More than 140 travellers and crew members who were onboard a flight hit by severe turbulence landed in Singapore on a relief flight earlier this morning. Passengers onboard SQ321 which was heading from London to Singapore, recounted scenes of “absolute terror”, with one passenger saying he saw a woman with an “awful gash on her […]

Thousands of Iranians have gathered on the streets of Tabriz to mourn President Ebrahim Raisi after he was killed in a helicopter crash. Mourners followed a funeral procession through the city in north-west Iran while waving Iranian flags and portraits of the late president. Raisi and seven others were killed when a helicopter they were […]

Conspiracy theories have sprung to life Iran declares five days of mourning  Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber named successor Iranian State media yesterday confirmed the death of the country’s President, Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in a mountainous area of north-western Iran, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. They were killed after the helicopter they were […]

A helicopter carrying the Iranian president has been involved in an accident, state media is reporting. State media says President Ebrahim Raisi was on board a helicopter that experienced a hard landing on Sunday.  It was also said to be carrying Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian. The Interior Minister said rescuers were still trying to […]

The Democratic Republic of Congo army says it has quashed an attempted coup against President Felix Tshikedi in the capital Kinshasa, involving Congolese and foreign fighters. DR Congo army spokesperson Brig Gen Sylavin Ekenge said on the state-run broadcaster RTNC TV that several suspects have been detained and the “situation is now under control”. His […]

A British diplomat has been given a week to leave Russia in an escalation of a diplomatic spat over spying. The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement the removal of Capt Adrian Coghill was in response to “unfriendly anti-Russian actions” from Britain. On 8 May the Russian defence attache was expelled from London for […]

Tensions – and voices – rose on Thursday as Donald Trump’s lawyer hit back against prosecutors, accusing their star witness repeatedly of lying. On the most tense day yet of cross-examination, Michael Cohen, Mr Trump’s former fixer, described talking to the former president directly about a hush-money payment to an adult-film star. But attorney Todd […]

One of Europe’s most notorious people-smugglers has been arrested in Iraq following a BBC investigation. Barzan Majeed was arrested in Iraqi Kurdistan on Sunday morning, a senior government official said. For several years, he and his gang were heavily involved in the people-smuggling trade –

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to replace his long-standing ally Sergei Shoigu as defence minister, the Kremlin has announced. The 68-year-old has been in the role since 2012 and is to be appointed the head of Russia’s Security Council. Papers published by the upper chamber of the Russian parliament said  Shoigu will be replaced […]

Israel’s government has moved to shut down the operations of the Al Jazeera television network in the country, branding it a mouthpiece for Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the cabinet agreed to the closure while the war in Gaza is ongoing. Police raided the Qatari broadcaster’s office at the Ambassador hotel in Jerusalem on […]

Looted artefacts from the Asante kingdom are finally on display in Ghana, 150 years after British colonisers took them. Ghanaians flocked to the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi, the capital of Asante region, to welcome the 32 items home. “This is a day for Asante. A day for the Black African continent. The spirit we […]