t quite come right here, and making adjustments.” Not for me, but for someone else, not for me.
Following the previous Ashes tour, which ended with a 4-0 defeat, McCullum was appointed by Key in 2022.
McCullum led England’s Test cricket team, winning 10 games out of his first 11 games while serving alongside Stokes.
However, the form of England has since slowed. They have lost neither of their top-five encounters against Australia or India. England have won 15 of their 33 Test matches and lost 16 of them as a result of their initial run of success.
The T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka early in the year make it difficult to make a decision regarding McCullum’s future.
He said, “I’m enjoying the time I’ve had with these guys, and we’ve made some progress since I took over.”
“We’re not the finished article, but our cricket team has definitely improved.” We all had a distinctive identity.
“We must now really show that identity and try to salvage something from it in the final two Tests,” he said.
England’s unbeaten run in Australian Test matches reached 18 matches after losing in Adelaide. Since 2010-2011, they haven’t won a series in this nation.
After three games, they are forced to battle with the injustice of a 5-0 clean sweep. They are once more going 3-0 down. In Australia, three previous England teams lost the Ashes series 5-0.
Ollie Pope could start for England’s fourth test at Melbourne Cricket Ground, where a capacity crowd of up to 100 000 is anticipated. The tourists’ squad’s reserve batter is Jacob Bethell.
Brydon Carse appears to be the least likely candidate to be cut out if England’s pace attack is improved.
The visitors have a choice to make in favor of Shoaib Bashir, who was the team’s first-choice spinner but did not play in any of their previous three Tests.
Rehan Ahmed, a leg spinner for the Big Bash, is currently playing T20 cricket in Australia, but McCullum said he won’t look for replacements outside of his 16-man squad.
He said, “I can’t imagine we’ll invite anyone in from the outside.” We’ll need to determine what the conditions in Melbourne will be for those conditions and that competition.
McCullum claimed that his team could not have a “glass jaw,” while captain Stokes claimed that Australia is “no place for weak men.”
Then, in the lead-up to the third Test in Adelaide, Stokes admitted to having “rural” conversations with England players about his message.
However, opener Zak Crawley later claimed he was unaware of the comments made by the “weak men.”
McCullum responded, “I hope so,” when asked if the players still believed in his method. You’ll have to get in touch with them.
“I’ll always have my players’ backs, support them, and make sure I’m protecting them in public spaces as well,” he said.
Sir Andrew Strauss, the former England captain, claims that sacking coaches and captains in Australia after the Ashes defeats down under is insufficient to change a “depressingly one-sided story.”
Under coach Andy Flower, Strass led England to a 3-1 victory in the 2010-11 series, their first victory in Australia since 1986-1987.
In a post on LinkedIn, Strauss wrote that “england has been severely beaten by a better team, exploiting their home conditions to good effect, and now the blood letting will begin.”
England were swept 5-0 in 2013-14 by Sir Alastair Cook, who was then the country’s captain, and 4-0 in 2018-19 by Joe Root and Trevor Bayliss, and 4-0 again in 2021-22 by Root and Chris Silverwood.
In the wake of devastating defeats in Australia, Ashley Giles, Silverwood, and Flower all announced their resignations.
McCullum and Stokes will be subject to “extreme scrutiny for the decisions that they took in preparation for this tour,” according to Strauss, who was Giles’ predecessor as ECB managing director of men’s cricket.
He claimed, however, that none of those former captains, coaches, and directors are solely to blame for England’s consistently low performance in Australia since 1986-1987.
Because Australia is a better team, served by a better high-performance system, “we have been badly mauled there,” he continued.
