London has activated its severe-weather emergency plan for the first time this winter, opening extra accommodation for people sleeping rough as temperatures are forecast to reach freezing. City Hall says the measures began on Friday and are expected to continue until Monday. Londoners concerned about someone sleeping outside are being urged to alert outreach teams through StreetLink.
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Mohammed Alfatih, a suspected Hamas member who was granted British citizenship in 2020, has been convicted of unlawfully wounding a bailiff, possessing two knives and criminal damage in Birmingham. The 40-year-old was cleared of wounding with intent. Separately, German authorities want him over an alleged plot to attack Jewish or Israeli targets; those allegations were not part of this trial and remain unproven.
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A global Microsoft outage is disrupting NHS communications, police online reporting and pharmacies across Britain on Friday. NHS England says patients should attend appointments unless told otherwise, with staff using alternative systems and paper records where possible. Microsoft reports progress restoring services, but its status page still shows disruption; the company says it has no indication of malicious activity.
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Wessex Water has pleaded guilty to three health and safety offences after an explosion at its Avonmouth treatment works killed four workers, including a 16-year-old apprentice, in December 2020. The company admitted the charges at Bristol Magistrates' Court on Friday. The case has been sent to Bristol Crown Court, with the next hearing due on 8 January.
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A car bomb in Moscow has wounded Sergei Zavorotniy, a former spokesman for Ukraine's pro-Russian ex-prime minister Mykola Azarov, Russian investigators say. He was taken to hospital after the vehicle exploded in the capital's Chertanovo district on Friday. Investigators have opened a criminal case; there was no immediate comment from Ukraine, and responsibility has not been established.
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A Russian drone struck a hospital in central Kyiv early on Friday, injuring three people. The attack hit the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics at around 3am, damaging part of the hospital and a neighbouring building. The hospital's director said 30 patients were taken to safety and medical services were temporarily suspended while a clean-up operation began.
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Piddington's parish council chairman says the government should expect a legal challenge over plans to house up to 1,256 male asylum seekers at MoD Bicester. Tim McNally made the pledge on Friday after planning permission was granted on Thursday. Opponents have six weeks to challenge the decision, while the Home Office says a final decision to proceed has not been taken.
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A US Army officer arrested in Gloucestershire on suspicion of spying for Russia has been identified in reports as Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Tyner, 41. He was stationed at NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps headquarters at Imjin Barracks and was detained on Tuesday. British charges are expected in the coming days; the allegations have not been proved.
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The UN nuclear watchdog says it cannot rule out Iran diverting declared nuclear material from peaceful activities because inspectors lack access to key sites. A report circulated on Friday urges Tehran to allow verification to resume without delay. This is a warning about missing oversight, not a finding that Iran has diverted material or built a bomb.
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Microsoft says an outage is disrupting access to several Microsoft 365 services, including Outlook email, Teams, SharePoint and Copilot. The company said on Thursday that overloaded infrastructure across multiple regions was contributing to connection errors. Engineers are restarting and repairing affected systems and considering redirecting traffic, but Microsoft had not confirmed full restoration in its latest public service update.
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The European Commission will examine a citizens' initiative seeking suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement after it secured more than 1.1 million verified signatures. Officials said on Thursday they would meet organisers, followed by a European Parliament hearing. A formal response is due by May 2027; the process does not itself suspend trade or political ties with Israel.
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Angela Rayner has granted planning permission for accommodation for up to 1,256 asylum seekers at the former MoD Bicester site near Piddington, Oxfordshire. The approval was confirmed on Thursday, despite opposition from local residents and MPs. The Home Office says the permission allows preparations to progress, but a final decision on whether to use the site has not yet been taken.
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A Commons row erupted on Thursday after Tom Tugendhat suggested Labour MP Melanie Ward was siding with Hamas during a debate on Gaza aid. Ward shouted 'shame on you', and the Deputy Speaker intervened to restore order. Minister Stephen Doughty demanded a withdrawal, saying nobody on the Labour benches supported Hamas and insisting the group must disarm.
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Israel's Diaspora Ministry has recommended denying entry to activists from London-based Amos Trust, citing its support for boycotts, sanctions and an arms embargo. Thursday's recommendation was sent to the Population and Immigration Authority, rather than confirming a final ban. The charity describes its work as promoting Palestinian justice, climate justice and gender equality, alongside support for grassroots organisations.
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Washington DC police now confirm one person has died and four others were injured in Thursday's Logan Circle shooting, revising earlier reports of six victims. One survivor is critically injured; three others have non-life-threatening injuries. Police say the suspect is wounded and contained inside an apartment building, while the investigation continues and people are urged to avoid the area.
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Arkia's owners have signed an agreement to sell control of the Israeli airline to a group of investors led by businessman Yariv Lerner. The buyers plan to inject tens of millions of dollars and take a majority stake. Thursday's announcement follows tensions with workers, while the investors say their aim is to stabilise the airline and ensure its continued operation.
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Around 40 girls with complex disabilities from Alei Siach are stranded in Italy after missing their flight to Israel on Thursday. A road closure left the group, including wheelchair users, stuck in traffic for more than three hours. Organisers are trying to find a flight before Shabbos while preparing accessible accommodation, medication and medical support if they have to stay.
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Israel's new Interior Minister Gideon Sa'ar has begun proceedings to revoke the citizenship of Ziad Jabareen, who was convicted of helping terrorists travelling to carry out a suicide bombing. Sa'ar announced the move on Thursday, citing alleged payments from the Palestinian Authority linked to terrorism. He intends to ask an administrative court to cancel Jabareen's citizenship; no revocation has yet been announced.
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Five people have been shot in Washington DC's Logan Circle neighbourhood, police say, with a suspect barricaded inside an apartment building. Officers are urging people to avoid the area around 15th and P Street Northwest as emergency teams respond. The victims' conditions have not been confirmed, and authorities have not announced a motive for Thursday morning's shooting.
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Israel says it targeted Hamas's Khan Yunis brigade commander, Muhammad Abu Ismail, in an overnight strike at Nasser Hospital, accusing the group of using the complex as a command centre. Gaza's civil defence says six people, including a surgeon, were killed and 20 injured. The military has not confirmed whether Abu Ismail was killed in the attack.
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