Despite Vladimir Putin saying he will not be at summit, attendees do not want to pose alongside deputy Sergei Lavrov World leaders will not take part in an official “family photo” when they meet at the G20 in Bali next week because of widespread discomfort at Russia’s presence at the summit. It is traditional for world leaders to stand together for an opening photograph at the start of summits, usually the source of interesting dynamics

Prosecutors say David Smith, 58, from Paisley, became disillusioned with west and contacted Russian military A security guard who worked for the British embassy in Berlin has pleaded guilty to passing secret material to a Russian military attache in a rare espionage prosecution. David Smith, 58, faces up to 14 years in jail after admitting to passing on information about the staff and layout of the British embassy – and other secret material between May

Deputy ambassador summoned after Met police warns of credible threats to journalists reporting on Iran protests The Foreign Office has summoned the Iranian deputy ambassador over allegations that two London-based journalists have faced death threats from Tehran-backed agents over the reporting of the country’s protests. The news channel Iran International took precautionary steps to protect its reporters after being informed by the Metropolitan police earlier this week that it believes there were credible threats to

Labour said Jack McKenna was leaving of his own accord and with ‘clean record’ A former senior aide to Angela Rayner is believed to have been given a significant payout by Labour after the party acknowledged there had been “misleading and unauthorised leaks” about him to the media. Labour said Jack McKenna, the former communications chief to the party’s deputy leader, was leaving of his own accord and with a “clean record” and that Keir

Authority lent total of £655m over four years to owner of 53 solar parks across Britain One of the country’s largest solar farm owners has entered administration amid the fallout from a scandal that forced an Essex council leader to resign. Administrators at Interpath Advisory have been appointed to Toucan Energy Holdings, which owns a portfolio of 53 solar parks with a combined capacity of 513 megawatts across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Continue reading…

Waste stored in Kiveton Park building caught fire in September and is proving difficult to extinguish Residents of a South Yorkshire village have been left worried for their safety after spending seven weeks engulfed by toxic smoke from an industrial blaze that fire services are struggling to put out. People who live and work in Kiveton Park, near Rotherham, have been told to stay indoors and keep their windows closed to avoid inhaling acrid, plasticky