Dissident human rights campaigner has apologised after calling for violence against Zionists and police in 2010-2012The human rights campaigner Alaa Abd el-Fattah's past social media posts have led to a widespread backlash since his return from detention in Egypt on Friday. What has happened? Continue reading...
by Yohannes Lowe (now) and Frances Mao (earlier) on (#72ESB)
European leaders had previously said they were ready to lead a multinational force' in UkraineThe Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists this morning that Moscow agreed with Donald Trump's assessment that talks to end the war were in their final stage.As a reminder, Trump said a draft agreement to end the war was nearly 95% done". I really think we are closer than ever with both sides," he said, though he added that one or two very thorny issues" remain. Continue reading...
by Eleni Courea Political correspondent on (#72EY8)
MPs reject calls to strip British-Egyptian activist of UK nationality over social media posts from a decade agoDowning Street has defended its campaign for the release of a British-Egyptian activist and its decision to welcome him to the UK despite his abhorrent" tweets a decade ago.Alaa Abd el-Fattah, who arrived in London on Boxing Day after the British government successfully negotiated his release, said he apologised unequivocally" for his posts after opposition parties called for him to be deported and his citizenship revoked. Continue reading...
Albin Kurti's emphatic victory strengthens mandate for domestic reforms including welfare expansionKosovo's prime minister, Albin Kurti has won an emphatic election victory, marking a resurgence for the nationalist leader and ending a political deadlock in Europe's youngest state.The win in Sunday's snap election strengthens Kurti's mandate to push through domestic reforms, including welfare expansion and higher salaries for public workers, although he faces significant problems including tensions with Serbia and health and education systems that lag behind Kosovo's Balkan neighbours. Continue reading...
Campaigner recently released from prison makes statement after PM's support is questioned by Tory MPsAlaa Abd el-Fattah, the British-Egyptian human rights campaigner, has apologised unreservedly for what he accepted were shocking and hurtful tweets that he wrote more than 10 years ago in what he described as heated online battles.He said he was shaken by the criticism that has rained down on him since the tweets were highlighted by shadow ministers challenging Keir Starmer's support for him since he was released by the Egyptian government to travel to the UK after his release from more than 10 years in prison. Continue reading...
Health minister decries criticism of vaccinations by heads of four authorities as dangerous and utterly irresponsible'A third of Reform UK's council leaders across the country have expressed vaccine-sceptic views, openly questioning public health measures that keep millions safe.The leaders of four of the 12 councils where Reform is in charge or the largest party - Kent, Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Durham - are among those in the party who have publicly criticised vaccinations. Continue reading...
Israel's PM travels to Mar-a-Lago as US administration reported to be running out of patience over Gaza ceasefireBenjamin Netanyahu is to meet Donald Trump at the US president's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Monday evening amid growing fears Israel could launch new offensives against regional enemies, potentially plunging the Middle East further into instability.The Israeli prime minister left Israel on Sunday on his fifth visit to see Trump in the US this year. Continue reading...
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#72EPW)
Exclusive: Organisation accuses Sir Mark Rowley of religious discrimination and whipping up conspiracy theories'Freemasons have demanded an emergency injunction from the high court to halt the Metropolitan police's new policy that orders officers to tell their bosses if they are members of the organisation.The Freemasons filed papers in London on Christmas Eve and claim the Met's policy amounts to religious discrimination" against Freemasons who are also police officers. Continue reading...
After the huge success of the celebrity version the producers added a twist - and host says it all gets hardcore'With its cloak and dagger plots and gripping finale, The Celebrity Traitors became the biggest show of 2025 in the UK - but the new series of the regular version is even more brutal, the host Claudia Winkleman has said.And as Kate Garraway might put it, audiences are set to be flabbergasted by a new twist that the producers say has been introduced to change the conversation" around the regular version of the hit reality gameshow when it returns for its fourth series on 1 January. Continue reading...
by Rebecca Ratcliffe South-east Asia correspondent on (#72EPX)
Marine robotics firm to renew its search more than decade after plane disappeared with 239 people onboardThe search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 is expected to resume on 30 December, more than a decade after the plane disappeared with 239 people onboard in one of aviation's greatest mysteries.A renewed search by Ocean Infinity, a UK and US-based marine robotics company, had begun earlier this year but was called off in April because of bad weather. Continue reading...
Doctors say they blocked his right phrenic nerve in procedure that took place after jailed former president was hospitalised last week for hernia operationBrazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro underwent a phrenic nerve block procedure" on Saturday to treat his persistent hiccups, his wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, said on social media.The doctors treating Bolsonaro said later that they blocked the right phrenic nerve and scheduled a new procedure in 48 hours to block the left one. Continue reading...
Unions and thinktank urge action to save sector hit by sky-high energy bills, cheap imports and underinvestmentBritain will lose a piece of its national identity if the country's ceramics industry is allowed to descend further into crisis without state assistance, the government has been warned.Ceramics producers including the struggling potteries of Staffordshire have come under huge pressure owing to factors such as the UK's sky-high energy costs, leading to job losses. Continue reading...
As young men face new rules forcing them to indicate their readiness to serve, the Bundeswehr drums up support at a trade showSitting in the cramped interior of a Panzerhaubitze 2000 armoured vehicle, Tom, 20, hangs on every word coming from Achim, an officer with the German military, as he breathlessly talks students through the workings of the most modern tank in the world".What damage would you expect its ammunition to inflict?" Tom asks. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Chloe Deakin tells how she wrote to Dulwich college master to argue against Farage's nomination as prefectIt was 1981 and Nigel Farage was turning 17. He was already a figure of some controversy, as would become a lifelong habit, among the younger pupils and staff at Dulwich college in south-east London.I remember it was either in a particular English lesson or a particular form period that his name came up," said Chloe Deakin, then a young English teacher, of a discussion with a class of 11- and 12-year-olds. There was something about bullying, and he was being referred to, quite specifically, as a bully. And I thought: Who is this boy?'" Continue reading...
The 70-metre-long cloth about the Norman invasion has not been seen in England since it was created in 11th centuryThe Bayeux tapestry will be insured for an estimated 800m when it returns to the UK in 2026 for the first time in more than 900 years.The Treasury will insure the 70-metre embroidered cloth, which depicts the 1066 Norman invasion and Battle of Hastings, for damage or loss during its transfer from France and while it is on display at the British Museum from September. Continue reading...
GMB union says 30,000 claims settled with six local councils for average of 30,000 and expects 10,000 more in 2026Equal pay settlements for female workers at local councils have passed the 1bn mark, with thousands more expected next year.Legal claims have been brought against local councils on behalf of people in female-dominated roles, such as cleaners or carers, who for years have been denied the conditions and benefits given to employees in traditionally male-dominated jobs. Continue reading...
Two countries pledge in joint statement to halt all forms of attacks and further troop deployments in long-running dispute over contested territoryThailand and Cambodia have agreed to an immediate" ceasefire, pledging to end weeks of deadly border clashes that have killed more than 100 people and displaced more than half a million on both sides.In a joint statement, the two south-east Asian neighbours said the ceasefire would take effect on Saturday at noon local time and involve all types of weapons, including attacks on civilians, civilian objects and infrastructures, and military objectives of either side, in all cases and all areas". Continue reading...
Consumer group Which? finds one in five people are unsure what to do with dud gifts after the festive periodMarmite-scented deodorant and already-worn pyjamas have topped the list of the most disappointing Christmas presents, according to research that found one in five Britons have received an unwanted gift in their festive haul.More than 2,000 members of the public were polled by the consumer group Which? in January about the gifts they received last Christmas, with 21% of those surveyed saying they had been given an unwanted or unsuitable present. Continue reading...
by Jessica Elgot Deputy political editor on (#72DSF)
In an exclusive interview, the head of the TUC Paul Nowak says a customs union with the EU could boost the UK's economyKeir Starmer should seek out a far closer relationship with Europe, including a possible customs union, the head of the TUC has said.Paul Nowak, TUC general secretary, said the British public recognised the need for a vastly improved trading arrangement and said it had become more urgent than ever because of the fickle nature of the relationship with Donald Trump's United States. Continue reading...
Diplomatic breakthrough criticised by African Union, which said it could have far-reaching implications for peace and stability across the continent'Israel has become the first country to recognise Somaliland as a sovereign state, a breakthrough in its quest for international recognition since it declared independence from Somalia 34 years ago.The Israeli foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, announced on Friday that Israel and Somaliland had signed an agreement establishing full diplomatic relations, which would include the opening of embassies and the appointment of ambassadors. Continue reading...
Meeting on Sunday will follow flurry of US, Russian and Ukrainian talks, but Putin has shown little sign of softeningVolodymyr Zelenskyy is to travel to the US for a planned meeting with Donald Trump on Sunday, as Washington continues to push for a possible peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow.The Ukrainian president said the visit would take place at a location in Florida - widely expected to be Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort - in what would be the latest development in a diplomatic push that began in November with the circulation of a 28-point US plan shaped with input from Russian officials. Continue reading...
Royals are expected to make separate trips after Donald Trump paused implementation of agreementKing Charles III and the Prince of Wales are expected to make separate trips to the US in 2026 as part of a campaign to revitalise a trade deal with Donald Trump, it has been reported.Advanced talks on a visit by the king are said to be under way, the Times reported. The paper suggested that Charles's visit to the US was likely to take place in April. Continue reading...
Starting as a roadie and guitar tech, Bamonte joined the band in 1990 after its breakthrough album DisintegrationPerry Bamonte, longtime guitarist and keyboard player for the Cure, has died aged 65.The musician, known affectionately as Teddy, passed away after a short illness over Christmas, the band announced on their website. Continue reading...
Emergency services were called to property in Brimscombe Hill in Gloucestershire at about 3amThree people are missing after a house fire in the early hours of the morning on Boxing Day, police have said.Emergency services were called to a report of a fire at a property on Brimscombe Hill, near Stroud, Gloucestershire at about 3am on 26 December. Continue reading...
Coastguard calls off search for Matthew Upham and second man who went missing off Budleigh Salterton in DevonTributes have been paid to one of two men who went missing during a Christmas Day swim.The family of Matthew Upham issued a tribute to him on the Instagram account of his antiques business, saying he was deeply loved and forever missed". Continue reading...
Special rapporteurs say handling of prisoners raises questions over UK's obligations under human rights lawsUN experts have expressed grave concern" for the wellbeing of Palestine Action-affiliated hunger strikers and warned their treatment raises questions about the UK's compliance with international human rights laws.Eight prisoners have been on hunger strike while awaiting trial for alleged offences relating to Palestine Action before the group was banned under terrorism legislation. Qesser Zuhrah, 20, and Amu Gib, 30, who are being held at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, were on hunger strike from 2 November to 23 December. Heba Muraisi, 31, who is at HMP New Hall, joined the pair on 3 November. The group also includes Teuta Hoxha, 29, Kamran Ahmed, 28, and Lewie Chiaramello, 22, who is refusing food every other day because he has diabetes. Continue reading...
Family say campaigner, who has a son in Brighton, will be able to travel freely between UK and Cairo months after his release from Egyptian jailThe British-Egyptian dissident Alaa Abd el-Fattah has arrived in London after the Egyptian government lifted a travel ban that it had imposed on him despite releasing him from jail in September.Abd el-Fattah had been held in jail nearly continuously for 10 years, mainly due to expressing his opposition to the treatment of dissidents by the Egyptian government. He had been detained in jail two years beyond his five-year sentence as the Cairo authorities refused to recognise the period he held in pre-trial detention as part of his time served. Continue reading...
Defence minister instructs military to respond with force in West Bank, where he said attacker was fromA Palestinian motorist ran over a man and stabbed a woman in northern Israel, killing both, Israeli emergency services say.The assailant, from the occupied West Bank, was shot and wounded by a civilian at the scene on Friday and taken to hospital, Israeli police said. Continue reading...
New conviction over plunder of state fund substantially increases six-year term in separate caseThe jailed former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has been sentenced to an additional 15 years after he was found guilty of abuse of power, in the biggest trial yet in the multibillion-dollar fraud scandal related to the state fund 1MDB.Najib's conviction substantially increases the six-year prison term he is already serving for a separate case related to the 1MDB graft scandal, one of the world's biggest financial frauds in which billions were plundered from the now defunct sovereign wealth fund. Continue reading...
Footfall in central London down 7.7% on last year but Britain's retail parks buck trend with 6.9% riseFewer shoppers have headed to UK high streets in search of Boxing Day bargains, with central London suffering a significant decline in visitors as many decided to shun the traditional start of the sales.Footfall at the country's high streets and shopping centres fell on Friday morning, running slightly behind last year, according to figures from the monitoring company MRI Software. Across all UK retail destinations footfall slipped by 0.3%. Continue reading...
$10bn Trump-approved sale to Taipei triggers Beijing sanctions against firms such as Boeing and Northrop GrummanChina's foreign ministry has hit US defence companies including Boeing with sanctions after Donald Trump approved a large package of arms sales to Taiwan.The ministry said on Friday that the measures - against 10 individuals and 20 US firms including Boeing's production hub at St Louis in Missouri - would freeze any assets the companies and individuals hold in China and bar domestic organisations and individuals from doing business with them. Continue reading...
Nearly 7m tuned in to watch monarch praise great diversity of our communities' on 25 DecemberThe king's Christmas address was the most watched TV programme in the UK on Christmas Day, overnight data has shown.Nearly 7 million viewers tuned in to the BBC, ITV, Sky News or GB News to watch King Charles deliver his annual message, which was recorded in Westminster Abbey. Charles praised the great diversity of our communities" and used his Christmas address, to urge the nation to cherish the values of compassion and reconciliation".The King (BBC, ITV, BBC News and Sky News) 6.56m (not including other channels)The Scarecrows' Wedding 4.31mStrictly Come Dancing 4.24mMichael McIntyre's The Wheel 3.71mCall the Midwife 3.44mGladiators 3.16mAmandaland 3.05mEastEnders 2.85mThe 1% Club 2.75mThe Weakest Link 2.63m Continue reading...
Boxing Day hunts take place in England as poll suggests 65% of people think government neglects rural areasTraditional Boxing Day hunts have gathered across England, as opponents of a planned ban on trail hunting claimed Keir Starmer's government had alienated rural people".The warning came from the Countryside Alliance, a pressure group which said tens of thousands of supporters had joined gatherings in the morning, as it released a poll suggesting 65% of people think the Labour administration unfairly neglects country communities. Continue reading...
by Tiago Rogero, South America correspondent on (#72DF6)
Government said the move was due to its unrestricted respect for human rights' in the face of US aggressionVenezuela has said it has carried out its largest release of political prisoners this year, claiming to have freed 99 people detained for taking part in protests after the 2024 election, widely believed to have been stolen by the dictator Nicolas Maduro, as it comes under increasing military pressure from the US.Civil society organisations have treated the news with caution and stressed that the releases were insufficient, noting that at least 900 political prisoners remain in the country. Continue reading...
Many victims and families advising inquiry's legacy project are highly suspicious of idea of Postal Museum exhibitionVictims of the Post Office Horizon scandal have dismissed a planned exhibition on the affair at the Postal Museum as a PR stunt that they are refusing to endorse.The inquiry into the wrongful convictions of hundreds of post office operators announced in September that it was working with the Postal Museum as part of a legacy project to commemorate the devastating impact of the scandal. Continue reading...
Warning shots that allegedly struck close to UAE-backed forces come week after Riyadh called for troop withdrawalA separatist group in southern Yemen that this month seized two oil-rich provinces has claimed that Saudi Arabia fired warning airstrikes directed at its forces.Videos issued on Friday by media linked to the United Arab Emirates-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) showed airstrikes that it said were close to its positions in Wadi Nahab, Hadramaut province. Continue reading...
Exclusive: some staff claim the theme is in poor taste' following a rise in flag-hoisting across the UKAn internal row has broken out within the British Museum over its director's suggestion of a red, white and blue" themed ball for 2026, after staff condemned it as in poor taste" following the rise in flag-hoisting across the UK.Nicholas Cullinan, the director of the 272-year-old museum, has proposed a colour theme based on the union jack and French tricolore to mark next year's loan of the Bayeux tapestry from Normandy. Continue reading...
When Trump began deploying troops to US cities, Janessa Goldbeck's Vet Voice Foundation was ready - now they're preparing for what may be nextWhatever the worst case scenario, Janessa Goldbeck has probably imagined it. In 2023 the US Marine veteran consulted on a documentary that war-gamed a presidential candidate staging a military coup. Last year she advised local leaders on the hypothetical of troops being deployed to their streets for immigration enforcement.Then Donald Trump won and Goldbeck's nightmare came true. Continue reading...
Temperatures plunge below -50C in the Yukon, while swaths of US experience springlike weatherNorthern Canada has been gripped by an intense and prolonged cold spell, with temperatures hovering between -20C and -40C for weeks. On Tuesday, Braeburn in the Yukon recorded -55.7C, its coldest December temperature since 1975.Meanwhile, Mayo and Dawson endured 16 consecutive nights below -40C, with Mayo plunging to -50.4C on Monday. Whitehorse also recorded 10 nights when temperatures dropped below -30C. Continue reading...
World news | The Guardian