A series of smiling Instagram photos of diplomats wearing purple and enjoying cupcakes has caused a spat between Iran and Australia, with the Australian ambassador summoned to explain the “disrespectful” behavior. The Australian Embassy in Tehran posted photos on Monday to mark Wear It Purple Day, an annual celebration of…
The banging on the door started just after sunrise, when law student Iftekhar Alam was still sleeping in his fifth-floor apartment. Around half a dozen armed police officers pushed inside, shouting obscenities and telling him he had wronged the nation of Bangladesh. “Where is your phone? Where is your laptop?”…
Delegations from dozens of African countries are gathering in Beijing for a three-day summit set to see China showcase itself as a lead partner for the continent, despite slowing lending for its development – and as it faces rising frictions with the West. A procession of African leaders have arrived in…
The blaze that killed 72 people in Grenfell Tower in London was caused by “decades of failure” by the UK government and the construction industry that allowed the 24-storey building to be wrapped in flammable cladding, a seven-year public inquiry has found. The fire began in the early hours of…
The blaze that killed 72 people in Grenfell Tower in London was caused by “decades of failure” by the UK government and the construction industry that allowed the 24-storey building to be wrapped in flammable cladding, a seven-year public inquiry has found. The fire began in the early hours of…
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tendered his resignation ahead of an expected major cabinet reshuffle as a fresh wave of Russian missiles overnight killed at least seven people, including a child. Kuleba is the latest high-profile member of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s cabinet to resign as Russia’s invasion grinds on, and…
Talented dogs can remember the names of their toys for at least two years, scientists have found. Previous research has shown these rare pooches, known as gifted word learners (GWL), have a unique ability to learn the names of hundreds of different objects. However, a new study, published in the journal…
A review of 63 studies has found no link between mobile phone use and an increased risk of brain cancer. Commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO), it found no rise in cases despite a huge increase in wireless technology over the last 20 years. The review was headed by…
Brazil’s Supreme Court has unanimously upheld a decision to block Elon Musk’s social media platform X. The move undermines the billionaire businessman’s claims the original judge who banned the platform “violated the constitution of Brazil repeatedly and egregiously, after swearing an oath to protect it”. The tech tycoon posted a…
Strange noises that were heard coming from the Boeing Starliner currently docked on the International Space Station (ISS) are not serious, says NASA. Astronaut Butch Wilmore, who has been stuck on the ISS with his colleague Suni since early July because of Starliner’s problems, told mission control he could hear…