English

Alasdair Sandford

Jordan

Fate of ISIL hostages unclear after Jordan offer to swap prisoners

The fate of two hostages held by ISIL, a Japanese journalist and a Jordanian air force pilot, remains uncertain 24 hours after threats to kill them

Lebanon

Two Israeli soldiers killed in Hezbollah attack

Israel confirms the death of two of its troops near the Lebanon border as its forces come under fire from Hezbollah. A UN peacekeeper has also been killed.

Jordan

Jordan 'ready' to swap jihadist bomber for pilot held by ISIL

Jordan has said it is willing to hand over an Iraqi would-be suicide bomber – if a Jordanian pilot captured by the so-called Islamic State is freed

Israel

Israel and Hezbollah exchange fire near Lebanon border

Exchanges of fire have been reported between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters near the Lebanese border. Israeli media say an army vehicle was

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Russia

Ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko 'killed at third attempt'

Over eight years after Litvinenko's death in London from radioactive polonium poisoning, a public inquiry has opened into whether Russia ordered his murder.

Syria

Kurdish forces 'drive ISIL out of Kobani' in Syria

Kurdish forces took control of the Syrian town of Kobani after driving out Islamic State fighters, a monitoring group and Syrian state media said, although Washington said the four-month battle was no

USA

New York shuts down as 'life-threatening blizzard' slams into northeast US

A massive blizzard has barreled into the US northeast, affecting up to 20 percent of Americans by making workers and students housebound, halting thousands of flights and prompting New York to ban car

Economy

Greeks react with delight and trepidation to Syriza election win

The people of Greece are taking in Syriza’s momentous victory in the snap general election. Both Greek and European markets fell on Monday morning

Greece

Triumphant Tsipras of Syriza seeks cross-party support in Greece

Amid the celebrations, the hard work begins for Alexis Tsipras whose Syriza party has swept to power in an overwhelming election victory in Greece.

India

Obama first US president to attend India National Day parade

Barack Obama is the first US president to be guest of honour at India's annual Republic Day parade, a flamboyant display of the South Asian nation's military might and cultural diversity.

Thailand

Thailand: Army urges respect for Yingluck Shinawatra impeachment

There are fears of more political unrest after former former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is banned from office and prosecuted over a controversial rice subsidy scheme brought in during her time

Somalia

Somalia: Bomb in Mogadishu ahead of Erdogan visit

A car bomb has exploded outside a hotel in Mogadishu where a Turkish delegation had been preparing for the visit of President Erdogan to Somalia on

Ukraine

Donetsk violence shatters Ukraine ceasefire efforts

The Ukrainian army has lost control of Donetsk airport, while the city has been traumatised by the deaths of over a dozen civilians when a bus was hit in the fighting.

Ukraine

Ukraine and Russia blame each other for Donetsk bus shelling

The shelling of a bus in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on Thursday morning brings strong reactions from Kyiv and Moscow.

Greece

Young Greeks who have never had a job ponder Sunday's election

The youth vote in Greece could be crucial to the outcome of the elections on January 25, yet more than half of young people are jobless, many have never worked, and many have lived their whole adult l

Cuba

Landmark talks between US and Cuba underway in Havana

Half a century of hostilities have been put aside as US and Cuban officials sat down for talks.

World News

AirAsia alarms 'ringing' just before crash - investigator

Alarms on board the AirAsia flight QZ8501 that crashed into the Java Sea were “ringing out” as pilots desperately tried to control the plane –

France

Valls pledges extra police and spies in France anti-terror boost

France is to recruit thousands of extra police, spies and investigators to boost national security and intelligence, Prime Minister Manuel Valls announced on Wednesday, two weeks after 17 people were

Ukraine

Ukraine military accuses Russia of direct attack on its forces

In one of its strongest criticisms yet of Moscow, Kyiv has claimed that its military came under direct attack from Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.

France

'Ethnic apartheid' exists in France, says PM Manuel Valls

The French prime minister has said the country’s recent terrorist attacks have exposed a “geographic, social, ethnic apartheid” present in society

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