North Korea leader Kim Jong Un has warned of a “great life-and-death struggle” for his nation as he marked the end of his 10th year in power. In a New Year speech, Kim spoke of a need to “push forward” with national defence build-up plans “without any delay”. But, in summaries of the speech published
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Hundreds of homes have been destroyed and tens of thousands of residents evacuated as wildfires spread across part of the US state of Colorado. At least one first responder and six others were injured after the flames took hold following an extremely dry autumn in the region and a winter that has so far not
Vladimir Putin has warned Joe Biden that new sanctions against Russia over Ukraine would be a big mistake, according to the Kremlin. The Russian leader spoke with the US president for 50 minutes over the phone on Thursday. A build-up of an estimated 100,000 Russian troops and military equipment on the Ukrainian border has sparked
China has banned footballers who play for the country’s national team from getting tattoos – with those already inked told to get them removed or cover them up to set a “good example for society”. Zhang Linpeng, a defender for the Chinese national team, is one of a growing number of high profile players in
A vocal pro-democracy website in Hong Kong has been shut down after police raided its office, froze its assets and arrested senior staff. Stand News said in a statement that its website and social media were no longer being updated and would be taken down. It said all employees have been dismissed. The outlet was
An unusually warm spell in what is usually the coldest state in the United States has seen temperature records broken. Experts say the mercury in some parts of Alaska was 11C (20F) higher than ever before for the time of year. Daytime temperatures have soared past 15C (60F) when there would normally be intensely bitter
Two Save the Children staff members were among at least 35 people, including children, who were killed in Myanmar on Christmas Eve during an attack blamed on government forces. The charity said both men were new fathers who were “caught up” in the rampage in Kayah state while on their way back to their office
The year began with a promise. “America is back,” proclaimed Joe Biden, taking its rightful place at the vanguard of the free world, making up for the sins of his predecessor. The Trump presidency had ended with a desecration. Americans had turned on their holy of holies, the high temple of their democracy on Capitol
The Taliban has said women in Afghanistan should not be offered long distance taxi services unless they are accompanied by a male chaperone. The Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice told drivers they should not admit women who do not follow a strict Islamic dress code by wearing the hijab. Women travelling
A week of memorial services has been planned to pay tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The 90-year-old anti-apartheid veteran died at the Oasis Frail Care Centre in Cape Town on Boxing Day. His funeral is set to take place in Cape Town on Saturday 1 January but plans are still in their “infancy”, a statement
In the summer of 2008 I was asked to interview Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the Salisbury International Arts Festival. Although I had met him and interviewed him several times when I was based in South Africa, I was a little nervous beforehand and I think he could see it. Five minutes before we began, in
South Africa’s Archbishop Desmond Tutu, one of the leaders of the anti-apartheid movement, has died at the age of 90, the President’s Office has said. He was an outspoken critic of the country’s previous brutal system of oppression against the country’s Black majority. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his campaign
A $10bn (£7.5bn) space telescope has left Earth on a mission to give humankind its first glimpse of the infant universe. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which is the world’s most powerful, set off attached to an Ariane rocket from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana at 12.20pm on Christmas Day. It is designed
A maskless Pope Francis has urged people to look “beyond all the lights and decorations” this festive season. Celebrating Christmas Eve Mass at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the 85-year-old pontiff was the only one among a 2,000-strong congregation not wearing a face covering. A rise in COVID-19 infections in Italy has led to a
A fire on-board a ferry has killed at least 39 people and injured 72 in Bangladesh, officials have said. The blaze broke out at about 3am local time on Friday. It tore through the MV Avijan-10 ferry sailing off the coast of Bangladesh‘s Jhalokati district in the Sugandha River. The boat was carrying 800 passengers
Russia doesn’t want conflict with the Ukraine but Western powers must provide Moscow with “unconditional security” guarantees, President Vladimir Putin says. Speaking at his annual news conference, Mr Putin said the US has missiles at “Russia’s doorstep” and the “ball is in the West’s court” in relation to security in the region. The conference comes
A monument at the University of Hong Kong which marks the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has been removed. Depicting a heap of anguished human torsos, the famous statue commemorated pro-democracy protesters killed during a crackdown by Chinese authorities – and stood for more than two decades. In a statement, the Council of the University of
A Madagascan government minister said he swam for 12 hours after his helicopter crashed at sea during a rescue mission. Police Minister Serge Gelle had been part of a team searching the northeast coast of the country after a cargo ship illegally carrying 130 passengers sank, killing at least 19 people. A further 66 are
Vladimir Putin has threatened a “military-technical response” if Western countries continue with what he calls “unfriendly” actions over Ukraine. Speaking to military officials, Mr Putin said there was no room to retreat in the standoff currently centred on the former Soviet state. Concerns are growing that Russia is planning to invade its neighbour with thousands
Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has been ordered to pay around £550m to his former wife and their two children in what is thought to be the largest award of its kind ordered by an English court. Judge Philip Moor said most of the money awarded to Princess Haya bint al-Hussein, who