World news | The Guardian

The toxicology reports for the seven affected people, including four Australians, are not yet finalised

In today's newsletter: Kyiv assassinated Igor Kirillov inside enemy territory, in its most audacious operation since the war began - how will Russia respond?Good morning.In the early hours of yesterday morning, Russian general Igor Kirillov and his deputy were killed when a bomb concealed in an e-scooter detonated as they left an apartment. Ukraine's SBU security service swiftly claimed responsibility for the attack, which stands as one of the most audacious assassinations of a senior Russian military figure since the war began almost three years ago. Russian authorities arrested a 29-year-old citizen of Uzbekistan early today, the news agency Tass reported, citing the FSB, the country's domestic spy agency.Police | Police intelligence missed clues about the dangers posed by the far right before the summer riots across England, a police chief has said. Andy Cooke, the chief inspector of constabulary, also said police were too slow to mobilise after disorder broke out, meaning some violence was worse than it would otherwise have been, with the chance to thwart some of it missed.UK news | Sara Sharif's mother, Olga Domin, called her daughter's murderers sadists and executioners" as they were jailed for life. Domin joined the Old Bailey hearing remotely as Urfan Sharif, 43, and Beinash Batool, 30, were sentenced for killing the schoolgirl.Business | Amazon is to settle a group claim from delivery drivers that it deprived them of thousands of pounds, the Guardian has learned, ending a suit that lawyers had said could cost the company 140m.Parliament | The Commons should consider a move to electronic voting, a group of more than 60 backbenchers have said, with the current system of filing physically through voting lobbies taking up to a fifth of their working day.Climate crisis | The world's coal use is expected to reach a fresh high of 8.7bn tonnes this year, and remain at near-record levels for years as a result of a global gas crisis triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Continue reading...

Investigators say they have arrested a 29-year-old citizen of Uzbekistan over suspected involvement in explosion that killed Lt Gen Igor Kirillov

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The Israeli foreign affairs minister, Gideon Sa'ar, reportedly claimed Australia distanced itself from Israel in its most difficult year'

Larissa Rita Mae-Leigh Sant allegedly drove a four wheel drive with false licence plates into Kiesha Thompson in July, court hears

Intelligence gaps, especially around social media analysis, led to failures, report findsPolice intelligence missed clues about the dangers posed by the far right before the summer riots across England, a police chief has said.Andy Cooke, the chief inspector of constabulary, also said police were too slow to mobilise after disorder broke out, meaning some violence wasworse than it would otherwise have been, with the chance to thwart some of it missed. Continue reading...

Exclusive: UK lawyers said in tribunal self-employed drivers owed because retailer dictated their working conditionsAmazon is to settle a group claim from delivery drivers that it deprived them of thousands of pounds, the Guardian has learned, ending a suit that lawyers had said could cost the company 140m.Drivers who deliver for the internet marketplace through its delivery service partners" (DSPs) are classed as self-employed, meaning they are not entitled to benefits such as holiday pay and the minimum wage, while they also do not have an employment contract. Continue reading...

Domestic workers who fled abusive employers say their children are not eligible for birth certificates, medical care or education - yet cannot leaveA Guardian investigation has found women formerly employed as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia who appear to be trapped" in the country after being denied birth certificates for their children or visas in order to leave and return home.The Guardian has spoken to five Kenyan women who say they have been unable to register the birth of their children as they were born outside marriage. The women all fled abusive employers who then kept their identity documents. Continue reading...

Mother of Mary Jane Veloso urges Philippine president to act so family can be reunited for Christmas, as daughter lands in ManilaThe mother of Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipino domestic helper who spent almost 15 years on death row in Indonesia, has urged President Ferdinand Marcosto grant her daughter a pardon as she arrived back in the Philippines on Wednesday, ending a long battle by her supporters to bring her home.We cannot explain the joy of my husband and her children," Veloso's mother, Celia Veloso, 65, told the Guardian late on Tuesday. We have been praying for my child to come home for a long time, and now she will be home." She hopes her family can be reunited for Christmas. Continue reading...

Witnesses recount the moment the earthquake hit in Port Vila, as rescue teams sift through the wreckage after disaster that has killed 14 and injured 200

Lanez, serving 10-year term for shooting Megan in feet in 2020, accused of waging harassment campaign from prisonMegan Thee Stallion asked a court on Tuesday to issue a restraining order against Tory Lanez, who she says is harassing her from prison through surrogates as he serves a 10-year sentence for shooting her in the feet.The petition filed by the hip-hop star in Los Angeles superior court asks the judge to prevent the Canadian rapper Lanez, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, from using third parties to continue the same online harassment of Megan, whose legal name is Megan Pete, that he engaged in and encouraged before his imprisonment. Continue reading...

Former shock jock faces Sydney court after being charged with an additional eight indecent assault offences

Buried inside the 363 pages of the midyear economic update were clues about Labor's plan for Australia

George Carey quit after BBC investigation reported that he allowed a priest banned over abuse claims to return to priesthoodA former leader of the Church of England has resigned as a priest following allegations that he failed to properly handle the case of a priest accused of sexual misconduct.George Carey, who was archbishop of Canterbury from 1991 to 2002, quit after a BBC investigation reported that he allowed a priest who had been banned over sexual abuse claims to return to priesthood. Continue reading...

Japanese car firms embark on negotiations to combat competition from bigger EV manufacturersJapanese carmakers Honda and Nissan will begin negotiations over a potential merger, according to reports.The Nikkei financial newspaper said on Tuesday that the two Japanese companies would start talks to help combat the increased global competition from bigger electric vehicle makers. Continue reading...

Secretary of department took leave in October after being questioned about whether he played a role in the retirement of Cate Saunders, which he denies

The economy's rebound won't be as strong as anticipated and more government rebates seem to be pencilled for the coming year

Possums are thought to be the main carriers of the ulcer-causing bacteria that has emerged in Batemans Bay after surging in Victoria

MCA to charge $20 entry fee from 31 January, which will rise to $35 if visitors want to see its major summer or winter exhibitions

Budget downgrade blamed on Australian economy being hit harder than anticipated by higher interest rates, cost of living pressures and global uncertainty

All ranks' among casualties in Kursk after Pyongyang sent thousands of soldiers to reinforce Russia's war effortNorth Korean forces have suffered several hundred" casualties fighting against Ukrainian troops in Russia's Kursk region, according to a senior US military official.Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops to reinforce Russia's war effort, including to the Kursk border region, where Ukrainian forces seized territory earlier this year. Continue reading...

Minister calls bill demanding digital platforms publicly correct false information good news for democracy'Spain's leftwing government has announced a bill extending a requirement to publish corrections to posts by digital platforms and social media influencers in an attempt to fight disinformation.The explosion of social media in recent years has allowed new actors to reach larger audiences but raised concerns about a lack of regulation and the spread of fake news. Continue reading...

Chrystia Freeland's exit as deputy prime minister shows how America First' policies can decimate political tiesJustin Trudeau's political future has been thrown into doubt by the shock resignation of his own deputy, as Canada's prime minister faces plummeting popularity and growing fears over a second Donald Trump presidency.The sudden exit of Chrystia Freeland - the deputy prime minister and minister of finance - unleashed a political earthquake in Ottawa, prompting politicians both outside and in Trudeau's own party to call for him to stand down. Continue reading...

Avanti says it is assessing how much impact strikes will have but spokesperson says disruption will be significant'Workers on Avanti West Coast will go on strike on New Year's Eve after rejecting a deal designed to resolve an ongoing dispute over rest day working.

Minister hope plan will deter young people from extremism amid rise in arrests of under-18s for offencesYoung terrorism suspects could avoid prosecution if they agree to a diversion scheme, in a new government plan to cope with the post-lockdown surge in youngsters drawn to violent extremism.The youth diversion orders are part of a host of changes announced by the Labour government, including a new tsar to ensure Prevent - the official scheme to deter people from terrorism - is as effective as it needs to be. Ministers claimed they were providing new money to fight terrorism. Continue reading...

Passenger numbers on the UK's first autonomous buses - a 6m venture over the Firth of Forth - did not meet expectations'The UK's first driverless bus service, originally heralded as a breakthrough of global significance, is being withdrawn from service because too few passengers used it.The autonomous buses, operated by Stagecoach, have been running between Fife and Edinburgh along a 14-mile route over the Forth road bridge since May 2023 to relieve the heavy congestion which can bring traffic to a standstill. Continue reading...

Momeni, 40-year-old tech consultant, found guilty of second-degree murder in the 2023 stabbing of Lee, 43A San Francisco jury on Tuesday found a tech consultant guilty of second-degree murder in the stabbing death of the Cash App founder, Bob Lee, which carries a sentence of 16 years to life.Nima Momeni was charged with murder in the first degree, but jurors found him guilty of murder in the second degree. Momeni, 40, has been in custody since his arrest in April 2023. Continue reading...

Projected bill includes price of building HS2 station at Euston, with a budget of about 5bnThe bill for building the HS2 high-speed railway could pass 80bn at current prices, as estimated costs jumped by 15% since the last parliamentary report just over a year ago.An update expected imminently from ministers will put the budget at building the line from London to Birmingham at between 54bn and 66bn, quoting figures supplied to the Department for Transportby HS2 Ltd. Continue reading...

Impact of Storm Darragh has shut route between Wales and Ireland, with up to 150,000 passengers affectedHolyhead port in Wales, battered by Storm Darragh 10 days ago, is to remain closed until mid-January at the earliest, in a major blow for 150,000 passengers in Britain trying to get to Ireland for Christmas.The port in the north-west of Wales is the second biggest roll-on roll-off ferry in the UK after Dover, and the continued closure is likely to have a major impact on deliveries of cheese, beef and stout. Continue reading...

Reform treasurer also joins talks at Donald Trump's home as far-right party says we can do great things together'Elon Musk has met Nigel Farage and Nick Candy, Reform UK's new treasurer, at Donald Trump's home, Mar-a-Largo, reviving speculation the billionaire could fund the hard-right party.After the meeting on Monday, Reform released photos of Musk sitting with Farage and Candy, and standing with them beneath a portrait of a young Trump at the US president-elect's Florida home. Continue reading...

Architect Rex Heuermann charged in death of Valerie Mack, who was last seen in 2000The alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer previously charged in the deaths of six women on New York's Long Island was charged on Tuesday with the murder of a seventh alleged victim.Valerie Mack, 24, is the latest murder victim linked to Rex Heuermann. Continue reading...

Farage and Reform UK treasurer met Musk at Donald Trump's Florida home, party saysJonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, has announced that the scope of the compensation programme for victims of the Post Office scandal will be extended to cover earlier potential victims.The government already has four schemes in place offering compensation to post officer operators who suffered because faulty Horizon IT software led to them being wrongly blamed for missing money. More than 900 people were prosecuted, more than 100 were jailed, but many more lost out because they were forced to repay money they were accused of losing or stealing, and/or because they lost their jobs.A significant amount of time has also passed, and we recognise that this means that timescales are far greater, and the population of postmasters that used Capture will be more advanced in age, or a greater proportion of the population may have unfortunately died. We also recognise that the passage of time means that evidence of shortfalls and consequential losses, and evidence relating to suspensions, termination, prosecution, or convictions, will be far more difficult to find. It will therefore be difficult for claimants to corroborate their claims with contemporary evidence. Postmasters, the Post Office, or the UK government may not have enough evidence, and we may never find enough evidence to determine liability to the level that would be expected by the courts.It is thanks to testimony of postmasters that this has been brought to light and failings have been discovered.We must now work quickly to provide redress and justice to those who have suffered greatly after being wrongly accused.We are considering the right form of redress for victims who have suffered.This is a challenging exercise given the passage of time and the significant lack of records and evidence.Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said that those whose brothers or sisters were infected with potentially deadly viruses while receiving care should be fairly compensated.He also announced in a written ministerial statement that the government accepts in full or accepts in principle" all of the 12 recommendations made as part of the Infected Blood Inquiry. Continue reading...

Geir Pedersen warns of intense clashes between Turkish-backed and Kurdish groups in the northFrance has raised its flag over its embassy in Damascus, Syria, after it had been closed for 12 years during the country's civil war, the foreign ministry said.France sent a team of diplomats to Syria on Tuesday to assess the political and security situation. The team will not be staying, however, and the gesture does not mean the embassy has reopened, according to reports. Continue reading...

Survey finds voters think Trump will be an effective president, but don't believe his administration will share accurate informationDonald Trump won a second White House term in November's election thanks to voters' attaching higher priority to having an effective president than one who was trustworthy, fresh polling has suggested.A post-election survey conducted by Scheon Cooperman Research, in conjunction with George Washington University's graduate school of political management, has concluded that voters believe Trump's second presidency will be more effective in getting things done - even though they trust his administration less to share accurate information. And Trump not only failed to deliver on some of his more prominent campaign promises during his first term from 2017 to 2021, including a southern US border wall for which Mexico would pay - he also botched the federal response to the deadly Covid-19 pandemic. Continue reading...

John Jacob Hasenbein was found guilty in court-martial over treatment of civilian role player, but a mistrial was later declaredPete Hegseth, Donald Trump's pick for US defense secretary, has been accompanied by a security guard with a history of alleged military misconduct.John Jacob Hasenbein, a former army special forces MSgt who deployed to Iraq eight times, was found guilty of aggravated assault in a 2020 court-martial stemming from a 2019 incident at Fort Knox, Kentucky, the New York Times reports. The incident involved the violent treatment of Ahmed Altameemi, a civilian role player in a simulated hostage rescue training scenario. Continue reading...

Minister says flat-rate compensation scheme for women affected by rising state pension age would have cost taxpayer 10.5bn,Waspi women" affected by the rising state pension age will not get compensation, the government has announced, with the prime minister arguing it would be wrong to burden the taxpayer.Keir Starmer was asked about the issue in Estonia, after the work and pensions secretary, Liz Kendall, told MPs she was rejecting the parliamentary and health service ombudsman's recommendation for compensation to be paid. Continue reading...

Urfan Sharif, 43, and Beinash Batool, 30, sentenced for killing 10-year-old who was found dead in Surrey homeSara Sharif's mother called her daughter's murderers sadists and executioners" as they were jailed for life.Olga Domin joined the Old Bailey hearing remotely as Urfan Sharif, 43, and Beinash Batool, 30, were sentenced for killing the schoolgirl. Continue reading...

Police found 35 category A images on devices belonging to Jac Davies, 25A man who received child abuse images from the same paedophile who supplied them to Huw Edwards has been given a suspended sentence after arguing he should get the same treatment as the BBC presenter.Jac Davies, 25, was given a sentence of 12 months, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to possession of class A drugs and possession of indecent images of children, sent to him by Alex Williams, who sent similar images to Edwards. Continue reading...

Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov was killed outside an apartment after a device inside a scooter detonatedRussia is boosting its ballistic arsenal with new strategic missile systems, plans maximum-range launches and may increase testing in response to growing external threats, a senior Russian military commander said on Monday.In a clear warning that Russia will respond if it deems its security is threatened, Sergei Karakayev, the commander of Russia's Strategic Missile Forces, said the country plans maximum-range test launches as part of testing new systems, Reuters reported. Continue reading...

Attack in Moscow was Ukrainian security service's most audacious operation yet as it pursues enemy commanders

Authorities impose night-time curfew to prevent looting as dozens reported killed across Mozambique and MalawiThe search for missing people has continued on the French territory of Mayotte, after Cyclone Chido devastated the islands on Saturday before sweeping through south-eastern Africa, where the death toll is climbing in Mozambique and Malawi.Large parts of Mayotte's main island, Grande-Terre, are still cut off from roads, internet and phone networks, as well as electricity and water. Continue reading...

James Watt's investment in I'm a Celebrity winner Georgia Toffolo's raw dog food venture needs three years as unconnected person' under HMRC rulesJames Watt, the multimillionaire co-founder of punk" brewer BrewDog, has said he is considering delaying his marriage to reality TV star girlfriend Georgia Toffolo for three years, to avoid missing out on tax relief for investing in her raw dog food business.The controversial entrepreneur - who built his brewing empire on a reputation for challenging the ethics of big business - has delivered his second anti-tax message in two months. Continue reading...

HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa says fighters will all be subject to the law' as he emphasises need for unity in post-war SyriaSyria's rebel factions will be disbanded", the head of the group that led the ousting of Bashar al-Assad has pledged, as he seeks to reassure minorities at home and abroad that the country's interim leaders will protect all Syrians, as well as state institutions.Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group that toppled Syrian president Assad, said all rebel factions would be disbanded and the fighters trained to join the ranks of the defence ministry" during a meeting with members of the minority Druze community. Continue reading...

Former CEO's legal team tells inquiry to treat evidence cautiously, saying Jo Swinson sought to point the finger'Paula Vennells' legal team has told the Horizon IT inquiry to treat the evidence of some witnesses cautiously", arguing a desire for self-preservation" meant they were trying to scapegoat the former Post Office chief executive for the scandal.Samantha Leek KC, delivering the closing statement on behalf of Vennells to the public inquiry on Tuesday, said that as Vennells had become a high-profile figure in the scandal others had tried to point the finger at her". Continue reading...

Brian Simpson was arrested at victim Kristine Sparane's home in Spalding on 26 NovemberA man accused of murdering a woman whose body was found in her Lincolnshire home is due to stand trial in May.Kristine Sparane, 37, was discovered in Winsover Road, Spalding, at 7.30pm on 26 November. Continue reading...

PSNI ordered to pay damages to Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey who worked on No Stone UnturnedThe Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Metropolitan police unlawfully spied on two investigative journalists, a tribunal has found.The investigatory powers tribunal ruled that the PSNI must pay 4,000 each in damages to Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey, who were arrested in 2018 after they produced No Stone Unturned, an award-winning documentary about a notorious massacre during the Troubles. Continue reading...

Danish brewer hopes to make 100m savings over five years after buying maker of Robinsons, J20 and R White's

Skilled overseas workers contribute 20 times more than UK-born adults, while some shortages may be due to pay and conditions, say advisersKeir Starmer's plan to bring down UK net migration by improving domestic training and skills is not guaranteed to work, the government's independent advisers have concluded.The migration advisory committee also said that the average migrant who comes to the UK on a skilled worker visa contributes 20 times more than the average UK-born adult. Continue reading...

Optimism over ceasefire-for-hostages deal as Trump says there will be hell to pay' if captives not releasedAn Israeli negotiating team has arrived for talks in Qatar amid renewed optimism that a ceasefire-for-hostages deal with Hamas in Gaza can be achieved by the end of the year.Both sides have expressed optimism in recent days that a deal may be close for a phased release of the surviving hostages in Gaza in exchange for a ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Continue reading...