Gavin Blackburn

Iran

Trump says Iran war won’t end until enemy 'decisively defeated'

The 79-year-old repeated his boasts about the destruction of the Iranian navy, air force and missile programme.

9 March 2026

USA

Explosions rock Tehran as US warns 'biggest bombing' is coming

There is no foreseeable end to the fighting and the Trump administration approved a new $151 million arms sale to Israel after Trump said he would not negotiate with Iran without its "unconditional surrender."

7 March 2026

Iran

Gulf attacks continue as Iran says Trump 'killed' de‑escalation chance

Trump vowed Iran would be hit “very hard” as he hailed the US campaign. Tehran warned it is ready for escalation, while Israel claimed near total control of Iranian skies.

7 March 2026

Iran

Russia allegedly gave Iran intel to help it strike US military

Russia is one of a small number countries that maintains friendly relations with Tehran, which has faced years of isolation over its nuclear programme and its support of proxy groups across the Middle East.

7 March 2026

Iran

Iranian regime 'are toast,' US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says

Explosions sounded in Tehran on Wednesday with the war now in its fifth day as Iran continues to cause anger in Gulf states with repeated strikes targeting US military assets.

4 March 2026

USA

Everything has been knocked out in Iran, Trump tells reporters

Trump has faced criticism for conflicting messages about his justifications and aims after launching the region's biggest conflict in more than two decades.

3 March 2026

Iran

US 'stupid' to attack Iran during nuclear talks, UN ambassador says

Air strikes continued across the region on Tuesday as Iran showed no signs of backing down after the US and Israel launched an attack at the weekend that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

3 March 2026

Cyprus

UK says it is not at war after Iranian drone strikes Cyprus RAF base

Akrotiri is the UK's main air base for operations in the Middle East and in recent years has been used for missions against the so-called IS group in Syria and Iraq and to strike Houthi targets in Yemen.

2 March 2026

Iran

Trump said he believes reports of Khamenei death are 'correct'

Follow our live coverage of the escalating conflict across the Middle East, which began on Saturday morning with joint US-Israeli air strikes on Iran.

28 February 2026

Cuba

Mexico sends aid ships to Cuba as US blockade sparks energy crisis

The ships arrived two weeks after US President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on any country selling or providing oil to Cuba, prompting the island to ration energy.

12 February 2026

USA

Minnesota immigration enforcement operation ending, border czar says

While the Trump administration called those arrested in Minnesota "dangerous criminal illegal aliens," many people with no criminal records, including children and US citizens, were detained.

12 February 2026

Switzerland

Switzerland to vote on proposal to cap population at 10 million

Switzerland will vote on capping its population at 10 million by 2050, a right-wing Swiss People's Party plan that pits immigration limits against labour needs.

12 February 2026

Israel

Israel charges two with using military secrets to profit from bets

The Attorney General's Office decided to prosecute the two individuals following a joint investigation by police, military intelligence and other security agencies.

12 February 2026

Norway

Norway police search ex-PM Jagland's properties in Epstein links probe

Ex-PM Thorbjørn Jagland’s properties were searched as his immunity was lifted over links to the late disgraced financier, amid wider Norwegian fallout over Epstein.

12 February 2026

North Korea

Kim Jong-un's daughter close to being named North Korea's next leader

North Korean state media have never published the name of Kim Jong-un's daughter, only referring to her as his "respected" or "most beloved" child.

12 February 2026

Culture news

'Dawson's Creek' star James Van Der Beek dies aged 48, family says

Van Der Beek made a string of film and TV appearances after the hit teen drama "Dawson's Creek" came to an end in 2003.

11 February 2026

USA

Trump 'insisted' to Netanyahu that US nuclear talks with Iran continue

Netanyahu's office said prior to the meeting that he wanted the US-Iran talks to include limits on Tehran's ballistic missile programme and support for militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

11 February 2026

Ukraine

Ukraine will only hold elections after ceasefire, Zelenskyy says

Under Ukraine’s constitution, holding national elections while the country is under martial law is illegal. That was declared on 24 February 2022, the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

11 February 2026

France

French court to rule on 7 July in Marine Le Pen graft appeal trial

In March 2025, a Paris court ruled that Le Pen was at the heart of "a fraudulent system" that her party used to siphon off European Parliament funds worth €2.9 million.

11 February 2026

Denmark

Russia's 'shadow fleet' reported in Danish waters almost daily in 2025

Sailing from the Gulf of Finland and through the Baltic Sea, the ageing and poorly-maintained tankers mainly transport crude oil as well as refined products such as gasoline and diesel.

11 February 2026