US

China has threatened “further actions” in response to America’s “serious overreaction” in the downing of a suspected spy balloon. The white aircraft was shot out of the sky off the South Carolina coast on Saturday after days of intrigue, while diplomatic relations soured further between Washington and Beijing. US President Joe Biden ordered the object

The US has shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon that has been flying over its airspace. Television footage showed a small explosion, followed by the balloon descending toward the water off the Carolina coast. The balloon was shot down by an F-22 fighter aircraft, about six nautical miles off the coast near Myrtle Beach,

Parts of the US are experiencing a record-breaking wind chill factor that is so cold it’s literally off the National Weather Service’s official charts. The northeast of the country has been struck by a powerful arctic blast, with the temperature at New Hampshire‘s Mount Washington plummeting to a new low of -46F (-43C). But the

A sixth police officer has been sacked for his involvement in the death of Tyre Nichols, who was beaten by police last month. Mr Nichols was left in a critical condition after several officers punched, kicked and hit him with a baton in Memphis, Tennessee, after he was pulled over on suspicion of reckless driving

US secretary of state Antony Blinken said that China’s spy balloon was “detrimental” to “substantive discussions” that were due to take place on his visit. Mr Blinken said he spoke to the director of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Foreign Affairs Office, Wang Yi, on Friday about the postponement of the visit, saying: “Conditions were

The US military is tracking a suspected Chinese spy balloon that has been flying over northwestern America in recent days. A senior defence official said the US has “very high confidence” it is a Chinese high-altitude balloon and was flying over sensitive sites to collect information. The blimp was spotted over Billings, Montana, on Wednesday

Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has told Sky News he believes China’s President Xi is a bigger threat to the world than Vladimir Putin. Speaking on Beth Rigby Interviews, Mr Pompeo said President Xi is intent on world dominance. “He wants to own you,” the US politician warned. “He wants hegemonic intent across

Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin will make his first appearance in a US court on 24 February over the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Baldwin, 64, faces two counts of involuntary manslaughter stemming from the incident on the set of the Rust movie in October 2021. He was formally charged with the offences by the

Tyre Nichols’s mother said “blood is going to be on the hands” of Congressmen and women if they fail to pass a bill that would limit immunity for US police officers. US vice president Kamala Harris and celebrated civil rights activist Rev Al Sharpton urged Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

Scott Hubbard remembers exactly where he was on the day of one of the deadliest tragedies in the history of space travel. Before he stepped out of bed on the morning of 1 February 2003, a radio broadcast brought news that NASA’s Columbia space shuttle was “overdue” on its return to Earth. “I had a

Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin has been formally charged in New Mexico with involuntary manslaughter over the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of the western film Rust. Baldwin has vowed to fight the charges against him, with his lawyer calling the case a “terrible miscarriage of justice”. Halyna Hutchins, 42, died after a

Three emergency workers have been fired over their response to Tyre Nichols after he was beaten by police. The Memphis Fire Department said it had fired two emergency medical technicians and an emergency vehicle driver after an investigation found they failed to provide adequate medical care. Mr Nichols was left in critical condition after several

He’s never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down – but he is potentially gonna sue you if you (allegedly) impersonate his distinctive baritone. Rick Astley has filed a lawsuit against the rapper Yung Gravy over the song Betty (Get Money), which was released in 2022. Here is a look at what’s happened

When watching the horrific video of Tyre Nichols being kicked and punched by police officers, many minds in America were transported back to footage of another black man being beaten in similar circumstances more than 30 years ago. The video of Rodney King is grainy and shaky, before the era of police-worn body cameras and

Former US president Donald Trump has kicked off his 2024 White House bid with stops in New Hampshire and South Carolina, while brushing aside criticism that his campaign was off to a slow start. Speaking to party leaders at the New Hampshire Republicans’ annual meeting in Salem, the former president insisted he was motivated to

Memphis Police has released bodycam footage showing the moment Tyre Nichols called for his mother as he was beaten by five officers before he died. The footage shows police beating the 29-year-old for three minutes while screaming profanities at him throughout the attack. Police have released four separate videos cut into one hour-long clip, including

The US has a “new clock” on police accountability following the quick arrest and firing of five officers charged over the death of Tyre Nichols, influential civil rights campaigner Al Sharpton has said. Speaking at a rally in Harlem, New York, Reverend Sharpton also rejected the idea that there was no race element to the

The mother of Tyre Nichols has said she is “not going to stop” until every person responsible for her son’s death “is prosecuted to the fullest of the law”. RowVaughn Wells said the officers accused of her son’s murder had “shamed their own families” after Memphis Police released bodycam footage showing her son screaming “mom,

The final words of a US motorist who died after he was allegedly beaten by five police officers were “mum, mum, mum”, according to a lawyer. Tyre Nichols, 29, passed away in hospital three days after the confrontation following a traffic stop in the city of Memphis, Tennessee, on 7 January. Bodycam footage of the

Five former police officers have been charged with murder over the death of a black driver who was allegedly beaten up after a traffic stop. Tyre Nichols, 29, died in hospital three days after the confrontation in the city of Memphis, Tennessee, on 7 January. Bodycam footage of the altercation is expected to be released

A school board in Virginia has voted to fire its district superintendent after a six-year-old pupil shot a teacher. The Newport News School Board voted five-to-one to relieve George Parker III of his duties – but as part of a separation agreement, he’ll be paid more than $502,000 (£405,063) in severance – two years of

Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts will be reinstated after a two-year suspension following the 6 January insurrection. Facebook parent Meta said in a blog post on Wednesday it would be adding “new guardrails” to ensure there are no “repeat offenders” who violate its rules. “In the event that Mr Trump posts further violating content,

Germany will supply Ukraine with 14 Leopard 2 tanks and has given allies permission to send theirs too – despite threats from Russia – while the US has confirmed it will send over 31 M1 Abrams tanks and provide training to the country’s troops. The move from Germany means other countries – such as Poland

The US and Germany could unveil plans to send tanks to Ukraine as early as today. Sky News understands that American officials will soon announce their intention to send Abrams tanks to help the country fight off Russia’s invasion. And German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is set to address MPs in parliament at lunchtime, where he

Classified documents have been found at the former US vice president’s home in Indiana, his lawyer has said. The records “appear to be a small number of documents bearing classified markings that were inadvertently boxed and transported to the personal home of the former vice president at the end of the last administration,” Mike Pence’s

CCTV has been released showing a member of the public disarming a gunman in California – just minutes after he fatally shot 11 people at a nearby Chinese New Year celebration. Brandon Tsay, 26, has been hailed as a hero for disarming Huu Can Tran at the Lai Lai Ballroom in Alhambra. In the footage,

It is immediately obvious that Monterey Park is unlike anywhere else in California. The small city of around 61,000 people is eight miles east of downtown Los Angeles but could be a different country, with its Chinese supermarkets, dumpling restaurants and shop signs written in Chinese alongside English. More than 65% of the people who

A man suspected of killing 10 people in a Chinese New Year mass shooting in California fatally shot himself in his van as officers closed in. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said the man was found dead in the vehicle he used to flee the scene of an attempted second shooting. The suspected gunman

Ten people have been killed in a shooting during Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations in California, police have confirmed. During a news conference, Captain Andrew Meyer said at least another 10 people are being treated in local hospitals and their conditions ranged from critical to stable. Follow here for live updates The gunman is still

Six further documents containing classification markings have been found at US President Joe Biden’s home in Delaware, his lawyer has said. Bob Bauer said the Justice Department conducted the search at Mr Biden‘s Wilmington residence on Friday, which he said lasted approximately 13 hours. In a statement, Mr Bauer said the Justice Department “took possession

Buzz Aldrin has announced he has married his “long-time love” on his 93rd birthday, saying they are as “excited as eloping teenagers”. The retired astronaut – the second man to ever step foot on the moon – said he had “tied the knot” with Dr Anca Faur, who is reportedly 63, in a small ceremony

Donald Trump and one of his lawyers have been fined nearly $1m, for what a Florida judge called a bogus legal claim against Hillary Clinton and her top advisers. The ruling ordered the former US president and his lawyer Alina Habba to pay nearly $938,000 (£758,626) to the defendants in the case, after claiming they

The family of a six-year-old boy who shot and wounded his teacher have said they have always been committed to responsible gun ownership and that the weapon he used had been “secured”. Abigail Zwerner, who is still recovering from the gunshot wound and has been described as a hero by police and educators alike, was