World

Hamas says the body of hostage Shiri Bibas has now been handed over, according to the group’s Al-Aqsa TV channel – as the Israeli military says it is checking the reports. Israel said on Thursday that Ms Bibas was not among the four bodies handed over on Thursday as part of the ceasefire agreement, instead

Elon Musk has had a heated exchange with famed astronaut Andreas Mogensen who accused has him of lying over claims that two NASA astronauts had been “left” in space. Speaking during a pre-recorded interview with US President Donald Trump on Fox News, Mr Musk alleged the astronauts had been “left up there for political reasons”

Israel says Hamas has not handed over the body of hostage Shiri Bibas – saying they had instead received the remains of an “anonymous body without identification”. Ms Bibas was kidnapped with her sons – four-year-old Ariel, and nine-month-old Kfir – from the Niz Or kibbutz during the Palestinian militant group’s incursion into Israel in

The man who has emerged as Donald Trump’s geopolitical dealmaker-in-chief has said that he’s developed a “friendship” with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Steve Witkoff was named as Mr Trump’s Middle East envoy shortly after the US election but he has since been involved in negotiations with Russia about ending the war in Ukraine. Mr Witkoff

A bulldozer tears huge chunks out of buildings in an emptied out Palestinian neighbourhood. It is not clearing rubble, this is a demolition project – methodical and devastating. It is part of Operation Iron Wall, a massive Israeli military assault in the northern West Bank. Image: Homes have been raided in Tulkarm Nominally, Iron Wall

A planned news conference between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy was cancelled, as political tensions deepened between the two countries. The event was originally supposed to include comments to the media by Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy and retired US Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, but it was changed at the last minute to a simple

Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he told Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy his country needs a “reliable and clear system of security guarantees” before a peace deal can be struck with Russia. Ukraine’s president met with retired US Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg in Kyiv on Thursday as political tensions deepened between the two countries. The event was originally

Voters in Germany are being exposed to copious pro-AfD narratives online from AI-generated content and Russian disinformation campaigns. Experts monitoring social media say Russian-based groups are involved, including “Doppelganger” and “Storm-1516”, which US officials found to be active in America’s election last year. Some of these campaigns are using artificial intelligence to spread their messaging

Australia has begun euthanising the false killer whales stranded on a remote beach in Tasmania. Authorities said they had begun putting down the animals after bad weather and the isolated location hampered efforts to refloat them. Earlier this week, 157 whales were found beached near Arthur River on the island. Despite the best efforts of

Donald Trump has said Volodymyr Zelenskyy “better move fast or he is not going to have a country left” as peace talks between the US and Russia continue – without Ukraine at the table. Officials from the White House and the Kremlin have this week begun holding discussions in Saudi Arabia. The decision for the

A village in the Philippines is offering bounties for captured mosquitoes – dead or alive – amid a surge in dengue fever cases.  Residents in Addition Hills in Mandaluyong City will receive one Philippine peso – just over 1p – for every five mosquitoes or mosquito larvae they turn in, village chief Carlito Cernal said.

That the United States chose to hold talks with Russia about Ukraine without Ukraine sums up the power imbalance that is upending security assumptions for the whole of Europe. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, has consistently warned that Kyiv must have a seat at the negotiating table for any discussions about ending Vladimir Putin‘s war

Jannik Sinner’s lawyer has hit back at “unfair” criticism over the world tennis number one only receiving a three-month ban in a doping case settlement. Lawyers for the Italian player successfully argued it was not a case of cheating but contamination from a massage that was responsible for two positive tests last year for a

As Russia’s foreign minister of more than 20 years, Sergei Lavrov is not one for big emotions. So when he says the talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, about ending the war in Ukraine were “not unsuccessful”, that’s diplomatic speak for “we’re pretty chuffed”. And the Russians have plenty of reasons to cheer. Image: Russian foreign

Donald Trump has suggested that Russia’s war in Ukraine could have been “settled very easily” as he criticised Kyiv’s negotiation skills. In comments after an extraordinary meeting between senior American and Russian officials this morning in Saudi Arabia, the US president said of Ukraine: “They’ve had a seat for three years and a long time

A former Australian prime minister has said his country should be “prepared to make a contribution” to protect the freedom of Ukraine. Tony Abbott told Sky News’ Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge that no country “will be safe against a bully” if Vladimir Putin wins the war. He called on Britain to take the lead

Warning: This article contains references to suicide and material readers might find disturbing Every year, on his birthday, Joel Le Scouarnec composed an entry in his diary. First, he would record his age. Then he would write: “I am a paedophile, and I am proud of it.” To the rest of the world, he seemed

A battle for power is raging in Germany.  For the first time since the Second World War, a far-right party is expected to come second in a federal election and the country is divided. “I come from Jewish heritage so I’m really worried about the safety of my family,” says Shoshana. “I don’t want to

Russia has reportedly released a American citizen who had been detained on drug charges, just hours ahead of its talks with the US over Ukraine. The New York Times said that Kalob Byers Wayne had been released by Russia on Monday, hours before the discussions were set to begin. The 28-year-old had been arrested at

Israel says it is preparing to receive the bodies of four hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Israeli security officials also said they were working to bring back six living hostages on Saturday. The announcement came as relatives and supporters of those held hostage in Gaza since Hamas’ 7 October attack in 2023 marked 500