World

The Philippines has said it is contingency planning for an escalation of hostilities with China. The two nations have been in a series of confrontations in the South China Sea, one involving a crew being forced to stave off Chinese forces that attempting to board Philippine vessels. Relations have significantly deteriorated this year after several

President Putin has said Russia’s war goals remain unchanged and there won’t be peace in Ukraine until they are achieved. He has been taking questions during a four-hour phone-in. The Q&A had been a regular fixture on Russian television, but didn’t happen during the first year after the invasion in February 2022. Ukraine war latest:

Mainland Spain has recorded its hottest December day, putting the nation’s ski season at risk. The country is nearing the end of its hottest year on record after a summer that has produced four heatwaves, part of a global pattern of rising temperatures that scientists say is down to human caused climate change. A mass

A review into a massive police data breach in Northern Ireland has blamed a force-wide lack of prioritisation of data security. A report from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) found the data breach, which saw details of all employees of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) accidentally published online, was not the result

India’s top court has upheld a decision by the government to strip special status from Jammu and Kashmir. The Supreme Court also set a deadline of 30 September next year for local elections to be held. Jammu and Kashmir – India’s only Muslim-majority region – has been the subject of more than 75 years of

The United Nations climate chief has warned governments against “blowing up” current climate negotiations, where a decision on a crucial motion on fossil fuels hangs in the balance with just 24 hours left on the clock. A resolution to “phase out fossil fuels” has gathered traction at COP28 in Dubai like never before at a

Russia has become stronger as a result of the conflict in Ukraine – just as it did by defeating Hitler and Napoleon – its foreign minister has claimed. In a wide-ranging series of assertions, Sergei Lavrov said the “hybrid war” that the West is supposedly waging against Russia is based on “cancel culture”. He also

China and the Philippines are accusing each other of ramming their ships in the South China Sea. China fired a water cannon and rammed resupply vessels, the Philippine Coast Guard said. Video from the Philippine Coast Guard shows a Chinese Coast Guard vessel firing the cannon at a much smaller Philippine patrol vessel. But China’s

As the United Nations vote showed last night, Israel still has the backing of its most powerful ally, the United States, and the UK who chose to abstain. However, with 13 of the 15 members of the Security Council voting in favour of a ceasefire, and more than eighty other countries supporting it, the US

Despite overwhelming military superiority, Israel is struggling to develop an effective strategy to tackle the tunnel network under Gaza. This “underworld” has provided Hamas with a degree of sanctuary beyond the gaze of satellites, drones and military forces. How will Israel defeat Hamas without destroying the tunnel network? Please use Chrome browser for a more

Russian President Vladimir Putin will run for office again in 2024. The 71-year-old – whose power has been questioned like never before over the costly war in Ukraine – will be widely expected to win and secure another six years in the Kremlin, taking him to 2030. He made the announcement during a medal ceremony

The data is clear: Gaza’s healthcare system is being pushed to the brink. In just 60 days of war, the number of functioning hospitals has dropped by more than half – from 36 to 15 – because of Israeli strikes and a lack of resources. None of the hospitals in northern Gaza have the capacity

France has ordered a third round of bird flu vaccines for at-risk ducks. Citing “new scientific evidence”, France’s farm ministry said on Wednesday that the shots are to avoid a surge in outbreaks. On Tuesday, Paris raised the risk level of bird flu to high after new cases were detected, forcing poultry farms to keep

After the 7 October attacks, Israel vowed to eliminate Hamas. Two months later, what progress has the military made? The air and ground assault in Gaza by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has left more than 15,000 people, mostly civilians, dead, according to Gazan health officials. An Israeli military officer, who spoke on condition of

Russian President Vladimir Putin was escorted by four Russian fighter jets on Wednesday as he jetted in to the Gulf on a rare trip abroad. The Kremlin chief’s plane was flanked by Sukhoi-35S fighter jets as he arrived in the UAE earlier, as he looks to shore up support in the Gulf by visiting the

Iran said it has sent a capsule into space carrying animals as it prepares for human missions in the coming years. The capsule was launched 80 miles into orbit, according to a report by the official IRNA news agency that quoted telecommunications minister Isa Zarepour. He said the launch of the 1,000lb (450kg) capsule formed

Benjamin Netanyahu has accused human rights groups of turning a blind eye to rapes that Israel says were committed by Hamas during the 7 October massacre. Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, the Israeli prime minister accused the international community of playing down the attacks and even ignoring them. He said he expects “all

Vladimir Putin stood a considerable distance from more than 20 new foreign ambassadors to Russia in scenes reminiscent of the coronavirus pandemic, apparently blaming “sanitary reasons”. At a ceremony in the Kremlin, the Russian president accepted the credentials of the ambassadors, who included Britain’s latest envoy to Russia, Nigel Casey. Mr Putin gave a speech

A bill to ban the single use of disposable e-cigarettes has been approved in France. The country’s national assembly voted on the ban on Monday, with 104 in favour and zero against. Should the bill be adopted by the senate, it could come into effect by September next year. Disposable e-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that

Munich Airport has been forced to close again after being hit by extreme wintry weather, making safe flights “impossible”. Freezing rain hit the German city, forcing the airport to temporarily cancel or postpone all flights on Tuesday morning. It said there would be no take-offs or landings from 6am until midday in its announcement on