49 h. ago A Gaza ceasefire deal could be Trump’s biggest diplomatic achievement – but the devil is in the detail

The plan attempts to thread the needle between creating the conditions for a ceasefire and negotiating a lasting end to the war but hard questions remainFor Donald Trump, a peace deal – or even a durable ceasefire between Israel and Hamas – could be the biggest diplomatic achievement of his presidency.The details and sequencing of a deal to end Israel’s war in Gaza remain murky, but the statement of purpose by both Israel and Hamas is meaningful. In agreeing to a deal with political backing from Arab states and other regional powers, this is the best chance for an end to the war since a ceasefire broke down in March returning Gaza to a grinding war that has left nearly 68,000 dead, most of them civilians. Continue reading...

Politics

66 h. ago ‘War is a business’: the Colombian mercenaries training Sudan’s child fighters to ‘go and get killed’

A soldier of fortune tells of lucrative contracts, the siege of El Fasher and training child fighters to ‘go and get killed’For Colombian mercenaries hardened by decades of jungle warfare, Sudan’s conflict seemed slow at first.“In Sudan, they spend the night sleeping – they don’t even have security because everyone goes to bed,” said Carlos, one of hundreds of Colombians hired to fight in the African country. “Colombians are different – we are used to a different kind of war.” Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago This war of revenge has lasted two nightmare years. There’s only one hope for peace: Israel recognising Palestine | Raja Shehadeh

Donald Trump’s proposals are in play, but here in the West Bank we live in fear that the devastation of Gaza is coming our wayBeing an eternal optimist, I hoped that the events of 7 October 2023 – Hamas’s attack on southern Israel and breaking of the Israeli siege of Gaza – might precipitate a reappraisal of Israeli strategy towards the Palestinians. I hoped Israeli leaders would come to realise the futility of protecting their country by building walls, however impregnable.Instead, the attack did the opposite. It led to a war of revenge that has now lasted for close to two years, killing more than 65,000 Palestinians and causing the widespread devastation of Gaza, including destroying 92% of its residential buildings. Initially, I was shocked by this, and the dehumanisation of the people of Gaza which immediately came from Israeli leaders – Yoav Gallant, who was defence minister at the time of the attack, justified the war by declaring: “We are fighting human animals and are acting...

Politics

4 d. ago Hamas does not know its purpose when it is not fighting a war

Donald Trump may be frantically calling for an agreement between Israel and Hamas, but the latter has always created chaos and ridden its violent waves - and has little incentive to pursue peace, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley

Events

1 week ago Keir Starmer wages war on Reform's toxic politics and vows to 'fight with every breath'

In his speech to Labour conference, the Prime Minister hailed a country that has the 'grit of the Lionesses, the swagger of Oasis, the strength of the Red Roses'

Events

1 week ago Russia’s provocations are menacing Nato. The cold war shows how it needs to respond | Sergey Radchenko

Despite the cost of shooting down fighter jets and drones, small skirmishes remind both sides of the dangers of escalationEarlier this month, a swarm of Russian drones violated Poland’s borders. Some were shot down. A few days later, another Russian drone overflew Romania en route to Ukraine. The Romanian air defence let it get away. Then, on 19 September, three Russian MiG-31 fighters intruded into Estonia’s airspace. Italian F-35s – in the area on a Nato mission – intercepted the Russians and saw them off.Although this is hardly the first time Russia has violated Nato’s airspace, the extent and the brazen nature of these latest provocations make them stand out. Incursions will end only when the intruders are shot down. Fortunately, shooting down an occasional Russian fighter jet, never mind drones, is very unlikely to lead to a broader escalation. It may even help cool down tensions by reinforcing the red lines.Sergey Radchenko is Wilson E Schmidt distinguished professor at the He...

Events

1 week ago ‘Don’t trust Trump’: how UK health experts are fighting back against a war on medicine

Ministers and medical groups have acted quickly to limit fallout after US president made unproven link between paracetamol and autismWes Streeting, the UK health secretary, was in a government car heading back into central London from a flag-raising to mark the UK’s recognition of Palestine when he saw the news. “He was aghast,” an aide said. Streeting was reading on his phone that Donald Trump had just warned women not to take Tylenol – known outside the US as paracetamol – during pregnancy.The US president had alleged without evidence that the common painkiller caused autism in children. “Don’t take Tylenol,” Trump said about a drug also known as acetaminophen. Continue reading...

Science

2 w. ago One of Haiti's leaders says his country is at war with gangs and asks the world for help

One of Haiti’s leaders is asking for the world to help his troubled Caribbean country fight what he has characterized as a war against relentless gang violence and widespread hunger

Events

2 w. ago Trump and Musk set aside feud in unexpected reunion at Charlie Kirk memorial

After months of in-fighting and a bitter war of words, President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk set aside their differences to remember Charlie Kirk

Politics

2 w. ago Russian fighter jet incursions in Estonia and drones in Poland: How the war in Ukraine is already a European conflict

Romania became the latest Nato member to scramble fighter jets after a Russian drone entered its airspace

Events

3 w. ago Floods force 100,000 out of their homes – and the water in this African city is still rising

People fleeing the rising waters around Lake Tanganyika in Burundi are fighting for space and humanitarian care with refugees escaping civil war. Donald Trump’s slashing of international aid money has made a dangerous situation even more perilous. World affairs editor Sam Kiley investigates

Events

3 w. ago Putin drafts Playboy editor to fight in Ukraine war as he's sent to frontline

The former editor-in-chief of Playboy in Russia has been drafted by Putin to fight against Ukraine in the war and in return he'll have charges of embezzlement against him dropped

Politics

4 w. ago Russian hooligans who targeted England fans now fighting Vladimir Putin's Ukraine war

A number of the Russian hooligans who launched brutal and organised attacks on England fans at Euro 2016 are reportedly fighting in the conflict in Ukraine for Vladimir Putin

Events