World

Germany is on course to shut down its three remaining nuclear power plants on Saturday. The country began phasing out nuclear power more than 20 years ago – but plans were escalated following Japan’s Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. Subsequent anti-nuclear demonstrations in Germany led then chancellor Angela Merkel to press ahead with plans to

Iranian authorities are installing cameras in public places to identify and penalise unveiled women in an attempt to rein in the increasing numbers who are defying the country’s strict dress rules. Those deemed to be violating Iran’s hijab rules will receive “warning text messages as to the consequences”, police in Iran say. The move is

Nearly 20 military ships – about 10 Chinese and 10 Taiwanese – are involved in a stand-off near the Taiwan Strait’s sensitive median line, Reuters reports. China also conducted simulated attacks on foreign military targets off Taiwan’s southwest coast on Sunday, the agency said, citing a source familiar with the situation. It comes on the

Six rockets have been fired from Syria towards Israel overnight, according to the Israeli military. Only three of the missiles fell within Israeli territory – two on open ground and one intercepted by air defence systems, the military said. There were no reports of casualties. Syrian state media later reported explosions in and around the

China has accused the World Health Organisation (WHO) of “attempting to smear” Beijing after the global health body’s boss said data linking the origins of coronavirus to raccoon dogs should have been shared years ago. Samples of genetic material collected at a market in Wuhan – where the first cases were detected in late 2019

China has begun three days of military exercises around Taiwan in retaliation for a meeting between the US House of Representatives speaker and the president of the self-ruled island claimed by Beijing. A Chinese amphibious landing ship – capable of transporting troops, craft and vehicles – began live-fire drills in the seas facing the Taiwan

French President Emmanuel Macron has appealed to Xi Jinping to “bring Russia back to its senses and bring everyone back to the negotiating table” over the Ukraine war. The Chinese leader called for peace talks but he gave no indication that Beijing would use its leverage as President Vladimir Putin‘s diplomatic partner to press for

Emmanuel Macron has told Chinese leader Xi Jinping that the war in Ukraine has hit stability and ended decades of peace in the country. The French president is visiting Beijing alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in an attempt to use Xi’s influence over Russia to promote a peace settlement. Mr Macron said

Police in Australia are on the hunt for two people who allegedly stole a platypus. The animal was thought to be taken from its natural habitat in Moreton, Queensland, on Tuesday 4 April, at around 11am. It was then spotted wrapped in a towel being and being carried by one of the two people, boarding

From the start, Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s first official visit to Poland since Russia invaded Ukraine was a meeting of friends. It was a display of warmth and solidarity, as well as several public hugs. The Ukrainian president was treated to a hero’s welcome as he visited his closest neighbour. His counterpart, Andrzej Duda, gave him the

Donald Trump was the frontrunner to be the Republican Party nominee for the 2024 presidential race before news of his pending arrest became public – and that fact is unchanged even now he is officially a criminal defendant. The earliest date for any trial in this case would be January 2024, which coincides with the

US President Joe Biden will visit Northern Ireland and the Republic next week, the White House has announced. The visit marks the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. He will first travel to Belfast in Northern Ireland, from April 11 to 12 to mark the “tremendous progress” made since the signing

Finland has officially become a member of NATO after concerns over Russia’s aggression. The Kremlin has said it could be forced to take “counter measures” to ensure its own border’s security in response. Finland applied to join NATO in May 2022, setting aside years of military nonalignment to seek protection under the organisation’s security umbrella

The attacker who shot dead six people at a Nashville school had been planning the massacre for months, police have said. Journals found in Audrey Hale’s car and bedroom outlined plans to “commit mass murder at The Covenant School”, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said. Three adults and three nine-year-old students were killed in the

Finland will officially become a member of NATO on Tuesday, the Finnish president’s office has announced. The Nordic nation, which shares a border with Russia, applied to join the military alliance in the wake of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine last year. It is the first enlargement of NATO since North Macedonia joined the alliance

Many Twitter users are angry and confused as it is now impossible to tell who has paid for their blue checkmark on the social media platform. Last month, Twitter announced it would remove legacy verified checkmarks and end its legacy verified programme – in favour of charging people for a coveted blue tick. For users

Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin appears to have lost her bid for a second term in power – with her party destined for defeat by two conservative opponents in an intense three-way race for control of parliament. The centre-right National Coalition Party claimed victory on Sunday evening with around 97.7% of the votes counted, coming

In the vast windswept cemetery on the outskirts of Dnipro low clouds drift and mist drizzles over the graves of the fallen in this war. There is no noise apart from the flapping of hundreds of Ukraine flags – blue for the sky, yellow for the wheatfields of this farming country. Mounds of freshly dug

Japan has officially reopened part of a town evacuated 12 years ago in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The area of Tomioka, southwest of the wrecked Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, was evacuated following the disaster in March 2011. Its reopening was celebrated on Saturday, in time for the popular cherry blossom season. Former

Donald Trump has claimed he has raised more than $4m in the 24 hours after the news of his indictment.  The former president listed the figure in a press release, in which he repeated his claim that he is the victim of a political witch-hunt. Lawyers for Trump have told Sky News that he is