Joe Swash is set to appear in a St Albans pantomime over the festive season, a move that could see him and wife Stacey Solomon spending much of Christmas apart.The EastEnders alum will star in Beauty and the Beast at the Alban Arena from December 4 until January 3.Although he is not scheduled to work on Christmas Day, it is unclear whether he will commute to their Essex home during the...

President Trump has signaled a desire to step back from the conflict with Iran, but his approach remains muddled as Washington balances threats and talks.In a dramatic 48-hour stretch this week, the Pentagon ordered more than 1,000 paratroopers toward Iran while US negotiators sent Tehran a new 15-point peace proposal.The White House publicly urged acceptance even as it warned of tougher action...

Drones launched by Ukraine overnight crossed into Estonian and Latvian territory as part of a wider strike on Russian Baltic ports, authorities in Tallinn and Riga said.One unmanned aircraft struck the chimney of a power plant in Auvere, Estonia, while another fell and detonated in Latvia’s southern Krāslava region.Officials reported no serious damage or injuries. The incidents happened...

Larry Fink, chief executive of asset manager BlackRock, warned that oil at around $150 a barrel would likely push the global economy into a deep downturn.He told the BBC that if tensions with Iran persist and energy prices remain elevated, the fallout would be severe for growth and living standards.Fink, who runs a firm with about $14 trillion under management, outlined two broad paths for the...

Jurgen Klopp has dismissed claims he is set to take over at Real Madrid, calling the transfer whispers unfounded and saying there has been no contact from the Spanish club.Speaking in Munich at the Magenta TV World Cup team presentation, the former Liverpool manager said neither he nor his agent has been approached about the vacancy and that the rumours are misplaced.Klopp stepped away from...

A senior UK minister has dismissed claims that Iran possesses missiles capable of reaching London, saying government intelligence does not back that assertion.Housing Secretary Steve Reed told the BBC there is no official assessment showing Iran is targeting the UK or has the capacity to do so.He declined to disclose operational details about a recent missile incident. The remarks follow an...

Overnight drone attacks between Russia and Ukraine left at least five people dead and sparked fires and blackouts as diplomats weigh revisions to a US-backed peace proposal.Kyiv officials said a large Russian drone strike hit the capital in the early hours, striking at least two high-rise residential buildings and causing multiple fires.Emergency teams evacuated residents, rescued 18 people...

Samir Shah, chair of the BBC, told MPs he intends to remain in post and tackle the problems exposed by the Panorama edit of a Donald Trump speech.Apologising for mistakes and their effects, Shah said his priority is to stabilise the corporation and lead a programme of fixes rather than step aside.The row began after a leaked internal memo from former editorial adviser Michael Prescott warned of...

Diplomacy in Geneva wrapped up with US and Ukrainian officials saying talks had moved forward, but the biggest obstacle remains unresolved: Moscow's insistence on formal recognition of territory it now controls. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the steps taken in the meetings but warned that accepting Russian claims to occupied areas would violate Ukraine's territorial integrity...

When 23-year-old Aishat Baimuradova left Chechnya earlier this year she hoped to build a life away from strict family controls and public scrutiny. Friends say she adopted a more modern appearance — shortening her hair, abandoning the headscarf and even altering an eyebrow — and began sharing candid photos online, telling people she finally felt able to breathe. In October, Armenian police...