EUROPE

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The story of Kenner Elias Jones is one that seems almost fictional in its scale, ambition and repetition. Yet it is real, documented over decades and now explored again in a new film, Con Jones World’s Best Conman. From a seemingly virtuous choirboy to an international fraudster who deceived churches, political parties, charities and individuals across continents, Jones built a life on lies that rarely stayed buried for long.

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Italian police have arrested nine people linked to three charitable organisations on suspicion of raising millions in funds for Hamas.

In a statement, anti-terrorism prosecutors said the suspects are accused of sending about 7 million euros (£6.1 million) to “associations based in Gaza, the Palestinian territories, or Israel, owned, controlled, or linked to Hamas”.

Italian prosecutors, who collaborated with other EU countries, say the illegal funds were delivered through “triangulation operations” via bank transfers or through organisations based abroad to associations based in Gaza.

They say these associations have been declared illegal by Israel due to their ties to Hamas, which has been designated as a terror group by both the European Union and the UK.

Among those arrested was Mohammad Hannoun, president of the Palestinian Association in Italy, prosecutors said, describing him as the “head of the Italian cell of the Hamas organisation”.

Italian interior minister Matteo Piantedosi wrote on X that the operation “lifted the veil on behaviour and activities which, pretending to be initiatives in favour of the Palestinian population, concealed support for and participation in terrorist organisations”.

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The Cabinet Office has withdrawn official government papers referring to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor after admitting they were released in error. The documents were part of the annual transfer of records to the National Archives under the twenty year rule and were briefly shared with journalists under embargo before being pulled back.

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A man was arrested after stabbing eight people and injuring seven others with what was believed to be bleach at a tire factory in central Japan on Friday, officials said. There was no immediate explanation of his motive.

Eight people were taken to hospitals after being stabbed by the man with a knife at a factory of the tiremaker Yokohama Rubber Co. in the city of Mishima, in the Shizuoka prefecture, west of Tokyo, according to the Fujisan Nanto Fire Department.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has categorically denied Russian accusations that Ukraine launched a massive drone attack on President Vladimir Putin's state residence. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed Kyiv fired 91 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles at the President's facility in the Novgorod region overnight. Lavrov stated that the Russian air defense systems successfully intercepted all incoming drones, resulting in no casualties or damage. However, he declared that Moscow would now "review" its position in peace negotiations, citing the "final degeneration of the criminal Kyiv regime" into state terrorism.

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Britain's King Charles III used his annual Christmas broadcast to reflect on division, shared responsibility and the importance of compassion, urging people to draw strength from courage, reconciliation and community in a turbulent world. The address marked the King's fourth Christmas message since ascending the throne in 2022.

Speaking from Westminster Abbey, Charles framed life as a collective journey, describing "pilgrimage" as a concept with renewed relevance. "Pilgrimage is a word less used today, but it has particular significance for our modern world," he said, explaining that it involves moving forward while also remembering the past and learning from it.

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Italian police have arrested nine people linked to three charitable organisations on suspicion of raising millions in funds for Hamas.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed a 20-point peace framework that offers the creation of a demilitarized zone in the contested eastern territories.

The updated proposal, finalized with top US envoys, suggests establishing a "free economic zone" in the Donetsk region. Zelensky described the document as "the main framework for ending the war," noting that American officials are presenting the terms to Russia for a response by Wednesday. The plan hinges on a significant compromise regarding the land.