National security

At least 40 people have been killed by a suicide bomber wearing a burka who attacked a crowd of people waiting for aid in Pakistan on Christmas morning.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is refused bail after appearing in a London court over sex crime allegations originating in Sweden. His lawyer tells Channel 4 News that “darker forces” are at work.

Following the arrest of Mike Hancock MP’s assistant researcher Katia Zatuliveter, a former intelligence officer tells Channel 4 News about the ways the Russians use intelligence agents in the UK.

The Russian at the centre of the Westminster spy row vows she will clear her name as Lord West, the former security minster, tells Channel 4 News Russian spying has “absolutely” not gone away.

MP Mike Hancock denies his Russian assistant is a secret agent after reports she is facing deportation, as a former KGB colonel tells Channel 4 News “Britain is under attack from Russian spies”.

Channel 4 News learns that Britain’s serious crime agency is expecting an arrest warrant application from Sweden for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

An inquest into the deaths of the 52 people who died in the July 7 London bombings today heard testimonies from survivors in the Russell Square attack, which killed 26 people.

Relatives of the victims of the July 7 King’s Cross terror attack broke down in tears at the London bombings inquest as they recalled the harrowing events which left 26 people dead in 2005.

David Cameron is joining leaders at a Nato summit in Lisbon to discuss and sign an agreement to build a defensive shield in Europe against ballistic missile attacks.

German security is stepped up as Namibian police find a suspected bomb in the luggage of an Air Berlin plane bound for Munich, according to authorities.

The Government is set to pay out millions of pounds in compensation to former Guantanamo Bay detainees, following allegations the security services colluded in their torture abroad.

A human rights group claims cyber attack knocked it offline following the release of an alleged torture video. An international security expert tells Channel 4 News this attack lacks “sophistication”.

Sir John Sawers, chief of the Secret Intelligence Service – known as ‘C’ in Whitehall, is the first serving MI6 chief to deliver a public speech on international terrorism – follow it live here.

The head of MI6, Sir John Sawers, denies that his agents engage in torture. Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jonathan Rugman says the historic speech is an attempt to combat negative media coverage.

The Ministry of Defence could face a bill of hundreds of millions of pounds to repair a nuclear-powered submarine which ran aground last week, depending on the damage, an expert tells Channel 4 News.