World

Syria’s president has said his country will “defend its stability and territorial integrity” after rebels reportedly took control of most of the country’s second-largest city Aleppo. In his first public comments since the start of the offensive, Bashar al Assad said the regime would defeat the “terrorists and their supporters”. In comments released by the

It had appeared to be a conflict frozen in time, but the operation launched with blistering speed by Syrian opposition fighters has turned all of that upside down. It is also a potent reminder of the complexity of the Syrian conflict. What was a stalemate has revealed that the regime of President Bashar al Assad

Syrian rebels reportedly control around half of Aleppo following their surprise offensive which left regime forces reeling. Thousands of opposition fighters in armoured vehicles have been deployed to landmarks including the old citadel, said residents. It comes a day after the rebels entered the country’s second-largest city where they reportedly faced little resistance from government

Syrian rebels have breached Aleppo for the first time since the country’s government recaptured the city in 2016, according to war monitors and fighters. Insurgents led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have been advancing towards Aleppo – seizing towns and villages along the way – since launching a shock offensive on Wednesday.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested a ceasefire deal could be struck if Ukrainian territory he controls could be taken “under the NATO umbrella” – allowing him to negotiate the return of the rest later “in a diplomatic way”. In an interview with Sky News’s chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay, the Ukrainian president was asked to respond to

There’s a veneer of normality to life in Ukraine’s major cities if you ignore the air raid sirens, the booming sounds of anti-aircraft fire, the threatening buzz of drones passing overhead, and the darkened streets of neighbourhoods taking their turn as part of rolling power cuts affecting all of Ukraine. As I say, if you

Israel’s military has said it has fired on “suspects” in southern Lebanon who were allegedly violating its ceasefire with Hezbollah. Israeli tank fire hit six areas within two kilometres of a strip of land demarcating the border between Lebanon and Israel, according to state media and Lebanese security sources. It comes after Israel and the

Hezbollah has vowed to continue its resistance to Israel after the ceasefire came into effect. Brokered by the US and France, the halt to fighting in Lebanon will see both Israeli and Hezbollah forces retreat. Its announcement was met by cheers on the streets of Lebanon, where people quickly began taking to the roads, streaming

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has begun. Commencing at 2am UK time (4am local time) on Wednesday, the deal marks a notable step forward in diplomatic efforts in the region. Previously such talks had floundered and failed to produce results – until this week. Read more:Analysis: Dark clouds hang over Middle EastExplained: Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been agreed, to celebrations in Lebanon but scepticism in Israel. Lebanese people are finally looking forward to some calm after months of heavy bombardment in the capital Beirut and across the country. An estimated 1.2 million people have been displaced and many towns and villages heavily damaged. Middle

Conor McGregor has spoken out after losing a civil rape case as a feminist march was held in Dublin. The MMA fighter was accused of raping Nikita Hand, who was awarded €248,603 (£206,000) in damages on Friday after a jury at Dublin’s High Court found McGregor assaulted her in a Dublin hotel in 2018. Image:

More than a dozen people are missing after a tourist boat sank in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt, officials have said. The boat, Sea Story, was carrying 45 people, including 31 tourists of varying nationalities and 14 crew. Authorities are searching for 17 people who are still missing, the governor of the

Two Britons are believed to be among more than a dozen people missing after a boat sank in the Red Sea off the Egyptian coast. The yacht, called Sea Story, had 44 people on board, including 31 tourists of varying nationalities and 13 crew. Authorities are searching for 16 people, including 12 foreign nationals and

Russian forces have reportedly captured a British man while he was fighting for Ukraine. In a widely circulated video posted on Sunday, the man says his name is James Scott Rhys Anderson, aged 22. He says he is a former British Army soldier who signed up to fight for Ukraine’s International Legion after his job.

The body of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been found, Israel has said. Zvi Kogan, the Chabad representative in the UAE, went missing on Thursday. A statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s office on Sunday said the 28-year-old rabbi was murdered, calling it a “heinous antisemitic terror

The COP29 climate talks have reached a last ditch deal on cash for developing countries, pulling the summit back from the brink of collapse after a group of countries stormed out of a negotiating room earlier. The slew of deals finally signed off in the small hours of Sunday morning in Azerbaijan includes one that

Representatives of dozens of climate vulnerable islands and African nations have stormed out of high-stakes negotiations over a climate funding goal. The more than 200 countries gathered in Baku, Azerbaijan, are trying to agree a new financial settlement to channel money to developing countries to both curb and adapt to climate change. The least developed

A woman who accused Conor McGregor of raping her has said “justice has been served” after she won her civil case against the Irish mixed martial arts fighter. Nikita Hand has been awarded €248,603 (£206,000) in damages after a jury at Dublin’s High Court found McGregor assaulted her in a Dublin hotel in 2018. McGregor,

A second Australian teenager has died after being poisoned with methanol in Laos, bringing the number of people killed to six. Holly Bowles, 19, has died, according to the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong, who said: “All Australians will be heartbroken by the tragic passing of Holly Bowles. “I offer my deepest

Arrest warrants have been issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence secretary Yoav Gallant by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The warrants are for alleged war crimes. Another warrant was issued for the arrest of Hamas leader Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al Masri. This breaking news story is being updated and more details