Frenchman jailed for 10 years in Azerbaijan: ‘I’m not a spy’
Azerbaijan on Monday sentenced a Frenchman to 10 years in prison in an espionage case launched during a period of diplomatic tensions between Paris and Baku that have now eased. Martin Ryan was arrested in December 2023 and went on trial in January last year, when relations between Azerbaijan and France had deteriorated to new lows over Paris’ support for Armenia, Baku’s long-time rival. The court found him guilty of spying against Azerbaijan and sentenced him to 10 years. Prosecutors had sought... [Continue Reading]
Ricky Gervais gives expletive-filled response to fans wanting him to host the Oscars
He is a five-time Golden Globes host... [Continue Reading]
China and the US end trade talks as doubts form over Trump visit
China and the US wrapped up their sixth round of trade talks in Paris on Monday, with the agenda ranging from a possible extension of bilateral tariff and non-tariff measures as well as bilateral investment. “China and US conducted deep, frank and constructive consultations,” Li Chenggang, China’s top international trade negotiator, said after the meetings. Both sides agreed to “continue to maintain the stability of tariffs”, Li said. A day earlier US President Donald Trump told the Financial... [Continue Reading]
Donald Trump attacks supreme court over tariffs again in late-night social media post – US politics live
President accuses court of having ‘unnecessarily RANSACKED’ the US and claims he has ‘absolute right’ to impose new tariffsSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxGood morning and welcome to the US politics liveblog.In a late-night social media post, Donald Trump has claimed he has the “absolute right” to impose new tariffs after the supreme court ruled many of the import duties he imposed last year were illegal.Our Supreme Court has made these Countries very happy but, as the Court pointed out, I have the absolute right to charge TARIFFS in another form,... [Continue Reading]
Iran hits key UAE oil port and Dubai airport
The port of Fujairah plays a crucial role in helping keep global supplies moving when the Strait of Hormuz is blocked. [Continue Reading]
Afghan asylum seeker dies in ICE custody, US advocacy group says
Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, 41, died on Saturday in Texas less than 24 hours after being detainedAn Afghan immigrant who previously worked with the United States military in Afghanistan and later sought asylum in the US died over the weekend in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody less than 24 hours after being detained in Texas, an advocacy group said on Sunday.Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, who was living in a Dallas suburb with his wife and six children while his asylum case remained pending, was arrested by federal agents outside his apartment on Friday morning while taking his children to school, said... [Continue Reading]
Relative of US airman killed in Middle East crash calls war on Iran ‘uncalled for’
Cousin of Tech Sgt Tyler Simmons, whose military refueling plane crashed in Iraq, says: ‘We didn’t need to be in this war’A relative of an Ohio airman who was killed recently in a military airplane crash in Iraq amid the US and Israel’s war in nearby Iran has said the conflict is “uncalled for”.“This could have been prevented,” Stephan Douglas said of the death of his cousin Tech Sgt Tyler Simmons, 28, in an interview with the Ohio news outlet WCMH. “We didn’t need to be in this war. This is uncalled for – and this is what we get.”... [Continue Reading]
Man jailed for selling imported weapons to crime gang
A 29-year-old man who was part of a criminal organisation that imported military-grade firearms from the US and sold them to "Ireland's top criminals" has been jailed for ten years. [Continue Reading]
Hong Kong in new push to get young people to register as voters
Young people can opt to make self-declarations to be exempted from producing proof of address to register as electors under a new Hong Kong government drive to boost voter numbers, lawmakers have been told. A commissioner for oaths will be stationed at each Immigration Department registration of persons office, where young people replace their juvenile identity cards with adult ones upon turning 18. The initiative was outlined as officials presented the 2026 voter registration campaign at... [Continue Reading]
Malaysia’s Petronas wins right to challenge Sarawak gas laws in court
Malaysia’s highest court on Monday allowed national energy firm Petronas to pursue a legal bid to challenge several laws passed by the state of Sarawak, amid a protracted dispute over gas distribution rights. Sarawak, on Borneo island, is home to more than 60 per cent of Malaysia’s gas reserves and has long sought greater control over its natural resources. In recent years, it has passed laws and appointed its own firm Petros to procure, distribute, supply and sell all natural gas in the state,... [Continue Reading]
‘Green shoots’ in drive to cut number of women in England and Wales prisons
Prisons minister says more women should be diverted away from jail – and new board aims to bring about that changePat had been in trouble with the police before, when she was 16 and had been spat out of the care system with no qualifications, no housing and no support. Nearly 50 years later, she heard a knock on the door again.There had been a fire in the estate where she lived, and another resident said she had seen Pat start it. “I was in the police station for nearly two days before I got to the magistrates court,” she... [Continue Reading]
Oscars’ two biggest actors had major video game roles early in their careers
Jessie Buckley has been congratulated by Supermassive Games on her Oscars win, but fellow winner Michael B. Jordan also has several gaming credits on his CV. [Continue Reading]
Why Trump's push for China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz may hurt trade talks
US President Donald Trump’s reported threat that he may postpone a long-awaited visit to China – unless Beijing helps unblock the Iran-controlled Strait of Hormuz – may put the current trade talks in Paris at risk by sidelining earlier priorities and potential deals, analysts say. As the US-Israeli war in Iran enters its third week and disrupts global energy markets, Trump has reportedly urged Beijing to send warships to help reopen the strait and ease oil shipments. About 20 per cent of the... [Continue Reading]
Europe says it must rearm – but to what end?
With the Middle East ablaze and war in Ukraine showing no sign of respite, a stark new consensus is hardening in Paris, London and Berlin that Europe must rearm. Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron signalled a pivotal shift in deterrence by announcing an increase in the nation’s nuclear warheads and a “forward deterrence” plan. This follows a rare joint appeal from the British and German defence chiefs, who urged Europeans to build a moral and strategic case for a massive surge in... [Continue Reading]
44% abstention: French local elections 'poorly attended dress rehearsal' for 2027 presidential race
Following France's lowest voter turnout since the COVID pandemic, Eve Irvine is pleased to welcome Dr. Andrew Smith, Historian of Modern France and Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London. According to Dr. Smith, the defining feature of these municipal elections is not the performance of any single political force. The level of abstention marked the elections more than any other storyline: With roughly 44% of voters staying away, turnout has dropped dramatically compared with earlier decades when participation often exceeded sixty percent and even approached eighty percent in the 1980s. [Continue Reading]
Trump presses China, says NATO faces 'very bad' future if allies don't help open Hormuz Strait
US President Donald Trump on Sunday sought to pressure NATO allies and China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the critical oil transport conduit that Iran has effectively closed in retaliation for the US and Israeli war against Tehran. Global oil prices have surged by 40 to 50 percent as Iran has choked off the waterway and attacked energy and shipping industry targets among its Gulf neighbours. [Continue Reading]
Friendships, fishing and community clean-ups: the unseen kindness of life on the Bibby Stockholm barge
Bibby Boys photo exhibition documents experiences of the men who lived on the former asylum seeker vessel in Dorset and the local community that rallied around them The Bibby Stockholm barge, which was moored off Portland, Dorset, to accommodate asylum seekers, attracted many negative headlines – from evacuation after the discovery of legionella bacteria, to the suicide of Albanian asylum seeker Leonard Farruku and angry far-right protests.But an exhibition launching this week reveals a less reported side of life on the barge, where enduring connections between asylum seekers and members of the local community were forged and continue long after... [Continue Reading]
South Korean protesters criticise Trump over Hormuz security demand
Activists in South Korea have staged a protest against Donald Trump’s request for help securing the Strait of Hormuz. [Continue Reading]
‘Europeans have been incredibly supportive,' UAE foreign minister tells Euronews
As the Iran war enters its third week, the United Arab Emirates is sending a clear message to European governments and citizens: stability in the region is closely tied to Europe’s own economic and security interests. [Continue Reading]
Zelenskyy resists reopening Druzhba pipeline, says 'no different' to lifting Russian sanctions
Ukrainian President insists he is personally against restoring oil flows through the damaged Druzhba pipeline, suggesting that Europe either enforces sanctions on Russia or it doesn't. Hungary insists on sabotage. [Continue Reading]
‘Wrapping’ is the layered masturbation technique adored by 63% of women
There's at least nine variations. [Continue Reading]
Three arrests after man found dead in wheelie bin
Two men and a woman are detained on suspicion of murder following overnight arrests in Blackpool. [Continue Reading]
Mum of daughter fatally shot by own dad wants case into him reopened
The mum of a British woman who was shot and killed by her father on holiday in the United States is fighting to get her case reopened. [Continue Reading]
First Thing: Trump steps up pressure on European allies to help protect strait of Hormuz
US president says it is ‘only appropriate’ for Europe to help, and warns failure to do so would be ‘very bad’ for Nato. Plus, meet the Americans withholding their federal income taxGood morning.Donald Trump has ratcheted up the pressure on European allies to help protect the strait of Hormuz, warning that Nato faces a “very bad” future if its members fail to come to Washington’s aid.What did Trump say? The US president told the Financial Times in an interview: “It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens... [Continue Reading]
BBC confirms Michael Sheen will replace Richard Osman as House of Games host
The award-winning actor makes his debut as a quiz show host. [Continue Reading]
20,000 children in Kharkiv attend underground subway schools amid ongoing conflict and Russian assaults
In the face of relentless conflict and Russian assaults, approximately 20,000 children in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, are adapting to an unconventional educational environment: underground subway schools. These underground spaces, specifically at the Oleksandr Maselsky station, allow students to pursue their studies while remaining safeguarded from the protracted violence that permeates their everyday lives. The subway school, operational seven days a week, accommodates nearly 2,000 students in four tight classrooms. Maksym Trystapshon, the head of the school and an English teacher, emphasizes that within these walls, the focus is solely on education, devoid of the thoughts of war that otherwise... [Continue Reading]
In Lebanon, Israel is using occupation as negotiating tool, say analysts
Israel is using military occupation of southern Lebanon and displacement crisis to dictate ceasefire terms, say experts. [Continue Reading]
Africa particularly vulnerable as Iran conflict disrupts supply chains, say experts
Food production in many African countries depends heavily on fertiliser imported from the Gulf through the strait of HormuzCountries in Africa, where farmers depend heavily on imported fertiliser and a large share of household income goes on food, are particularly vulnerable to supply chain disruptions caused by the war in the Middle East, experts have said.The conflict has drastically disrupted trade through the strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane not just for oil and gas but also for fertiliser, which is produced in vast quantities in the Gulf. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
Fix, don’t fire ‘digital employee’ OpenClaw over security risks: Paul Chan
Hong Kong’s finance chief has likened the powerful AI agent OpenClaw to an efficient “digital employee”, saying it should not be dismissed but rather improved to address security risk concerns. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s remarks on Monday followed the Digital Policy Office’s recent advisory urging government departments to avoid installing OpenClaw or its variants due to security concerns. “AI agent OpenClaw has awed the world; the convenience it offers is just like having a digital... [Continue Reading]
AI poisoning: fake fitness tracker fools chatbots in China, sparking outcry
An undercover investigation by state-run China Central Television (CCTV) has cast a harsh light on a controversial practice in a nascent industry: the “poisoning” of artificial intelligence models with fabricated information. The report showed how techniques of generative engine optimisation (GEO) – the AI version of search engine optimisation (SEO) – could be used to manipulate AI chatbots, provoking widespread public concern and debate as both industry insiders and observers anticipated... [Continue Reading]
Amazon’s Spring Deals Day drops huge discounts on ghd straighteners and hair tools
It's always a good hair day with ghd. [Continue Reading]
'We're at war' - Ecuador deploys 75,000 soldiers and police to combat drug gangs
Citizens of the most violent-wracked provinces have been warned the government is "at war" with the gangs. [Continue Reading]
Kerry subsidiaries in legal action over flavourings ban
Two subsidiaries of Kerry Group are taking a legal action against the European Commission over its decision in 2024 to introduce a phased ban of several smoke flavourings on grounds of public health. [Continue Reading]
Weather tracker: heavy snowfall and freezing rain sweep across US and Canada
Parts of US face another winter storm with severe conditions also pushing into Ontario, Quebec, and NewfoundlandNearly two months since a major storm brought widespread heavy snow and freezing rain to eastern parts of the US, a new winter storm is sweeping across north-eastern US states and south-eastern Canada.An area of low pressure, which first developed in north-western parts of the US late last week, intensified rapidly as it pushed north-east through central parts of the US. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
Hong Kong businessman expected to take loss on Peak properties he bought for US$255m
Luxury residential property on Hong Kong’s Peak Road owned by businessman Chan King-wai has been put up for sale by public tender, several years after he acquired it from companies linked to CK group. Marketing agent JLL said on Monday that the adjoining sites at 86, 88 and 90 Peak Road are being offered for joint sale by tender. The residential lots have a combined area of about 28,620 sq ft. The site could attract bids of about HK$70,000 (US$8,939) to HK$100,000 per square foot, said Joseph... [Continue Reading]
Katie Price backtracks claim husband Lee Andrews has Cambridge PhD
'He hasn’t got a PhD in Cambridge at all.' [Continue Reading]
UK will not be drawn into wider war in Middle East, says Keir Starmer
PM says he wants quick end to conflict as he announces help for households with surging cost of heating oil UK politics live – latest updatesThe UK will not be drawn into the wider war in the Middle East, Keir Starmer has said, as he announced that households reliant on heating oil to warm their homes would receive £53m of government support to help with their bills.After costs surged following the outbreak of the Iran conflict, lower-income households will get targeted support, while heating oil suppliers engaged in price gouging would face legal action and future market regulation, he warned.... [Continue Reading]
Arrest of stateless teen in Malaysia highlights plight of Sabah’s 1 million non-citizens
The arrest of a 17-year-old stateless teenager during a school outing to buy Eid clothes at a Sabah mall for allegedly failing to show valid residence papers, has returned scrutiny to Malaysia’s treatment of undocumented people. Niko Ansboy, a student at Borneo Komrad, an alternative school for stateless children, was waiting outside a store during a school trip to the 1Borneo Hypermall when police detained him on Sunday. He was stopped by officers patrolling after the Kota Kinabalu District... [Continue Reading]
French national jailed for 10 years in Azerbaijan for spying
Martin Ryan was accused of collecting secret information about Baku's military co-operation with Turkey and Pakistan. [Continue Reading]
Emmerdale favourite back after year’s absence as star returns to filming
Fans have been waiting for her return. [Continue Reading]
Sorry Coronation Street and Emmerdale fans – ITV is pulling the soaps again
More bad news! [Continue Reading]
Despite growing opposition, closing the UK military bases in Cyprus would not be easy
Cypriots have long felt that , far from providing protection from the tribulations of their geographical neighbourhood , the existence of two British sovereign base areas on the island effectively placed a target on the back of Cyprus and therefore of Cypriots. [Continue Reading]
Destruction in Beirut as bombing and mass displacement continue
Neighbourhoods in Beirut’s southern suburbs have been left in ruins by Israeli bombing attacks. [Continue Reading]
McGovern admits directing crime gang over murder of man
One of the most senior figures in the Kinahan Organised Crime Group has pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to directing a criminal gang in relation to the murder of one man and the surveillance of another. [Continue Reading]
Papers please: China raises pressure on Panama amid canal row with ship inspection wave
Beijing has increased its inspections on Panama-flagged vessels entering Chinese ports, a source from the shipping industry said, an action intended to raise the Latin American country’s stress level after its courts voided the operating rights of Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison in the Panama Canal. Port state control (PSC) – the inspection regime countries may deploy to verify the compliance of foreign ships with various international standards – was being used as a form of leverage... [Continue Reading]
Nursery worker jailed for 24 years for raping and abusing children in his care
The judge called him an 'incorrigible and dangerous paedophile'. [Continue Reading]
Trump’s Threat to Delay Summit With Xi Casts New Shadow Over China Relations
President Trump warned that he could postpone a meeting set to begin in just over two weeks if China refuses to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. [Continue Reading]
‘He’s definitely no Walter White’: former US academic charged with dealing meth
Alan Jay White, nicknamed ‘the professor’, arrested after raid of Indiana home found 78 grams of suspected methIn a case that calls to mind the plot of the fictional crime show Breaking Bad, a former US educator with the last name White is faced with charges of illicitly dealing methamphetamine.A 12 March statement from police in the town of Clarksville, Indiana, said officers searched the home of Alan Jay White five days earlier, finding 78 grams of suspected meth and counterfeit cash. They contended that the amount was too big for personal use, booking him with illegally peddling meth, counterfeiting... [Continue Reading]
Paris looks at five-way race for new mayor
In Paris, the much anticipated results from the first round of the municipal election are in, with Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire in the lead. Reflecting the importance of the election, voter turnout in the capital exceeded the national average, reaching 58.8%. [Continue Reading]
