5 h. ago 'I’ve visited nearly every country – 11 underrated destinations blew me away'

On track to create a World Record for the fastest person to visit every country on Earth, Michael Zervos has travelled to over 165 of the 195 countries that exist on Earth — and he’s curated a list of the best ones.

Politics

6 h. ago ‘World’s most beautiful island’ is a hidden gem for fine dining and it’s cheapest in May

This Caribbean island was recently named the world's most beautiful island – and we found it also had some of the best food and drink we've ever tasted

Politics

6 h. ago ‘I visited “world’s most beautiful island” and May is the cheapest time to travel here'

We discovered fine dining and learned new skills on a trip to a luxury resort on this idyllic Caribbean island, recently listed as the 'world's most beautiful'

Politics

20 h. ago Watch: JD Vance holds press conference during India trip to discuss trade deal

Watch again as US vice president JD Vance held a press conference during his trip to India on Tuesday (22 April) as New Delhi looked to avoid tariffs and negotiate a bilateral trade deal with Washington.

Economics

21 h. ago Who are the Swiss Guards watching over Pope Francis’s lying in state?

They date back to the 16th century when mercenaries first served Pope Julius II and form the world’s smallest armyWith their feathered helmets, ruffled collars and coloured, puffed-sleeve uniforms, the Vatican Swiss Guards are often likened by curious visitors to medieval court jesters.But appearances can be deceiving. The world’s smallest army, whose primary role is to protect the pope, has been rigorously trained and with no living pontiff to protect right now will join the huge security operation involving specialist Italian police units and the military given the task of keeping watch over Vatican City and Rome during the funeral of Pope Francis and the subsequent conclave. Continue reading...

Politics

23 h. ago Tiny UK island dubbed 'Britain's secret paradise' with Caribbean

A stunningly beautiful island off the coast of Cornwall has been described as 'Britain's secret paradise'.

Politics

26 h. ago Pakistan and India exchange fire as UN calls for ‘maximum restraint’

Countries trade blows across line of control in disputed Kashmir as tensions rise after deadly shootingTroops from Pakistan and India exchanged fire overnight across the line of control in disputed Kashmir, officials have said, after the UN urged the nuclear-armed rivals to show “maximum restraint” after a deadly shooting in the region.Relations have plunged to their lowest level in years, with India accusing Pakistan of supporting “cross-border terrorism” after gunmen carried out the worst attack on civilians in contested Muslim-majority Kashmir for a quarter of a century. Continue reading...

Events

28 h. ago Kashmir attack: Indian army chief to visit Srinagar as UN urges ‘maximum restraint’

UN calls for tensions between India and Pakistan to be resolved peacefully as relations plunge to lowest level in years following deadly shootingIndia’s army chief was set to lead a high-level security review in Srinagar on Friday, days after militants opened fire on tourists in Indian-held Kashmir, killing 26 civilians in one of the worst such attacks in years.The brazen assault, carried out in a mountain meadow near Pahalgam, has derailed prime minister Narendra Modi’s claims of restored calm in the restive Himalayan territory and sent tensions soaring between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan. Continue reading...

Events

29 h. ago Lifesize herd of puppet animals begins climate action journey from Africa to Arctic Circle

The Herds project from the team behind Little Amal will travel 20,000km taking its message on environmental crisis across the worldHundreds of life-size animal puppets have begun a 20,000km (12,400 mile) journey from central Africa to the Arctic Circle as part of an ambitious project created by the team behind Little Amal, the giant puppet of a Syrian girl that travelled across the world.The public art initiative called The Herds, which has already visited Kinshasa and Lagos, will travel to 20 cities over four months to raise awareness of the climate crisis. Continue reading...

Politics

64 h. ago Thousands from around world wait hours to visit coffin of Pope Francis

Pope’s simple open casket lies on main altar of St Peter’s Basilica as mourners say: ‘It’s a privilege to be here’ Thousands of people queued for hours under the hot spring sun in St Peter’s Square on Wednesday to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, whose simple wooden coffin has been placed on the main altar of the 16th-century basilica, where he will lie in state until Friday evening.The pope, the head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, died at his home in Casa Santa Marta on Monday aged 88 after a stroke and subsequent heart failure. He had been recovering from double pneumonia, which had kept him in hospital for five weeks. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Joe Lycett’s United States of Birmingham review – what a brilliantly daft road trip, bab!

The comic’s love for his home town leads him on this charming and wacky odyssey to find ‘his people’ across the pond. Brummies of the world unite!Joe Lycett is on a mission to visit every one of the 17 Birminghams in the US and the one in Canada too. Why? Because he is a native of the UK’s own Birmingham, and he wants to see if there is any shared identifiable vibe and to foster a sense of togetherness among the scattered Brummies. Also, as he says, he has a pressing need to make a travelogue for Sky “and if anyone can do it, it’s Frank Sk– it’s me”. There is also a Birmingham on the moon (a remnant of an impact crater – save your jokes, please, that’s Joe’s department) and one in Belgium. But “we don’t have a lunar budget and I’m not going to Belgium,” says Lycett, so off he sets round the US in a tour bus suitably decked out in Cat Deeley and Alison Hammond scatter cushions. They both hail from Birmingham in the UK. This is not difficult, people. Do try to keep up.Joe has a sheaf ...

Politics

3 d. ago 'I've visited almost every country on Earth, there are 11 you really need to see'

Michael is on target to become the fastest man to visit every country and set a new World Record

Politics

4 d. ago Watch live: JD Vance holds press conference during India trip to discuss trade deal

Watch live as US vice president JD Vance holds a press conference during his trip to India on Tuesday (22 April) as New Delhi looks to avoid tariffs and negotiate a bilateral trade deal with Washington.

Economics

4 d. ago Government accused of ‘sabotaging’ tourism with ‘barriers to travel’

A report by the World Travel and Tourism Council found people visiting the UK spent £40.3 billion in 2024.

Politics

4 d. ago One of the world’s most closed countries has just made it easier to visit

Visa support letters will no longer be needed

Politics

5 d. ago Pope visited by JD Vance hours before his death as Trump's side

JD Vance had a meeting with the Pope just hours before he died, and now everyone thinks he had the same impact on him that Liz Truss had on the-late Queen Elizabeth II

Politics

5 d. ago I visited every country in the world without flying. Here are eight things I learned

Spending nearly a decade on the move gave me a deeper understanding of the importance of conversation, people’s boundless generosity – and my limitationsI have often felt as if I was born 100 years too late. There was a time when satellites weren’t whizzing above us and everything had yet to be discovered or filmed. Growing up, it seemed as if all the great adventures had happened before I was born. But in 2013 I discovered that – although it had been attempted – no one had made an unbroken journey through every country without flying. I had a shot at becoming the first to do it.I was fascinated that such an adventure was still out there, untouched. However, I was in my 30s, I had just met a wonderful woman, my peers were having their first children (and in some cases their second) and I had a 12-year career in shipping and logistics. But I couldn’t let the idea go. So, at 34, I set off – and didn’t return home until almost a decade later. These are the lessons I learned along the w...

Politics

6 d. ago Mum visits Spanish tourist hotspot where son 'was murdered' in bid to get justice

Sandra and her husband Robert travelled to Mojacar from their home in Chester-le-Street, Co Durham. She says one of her son's former neighbours told her: 'They’re clearly trying to cover something up’

Society

6 d. ago I visited American town being hit by world's most infectious disease... the terrifying reality in ground zero

Seminole, West Texas, is at the center of what is threatening to become America's largest measles outbreak in a quarter-of-a-century. There's little sign the disease is slowing down.

Events

6 d. ago Vatican reveals ‘exchange of opinions’ that took place during Vance meeting

Vice President JD Vance met with the Vatican’s No. 2 official, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, amid tensions over the U.S. crackdown on migrants

Politics