World

The US ambassador to Sudan has been forced to take shelter after sustained fighting broke out in the capital Khartoum, as tension between the military and powerful paramilitary forces escalates. John Godfrey said he and embassy staff were sheltering in place as heavy firing was heard in a number of areas. The Rapid Support Forces

A loud explosion has been heard at an outdoor event being attended by Japan’s prime minister, according to local reports. Japanese media claims a pipe-like object was thrown at Fumio Kishida after he began a speech at a port in the city of Wakayama – and he was subsequently evacuated. According to NHK, he took

An exchange of more than 800 prisoners linked to Yemen’s long-running war began on Friday, the International Committee for the Red Cross said. Around 318 detainees were released on Friday, with a total of 869 expected to be released across a three-day operation. Dozens of former prisoners were greeted by family members, a marching band

At least one in every seven schools in eastern Ukraine was damaged or destroyed during the first year of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Sky News can reveal. In a new report, shared exclusively with Sky News, the Centre for Information Resilience has verified 381 separate incidents in which Ukrainian schools, universities, orphanages and nurseries were damaged

Kim Jong Un “guided” the test of a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, according to North Korean state media. The new Hwasong-18 weapon will “radically promote” the country’s nuclear counterattack capability, KCNA reports. North Korea fired what appeared to be a new model ballistic missile on Thursday, South Korea said. The launch triggered a scare

Protesters have stormed the headquarters of luxury fashion label Louis Vuitton on the eve of an expected ruling on controversial pension reforms in France. Striking railway workers invaded the Paris headquarters of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) – which also represents brands including Christian Dior, Fendi and Givenchy – on Thursday. They joined demonstrators

Three women are planning to sue notorious social media influencer Andrew Tate for damages over allegations he raped and abused them. They say they suffered physical injury and psychological harm which has stopped them working or living a normal life for many years. The women first made complaints to police eight years ago, but say

A gruesome video appearing to show a Ukrainian captive being beheaded by a Russian soldier has been condemned by Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The clip appears to show a man in green fatigues wearing the yellow armband typically used by Ukrainian soldiers. He is heard screaming before another man apparently uses a knife to decapitate him. Sky

The Ministry of Defence has refused to deny UK special forces have been operating in Ukraine after US classified military documents were allegedly leaked and published online. The claims have been widely reported after the documents were shared on Twitter and Telegram. A Ministry of Defence spokesperson has warned against taking allegations contained in the

The world economy is entering a “perilous phase” of low economic growth and high financial risk, the International Monetary Fund has warned in its latest set of assessments. The IMF, which is holding its spring meetings in Washington this week, downgraded its outlook for global growth and said its medium term forecast for economic output

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said his defence minister will remain in post, despite being sacked two weeks ago. Mr Netanyahu said Yoav Gallant was being removed from his post after he gave a televised statement urging a halt to controversial judicial reforms. The news sparked immediate and dramatic protests, including the temporary

The Dalai Lama has apologised after footage emerged showing him kissing a young boy on the lips and asking him to “suck my tongue”. The Buddhist spiritual leader’s office said he wanted to apologise to the boy and his family “for the hurt his words may have caused”. It said the 87-year-old “often teases people

Eight people are feared to be trapped under the rubble of two buildings that collapsed following an explosion in the south of France. TV footage showed clouds of smoke rising from the ruins as firefighters tried to douse the flames in Marseille. Sniffer dogs are searching for victims. The cause of the explosion is not

Nearly 20 military ships – about 10 Chinese and 10 Taiwanese – are involved in a stand-off near the Taiwan Strait’s sensitive median line, Reuters reports. China also conducted simulated attacks on foreign military targets off Taiwan’s southwest coast on Sunday, the agency said, citing a source familiar with the situation. It comes on the

Two British-Israeli sisters who died in a shooting in the West Bank have been named by Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. One of the sisters was 15 and the other was 20, according to local media. Their mother was also seriously injured in the attack near the Hamra settlement – about 30 miles north of

China has begun three days of military exercises around Taiwan in retaliation for a meeting between the US House of Representatives speaker and the president of the self-ruled island claimed by Beijing. A Chinese amphibious landing ship – capable of transporting troops, craft and vehicles – began live-fire drills in the seas facing the Taiwan

Three people have died across Israel and the West Bank in terrorist attacks as violence in the region continues. An Italian tourist, 30, was killed and five others were wounded in a Tel Aviv car ramming attack on Friday, Israeli and Italian officials said. An Israeli security source identified the assailant as an Israeli Arab

Two women killed in a shooting in the West Bank were British nationals, according to a UK official. The women were sisters – one aged 15 and the other in her 20s, according to local media. Their mother was also seriously injured when their car was attacked on Friday near the Hamra settlement, about 30

French President Emmanuel Macron has appealed to Xi Jinping to “bring Russia back to its senses and bring everyone back to the negotiating table” over the Ukraine war. The Chinese leader called for peace talks but he gave no indication that Beijing would use its leverage as President Vladimir Putin‘s diplomatic partner to press for

Italy’s former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has been diagnosed with leukaemia after he was admitted to hospital, Reuters reports. The 86-year-old was being treated in intensive care at Milan’s San Raffaele Hospital on Wednesday after suffering breathing problems. Reuters cited a source who said he had been diagnosed with leukaemia, confirming what was previously reported

A man armed with a hatchet has killed four children after he attacked a nursery in Brazil. At least three others are injured and have been taken to hospital. The man has been arrested in the southern city of Blumenau. Local media reports that the attacker scaled a wall to enter the nursey, named Cantinho

A 68-year-old Spanish actress has revealed how she used her son’s DNA to create a surrogate baby – to fulfil his dying wish to have a child. Ana Obregón said Aless Lequio García’s sperm was preserved before his death from cancer in 2020 – with the intention of conceiving a child with a surrogate mother.

Finland has officially become a member of NATO after concerns over Russia’s aggression. The Kremlin has said it could be forced to take “counter measures” to ensure its own border’s security in response. Finland applied to join NATO in May 2022, setting aside years of military nonalignment to seek protection under the organisation’s security umbrella

A senior Islamic state leader who was responsible for planning ISIS attacks into Europe has been killed in Syria by the United States. Khalid ‘Aydd Ahmad al-Jabouri died in a unilateral strike that did not kill or injure any civilians, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on Monday. He was a “senior ISIS

For Donald Trump’s most entrenched supporters, this indictment is simply another cause to rally around. They gather on one side of the bridge that links the former president’s Mar-a-Lago estate with Palm Beach, eagerly awaiting the passing of his motorcade on the way to the airport. Some wave Trump 2024 flags, others hold signs saying

Russian officials say they have arrested a suspect over the death of a pro-war military blogger killed in an explosion at a cafe in St Petersburg. Daria Trepova, 26, has been detained following the death of Vladlen Tatarsky in the blast, which took place at a cafe as he held a talk on Sunday, Russia’s

One person has died and at least 16 people have been injured in a blast in a cafe in St Petersburg, Russia. Well-known Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky died in the explosion, the Russian interior ministry said. Tatarsky, whose real name was Maxim Fomin, had more than 560,000 followers on Telegram and was one of

Paris is voting on whether to ban rental e-scooters across the city. Self-hire e-scooters were first introduced to the French capital in 2018 as a greener alternative to cars and the public transport network. But an increased number of accidents and “irresponsible use” has seen Mayor Anne Hidalgo call a referendum on whether they should

Three British men are being held in Taliban custody in Afghanistan – including so-called “danger tourist” Miles Routledge who returned to the country after being evacuated by British armed forces less than two years ago. The other two men are charity medic Kevin Cornwell and another unnamed UK national who manages a hotel in Kabul. They

Pope Francis joked “I’m still alive” as he left hospital following treatment for a respiratory infection. The 86-year-old was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Wednesday to be treated for bronchitis. He sat in the front seat of a white car, waving to a group of journalists outside the hospital after being discharged. “I wasn’t

Oscar Pistorius will not be released early from his 13-year-five-month jail sentence for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, a parole board has decided. The former Olympic and Paralympic athlete, known as the Blade Runner, had applied for parole after serving half of his jail term. Earlier, Reeva’s mother June Steenkamp told Sky News that Pistorius

At least 35 people have died in a well after a structure built over it collapsed at a temple in central India. Worshippers were gathering at the temple in the city of Indore in Madhya Pradesh state to celebrate the Hindu festival of Ram Navami, officials said. The well had not been used for several

Finland has moved a step closer to becoming a NATO member after Turkey’s parliament ratified its accession to the alliance. Turkey was the last of NATO’s 30 members to accept Finland’s application, which was submitted in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year. President Erdogan said earlier in March that Finland had secured