World news

• Watch live: Los Angeles County officials give wildfire update as death toll rises

  12-01-2025 17:12 via independent.co.uk
  
  Watch live as Los Angeles County officials give an update on the deadly wildfires today (12 January) as California governor Gavin Newsom described the tragedy as the worst natural disaster in US history.
  
  Read more

• Senior woman plied kids with booze as they shoveled snow before attempted sexual assault, cops say

  13-01-2025 14:38 via independent.co.uk
  
  ‘The juveniles were speaking in a nonsensical way exclaiming that a lady had just got them drunk and touched them’ said Pittsburgh Police
  
  Read more

• Ukraine-Russia latest: North Korea soldiers ‘used as bait’ by Moscow’s forces as Trump-Putin call expected

  13-01-2025 14:35 via independent.co.uk
  
  The last written notes of a North Korean soldier revealed the brutal tactics used by the Russian Army
  
  Read more

• At least 300 North Korea soldiers killed fighting with Putin’s forces in Ukraine, South Korea says

  13-01-2025 14:35 via independent.co.uk
  
  The last written notes of a North Korean soldier suggests the troops are being used as bait by Russian forces
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Senior woman plowed kids with booze as the shoveled snow before attempted sexual assault, cops say

  13-01-2025 14:24 via independent.co.uk
  
  ‘The juveniles were speaking in a nonsensical way exclaiming that a lady had just got them drunk and touched them’ said Pittsburgh Police
  
  Read more

• Mississippi cop suspended for killing three in crash while chasing suspect

  13-01-2025 14:05 via independent.co.uk
  
  No one has said what led the police officer to start chasing the SUV
  
  Read more

• What was the cause of the Pacific Palisades fire?

  13-01-2025 13:52 via independent.co.uk
  
  New Year’s Eve fireworks could be to blame, although authorities have not yet definitively ruled out arson
  
  Read more

• Strong winds knock down pedestrian bridge and close one of Alaska’s busiest highways

  13-01-2025 13:50 via independent.co.uk
  
  The side fencing and roof of a pedestrian bridge that fell in strong wind closed the main highway south of Anchorage, Alaska, early Sunday
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• The ice castles dazzling residents across the US

  13-01-2025 13:49 via independent.co.uk
  
  An annual architectural celebration of ice is up and running again in New Hampshire and several other states
  
  Read more

• A cool sight! Ice Castles delight dazzles residents across the US

  13-01-2025 13:44 via independent.co.uk
  
  An annual architectural celebration of ice is up and running again in New Hampshire and several other states
  
  Read more

• Ryanair calls for limit of two alcoholic drinks at airports in Europe

  13-01-2025 13:40 via theguardian.com
  
  Airline asks authorities to impose new curbs as it seeks to recover €15,000in costs related to diverted flightRyanair wants a limit of two alcoholic drinks at airports, as the airline released further details of legal action to recover €15,000 (£12,615) in costs related to a diversion it said was caused by an allegedly disruptive passenger.The airline has called on European authorities to bring in new curbs on alcohol to stop passengers getting drunk before boarding a plane. Cont
  
  Read more

• Museums in Italy offer free dog-sitting to encourage visitors

  13-01-2025 13:40 via independent.co.uk
  
  The free-of-charge promotional service in Italy will run across 15 tourist hotspots until April 2026
  
  Read more

• Starmer says Reeves doing ‘fantastic job’ as CBI president slams impact of her budget decisions – UK politics live

  13-01-2025 13:39 via theguardian.com
  
  PM says his chancellor is doing ‘fantastic job’ as CBI boss says business confidence in government is bruisedKeir Starmer is about to deliver his AI speech.Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell have “decided to end our marriage”, the former first minister of Scotland has said. PA Media says:They have been married since 2010 but, in a post on Instagram, the SNP MSP said “to all intents and purposes we have been separated for some time now”.She wrote: &l
  
  Read more

• Russia gives up on key Ukraine stronghold in fresh bid to cut off supplies

  13-01-2025 13:35 via independent.co.uk
  
  The route is crucial for supplies feeding forces in the region
  
  Read more

• Lancashire man found guilty of assault after partner’s suicide

  13-01-2025 13:33 via theguardian.com
  
  Ryan Wellings also guilty of controlling behaviour but cleared of manslaughter of Kiena Dawes, who left note saying she was ‘murdered’A man accused of driving a young mother to suicide through domestic violence has been found guilty of assault and prolonged controlling behaviour but cleared of her manslaughter.Ryan Wellings, 30, was blamed from “beyond the grave” for the death of his partner, Kiena Dawes.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116
  
  Read more

• UK can be an AI ‘superpower’, claims Starmer as he says he has ‘full confidence’ in Reeves – UK politics live

  13-01-2025 13:26 via theguardian.com
  
  PM says he wants UK ‘to be the best place to start and scale an AI business’ as he says his chancellor is doing ‘fantastic job’Keir Starmer is about to deliver his AI speech.Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell have “decided to end our marriage”, the former first minister of Scotland has said. PA Media says:They have been married since 2010 but, in a post on Instagram, the SNP MSP said “to all intents and purposes we have been separated for some
  
  Read more

• Final draft of Gaza ceasefire deal presented to Israel and Hamas, official claims

  13-01-2025 13:21 via independent.co.uk
  
  The United States, Qatar and Egypt have worked for more than a year on talks – so far fruitlessly
  
  Read more

• LA fires live: Firefighters braced for ‘explosive fire growth’ amid red flag weather warning and new forecast of strong winds

  13-01-2025 13:18 via theguardian.com
  Firefighters warn of ‘critical fire weather’ until Wednesday with risk of significant and rapid spread of fireCalifornians: how have you been affected by the wildfires?Weather forecasters are predicting that the dry season in Los Angeles is likely to get worse in the coming weeks and that the drought which intensified last week across southern California will continue to worsen into March.Meteorologist Eric Holthaus has written for the Guardian and says the rain forecast for the next
  
  Read more

• ‘I’m going to have him run out of here by inauguration day’: Steve Bannon escalates his war with Elon Musk

  13-01-2025 13:17 via independent.co.uk
  
  Donald Trump’s former White House chief strategist branded the tech tycoon as a ‘truly evil person’ and said stopping him before Janaury 20 has become ‘a personal issue’
  
  Read more

• Nicola Sturgeon announces divorce from Peter Murrell

  13-01-2025 13:16 via theguardian.com
  Former Scottish first minister says on social media that ‘we have been separated for some time now’UK politics live – latest updatesNicola Sturgeon has announced her divorce from her long-term partner Peter Murrell, who was previously the chief executive of the Scottish National party.Their decision to split is not unexpected: it is understood Sturgeon moved out of the couple’s home in Baillieston, Glasgow, after Murrell was arrested and later charged last year over the a
  
  Read more

• Israel-Gaza war live: final draft of Gaza hostage deal presented to sides after ‘breakthrough’, says official

  13-01-2025 13:12 via theguardian.com
  Palestinian official close to talks tells Reuters that information from Doha is ‘very promising’, saying ‘gaps are being narrowed’Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, has been speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem alongside his visiting Danish counterpart, Lars Løkke Rasmussen.He has been quoted by the Times of Israel as saying in relation to reported progress in the ceasefire talks:Progress was made. We see some progress in the negotiations &
  
  Read more

• Trump’s deportation vows only for ‘rabid’ Republicans and will fail, says Newt Gingrich

  13-01-2025 13:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Former US House speaker says documented people, Dreamers, mothers and children must not be deportedNewt Gingrich, the former US House speaker and presidential hopeful, said a section of his own Republican party was “rabid” over immigration and predicted Donald Trump’s suggestion that he could deport documented people as well as millions of undocumented people will not come to pass.“I’d be very surprised if you see any significant effort to change the game for people
  
  Read more

• Democratic states train non-doctors on providing abortions to expand US access

  13-01-2025 13:00 via theguardian.com
  From Washington to Connecticut, pharmacists and healthcare workers pioneer efforts to limit abortion barriersDemocratic states across the country are embarking on a pioneering effort to increase access to abortion by teaching people who are not doctors to offer and perform the procedure.In Washington state, a first-of-its-kind pilot program called the Pharmacist Abortion Access Project announced this week that it trained 10 pharmacists to prescribe abortion pills; so far, they have prescribed ab
  
  Read more

• Access to Trump and Vance is twice as expensive for donors at inauguration

  13-01-2025 13:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Exclusive: dinners with both the president and vice president-elect will cost $1m, up from $500,000Major donors to Donald Trump’s inaugural committee are having to contribute twice as much to get direct access to him and vice-president-elect JD Vance at private events around the swearing-in ceremony compared with the first inauguration, according to fundraising materials.The ability to briefly interact with Trump and Vance requires donors to contribute at least $1m to the committee –
  
  Read more

• One in five Britons aged 18-45 prefer unelected leaders to democracy, poll finds

  13-01-2025 12:59 via theguardian.com
  
  Exclusive: Voters overall are downbeat about politics and almost six in 10 think ‘the UK’s best years are behind us’One in five generation Z and millennial Britons prefer strong leaders without elections to democracy, and voters overall are feeling downbeat about politics, a report has found.The polling, due to be published next week as part of the FGS Global Radar report, found that overall 14% of people agreed with the statement: “The best system for running a country e
  
  Read more

• Recreation of LA walking tour shows horrifying difference after wildfires

  13-01-2025 12:52 via independent.co.uk
  
  A terrifying side-by-side video shows before and after Los Angeles’ Palisades Village and Pacific Palisades were devastated by the Palisades Fire.
  
  Read more

• Guardian and Observer charity appeal 2024 raises more than £1.7m

  13-01-2025 12:52 via theguardian.com
  
  More than 15,800 readers gave highest sum raised by annual appeal since 2016 to support victims of war and conflict An amazing £1,735,000 has been raised by Guardian and Observer readers for our charity appeal in support of victims of war and conflict.More than 15,800 readers donated to the appeal, which closed at midnight on Sunday evening. It was the highest sum raised by the annual appeal since 2016 and the 10th successive year that readers have given more than £1m. Continue readi
  
  Read more

• First Thing: Return of strong winds threatens further destruction from LA wildfires

  13-01-2025 12:50 via theguardian.com
  At least 24 people confirmed as killed in the fires so far. Plus, Björk on her Cornucopia tourDon’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up hereGood morning.The death toll from the Eaton and Palisades fires that have consumed swathes of Los Angeles county – and are still less than 30% contained – has risen to 24 people.What’s the latest on the firefighting efforts? The Palisades fire was 11% contained; the Eaton Fire, 27%, officials said.What risk do the winds
  
  Read more

• South Korea's impeached president gets a pay rise while still resisting arrest

  13-01-2025 12:49 via theguardian.com
  Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed coup attempt in December plunged country into worst political crisis in decadesThe impeached South Korean president, Yoon Suk Yeol, will receive a pay rise, official documents revealed, as he continues to resist arrest over his ill-fated martial law declaration.Yoon suspended civilian rule on 3 December, sending soldiers into parliament and plunging the country into its worst political crisis in decades. He was forced to backtrack hours later. Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Kim Kardashian demands Gov. Newsom pay prisoner firefighters more than $1 an hour

  13-01-2025 12:42 via independent.co.uk
  
  ‘I am urging @cagovernor to do what no Governor has done in 4 decades, and raise the incarcerated firefighter pay’
  
  Read more

Follow @uk_worldnews on Twitter!