A driver who was shot dead by armed police after a crash was seen pointing a pistol at a girl before fleeing the scene by running through a housing estate. 

Witnesses said they saw the man brandishing a handgun following the collision between a car and a Mercedes van on London Road in Thetford, Norfolk, at 8.25pm on Sunday. 

Armed response officers swooped on the scene and the suspect, believed to be in his 60s, was shot around half a mile from the crash on the A11. 

He received first aid but was declared dead at the scene shortly before 10.15pm. 

The shooting unfolded after members of the public reported seeing a man carrying a black gun on London Road and heading towards a Sainsbury’s store. 

He was approached and shot by police while walking in a northbound direction on the southbound carriageway of the A11. 

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has since launched an investigation into the shooting. 

Yesterday, the watchdog confirmed ‘two shots were fired by police shortly before 9pm’ on Sunday. 

Witnesses said they saw the man brandishing a gun following the collision between a car and a Mercedes van in Thetford, Norfolk, at 8.25pm on Sunday. Image from the scene 

Police said one man, believed to be the driver of one of the vehicles, left the scene holding what was described as a handgun. He was shot and died at the scene

It remains unclear whether the two drivers involved in the crash were known to each other.

According to The Sun, witnesses claim to have seen the man ‘point a gun at a girl’ before running through a nearby housing estate. 

Another witness described seeing a ‘big man’ and said there were two to three women screaming following the crash. 

The person, who did not want to be identified, said: ‘It was 8pm. In front of the gate [to the cemetery] was a car and there was another opposite.

‘I heard something like a crash and nothing else. I had been watching TV and heard the noise and watched from the house.

‘There was something like a van and a grey car saloon. The van was grey too. When I realised something had happened I went out.

‘The car had been heading towards Sainsbury’s [the roundabout] and the van was heading towards the town centre. It was strange because it looked as though they had both spun around.

‘The van had turned in the crash and so had the car. The van had damaged doors on the passenger side. So it must have turned, otherwise I don’t understand how it was possible.

‘The small car was also damaged on the passenger side. They were both right hand drives.

‘I cannot imagine how it’s possible they could have touched each other.

‘Both the cars were empty by the time I came out. It was about five minutes after. But people were on the pavement about 10 metres from the car. They were screaming. They were very loud.

‘It was two or three women and a big man.’ 

An aerial image shows the scene of the A11 dual carriageway near Thetford, where a suspected gunman was shot dead by police after a crash

Officers were called to London Road (pictured) at around 8.25pm on Sunday after receiving reports of a two-vehicle collision

Norfolk Police said they found a badly damaged Mercedes van at the scene of the crash. 

The force said the vehicle was empty and that the airbag had gone off by the time officers arrived. 

The other vehicle, a Honda Jazz, was damaged on one side. The driver of the car sustained minor injuries but declined hospital treatment.  

IOPC director Amanda Rowe said: ‘Fatal police shootings are rare, however when they do occur it’s essential that an independent investigation is carried out into the actions and decision-making of the officers involved.

‘Our investigation is in its initial stages and we are in the process of obtaining and reviewing evidence as we begin to piece together the circumstances surrounding this incident.’

The busy A11 passes through retail parks, fast food restaurants and an industrial estate where people work through the night.

There are no roads leading off the housing estate directly opposite the cemetery and no roads leading off the London Road directly either side of the cemetery.

Assistant Chief Constable David Buckley from Norfolk Police added: ‘We understand this incident will cause concern in the community. 

‘Our highly trained armed officers deploy to hundreds of firearms related calls each year, but incidents where police discharge firearms are thankfully incredibly rare.

‘A full and independent investigation is already underway.

‘We are of course cooperating fully with the IOPC investigation and will be handing over all bodyworn footage and 999 calls to ensure transparency.

‘We are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.’

SOURCE PAGE

Police said a man in his 20s has been detained at Newton Community Hospital in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, earlier this afternoon



SOURCE PAGE

NewsFeed

South Korea has announced it’s ending bear bile farming over animal cruelty concerns. The controversial industry was used for traditional medicine, but questions over its effectiveness knocked its popularity in recent years.

Published On 30 Dec 202530 Dec 2025

Click here to share on social media

share2

Share

SOURCE PAGE

Keir Starmer will begin his second full year in Downing Street as one of the least popular ever prime ministers – a spectacularly rapid reversal from his landslide election win of just 18 months ago.

Yet Starmer believes this will be the year things start to improve for his beleaguered premiership and fractious Labour party.

His chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, recently told special advisers gathered in Downing Street that 2026 would be “the year of proof” when Labour begins to show voters that the change they voted for in 2024 is being delivered.

Starmer will start the year with a speech on the cost of living, flagging recent interest rate cuts and the abolition of levies from energy bills as signs that life is becoming more affordable.

But he faces a number of potential pitfalls in the year ahead that could end up defining his premiership.

1. 1. Changes to Send

   Bridget Phillipson has been drawing up plans for several months to change the way children with extra needs are treated in the school system, and she is due to publish them in the form of a white paper in the new year.

   The education secretary is under pressure to come up with a cheaper and more efficient way to run the system, given the financial pressures caused by the recent rise in the number of children with conditions such as autism and ADHD.

   Parents’ groups are concerned that Phillipson could do away with the system of education, health and care plans (EHCPs), which grant children the legal right to additional support and are often cumbersome to secure and costly to manage.

   Labour backbenchers say privately they are willing to rebel on the issue if the changes look as if they are aimed at saving money rather than improving the way the system is run.

   A repeat of last year’s welfare rebellion, which led to the government backing down over proposed cuts to disability benefits, would be another major political blow for Starmer.

2. 2. Local and regional elections

   The moment of maximum danger for the prime minister will come in May when voters in Scotland and Wales will elect their devolved administrations and local elections will be held in parts of England including London.

   Labour and the Conservatives are each expected to take heavy losses in those elections, with Labour officials worried their party could finish third in Wales and in Scotland.

   Such a result, coupled with losses in London councils, could be enough to trigger a leadership contest against Starmer – though the lack of an obvious single challenger could yet save his job.

   Before that, Starmer and his advisers are planning a new year offensive against Reform UK and its leader, Nigel Farage, in which they will brand the populist party as “far right” and warn about the consequences of electing it to the national government.

3. 3. King’s speech

   Starmer is already plotting his post-local election comeback, including a plan to prorogue parliament and come back for a new session with a new king’s speech.

   That package of legislation is likely to include Phillipson’s Send measures, a new immigration bill, changes to the House of Lords and long-awaited changes to the leasehold system, including an end to new flats being sold as leasehold.

   The prime minister is hoping the new bills will help breathe fresh life into his government and give MPs a clear sense of direction for the following 12 months.

4. 4. Managing Donald Trump

   Arguably the greatest success of Starmer’s premiership so far has been his deft handling of foreign affairs, particularly the combustible US president.

   Next year promises to be a crunch one in US-UK relations as Starmer attempts to finalise negotiations over trade agreements while also making sure Ukraine is not left stranded by attempts in Washington and Moscow to stitch together a peace deal.

   Starmer wants to agree a technology deal with the US that would enable closer collaboration on AI and quantum computing, but talks have been hit by last-minute objections from US officials over unrelated trade complaints, including British food safety standards.

   Helping the prime minister during this sensitive year will be the incoming ambassador to Washington, Christian Turner, a career diplomat who brings with him experience from the Middle East, north Africa and Pakistan.

5. 5. Single-sex spaces guidance

   Ministers have still not approved official guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission on access to single-sex public spaces and are now likely to do so in 2026.

   The guidance is required because of a supreme court ruling in April saying the legal definition of a woman should be based on biological sex, and it is expected to reflect interim advice that transgender people should not be allowed to use toilets reserved for the gender they live as.

   The government’s decision on approving the ECHR’s recommendations is likely to prove a flashpoint, given that trans rights campaigners and some inside the commission criticised the interim advice as overly literal.

SOURCE PAGE

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya on Tuesday said police had detained 357 suspects in a nationwide operation targeting the extremist “Islamic State” (IS) militant group.

Raids across the country came after a major clash in the northwestern city of Yalova, where three police officers and six suspected militants were killed during an eight-hour standoff.

What do we know about the latest raids on IS in Turkey?

In a post on the platform X, Yerlikaya said the raids had involved the chief public prosecutor’s office, the national police’s counterterrorism department, intelligence officials, and provincial police departments. 

“This morning, in 21 provinces, we apprehended 357 suspected ISIS members in simultaneous operations conducted by our police.”

“Just as we have never given opportunities to those trying to bring this homeland to its knees through terrorism up to this day, we will never give them opportunities in the future either!”

Why have the raids taken place now?

The firefight in Yalova, on the coast of the Marmara Sea, was part of a wider operation on Monday in which security forces targeted more than 100 locations nationwide.

The confrontation spread into the streets, with five schools in the area closed and natural gas and electricity supplies shut off as a precaution.

Officials said more than 100 suspected Islamic State members had already been detained last week over alleged plans to carry out attacks during Christmas and New Year celebrations.

The house in Yalova where Turkish security forces launched an operation as part of a wider swoopImage: Umit Bektas/REUTERS

Turkey has intensified operations against suspected Islamic State fighters this year. The group was blamed for a series of deadly attacks on civilian targets nearly a decade ago, including assaults on an Istanbul nightclub and the city’s main airport that killed dozens of people.

Turkey was once a key transit route for foreign fighters traveling to and from Syria. While only a limited number of attacks have occurred since the wave of violence between 2015 and 2017, police have continued to conduct regular operations against suspected IS cells.

Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah

SOURCE PAGE

NEED TO KNOW

• Chevy Chase and his wife, Jayni, attended a rescheduled fan event on Monday, Dec. 29, at the Altria Theater in Richmond, Va.
• The 82-year-old comedian was previously supposed to appear for the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation screening and subsequent discussion on Dec. 10, but he was diagnosed with pneumonia
• Jayni also shared her own health struggles, detailing her hand injury

Chevy Chase is on the mend after struggling with a case of pneumonia. 

The 82-year-old comedian attended a rescheduled screening of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation in Richmond, Va., on Monday, Dec. 29, sharing with the audience at the Altria Theater that he had to postpone the event, which was originally slated for Dec. 10, due to being diagnosed with pneumonia. 

Joined on stage by his wife of 43 years, Jayni, Chase was seen pausing multiple times throughout his conversation with comedian Tony Deyo to heavily cough into a napkin. 

“You know we had to reschedule this because he had pneumonia,” Jayni told the audience. “He did, but he got over it pretty fast.”  

Chase assured the crowd he was no longer contagious. 

Chevy Chase and wife Jayni Chase at the Altria Theater in Richmond, Va., on Monday, Dec. 29.

Courtesy of Rachel McRady

The couple had fun with the Caddyshack star’s illness, with his wife jokingly looking over into his napkin after a coughing fit and saying, “Oh my God, is that still moving?”

Jayni was also struggling with health issues of her own as her right hand was seen heavily bandaged while on stage. 

“Boxer’s fracture,” she said, holding up the injured hand. “It isn’t from hitting him, but it should have been. I slammed it into a door frame going downstairs. It’s going to be fine. I just need to, tomorrow, find a splint. I couldn’t find a splint for it.” 

Chevy Chase and wife Jayni at the Altria Theater in Richmond, Va., on Monday, Dec. 29.

Courtesy of Rachel McRady

Chase then jokingly pretended to slam his wife’s injured hand into the chair. 

Throughout the nearly 90-minute discussion, Chase discussed his 1989 holiday classic, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, as well as several of his other famed projects including Saturday Night Live, Fletch and The Three Amigos. 

The couple also spoke about the upcoming CNN documentary, I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not, which is set to premiere on New Year’s Day. 

Chevy Chase wave in New York City on Dec. 18.

BKNYC / BACKGRID

“I’ve seen it. It’s good,” Chase told the crowd. “You’ve gotta see it. It’s good. I’m starring in this one.”

Jayni added, “Parts of it are a little bit hard, but it’s real. It’s very honest.”

The couple’s three daughters, Cydney, 42, Caley, 40, and Emily, 37, all appear in the documentary.

I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not, directed by Marina Zenovich, premieres Jan. 1 at 8 p.m. EST / 5 p.m. PST on CNN. 

SOURCE PAGE

• Were YOU on the cable car? Email: Taryn.pedler@dailymail.co.uk 

By TARYN KAUR PEDLER, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER

Published: 12:04 GMT, 30 December 2025 | Updated: 12:53 GMT, 30 December 2025

Six people, including a child, were left injured after a cable car slammed into a station barrier while approaching a mountain summit ‘too quickly’ in Italy.

Around one hundred people were also left stranded following the incident, which took place at the Macugnaga cable car, in the Verbano-Cusio-Ossola region of Piedmont.

Local media reports claim the cable car arrived at the station, over 9,000ft in the air, too quickly.

The surrounding ski slopes were closed, and the ski lift was halted following the incident. 

Firefighters are working on the scene to rescue those injured and stranded. 

The six injured were immediately treated by on-site medics, but are set to be transported to a local hospital via air ambulance.

Filippo Besozzi, the director of Macugnaga Trasporti e Servizi, told Ansa: ‘We had a technical problem. 

‘We’re evaluating it; initial reports suggest the train didn’t decelerate properly when entering the station and hit the station barrier’.

Around one hundred people were also left stranded following the incident, which took place at the Macugnaga cable car, in the Verbano-Cusio-Ossola region of Piedmont 

The Verbano-Cusio-Ossola region of Piedmont, Italy. (Stock image)

Besozzi reassured that none of the skiers were left with serious injuries, and that no one’s life is in danger due to the incident. 

‘We had a few people in the cabin; I can’t say exactly how many at this time, and the one with the most serious injuries is a 59-year-old man with a wound to his arm. Others suffered minor grazes,’ he said.

The ski lift, built in 1962, underwent a major overhaul in early 2023, including the replacement of motors, pulleys, and cabins. 

The work cost €2million, of which €1.8million was funded by the Piedmont Region and €200,000 by the Municipality of Macugnaga. 

This is a breaking news story. More to follow.

Share or comment on this article:
Six injured and more than 100 stranded as cable car slams into mountain station barrier ‘after approaching 9,000ft summit too quickly’

SOURCE PAGE

Channel Tunnel power failure causes chaos for Eurostar and Eurotunnel – The Mirror

Need to know

Passengers have been told not to travel by Eurostar today

Passengers have been told not to travel (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Everything you need to know as Eurostar services and Eurotunnel Le Shuttle services hit with delays and cancellations

• Severe Travel Disruptions: Major power issues with the overhead supply in the Channel Tunnel have caused widespread travel chaos today. Both Eurostar and Le Shuttle services are experiencing significant delays and last-minute cancellations.
• “Do Not Travel” Advice: Eurostar and National Rail are strongly advising all passengers to postpone their journeys to a later date. They have warned travellers not to come to the stations unless absolutely necessary.
• Stranded Passengers: Some travellers have been trapped inside the tunnel for over four hours due to the power outage. Additionally, a Le Shuttle train reportedly failed inside the tunnel, further complicating the recovery efforts.
• Significant Delays at Terminals: Le Shuttle, which transports vehicles, is reporting delays of approximately three and a half hours at the Folkestone terminal. On the French side in Calais, wait times are currently estimated at around two hours.
• Widespread Cancellations: Multiple afternoon and evening services between London St Pancras and Paris Gare du Nord have already been officially cancelled. Officials warn that more cancellations are likely as the power issues persist.
• Ongoing Repairs: Engineers are currently working to resolve the overhead power supply fault, though no specific timeline for a full return to service has been provided. Passengers are encouraged to check live train status updates before attempting to travel.
• Compensation for Eurostar and Le Shutle passengers: For both Eurostar services and Le Shuttle passengers can claim compensation if they are delayed over one hour.
• Passengers delayed 60-119 minutes can claim 30% of their ticket price as a voucher or 25% as cash refund.
• Passengers delayed 120-179 minutes can claim 60% of ticket price as a voucher or 50% as cash refund.
• Passengers delayed over 180minutes can claim 75% of the ticket price as a voucher or 50% as a cash refund.
• Alternatively if the service is cancelled or delayed over an hour passengers can exchange their ticker for another date or request a refund with Eurostar.
• Eurotunnel Le Shuttle passengers maybe entitled to a voucher as compensation for delays over an hour and are urged to contact the customer service team.
• Follow our live blog for the latest updates: Eurostar delays LIVE: Passengers warned ‘do not travel’ as trains stuck in tunnel

Follow Daily Mirror:

‌

‌

At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Terms and Conditions.

Accept



SOURCE PAGE

While the ceasefire has held since Saturday, Thailand says Cambodia violated the deal with drone flights over the border.

Thailand has said it is delaying the transfer of 18 captured Cambodian soldiers amid the Southeast Asian nations’ simmering border conflict due to alleged breaches of a renewed truce agreement, as the ceasefire passed the 72-hour mark that was supposed to trigger their release.

Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura said on Tuesday that Bangkok had reconsidered the timing of the handover of the captured soldiers following the intrusion of Cambodian drones into Thai airspace on Sunday night.

“The consideration of date and time ‌of the release depends on the security side,” he said at a news conference, adding that the handover could “happen soon”.

Thailand’s military had previously accused Cambodia of violating the terms of the ceasefire over the drone issue, saying on Monday that more than 250 drones had entered its territory on Sunday night.

Asked about the delay in the soldiers’ ‌release, Cambodian government spokesperson Pen Bona said the situation was being monitored, and the government had no reaction yet, the Reuters news agency reported.

The handover of the troops, captured earlier in the latest outbreak of fighting between the two countries, was to have taken place if the ceasefire, which came into effect at noon (05:00 GMT) on Saturday, was observed for 72 hours.

The truce has held so far, halting ‍20 days of fighting that killed more than 100 people and displaced more than half a million on both sides, although the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a formal protest to Cambodia ⁠after a Thai soldier lost a limb on Monday in a landmine blast at a border area.

Landmine incidents were among the triggers for the latest outbreak of the conflict, which roared back into life last month after five days of fighting in July that were halted by a truce brokered by the United States and Malaysia.

Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said earlier on Tuesday that the ceasefire was fragile and needed both sides to avoid inflaming tensions.

“The ceasefire has only just been agreed, so there is fragility,” Sihasak told reporters. “We should avoid instigation or things that could diminish the ceasefire,” he said.

Many remain displaced despite ceasefire

Reporting from the Cambodian city of Poipet, near the border with Thailand, Al Jazeera’s Assed Baig said an uneasy calm had descended amid the ceasefire.

Hundreds of people had gathered in the heat, waiting for the distribution of essential aid amidst the truce.

While some Cambodians were returning to their homes, others said they were too scared or unable to.

“[Some] say they will stay put in the [internally displaced persons] camps because they’re still not certain that this ceasefire will hold,” he said.

“They’ve seen ceasefires before. They’ve seen them break down before.”

Others, he said, could not return home because Thai troops remained positioned in or near their villages, while for others, their homes had been destroyed in the fighting.

Under the terms of Saturday’s ceasefire agreement, the two sides agreed for their troops to remain in their current positions.

“Whilst there is calm … nobody here is calling this ceasefire stable or permanent yet,” said Baig.

SOURCE PAGE

Russia shows no proof of alleged drone attack on Putin’s residence, Ukrainian foreign minister says

We are restarting our live coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine and will bring you updates on the latest diplomatic efforts to bring the nearly four-year conflict to an end.

Kyiv has issued a fresh response to claims by Moscow that Ukrainian forces launched a drone attack on Vladimir Putin’s state residence in Russia’s northwestern Novgorod region.

In a post on X this morning, Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, said Russia “still hasn’t provided any plausible evidence” to back up its claim, which has been dismissed by Kyiv as a lie used to justify future Russian attacks and to derail peace talks.

Sybiha added that making “false claims” is a “signature tactic” deployed by Russia, which he says often accuses “others of what they themselves plan to do”.

Sybiha added:

We were disappointed and concerned to see the statements by Emirati, Indian, and Pakistani sides expressing their concerns regarding the attack that never happened.

It is even more surprising given that all three states failed to issue any official statements when a real Russian missile struck the real Ukrainian government building on September 7, 2025.

Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine launched an attack overnight using 91 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on Putin’s state residence in the Novgorod region. Photograph: Mohamed Hossam/EPA

The claims of the alleged attack were first publicly aired by Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who said yesterday that Russian air defences had shot down 91 incoming drones overnight. “Such reckless actions will not go unanswered,” he added, condemning what he described as “state terrorism”.

Targets for retaliatory strikes against Ukraine had already been selected, he said. No damage or casualties were reported, nor were any pictures provided.

Lavrov’s claim came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met the US president, Donald Trump, for almost three hours in Florida to talk about a revised 20-point-plan to bring an end to the war.

Both leaders said progress had been made during the talks and stressed that the lengthy peace talks would continue. Trump, however, cautioned there were “one or two tough” outstanding issues, including over territory.

Share

Updated at 11.38 CET

Key events

Show key events only

Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature

India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, has said his country is “deeply concerned” after Moscow’s claim of a Ukrainian attack on an official home of Vladimir Putin.

He posted to X:

Deeply concerned by reports of the targeting of the residence of the President of the Russian Federation. Ongoing diplomatic efforts offer the most viable path toward ending hostilities and achieving peace.

We urge all concerned to remain focused on these efforts and to avoid any actions that could undermine them.

Kyiv dismissed the Russian report of a drone attack as baseless and said it is being used as a pretext to justify further attacks on Ukraine and to derail peace talks.

Share

Ukraine orders evacuation of northern border villages

Ukraine has ordered the evacuation of more than a dozen settlements in the northern Chernihiv region, which borders Belarus and has been the target of Russian shelling.

“At the defence council, a decision was made on mandatory evacuation from 14 border villages,” regional leader Viacheslav Chaus said, adding: “The border area is under daily shelling. Despite the real threat, 300 people still live there.”

Air defences in the region have less time to react to incoming attacks because it borders Russia to the north.

Share

Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has echoed Donald Tusk’s optimistic tone regarding talks on ending the war in Ukraine.

He posted to X to confirm there had been “another round of consultations” with “European and Canadian partners”. It is not clear who was in the meeting.

“We are moving the peace process forward. Transparency and honesty are now required from everyone – including Russia,” Merz added in his post.

Share

Updated at 12.57 CET

Peace is on the horizon in Ukraine, Polish prime minister says

We have some comments from the Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, who has been speaking to a government meeting. According to the Reuters news agency, he said:

Peace is on the horizon, there is no doubt that things have happened that give grounds for hope that this war can end, and quite quickly, but it is still a hope, far from 100% certain.

“When I say peace is on the horizon, I’m talking about the coming weeks, not the coming months or years. By January, we’ll all have to come together… to make decisions about the future of Ukraine, the future of this part of the world,” Tusk said, as he suggested that Kyiv would need to compromise on territorial issues.

Share

Updated at 13.33 CET

The future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, which Russia took control of in March 2022, is one of the remaining sticking points in negotiations.

Almost all countries consider that it belongs to Ukraine but Russia says it is owned by Russia and a unit of Russia’s state-owned Rosatom nuclear corporation runs the plant.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion was launched, there have been numerous safety concerns at the plant, including power outages and nearby shelling.

A monitoring mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been stationed there for over three years, but Russian authorities have been accused of regularly restricting access to the plant, which is located in Enerhodar on the banks of the Dnipro river and the Kakhovka reservoir.

It is not currently producing electricity but relies on external power to keep the nuclear material cool and avoid a meltdown.

Both Russia and Ukraine regularly accuse one another of shelling the plant, risking a nuclear disaster.

Russian service member stands guard at a checkpoint near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in June 2023. Photograph: Alexander Ermochenko/ReutersShare

The Kremlin said on Monday that Ukraine should withdraw its troops from the part of Donbas that it still controls if it wanted peace and that if Kyiv did not reach a deal then it would lose more territory.

Moscow controls about 75% of the Donetsk region, and about 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk (known collectively as Donbas).

Zelenskyy said earlier this month that the US wanted Ukraine to withdraw its troops from the Donbas region, and Washington would then create a “free economic zone” in the parts Kyiv controls.

The Ukrainian leader said at the time that Ukraine did not believe the plan was fair without guarantees that Russian soldiers would not simply take over the zone after a Ukrainian withdrawal (you can read more on this here).

Service members of the Ukrainian armed forces take off a camouflage net from a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launch system at their position in a frontline in the Donetsk region. Photograph: ReutersShare

Updated at 12.49 CET

The intensive diplomacy by European leaders can only achieve so much as the war is likely to continue until Kyiv and Moscow come to an agreement on territorial issues and the status of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. More detail on both in later posts.

Share

Updated at 12.47 CET

According to reports, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk was due to kick off a meeting on Ukraine at 10:00 GMT with other European leaders. It is not clear who the attendees were but we will bring you the latest as soon as we have it.

In a social media post on Monday, Tusk, one of Ukraine’s staunchest allies, said that he had “nighttime talks” with other European leaders on the war.

He said seeing a “declaration” of US participation in security guarantees would be the marker of success in the negotiations to end the war. “But we are still far from the final talks,” the Polish leader added.

As a reminder, Donald Trump said after his Sunday meeting with Zelenskyy that Kyiv and Moscow are “closer than ever” to a peace deal and that 95% of the issues have been settled.

Share

Updated at 12.23 CET

Russia to harden its negotiating position after alleged drone attack, spokesperson says

Russia has so far stuck to its maximalist positions during the negotiations and has been accused of trying to prolong the war for its strategic advantage.

When asked about the alleged Ukrainian drone attack on one of Vladimir Putin’s presidential residence, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said earlier today that it was “aimed at collapsing the negotiation process”.

“The diplomatic consequence will be to toughen the negotiating position of the Russian Federation,” Peskov said.

“We see that Zelenskyy himself is trying to deny this, and many western media outlets, playing along with the Kyiv regime, are starting to spread the theme that this did not happen,” he added. “This is a completely insane assertion.”

When asked by journalists this morning, Peskov declined to say where Putin was at the time of the alleged attack, saying such details should not be made public.

When asked if Russia had physical evidence to back up its claims, he said air defences shot the drones down but that the question of wreckage was for the defence ministry.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed the drone attack claim as “typical Russian lies”, concocted by Moscow as an excuse to continue attacks on Ukraine.

Share

Russia said yesterday it would review its position in peace negotiations after the alleged Ukrainian drone attack.

Earlier that day, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the US had offered Ukraine a 15-year security guarantee (even though he wanted guarantees for up to 50 years).

The White House did not immediately respond to these comments, which were made to reporters via WhatsApp as the Ukrainian leader returned to Europe from Florida.

But Trump sounded optimistic about getting closer to a peace agreement following his talks with Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump during a press conference at the US president’s Mar-a-Lago club, in Palm Beach, Florida, on 28 December 2025. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

It is not clear what form the US security commitments would take, but Zelenskyy has been pushing for “article-5-like” security guarantees from Europe and the US, referring to Nato’s founding principle that an attack on one member should be seen as an attack on all.

Trump has ruled out deploying peacekeeping troops. Zelenskyy said the presence of international monitors in a postwar Ukraine was the best form of security and would provide reassurance to the country’s citizens.

European leaders said earlier this month that Europe is ready to lead a “multinational force” in Ukraine as part of a US proposal for a peace agreement.

The leaders of the UK, France, Germany and eight other European countries said troops from a “coalition of the willing” with US support could “assist in the regeneration of Ukraine’s forces, in securing Ukraine’s skies, and in supporting safer seas, including through operating inside Ukraine”.

In an interview with the Russian state news agency Tass published on Sunday, Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said any European troop contingents sent to Ukraine would be considered by Russian forces as legitimate military targets.

Share

Updated at 12.09 CET

How did Trump react to the claims of the alleged drone attack on one of Putin’s residences?

My colleagues Luke Harding and Sammy Gecsoyler have reported on how Donald Trump, who has at times appeared favourable to the Russian side during negotiations, reacted to the claims of an alleged attack on one of Vladimir Putin’s residences. Here is an extract from their story:

The Kremlin’s latest bellicose threat appeared to be part of a KGB-style informational campaign directed at Russians and an impressionable White House. The Russian presidential adviser Yuri Ushakov claimed Putin briefed Trump about the alleged attack when they spoke on Monday.

Trump was “shocked” at the news, Ushakov claimed, with Russian officials alleging that Britain was also involved in what he described as “provocations”.

Ushakov’s characterisation of Trump rang true when, speaking at Mar-a-Lago on Monday afternoon, the US president told reporters the news made him “very angry”. “I don’t like it. It’s not good,” Trump said when asked if he was worried it could affect his efforts to broker peace.

“I learned about it from President Putin today,” he said, adding: “It’s a delicate period of time. This is not the right time. It’s one thing to be offensive, because they’re offensive. It’s another thing to attack his house. It’s not the right time to do any of that.”

When asked if there was any evidence of such an attack, Trump said: “We’ll find out. You’re saying maybe the attack didn’t take place? That’s possible, I guess, but President Putin told me this morning.”

Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, described the conversation between him and Putin as “positive”. It followed a lengthy call between the two leaders on Saturday.

Donald Trump shakes hand with Vladimir Putin as they met in Anchorage, Alaska, in August 2025. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/ReutersShare

Updated at 11.45 CET

Russia shows no proof of alleged drone attack on Putin’s residence, Ukrainian foreign minister says

We are restarting our live coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine and will bring you updates on the latest diplomatic efforts to bring the nearly four-year conflict to an end.

Kyiv has issued a fresh response to claims by Moscow that Ukrainian forces launched a drone attack on Vladimir Putin’s state residence in Russia’s northwestern Novgorod region.

In a post on X this morning, Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, said Russia “still hasn’t provided any plausible evidence” to back up its claim, which has been dismissed by Kyiv as a lie used to justify future Russian attacks and to derail peace talks.

Sybiha added that making “false claims” is a “signature tactic” deployed by Russia, which he says often accuses “others of what they themselves plan to do”.

Sybiha added:

We were disappointed and concerned to see the statements by Emirati, Indian, and Pakistani sides expressing their concerns regarding the attack that never happened.

It is even more surprising given that all three states failed to issue any official statements when a real Russian missile struck the real Ukrainian government building on September 7, 2025.

Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine launched an attack overnight using 91 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on Putin’s state residence in the Novgorod region. Photograph: Mohamed Hossam/EPA

The claims of the alleged attack were first publicly aired by Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who said yesterday that Russian air defences had shot down 91 incoming drones overnight. “Such reckless actions will not go unanswered,” he added, condemning what he described as “state terrorism”.

Targets for retaliatory strikes against Ukraine had already been selected, he said. No damage or casualties were reported, nor were any pictures provided.

Lavrov’s claim came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met the US president, Donald Trump, for almost three hours in Florida to talk about a revised 20-point-plan to bring an end to the war.

Both leaders said progress had been made during the talks and stressed that the lengthy peace talks would continue. Trump, however, cautioned there were “one or two tough” outstanding issues, including over territory.

Share

Updated at 11.38 CET

SOURCE PAGE

Waves of jubilation crashed over the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca on Sunday, as Sudan’s male footballers celebrated their first victory in the Africa Cup of Nations for 13 years with their fans.

The African country secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea in their second group game of the 2025 tournament, which secured their passage to the last 16. They face Burkina Faso in their final group game on Wednesday.

As well as being their first AFCON win since 2012, this was only Sudan’s second win at the tournament since it won the trophy in 1970. Celebrations in fan zones at home were as heartfelt as those in Morocco. Fans waved national flags and honked their car horns. Hundreds chanted “Sudan! Sudan! Sudan!” and danced.

The Sudanese people are proud of their national team and proud of their homeland. “Playing and winning games makes our people at home happy. We try to put a little smile on their faces despite the difficulties they are going through,” explained midfielder Mohamed Abuaagla.

Joy in short supply in Sudan

Such scenes of joy have become increasingly rare in Sudan since April 2023, when a power struggle between the military and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces group escalated. Open fighting ensued, accompanied by widespread mass murder, rape and ethnically motivated violence.

The United Nations (UN) described the raging civil war as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. “The war has destroyed many parts of the country and killed far too many innocent people,” said Abuaagla.

‘Do it for your country’

According to the UN, the conflict has claimed more than 40,000 lives so far, with aid organizations estimating the figure to be significantly higher. More than 14 million people have been displaced since the outbreak of war, while disease and famine continue to spread in parts of the country.

But the Sudanese national team has already defied the devastating situation just by qualifying for the tournament. “I keep telling the players: ‘Fight for your people back home. Make sure that the people in war-torn Sudan can feel at least a moment of joy,'” national team coach Kwesi Appiah explained. The 65-year-old said he couldn’t imagine a greater motivation.

Symbol of hope

For many Sudanese, Appiah’s team has become a symbol of hope and a rare source of joy, offering a momentary escape from the war.

“The team plays for all people in and outside Sudan,” Idris Ahmed told DW. Ahmed works at the Sudanese Embassy in Rabat and helps Sudanese people who have traveled to Morocco to find their way around the tournament.

Survivors of Sudan war recount harrowing scenes of terror

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

He has high hopes that the performance of the ‘Falcons of Jediane,’ as the national team is also known, will have a positive impact on his troubled homeland.

“The players now face the challenge of putting a smile on the faces of the Sudanese people and helping them, if only for a moment, to forget the bitterness and pain of the ongoing war in Sudan,” Ahmed said.

Appiah targeting title

Ahmed also recalls the heyday of Sudanese footballers, who won the tournament in their homeland in 1970. Football has a great past to look back on, he explained. “There are exceptional circumstances at the moment but, God willing, Sudan will regain its former strength.”

Appiah is also trying to keep the focus on the sporting side of things after the victory over Equatorial Guinea. “Our goal is to win the title, not just to win a single match,” he stressed after the win in Casablanca.

The goals are ambitious. But even if they cannot be achieved, the players have already accomplished a great deal by participating in Morocco. “This team brings us joy, despite the pain we have suffered in Sudan over the last three years,” concluded Sudan fan Badr-Eddine Zambel.

This article was originally published in German.

SOURCE PAGE

On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents

Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents

Get a weekly international news dispatch

Russian losses in the war in Ukraine have been growing at a faster rate than at any point so far since the invasion began in February 2022, new analysis suggests.

Analysis by the BBC found that 40 per cent more obituaries of soldiers were published in Russia this year compared with 2024.

The broadcaster, along with independent outlet Mediazona, compiled a list of named individuals using official reports, newspapers and social media as well as new memorials and graves. In total, they were able to confirm the names of around 160,000 people who have been killed.

Experts told the broadcaster that the figure is likely to be far higher, with the BBC’s toll only likely to represent between 45 and 65 per cent of the overall total. This would mean that Moscow has suffered between 243,000 and 352,000 casualties since the war began.

open image in gallery

A Russian soldier fires a Malka self-propelled gun towards Ukrainian positions (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service)

The BBC’s data shows that the number of obituaries being published in Russia this year saw a considerable spike in August – the same month that Vladimir Putin met with Donald Trump in Alaska for the first US-Russia summit since the war began. It peaked at 12,035 in August.

Between July 2024 and July 2025, the number of obituaries being published did not exceed 7,155.

The BBC’s overall death toll appears to reflect assessments by international governments. In October, a Nato official said that more than 250,000 Russian troops had been killed in Ukraine, as part of a total of up to 1.1 million battlefield casualties.

Ukraine has seen more than 140,000 of its soldiers killed in the war, according to the BBC.

open image in gallery

Vladimir Putin attends a meeting in the Kremlin (Sputnik)

Meanwhile, Washington’s hopes of brokering a peace agreement in the near future were dashed on Tuesday after Russia accused Ukraine of launching a drone attack at one of Putin’s residences – a claim emphatically denied by Kyiv.

Zelensky said the claim was a “complete fabrication” aimed at derailing the peace process, after Moscow signalled that it would harden its negotiating position in response.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Tuesday that Russia had not provided any plausible evidence of its accusations.

“Russia has a long record of false claims it’s their signature tactic,” Sybiha said.

Asked by reporters whether Russia had physical evidence of the drone attack, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said air defences shot the drones down but that the question of wreckage was for the defence ministry.

SOURCE PAGE

NEED TO KNOW

• Prince William became the Duke of Cornwall when King Charles ascended the throne in 2022
• His income for his second year was $30 million, according to a 2025 report from the Duchy of Cornwall
• The Duchy of Cornwall estate was established by King Edward III in 1337

Prince William’s role as Prince of Wales comes with significant financial resources.

A report from June 2025 revealed Prince William received a hefty $30 million for his second year’s income from the Duchy of Cornwall estate. The Duchy of Cornwall is a title and estate he inherited when his father, King Charles, ascended the throne in 2022.

The Duchy of Cornwall published its Integrated Annual Report for 2025 earlier this year, revealing a distributable surplus of £22.9 million ($30.9 million) for the 2024-2025 financial year, Prince William’s second year as the Duke of Cornwall. This sum covers the official, charitable and private expenses of Prince William, Kate Middleton and their three children.

As a working member of the royal family, the Prince of Wales doesn’t receive a traditional income. Instead, his annual expenses are largely covered by the Duchy of Cornwall, an estate established by King Edward III in 1337 to provide funds for the heir to the throne. This vast estate, worth over $1 billion, spans 130,000 acres across 23 counties in England and Wales and includes land, farms, houses and other assets to support the heir and their family.

Prince William visits the Duchy of Cornwall on May 10, 2024.

Ben Birchall-WPA Pool/Getty

When King Charles acceded to the throne in 2022, Prince William became the new Duke of Cornwall and head of the estate.

Prince William is understood to pay income tax on the entire income he receives from the Duchy of Cornwall, after subtracting household expenses, which have not been specified.

After Queen Elizabeth died, a royal source said that Prince William was “fully immersing himself” in his role as head of the Duchy of Cornwall. The Prince of Wales has made several stops in the estate since inheriting it, including an overnight trip in May 2024 when he visited the site of the Duchy of Cornwall’s innovative housing project aimed at addressing homelessness in Newquay.

Prince William visits the Duchy Of Cornwall on July 10, 2023.

Hugh Hastings – WPA Pool / Getty 

In 2024, the report from Prince William’s first full year in the role highlighted updates to his patronages, including a shift in his role at The Football Association. A dedicated football fan, he now serves as the patron of the FA, a position formerly held by his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. William had been president of the FA since 2006, and the change reflects his senior role as Prince of Wales.

Additionally, Prince William assumed new patronages with the Welsh Guards Charity and the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association, as well as becoming president of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association. He also transitioned from president to patron of Fields in Trust.

Looking to the future, according to the 2025 Integrated Impact Report, the Duchy of Cornwall is still focused on “becoming a net zero estate by the end of 2032.”

SOURCE PAGE

Victoria Beckham danced with her rarely-seen father Tony Adams during her family Christmas celebrations without her eldest son Brooklyn.

The former Spice Girl turned fashion designer, 51, shared pictures and videos from the festive day with her fans on social media.

In one heartwarming clip that has warmed fans’ hearts, Victoria can be seen dancing with her dad Tony at her Cotswolds home.

The duo enjoyed the sweet dance to the Bee Gees classic More Than A Woman as David twirling his daughter during the impromptu routine.

The rest of the clan could be seen watching on at the long table after they enjoyed their Christmas dinner.

Victoria had wowed in a grey satin dress for the big day, while Tony looked smart in a white suit shirt with black trousers.

Victoria Beckham danced with her rarely-seen father Tony Adams during her family Christmas celebrations without her eldest son Brooklyn

In one heartwarming clip that has warmed fans’ hearts, Victoria can be seen dancing with her dad Tony at her Cotswolds home

The duo enjoyed the sweet dance to the Bee Gees classic More Than A Woman as David twirling his daughter during the impromptu routine

Fans were left in awe of the sweet daughter and father moment, with one commenting: ‘Treasure this Victoria. I wish my dad was still here to dance with’;

‘Well, I can say her daddy sure knows how to dance. She’s so lucky to have a daddy’;

‘Awwwh, he’s trying to dance ballroom and she wants disco, but still absolutely gorgeous’;

‘What a darling man, so sweet. It’s clear Victoria and David are very close to their parents. Lovely’. 

During her Netflix documentary earlier this year, Victoria had praised Tony for her humble upbringing and work ethics. 

The star, who has a combined fortune of £500million with husband David, explained how her electric wholesaler dad ‘started with nothing’. 

‘He used to sit me and my brother and sister in a little production line, we would build things, plugs and electrical things,’ before the family piled in her dad’s van to ‘deliver what we had built… Dad worked so, so hard and he expected me to be the same.’ 

Meanwhile, the dancing continued over the festive period, with Victoria sharing a clip of husband David, 50, dancing with their daughter Harper, 14. 

During her Netflix documentary earlier this year, Victoria had praised Tony for her humble upbringing and work ethics (pictured in 2011)

Fans were left in awe of the sweet daughter and father moment

The dancing continued over the festive period, with Victoria sharing a clip of husband David, 50, dancing with their daughter Harper, 14

Victoria also posted a video of her and David dancing to Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb’s song Guilty with the pointed lyrics: ‘We’ve got nothing to be sorry for’

Nicola Peltz had posted cosy Instagram photos of Brooklyn playing happy families with his in-laws, Nelson and Claudia Heffner Peltz, amid the ongoing feud with his parents

It saw them dance to the Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton hit, Islands in the Stream, as the pair looked in great spirits as they smiled together.

Victoria also posted a video of her and David dancing to Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb’s song Guilty with the pointed lyrics: ‘We’ve got nothing to be sorry for’.

She penned: ‘David and Victoria giving their very best Barry and Barbra on Christmas Day xxx kisses from us both xx @davidbeckham.’

Her message comes after estranged son Brooklyn, 26, blocked his mother and the rest of his family on social media amid their escalating family feud.

Brooklyn spent Christmas this year with wife Nicola Peltz’s billionaire parents in Miami, Florida.

She also appeared to make a pointed dig at the Beckhams as she shared cosy snaps of Brooklyn playing happy families with his in-laws, Nelson and Claudia Heffner Peltz.  

Posing in matching festive pyjamas with his wife, Brooklyn looked to be having the time of his life spending Christmas in the states.

‘We wish everyone a merry christmas and a happy new year filled with so much love, peace and happiness ❤️⭐️ ‘, Nicola captioned her post. 

SOURCE PAGE

A feasibility study has concluded that a railway tunnel beneath the Strait of Gibraltar is technically viable, with Spain now commissioning blueprints for the ambitious project

Milo Boyd Deputy travel editor and Emily Wright

10:46, 30 Dec 2025

The tunnel would be bored beneath the nine-mile stretch of water separating southern Spain from Morocco(Image: Getty)

A colossal underwater tunnel linking Europe and Africa could finally be on the cards after the project received a major boost.

The ambitious project, which would see the tunnel burrow beneath the Strait of Gibraltar, has been reignited by Spain after being mooted by various governments for decades. Now scientists have declared that such an engineering feat is possible.

In October, a study commissioned by the Spanish Government and carried out by German tunnel experts Herrenknecht concluded that drilling a railway tunnel below the Strait would be technically achievable with current technology. Since then, Spanish consultancy firm Ineco has been tasked with drawing up a blueprint for the project by the end of next year, with hopes that Government approval could be granted as early as 2027.

The concept of creating a man-made link between Europe and Africa first surfaced in the 1970s, popping up intermittently in election campaigns and Government agendas since then, but no tangible steps have been taken until now. Previous proposals included the establishment of a joint Spain-Morocco committee in 1979 to assess the feasibility of the plan.

A tunnel between Europe and Africa under the Strait of Gibraltar is possible(Image: Getty)READ MORE: I stayed at UK’s worst hotel and used UV light in my windowless room – I wasn’t preparedREAD MORE: Wizz Air’s new £40 route to sun-drenched city that is ‘world’s best place to live’

The proposed tunnel, to be drilled beneath the nine-mile stretch of water separating southern Spain from Morocco, would take inspiration from the Eurotunnel, which opened in 1994 and links Britain to northern France under the English Channel.

The Herrenknecht report, formally commissioned by the Spanish Society for Studies on Fixed Communication across the Strait of Gibraltar (Secegsa), under the Ministry of Transport, has assessed the feasibility of constructing the railway tunnel in its most complex sections, especially under the Camarinal Threshold – an area with extremely difficult geological conditions.

The most recent cost estimate for the project is €8.5 billion (£7.4 billion), according to Voz Populi.

The project, featuring two separate railway tunnels each carrying trains in one direction, is set to connect Punta Paloma in Cadiz with Morocco’s Cape Malabata, near Tangier. The tunnel would span roughly 26 miles, with nearly 17 miles of the route submerged underwater, reports the Express.

It’s also projected to reach a depth of 1,540 feet – significantly deeper than the Channel Tunnel, which only dips to 246 feet below sea level. Upon completion, the journey is estimated to take about 30 minutes by train, with the capacity to carry both passengers on high-speed AVE trains and freight.

The project faces significant technical challenges, particularly due to its location at the boundary between the Eurasian and African tectonic plates along the Azores-Gibraltar fault line, Morocco World News reports.

If given the green light, fieldwork is anticipated to commence in 2030, with the main construction phase scheduled for between 2035 and 2040. However, these dates could be subject to change.

While initial plans aimed to complete the tunnel by 2030, coinciding with the FIFA World Cup co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, experts have since stated that this timeline is unrealistic, given the project’s complexity and its current preliminary stage of studies.

The current proposed route, from Punta Paloma to Cape Malabata, comes after decades of discarded proposals, including an early concept for a suspension bridge. This type of connection was eventually ruled out due to the Strait’s depth, seismic activity and extreme wind conditions.

The project is being jointly managed by SECEGSA and its Moroccan counterpart, SNED (National Society for Strait Studies). Both organizations are working to establish a reliable rail connection for passengers and freight between Europe and North Africa.

SOURCE PAGE