Author: News Desk

Germany’s government on Wednesday said it approved a plan that would allow the military to shoot down drones illegally flying in German airspace. As a last resort, as military initiatives in Germany come with global consequences Germany allows military to down suspect drones. Germany allows military to down suspect drones It comes against the backdrop of several sightings of suspicious drones being flown over key installations. German cabinet backs plan to shoot down suspicious drones and is continuing to be active in defending the German border from Russian and Ukrainian threats.  Drones for espionage, sabotage pose a threat “The security…

Installation rates are still well below the target of 600,000 heat pumps a year UK homeowners flock to heat pumps but numbers still well below targets  The number of heat pumps being installed in UK homes and small business jumped 43% last year but is still significantly below targets set by the previous government. There were almost 60,000 certified installations of heat pumps in 2024, data from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) shows, bringing the the total number of certified heat pump installations in UK homes and small businesses to more than 275,000. But installation rates are still well below the target of 600,000 heat…

It comes as a leading think tank urged the prime minister to boost trade defences to deter against economic threats from Donald Trump Ed Davey urges Starmer to join new EU customs union to defend against Trump tariffs Ed Davey will urge Sir Keir Starmer to negotiate a UK-EU customs union to “turbocharge the economy” and strengthen the UK’s hand against possible tariffs from president-elect Donald Trump. Giving a speech in London on Thursday, the Liberal Democrat leader will say such a deal would help the UK to negotiate with Mr Trump “from a position of strength”. He will also…

Large part of UK from South West to Yorkshire covered by yellow warning UK braces for travel chaos after Met Office issues yellow weather warning for fog  A blanket of fog descending over much of Britain could see flights cancelled and trains disrupted, forecasters warn. Met Office experts issued a yellow weather warning to run until late Thursday morning across southwest and central England, the Midlands and parts of Yorkshire and the Humber. In some areas, the fog would be dense and visibility would be below 100 metres, the forecaster said. By dawn on Thursday, some of the fog is…

The Conservative leader is set to make a major speech on Thursday where she will accuse Labour of repeating the mistakes of the Tory government she served in Kemi Badenoch to admit Tory ‘no plan’ Brexit was a mistake Kemi Badenoch is to own up to a series of mistakes made by the Tory governments she served in but warned that Labour under Keir Starmer is repating the mistakes of Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. In a major speech in central London on Thursday, the new Tory leader will admit that leaving the European Union “without a plan…

Lawyers for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was arrested on Tuesday over his failed attempt to impose martial law, said Yoon would not take part in further questioning on Thursday, posing questions on how cooperative the impeached president will be after weeks of evading arrest. Impeached South Korean President Yoon to avoid new questioning over martial law bid

Donald Trumpis gearing up for what insiders are reportedly calling a “shock and awe” first day in the White House, signing scores of executive orders into force that will likely cover immigration, energy and trade policy. On top of that, people handed criminal convictions for their involvement in the January 6 riots are likely to be graced with pardons by the re-minted president. Trump isn’t the first to have a big first day in the president’s chair. Joe Biden signed nine executive orders on his first day (though the suggestion Trump might sign 100 would outpace all other presidents before him). It…

A London-based family-run food store that is a favourite among royalty is closing its flagship store, its owner has confirmed. Partridges will close its store located on Duke of York Square, Chelsea, on February 2. The business has been running in the capital for 53 years and owner John Shepherd confirmed the store at 17-19 Gloucester Road in Kensington will still operate. He posted on the website: ‘We are of course very sad to be leaving Chelsea and are grateful to landlord Cadogan for allowing us the opportunity to develop our creativity in Duke of York Square, especially in supporting us to…

Impeached South Korean leader Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested on Wednesday over his failed martial law bid, ending a weeks-long standoff with authorities and becoming the first sitting president to be detained in the nation’s history. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24’s Nadia Massih welcomes Dr John Nilsson-Wright, Author, Senior Fellow, Asia Programme, at Chatham House and Associate Professor in Modern Japanese Politics and International Relations at the University of Cambridge. ‘Almost inevitable’ that South Korea’s embattled president ‘will be serving time in prison’

Storm clouds have hovered over French politics for some time now but it was in the summer of last year that the thunder really began to roll. In July, early parliamentary elections resulted in an unclear outcome because no single party won a clear majority. Three large political blocs eventually entered parliament in Paris, and the new government, appointed by French President Emmanuel Macron, was forced to govern without a majority to call its own. This is how, in December, a vote of no confidence after motions were tabled by opposition parties on the left and far right, brought down Prime…