World

The Syrian government has fallen after a lightning offensive by anti-regime forces across the country – ending President Bashar al Assad’s 24-year rule. Mr Assad has left office and the country after giving orders for there to be a peaceful transfer of power, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday. Russia was

The favourite to win Romania’s controversial presidential election has launched an extraordinary series of attacks in an exclusive interview with Sky News, less than a day after the election was cancelled.  Calin Georgescu, the populist politician who rose from obscurity to the brink of victory, said he had been the victim of a “coup d’etat”

South Korea’s president has said he is “very sorry” days after declaring martial law and surrounding parliament with soldiers. Yoon Suk Yeol plunged his country into turmoil on Tuesday when he put the military in charge, claiming it was necessary to defend the constitutional order and “eradicate the despicable pro-North Korean anti-state forces”. However, his

Romania’s top court has annulled the results of the first round of the country’s presidential election after claims of Russian interference. The unprecedented decision came after declassified intelligence documents alleged Russia was behind a campaign to promote far-right candidate Calin Georgescu on platforms such as TikTok and Telegram. Mr Georgescu was viewed as an outsider

Syrian rebels have captured the central city of Hama in the latest blow to President Bashar al Assad. The Syrian army said it had withdrawn and taken up positions outside the city to protect civilians, hours after opposition fighters said they were marching towards its centre. The insurgents said they had entered Syria’s fourth-largest city

Amnesty International has accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians during its war against Hamas in Gaza. The human rights group said Israel sought to deliberately destroy Palestinians by launching deadly attacks, demolishing vital infrastructure and preventing the delivery of food, medicine and other aid. It said such actions met the legal threshold for the

Cathay Pacific has apologised after an episode of Family Guy depicting Tiananmen Square was included in inflight entertainment. The episode of the adult animated series – known for pushing boundaries – includes a scene referencing the 1989 protest crackdown, in which China’s military violently suppressed massive pro-democracy protests. Cathay Pacific is Hong Kong’s flagship airline.

The French government has collapsed after prime minister Michel Barnier lost a vote of no confidence. It follows his decision to use special powers to force a social security budget through the lower house of parliament without a final vote after a last-minute concession was not enough to win support from the far-right National Rally

South Korean lawmakers have called for the impeachment of the president after he declared martial law only to reverse the move hours later, triggering the biggest political crisis the country has faced in decades. The surprise declaration late on Tuesday ignited a standoff with parliament which rejected President Yoon Suk Yeol’s attempt to ban political

The president of South Korea has declared “emergency martial law”, accusing the country’s opposition of controlling the parliament and sympathising with North Korea. Yoon Suk Yeol announced he was taking the step, which enacts temporary rule by the military, during a televised briefing on Tuesday, saying it was critical for defending the country’s constitutional order.

Syria’s military has said its joint airstrikes with Russia have killed at least 400 insurgents over the past 24 hours – as Vladimir Putin reaffirmed his support for Syrian President Bashar al Assad. The strikes are being carried out after insurgents led by jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al Sham and including Turkey-backed fighters launched a

Police in Australia have seized a record 2.3 tonnes (2,300kg) of cocaine from a motorcycle gang’s fishing boat that broke down off the coast of Queensland. The haul, worth around $760m Australian dollars (£388m), was being smuggled by the Comancheros biker gang, Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commander Stephen Jay said. Detectives had been investigating the

In a West Bank clinic, the father of a nine-year-old Palestinian boy showed us where the bullet shot by an Israeli soldier entered his son’s neck and where it left his small body through his spine. Kareem Sharaab had been outside his home when the Israeli military entered his village in the occupied West Bank.

Syria’s president has said his country will “defend its stability and territorial integrity” after rebels reportedly took control of most of the country’s second-largest city Aleppo. In his first public comments since the start of the offensive, Bashar al Assad said the regime would defeat the “terrorists and their supporters”. In comments released by the

Georgia’s president has said the Caucasian country’s government is “not legitimate” as thousands of protesters gathered again in the capital after a halt to EU membership talks. The US State Department condemned the “excessive force” used against demonstrators and suspended its strategic partnership with the country after more than 100 arrests were made on Friday.

It had appeared to be a conflict frozen in time, but the operation launched with blistering speed by Syrian opposition fighters has turned all of that upside down. It is also a potent reminder of the complexity of the Syrian conflict. What was a stalemate has revealed that the regime of President Bashar al Assad

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested a ceasefire deal could be struck if Ukrainian territory he controls could be taken “under the NATO umbrella” – allowing him to negotiate the return of the rest later “in a diplomatic way”. In an interview with Sky News’s chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay, the Ukrainian president was asked to respond to

Violent protests have erupted in Georgia over its ruling party’s decision to put talks on the country’s longstanding bid to join the EU back until 2028.  Police in riot gear used a water cannon, tear gas and pepper spray as they ordered crowds of protesters on the streets of Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, to disperse. Pictures

There’s a veneer of normality to life in Ukraine’s major cities if you ignore the air raid sirens, the booming sounds of anti-aircraft fire, the threatening buzz of drones passing overhead, and the darkened streets of neighbourhoods taking their turn as part of rolling power cuts affecting all of Ukraine. As I say, if you

Israel’s military has said it has fired on “suspects” in southern Lebanon who were allegedly violating its ceasefire with Hezbollah. Israeli tank fire hit six areas within two kilometres of a strip of land demarcating the border between Lebanon and Israel, according to state media and Lebanese security sources. It comes after Israel and the

Hezbollah has vowed to continue its resistance to Israel after the ceasefire came into effect. Brokered by the US and France, the halt to fighting in Lebanon will see both Israeli and Hezbollah forces retreat. Its announcement was met by cheers on the streets of Lebanon, where people quickly began taking to the roads, streaming

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has begun. Commencing at 2am UK time (4am local time) on Wednesday, the deal marks a notable step forward in diplomatic efforts in the region. Previously such talks had floundered and failed to produce results – until this week. Read more:Analysis: Dark clouds hang over Middle EastExplained: Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been agreed, to celebrations in Lebanon but scepticism in Israel. Lebanese people are finally looking forward to some calm after months of heavy bombardment in the capital Beirut and across the country. An estimated 1.2 million people have been displaced and many towns and villages heavily damaged. Middle

Conor McGregor has spoken out after losing a civil rape case as a feminist march was held in Dublin. The MMA fighter was accused of raping Nikita Hand, who was awarded €248,603 (£206,000) in damages on Friday after a jury at Dublin’s High Court found McGregor assaulted her in a Dublin hotel in 2018. Image:

Twelve British soldiers were injured in a major traffic pile-up in Estonia, close to the border with Russia, local media have reported. Eight of the troops – part of a major NATO mission to deter Russian aggression – were airlifted back to the UK for hospital treatment on Sunday after the incident, which happened in

More than a dozen people are missing after a tourist boat sank in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt, officials have said. The boat, Sea Story, was carrying 45 people, including 31 tourists of varying nationalities and 14 crew. Authorities are searching for 17 people who are still missing, the governor of the

Russian forces have reportedly captured a British man while he was fighting for Ukraine. In a widely circulated video posted on Sunday, the man says his name is James Scott Rhys Anderson, aged 22. He says he is a former British Army soldier who signed up to fight for Ukraine’s International Legion after his job.

The body of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been found, Israel has said. Zvi Kogan, the Chabad representative in the UAE, went missing on Thursday. A statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s office on Sunday said the 28-year-old rabbi was murdered, calling it a “heinous antisemitic terror

The COP29 climate talks have reached a last ditch deal on cash for developing countries, pulling the summit back from the brink of collapse after a group of countries stormed out of a negotiating room earlier. The slew of deals finally signed off in the small hours of Sunday morning in Azerbaijan includes one that

Representatives of dozens of climate vulnerable islands and African nations have stormed out of high-stakes negotiations over a climate funding goal. The more than 200 countries gathered in Baku, Azerbaijan, are trying to agree a new financial settlement to channel money to developing countries to both curb and adapt to climate change. The least developed

A woman who accused Conor McGregor of raping her has said “justice has been served” after she won her civil case against the Irish mixed martial arts fighter. Nikita Hand has been awarded €248,603 (£206,000) in damages after a jury at Dublin’s High Court found McGregor assaulted her in a Dublin hotel in 2018. McGregor,

A second Australian teenager has died after being poisoned with methanol in Laos, bringing the number of people killed to six. Holly Bowles, 19, has died, according to the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong, who said: “All Australians will be heartbroken by the tragic passing of Holly Bowles. “I offer my deepest

Arrest warrants have been issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence secretary Yoav Gallant by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The warrants are for alleged war crimes. Another warrant was issued for the arrest of Hamas leader Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al Masri. This breaking news story is being updated and more details