World

Even first thing in the morning the crematoriums were burning in Beijing. Plumes of smoke against the cold blue sky. Dongjiao crematorium to the east of the city was busy. Ambulances arriving, grieving relatives gathered round and a queue of vans carrying the coffins. It’s been reported that this crematorium has been specifically designated for

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

Ukraine has a good chance to liberate all its territory – apart from Crimea – by the end of 2023, a military expert says. Cities like Severodonetsk, Melitopol and even Mariupol could be liberated if Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s forces keep up their counteroffensive success, according to former military intelligence officer Philip Ingram. As we approach the

Australian police have released images of people they want to trace after “shocking” violence erupted at a football match. Fans invaded the pitch and Melbourne City’s goalkeeper was hit in the face with a sand-filled bucket and needed hospital treatment. The trouble erupted during the derby against Melbourne Victory on Saturday, with players and the

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

Leo Varadkar has returned to the office of Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) in keeping with the agreement underpinning coalition government. The Fine Gael leader, who has been Tanaiste (deputy prime minister) for the last two years, has swapped roles with Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin. Mr Varadkar, 43, was nominated during a special sitting of

The deputy prime minister of Mongolia has defended his country buying almost 100% of its gas from Russia, saying that its position as a large landlocked country presents “a lot of problems and issues”. Speaking exclusively to Sky News, Sainbuyan Amarsaikhan said that while Russian sources are important to ensure “continued supply with a reasonable

In her sunshine yellow coat, a 17-year-old girl clambered on top of a car and threw her hands in the air – fingers spread to show V for victory – and the crowd erupted in a loud cheer. Sonia Sharifi had just been released from the clutches of Iranian detention. It is the fourth month

Ukraine is preparing for Russia to try again to invade from the north – maybe around the anniversary of its first, failed attempt to seize Kyiv last February, a top commander has said. President Vladimir Putin could even ultimately order millions of soldiers into the war as Russia’s offensive falters in the face of fierce

A 30-day state of emergency has been declared in Peru after the country’s president was impeached and a week of protests left at least eight dead. It gives police the power to search homes without permission and limits certain freedoms, including the right to assembly. Demonstrations have been ongoing since the ousting of former president

A boy has been killed in Montpellier amid clashes between France and Morocco fans in the city following the World Cup semi-final. A statement issued by the local government office said the boy was “violently hit” by a car in the city, in the south of France, on Wednesday. He was transferred to the hospital,

While it no longer controls vast swathes of Iraq and Syria, Islamic State remains a threat and will seek to spring 10,000 of its fighters from Syrian prisons in 2023, experts say. The infamous terror group is much diminished from its peak in 2014 but it remains a menace in a volatile part of the

The grey house with the Christmas wreath on the front door and twinkling fairy lights overhanging the back patio could be any other student home in the remote town of Moscow, Idaho. A blanket of snow covers the ground, and a rubbish bag overflowing with beer and seltzer cans is propped up near an outdoor

A group of 90 Ukrainian judges will undergo training, provided by the UK, to carry out war crimes trials for Russian soldiers. The first group of judges attended sessions at a secret location in the region last week, and more will follow in the coming months, as part of a £2.5m investment. In her first broadcast

US scientists have carried out the first ever nuclear fusion experiment to achieve a net energy gain, paving the way for a “clean energy source that could revolutionise the world”. During a landmark news briefing at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, officials revealed the successful fusion experiment had taken place last week. As

The European Parliament has stripped a Greek MEP of her role as one of the body’s vice presidents over allegations that Qatar had bribed her to influence decision-making. Eva Kaili, 44, one of the parliament’s 14 vice presidents, was among four people arrested and charged by investigators in Belgium over the bribery and corruption scandal.

The mother wept with relief as she cradled her newborn baby at the only maternity hospital still working in the Ukrainian city of Kherson. Yulia Khomchyk, 37, discovered she was pregnant after Russian forces had seized the regional capital during the first days of the full-scale invasion in February. But almost nine months later, a

Farmers living in the Republic of the Congo say that they have been barred from accessing their land so that the French oil giant Total Energies and the Congolese government can use it for a high-profile carbon offsetting project to plant 40 million trees in the next decade. According to an investigation shared exclusively with

The man accused of making the bomb that blew up the Pan Am 103 flight over Lockerbie in 1988 is now in US custody. Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir al-Marimi is said to be the “third conspirator” behind the attack. The US Justice Department has confirmed Mas’ud is in custody and said he will make

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