The pink pigments produced by cyanobacteria more than 1.1b years ago are some 500m years older than previous colour pigment discoveries Sydney: Australian researchers have uncovered the world’s oldest biological colour in the Sahara desert, in a find they said on Tuesday helped explain why complex lifeforms only recently emerged on earth. The pink pigments […]

President Donald Trump has left for a Nato summit in Brussels with a stark warning from European Council President Donald Tusk. Ahead of his visit, Mr Trump hit out at the EU on trade and at his Nato allies for failing to spend enough on defence. Accusing the president of criticising Europe “almost daily”, Mr […]

ANKARA  – Tayyip Erdogan was sworn in again as Turkey’s president on Monday, assuming sweeping powers he won in a referendum last year and sealed in a hard-fought re-election victory two weeks ago. Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for 15 years, says the powerful new executive presidency is vital to drive economic growth, ensure […]

At least 100 people are thought to have died after record rainfall caused flooding and landslides in western Japan, a government spokesman says. Dozens more are reported to be missing and electricity supplies have been hit. Since Thursday, parts of western Japan have received three times the usual rainfall for the whole of July. Two […]

A wild banana that may hold the key to protecting the world’s edible banana crop has been put on the extinction list. It is found only in Madagascar, where there are just five mature trees left in the wild. Scientists say the plant needs to be conserved, as it may hold the secret to keeping […]

The operation to free 12 boys and their coach trapped in a cave in northern Thailand is running “smoothly”, the head of the operation says. Four boys have been brought above ground so far in good health, rescuers say. The mission has now been paused for at least 10 hours as air tanks need to […]

On 27 January 1991, Whitney Houston stood on a small stage in Tampa, Florida, waiting for her cue. It was early evening. The pop superstar was wearing a baggy white tracksuit with a red stripe, a pair of Nike sneakers and a white headband. The outfit was the epitome of 1980s exercise-video chic. In front […]

North Korea — North Korea accused the Trump administration on Saturday of pushing a “unilateral and gangster-like demand for denuclearization” and called it “deeply regrettable,” hours after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said his two days of talks in the North Korean capital were “productive.” Despite North Korea’s criticism, its Foreign Ministry said the North’s […]

Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs worth hundreds of billions of dollars on Chinese imports to the US as a trade war between the world’s two largest economies began on Friday. US tariffs on $34bn (£25.7bn) of Chinese goods have come into effect. China retaliated by imposing a similar 25% tariff on 545 US […]

French President Emmanuel Macron has concluded a two-day visit to Nigeria, his first to the country as President. It was a wide-ranging trip where he announced plans for a series of cultural events dedicated to Africa in 2020, met the President formally, launched a France-Nigeria investment club and appealed to young people not to take […]