Our Journalists

Merryn JohnsFreelance reporter

Merryn Johns is a freelance journalist and magazine editor from Sydney who is based in New York City and joined News Corp’s New York Bureau in 2017. She reports on a variety of subjects and is especially interested in international news, arts, and culture.

@Merryn1

Merryn Johns

Latest

UpdatedEurope

A damaged car is pictured at the site of a car ramming attack in Mannheim, southwestern Germany on March 3, 2025. A car driven into a crowd in southwest Germany on Monday killed two people, authorities said, adding they had arrested a 40-year-old German man after the incident. (Photo by Thomas LOHNES / AFP)

Two dead in fresh German car ramming horror

Germany is reeling in the aftermath of its third deadly car ramming attack since Christmas. Police say the death toll could rise as the suspected motive behind the incident is revealed.

UpdatedEntertainment

Web art: Michelle Trachtenberg and Gene Hackman.

Oscars’ shocking omission of dead star; Hackman also honoured

The Oscars have been slammed after Michelle Trachtenberg was mysteriously missing from the In Memoriam segment, as Morgan Freeman paid tribute to Gene Hackman.

UpdatedNorth America

Gene Hackman & wife Betsy Arakawa during The 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards - Arrivals at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, United States. (Photo by Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage)

Inside Gene Hackman and wife’s final days

Family friends have given insight into the life of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa before their mysterious deaths.

UpdatedWorld

US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky listen to Vice President JD Vance (R)as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, February 28, 2025. Zelensky on February 28 told Trump there should be

‘Gambling with WW3’: Zelensky speaks after Trump’s fiery takedown

Donald Trump has eviscerated the president of Ukraine after they clashed in a heated White House meeting, after which Volodymyr Zelensky apologised but not to the US leader.

UpdatedNational

25 FEBRUARY 2025. The Defence Department has released more pictures of the Chinese warships in the Tasman Sea, which have now moved back into Australia's EEZ and are roughly 300 kilometres east of Hobart. Peopleâs Liberation Army-Navy Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang. *** Local Caption *** As part of Australiaâs whole-of-government maritime border protection efforts, Defence routinely monitors all maritime traffic in our Exclusive Economic Zone and maritime approaches. Australia respects the right of all states under international law to exercise freedom of navigation and overflight in international waters and airspace, just as we expect others to respect our right to do the same. Picture: Australian Defence Force

Chinese ambassador’s AI warning amid warships row

China’s top diplomat has accused Australia of “overstretching” the definition of security risk after a ban on DeepSeek AI, as Chinese warships head towards Perth.

Entertainment

Fears for Billy Joel after shock on stage fall

Fans are in shock after music legend Billy Joel appeared “frail” before throwing a mic stand into the audience and collapsing on stage.

World

TOPSHOT - US President Donald Trump waits to greet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the entrance of the West Wing of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 27, 2025. Starmer is meeting Trump to plead for a US backstop to any Ukraine ceasefire, insisting it would be the only way to stop Russia's Vladimir Putin from invading again. Starmer arrived in Washington late Wednesday to build on a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, amid growing concerns in Europe that the US leader is about to sell Kyiv short in negotiations with Putin. (Photo by Carl Court / POOL / AFP)

Trump to make English the official language of US

Donald Trump is set to make English the official language of the United States in a bid to bring “cohesion” to a country long characterised by immigration from all over the world.

Middle East

A Palestinian prisoner speaks with doctors at the European Hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip early on February 27, 2025, following his release by Israeli authorities. Hamas handed over the coffins of four hostages early on February 27, Israeli authorities confirmed, followed soon after by the return of hundreds of freed Palestinian prisoners to the West Bank and Gaza. In the West Bank and Gaza, AFP journalists saw hundreds of Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel arrive on buses accompanied by Red Cross vehicles. More than 600 were due to be released in the latest exchange, while Al Jazeera reported nearly 100 would be deported to Egypt. (Photo by AFP)

What’s next for the Gaza ceasefire

The first phase of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas ends March 1 without certainty over the planned second phase. Here’s what could happen.

UpdatedNorth America

US President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 26, 2025. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP)

‘Bloated, fat, disgusting’: Trump slams America

Donald Trump has let rip in the first meeting of his cabinet, as he voiced support for Elon Musk’s controversial jobs ultimatum.

UpdatedEurope

(COMBO) This combination of pictures created on February 19, 2025 shows, L-R, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky in Brussels on December 19, 2024 and US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, on February 10, 2025. US President Donald Trump called Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky a

‘Very good signal’: Zelensky to beat Putin to Trump meeting

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he’s optimistic Donald Trump will meet with him before the US President talks with Vladimir Putin ahead of an historic mining deal.

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/journalists/merryn-johns/page/5