World

German and World Cup football legend Franz Beckenbauer has died aged 78. The German defender – nicknamed “Der Kaiser” because of his sublime talent – was regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time. He was also famed for carving out his own role as a sweeper – now often known as a

Russia has launched a large-scale missile attack across Ukraine, injuring several people and hitting residential and industrial buildings, Ukrainian officials have said. All of Ukraine was under air raid alerts from around 6am local time (4am UK time) with Ukraine’s Air Force saying thecountry was under threat from several waves of cruise missiles and in

Vladimir Putin has vowed to back soldiers who defend Russia’s interests and ordered his government to give greater support to those who fight – after two people were killed in the latest drone and missile attacks on Ukraine. Speaking on the eve of Orthodox Christmas, the Russian president said on Saturday while meeting families of

A passenger on board the plane where part of the fuselage blew off in mid-air has said the experience was “jarring” and “disorienting”. Nicholas Hoch said he heard a “big boom” after a hole was ripped in the side of the Boeing 737-9 MAX jet, and each minute felt like an hour. “That was followed

Alaska Airlines has grounded all Boeing 737-9 MAX passenger planes hours after a window and chunk of fuselage blew out of a flight in mid-air shortly after take-off in the US state of Oregon. Photos and videos from passengers showed a gaping hole in the side of the plane next to passenger seats, with oxygen

Despite Russia having significantly greater firepower, its illegal invasion of Ukraine has not gone according to plan. Although Ukraine was not a member of NATO, the West responded to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s appeal for help with a mass of hi-tech weapons and ammunition. However, following nearly two years of high-intensity conflict, both sides are running

An alliance of rebel groups in Myanmar has taken control of a key city in the north of the country after government forces reportedly laid down their weapons and withdrew. The Three Brotherhood Alliance took control of the city of Laukkaing, located on the border with China, late on Thursday. Around 1,000 government troops put

Oscar Pistorius has been freed on parole nearly 11 years after murdering his girlfriend in a case that made global headlines. The former Paralympic champion – once celebrated as the ‘blade runner’ – was granted parole in November and today left a South African jail and is now at home, South Africa’s correctional services department

A full transcript detailing air traffic control conversations moments before the fatal plane crash at Tokyo’s Haneda airport has been released by authorities in Japan. The transcript shows the discussions between the airport’s control tower and the two planes – one a Japan Airlines (JAL) passenger jet and the other a smaller coastguard plane –

The leader of Hezbollah has condemned the “dangerous” killing of Hamas’s deputy leader, and warned Israel there will be “no ceiling and no rules” if it wages war on Lebanon. Hassan Nasrallah vowed Hezbollah “will not be silent” following the killing of Saleh al Arouri in a drone strike in southern Beirut yesterday. Hezbollah has

At least 20 people have been killed at a cemetery in Iran where a ceremony was being held to mark the 2020 killing of Iran’s top commander Qassem Soleimani, state media has reported. The reports added there were two explosions at the site in the city of Kerman where the former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

Hamas has said one of its top officials, Saleh al Arouri, has been killed in an explosion in Beirut – blaming the “cowardly assassination” on Israel. Al Arouri was one of the founders of Hamas’s military wing and the deputy leader of the group’s political bureau. He also headed Hamas’s presence in the West Bank.

As firefighters and rescue crews work on the ground following a huge plane fire at Tokyo’s Haneda airport in Japan, investigators behind the scenes will try to piece together how it happened. Captured in dramatic footage from the scene, a Japan Airlines aircraft can be seen bursting into flames and moving along the runway in

The number of people killed after a 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit Japan has risen to at least 30. A series of quakes struck Ishikawa prefecture on Monday afternoon, triggering a now-cancelled tsunami alert that caused some to flee to higher ground. Buildings collapsed, cracks opened in roads and fires broke out – with Japan‘s prime minister

Israel’s Supreme Court has struck down a controversial law passed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government that rolled back some of the high court’s power and sparked nationwide protests. The new legislation had removed one of the methods by which the Supreme Court can quash government and ministers’ decisions. The law would have stripped

A tsunami warning has been issued after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 hit Japan. The warning, issued by the country’s meteorological agency, covers western coastal regions of Ishikawa, Niigata and Toyama. Hokuriku Electric Power said it was checking for any irregularities at its nuclear power plants, Japanese broadcaster NHK said. Waves of

Denmark’s queen has unexpectedly announced her abdication in her traditional New Year’s Eve speech. Margrethe II will formally step down from the throne on 14 January – exactly 52 years to the day of her ascension to the throne in 1972. She will be succeeded by her eldest son, Crown Prince Frederik. This breaking news

At least 14 people – including two children – have been killed and more than 100 injured during shelling of the Russian border city of Belgorod, officials in Moscow say. They have accused Kyiv of carrying out the attack – a day after an 18-hour aerial Russian barrage across Ukraine killed at least 39 people.

Russia has launched fresh airstrikes on Ukraine’s biggest cities, officials have said, hours after Moscow accused Kyiv of shelling the Russian border city of Belgorod, killing at least 21 people and injuring more than 110. Ukraine’s air defence systems surrounding Kyiv were engaged overnight to repel Russia’s drone attack, the military administration of the region

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy started 2023 full of optimism. In Kharkiv, Ukrainian forces had demonstrated they could push Russian invaders back, and Western confidence in Ukraine’s ability to prevail was growing. Despite the risks to domestic national security, Western nations donated huge quantities of weapons, ammunition and high-tech capability from national stockpiles to support Ukraine’s proposed