Human rights advocate Princess Basmah and her daughter were imprisoned without charge in 2019Saudi authorities have released a princess and her daughter who had been detained without charge for nearly three years.Princess Basmah bint Saud bin Abdulaziz…
At least 200 villagers killed by bandits in north-west Nigeria
Attacks by militants in Zamfara state are believed to be in response to military air strikes on hideoutsAt least 200 people are believed to have been killed in villages in the north-western Nigerian state of Zamfara during deadly reprisal attacks by ar…
Fire breaks out in South African parliament in Cape Town
Firefighters were battling to contain a blaze that broke out in the historic buildingA major fire broke out in the South African parliament building in Cape Town early on Sunday.Firefighters were present at the building as large flames and a huge colum…
WHO says no deaths reported from Omicron yet as Covid variant spreads
US and Australia become latest countries to confirm locally transmitted casesAct now against Omicron to stop new Covid wave, UK warnedGermany’s Covid wave could reach ‘sad peak’ at ChristmasCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageTh…
Exploding drone assassination attempt on Iraqi PM fails
Mustafa al-Kadhimi was unhurt when drone targeted his residence inside the fortified Green Zone, says governmentAn exploding drone aimed at the Iraqi prime minister’s house has failed to kill him, the government has said. Mustafa al-Kadhimi was reporte…
China regime says Taiwan independence backers will be blacklisted
Island’s foreign minister and premier among people to be stopped from entering mainland and Hong KongChina has said it will hold those who support “Taiwan independence” criminally liable for life, provoking anger and ridicule from the island at a time …
Iran says more than 120kg of uranium enriched to 20%
Announcement comes amid signs Tehran may be open to resuming stalled talks on 2015 nuclear dealIran has amassed more than 120kg of 20% enriched uranium, well above the level agreed to in the 2015 deal with world powers, the head of the country’s atomic…
Xi Jinping vows Taiwan’s ‘reunification’ with China will be fulfilled
Chinese president says island’s ‘independence separatism’ is a ‘danger to national rejuvenation’ following a week of tensionChina’s president, Xi Jinping, has vowed to realise “reunification” with Taiwan, without mentioning the use of force, after a we…
BepiColombo spacecraft sends its first images of Mercury during flyby
European-Japanese probe swoops in to almost 200km above Sun’s nearest planet, photographing its pock-marked featuresThe European-Japanese BepiColombo spacecraft has sent back its first images of Mercury, as it swung by the solar system’s innermost plan…
Bleak Christmas: turkeys, trees and toys under threat from labour shortage, suppliers say
Government steps to remedy lack of food processors and drivers are ‘thimble of water on a bonfire’, industry experts sayThe UK could face a “national shortage” of turkeys in the lead-up to Christmas brought on by a lack of labour following Brexit, the …