Iran pauses controversial new dress code law
Iran’s National Security Council has paused the implementation of the controversial “hijab and chastity law”, which had been due to come into force on Friday. President Massoud Pezeshkian called the…
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Ukraine demands Fifa apology over Crimea map
A map shown during the draw for the 2026 Fifa World Cup has been criticised by Ukraine as an “unacceptable error” after it appeared to exclude Crimea as part of…
Israel seizing on Syria chaos to strike military assets
After launching hundreds of air strikes on Syrian military assets and seizing positions including the summit of a mountain with an uninterrupted sightline to the capital Damascus, Israel appears to…
Harry Potter TV show to start filming in summer
Production of the new HBO TV series of Harry Potter will begin in summer 2025 at a UK studio, it has been announced. The programme will be filmed at Warner…
Why did South Korea’s president declare martial law – and what now?
South Korea’s president shocked the country on Tuesday night when, out of the blue, he declared martial law in the Asian democracy for the first time in nearly 50 years.…
Norway suspends controversial deep-sea mining plan
Norway has paused its controversial project to open up its seabed for commercial-scale deep-sea mining. Oslo had planned to let companies apply to mine 280,000 sq km (108,000 sq miles)…
Police use water cannon as Georgia EU protests erupt for second night
Thousands of protesters returned to the streets of Tbilisi on Friday to protest against the government’s decision to suspend accession talks with the European Union. Demonstrators were seen shouting “traitors”…
Nordic neighbours release new advice on surviving war
On Monday, millions of Swedes will start receiving copies of a pamphlet advising the population how to prepare and cope in the event of war or another unexpected crisis. “In…
World’s largest coral found in the Pacific
The largest coral ever recorded has been found by scientists in the southwest Pacific Ocean. The mega coral – which is a collection of many connected, tiny creatures that together…
After their PM halts Ukraine aid, Slovaks dig deep to help
A crowdfunding campaign in Slovakia to buy artillery shells for Ukraine has exceeded its target of €1m (£850,000), less than 48 hours after it was launched. The campaign is a…