World

More than 100 politicians from 24 different countries, including the UK, the US and the EU, have written a joint letter condemning China over the “arbitrary detention and unfair trial” of Jimmy Lai, a tycoon and pro-democracy campaigner. The parliamentarians, led by senior British Conservative MP Alicia Kearns, are “urgently” demanding the immediate release of

The Kremlin has criticised President Joe Biden for adding “fuel to the fire” after giving Ukraine permission to launch US missiles into Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “It is obvious that the outgoing administration in Washington intends to… continue adding fuel to the fire and provoking further escalation of tensions around this conflict.”

Joe Biden has authorised Ukraine to begin firing US-supplied rockets deep into Russia – as Sir Keir Starmer prepares to push for “further support” for Kyiv at the G20 summit. Mr Biden’s policy shift means Kyiv will now be able to use Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) for long-range attacks, two American officials have told

Joe Biden has authorised Ukraine to begin firing US-supplied rockets deep into Russia – as Sir Keir Starmer prepares to push for “further support” for Kyiv at the G20 summit. Mr Biden’s policy shift means Kyiv will now be able to use Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) for long-range attacks, two American officials have told

Several people have been killed after Russia launched its largest aerial attack on Ukraine since August. More than 200 missiles and drones were deployed, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as he condemned a “massive combined strike” on “all regions”. Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine’s foreign minister, said “peaceful cities” and “sleeping civilians” were targeted. Ukraine war – latest updates

If you know a teacher, or you are a teacher, you’ll understand that many in the profession consider their jobs one of the best in the world, while also acknowledging it can be one of the most stressful. Teaching in a war zone takes it to another level on both fronts. But imagine teaching in

Outgoing US President Joe Biden is set to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping today for what is likely to be his last time as US president. The two leaders are expected to hold talks on the sidelines of a meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders in the Peruvian capital, Lima. It comes against the backdrop of

New pictures show the moment of impact as an Israeli missile hit a Beirut apartment block and exploded. The block was one of five buildings destroyed by airstrikes on Friday alone. Israel launched airstrikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut in a fourth consecutive day of intense attacks. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

At least 10 people have been killed after a fire broke out at a retirement home in northern Spain in the early hours of this morning, officials have said. A further two people were seriously injured in the blaze in the town of Villafranca de Ebro in Zaragoza, according to the Spanish news website Diario

A body has been recovered from a South African mine after police cut off basic supplies in an effort to force around 4,000 illegal miners to resurface. The body has emerged from the closed gold mine in the northwest town of Stilfontein a day after South Africa’s government said it would not help the illegal

US President Joe Biden has welcomed Donald Trump for a meeting at the White House aimed at ensuring the smooth transition of power from one leader to another. It is the first time the president-elect has visited the White House since he left the Oval Office after being defeated by Mr Biden in the 2020

In the courtyard of a farmhouse now home to soldiers of the Ukrainian army’s 47th mechanised brigade, I’m introduced to a weary-looking unit by their commander Captain Oleksandr “Sasha” Shyrshyn. We are about 10km from the border with Russia, and beyond it lies the Kursk region Ukraine invaded in the summer – and where this

Russia has dramatically scaled up its long-range drone attacks on Ukraine, in an effort that analysts say could be intended to grind down the country’s air defences. New data from conflict-monitoring organisation ACLED shows the number of reported Shahed drone attacks has surged in recent weeks, and that incidents have been reported across the country.

Headlights illuminate a group of soldiers smoking and drinking steaming cups of coffee on the side of a road in northeastern Ukraine. A fine sleet on another freezing night falls on the silhouetted barrel of a Soviet-era anti-aircraft gun mounted on an ancient, battered lorry. These are the men of a mobile air defence unit,

Satellite images show that smog in Pakistan can be seen from space, as the country battles record levels of air pollution. Images from NASA Worldview show the east of the country cloaked in a toxic haze, with smog also reaching into India’s northern regions and New Dehli. Lahore, the capital of Pakistan’s Punjab region and

An airliner has been hit by gunfire as it approached the capital of Haiti.  The Spirit Airlines flight was just metres from landing in Port-au-Prince having come from Fort Lauderdale in Florida, when gangs shot at the plane, injuring a flight attendant. Footage circulating on social media, which is believed to have been filmed by

The fight against climate change is “bigger than one election”, US envoy John Podesta has said. Mr Podesta was speaking at the UN COP29 climate talks after his party lost the White House to Republican and climate sceptic Donald Trump. The re-election of Mr Trump, who is expected to again pull the United States out

More than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters have been taken away by police during a banned demonstration in Amsterdam following “antisemitic” violence in the wake of a football game. Hundreds of people had defied an order banning protests and gathered in the city’s Dam Square on Sunday, chanting “Amsterdam says no to genocide” and “free Palestine”. A

An Irish man is suspected of killing a 31-year-old US nurse during an “intimate encounter” at his Budapest flat before dumping her body in woodland, according to police. Hungarian police said Mackenzie Michalski, from Portland in the US state of Oregon, was killed after meeting the 37-year-old man at a nightclub while she was on

Qatar has told Hamas that it will no longer host its political office unless the militant group and Israel engage in constructive and meaningful talks. The Gulf country will stop trying to mediate a ceasefire deal until Hamas and Israel “demonstrate a sincere willingness to return to the negotiating table with the objective of putting