World

Morocco made history by becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final after beating Portugal 1-0. Each of the previous three African sides to reach a quarter-final were all eliminated at this stage – Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010. It was a strong start for Morocco, scoring just

Vladimir Putin has said Russia may have to strike a deal with Ukraine to end its war. Speaking at a news conference in Kyrgyzstan, the Russian president also admitted there had been problems in mobilising hundreds of thousands of conscripts to fight in the conflict. Russia has suffered a series of military setbacks since launching

China’s premier has publicly acknowledged the financial harm wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic and expressed his belief the relaxation of strict lockdown rules will help the economy “pick up”.  Li Keqiang is the country’s second most powerful person and the most senior figure to speak about the recent “adjusting and optimising” of coronavirus restrictions which

At first, Ukrainians used their smartphones to warn others of air raid alerts. Now, they’ve changed tack, instead using a suite of apps to track Russian missiles heading towards their nation. Since the start of the war, Russia has attacked Ukraine’s power grid with more than 1,000 missiles. The country’s power network has now been

Raucous celebrations referencing the IRA from the women’s team after qualifying for the World Cup have cost Ireland’s football association €20,000. The team was caught on camera singing the song after beating Scotland 1-0 at Hampden Park in October. The video, which circulated on social media, showed a group of players jumping and singing “Ooh,

Iran says it has executed a prisoner arrested during the ongoing anti-government protests – the first known death sentence linked to the unrest. The execution on Thursday came after people are believed to have gathered around Azadi Square in the capital Tehran overnight. The prisoner has been identified as Mohsen Shekari by the Mizan news

Vladimir Putin has said “we haven’t gone mad” when asked about concerns he could use nuclear weapons in Ukraine – but didn’t rule out a possible first-strike if threatened. The Russian president described the weapons as a deterrent, but reiterated his country would use “all the means at our disposal” to defend its interests if

Around 3,000 police officers have carried out raids across Germany to stop an alleged plot by a far-right terrorist group to overthrow the government. Federal prosecutors said 25 suspected members and supporters of the Reichsburger group – the so-called Reich Citizens movement – were detained during the raids in 11 of the country’s 16 states

People in China’s capital Beijing have been allowed to enter parks, supermarkets and offices without showing proof of a negative COVID-19 test in a relaxation of some of the world’s toughest measures against the virus. Last month saw intense anti-lockdown protests representing the biggest show of public discontent on the mainland since President Xi Jinping

Brazil’s players displayed a banner in support of Pele as they celebrated their victory over South Korea in the last 16 of the World Cup. The squad unfurled the banner, which featured just one word – ‘Pele!’ – alongside a picture of the Brazil great, in the wake of their 4-1 triumph. Pele had earlier

There’s a new weapon heading for Ukraine that could help defend its cities from missiles – and it’s named after a famous raccoon. For months NAFO (North Atlantic Fella Organisation) have been waging an information war on social media against Russian propaganda, and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for Ukraine’s armies as they go.

Through the streets of Doha’s West Bay district, a smattering of England fans singing “It’s coming home,” could be heard long past 3am. For a capital unaccustomed to late-night rowdiness, it was an unfamiliar sound during this unique World Cup. But reaching a tournament quarter-final is becoming familiar territory for the Three Lions. It’s now

US intelligence experts have said they expect a “reduced tempo” in fighting in Ukraine to last several months, with both sides looking to prepare for a counter-offensive after the winter. The Director of National Intelligence said that while this might be the case, there is no evidence of a reduced Ukrainian will to resist and

Six and a half years after terrorist attacks that left a legacy of death, injury and shock, Belgium is launching the biggest criminal trial in its history. Ten people will face charges relating to the murder of 32 people in March 2016, when bombs exploded at Brussels Airport and then on a metro train that

The Chinese Grand Prix has been cancelled for the fourth year in a row as the country tries to curb the spread of coronavirus with strict measures. Formula 1 said the Shanghai event, scheduled for 16 April 2023, would not happen “due to ongoing difficulties presented by the COVID-19 situation”. The sport is now facing

Germany have been knocked out of the World Cup, with a win against Costa Rica not enough to secure them a place in the last 16. Hansi Flick’s side came from behind to beat Costa Rica in their final group game 4-2. On a thrilling night in Qatar, Japan beat Spain 2-1 in the other

The body of a missing five-year-old girl has been found in a wooden box filled with cement that her mother was using as a bedside table. Officers discovered Milagros Nazareth Martin’s body in the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires after her concerned father contacted them because he had not seen her for months. The girl’s

Brazilian football legend Pele is back in hospital, according to his daughter. But in an Instagram post, Kely Nascimento also said there was “no emergency”, as he continues to fight colon cancer. She said he had been admitted so that doctors could regulate his medication. She wrote: “Lots of alarm in the media today concerning

England’s first test match in Pakistan in 17 years has been thrown into doubt after several players were struck down with a virus. Discussions are under way about postponing the match after just five England players – Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Keaton Jennings, Ollie Pope and Joe Root – turned up for the training at

As Russian missile strikes against Ukraine’s power and water supplies ramped up in recent weeks, images of surgeons carrying out life-saving work by torchlight started to make headlines around the world. Liev Schreiber, who you might know as Hollywood “fixer” Ray Donovan in the hit TV series, or for his roles in films varying from