World

Unseasonably warm conditions and sparse snowfall has forced some low-level ski resorts to shut in recent days – as Europe started the new year with record-breaking temperatures. Bare mountainsides and slushy runs have reignited fears over the effect of climate change on many mountain towns that rely on winter tourism. Temperatures in France at the

Edson Arantes do Nascimento wasn’t born here, and he didn’t die here. But for 19 seasons, Pelé put this place on the map – so much so, the Brazilian government made him an official national treasure, so he couldn’t play anywhere else. The return of a king to his beloved Santos was welcomed with flags,

Thousands of football fans are saying a final farewell to Brazil football hero Pele at the home of his former club Santos. The coffin of the three-time World Cup winner was carried to the centre circle of the Brazilian’s club’s Vila Belmiro stadium where he will lie in state for 24 hours. The sporting icon,

Two helicopters have collided near a marine theme park in the Australian state of Queensland, killing four people and leaving three others critically injured. The mid-air collision, just outside Sea World on the Gold Coast, happened at around 2pm local time when the park would have been busy with families enjoying the summer school holidays.

Brazil officially has a new but familiar president as Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was sworn in for the third time. The leftist politician, known as Lula, had held Brazil’s highest office between 2003 and 2010 after three attempts to get the top job. Now aged 77, he entered office having defeated far-right candidate Jair

Blasts have been heard in Kyiv and air raid sirens wailed across the country just after midnight, forcing Ukrainians to abandon New Year celebrations and head to bomb shelters. The latest apparent Russian salvo followed blasts on New Year’s Eve in multiple regions of Ukraine, with one person killed and 20 reported injured in the capital

World leaders and King Charles have paid tribute to former pope Benedict XVI following his death at the age of 95. The Vatican announced the former pontiff – who was the first to resign in some 600 years – had died on Saturday morning. Pope Francis, who succeeded Benedict in 2013, described him as “kind”

Travellers arriving in England from mainland China will have to provide a negative pre-departure COVID test, the government has said. A growing list of countries, including the US, have announced similar rules in recent days. The Department of Health and Social Care said the “precautionary and temporary” change would take effect from 5 January. The

Brazil has entered three days of mourning following the death of football superstar Pele. The 82-year-old – the only man to win the World Cup three times as a player – died on Thursday after a long battle with cancer. A 24-hour wake will be held on Monday in the centre of the field at

At least seven people are dead and dozens injured in a fire at a casino and hotel in western Cambodia. The fire at the Grand Diamond City Casino in the city of Poipet, started at about midnight on Wednesday, the General Commissariat of National Police said. Just after 4am UK time (11am local time), police

Brazilian football star Pele has died at the age of 82, his agent has confirmed. The former Santos FC star, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, had been at the Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital in Sao Paulo since 29 November. A medical report just before Christmas showed that he needed

Doctors in China have described the chaos unfolding within hospitals as COVID-19 infections sweep the country. Three health care professionals spoke anonymously to Sky News, painting a picture of emergency departments “packed” with patients, “ventilators and oxygen machines everywhere” and “not enough IV beds”. Strict zero-COVID restrictions were lifted just three weeks ago in China

Serbian security forces on the border with Kosovo have been placed on a state of “full combat readiness”. The order was given by Serbia’s interior minister Bratislav Gasic, who said he was acting on instructions from President Aleksandar Vucic so that “all measures be taken to protect the Serbian people in Kosovo”. Kosovo has not

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

About 10 people are missing, potentially buried, following an avalanche in western Austria, local media has reported. One person has been rescued following the avalanche in the free skiing area near the upmarket Lech ski resort, which struck at about 3pm local time, the Austrian Press Agency (APA) said. It added that several helicopters and

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. It was not clear if the ban, announced in a letter and confirmed by the economy ministry, also applied to foreign women or those working for the United Nations, which has a significant presence in the country. The economy ministry said

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