International

The Gambia's leader Yahya Jammeh will step down and leave the country, his elected successor says. Adama Barrow made the announcement on Twitter, after hours of talks aimed at persuading Mr Jammeh to recognise the result of the…

Rescuers say up to 30 people are missing after a hotel in central Italy was hit by an avalanche, apparently triggered by an earthquake. Rescuers battled overnight to reach the Rigopiano hotel, with the first of them arriving on skis.…

A cancer patient who inspired millions by dancing on camera in her hospital ward has died from the disease, US media say. Ana-Alecia Ayala died on Wednesday afternoon at a Dallas hospital surrounded by friends and family. Read more:…

Russian and Turkish jets have carried out their first joint strikes on so-called Islamic State (IS) inside Syria, the Russian defence ministry says. IS was targeted in the suburbs of the town of al-Bab, Aleppo province, where Turkey…

Boris Johnson has warned EU leaders not to give the UK "punishment beatings" for Brexit "in the manner of some World War Two movie". The foreign secretary said penalising "escape" was "not in the interests of our friends and our…

Theresa May has said the UK "cannot possibly" remain within the European single market, as staying in it would mean "not leaving the EU at all". The PM promised to push for the "freest possible trade" with European countries and warned…

Russian President Vladimir Putin has described allegations his country holds compromising material on US President-elect Donald Trump as "utter nonsense". Mr Putin questioned what reason Russian intelligence would have had to spy on Mr…

Turkey's president says a full withdrawal of its forces from divided Cyprus is "out of the question" unless Greece also agrees to pull out troops. Hopes of reunification have been raised after talks between Turkish and Greek Cypriots in…

An icy storm has been lashing parts of western Europe, causing power cuts in many homes, felling trees and disrupting some rail services. In France power cuts affected more than 237,000 homes as the storm swept across Normandy and…

President-elect Donald Trump's nominees for defence secretary and spy chief have been taking aim at Russia during their Senate confirmation hearings. General James Mattis, defence secretary nominee, warned Nato was under its biggest…

Russia says it views the arrival of more than 3,000 US soldiers in Poland as a threat to its own security. The troops are part of President Barack Obama's response to reassure Nato allies concerned about a more aggressive Russia. Read…

US President-elect Donald Trump has reacted furiously to allegations that Russia has compromising material on him, saying Moscow has "never tried to use leverage on me". Mr Trump condemned US intelligence agencies for allowing "fake…

China's only aircraft carrier has led several warships across the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan's defence ministry said. The Liaoning was returning from drills in the South China Sea. Read more:…

President-elect Donald Trump's pick to be the new attorney general has denied sympathising with the Ku Klux Klan, in a tough Senate confirmation hearing. Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, 69, also pledged to recuse himself from any…

President-elect Donald Trump is to make son-in-law Jared Kushner one of his senior advisers. The 35-year-old played a key role in the presidential campaign and his new White House job will cover both domestic and foreign policy. Read…