Ukraine war latest: Russia responds to Navalny poisoning claims

The Kremlin has rejected accusations from Europe that the Russian state had killed Alexei Navalny two years ago using toxin from poison dart frogs.

Navalny, Vladimir Putin’s most prominent critic, died in February 2024 in a remote Arctic prison aged 47.

On Saturday, Britain, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands said that analyses of samples from Navalny’s body had “conclusively” confirmed the presence of epibatidine, a toxin found in poison dart frogs in South America and not found naturally in Russia.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday the claims were “not based on anything”.

It comes as Ukraine launched a huge overnight air attack on Russia, with Russian air defences forced to down 345 drones since Sunday morning.

The governor of Russia’s Bryansk region, Alexander Bogomaz, said it suffered the “most powerful and massive attack” experienced by any Russian region during the war.

Bogomaz said the attack damaged energy infrastructure facilities in the region.

In its morning briefing, Peskov also discussed up fresh talks in Geneva aimed at ending the war which are scheduled for this week.

He said the talks will cover the “main issues” preventing a peace deal, including territory.

Female Israeli soldiers rescued after being chased by huge crowd of ultra-Orthodox men during riot

Israeli police arrested 28 people after a large mob of ultra-Orthodox men chased two female IDF soldiers through the streets.

Chaotic scenes broke out in the city of Bnei Brak amid anger over conscription orders, with police using stun grenades to control the situation.

Footage from Sunday afternoon shows two women being escorted away by police while a huge crowd of men chased after them, shouting and kicking wheelie bins along the street.

The rioters injured five police officers, overturned a patrol car and set fire to a police motorcycle, reports say.

All 28 Haredi men and teenagers arrested during the riots have now been freed, a lawyer representing the suspects told Israeli media.

Shlomo Hadad told The Times of Israel that his clients had been freed because there was “no evidence for anything”, claiming the arrests were a “show for the media”.

But two of the suspects have been ordered to five days of house arrest after the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court said there was “reasonable suspicion” they had assaulted a police officer, according to Israeli outlet Ynet.

Police are still searching for the rioters who overturned a patrol car and set fire to the motorcycle, Tel Aviv District police commander Haim Sargaroff told reporters on Sunday.

Rabbi Dov Lando, the spiritual leader of the Degel HaTorah party, was forced on Sunday to deny that his rhetoric was responsible for inciting violence against Israel’s military forces.

The rabbi ordered students at ultra-orthodox schools to ignore, on religious grounds, conscription orders to the IDF, an order usually received at the age of 18.

Non-compliance can see teenagers sent to prison, as has been the case with dozens of conscientious objectors of Israel’s war in Gaza.

A 2024 order by Israel’s Supreme Court ended a long-standing exemption for Haredi Jews for conscription, after which the military began drafting ultra-orthodox men.

“What is this nonsense? Where did he use rhetoric that even hinted that one should go to demonstrations or use force or do something similar to that,” a spokesman for Rabbi Lando said.

Israel’s opposition leader, Yair Lapid, also responded to the violence while speaking in the Knesset on Monday.

“What we saw yesterday in Bnei Brak is not an isolated phenomenon. It happens time and time again under this government. You are permitting [the shedding of] the blood of the IDF. You are against the IDF,” he said.

Mr Lapid added that such violence “isn’t just happening in Bnei Brak”, referencing recent attacks by Israeli settlers against IDF troops in the West Bank.

Six of Sarah Ferguson’s companies wound down amid links to Epstein

Six companies linked to Sarah Ferguson are being wound down following the release of the Epstein files, Companies House documents show.

Ferguson, the ex-wife of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was the sole director of all six companies, none of which have much public profile.

An application to strike off each company was filed after new revelations about Sarah’s contact with the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein came to light with the publication of millions of documents by US authorities, according to Companies House.

In documents released last month, the former duchess appears to say to Epstein: “I am at your service. Just marry me.”

In an email exchange from September 21 2011, she apparently wrote: “Don’t know if you are still on this bbm but heard from The Duke that you have had a baby boy.

“Even though you never kept in touch, I still am here with love, friendship and congratualtions (sic) on your baby boy. Sarah xx”

The email is then followed up with a message saying: “You have disappeared.

“I did not even know you were having a baby. It was soooo crystal clear to me that you were only friends with me to get to Andrew. And that really hurt me deeeply (sic). More than you will know.”

Many of the exchanges are dated after Epstein was convicted in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from a child.

The companies being wound down by the former duchess of York are: S Phoenix Events, Fergie’s Farm, La Luna Investments, Solamoon Ltd, Philanthrapreneur Ltd and Planet Partners Productions Ltd, none of which appear to have been very active.

According to the Government website, applying to strike a company off the register is also known as “dissolving” a company, and is a way to close down a company that has not traded in three months.

Late last year, after she lost her courtesy royal divorcee title, Sarah submitted an official change to her details for all the firms from Sarah Duchess of York to Sarah Margaret Ferguson.

Days after the new details emerged about the former duchess’s friendship with Epstein, Sarah’s Trust, a charity she had founded, also announced it would close “for the foreseeable future”.

A representative for the former duchess has been contacted for comment.

Students launch legal action for compensation over Covid-hit studies

Dozens of universities could face legal action as thousands of students seek financial compensation after their studies were impacted by Covid-19.

At least 36 universities across England and Wales have been sent pre-action claim letters, including Exeter, Imperial College London, Leeds, Bath and Bristol, according to The Guardian.

It comes after a settlement was reached between UCL and Student Group Claim, who sought to obtain financial compensation from the university for the periods when teaching was moved online and libraries were closed during the pandemic.

UCL reached a confidential settlement with the Student Group Claim. While admitting no liability the institution agreed to settle so that it could be resolved without further expense.

Shimon Goldwater, partner at Asserson solicitors, which jointly represented the claimants suing UCL, said: “I am very pleased that our clients have been able to achieve a commercial settlement of their claims with UCL. Student Group Claim will now turn its attention to claimants who attended other universities during the pandemic.”

Adam Zoubir, partner at Harcus Parker solicitors, which also represented the claimants, said: “I am delighted that this settlement provides a resolution for our clients who attended UCL during the pandemic and had their classes moved online. This is the end of the claim against UCL, but we continue to represent tens of thousands of students who were at other universities during Covid.”

The Student Group Claim has argued that universities breached contract with students, who pay course fees for in-person tuition, access to facilities and other services as set out in its contractual documents, prospectuses, and promotional materials.

Due to strikes and Covid-19, the group claims that universities breached their contracts with students from 2018 onwards as in-person classes were either cancelled or moved online, and access to libraries was restricted.

A spokesperson from Universities UK said: “The Covid-19 pandemic threw two years of unprecedented challenge at universities and their students. Institutions – like other sectors – followed government guidance to adapt to a fast changing situation.

“During some periods of lockdown, universities were not permitted to offer in-person teaching as usual and instead they adjusted quickly and creatively to allow students to complete their degrees.”

The claim comes as chancellor Rachel Reeves faces backlash regarding student loans after she announced that the repayment threshold for Plan 2 loans will be frozen at its April 2026 level (£29,385) for three years, instead of increasing with inflation.

It is set to increase each year in line with RPI from April 2030, with commentators warning that this could mean a greater impact on graduate’s’s monthly earnings as the cost of living gets higher.

Mapped: Where rain and ice will hit the UK this week

The Met Office has warned that another week of unsettled weather will bring disruption across the country, as rain and sleet are set to batter the UK.

Yellow weather warnings have been issued for areas in Scotland and northern England, and a separate warning is in place for all of Northern Ireland.

The Environment Agency has put 68 flood warnings in place for England, where flooding is likely, and 198 flood alerts, where flooding is possible. In the Republic of Ireland, forecasters have warned that heavy rain is on its way with several counties placed under a flood warning.

Met Office chief forecaster Steve Willington said: “A cool pool of air dominates much of the UK for the start of this week, bringing with it blustery showers, winter hazards and the possibility of some disruption at times.

“Initially, the snow risk is reserved for northern parts of Scotland with the highest accumulations – possibly 5-8cm – over the highest ground, though a couple of centimetres are possible to low levels at times.”

Periods of rain, sleet and snow will spread southeastwards across Scotland on Monday, with a warning in place for areas including Central, Tayside & Fife, Grampian, Highlands & Eilean Siar, Orkney & Shetland and Strathclyde until 10am Monday.

The Met Office has warned that snow accumulating up to 2cm is possible at low levels and will be accompanied by gusts reaching 50-60 mph in some areas.

In north and northeastern England, an ice warning has been issued from 6pm on Monday until 10am Tuesday. The weather agency said patchy accumulations of snow are possible, and ice is expected once showers clear away.

Icy patches on some roads and pavements are likely as well as injuries from slips and falls, the Met Office said.

As of Monday evening, 68 flood warnings have been issued in England in areas where flooding is expected and another four flood alerts have been put in place in Wales, where flooding is possible.

Republic of Ireland forecaster Met Eireann issued a yellow warning for rain in counties Carlow, Cork, Dublin, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow and said high river levels will lead to flooding, poor visibility and difficult travelling conditions.

The 24-hour warning is in place from 11pm on Tuesday to 11pm Wednesday.

In Northern Ireland, a ice warning has been issued from 8pm Monday to 10am Tuesday.

The Met Office said further winter hazards are possible on Wednesday as low pressure from the west and southwest brings the possibility of rain, sleet and snow for parts of southern England and Wales.

This Evening and Tonight

Snow will continue across northern Scotland during the evening but will turn showery overnight. Further south, showers will fade during the evening, with clear skies becoming extensive. A widespread frost and ice developing across Northern Ireland, Scotland and eastern England.

Tuesday

A cold and frosty start, with many places dry with sunny spells. A few scattered showers are possible, mainly in the north and east. Turning cloudy across the southwest later.

Outlook for Wednesday to Friday

Often dry in the north on Wednesday and Thursday, but with some rain and hill snow in the south. Frosty nights. Rain spreading in from the west on Friday.

Seven ways Amazon Business can make your budgets work harder in 2026

Late January marks the moment when the business year truly begins, making it the ideal time for companies of all sizes to maximise their early-year spending through smarter, business-focused purchasing with Amazon Business. Not surprisingly Amazon Business offers exceptional deals and special prices on everything your business needs during the Business Saving Event – until February 4. This is your last chance to save big on thousands of products, from office essentials to equipment upgrades, helping business leaders start the year organised, well-stocked, and ahead of the curve while freeing up valuable time to focus on serving their customers, but only until February 4.

Business-only rates and rapid delivery

Amazon Business is the online retailer’s platform for companies, retooling its familiar and intuitive shopping interface to create a business-focused experience. It helps teams stock up on core business essentials at the best possible price. Users benefit from business-only pricing available exclusively to registered Amazon Business customers, while Amazon’s rapid delivery times make it easy to plug last-minute gaps in supply.

Buying in bulk

Another way to stay fully stocked is to buy in bulk — and Amazon Business makes this flexible. You can purchase single items or pallet-sized orders of everything from stationery to cleaning supplies. Bulk buying improves budget efficiency, saves time, and comes with transparent guardrails for employees, as well as reorder lists for frequently purchased items.

Empowering teams

The beauty of Amazon’s business-specific platform is its familiar Amazon interface, making it easy for employees new to the procurement process to order essential supplies without involving business leaders. This not only saves time but empowers teams to work smarter and more efficiently.

Cost-aware purchasing and oversight

Consolidating your team into a single multi-user account gives you close oversight of spending and ensures budgets are allocated effectively. You can limit purchasing to approved items and guide team members toward approved suppliers, helping you stay on top of compliance goals.

Accessible spending data

Amazon Business accounts come with Amazon Business Analytics built in, providing instant visibility into your organisation’s purchase history. You can track spending, analyse trends, and create customised reports with intuitive visualisations, making it easier to identify savings opportunities and make data-driven buying decisions.

Simplified workflows

Amazon’s logistical expertise enables management of complex multi-address delivery preferences from a single centralised account. Delivery settings can be updated for multiple locations simultaneously, rather than individually. Combined with the platform’s unrivalled product range, this allows you to consolidate purchases across multiple suppliers into a single, streamlined procurement process, cutting down on administrative work.

Seamless integration

For companies using e-procurement and expense management systems such as Coupa, Concur Expense, or SAP Ariba, Amazon Business integrates seamlessly with over 300 platforms. VAT invoices are downloadable, and VAT-exclusive pricing is available, making it easier to incorporate spending data into decision-making processes.

Sign up for a free Amazon Business account to streamline your purchasing and take advantage of quantity discounts.

Teacher banned after lying about graduating from Cambridge

A teacher has been banned from the profession indefinitely after he lied about going to the University of Cambridge and told his school he was five years younger than he was.

Nicolas Martin, who was the head of sixth form at St Edwards School in Cheltenham, admitted to lying on his job applications and fabricating documents. 

Following an investigation by the school, he was also found to have lied about being a magistrate.

Mr Martin told a disciplinary hearing that he was trying to pass himself off as “more younger, more dynamic and more fun”. 

The 43 year old qualified as a teacher in 2006 and started working at St Edmund’s in September of that year. In 2024, he successfully applied to be the head of sixth form, and later in 2025, he applied for the deputy head position. 

Discrepancies between the applications led to him being investigated and later referred to the teaching regulation agency. 

A professional conduct panel heard that Mr Martin said his date of birth was 1987 in his application in 2025, despite previously saying it was 1982. 

When asked about the discrepancy, he initially said that someone must have confused his handwriting, but in follow-up emails, he stated that the earlier 1982 date was incorrect and he had been seeking to correct it for several years.

The 1982 birth date was shown on employment records, including his passport and driver’s licence, but Mr Martin said that the issue related to an error on an old passport. 

The school then made further checks with the Department for Education, which only found records under the 1982 date. 

Mr Martin then provided updated passport and driving licence documents, which showed the 1982 birth date.

As part of an investigation, the school also reviewed the job application he made in 2024, in which he said his date of birth was November 2012, which would have made him 12 years old.

He also claimed to have a master’s degree in history from the University of Cambridge in his 2025 application, but told the school he had a master’s degree in history from Lancaster University in his 2024 application.

When asked to see the Cambridge degree, Mr Martin provided what he said was a copy of the certificate, and claimed the original was at his home, as he “liked to show it off to friends on weekends”.

The University of Cambridge later confirmed the details on the certificate were not true.

Mr Martin had used the post-nominals “MA (Cantab)” and “JP” in his signature, and stated he sat as a magistrate around once a month in both applications. 

HM Courts and Tribunals Service confirmed there was no record of him sitting as a magistrate in recent years.

During a disciplinary hearing in March, Mr Martin admitted to acting dishonestly, and accepted he had provided a false date of birth, had fabricated a certificate and had not sat as a magistrate for several years.

The panel report said: “Teachers must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach, and maintain high standards in their own attendance and punctuality. 

“The panel finds that the conduct of Mr Martin fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession.” 

He has been banned indefinitely from the classroom, and must wait two years before he can apply to have his prohibition order set aside.

I’ve changed my mind – young people should be banned from social media

I was raised by the internet. And while I’ll leave it to people who know me to decide whether that’s a good thing, I am at least astonishingly grateful for what it gave me: access to a near-infinite amount of knowledge, a community that I would never otherwise have found, and a host of skills that I would never otherwise have been taught.

And so I have always rebelled against the idea of taking it away from young people. Even as the idea that young people are being damaged by social media took hold, I saw drastic measures such as banning it entirely as a kind of fearful failure. The job should be about making the internet safer, not admitting defeat and giving up entirely.

But in the last few years, that long-held idea and ideal – one that has shaped my entire worldview – has become more shaky. It is not, I think, that I have changed, but that the internet has. And all of a sudden, the idea of banning or at least limiting access to social media for young people seems altogether more sensible.

Once, social media was both smaller and bigger than it is today. You could find your niche, which was exactly what the internet was best at: whatever you were interested in, there was a community ready to accept you and a knowledge base ready to make itself available. Not all of those niches were good – some of them were outright harmful – but that danger was nothing that a bit of wiliness and street smarts couldn’t keep you from.

None of this is to suggest that the internet was in any way secure in those good old days. But safeguarding was primarily a matter of keeping people away from the bad bits, in a way that was largely similar to any other place full of strangers. As long as you kept children away from the dangers – and ensured that they knew what to do when they encountered them – then there were plenty of joys to be found online.

Now, however, the web is a much darker place. And the change is fundamental: the very nature of what the internet is has changed so substantially that I think it represents a whole new kind of threat.

The rise of artificial intelligence – and the sort of misinformation and outright lies that it makes trivially easy – means that you are no longer able to trust what you see online. The breadth of social networks has grown, so that you are no longer able to find those niches, and are more likely to be exposed to mainstream and harmful voices. At the same time, the power of those running the social networks has grown too, so that those harmful voices are no longer a part of social media but are the very people running them.

It is not all the internet’s fault. The broad availability of smartphones and the social apps that are available on them has come at the same time that the healthy offline experiences that should supplement them have fallen away. The iPhone and the destruction of youth clubs were tragically simultaneous, and have had much the same effect as each other.

Any ban must be undertaken with that in view. We can’t just ban things, but must also offer alternatives. Those could be online, such as healthier spaces that are focused not on division and outrage but on community and discovery. But they should also be offline, offering better places to be away from the computer and the phone, which is altogether more expensive and difficult than the cheap and easy response of banning those online spaces entirely.

Because the web is only half the problem. We need to build a real world that is safer, and time is running out.