World

More than half of passengers on a flight from China to Italy have tested positive for COVID-19 – as China prepares to open up its borders despite a huge surge in infections. Two flights into Milan were among the first to see passengers subjected to new mandatory testing imposed on Chinese travellers. Guido Bertolaso, Lombardy

Two teenage boys have been charged with the murder of a British mother-of-two who was killed while defending her home in Australia on Boxing Day. The 17-year-olds have appeared in court charged with the murder of Emma Lovell, 41, and the attempted murder of her husband Lee Lovell, 43. The couple, originally from Ipswich, Suffolk,

A Rohingya mother and her five-year-old daughter have been found among 200 people rescued in Indonesia after being adrift on a boat for almost a month. Mohammed Rezuwan Khan, a Rohingya refugee living in a camp in Bangladesh, told Sky News his sister Hatemonnesa and his niece Umme Salima were rescued by Indonesian authorities on

South Korea says it has scrambled fighter jets and attack helicopters, firing warning shots, after North Korean drones “violated” its airspace. The country’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, a group of chiefs from each major branch of the armed services, said several unmanned North Korean drones crossed the border and were detected in the South’s territory

Ukraine has said Vladimir Putin “needs to come back to reality” in response to the Russian president’s claim that he is ready to negotiate. On a day which saw Russia launch rocket attacks on dozens of frontline towns, Mr Putin had told state broadcaster Rossiya 1 that the Kremlin was “ready to negotiate with everyone

Rescue workers are searching for two people feared buried by an enormous avalanche in western Austria, local media has reported. Initially up to 10 people were feared missing, based on video from a witness. But eight of those individuals have since been identified and are alive, according to the dpa news agency, citing a spokesman

Pele’s family are spending Christmas Day in hospital after the Brazilian football legend’s cancer progressed. A medical report earlier this week showed that the 82-year-old now needed care for cardiac and renal dysfunction, having been battling colon cancer since September 2021. He has been at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paul since 29 November.

The Taliban have banned Afghan women from working at non-governmental organisations in the country. The letter said female employees would not be allowed to work for NGOs until further notice because some had not adhered to the Taliban’s interpretation of the Islamic dress code for women. The economy ministry said it had received “serious complaints”

Tragedy has once again struck Paris with three people dead and three others injured following a shooting. Here’s what we know so far about the incident in the French capital. Who is the suspect? A 69-year-old suspect, who was also injured, has been arrested after the incident and the Paris prosecutor’s office has opened an

Three people have been killed and three others injured after a gunman opened fire in Paris. A man, 69, has been arrested in connection with the shooting at a local Kurdish cultural centre, the prosecutor’s department in the French capital said. The French government asked police to reinforce the protection of Kurdish community sites in

In a bunker below the fiercely contested city of Bakhmut, a jihadi commander with a half a million-dollar Russian bounty on his head, joins his men in prayer. Of the allies Ukraine has gathered in its war with Russia, among the most shadowy and deadly are the Chechens. They are some of Vladimir Putin’s oldest

Into a buttoned-up, power-dressed chamber of US politicians entered the man of war. Wearing khaki and a look of polite exhaustion, Volodymyr Zelenskyy received the adulation of a man fighting their fight as much as his own. That was certainly the message he carried into the well of the House chamber, an appeal from the

Sky News has unearthed evidence Russia has been abducting Ukrainian orphans and children in care. Allegations that the Russian military has been deporting children have been some of the most disturbing aspects of this nasty war. Sky News investigated reports Russians took children from two orphanages in Kherson. Our investigation found evidence supporting the claims

An open-air bus parade for Argentina’s World Cup heroes had to be called off part-way through to protect the safety of millions of fans who had poured onto the streets of Buenos Aires. Argentina captain Lionel Messi and his fellow teammates instead boarded helicopters for a flyover of the capital, which the government billed as

Female students have been banned from universities in Afghanistan with immediate effect, the Taliban has said. A letter, confirmed by a spokesperson for the higher education ministry, instructed Afghan public and private universities to suspend access to female students until further notice in accordance with a cabinet decision. The United States and Britain have both

After taking the World Cup crown, Argentina returned home to Buenos Aires on Tuesday with the country declaring the day of celebration as a national holiday. Thousands of fans lined up in the middle of the night to try to get a glimpse of the Argentina football team that won one of the greatest World

Elon Musk will step down as Twitter boss – if he stands by his pledge to abide by the results of a poll asking users for their verdict on his tenure. The owner of Tesla and SpaceX set his poll in motion just after 11pm UK time, writing: “Should I step down as head of

Argentinian fans have been celebrating through the night after their team won the World Cup in what some commentators have described as one of the best games in the history of the tournament. The side beat defending champions France 4-2 on penalties after drawing 3-3 after extra time in front of a 88,000-strong crowd in

Argentina have won the World Cup after a thrilling match which saw them take the lead and then lose it again twice before winning a penalty shootout, in what is already being described as one of the greatest finals in history. It was a special moment for Lionel Messi, who finally won the biggest prize

Qatar World Cup chief Hassan Al Thawadi says the tournament has changed perceptions of the region and transformed his country. He also insisted there should be recognition for improved workers’ rights after previously “unacceptable” conditions. Mr Al Thawadi told Sky News: “The progress will not end when the final whistle is blown.” Lusail – the