The Court of Appeal heard arguments over whether Vickrum Digwa’s minimum 21-year term for murdering Henry Nowak was too lenient or too long. The attorney general argued that Digwa’s false accusations, use of a knife, efforts to obstruct justice and conduct after the attack warranted a longer term; Digwa’s lawyer argued that the sentencing judge had already considered those factors and that the sentence should not be increased.
Key Facts
Digwa was sentenced in June to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years for murdering 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton in December 2025.
The attorney general referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal as potentially unduly lenient.
The court also heard Digwa’s appeal that his sentence was manifestly excessive.
The attorney general’s lawyer argued that Digwa falsely accused Nowak of racism and said the minimum term did not reflect the combined weight of aggravating factors.
Digwa used a large dagger in the attack; the sentencing judge said he also carried a small kirpan, a knife Sikhs are required to carry as part of their faith.
The attorney general’s lawyer cited Digwa’s attempts to obstruct justice, his mother’s help in concealing the knife, and his filming of the dying victim.
Digwa’s mother, Kiran Kaur, was jailed for three years for taking the knife from the scene to the family home.
Digwa’s lawyer argued that the sentencing judge had already considered the weapon and religious exemption, and that carrying a kirpan should not itself lead to a longer sentence.
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UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s immigration plan would place some refugees who arrived outside safe and legal routes on renewable 30-month permits, with settlement potentially delayed for up to 30 years. The Refugee Council says the change reverses assurances that asylum applicants who had already applied by 1 March 2026 could seek settlement after five years; the Home Office says there has been no policy change since last year’s proposals.
Key Facts
The plan would move refugees who claimed asylum before 2 March 2026 and did not arrive through safe and legal routes to the government’s Core Protection scheme.
Under Core Protection, adults and children receive permission to stay for 30 months at a time and must renew it.
The Home Office says refugee status could be revoked if it considers conditions in a person’s home country safe.
A government memo issued in March said people who had claimed asylum by 1 March 2026 would remain eligible to apply for settlement after five years.
Mahmood said in a November 2025 post on X that a 30-year wait would apply to illegal entrants who were not refugees.
The Refugee Council estimates that about 200,000 successful asylum applicants could be affected and warns that the policy would create uncertainty and repeated applications.
The Home Office said there had been no policy change since last year’s proposals and declined to comment further on Mahmood’s post or the document’s footnote.
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A government-commissioned review recommends reducing England’s 39 police forces to between nine and 18 regional forces, with a separate force for Wales. The review is not yet public, and police leaders disagree over the scale and structure of the proposed changes, which the government plans to set out in a white paper next year.
Key Facts
Former Metropolitan Police commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe completed the review in September and sent it to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
The review considers nine regional forces as well as options for up to 18, with local policing units handling much neighbourhood policing.
A proposed National Police Service would take responsibility for counter-terrorism policing and serious and organised crime.
The government is expected to publish the review before Christmas and issue a white paper in the new year.
The article says the government’s timetable may be affected by plans to reorganise local government and expand the role of mayors.
Metropolitan Police commissioner Mark Rowley and other chiefs are pressing for fewer forces, while some police leaders oppose or question a reduction to nine.
The proposed regional forces would handle major crimes, public order and shared administrative functions currently managed separately by individual forces.
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Israeli attacks killed at least four Palestinians, including a child, in central and southern Gaza, according to medical sources. Gaza’s Health Ministry said 1,602 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began on October 11, 2025, while Gaza’s Government Media Office reported thousands of alleged ceasefire violations.
Key Facts
A 27-year-old man was killed when an Israeli drone fired two missiles at a tent sheltering displaced people west of az-Zawayda.
A woman was killed and two people were wounded by Israeli fire near Khan Younis, according to Nasser Medical Complex.
A child was killed by Israeli fire in Bureij refugee camp, a source at al-Awda Hospital said.
Medical sources reported another person killed in a drone strike at Az-zawaya, bringing the reported death toll to four.
A drone strike in Deir el-Balah wounded several people, including one critically; a separate strike in al-Karama wounded one person.
The Health Ministry reported three Palestinians killed and 21 wounded in the 24 hours before its Wednesday update.
The ministry said 1,602 Palestinians had been killed and 5,794 wounded since the ceasefire began; it reported an overall toll of 74,618 killed and 175,920 wounded since October 2023.
Gaza’s Government Media Office said Israel had committed 5,989 ceasefire violations since the truce began, including 753 in October.
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Authorities seized 3,000 tarantulas at a Peruvian airport after an anonymous tip prompted a search of luggage belonging to three people. The two German nationals and one Polish national were boarding a flight to Germany.
Key Facts
Authorities seized 3,000 tarantulas at a Peruvian airport.
An anonymous tip led authorities to search the luggage.
The luggage belonged to two German nationals and one Polish national.
The three people were boarding a flight to Germany.
The article describes the incident as a failed smuggling attempt.
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A major Russian attack on Tuesday disrupted Kyiv’s water supply and struck energy infrastructure across Ukraine. Kyiv’s water company said service was fully restored by early Wednesday afternoon, while officials warned of further disruptions as winter approaches.
Key Facts
Kyivvodokanal said the Tuesday attack cut off the city’s water supply.
The water system was fully restored by early Wednesday afternoon, according to Kyivvodokanal.
The Kyiv Independent reported that Tuesday’s attack was the largest strike on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure so far this year.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 310 drones overnight Tuesday.
Authorities reported strikes on energy infrastructure in Kyiv and the Khmelnytskyi, Kirovohrad, Odesa, Volyn, Ternopil and Zhytomyr regions.
An energy expert told the Kyiv Independent that earlier strikes had damaged power generation at three of Kyiv’s combined heat and power plants.
Local authorities said Russian drone attacks overnight Wednesday caused fires at logistics facilities in Dnipropetrovsk and Kyiv regions and injured four people.
Ukrainian police said on Thursday that the death toll from Monday’s airstrike on Komyshuvakha in Zaporizhzhia Oblast had risen to 42.
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Multiple flights in Europe made emergency landings on Thursday after authorities diverted them because of bomb threats. The incidents followed hoax threats earlier in the week that led to searches and diversions, with one flight receiving a military escort.
Key Facts
The reported emergency landings took place on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Authorities diverted multiple flights because of bomb threats.
The flights made emergency landings after being diverted.
Hoax bomb threats had also been reported earlier in the week.
Earlier hoaxes prompted searches and flight diversions.
One earlier incident involved a military escort.
The article does not specify the number of flights or identify the airlines.
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A passenger told Cambridge Crown Court that he tried to stop Anthony Williams from using a knife during an attack on a train near Huntingdon on 1 November 2025. Williams denies 14 attempted-murder charges; the jury must decide whether he intended to kill.
Key Facts
Stephen Crean said a girl warned passengers that a man had a knife.
Crean said he grappled with Williams to stop him using the knife and cut his fingers in the struggle.
Crean later locked himself in a train toilet and called 999.
The train made an unscheduled stop in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
Williams, 33, denies 10 attempted-murder charges linked to the train attack and four charges linked to alleged earlier incidents.
Prosecutors allege Williams attacked people in Peterborough on 31 October 2025 and a teenager on a London DLR train on 1 November.
The court has heard that the attacks took place; jurors must consider whether Williams intended to kill.
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Students blocked schools and universities across France on Thursday, November 5, 2026. They said the government’s response to their concerns was insufficient.
Key Facts
Students blocked schools and universities across France.
The protests took place on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Students described the government’s response as insufficient.
The article identifies the protests as student-led.
The report was published by France 24.
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Bomb threats disrupted at least 15 flights across Europe on Thursday, causing diversions, emergency landings and searches. All affected planes landed safely, and initial inspections found no suspicious items; authorities and airlines described some warnings as hoaxes, while the source and any coordination remain unconfirmed.
Key Facts
The alerts affected flights involving Italy, Ireland, the UK, Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Finland, Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Portugal, Greece and Czechia.
Airlines named among those affected included Ryanair, Aer Lingus, Wizz Air, Finnair and LOT.
Two Ryanair flights bound for Sofia made emergency landings there; another flight from London landed in Plovdiv after diversion.
An Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome diverted to a French military airbase, and a Wizz Air flight from Milan to Warsaw diverted to Vienna.
Police searches at Prague airport and inspections of some planes in Bulgaria found no issues, officials said.
The threats followed seven flight alerts on Tuesday and a separate diversion on Monday; the article does not confirm whether the incidents were coordinated.
An Italian news agency, citing police sources, reported that an anonymous email in Italian warned of threats against flights to Rome.
Some analysts have speculated that the disruptions may be part of a broader hybrid campaign, but no responsible actor has been identified. The Kremlin denied responsibility for separate cyber-attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems.
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Trade unions called workers across France to strike, with demonstrations expected in 260 cities and towns. Protesters are demanding higher wages, tax changes and better school conditions amid broader concerns about living costs.
Key Facts
Protests took place in Marseille, Lyon and Nantes on Thursday morning, with a Paris rally scheduled for 13:00 GMT.
Organisers expected hundreds of thousands of people to demonstrate.
The Education Ministry expected 16 percent of teachers nationwide to strike.
President Emmanuel Macron held a defence and security meeting on Wednesday to address public order.
Reuters reported that riot police fired tear gas at a demonstration in Lyon.
France has seen repeated protests since September, when students began protesting conditions at public high schools.
Reuters reported that a G7 foreign ministers’ meeting was moved from Marseille to Paris after six weeks of nationwide protests.
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Researchers identified a previously unknown rodent species from two fossilized teeth found in southern Thailand. The animal lived about 33 to 35 million years ago, weighed an estimated 30 kilograms, and was named Yakamys sirindhornae in honor of Princess Sirindhorn.
Key Facts
The fossils were found in 2004 at a coal mine in Krabi province.
Researchers from Thailand, France, and Canada identified the species through detailed analysis of a molar and an incisor.
The study was published in Scientific Reports.
The rodent belonged to the extinct Ischyromyidae family, an early major group of rodents.
The researchers estimated that it weighed around 30 kilograms, or 66 pounds.
Only two teeth have been found, so its appearance, diet, and behavior are unknown.
The Krabi basin has also yielded fossils of ancient primates, carnivores, and hoofed mammals.
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The UK government is considering cutting by half the permitted noise level for the loudest fireworks sold for private use. Campaigners say loud bangs can distress pets and trigger PTSD symptoms, while fireworks industry representatives warn that tighter limits could fuel illegal sales.
Key Facts
The government is reviewing fireworks rules focused on noise and antisocial behaviour.
About 20 million people in the UK use fireworks at home each year, according to industry figures.
The proposed change would reduce the limit for the noisiest fireworks for private use by 50%.
Dog owner Katherine Alderson said she uses insulation to reduce the noise reaching her home during fireworks celebrations.
Combat Stress says calls to its helpline rise around this time of year because fireworks can trigger PTSD symptoms in veterans.
Combat Stress is not calling for a ban and says it recognizes the cultural importance of fireworks displays.
The British Fireworks Association warned that stricter limits could lead to more illegal sales and make fireworks harder to regulate.
It is already illegal in the UK to sell fireworks to people under 18 or to set them off after 23:00, with exemptions for specified occasions.
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A security officer was killed in a stabbing attack in Amman on Thursday, and a second officer and the attacker were injured. Jordanian authorities said a preliminary investigation indicated the attacker had planned to target security officers; they arrested him and began investigating the incident.
Key Facts
Jordan’s Public Security Directorate said a member of its forces died after being attacked with a sharp object in Amman.
State-run Al-Mamlaka TV reported that the attacker tried to seize the dead officer’s weapon.
A second security officer intervened and was injured, along with the attacker.
Authorities arrested the attacker, according to Al-Mamlaka TV.
The Public Security Directorate said a preliminary investigation indicated the attacker had planned to target officers of the General Security Directorate.
The Sri Lankan Embassy in Amman said the attack took place near its premises, the Associated Press reported.
It was not immediately clear whether the stabbing was related to a recent deadly attack at a church in southern Jordan.
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Andy Burnham has pledged to seek dialogue with former colonies as Britain considers its first formal state apology for slavery, while ruling out reparations. The Netherlands’ experience shows that apologies can acknowledge historical harm but may not resolve descendants’ calls for change and justice.
Key Facts
The Netherlands began a series of public apologies in 2021, starting with Amsterdam’s mayor, Femke Halsema.
In December 2022, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte apologized on behalf of the government for the Dutch state’s role in slavery.
Rutte said the Dutch state had enabled, encouraged and profited from slavery for more than 250 years.
The article estimates Dutch merchants trafficked about 600,000 enslaved Africans across the Atlantic and between 660,000 and 1 million across the Indian Ocean and East Indies.
The Netherlands legally abolished slavery in Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean in 1863, but enslaved people there did not gain freedom until 1873.
Dutch campaigners began demanding accountability in the 1980s, and slavery entered the school curriculum in 2006.
Linda Nooitmeer, a former chair of NiNsee, said the apology helped restore ancestors’ humanity but had not resolved concerns about the rights of people of African descent.
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The article says Tehran may see Tuesday’s U.S. election as a win for Iran, but the excerpt does not explain the election results. It reports that an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson urged Americans to vote against President Donald Trump in the midterm elections, arguing that this could change U.S. policy toward Tehran.
Key Facts
The article frames Iran as a possible beneficiary of Tuesday’s election.
The excerpt does not state the election’s results.
Last month, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson sent a 25-page letter addressed to the American public.
The spokesperson was identified as Gen. Hossein Mohebbi.
Mohebbi urged Americans to vote against President Donald Trump in the midterm elections.
Mohebbi said a vote against Trump could change U.S. policy toward Tehran.
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The U.S. Embassy in Paris warned Americans that a nationwide French strike on November 5 could disrupt public transport, flights and public services. Demonstrations are expected across the country, amid union demands over wages, pensions, public services and proposed 2027 budgets.
Key Facts
The embassy issued its alert on November 4.
The strike is expected to involve teachers, health care workers, government employees and public transport workers.
The CGT said it had recorded 1,512 strike calls and listed planned demonstrations in several French cities.
Rail disruptions could start the evening of November 4, while metro services may face delays and station closures.
Paris transport operator RATP said several metro stations would close from 10:45 a.m. on November 5 at police request.
The embassy advised travelers to contact their airlines because flights could be affected.
The U.S. State Department's France advisory is Level 2, or “Exercise Increased Caution,” due to terrorism and unrest.
French authorities reported violence at recent demonstrations, including an attack on military officers in Paris on October 31.
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Bomb threats forced airliners to make unplanned landings across Europe on Thursday morning, causing major flight disruptions. No country has blamed anyone for the threats, which came amid European officials’ accusations that Russia and Iran have carried out hybrid attacks and sabotage; both countries deny this.
Key Facts
The threats prompted airliners to make unplanned landings across Europe.
The disruptions happened on Thursday morning, November 5, 2026.
The article describes the threats as part of a series targeting flights in Europe.
No country has attributed responsibility for the threats.
European officials have blamed Russia and Iran for what they call hybrid attacks and sabotage.
Moscow and Tehran deny carrying out such a campaign.
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Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong was sentenced on Thursday to 10 more years in prison for colluding with foreign powers. He has already spent almost six years behind bars and is now not due for release until late 2036.
Key Facts
Wong was sentenced on November 5, 2026.
The sentence is for colluding with foreign powers.
This is the second time Wong has been penalized under Hong Kong’s national security law.
Wong has spent almost six years in prison.
His expected release date is now late 2036.
Wong is a prominent figure in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement.
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Police and fire services across the UK are preparing for possible disorder on Bonfire Night, following reports of fireworks being used against people and buildings. Police are increasing patrols and using measures such as dispersal orders and fireworks control zones, while firefighters’ unions warn that attacks and limited resources threaten crews and their ability to respond.
Key Facts
Seven people were arrested in Birmingham after fireworks were set off in the city centre on Halloween.
A pub landlady in Salford said a group of about 60 teenagers surrounded her pub, fired fireworks at it and harassed passersby.
Police in Scotland are mounting their largest operation since Donald Trump’s visit to the country last year, with officers and vehicles brought in from England and Wales.
Fireworks control zones in parts of Edinburgh and Glasgow prohibit the use of pyrotechnics.
Police in West Yorkshire said the period around 5 November is one of their busiest times of the year; riot officers and helicopters are regularly deployed in Leeds’s Hyde Park area.
Police seized 30 tonnes of illegal fireworks in Bradford and Halifax before Halloween and Bonfire Night.
In England, 129 firefighters were injured in attacks in the year ending March 2025, up from 96 the previous year; 13 injuries were serious.
Scotland’s fire and rescue service recorded 16 physical attacks on firefighters and 20 attacks on property and equipment in 2025-26.
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