Top 10 world news: Pope almost assassinated in 2021; Ukraine killed Russian general, and more

In his upcoming biography, Pop Francis claimed that he escaped two attempts on his life during his visit to Iran in 2021. The book titled "Hope" will be released next month. 

Russian general Igor Kirillov was killed on Tuesday (Dec 17). He was assassinated in an electric scooter explosion in Moscow. He was the head of Russia's Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection troops. 

In news from other parts of the world, British-Pakistani girl Sara Sharif's father and her stepmother have been sentenced to life for murdering the 10-year-old. In 2023, her body was discovered in Surrey after she was physically assaulted by her father, stepmother, and uncle. 

Pope Francis has said that he escaped two attempts on his life during his historic visit to Iraq in 2021. He made this claim in his upcoming autobiography, which will be released next month.

Russian general Igor Kirillov, who was killed in an electric scooter explosion in Moscow, was the head of Russia's Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection troops. Lieutenant General Kirillov was assassinated by Ukraine's SBU intelligence service on Tuesday (Dec 17), according to a report by Reuters.

British-Pakistani girl Sara Sharif's father, Urfan Sharif, and stepmother Beinash Batool have been jailed for life for murdering their 10-year-old daughter.  

Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday during a debate marking 75 years since the adoption of the Constitution and used the occasion to rip into the Congress party and its leadership over the imposition of emergency and for making amendments in the statute for 'personal' gains.

Iran's supreme leader said Tuesday that Israel and the United States were "completely wrong" to imagine the Tehran-backed axis of resistance had collapsed with the ouster of Syria's longtime strongman.

The British government Tuesday announced £35 million ($44 million) in aid to repair Ukraine's energy grid battered by Russian strikes and help Ukrainians confront freezing winter weather.

China on Tuesday (Dec 17) executed a former official who was convicted in the country's largest-ever corruption case. According to a report by the state-run Xinhua news agency, the death sentence was awarded to Li Jianping, a former official in the north Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Hannah Kobayashi, the missing Hawaii woman found recently, said she was "unaware of everything" that happened in the media and her family. After returning to the United States from Mexico, Hannah said in a statement handed on Tuesday (Dec 17) by her aunt that she is "still processing it all" and urged people to respect her family during “this challenging time". 

Weather conditions and 98 overs on the final day will decide the fate of the third BGT Test between Australia and India at the Gabba. With rain playing spoilsport for the fourth straight day in Brisbane, overcast conditions are predicted for the fifth day too. 

Actor Allu Arjun’s bail might get cut short soon as Telangana police are preparing to challenge it and take the matter to the Supreme Court.