Switzerland: Fifa ‘sincerely regrets’ Ukraine map error at draw

Fifa says it “sincerely regrets” that a map shown during the 2026 World Cup qualifying draw appeared to exclude Crimea as part of Ukraine.The graphic – showing countries that cannot…

Hungary: PM Viktor Orban sparks row with Poland by granting asylum to ex-minister

Poland has accused Hungary of acting in a hostile manner by granting political asylum to a former Polish deputy justice minister accused of defrauding the state. Marcin Romanowski, 48, is…

UK: Three held in murder probe after death near shops

A murder investigation has been launched after the death of a man who was found injured near to shops. Emergency services were called to The Rows in Harlow, Essex, after…

UK: Viral author who sold two books becomes bestseller

An aspiring author said seeing her novel become a bestseller after she went viral on social media was “a bit overwhelming” but “very exciting”. Vicky Ball, a former Suffolk school…

USA: Amazon hit by ‘strike’ during holiday season scramble

One of America’s most powerful labour unions is staging a protest against Amazon, aiming to put pressure on the tech giant as it rushes out packages in the final run-up…

Mexico: Authorities request US to hand over ‘mastermind’ in journalist’s killing

Mexico’s government has asked the US to extradite a senior drug cartel figure suspected in the murder of well-known journalist Javier Valdez in 2017. Valdez, known for his award-winning coverage…

UK: Man convicted for repeatedly lying about inventing Bitcoin

A computer scientist has been found to have committed contempt of court for falsely and persistently claiming to be the mysterious inventor of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. In March, the High Court…

UK: Football chairman fined for gun photo in programme

The chairman of a non-league football club has been fined by the FA after a photo of him holding a large gun was printed in the club’s matchday programme. Peter…

El Salvador: World’s first Bitcoin nation scales back crypto dream

El Salvador has struck a $1.4bn (£1.1bn) loan deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after agreeing to scale back its controversial bitcoin policies. The global lender said risks related…

N Korea: Hackers stole $1.3bn of crypto this year – report

A total of $2.2bn (£1.76bn) in cryptocurrencies has been stolen this year, with North Korean hackers accounting for more than half that figure, according to a new study. Research firm…