Eleven Afghan policemen have been sentenced to one year in prison for failing to protect a woman killed by a mob in the capital Kabul in March. The 28-year-old woman called Farkhunda was beaten to death after being accused of burning a copy of the Koran, although witnesses say she did not. Earlier this month […]
Islamic State militants are preparing to defend the Iraqi city of Ramadi, witnesses say, as Iranian-backed militiamen gather east of the city. Residents said IS fighters had set up defensive positions and laid landmines after capturing the city on Sunday. Militants were also going door-to-door looking for government sympathisers and throwing bodies in the Euphrates […]
Human rights groups fear law, which could cover businesses as well as NGOs, is being adopted early to quash opposition to Kremlin Russia’s parliament has passed a law banning “undesirable” international organisations, raising fears of a further crackdown on voices critical of the Kremlin. According to the legislation, the prosecutor general and foreign ministry can […]
Mutlu Kaya, 19, in critical condition after being shot in head following death threats for singing in TV competition Turkish police have detained three people in connection with the shooting of a young woman who had received death threats for competing in a television talent show. Mutlu Kaya, 19, is in a critical condition in […]
Guardia Costiera officers call for increased focus on saving migrants’ lives and more large-scale naval ships to be put under Italian command The Italian coastguards leading migrant rescue missions in the southern Mediterranean have voiced concern about the EU’s migration strategy, arguing that military operations will not stop migration to Europe and calling instead for […]
In testy exchange, Clinton urges State Department to ‘expedite’ release of her personal emails, and defends controversial donations to her family foundation Hillary Clinton has broken a month’s media silence with a brief, but testy, exchange of questions with reporters that saw her demand the swift release of her personal emails and defend money received […]
A police officer who knocked out part of a student’s front tooth with his riot shield during a demonstration against tuition fees faces jail after being convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Judge Jeffrey Pegden QC warned PC Andrew Ott, 36, that a custodial sentence “would be at the forefront of the court’s mind” […]
A Northern Ireland bakery has been found guilty in a landmark ruling of discrimination for refusing to bake a cake with a pro-gay marriage theme. Ashers Baking Company received worldwide support from evangelical and born-again Christians over its refusal to make the cake for a local gay rights activist in the region. What is Belfast’s […]
Historian Mark Griffiths says picture of unknown man on title page of botanical work is playwright, as editor hails ‘literary discovery of the century’ A small monochrome engraving of a handsome laurel-wreathed man on the title page of a 16th century book on plants is the only demonstrably authentic portrait of William Shakespeare made in […]
A survey of 6,000 schoolchildren has found widespread misconceptions about the number of immigrants and non-white people living in England, as well as negative attitudes towards Muslims and those born overseas. The study, believed to be the largest of its kind to be carried out in the UK, found that 60% of the children questioned […]