Category: World

Passengers stuck on Eurostar trains overnight as delays continue2 hours agoShareSaveGeorge WrightandJacob Phillips & Nicky Schiller,London St Pancras InternationalShareSaveKelly North and Bethany Massey-Chase tell the BBC how they've had to re-book their Eurostar service to ParisEurostar passengers are braced for a second day of possible disruption, after a power outage in the Channel Tunnel caused travel chaos for thousands of people on Tuesday.
Some travellers spent hours stuck onboard trains overnight as they waited for them to move.
One man told the BBC he had boarded the 19:01 service to Paris, but as of 02:30 GMT he was still stuck on the train at the entrance to the tunnel.
He said staff told him there was a “50% chance we go to Paris, 50% chance we go back to London”.
On Tuesday, a problem with the overhead power supply and a broken down LeShuttle train blocked all routes, causing disruption for thousands trying to get away for New Year's Eve.
Some Eurostar and LeShut..

Protests spread across Iran for third day after currency hits record low12 hours agoShareSaveParham GhobadiShareSaveEPAProtests and strikes in Iran over inflation and currency devaluation have spread from the capital, Tehran, to several other cities on a third day of unrest.
The protests began on Sunday after shopkeepers in Tehran's Grand Bazaar staged a strike when the Iranian rial hit a record low against the US dollar on the open market.
Since then, videos verified by BBC Persian have shown demonstrations in the cities of Karaj, Hamedan, Qeshm, Malard, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Shiraz and Yazd. Police were also seen using tear gas in an attempt to disperse demonstrators.
The Iranian government said it “recognises the protests” and would listen “with patience, even if it is confronted with harsh voices”.
President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on X late on Monday that he had instructed the interior minister to hold talks with what he described as “representatives” of the protesters so that..

Bangladesh's first female prime minister Khaleda Zia dies aged 8014 minutes agoShareSaveKelly NgandMir Sabbir,Editor, BBC News BanglaShareSaveGetty ImagesAn earlier picture of Khaleda Zia from 2016Bangladesh's first female prime minister Khaleda Zia has died at the age of 80 after suffering from prolonged illness.
Zia became Bangladesh's first female head of government in 1991 after leading her party to victory in the country's first democratic election in 20 years.
Physicians had said on Monday said her condition was “extremely critical”. She was put on life support, but it was not possible to provide multiple treatments at the same time given her age and overall poor health, they said.
Despite her poor health, her party had earlier said that Zia would contest general elections expected in February, the first since a revolution which led to the ousting of Zia's rival, Sheikh Hasina.
Bangladeshi politics had for decades been defined by the bitter feud between ..

Ukraine denies drone attack on Putin's residence3 hours agoShareSaveAmy WalkerShareSaveEPAPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has denied allegations by Russia that Ukraine launched a drone attack on one of President Vladimir Putin's residences, and accused Moscow of trying to derail peace talks.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed Kyiv had launched an attack overnight using 91 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on Putin's state residence in Russia's northwestern Novgorod region.
Russia said it would now review its position in peace negotiations. It is not yet clear where Putin was at the time of the alleged attack.
Zelensky dismissed the claim as “typical Russian lies”, intended to give the Kremlin an excuse to continue attacks on Ukraine.
He said that Russia had previously targeted government buildings in Kyiv.
Zelensky added on X: “It is critical that the world doesn't stay silent now. We cannot allow Russia to undermine the work on achiev..

China holds military drills around Taiwan as warning to 'separatist forces'24 minutes agoShareSaveKoh EweShareSaveReutersSince 2022 Beijing has ramped up military drills in the Taiwan StraitChina is holding military drills around Taiwan simulating the seizure and blockade of the island's key areas, as a warning against “separatist forces”.
The army, navy, air force and rocket force have been dispatched for the drills which include live-fire exercises, the Chinese military said.
Codenamed “Justice Mission 2025”, the drills are taking place days after the US announced the sale of one of its largest weapons packages to Taiwan worth $11bn (£8.2bn). That move drew sharp protest from Beijing which in turn sanctioned US defence firms.
Taiwan's push to ramp up its defence this year has also angered Beijing, which claims the self-ruled island as its territory.
Taiwan's presidential office has criticised the upcoming Chinese drills, calling them a challenge to internati..

John Simpson: 'I've reported on 40 wars but I've never seen a year like 2025'2 hours agoShareSaveJohn SimpsonBBC world affairs editor ShareSaveBBCSensitive content: This article contains a graphic description of death that some readers may find upsetting
I've reported on more than 40 wars around the world during my career, which goes back to the 1960s. I watched the Cold War reach its height, then simply evaporate. But I've never seen a year quite as worrying as 2025 has been – not just because several major conflicts are raging but because it is becoming clear that one of them has geopolitical implications of unparalleled importance.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that the current conflict in his country could escalate into a world war. After nearly 60 years of observing conflict, I've got a nasty feeling he's right.
AFP via Getty ImagesUkraine's President has warned that the current conflict in Ukraine could escalat..