World

Two construction workers have been detained by police in China for damaging a section of the Great Wall. Police in Youyo County in Shanxi province say the suspects used a digger to create a shortcut through the iconic landmark. State broadcaster CCTV said on Monday the pair had caused “irreversible damage”. The Great Wall is

Kim Jong Un could travel to Russia to meet president Vladimir Putin, according to a US official. The North Korean leader could make the trip as early as this month, according to the unnamed source, with the port city of Vladivostok, near to the border between the two countries, believed to be a possible meeting

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced he will replace his defence minister – marking the biggest political shake-up in Ukraine since the start of Russia’s invasion in February 2022. In his nightly video address to the nation, the Ukrainian president said he would dismiss defence minister Oleksii Reznikov and ask parliament this week to replace him with

Railway lines have been closed, a football match has been cancelled and residents have been ordered to stay indoors after heavy rain in parts of Spain. Weather warnings were issued for intense rainstorms in Madrid and nearby areas on Sunday. Spain‘s national weather agency AEMET issued a maximum red alert, which meant extreme danger was

The Nobel Foundation has withdrawn its invitation to representatives from Russia, Belarus, and Iran to attend this year’s Nobel Prize award ceremonies after the controversial decision “provoked strong reactions”. A number of Swedish officials also decided to skip the ceremonies in Stockholm in protest after the foundation had initially invited representatives from these countries. Some

Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales has issued a fresh defence after kissing a player on the lips following the Women’s World Cup final. Mr Rubiales‘s statement comes as the Spanish football federation called for him to step down on Monday. The 46-year-old has faced widespread criticism for kissing player Jennifer Hermoso on the lips during

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forced millions of people to flee their homes. Almost 170,000 of them have spent much of the last 18 months navigating new lives in the UK. Sky News spoke with five refugees who shared their stories of starting over in Britain, risking life and limb to visit their homeland, and their

Ukraine might have thwarted Russian ambitions to subjugate the whole of the country, but it faces a herculean task if it is to expel Russian forces from occupied territories completely. Ukraine remains the David to Russia’s Goliath. It cannot afford to be trapped in an attritional battle that it would struggle to win; instead, it

Hundreds of flights have been cancelled in Hong Kong and the neighbouring Chinese province of Guangdong ahead of the arrival of Typhoon Saola. Schools, businesses and financial markets have closed as the area prepares for the storm, which has winds of up to 125mph (200kph). Three tropical cyclones have formed in the northwest Pacific Ocean

A British volunteer has been “killed in action” fighting in eastern Ukraine, his brother has said. Samuel Newey, 22, had travelled to the country to fight just before his 21st birthday. His brother Daniel Newey wrote on Facebook: “I cannot put into words how broken I feel. “I also cannot emphasise how proud I am

North Korea has performed a simulated “scorched earth” nuclear strike on targets across South Korea. The exercise is in response to joint drills that have been held by South Korea, Japan and the US this week – which Pyongyang repeatedly denounces as a rehearsal for war. State media set out how the North envisions a

Another day, another coup on the continent. Chad, Sudan, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and now Gabon. Gunfire was heard in Libreville moments after President Ali Bongo, the ruler for 14 years, had his re-election success announced on Wednesday morning. Hours later, military officers took to state television to condemn the disputed election, declare their

A group of senior military officers have announced a coup in Gabon following the country’s presidential election result. They appeared on the national TV channel Gabon 24 declaring they were seizing power following President Ali Bongo’s victory. Nearly a dozen soldiers said they represented all security and defence forces in the Central African nation, adding

The FBI and its European partners have removed a malicious software agent from thousands of infected computers after seizing control of a global malware network, US officials have said. The agent – known as Qakbot – was used as part of online crimes, including ransomware attacks, for more than 15 years. The criminal network made

The Spanish football federation has called for its president Luis Rubiales to resign following his controversial kiss at the Women’s World Cup final. Mr Rubiales, 46, has faced widespread criticism after he kissed player Jenni Hermoso on the lips following Spain’s victory in the final. In a statement on Monday evening, the Spanish football federation

The fallout from that kiss at the World Cup winning ceremony has overshadowed Spain’s win and sparked a national debate. The story has been hugely inflamed by the subsequent behaviour of Luis Rubiales, the man who planted the unwanted kiss and the recently suspended boss of Spanish football. He’s declared himself the victim of a