World

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, a US official has said. She had been imprisoned in Russia after being convicted in August and sentenced to nine years in prison. Ms Griner was detained in February when customs agents said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage

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

Explosions have been heard at two air bases in Russia – including at one which is home to bombers carrying nuclear weapons, according to reports. Three servicemen were killed and six others injured when a fuel truck exploded at an air base in Ryazan on Monday, reported Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. A plane

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

Football legend Pele has said he feels “strong” and has “a lot of hope” as he receives hospital treatment in his battle with colon cancer. The 82-year-old posted on Instagram following a bulletin from Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo, where he was admitted earlier this week so doctors could re-evaluate his care. “My friends,

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

Ukraine’s armed forces have lost up to 13,000 soldiers so far in the war against Russia, presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak has said. His comments are believed to be the first estimate of dead since late August, when the head of the armed forces said nearly 9,000 military personnel had been killed. “We have official figures

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