World

A deadly missile blast in Poland marks the first time Russia’s war in Ukraine has struck NATO soil in a serious test for the alliance. But – judging by initial indications – the crisis does not look set to be the trigger for direct military conflict between NATO and Moscow. Instead, it underlines the inherent

Leading Iran for a third time at a World Cup, Carlos Queiroz could not be surprised to face politically-charged questions. Particularly when the Portuguese coach only returned to the job in September and protests erupted across Iran before he had even managed a match again. The September World Cup warm-up fixtures saw players cover the

Budweiser has been forced to relocate stalls selling beer outside World Cup stadiums after the Qatari rulers wanted alcohol to be less prominent. Alcohol is allowed in the Muslim nation within hotel bars and restaurants away from street view, but it had to relax its alcohol restrictions to allow the FIFA sponsor to sell its

The world’s eight billionth resident has been born today, according to projections by the United Nations Population Division. The global population has reached eight billion – three times the size it was in 1950 – and although there are more people on Earth than ever before because we’re living longer, population growth is at its

A young girl and her father are among at least six people who have died in a suspected terror attack in Istanbul. An explosion rocked a busy pedestrian street in central Istanbul on Sunday afternoon, with Turkey’s president calling the incident a “bomb attack” and saying it “smells like terrorism”. At least 81 were injured

This year Australia is trying to transform its climate credentials from laggard to environmental crusader. From a reputation as an outlier that refused to sign any new pledges at the UN’s COP26 in Glasgow last year, Australia is now a signatory to the global agreement to reduce methane gas emissions by 30%. Its new Labor

Three women have been arrested after climate activists targeted Edvard Munch’s world-famous masterpiece, The Scream, at a museum in Oslo on Friday, police said. Two people allegedly tried to glue themselves to the 1893 painting while a third person was seen filming, according to Norway’s NTB news agency. Footage showed museum guards holding two protesters

The Ukrainian army is on a roll – they are taking advantage of Russia’s faltering military, and now they have the city of Kherson in their sights. We are taken by an artillery team on a mission down a road that is scarred and littered with the debris from months of brutal fighting. As we

A very public decision by Russia to order the withdrawal of its forces from the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson appears to be a necessary humiliation. Exposed on the west bank of the Dnipro River, commanders faced the choice of staying and slowly dying under Ukrainian bombardment or retreating and living to fight another day.

Russian troops have been ordered to withdraw from the city of Kherson and surrounding areas in the south of Ukraine. Russia’s top commander in Ukraine, General Sergei Surovikin, said it is no longer possible to supply the city and other parts of the west bank of the Dnipro River that it sits on. In televised

There were notable gasps from the crowd and a scramble to grab cameras when the first J-20 jets roared across the sky. Four cutting-edge stealth fighter jets soared in perfect unison, the sound of the engines deafening. It was a display designed to grab attention. These jets, previously shrouded in secrecy, have now been displayed

Russia flew €140m in cash and a selection of captured UK and US weapons to Iran in return for dozens of deadly drones for its war in Ukraine, a security source has claimed. A Russian military aircraft secretly transported the cash and three models of munition – a British NLAW anti-tank missile, a US Javelin

Russia and the US are reportedly discussing holding talks on strategic nuclear weapons for the first time since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine. Talks between the two countries on strategic stability have been frozen since Vladimir Putin‘s forces invaded Ukraine eight months ago – even as the New Start treaty on nuclear arms reduction stays

Young women drinking too much is partly to blame for Poland’s low birth rate, the country’s ruling party leader has said. In remarks which have sparked outrage and have been branded as “insulting” to women, Jaroslaw Kaczynski said he does not favour “very early motherhood” because a woman must mature before having children. The leader

Kyiv’s mayor has told residents to consider leaving the capital in the event of a complete blackout. Urging residents to “consider everything” including a worst-case scenario where the capital loses power and water, Vitali Klitschko said he could not rule out the prospect of a total loss of power. “If you have extended family… or

People “cannot accept a small country from the Middle East” hosting the World Cup and those criticising the tournament are “arrogant”, Qatar’s foreign minister has told Sky News. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani described negative media coverage of the upcoming tournament as “misinformation” in an exclusive interview with Sky News Middle East correspondent Alistair

Iran has tested a new satellite-carrying rocket. General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the Revolutionary Guards’ aerospace division which developed the Ghaem 100, said the rocket would be used to launch Iran’s Nahid satellite for the telecommunications ministry, state media reported. Saturday’s test has caused concern in Washington, which fears the same long-range ballistic technology

Vladimir Putin has backed the evacuation of civilians from parts of Kherson region, as Ukrainian forces advancing in the south close in on a key city. The signal from the Russian president is the latest sign of the Kremlin forces’ retreat in one of the most bitterly contested areas in Ukraine. It comes after Russian-installed

About 4.5 million Ukrainians have been left without power following continued drone strikes on the country’s power network, as an ally of Vladimir Putin claimed Russian troops are fighting a holy war against Satan. Swarms of kamikaze drones have been wreaking havoc on Ukraine’s power infrastructure, plunging cities into darkness and leaving homes without electricity.

Even before the German chancellor’s plane took off, the timing of this trip to China had become a topic for debate and criticism both inside and outside Germany. Olaf Scholz, accompanied by a business delegation, is the first G7 leader to visit Beijing since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. He is also the first