Vladimir Putin ordered a series of nuclear missile tests and large-scale military drills on Thursday, only a day after U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly cancelled a planned peace summit between the two leaders. The Russian president claimed the exercises had been “planned in advance,” but the timing underscored mounting tensions between Washington and Moscow following a new round of U.S. sanctions on Russia’s energy sector. The White House announced on…

The United States vice-president, JD Vance, has arrived in Israel in an effort to reinforce the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, as Hamas officials joined parallel negotiations in Cairo aimed at resolving outstanding disputes with Israel. Vance, who is expected to remain in the region until Thursday, met the US Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, upon his arrival. He is scheduled to hold talks with…

Cameroon stands on a knife’s edge following one of the most fiercely contested elections in its post-independence history, as opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary declared himself the victor over President Paul Biya, the 92-year-old leader who has ruled the Central African nation for more than four decades. Tchiroma’s announcement, made just days after the 12 October presidential election — has sent shockwaves through the capital, Yaoundé, and other major cities.…

Shares in Kering rose 5% in early Paris trading following the announcement, while L’Oréal gained nearly 1%.

A major outage at Amazon cloud computing arm, Amazon Web Services (AWS), caused widespread disruption to apps, websites and online services across the globe on Monday, reigniting concerns about the world’s dependence on a handful of technology giants to run critical infrastructure. The glitch, which began in the early hours of the morning on the US east coast, quickly rippled across continents. Popular platforms including Snapchat, Roblox, Signal and Duolingo…

In an unexpected geopolitical development, a senior Kremlin envoy has proposed the construction of a 70-mile “Putin–Trump Unity Tunnel” connecting Russia and the United States beneath the Bering Strait, a project envisioned as a symbol of global cooperation and peace. Kirill Dmitriev, Moscow’s special envoy for international economic and investment cooperation, unveiled the idea on Thursday, describing it as a “once-in-a-century opportunity” to unite two continents. Dmitriev, who also plays…

Madagascar’s military has seized control of the country after weeks of youth-led unrest, forcing President Andry Rajoelina to flee abroad amid a deepening political crisis on the Indian Ocean island. Colonel Michael Randrianirina, commander of the elite Capsat military unit, appeared on national television on Monday to announce that the army had taken power and would oversee a two-year transition leading to a new constitution and elections. “The renovation period…

Germany has revoked the citizenship of a Palestinian man who publicly praised Hamas just one day after receiving his German passport , a rare and politically charged move that underscores Berlin’s zero-tolerance policy toward expressions of support for the militant group. The man, identified only as Abdallah, had recently completed his naturalisation process and celebrated being granted German citizenship. But within 24 hours, he posted an image on Instagram depicting…

Britain’s global influence appeared notably diminished yesterday as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was left queuing behind other world leaders to greet US President Donald Trump at a high-stakes Gaza peace summit, according to The Daily Express. The awkward moment, captured by international press photographers, showed Sir Keir fidgeting in the desert heat as he waited in line behind Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin…

The White House has accused the Norwegian Nobel Committee of choosing “politics over peace” after awarding this year’s Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado instead of US President Donald Trump, whose administration had openly lobbied for the honour. The Committee announced on Friday that Machado would receive the world’s most prestigious peace award for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and…

Following Apple’s highly anticipated iPhone 17 series, excitement among UK consumers has been matched by one persistent question: which model offers the best balance of performance, price and practicality? With the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max now available nationwide, early reviews suggest that while all three devices share a core of powerful innovation, they cater to distinctly different users. Design and Display All three models feature…

A man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being found guilty on appeal of raping Gisèle Pelicot, who had been drugged unconscious by her husband.