INTERNATIONAL

EU foreign ministers have agreed to extend existing sanctions against Russia until September. At an extraordinary meeting in Brussels, they also agreed to discuss names to add to the list of individuals targeted for EU travel bans and asset freezes. However, they did not agree on imposing new economic sanctions against Russia. The ministers met as fighting raged in eastern ...

At least 26 people, mostly soldiers, have been killed in a series of attacks by Islamist militants in the north of Egypt’s Sinai peninsula. A car bomb and rockets hit military targets in provincial capital El-Arish. Other attacks took place in the town of Sheik Zuwayid and in Rafah, near Gaza. Militant group Sinai Province, which changed its named from ...

The start of an inquest into the Sydney cafe siege has heard that hostage Katrina Dawson was killed by fragments from a police bullet or bullets. The inquest heard that another hostage, Tori Johnson, was killed by a bullet to the head from gunman Man Haron Monis. That prompted police to raid the Lindt Chocolate Cafe, ending the siege but ...

New Greek PM Alexis Tsipras says his country will not default on its debts. Addressing his first cabinet meeting since Sunday’s victory, Mr Tsipras said he would negotiate with creditors over the €240bn (£179bn; $270bn) bailout. “We won’t get into a mutually destructive clash, but we will not continue a policy of subjection,” said the left-wing Syriza party leader. The ...

New Greek PM Alexis Tsipras says his country will not default on its debts. Addressing his first cabinet meeting since Sunday’s victory, Mr Tsipras said he would negotiate with creditors over the €240bn (£179bn; $270bn) bailout. “We won’t get into a mutually destructive clash, but we will not continue a policy of subjection,” said the left-wing Syriza party leader. The ...

Militants have attacked a hotel popular with foreigners in Libya’s capital, killing at least three people and injuring 12 others, officials say. Several gunmen stormed the Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli and opened fire in the reception area. A car bomb also exploded outside the hotel. Unconfirmed reports say some of the assailants have blown themselves up and that foreigners are ...

New York City and other areas in the north-east US have shut down as Winter Storm Juno is expected to dump as much as 90cm (36ins) of snow. All non-emergency vehicles were banned in New York City from 23:00 on Monday (04:00 GMT Tuesday) and subway services were suspended. An emergency has been declared in the states of New York, ...

The head of Greece’s far-left Syriza party, Alexis Tsipras, has been sworn in as prime minister and is set to lead an anti-austerity coalition government. Turning up for the ceremony without a tie, the leftist took the oath less than 24 hours after winning the general election on an anti-austerity platform. Earlier, he formed a coalition with the centre-right Greek ...

Anti-austerity Syriza party leader Alexis Tsipras has vowed to end Greece’s “five years of humiliation and pain” after his general election win. Before cheering supporters, Mr Tsipras again pledged to renegotiate Greece’s massive international bailout. With nearly all of the votes counted in Sunday’s poll, Syriza looks set to have 149 seats, just two short of an absolute majority. Syriza’s ...

At least 10 people have been killed in clashes between police and protesters in eastern Cairo, officials said. One policeman was among the dead and dozens of protesters were also injured, health officials confirmed. The clashes follow the death of an activist in a march in Cairo on Saturday. The protests were staged to mark the fourth anniversary of Egypt’s ...