World

A Chinese spacecraft is on its way back to Earth after becoming the first ever probe to collect samples from the far side of the moon. The Chang’e-6 lifted off just after 12.30am UK time on Tuesday to begin its journey home, according to the China National Space Administration. Officials said it had been successful

For the past three weeks or so I’ve travelled the entire length of Mexico, from its border in the south with Guatemala to its northern state of Chihuahua that borders the US. In cities, towns, and villages, ubiquitous billboards for the various political parties and candidates dominated the skyline. Claudia Sheinbaum’s face was as common

The Maldives says it will ban the entry of Israelis amid public anger in the predominantly Muslim archipelago over the war in Gaza. The office of Maldives’ President Mohamed Muizzu said his cabinet had decided to change laws to prevent Israeli passport holders from entering the country, and it will establish a subcommittee to oversee

Manisha has been waiting for hours in the scorching heat for the water tanker. Hundreds of residents like her from the Vivekanand camp have lined up their empty container along the sidewalk with hose pipes. While the tanker is rolling into this narrow lane young boys and girls climb atop the moving vehicle. A dozen

Mexico’s election has become its bloodiest in modern history after the number of assassinated candidates reached 37 before today’s vote. The election is likely to give Mexico its first woman president as voters decide between a former academic who is promising to advance the current leader’s populist policies and a former senator and tech entrepreneur

Signs of Russia’s so-called special military operation are everywhere in Moscow, from roadside recruitment adverts to Z-themed souvenirs. Now there is another example – a proposed tax hike, that amounts to the biggest shake-up of the Russian tax system in a quarter of a century. As the war in Ukraine continues to drain the Kremlin’s

It was a joyful day 30 years ago in a South Africa that had enjoyed very few. It was the first truly democratic election, and the black majority – for so long the victims of the wretched oppression imposed by apartheid – finally had their say. And how they spoke! I watched them queue in

Mukesh, a 22-year-old from Munak in the northern state of Haryana, shows Sky News the scars all over his body he says are from torture in a Russian prison. He alleges prison guards stubbed their cigarettes out on him and regularly beat him up for months while he was incarcerated. Mukesh is one of the

France says it has foiled an attack targeting one of the football stadiums being used for this summer’s Olympic Games. The country’s security forces arrested an 18-year-old from Chechnya earlier this month in the southeastern city of Saint-Etienne, interior minister Gerald Darmanin said. According to investigators, the man was preparing an attack on the Geoffroy-Guichard

A Chinese national has been arrested for allegedly being the mastermind behind a huge botnet used to steal billions of dollars. The “911 S5” botnet was likely the world’s largest – and infected computers in nearly 200 countries and facilitated a whole host of crimes including financial frauds, identity theft and child exploitation, said FBI

The jury in Donald Trump’s hush money trial has completed its first day of deliberations – while the former president once again labelled the proceedings “unfair” as he spoke outside the court. Trump is facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, as

The Home Office has “little to show” for the money it has used on the Rwanda scheme and “does not have a credible plan”, a group of MPs has warned. The Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said the government department had spent millions of pounds so far on the policy and its asylum accommodation plans.

Donald Trump has become the first former US president to be criminally convicted. In a historic decision, a New York jury has found him guilty of falsifying business records to commit election fraud. He was found guilty of all 34 counts he faced. Unanimity was required for any verdict. Follow live: Trump found guilty on

In Keelung, about 30 minutes from Taiwan’s capital Taipei, China’s recent war games seem to promote a kind of collective eye roll. It’s less than 24 hours after Beijing encircled the self-governed island, firing mock missiles aimed at showing how it could seize power. Those moves, coupled with ramped up talk of “punishment” by Beijing,

Vladimir Putin is ready to halt the war in Ukraine with a ceasefire that recognises the current battlefield lines, four Russian sources have told the Reuters news agency. Three of the sources claimed that the Russian leader had expressed frustration about what he views as Western-backed attempts to hinder ceasefire negotiations. “Putin can fight for

China has tested its ability to “seize power” by launching mock missile strikes on Taiwan and pretending to bomb foreign assets. The two-day tests were staged to punish Taiwan’s new president, Lai Ching-te, who China has previously denounced as being a “dangerous separatist”. China dispatched fighter jets carrying live missiles along with bombers on Friday,

Ireland, Norway and Spain have officially recognised Palestine as a separate state, prompting Israel to recall its ambassadors from two of the European states. Speaking on Wednesday, Irish Prime Minster Simon Harris said: “Today Ireland, Norway and Spain are announcing that we recognise the state of Palestine, each of us will undertake whatever national steps

Police are investigating the source of the ketamine which killed actor Matthew Perry, it has emerged. Perry, who was best known for playing wise-cracking Chandler Bing in Friends, died at his LA home last October after being found unresponsive in a swimming pool. A post-mortem found his death was an accident from “the acute effects

Emmanuel Macron is to visit New Caledonia following deadly riots in the French overseas territory. The French president’s visit to the South Pacific archipelago follows reinforced security and emergency measures to bring the unrest under control. Six people, including two police officers, have been killed in the violence, which erupted after protests over voting reforms

A portal which links people in Dublin and New York via a live stream has been reactivated after “mooning” and other inappropriate behaviour was reported. The artwork had been temporarily shut due to “inappropriate behaviour” which included people flashing body parts to the camera, swearing and displaying images of 9/11. The portal has now reopened