'Seething' Putin hammers Ukraine with massive missile and drone attacks - POLITICO Europe

Russia battered Kyiv and Kharkiv with missiles and drones overnight, killing at least four people and injuring 92 more, after President Vladimir Putin said he was “seething” and would “intensify attacks” on Ukraine.

Moscow hit the capital with a combination of Iranian-made Shahed drones and “waves” of missiles for almost six hours, according to the Kyiv City Military Administration.

“As a result of such a massive missile attack in the capital, unfortunately, there is destruction of residential buildings, damage to infrastructure. There are victims,” said Serhiy Popko, head of the Kyiv military administration.

“Since December 31st, Russian monsters have already fired 170 ‘Shahed’ drones and dozens of missiles of various types” at Ukraine, the country’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on social media. “The absolute majority of them targeted civilian infrastructure. I am grateful to all of our partners who are helping us strengthen our air shield.”

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Putin said on Monday that he was “seething” at strikes on the Russian city of Belgorod over the weekend that the Kremlin blamed on Kyiv, and vowed to “intensify strikes” on Ukraine.

“They want to a) intimidate us and b) create instability in our country,” Putin said during a New Year’s Day visit to a military hospital, according to the Kremlin’s readout of the president’s comments. “We will intensify the strikes,” he added, saying that “no crime — and this [the attack on Belgorod] is certainly a crime against the civilian population — will go unpunished.”

Russia blames Kyiv for the air attack on Belgorod, which killed at least 25 people and wounded more than 100, according to the Kremlin.

Since Saturday, Moscow has hit Ukraine with nonstop drone and missile assaults.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said one woman from Kyiv’s Solom’yans’kyi district died and dozens more were injured.

In Ukraine’s northeastern city of Kharkiv, strikes killed at least one person and damaged civilian infrastructure.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said its air defenses had shot down all 35 of the Iranian-made drones Russia launched against several cities on Tuesday. But debris from the missiles hit several civilian facilities across the area, damaging gas pipelines and cutting off water and electricity in some areas, Klitschko said.

“It’s probably the biggest attack on Kyiv & [Ukraine] as a whole since the start of full-scale invasion. Urgent action in providing additional air defense capabilities needed,” said Ukrainian MP Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze in a post on social media.

This story is being updated.

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2024-01-02 09:31:00Z
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Japan Airlines plane in flames on runway at Tokyo's Haneda airport - BBC

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A Japan Airlines plane was in flames as it landed on a runway at Tokyo's Haneda airport on Tuesday evening.

Footage on broadcaster NHK showed flames coming out of the windows of the aircraft and beneath it. The runway was also set alight.

The plane, which had taken off from Sapporo, collided with a coast guard plane, NHK said, citing authorities.

All 379 passengers and crew on board were evacuated, media reports quoted the airline as saying.

"We are currently assessing the extent of the damage," the airline said, according to an NHK report.

The plane, Japan Airlines Flight 516, departed from New Chitose airport at 16:00 local time (07:00 GMT) and was scheduled to land at Haneda at 17:40.

The TV footage shows multiple fire trucks at the scene as smoke and flames billow from the plane.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

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Lee Jae-myung: South Korean opposition leader stabbed in neck during Busan visit - Sky News

South Korea's opposition leader Lee Jae-myung has been stabbed in the neck during a visit to Busan, police have said.

He was attacked as he toured a construction site at a new airport, said the city's emergency office.

It said Lee - who heads the main opposition Democratic Party - was conscious and not critically injured but his exact condition is unknown.

He was taken to a local university hospital for treatment.

Police said an unidentified man approached the politician for an autograph before lunging in with a 18cm long knife he had bought online.

The 67-year-old man was quickly restrained and arrested. He later refused to identify himself or say why he attacked Lee, according to the Yonhap news agency.

YTN television showed Lee grimacing and collapsing to the ground, with other images showing people pressing a handkerchief to the side of his neck.

Image: Lee was taken away on a stretcher. Pic: AP

It is believed Lee's jugular vein was damaged and there was concern over the large amount of bleeding, party spokesperson Kwon Chil-seung told reporters.

He had reportedly been left with a gash of about 1cm.

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The Democratic Party called the incident "a terrorist attack on Lee and a serious threat to democracy" and called on police to make a thorough and swift investigation.

Lee lost the 2022 presidential election to Yoon Suk-yeol by a narrow margin.

He is currently on trial for alleged bribery - which he denies - relating to a development project when he was mayor of Seongnam near Seoul.

The liberal is also known for his outspoken style, with supporters seeing him as an anti-elitist crusader, but critics view him as a populist who stokes divisions and demonises conservative rivals.

Read more from Sky News:
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Image: The politician was in the southern port city of Busan

President Yoon condemned the attack and expressed deep concern for Lee's condition, said a spokesperson.

South Korea has strict gun laws but there is a history of political violence using other weapons.

Lee's predecessor, Song Young-gil, suffered a head wound when he was attacked with a blunt object at a public event in 2022.

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2024-01-02 08:25:26Z
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Japan earthquakes: ‘battle against time’ to find those trapped under rubble as death toll rises - The Guardian

Japan’s prime minister has said the country is facing a “battle against time” to rescue those affected by a series of major earthquakes which reportedly killed at least 48 people, injured dozens and sparked fires that destroyed homes.

Police and local authorities early on Tuesday reported cases of bodies being pulled from the rubble of collapsed buildings while others remained trapped.

“We must rescue them as quickly as possible, especially those who are trapped under collapsed structures,” Fumio Kishida said during an emergency disaster meeting.

One thousand army personnel have been dispatched to the worst-hit area in the country’s relatively remote Noto peninsula, but rescue operations have been hindered by badly damaged and blocked roads and one of the area’s airports has been forced to close due to runway cracks.

In Wajima city, fires were still burning at 7am local time on Tuesday and the fire department reports more than 100 homes and other buildings have been completely destroyed. At least 15 of the dead were in Wajima city, the the Kyodo news agency said.

The worst-affected area was around the Asachi-dori street, a district popular with visitors and known for its many wooden buildings. The cause and casualty numbers were currently unclear.

The quakes, the largest of which had a magnitude of 7.6 at a shallow depth of 10km, struck on the west coast of Japan’s main island on Monday and shook buildings in Tokyo, around 300km away.

The epicentre of the quake was on the peninsula, which protrudes into the Sea of Japan, and the loss of life and injuries have been concentrated there. A woman in her fifties was confirmed dead in Nanao city, where more than 30 people were taken to hospital. Other residents of the area were reported to have been found unconscious or believed to be trapped under rubble or missing.

Aftershocks could slam the affected areas over the next few days, the meteorological agency said, and residents of coastal areas were being told not to return to their homes, despite tsunami warnings being lifted.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK TV initially warned that torrents of water could reach as high as five metres and people were evacuated to sports halls, schools and other public buildings.

Bullet trains and flights in and out of the region were all suspended Tuesday morning. Section of major highways remained closed and water supplies were cut due to burst pipes in some areas, according to NHK. Mobile phone networks in the region were also damaged but service was gradually being restored.

British prime minister Rishi Sunak said the UK stood ready to support Japan and that “British nationals in the affected areas should follow the advice of the Japanese authorities.”

The US president, Joe Biden, said in a statement that his administration was in touch with Japanese officials and “ready to provide any necessary assistance for the Japanese people.”

Japan is the most quake-prone nation in the world but a tsunami warning of the magnitude of Monday’s had not been issued since a major quake and tsunami struck the north-east of the country on 11 March 2011, killing 18,000 people. The disaster devastated towns and triggered nuclear meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. Nearly all of Japan’s nuclear power plants have been mothballed since the disaster.

Nuclear regulators said no rises in radiation levels were detected at the monitoring posts in the region, and no abnormalities had been detected at the more than 20 reactors situated along the nearby coastline.

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2024-01-02 08:38:00Z
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Tsunami warning issued as 7.6 magnitude earthquake hits Japan - Sky News

Japan has issued a major tsunami warning after a series of strong earthquakes.

The quakes hit Ishikawa and nearby areas, with one having a preliminary magnitude of 7.6, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

There are reports of people trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings and tens of thousands of homes are without power - with people being urged to flee to high ground due to the tsunami threat.

Japan earthquake latest: Major tsunami warning as residents urged to evacuate

Image: The purple line shows the major tsunami warning while the red one indicates a tsunami warning. Pic: Japan Meteorological Agency

Image: The epicentre of the Japan earthquake. Pic: USGS

The major tsunami warning has been issued for Ishikawa, along with lower-level warnings or advisories for the rest of the western coast of the island of Honshu.

A tsunami over 1.2m high struck Noto in Ishikawa, a spokesperson for the meteorological agency said.

They added there was a risk of fires, houses collapsing and landslides in areas hit by strong quakes and urged members of the public not to return to dangerous areas for at least a week.

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0:14

Waves build in Japan river amid tsunami warnings

Waves up to 5m predicted

Waves up to 5m high are predicted, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK, which urged people to flee to high ground or the tops of nearby buildings as quickly as possible.

It warned tsunami waves could keep returning and warned more strong quakes could occur in the area over the coming days. Several aftershocks rocked the region.

Image: Collapsed buildings after an earthquake in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture. Pic: AP

Image: People are evacuated following from their homes in Wajima City. Pic: AP

Residents urged to evacuate

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida urged residents facing the tsunami threat to evacuate immediately following the earthquake.

"Residents need to stay on alert for further possible quakes and I urge people in areas where tsunamis are expected to evacuate as soon as possible," he said.

Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said it was critical for people in coastal areas to get away from the oncoming tsunami.

"Every minute counts. Please evacuate to a safe area immediately," he said.

Image: The earthquake damaged the pavement in Wajima City. Pic: AP

Image: A property on fire in Wajima City which is believed to be related to the earthquake

No irregularities reported at nuclear plants

Nuclear power plants in the area had not reported any irregularities, Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said.

More than 36,000 households lost power in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures, utilities provider Hokuriku Electric Power said.

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0:45

Family cling to belongings in Japan quake

High speed rail services to Ishikawa have been suspended while Japanese airline ANA turned back planes headed to airports in Toyama and Ishikawa and Japan Airlines cancelled most of its services to Niigata and Ishikawa regions.

Tsunami could last for days

The tsunami could last for two days, an expert said. The secretary general of the Joint Tsunami Commission, Mohammad Heidarzadeh, told Sky News the natural disaster has the potential to create "long-lasting oscillations" due to its location in the Sea of Japan - an almost entirely enclosed basin.

"This means that for two days you could have large waves and then obviously an impact on countries on the other side like North Korea, South Korea, Russia," he said. "We are just at the beginning of a disaster, I would say."

Image: Damage in a shop in Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture, following the earthquake. Pic: AP

Image: A collapsed torii gate at the Onohiyoshi Shrine in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture

Russia and North Korea issue tsunami warnings

Russia issued a tsunami warning for parts of Sakhalin island's western coast and the mainland cities of Vladivostok and Nakhodka, which are situated close to Japan on Russia's east, while North Korea issued tsunami warnings for its east coast.

South Korea's weather agency said the sea level in some areas along the east coast may rise after the earthquake.

Japan is extremely prone to earthquakes. In March 2011, a major quake and tsunami caused meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

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2024-01-01 10:08:34Z
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Red Sea: UK defence secretary says British forces will repel Houthi attacks - BBC

Ministry of Defence

By Paul Gribben & Frank Gardner, security correspondent

BBC News

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has said British forces are ready to act against Houthi rebels that target cargo ships in the Red Sea.

In a newspaper article, he said the UK was "willing to take direct action" to protect the key shipping lane.

Highlighting how a British warship shot down a suspected attack drone in the Red Sea in December, Mr Shapps said "we won't hesitate to take further action".

The Houthis have targeted foreign ships since the Israel-Hamas war started.

The Iran-backed rebel group has declared support for Hamas and has said it targets ships travelling to Israel, launching more than 100 drone and missile attacks.

The US and British warships have been shooting down these missiles and drones, at huge cost, but are now warning the Houthis to stop or risk military retaliation.

In his article in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Shapps wrote: "The Houthis should be under no misunderstanding: we are committed to holding malign actors accountable for unlawful seizures and attacks."

He added: "Continued Red Sea aggression risks miscalculation and escalation which could trigger a region-wide conflict."

If the Red Sea was not protected, he wrote, "it risks emboldening those looking to threaten elsewhere including in the South China Sea and Crimea".

Mr Shapps said the situation was "a test for the international community" and that the UK needed to "stand firm with our allies".

• Who are the Houthi rebels attacking Red Sea ships?
• What do Red Sea assaults mean for global trade?
• British warship shoots down suspected attack drone

The US launched an international naval operation in December to protect ships in the area. Countries including the UK, Canada, France, Bahrain, Norway and Spain have joined.

As part of that alliance, HMS Diamond - a British Type 45 Destroyer - shot down a suspected attack drone that month. The Ministry of Defence said it was the first time in decades that the Royal Navy had shot an aerial target in anger.

On Sunday, the US Navy said it destroyed Houthi "small boats" whose crew tried to board a container ship in the Red Sea.

Reuters

Helicopters from nearby US warships responded to a distress call - and, after being fired upon, sank three boats "in self-defence".

The crews were killed and the fourth boat fled the area.

The problem for the US, UK and their allies is that targeting the Houthis' missile launch sites would seriously escalate the current crisis in the Middle East, potentially pulling the West and Iran into direct confrontation.

It would also portray the West - as viewed in the Arab world - as joining in the Gaza conflict on Israel's side.

The Red Sea is one of the world's most important shipping lanes as it links markets in Europe with Asia. Around 12% of global trade passes through the Bab El Mandeb Strait, near to where the Houthis are targeting shipping.

Analysts warn that the Houthi attacks could see a rise in prices, as it is also one of the most important routes for oil and liquefied natural gas shipments produced in the Middle East.

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Related Topics

• Yemen
• Houthis
• Grant Shapps

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2024-01-01 07:31:34Z
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New Year’s Eve LIVE: Sydney prepares to ring in 2024 as London fireworks to draw millions - The Independent

Rishi Sunak hails a ‘momentous’ 2023 in New Year’s message

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Millions across the world are getting ready to celebrate the New Year, with the first nations already welcoming the start of 2024.

At 11am GMT, New Zealand became the latest country to start its celebrations, with a firework display in Auckland.

The small Pacific island nations of Tonga, Samoa and Kiribati were the first to bid farewell to 2023, as it turned midnight there at 10am GMT.

Thousands have already gathered in Sydney ahead of their iconic firework show, which sees eight tonnes of pyrotechnics launched from the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, marking the start of a 12-minute spectacle.

Despite the bad weather predicted across the UK, tens of thousands are expected to line the streets of London before midnight this evening, with the countdown initiated by Big Ben.

The last place to leave 2024 will be Baker Island in the central Pacific Ocean - by which point it will already be 2 January in Kiribati.

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Watch Sydney's fireworks event live

Holly Evans31 December 2023 12:48

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In pictures: Celebrations begin in Bali

Performers participate in a cultural parade in Bali

Balinese dancers perform as they take part in a cultural parade, during a new year's eve celebration at a main road in Denpasar, Bali

Holly Evans31 December 2023 12:46

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Couple queue at St Pancras with hope of spending New Year’s with their daughters

Maes Bert and Lievens Nele, both 45, are in a large queue for tickets at London’s St Pancras International, hoping to get spaces on a train home to Brussels on Sunday so they can enjoy the New Year countdown with their two daughters after their train on Saturday was cancelled.

Ms Bert said: “Our tickets was cancelled yesterday so if you want a new ticket you have to queue here and hope you get one, and I hope we are getting home today, but it’s not sure there are tickets, so we have to wait and wait and wait, but it’s not going further, it takes a long time. “

Mr Nele said: “Yesterday we got to Dover for trying with a boat but that was not an option.”

Maes Bert, 45 and her partner Lievens Nele, 45, from Brussels, who are hoping to get home to their daughter in time for New Year

(Lucas Cumiskey/PA Wire)

Ms Bert said they had been queuing for about half an hour, adding: “Yesterday you can (re-)book your tickets but all was booked for today, but now they said there are coming more places for a train, so now we hope there is a place for two persons, and otherwise it’s tomorrow, but then we are not home for the holidays. Our two children are home.”

Mr Nele said: “They (their daughters) got back on a boat yesterday, there was places for two people and we gave the places to our daughters, Antje (20) and Janne (24).”

Holly Evans31 December 2023 12:28

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Rishi Sunak delivers New Year’s message as he looks ahead to 2024

Rishi Sunak delivers New Year’s message as he looks ahead to 2024

Rishi Sunak delivered a New Year’s message as he looked ahead to his party’s contributions in 2024. The Prime Minister, who is currently lagging in the polls, decided to focus on his party’s achievements in 2023 in a video released on Sunday morning, 31 December. “We’re getting the economy growing. We’ve cut inflation in half. We’ve delivered the biggest business tax cut in modern British history,” Mr Sunak boasted. He insisted his government wouldn’t stop there, adding: “We’re going further to grow our economy by reducing debt, cutting taxes, and rewarding hard work, building secure supplies of energy here at home, backing British business and delivering world-class education.

Holly Evans31 December 2023 12:22

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Pictures: Thousands gather in South Korea to watch final sunset

Thousands gather to admire the final sunset in South Korea

(AFP via Getty Images)

A general view shows the last sunset of the year in Seoul

(AFP via Getty Images)

People take pictures as they observe the last sunset of the year on a viewing deck at Namsan tower in Seoul

(AFP via Getty Images)

Holly Evans31 December 2023 12:03

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How to watch the London fireworks on TV and in-person

In London, hundreds of thousands of people will be joining the crowds with the hopes of grabbing a good spot to watch the countdown and see the sky light up with fireworks.

However, if you’d rather watch the spectacular display from the comfort of your own home, the excitement will be aired live on BBC One at midnight.

From 11.30pm onwards, BBC will be airing Rick Astley Rocks New Year’s Eve from the Camden Roundhouse, before cutting to the display shortly before the countdown starts.

If you are in the mood however to see the show from one of London’s iconic landmarks, crowds usually tend to gather in Southwark Bridge, Greenwich Park, Parliament Hill and along the River Thames.

However, you will need a ticket if you are entering the ticketed area along the Embankment.

Fireworks light up the sky over the London Eye in central London during last year’s New Year celebrations (Victoria Jones/PA)

(PA Archive)

Holly Evans31 December 2023 11:45

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Rishi Sunak hails a ‘momentous’ 2023 in New Year’s message

Rishi Sunak hails a ‘momentous’ 2023 in New Year’s message

Holly Evans31 December 2023 11:30

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Met Office issues severe weather warning as New Year’s revellers face galeforce winds

The Met Office has warned that travellers may face difficulties, with hundreds of train services across the country impacted and delays expected.

Read more here

Holly Evans31 December 2023 11:24

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Pictures: Crowds gather in Sydney ahead of countdown

Revellers turned out in large numbers to celebrate the new year in Australia

(Getty Images)

Crowds gather at Mrs Macquarie's Chair to watch the fireworks during New Year's Eve celebrations

(Getty Images)

Holly Evans31 December 2023 11:23

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Family hail New Year’s Eve miracle after getting unexpected Eurostar tickets home

A French family who feared they would not be able to get home until January 2 after Saturday’s Eurostar chaos saw their train cancelled have hailed their unexpected tickets home on Sunday as a New Year’s Eve “miracle”.

Isobel Ram, 49, her partner Amaury Ferrero, 52, and daughter Lee Ram, 20, live in Toulouse but their train home was cancelled on Saturday due to flooding in a tunnel in Kent.

Amid the chaos, they booked the first available return tickets, for January 2.

Eurostar passengers have been left disappointed after flooding caused cancellations (Yui Mok/PA)

Ms Ram told the PA news agency: “We spent the night in a hotel, we came back this morning and a miracle happened and they gave us three tickets for today’s Eurostar (12.30pm train). We were worried we would be here until January 2.

“We were super happy but a bit embarrassed because there was a huge queue of people waiting behind us and we didn’t want to show we got tickets, make it too obvious, in case other people didn’t. But we said a huge thank you to the lady who did the tickets for us.”

She said her daughter is especially pleased they will be home for New Year’s Eve, adding: “She has got a huge party in Paris tonight. It’s excellent, fantastic, brilliant, a miracle.”

Holly Evans31 December 2023 11:17

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2023-12-31 12:29:19Z
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