World

Ukraine is preparing for Russia to try again to invade from the north – maybe around the anniversary of its first, failed attempt to seize Kyiv last February, a top commander has said. President Vladimir Putin could even ultimately order millions of soldiers into the war as Russia’s offensive falters in the face of fierce

Russia has launched a “massive missile attack” on Ukraine, officials said, knocking out power and forcing people to take cover in bomb shelters across the country amid reports of fatalities and “colossal damage”. Authorities on social media reported explosions in the capital Kyiv, southern Kryvyi Rih and northeastern Kharkiv on Friday morning, as air raid

A 30-day state of emergency has been declared in Peru after the country’s president was impeached and a week of protests left at least eight dead. It gives police the power to search homes without permission and limits certain freedoms, including the right to assembly. Demonstrations have been ongoing since the ousting of former president

A boy has been killed in Montpellier amid clashes between France and Morocco fans following the World Cup semi-final. A statement issued by the local government office said the boy was “violently hit” by a car in the city, in the south of France, on Wednesday. He was transferred to the hospital, but died shortly

There are two places that can tell you just about everything about why people come from all over the world to northern France, and why they pay thousands of pounds to criminals just to get a place on board a flimsy dinghy. One is a migrant camp near the town of Grande-Synthe, near Dunkirk. The

While it no longer controls vast swathes of Iraq and Syria, Islamic State remains a threat and will seek to spring 10,000 of its fighters from Syrian prisons in 2023, experts say. The infamous terror group is much diminished from its peak in 2014 but it remains a menace in a volatile part of the

A group of 90 Ukrainian judges will undergo training, provided by the UK, to carry out war crimes trials for Russian soldiers. The first group of judges attended sessions at a secret location in the region last week, and more will follow in the coming months, as part of a £2.5m investment. In her first broadcast

Money stolen by the former boss of one of the world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchanges was being sent to political candidates to gain influence and impact policy in Washington DC, it has been alleged. Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX, has been charged by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The US attorney leading the

Six people, including two police officers, have been killed in a gunfight at a remote home in Australia’s Queensland state. Constables Matthew Arnold, 26 and Rachel McCrow, 29, had called at the property to investigate reports involving a missing person. But when they approached the entrance, they came under fire from two heavily armed offenders,

The mother wept with relief as she cradled her newborn baby at the only maternity hospital still working in the Ukrainian city of Kherson. Yulia Khomchyk, 37, discovered she was pregnant after Russian forces had seized the regional capital during the first days of the full-scale invasion in February. But almost nine months later, a

The inside light of a car flickered in the darkness next to a cluster of large apartment blocks in the Ukrainian city of Odesa. A young couple, wrapped in furry dressing gowns over layers of clothes, were sat in the front seats, charging their mobile phones and enjoying a brief respite from the cold. Oleh

Vladimir Putin could use any peace talks with Ukraine as an excuse to rearm and recruit Russian troops, the foreign secretary has warned. James Cleverly told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday that negotiations need to be “real” and “meaningful”. The Russian president said on Friday that Moscow may have to strike a deal with

Morocco made history by becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final after beating Portugal 1-0. Each of the previous three African sides to reach a quarter-final were all eliminated at this stage – Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010. It was a strong start for Morocco, scoring just

An armed suspect who allegedly killed his mother before taking two hostages in Dresden has been shot dead, police said. Officers said they were initially communicating with a 40-year-old German after he barricaded himself in a shopping mall with a child aged nine and a 38-year-old shop worker. Three hundred officers, including special forces, responded

Vladimir Putin has said Russia may have to strike a deal with Ukraine to end its war. Speaking at a news conference in Kyrgyzstan, the Russian president also admitted there had been problems in mobilising hundreds of thousands of conscripts to fight in the conflict. Russia has suffered a series of military setbacks since launching

A middle-aged woman with a bright yellow hat stepped out of a white van close to the frontline Ukrainian town of Bakhmut, one of the most dangerous places on the planet. Smiling cheerfully, Liudmyla Bila handed out a jumble of supplies – from woollen socks and metal pans to dried noodles and cans of beans

US basketball star Brittney Griner has been freed in a prisoner swap. The WNBA star was released in exchange for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, known as the “Merchant of Death”. She had been imprisoned in Russia after being convicted in August and sentenced to nine years in prison. Ms Griner was detained in

Vladimir Putin has said “we haven’t gone mad” when asked about concerns he could use nuclear weapons in Ukraine – but didn’t rule out a possible first-strike if threatened. The Russian president described the weapons as a deterrent, but reiterated his country would use “all the means at our disposal” to defend its interests if

Around 3,000 police officers have carried out raids across Germany to stop an alleged plot by a far-right terrorist group to overthrow the government. Federal prosecutors said 25 suspected members and supporters of the Reichsburger group – the so-called Reich Citizens movement – were detained during the raids in 11 of the country’s 16 states

Standing by a makeshift stove at the bottom of a bitterly-cold ditch, the Ukrainian troops enjoyed a quick tea break. Suddenly there was a loud whistle and a crack as a Russian artillery round flew overhead and exploded in a field behind them. The soldiers barely flinched, hardened by months of war. Instead, their focus

People in China’s capital Beijing have been allowed to enter parks, supermarkets and offices without showing proof of a negative COVID-19 test in a relaxation of some of the world’s toughest measures against the virus. Last month saw intense anti-lockdown protests representing the biggest show of public discontent on the mainland since President Xi Jinping

Facing a serious challenge from ongoing widespread unrest, Iran’s government is blaming Kurdish separatists for inciting the unrest, an Iranian academic has said. Protests demanding the overthrow of Iran’s clerical rulers are now in their fourth month, which erupted after the death of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish-Iranian woman, while in custody of the morality police.

Bulgaria has been accused of shooting a refugee after a new video emerged showing a young Syrian man being fired at on the border with Turkey. It is the first footage of an asylum seeker being hit with live ammunition on the EU border. It follows a joint investigation by Sky News, Lighthouse Reports, The

Through the streets of Doha’s West Bay district, a smattering of England fans singing “It’s coming home,” could be heard long past 3am. For a capital unaccustomed to late-night rowdiness, it was an unfamiliar sound during this unique World Cup. But reaching a tournament quarter-final is becoming familiar territory for the Three Lions. It’s now

France await the winner of England’s World Cup last-16 clash with Senegal after strikers Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappe both broke scoring records in a comfortable 3-1 win over Poland. The reigning World Cup champions claimed victory as Giroud made history by becoming France’s all-time top goalscorer during the match at Al Thumama Stadium in

The family home of female Iranian rock climber Elnaz Rekabi, who competed abroad without wearing a hijab, has been demolished. Iran’s official judiciary news agency, Mizan, said on Saturday that the destruction of her brother’s home was due to its ”unauthorised construction and use of land” and took place months before the climber competed at

A woman has died and four people have been injured after a “rogue wave” hit a cruise ship in the Atlantic. The Viking Polaris was sailing towards the Argentinian resort town of Ushuaia as part of its Antarctic Explorer cruise when the wave hit at 10.40pm local time on Wednesday. The travel company said the

A group of people tried to steal a Banksy mural from a battle-scarred wall in Ukraine, the governor of the region has said. They managed to slice off a section of board and plaster bearing the image of a woman in a gas mask and dressing gown holding a fire extinguisher. But they were spotted

The Chinese Grand Prix has been cancelled for the fourth year in a row as the country tries to curb the spread of coronavirus with strict measures. Formula 1 said the Shanghai event, scheduled for 16 April 2023, would not happen “due to ongoing difficulties presented by the COVID-19 situation”. The sport is now facing

The host of a conference in Kyiv alerted guests that air raid sirens were sounding, before assuring them they were safe and the event would carry on as planned. It is a small example of how people across Ukraine are learning to cope with the unpredictability of war while carrying on with their lives in

Germany have been knocked out of the World Cup, with a win against Costa Rica not enough to secure them a place in the last 16. Hansi Flick’s side came from behind to beat Costa Rica in their final group game 4-2. On a thrilling night in Qatar, Japan beat Spain 2-1 in the other

Major Chinese cities have started to lift COVID lockdowns and ease restrictions following widespread protests over stringent zero-COVID policies. Less than 24 hours after violent protests in Guangzhou, officials in at least seven districts of the sprawling port city north of Hong Kong announced they were lifting lockdowns. One district on Wednesday said it would

This winter will be the toughest in Ukraine’s history as an independent state as Russia targets power and water supplies, worsening the impact of the war, an energy boss has said. But Maksym Timchenko told Sky News that Moscow will fail to turn out the lights for too long with its missile strikes because of