The European Union refused to take part in a rare diplomatic visit to Indian Kashmir that started yesterday because they will not be allowed to meet detained local politicians, reports said.

EU chief Charles Michel yesterday defended the crumbling Iran nuclear deal after US President Donald Trump urged Europe to quit it, but warned Tehran against “irreversible acts” that would sink the accord.

Prince Harry and his celebrity wife Meghan’s bombshell resignation from front-line royal duties rocked the British monarchy yesterday, with reports suggesting Queen Elizabeth II had not been informed in advance.

Some of its inhabitants say it feels like Chambon-le-Chateau is located at the end of the world: buffeted by the ferocious winds high in the Massif Central, frigid in winter and a long drive from the nearest town with no public transport.

Venezuela opposition leader Juan Guaido called Tuesday for three days of protests against President Nicolas Maduro, hours after he was sworn in for another term as National Assembly speaker following a standoff with the armed forces.

Turkey has deployed 35 military personnel to Libya but they will not take part in any fighting, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, according to local media yesterday.

Australia’s weather agency yesterday said it saw no sign of cooler weather or significant rainfall in the next few months, an unwelcome forecast for authorities who have warned that only a large downpour will halt bushfires sweeping across the country.

Snipers took to helicopters in Australia on Wednesday to begin a mass cull of up to 10,000 camels as drought drives big herds of the feral animals to search for water closer to remote towns, endangering indigenous communities. Local officials in South Australia state said “extremely large” herds have been encroaching on rural communities -- threatening scarce food and drinking water, damaging infrastructure, and creating a dangerous hazard for drivers.

2019 was the second hottest year on record and ended the hottest decade in history, the European Union’s climate monitoring service said yesterday.

Americans travelling in China should avoid animals and contact with sick people as the country grapples with a mystery pneumonia outbreak, the US embassy in China said yesterday.

The Philippines is preparing to evacuate thousands of Filipinos working in the Middle East as regional tensions rise following the killing of a top Iranian commander by the United States.

Germany will withdraw some of its troops deployed as part of the anti-IS coalition in Iraq, the defence ministry said yesterday, in the latest fallout over the US drone strike that killed a top Iranian general.

The number of wildlife estimated to have died in Australia’s wildfire catastrophe has skyrocketed to more than 1 billion, according to wildlife experts.

Opposition leader Juan Guaido and a rival lawmaker, Luis Parra, both claimed to be Venezuela’s parliament speaker on Sunday following two separate votes and accusations of a “parliamentary coup.”

Australia saw its first glimpse of respite after months of deadly fires this weekend when rain and cooler temperatures moved in.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Friday testified in his legal case against a Spanish private security firm that he claims spied on him while he was holed up in the Ecuadoran embassy in London.

A scorching heatwave intensified bushfires ravaging parts of Australia yesterday, and out-of-control blazes surrounding Sydney worsened under “catastrophic” conditions.

Russia hits out at the US decision to impose sanctions on companies working on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that will transport Russian gas to Europe.

Here are the main points from Queen Elizabeth II’s speech in parliament yesterday setting out the British government’s legislative programme:

Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday put Britain’s departure from the EU at the top of the agenda, as Queen Elizabeth II read out his plans for government in a parliamentary ceremony following a sweeping election win.