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Australia news live: domestic air fares surge with Qantas and Virgin dominance; ‘full steam ahead’ for Aukus deal | Australia news
Domestic air fares surge amid Qantas, Virgin dominance
Luca Ittimani
Domestic air fares rose faster than inflation in October as Qantas and Virgin reaped the rewards of a busy sport finals season, the consumer watchdog has found.
School holidays around the country coincided with crowds of fans flying interstate for Brisbane’s AFL and NRL grand final triumphs over Victorian teams in Melbourne and Sydney.
Late September and October saw 5.5 million domestic passengers as a result, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s latest airline report.
Qantas and Virgin reaped the rewards of a busy sport finals season. Photograph: David Gray/AFP/Getty Images
Qantas and Virgin added 45 extra flights to meet the demand but services were more full than normal, with 84.4% of seats taken compared with an average of 81.6% over the last year.
That saw air fares hit the highest level in three years, accounting for inflation, the ACCC said. Prices and revenues have risen since 2022 despite jet fuel prices, a major component of airline costs, falling.
If another airline could match the two majors, prices might fall, but there is little competition and therefore less incentive for Qantas or Virgin to reduce ticket prices, the report read.
Virgin accounted for one-third of all domestic flights in October and Qantas, including Jetstar, accounted for nearly two-thirds, with other companies battling for the remaining 2% of passengers.
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Updated at 22.06 CET
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Hogan added that saying he was “gutted” would not be not overstating his feelings on Joyce, adding to RN:
I’ve always quite liked Barnaby. I’ve felt our relationship has always been okay. But yeah, look, I’m really, you know, to say gutted is probably not overstating it.
There’s a thing, you know, to go to the crossbench, there’s a thing to leave the party, but then to actually join now another party, and he will be campaigning for us not to win seats, or us to not get senate spots, I think is a real blow.
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Kevin Hogan says no one ‘gobsmacked’ by Barnaby Joyce’s decision to join One Nation
Kevin Hogan, the deputy leader of the Nationals, compared Barnaby Joyce to Mark Latham after the former said yesterday he would join One Nation.
The only other person I can think of that has left who has been a previous leader of a political party and joined One Nation is Mark Latham. And Barnaby Joyce joins those ranks as having been a previous leader of a party and joining One Nation. But I’ll leave others to make their judgment about that.
Hogan said Joyce’s move was “obviously very disappointing for us and very hurtful in some ways”, telling RN Breakfast this morning:
Barnaby has said this: he doesn’t want to be on the backbench. He doesn’t like where he sits. So I don’t think there was much that could have been done to stop that.
David [Littleproud] was always saying publicly and privately to Barnaby that the door was open for him to return. And obviously, he’s very disappointed that he left. So, look, I think it was always going to be a tough call. And I think no one is, you know, gobsmacked that he’s made the decision yesterday.
Kevin Hogan, left, and Nationals leader David Littleproud. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Updated at 22.20 CET
No tsunami threat to Australia after large earthquake near Japan
The Bureau of Meteorology said earlier there is no threat to Australia after a powerful, 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Japan overnight.
The temblor prompted evacuation orders and tsunami warnings in Japan, which were later downgraded to advisories.
The BoM said all of the Australian mainland, islands or territories would be unaffected by the quake.
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Domestic air fares surge amid Qantas, Virgin dominance
Luca Ittimani
Domestic air fares rose faster than inflation in October as Qantas and Virgin reaped the rewards of a busy sport finals season, the consumer watchdog has found.
School holidays around the country coincided with crowds of fans flying interstate for Brisbane’s AFL and NRL grand final triumphs over Victorian teams in Melbourne and Sydney.
Late September and October saw 5.5 million domestic passengers as a result, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s latest airline report.
Qantas and Virgin reaped the rewards of a busy sport finals season. Photograph: David Gray/AFP/Getty Images
Qantas and Virgin added 45 extra flights to meet the demand but services were more full than normal, with 84.4% of seats taken compared with an average of 81.6% over the last year.
That saw air fares hit the highest level in three years, accounting for inflation, the ACCC said. Prices and revenues have risen since 2022 despite jet fuel prices, a major component of airline costs, falling.
If another airline could match the two majors, prices might fall, but there is little competition and therefore less incentive for Qantas or Virgin to reduce ticket prices, the report read.
Virgin accounted for one-third of all domestic flights in October and Qantas, including Jetstar, accounted for nearly two-thirds, with other companies battling for the remaining 2% of passengers.
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Updated at 22.06 CET
Patrick Commins
RBA to announce final cash rate decision of the year today
The Reserve Bank is expected to keep the cash rate at 3.6% today, and the focus will be on any clues for whether the monetary policy board thinks it might have to hike the rate in 2026.
Data over recent weeks has shown an unexpectedly sharp rebound in inflation, while national accounts and household spending figures have pointed to an accelerating economy.
Financial markets are now putting a roughly 50% chance on a hike by May, and have fully priced in a move higher by August, according to ANZ.
Economists have also largely abandoned forecasts for rate cuts in 2026, with a handful predicting a hike next year.
The decision is at 2:30pm, and the RBA governor, Michele Bullock, will give her final press conference of the year an hour later.
The Reserve Bank building. Photograph: EyeOfPaul/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 21.59 CET
Good morning everyone, Nick Visser here to take the reins. Let’s get to it.
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Barnaby Joyce says One Nation’s growing popularity part of global rightwing swing
Nino Bucci
Nationals defector Barnaby Joyce says he believes One Nation’s increasing popularity is part of the global movement that explains the rise of Maga in the US and the recent success of other far-right figures, but joked he is much better looking than Nigel Farage.
But Joyce did not answer questions on the ABC’s 7.30 program on Monday night about whether he supported Pauline Hanson’s “long-running vilification of ethnic groups”.
Joyce first said he disagreed that Hanson did vilify ethnic groups, and then when asked about her comment that “we are in danger of being swamped by Muslims, who bear a culture and ideology that is incompatible with our own”, tried to divert the answer to one about the “extremities” of sharia law.
Asked “do you see any comparison with the rise in popularity of One Nation and the rise with the Reform Party in the UK under Nigel Farage?”, Joyce responded:
Yes, I do. And not only that, I think Australia’s late to the party, whether it’s Farage in the UK, whether it’s Le Pen in France, whether it’s Merlino in Italy, whether it’s within the Maga movement within the Republican Party of the United States, it’s a phenomen[on] across the world. Because Australia has compulsory voting, it’s stickier here, but now it’s happening.
Joyce also agreed with statements Hanson made earlier on Monday, that he would have no portfolio within the party, nor had they reached any agreement about a possible future handover in leadership.
He also largely backed what Kevin Hogan, the deputy Nationals leader, said about his reasons for leaving the party: that he did not want to sit on the backbench. Joyce said:
Well, Kevin is right to a degree. I believe that you’ve got to be as effective as you can possibly be, and I don’t believe …sitting in the corner of the Coalition for one and a half years, not getting a question … I’m 58 years old, not 85 years old, and I’m looking forward to giving greater service to our nation. And if I can get myself into a place that’s more efficacious, I’ll do precisely that.
Barnaby Joyce: ‘I’m 58 years old, not 85 years old.’ Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Updated at 21.10 CET
Josh Butler
Albanese tells school students social media ban will ‘ensure Australian children have a childhood’
Anthony Albanese admits the under-16s ban on social media – coming into effect tomorrow – “will require some adjustment”, but told school students in a video address he believes it’s the right thing to do.
The restrictions – which will require TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and others to remove children from their services – begin on 10 December. Albanese has written to all state and territory premiers and chief ministers today, thanking them for their support for the change.
“While this profound change will require some adjustment in the short term, this is the cultural change Australia needs to deliver greater peace of mind for parents and ensure Australian children have a childhood,” the PM wrote in his letters to those leaders.
The PM’s office has also shared a video which Albanese made for young people, and which will be played to students in schools nationwide this week. In the clip, Albanese again concedes the impact the change might have on some children, saying: “If you have questions, by all means, reach out. Talk to your parents, your teachers, and your friends. And if you feel like you need more support, Headspace and Kids Helpline is there to assist.”
Explaining why the government is making the change, Albanese said: “You’ll know better than anyone what it’s like growing up with algorithms, endless feeds and the pressure that can come with that. That’s why we’ve taken this step to support you.”
He recommended under-16s “make the most of the school holidays coming up rather than spending it scrolling on your phone”, urging them to “start a new sport, learn a new instrument, or read that book that has been sitting there on your shelf for some time. And importantly, spend quality time with your friends and your family. Face to face.”
Prime minister Anthony Albanese has made a video for school students. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPShare
Updated at 21.05 CET
Josh Butler
Reddit reportedly considering legal challenge to social media ban
Reddit says it has “deep concerns” about the under-16s social media ban coming into effect tomorrow, but has agreed to comply with the legislation.
However media reports suggest the platform is considering a legal challenge.
In a statement this morning, Reddit claimed Australia’s law was “legally erroneous”, and went past its original intent.
Reddit said it would begin suspending accounts of users confirmed to be under 16, and require new users to be at least 16 to create accounts. Its statement notes, like YouTube, “Reddit will continue to be accessible to browse without an account”. The platform said it would use an “age prediction model” to estimate users’ ages, which it described as “privacy-preserving”, which includes verifying birthdates through a third-party identity verification provider.
“This is often achieved by sending a photo of a government ID or taking a selfie. Reddit will not have access to this photographic information,” the platform said.
Reddit’s statement said it was “concerned about the potential implications” of minimum age laws.
“We believe strongly in the open internet and the continued accessibility of quality knowledge, information, resources, and community building for everyone, including young people …. By limiting account eligibility and putting identity tests on internet usage, this law undermines everyone’s right to both free expression and privacy, as well as account-specific protections,” the statement said.
“We also believe the law’s application to Reddit (a pseudonymous, text-based forum overwhelmingly used by adults) is arbitrary, legally erroneous, and goes far beyond the original intent of the Australian Parliament, especially when other obvious platforms are exempt.”
The Australian Financial Review reports that Reddit has enlisted top legal representation and is considering a court challenge which may go to the constitution’s implied right of freedom of political communication. A Reddit spokesperson would not comment on the reporting or confirm whether a challenge was in the works, saying only: “The only decision we’ve made is to comply with the law”.
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Updated at 20.55 CET
‘Full steam ahead’ for Aukus deal as Wong and Marles meet Rubio and Hegseth in Washington
The Aukus submarine deal is going “full steam ahead”, Australia and the US have confirmed after a high-level meeting in Washington.
Associated Press reports US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, met their Australian counterparts on Monday local time for annual talks expected to focus on Indo-Pacific security and countering China’s increasing assertiveness in the region, including in the South China Sea and directed at Taiwan.
Rubio, Hegseth, Australian foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, and defence minister Richard Marles gathered at the State Department but in remarks before the meeting none mentioned China by name.
“This is a very strong partnership, it’s a strong alliance, and what we want to do is continue to build on it. We think we have a lot of momentum behind this alliance,” Rubio said, hailing cooperation between Washington and Canberra on critical minerals, defence production and troop deployments.
The US president, Donald Trump, and Australian PM, Anthony Albanese, signed a critical minerals deal at the White House in October after China imposed tougher rules on exporting its own critical minerals.
“We have to have critical mineral supplies and supply chains that are reliable, and that are diverse, and not overly invested in one place where they can be used as leverage against us or our partners of the world,” Rubio said on Monday.
Wong said the alliance “has always been to ensure it delivers concrete benefits for our security and prosperity and for that of the United States. And Aukus is central to that: a win for Australia, a win for the US and a win for the United Kingdom,” Wong said. “We are full steam ahead.”
Hegseth echoed her comments, saying that “as we move full steam ahead on Aukus, we applaud Australia’s upcoming delivery of an additional $1bn to help expand US submarine production capacity. We’re strengthening Aukus so that it works for America, for Australia and for the UK.”
Marles said they were “living in a much more contested world, where it really matters to be doubling down with friends and allies and, obviously, America is front and centre and foremost for Australia in that respect”.
(L-R) Richard Marles, Penny Wong, Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth meet for bilateral talks at the State Department in Washington DC on Monday. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty ImagesShare
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it’ll be Nick Visser to pick up the slack.
There has been a high-powered meeting in Washington overnight, as the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, met Australia’s Penny Wong and Richard Marles. As you’d expect, they had warm words for the alliance between the two countries. They also confirmed it was “full steam ahead” on the Aukus deal to build nuclear-powered submarines for Australia, with Australia due to give the US $1bn to kickstart production. More from the meeting in a minute.
Domestic air fares rose faster than inflation in October as Qantas and Virgin reaped the rewards of a busy sport finals season, the consumer watchdog has found. More on that shortly.
A leading economist has warned interest rates are unlikely to be cut for much of 2026 as the Reserve Bank meets for its final monthly meeting of the year. More details soon …
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Updated at 22.02 CET
Concern for Storm Bram, named by the Irish Met Office, has sparked several weather warnings, including two amber alerts for rain across parts of the Southwest of England and south Wales
05:00, 09 Dec 2025
Prepare for wet and windy conditions today, including in Birmingham as pictured (Image: Nick Wilkinson/Birmingham Live)
Nearly one month’s rain will lash across some parts of the UK today amid Storm Bram.
The Met Office forecasts around 100mm (nearly four inches) of rain to fall in just a few hours across south Wales and parts of the Southwest of England. Forecasters have issued several weather warnings, including two amber alerts for rain and multiple for wind, which remain in place throughout today.
“Storm Bram will bring a very wet and windy spell of weather, with very strong winds and further heavy rain which falling over saturated ground, could cause flooding impacts,” Dan Suri, a chief forecaster, with the Met Office, said.
Multiple flood warnings are in place, most of which are for parts of the Southwest of England. One of the two amber warnings covers sections of Devon and Cornwall, where up to 100mm of rain is expected. Typically, Plymouth in Devon sees 125mm of rain fall across a standard December.
READ MORE: Storm Bram horror as 84 UK areas at risk of 85mph winds and ‘heavy rain’READ MORE: Storm Bram LIVE: Met Office urgent ‘danger to life’ warnings for 17 UK regions
A band of low pressure – named Storm Bram – is sweeping in from the west(Image: Met Office)
The other amber warning for rain concerns large sections of south Wales, such as Swansea and Bridgend. According to the Met Office statistics, Swansea sees around 114mm of rain across an entire average December so today’s forecast is particularly bleak.
There is one flood warning for Wales, for the River Ritec at Tenby, and a further 52 less severe flood warnings. It will rain heavily across north Wales too and this, coupled with the 70mph winds, will cause significant travel disruption throughout the day.
Parts of north Wales and west Wales are subject to a weather warning for wind. The fiercest gales, though, are expected across northwest Scotland, including Argyll and Bute, tonight. An amber weather warning is in place for the 90mph gales, which could lead to flying debris and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties.
It will dangerous along coastlines due to high winds today(Image: Tom Maddick / SWNS)
Mr Suri added: “Within the Amber wind warning over northwest Scotland, gusts of up to 90 mph could be recorded. More widely, gusts of 50-60 mph, and perhaps 70 mph in a few spots, are expected across Wales, southwest England and Northern Ireland.
“Rain is an additional impact from Storm Bram, with the possibility of 100mm over higher ground in the south of Wales and parts of Devon. This could require updates to warnings, so it’s important to stay up to date with the forecast in your area, as well as any flood warnings from your local environment agency.”
Storm Bram will slowly pull away northwards from Britain during Wednesday. In its wake, Wednesday will be a windy day, especially in the north, with some showers, mainly in the west as well as some more persistent rain in the far north, at least at first.
WORLD NEWS
Zelenskyy to share updated peace plan with US at ‘critical moment’ for Ukraine | World News
Ukraine will share an updated peace plan with the US today after European leaders reaffirmed support for Volodymyr Zelenskyy following a meeting in London.
Mr Zelenskyy said it now comprised 20 points, down from 28, after some “obvious anti-Ukrainian points were removed”.
However, he said there was still no agreement on giving up territory – something America believes is necessary for peace but Ukraine and Europe have long resisted.
The Ukrainian leader was speaking after talks with Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at 10 Downing Street.
All four men “underscored the need for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, which includes robust security guarantees,” said the prime minister’s spokesperson.
“Positive progress” was also made on a stalled plan to use billions of dollars of frozen Russian assets as a loan for Ukraine.
The quartet held a call with other European leaders after their face to face in which all agreed it was a “critical moment” to ramp up support for Ukraine and bolster “economic pressure on Putin“, the spokesperson added.
It comes as President Donald Trump appears increasingly keen to push through a peace deal – with his original plan widely seen as favouring Russia.
A US delegation met Vladimir Putin in Moscow last week, but there was no breakthrough and Russian officials said afterwards they were unimpressed with much of it.
The four leaders gathered at Downing Street. Pic: AP
‘Ukraine’s security must be guaranteed’
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Mr Zelenskyy said: “The mood of the Americans, in principle, is for finding a compromise.
“Of course, there are complex issues related to the territory, and a compromise has not yet been found there.”
The Ukrainian leader also went to Brussels later on Monday to meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, and NATO chief Mark Rutte.
Mr Zelenskyy described it as “good and productive”, while Ms Von der Leyen posted on X that the “EU remains ironclad in its support for Ukraine”.
“Ukraine’s security must be guaranteed, in the long term, as a first line of defence for our Union,” she added – referencing Ukraine’s insistence for strong deterrents against Russia attacking again.
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Trump: ‘Zelenskyy hasn’t read’ peace proposal
Trump ‘disappointed’ with Zelenskyy
The extent of US involvement in any such guarantee is unclear, but Mr Zelenskyy stressed its importance as he answered reporters’ questions on WhatsApp on Monday.
“What if after the end of the war, Russia will start another aggression?” he commented. “What will the partners be ready for? What could Ukraine count on?”
Despite the Kremlin’s downbeat response to his peace plan, Mr Trump said at the weekend Mr Putin was “fine” with it – while adding he was “a little disappointed” with Mr Zelenskyy, who he claimed hadn’t yet read it.
Read more:
Navy chief issues chilling warning
Putin looks ready for more war, not less
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Trump Jr: ‘My father may walk away’
The president’s eldest son, Donald Jr, told Sky’s Yalda Hakim in recent days that his father could walk away from the whole peace process.
It all plays into concerns that America is increasingly losing interest in maintaining the traditional strong European alliances.
The US National Security Strategy – published on Friday and praised by Moscow as “appealing to us” – was another sign of the direction of travel.
It stated a wish to “re-establish strategic stability with Russia”, while also cautioning NATO must not be “a perpetually expanding alliance” – a persistent complaint of Russia’s.
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Inside Ukraine’s underground military HQ
‘Europe has to be careful,’ warns Trump
Mr Trump dissatisfaction with more liberal leaders across the Atlantic was also clear on Monday when he commented: “Europe has to be very careful, we want to keep Europe, Europe.
“Europe is going in some bad directions – very bad, very bad for the people. We don’t want Europe to change so much.”
Mr Zelenskyy’s diplomacy takes place as Ukrainians continue to endure regular electricity cuts due to Russia’s established winter strategy of fierce attacks on power infrastructure.
It is also grinding out small gains in the Donbas – the sprawling region it hopes to seize in its entirety under any peace deal despite Ukraine still controlling significant areas.
In Indonesia, at least 961 people have been killed in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra while 293 are still missing, Indonesia’s National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) reported late on Sunday.
Some 5,000 people have been injured across the three provinces, and more than one million people have been displaced. More than 156,000 homes have been damaged and 975,075 people are in temporary shelters.
“Everything is lacking, especially medical personnel. We are short on doctors,” Muzakir Manaf, governor of Indonesia’s Aceh province, told reporters late on Sunday.
“People are not dying from the flood, but from starvation. That’s how it is.”
Illegal logging, often linked to the global demand for palm oil – along with forest loss due to mining, plantations and fires – have both exacerbated the disaster in Sumatra.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said the country plans to buy 200 helicopters in 2026, for defence and natural disaster preparedness.
Reuters
The nightclub is located in a busy tourist area
The owners of a nightclub in Goa, India, where a devastating fire killed 25 people on Sunday, fled the country hours after the tragedy, police have said.
Indian authorities confirmed the two brothers, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, boarded a flight to Phuket in Thailand shortly after the incident.
Investigators believe the fierce blaze was triggered by fireworks being set off inside the venue, Birch By Romeo Lane, which is located in a busy nightlife area of Goa, a coastal state popular with domestic and international tourists.
The majority of the victims were staff members, while four were holidaymakers visiting from Delhi. Five people are still being treated in hospital.
Police have appealed to Interpol for help to find and arrest the Luthra brothers.
Police said they travelled to Delhi to carry out a raid on the mens’ home, but discovered they had left the country.
“It shows their intent to avoid police investigation,” Goa police said in a statement.
Saurabh Luthra, whose social media identifies him as the chairman of the company which operates the club, posted a statement on social media expressing “profound grief”, but did not reference his whereabouts.
“In this hour the irreparable sorrow and overwhelming distress, the management stands in unwavering solidarity with the families of the deceased as well as those injured, and conveys its heartfelt condolences with utmost sincerity,” Monday’s post said.
It added that “management” would provide “assistance, support and cooperation to the bereaved”.
His brother Gaurav Luthra has not commented publicly.
At least four people were arrested in the immediate aftermath of the fire, including the venue’s manager.
The Birch nightclub in Arpora, an area with several high-end nightlife businesses, was packed with customers who had come to hear a Bollywood DJ when the fire broke out in the early hours of the morning.
Eye witnesses have described scenes of total panic to the BBC, as people tried to flee.
The main section of the venue is built on an island in the middle of a lake, which visitors accessed via narrow walkways – a layout which made it difficult for firefighters to tackle the blaze.
Part of the venue was entirely destroyed. Police initially said an exploding gas canister was the cause, but now believe it was due to pyrotechnics igniting wooden ceiling beams.
Several of the victims were migrant workers who had travelled to Goa to find employment, including four Nepalese nationals.
Among those who died were two brothers who were both engaged to be married next year, and four members of the same Delhi family.
The police said the bodies of all the victims had been returned to their families.
US President Donald Trump on Monday escalated his criticism of Europe, saying the continent was “going in some bad directions” as he condemned a multimillion-euro EU penalty against Elon Musk’s social media platform X.
Here are the key points:
• Trump slams EU’s €120 million ($140 million) fine on X
• Warns Europe is heading in “bad directions”
• Musk denounces the penalty
• US officials say EU is targeting American firms
• EU cites transparency and data-access breaches
• New US strategy warns of democratic “erosion” in Europe
Speaking at the White House, Trump said that Europe was “very bad, very bad for the people” and warned that the United States did not want the continent “to change so much.”
He did not specify what he meant, but said Europe “has to be very careful doing a lot of things.”
Washington questions EU’s handling of Musk platform fine
Trump was responding to questions about last week’s €120 million fine imposed by EU tech authorities on the X social media platform for violating digital transparency and content-management rules.
“I don’t see how they can do that,” Trump commented, adding that Musk had not contacted him for help and that he expected a full briefing later in the day.
EU vs. Big Tech: What are the bloc’s regulation options?
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Musk rejected the penalty, responding sharply to the European Commission’s announcement and reposting messages criticizing the decision. “Freedom of speech is the bedrock of democracy,” he wrote.
Senior US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, also condemned the EU’s action as unfairly targeting American companies.
Brussels rejects bias claims
EU regulators defended the fine as proportionate, saying X failed to meet transparency obligations by withholding data for researchers, maintaining an incomplete advertising repository and using deceptive design in its blue-check verification system.
Tech chief Henna Virkkunen said the Digital Services Act “has nothing to do with censorship” and applies equally to all platforms.
The dispute comes days after Washington released a national security strategy warning of a decline in democratic norms in Europe.
The document cited “censorship of free speech, suppression of political opposition, cratering birthrates, and loss of national identities and self-confidence” as major challenges for the continent.
TikTok, which faced similar scrutiny in May, avoided a penalty by pledging improvements to its advertising transparency systems and urged the EU to enforce the rules consistently.
Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko
WORLD NEWS
Ukraine-Russia war live: Zelensky says he has no right to give up land after European allies pledge support
Zelensky leaves Downing Street after meeting Starmer and European leaders for Ukraine defence talks
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Volodymyr Zelensky says he has no right to give up Ukrainian land to Russia as part of any peace plan proposed by Donald Trump.
Zelensky was speaking after a meeting in London with Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz, where Kyiv’s European allies pledged their renewed support.
Talks between the US and Ukrainian officials ended at the weekend with a 20-point proposal to end Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, but the question of what to do with occupied territories in the eastern Donbas remains a sticking point.
“Do we envision ceding territories?” Zelensky asked late on Monday.
“We have no legal right to do so, under Ukrainian law, our constitution and international law. And we don’t have any moral right either.”
Trump accused Zelensky of having failed to read the latest version of the US-proposed plan, while insisting Putin was “fine with it”.
At the talks in No 10, the leaders discussed “positive progress” towards using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, Downing Street said.
No 10 said the leaders agreed that Europe must stand with Ukraine, strengthening its ability to defend against “relentless attacks that have left thousands without heat or light”.
Kremlin welcomes new US security strategy
The talks in London yesterday followed the publication of a new US national security strategy that alarmed European leaders and was welcomed by Russia.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the document, which spells out the Trump administration’s core foreign policy interests, was largely in line with Moscow’s vision.
“The nuances that we see in the new concept certainly look appealing to us,” Peskov said yesterday.
“It mentions the need for dialogue and building constructive, friendly relations. This cannot but appeal to us, and it absolutely corresponds to our vision. We understand that by eliminating the irritants that currently exist in bilateral relations, a prospect may open for us to truly restore our relations and bring them out of the rather deep crisis.”
The document released on Friday by the White House said the US wants to improve its relationship with Russia after years of Moscow being treated as a global pariah and that ending the war is a core US interest to “reestablish strategic stability with Russia”.
The document also says Nato must not be “a perpetually expanding alliance,” echoing another complaint by Russia.
It was scathing about the migration and free speech policies of longstanding US allies in Europe, suggesting they face the “prospect of civilisational erasure” due to migration.
Sir Keir Starmer’s government declined to comment on the document, calling it a matter for the US government.
Namita Singh9 December 2025 05:06
Obstacles remain after US-Ukrainian peace talks
The US and Ukrainian negotiators completed three days of talks on Saturday aimed at trying to narrow differences on the US administration’s peace proposal.
Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram that talks had been “substantive” and that National Security and Defence Council secretary Rustem Umerov and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov were travelling back to Europe to brief him.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and prime minister sir Keir Starmer outside Number 10 Downing Street, London (Jonathan Brady/PA Wire)
A major sticking point in the plan is the suggestion that Kyiv must cede control of the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine to Russia, which illegally occupies most but not all of the territory. Ukraine and its European allies have balked at the idea of handing over land.
UK prime minister Keir Starmer said he “won’t be putting pressure” on Zelensky to accept a peace settlement.
Donald Trump has had a hot-and-cold relationship with Zelensky since winning a second term, insisting the war was a waste of US taxpayers’ money. Trump has also repeatedly urged the Ukrainians to cede land to Russia to end the nearly four-year conflict.
Namita Singh9 December 2025 04:38
European leaders back Kyiv amid Trump’s frustration
Sir Keir Starmer, French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz vowed to support Kyiv in their comments before Monday’s meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, which lasted about two hours.
They met shortly after US president Donald Trump appeared to vent his frustration with Zelensky, claiming the Ukrainian leader “hasn’t yet read the [latest] proposal” for an end to Russia’s war.
Zelensky said on Monday that Trump “certainly wants to end the war. … Surely, he has his own vision. We live here, from within we see details and nuances, we perceive everything much deeper, because this is our motherland”.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky, Britain’s prime minister Keir Starmer, France’s president Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz chat on the 10 Downing Street doorstep after a meeting in central London (AFP via Getty Images)
Starmer said the push for peace was at a “critical stage,” and stressed the need for “a just and lasting ceasefire”.
Merz, meanwhile, said he was “sceptical” about some details in documents released by the US. “We have to talk about it. That’s why we are here,” he said.
“The coming days – could be a decisive time for all of us.”
European leaders are working to ensure that any ceasefire is backed by solid security guarantees both from Europe and the US to deter Russia from attacking again. Trump has not given explicit guarantees in public.
Namita Singh9 December 2025 04:10
Anti-Ukrainian points removed from peace plan, says Zelensky
Volodymyr Zelensky said the current US peace plan differs from earlier versions in that it now has 20 points, down from 28, after some “obvious anti-Ukrainian points were removed.”
Responding to reporters’ questions on WhatsApp about security guarantees, Zelensky said the main questions to be resolved are: “What if after the end of the war, Russia will start another aggression? What will the partners be ready for? What could Ukraine count on?”
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and prime minister Sir Keir Starmer outside Number 10 Downing Street, London (PA Wire)
The answers to these questions “must be in the core of the security guarantees for Ukraine,” he said.
Namita Singh9 December 2025 04:00
Video: Zelensky leaves Downing Street after meeting Starmer and European leaders for Ukraine defence talks
Zelensky leaves Downing Street after meeting Starmer and European leaders for Ukraine defence talks
Namita Singh9 December 2025 03:50
Kyiv needs more European cash for US weapons, says Zelensky
Ukraine is short of about $800m (£600m) to buy the US weapons it had planned to purchase this year with help from its European allies, President Volodymyr Zelensky says.
For next year, Ukraine would need about $15bn for the PURL (Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List) programme, which involves purchases of US weapons with European money, he said.
More than two-thirds of member states of Nato have committed to weapons for Ukraine through the scheme.
Jane Dalton9 December 2025 03:40
Zelensky and European leaders vow to keep up pressure on Putin
After the meeting, Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelensky and the other leaders called Kyiv’s European allies, urging them to keep up the pressure on Russian president Vladimir Putin.
“The leaders all agreed that now is a critical moment and that we must continue to ramp up support to Ukraine and economic pressure on Putin to bring an end to this barbaric war,” Starmer’s office said in a statement.
“This is the furthest we’ve got in four years, and we welcome the fact that these talks are continuing at every level,” said Starmer’s spokesman, Tom Wells.
He added that “intensive work” will continue in the days ahead, although “there are still outstanding issues”.
Macron’s office said the session allowed the leaders “to continue joint work on the US plan in order to complement it with European contributions, in close coordination with Ukraine”.
Namita Singh9 December 2025 03:24
The Independent View | There is still a way European leaders can help achieve a positive outcome for Ukraine
Still, no doubt, bathed in the warm, if also absurd, glow of being the first ever recipient of the Fifa Peace Prize, Donald Trump might be in the mood to promote a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, it would be nice to think. This would, aside from anything else, strengthen President Trump’s insistent claim on the Nobel Peace Prize, which has not quite been superseded in prestige by the cynical golden trophy that the president of Fifa, Gianni Infantino, presented to him.
Read The Independent’s view:
Alex Croft9 December 2025 03:00
Recap: Zelensky meets European allies in London
President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the leaders of Britain, France and Germany in London on Monday in a show of European support for Ukraine at what they jointly called a “critical moment” in talks to end the Ukraine war.
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer held talks with Zelensky, French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz at No 10, with discussions focussed on ways to strengthen Ukraine’s hand amid mounting impatience from US president Donald Trump.
After the meeting, Starmer, Zelensky and the other leaders called Kyiv’s other European allies, urging them to keep up the pressure on Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Sir Keir Starmer (left) and Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street (Toby Melville/PA) (PA Wire)
“The leaders all agreed that now is a critical moment and that we must continue to ramp up support to Ukraine and economic pressure on Putin to bring an end to this barbaric war,” Starmer’s office said in a statement.
Namita Singh9 December 2025 03:00
Mystery drones near Zelensky’s plane to be investigated
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that unidentified drones were spotted near his plane to Ireland last week.
“There will be an investigation… There were drones indeed,” he told reporters.
Irish local media reported on Thursday that a naval ship had spotted up to five drones operating near the flight path of the presidential plane.
Jane Dalton9 December 2025 01:30
WORLD NEWS
Kylie Jenner Twins with Timothée Chalamet in Matching Outfits at ‘Marty Supreme’ Premiere
NEED TO KNOW
- Kylie Jenner joined Timothée Chalamet for their second red carpet appearance at the Los Angeles premiere of his latest film, Marty Supreme
- At the Monday, Dec. 8 event, they arrived in matching custom Chrome Hearts bright orange ensembles
- The couple first made their red carpet debut at the 70th David Di Donatello Awards in May
Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner coordinated in custom Chrome Hearts for their second red carpet appearance.
On Monday, Dec. 8, the couple made a rare red carpet appearance together in style. Chalamet, 29, attended the Los Angeles premiere of his latest film, Marty Supreme, with Jenner by his side.
They arrived in matching custom Chrome Hearts ensembles. Chalamet wore a bright orange leather suit, with an orange silk shirt and orange boots. He also carried a Chrome Hearts black leather ping-pong paddle case draped over his shoulder.
The Kylie Cosmetics founder, 28, wore a floor-length orange gown with triangular cutouts below her bust and across her waist. The base of her deep V-neckline was cinched with a cross embellishment, which was then replicated on her necklace with several more crosses varying in size. She paired the look with orange pointed-toe pumps.
Jenner’s dedication to orange didn’t stop there. Her nails were painted a bright orange, while her blush had hints of orange hues. For her glam, her eyeshadow and blush blended with vibrant pops of pink and orange, while she wore a matte nude lipstick. Her hair was styled in a simple straight blowout.
Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner in Los Angeles, California, on December 8, 2025.
Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty
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Although the couple have been dating since the spring of 2023, this is only Jenner’s second time accompanying the actor on the red carpet. In May, they made their red carpet debut in Rome at the 70th David Di Donatello Awards, where the A Complete Unknown actor received the David for Cinematic Excellence honor.
Just as they did on Monday, the couple wore color-coordinated looks. Chalamet opted for a sleek velvet suit decorated with a boutonniere, while Jenner wore a curve-hugging dress with a plunging neckline, a design from the Schiaparelli Fall/Winter 2025 collection.
Jenner accessorized with a velvet clutch with gold embroidery and statement Schiaparelli earrings, one of which featured a gold brass finger topped with a pearl and rhinestone and the other a sculpted hand with a crystal-set nail and pearl pendant. Her hair was styled up in a slicked-back bun to show off her bling.
Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet on May 7, 2025 in Rome.
Daniele Venturelli/WireImage
Long before their red carpet debut, Jenner accompanied the actor to the Golden Globes, the BAFTAs and the Oscars — each of which Chalamet was nominated for his role as Bob Dylan in the biopic A Complete Unknown.
At the 2025 Golden Globes in January, Jenner stunned in a silver chainmail dress that included a backless silhouette. She wore her black hair in loose curls around her shoulders and accessorized with Lorraine Schwartz jewels. Meanwhile, he rocked a black suit and a gray shirt underneath with a blue scarf.
The next month at the BAFTAs, she donned a slinky black gown with some sparkle. Chalamet wore a classic black Bottega Veneta suit with a black T-shirt underneath and black dress shoes. He accessorized with Cartier jewelry.
At the Oscars, Chalamet wore a custom Givenchy butter yellow suit. The model wore a skin-baring Miu Miu gown, which was decked out in beaded details that complemented her dazzling Lorraine Schwartz jewelry.
Marty Supreme hits theaters on Dec. 25.
Diana Ashmore often goes to bed at 6pm simply to stay warm
A pensioner claims she’s been left “deflated and depressed” after shelling out £150 weekly on electricity just to keep her modest two-bedroom flat warm during winter. Diana Ashmore, 70, believes a mix of inadequate insulation, costly energy rates and her housing estate’s pricey heating infrastructure is driving her bills through the roof.
Diane, who funnels nearly her entire pension into utility expenses, has been urging authorities to address insulation issues at her Doncaster housing estate. However, she maintains the primary culprit behind her enormous bills is the steep electricity tariff for the building’s district heating network, coupled with the two-bedroom flat’s single-brick construction and draughty windows.
Ms Ashmore revealed she allocates virtually all of her £460-a-fortnight pension towards heating costs. Between December 1, 2024, and March 1, 2025, she stated she had spent an eye-watering £3,500 maintaining warmth in the flat.
She said: “When I get up in the morning, my clothes feel damp because they’re that cold. It’s terrible and shocking that you should have to live life like this in the 21st century.”
Diane says she has been left “deflated and depressed” by eye-watering heating bills
Ms Ashmore explained that whilst the estate features a gas-fired boiler house situated across the road, the warmth arrives at her flat via electric pumps and prepayment meters, which means she iss charged for electricity to pump the hot water around. She explained the tariff stands at 28.9p per kWh, above the UK average of 26p for electricity.
Her housing block, Chevet House, is managed by St Leger Homes of Doncaster (SLHD), which she claims has ignored repeated requests for insulation upgrades.
Ms Ashmore said: “We’ve got single brick with no insulation, and we’re all getting drafts through our windows because they’re old. I’ve been fighting to get it fixed, but it’s like pulling teeth.
“They can’t give you an answer, it’s always they have to ‘write a report’ and then send it to this department or that department. I said to them last year that we need to get this sorted before next winter. But here we are again.”
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Ms Ashmore explained that Chevet House contains seven flats across three storeys, all facing identical problems. She added: “Some won’t put the heating on because it’s too expensive to run.
“Because of the draft coming through, I have to sit with a cover around my ankles when I’m watching TV. I take myself to bed at 6pm to keep warm. I’m putting all my money on the heating, so I’ve got no social life anymore.”
Diane also says she can’t get the winter fuel allowance. She says she has worked throughout her life, always paid full rent, and now battles to afford food, electricity, water, and rent from her modest pension.
Ms Ashmore said: “I can’t remember when I last bought myself some new clothes.”
Chevet House
Despite the situation, she has no desire to leave her flat where she has resided for 14 years, especially given its convenient location and her pending back operation. However, the steep charges and inadequate insulation have left Ms Ashmore feeling “deflated and depressed”, she confessed.
She further expressed her frustration, saying: “It has just knocked the stuffing out of me. It shouldn’t have to come to this, but no one is listening to me.”
Diane Ashmore says her flat becomes so cold she is forced to get into bed to simply keep warm
SLHD, in a previous statement, mentioned: “We have recently carried out surveys at Chevet House and we are reviewing the findings to determine what work may be recommended.”
They reaffirmed their commitment to their residents, stating: “We remain committed to supporting our customers and will continue to liaise directly with them and address any concerns.”
The housing provider was contacted for additional comments.
WORLD NEWS
Ukraine war: The signs Putin is expecting more conflict, not less – and the frank conversation Keir Starmer needs to have | World News
With more than a thousand troops being killed or wounded every day, there’s no sign that Donald Trump’s push to end Russia’s war in Ukraine is reducing the battles on the ground.
Quite the opposite.
Ukraine‘s military chief says Vladimir Putin is instead using the US president‘s focus on peace negotiations as “cover” while Russian soldiers attempt to seize more land.
That means much greater pressure on the Ukrainian frontline, even as Russian and American, or American and Ukrainian, or Ukrainian and European, leaders shake hands and smile for cameras before retreating behind closed doors in Moscow, Alaska, and London.
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This was not an upbeat meeting of Ukraine and its allies
Putin’s not counting on peace
The lack of any indicators that the Kremlin is looking to slow its military machine down also makes the risk of war spreading beyond Ukraine’s borders increasingly likely.
It takes a huge amount of effort, time, and money to put a country on a war footing as Putin has done, partially mobilising his population, allocating huge portions of government spending to the military and realigning Russia’s vast industrial base to produce weapons and ammunition.
Putin has been in India to shore up support from Narendra Modi. Pic: Reuters
But when the fighting stops, it requires almost as much focus and energy to switch a society back to a peace time rhythm.
Deliberately choosing not to dial defence down once the battles cease means a nation will continue to grow its armed forces and weapons stockpiles – a sure sign that it has no intention of being peaceful and is merely having a pause before going on the attack again.
The absence of any preparations by Moscow to slow the tempo of its military operations in Ukraine – where it has more than 710,000 troops deployed along a 780-mile frontline – is perhaps an indicator that Putin is anticipating more not less war.
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What is Putin trying to achieve in India?
How could the war end?
What happens next in Europe will depend on the content of any peace deal on Ukraine.
An all-out Russian defeat is all but impossible to conceive without a significant change of heart by the Trump White House and a massive increase in weapons and support.
The next best result for Ukraine would be a settlement that seeks to strike a fair balance between the warring sides and their conflicting objectives.
This could be done by pausing the fighting along the current line of contact before substantive peace talks then take place, with Ukraine’s sovereignty supported by solid security guarantees from Europe and the US.
But such a move would require Europe’s NATO allies, led by the UK, France and Germany, genuinely to switch their respective militaries and populations back to a wartime footing, with a credible readiness to go to war should Moscow attempt to test their support of Ukraine.
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Why Ukraine’s allies may welcome Trump walking away
Will Starmer level with the public?
That does not just mean increased spending on defence at a much faster rate – in the UK at least – than is currently planned. It is also about the mindset of a country and its willingness to take some pain.
France is already openly saying that parents may have to lose their children in a war with Russia, while Germany is requiring all 18-year-old men to undergo medical checks for possible national service.
No such tough but frank conversation is being attempted by Sir Keir Starmer with the British public.
The furthest his military chief has gone is to say “warfighting readiness” is his top priority.
But that is meaningless jargon for most of the public. Being ready for war is about so much more than what the professional armed forces can do.
Armies fight battles. Countries fight wars.
Read more:
UK unveils undersea tech
Navy chief offers chilling warning
Does Britain’s threat to Russia ring hollow?
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New UK military technology unveiled
Worst case scenario?
The other alternative when it comes to Ukraine is a scenario that sees a sidelined Europe unable to influence the outcome of the negotiations and Kyiv forced to agree to terms that favour Moscow.
This would include the surrender of land in the Donbas that is still under Ukrainian control.
Such a deal – even if tolerated by Ukraine, which is unimaginable without serious unrest – would likely only mean a temporary halt in hostilities until Putin or whoever succeeds him decides to try again to take the rest of Ukraine, or maybe even test NATO’s borders by moving against the Baltic States.
With Trump’s new national security strategy making clear the US would only intervene to defend Europe if such a move is in America’s interests, it is no longer certain that the guarantees contained in NATO’s founding Article 5 principle – that an attack on one member state is an attack on all – can be relied upon.
To have a sense of how a war with Russia might play out without the US on NATO’s side, Sky News and Tortoise ran a wargame that simulates a Russian attack on the UK.
In the scenario, Washington does not come to Britain’s defences, which leaves the British side with very few options to respond short of a nuclear strike.
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WORLD NEWS
Agent-tracking app ICEBlock sues Trump administration in free speech fight | Donald Trump News
The Trump administration has accused ICEBlock of making federal agents vulnerable to attack and called for its removal.
Published On 9 Dec 2025
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The developer of a popular app used to monitor and share alerts about immigration enforcement activities has sued the administration of United States President Donald Trump for pressuring Apple to remove it.
ICEBlock, whose name refers to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), had one million users before it was dropped from Apple’s app store, according to a lawsuit filed on Monday.
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Developer Joshua Aaron alleged in the complaint that the Trump administration’s campaign against the tracking app amounted to a violation of free speech.
“When we see our government doing something wrong, it’s our duty as citizens of this nation to hold them accountable, and that is exactly what we’re doing with this lawsuit,” Aaron said in the lawsuit.
The suit calls on the district court system to protect the Texas-based software company from “unlawful threats” under the Trump administration.
It also names as defendants some of Trump’s highest-level officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE’s acting director, Todd Lyons.
First released in April, ICEBlock quickly became a widely used tool across the US as communities sought ways to share information about immigration raids.
Since returning to office for a second term, Trump has pushed a campaign of mass deportation, targeting a wide range of immigrants, many of whom are in the country legally.
Those raids, many carried out by heavily armed immigration agents in military-style attire, have also faced repeated accusations of human rights abuses.
Critics have questioned the violence used in some arrests, as well as the ICE officers’ use of face masks and plainclothes to conceal their identities.
There have also been reports of inhumane conditions once immigrants are in custody, including overcrowding, a lack of sanitation and faeces-smeared walls.
Human rights advocates have also questioned the speed with which deportations are being carried out, claiming the immigrants arrested have no opportunity to exercise their due process rights and are often prevented from contacting lawyers.
Even US citizens have been accidentally detained in the immigration sweeps. Some immigrants have been deported despite court orders mandating that they remain in the US.
The Trump administration has faced fierce criticism and judicial rebukes for its tactics.
But it maintains that software like ICEBlock puts federal immigration agents in danger of retaliation.
“ICEBlock is designed to put ICE agents at risk just for doing their jobs, and violence against law enforcement is an intolerable red line,” Attorney General Bondi has said.
In October, ICEBlock was pulled from Apple’s app store, a popular platform for downloading mobile software. The Justice Department confirmed that it had contacted Apple to push for the removal.
The lawsuit states that the tech company told Aaron the app had been removed following “information provided to Apple by law enforcement”.
Aaron has countered that the app is an exercise of essential free speech rights and is meant to help protect people from overbearing government activity.
“We’re basically asking the court to set a precedent and affirm that ICEBlock is, in fact, First Amendment-protected speech and that I did nothing wrong by creating it,” Aaron told The Associated Press news agency in an interview.
“I mean, these are people that are wearing masks — which is the antithesis of everything about this country — and they are not identifying themselves, and they’re zip-tying children, and they’re throwing women into vans.”