This Nowruz has a different feel: homes are being swept and prepared for spring, but celebration is muted by war, internet blackouts and a sense of danger.Families who would normally gather are cut off from loved ones and struggling to get news from the outside.Reporters working with people inside Iran have been sent accounts under strict anonymity for safety. The government has tightened online...

Russia carried out an unprecedented drone offensive against Ukraine, firing 948 unmanned aircraft over a single 24‑hour period, Ukrainian authorities said.The country's Air Force reported 556 drones were launched from 09:00 local time in a rare daytime wave of strikes that struck cities across Ukraine.Officials said many machines were intercepted, but several made direct hits that caused deaths...

A Los Angeles jury has ruled that Meta and Google are responsible for harm suffered by a young woman who says she became addicted to social media as a child.Jurors apportioned blame between the companies, assigning 70% of the responsibility to Meta and 30% to YouTube.The decision follows roughly five weeks of testimony and evidence. The plaintiff, identified only as Kaley, argued that platform...

After eight years of talks, Australia and the European Union have finalized a wide-ranging free trade agreement in Canberra valued at roughly A$10 billion.The pact removes almost all customs duties between the two sides and also deepens cooperation on defence, supply-chain resilience and critical minerals — steps officials said are designed to withstand growing global uncertainty.Tariffs on...

Two Russian men have gone on trial in Angola accused of running a covert influence campaign to stir anti-government unrest and interfere in next year’s presidential vote.Igor Ratchin and Lev Lakshtanov were arrested in August and face 11 charges between them, including terrorism, espionage and influence peddling.Angolan prosecutors say the pair worked with a wider network that grew out of...

Bones uncovered beneath a church in Maastricht may belong to Charles de Batz de Castelmore, the 17th-century soldier popularly known as d'Artagnan.The skeleton was found under the floor of St Peter and Paul Church after damaged tiles prompted a closer look.Jos Valke, a church deacon involved in the discovery, says he is almost certain the remains are those of the famed musketeer. Excavators say...

Matt Brittin, a former senior executive at Google, has been named the BBC's next director general.He succeeds Tim Davie, who stepped down following controversy over a Panorama edit that sparked widespread criticism.Brittin led Google's activities across Europe, the Middle East and Africa before leaving the company in 2025 after an 18-year tenure. BBC chairman Samir Shah argued the corporation...

Italy’s prime minister suffered a major political setback after voters rejected a constitutional reform she had championed, dealing a rare defeat to her right-wing coalition.Official counts gave about 54% of ballots to the No camp and roughly 46% to Yes, with turnout close to 60% in the two-day vote.The amendment would have enshrined a stricter separation between judges and prosecutors in the...

A major industry group is warning the UK it must boost domestic oil and gas production to avoid growing dependence on imported fuel as global tensions push prices higher.Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) says the government should rethink its ban on new North Sea exploration licences, arguing that Britain risks exposure to supply shocks if more home-grown output is not allowed.Energy markets have...

Denmark's Social Democrats emerged as the largest party in Tuesday's election but failed to secure the parliamentary majority needed to govern alone.Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's party took 21.9% of the vote and won 38 seats — its weakest result in more than a century.The left-leaning “red bloc” has a narrow lead with 84 seats, while the centre-right “blue bloc” holds 77. Neither...