WORLD

California lawmakers have passed a bill that paves the way for gig economy workers to get holiday and sick pay. Assembly Bill 5, as its known, will affect companies such as Uber and Lyft, which depend on those working in the gig economy. Some estimates suggest costs for those firms …

Alibaba chairman Jack Ma is due to step down from the e-commerce giant on Tuesday, marking the end of an era for the firm. He co-founded Alibaba in 1999 and it has become one of the world’s biggest internet firms. Mr Ma’s success and colourful style has made him one …

US President Donald Trump has announced he fired his hawkish National Security Adviser John Bolton, adding that he disagreed “strongly” with him. “I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning,” Mr Trump tweeted, saying he will appoint a replacement next week. But Mr Bolton insisted …

Angry fans of Sierra Leone’s national football team have attacked a player’s house after he missed a decisive penalty. Captain Umaru Bangura failed to convert a stoppage-time spot kick in front of a huge crowd on Sunday. It meant Sierra Leone failed to get through to the next stage of …

Parliament has officially been suspended for five weeks, with MPs not due back until 14 October. Amid unprecedented scenes in the Commons, some MPs protested against the suspension with signs saying “silenced” while shouting: “Shame on you.” It comes after PM Boris Johnson’s bid to call a snap election in …

A court in Rochefort, western France has underscored the fact that nobody has an absolute right as its recent ruling in favour of a cock has gone viral, gaining global traction. Some neighbours of one Corinne Fesseau had filed a lawsuit against her cock named Maurice in July, complaining about …

British Airways says it was forced to cancel “nearly 100 per cent” of flights for Monday and Tuesday after the British pilots union went ahead with a strike. The strike was called for by the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) amid a heated dispute over pay with the airline. BALPA …

Hundreds of people may be trapped on a North Carolina island amid rising floodwater after Hurricane Dorian made landfall, the state governor has warned. The storm struck the islands popular with holidaymakers days after causing at least 30 deaths in the Bahamas. Roy Cooper warned of storm surges on the …

The death toll from Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas will be “staggering”, the country’s government has warned as aid efforts are being stepped up. The official death toll stands at 23, but is expected to rise further. Officials are sending morticians and 200 body bags to the Abaco Islands, the …

  A rare two-headed baby timber rattlesnake has been found in a forest in the US state of New Jersey. The reptile, named Double Dave, was spotted last month and taken by an environmental group. Joined at the body, the baby venomous snake has two fully-formed heads, four eyes and …