World

Ukraine’s counteroffensive is entering its seventh week and even the most ardent optimists admit that it is progressing slower than anticipated and Ukrainian forces have – as yet – failed to break through the established layered Russian defences. But, Russia is also facing significant challenges. Vladimir Putin is evidently struggling to re-establish command and control

Officers scouring the outskirts of Berlin for a lioness now believe the mysterious animal is actually a wild boar. Heat-seeking equipment has been used in the search – but no evidence of a big cat has been found. The mayor of Kleinmachnow, Michael Grubert, has admitted he was “sceptical from the beginning” that a lion

Temperatures across parts of Europe remain above 40C (104F) , as wildfires rage in Greece. Winds near Athens have fuelled a major wildfire close to the Greek capital, forcing people from their homes and burning 13.5 square miles (35 square km) of forest and scrubland. Authorities had declared the huge blaze contained overnight on Wednesday,

Six people have died in a powerful storm which has battered much of the Balkans – while Southern Europe continues to face a searing heatwave. Dozens of people have also been injured as a result of strong winds and heavy rain which have hit countries including Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia and Slovenia. It is the second

“I am being held at the airport. Please don’t worry too much,” the message read. “I think I will be okay. But who knows?” Kimberley Glendinning won’t forget the moment she read those words. “My heart actually missed a beat,” she says, her voice quavering. In September 2022, Kimberley’s husband, Brian, was on his way

The head of MI6 has urged Russians appalled by the horrors of Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine to “join hands with us” and spy for the UK to help end the bloodshed. Sir Richard Moore used a rare speech to reveal that “many” had already taken this step since Russia’s invasion was launched 18 months

“What if nothing much is going on when you get there, and you’re stuck for weeks?” one of the Sky News bosses asked. It was a strange but valid question as we mulled over final plans for our undercover trip to the jungles of Myanmar. We knew that there had been a military coup in

The heatwave enveloping southern Europe is set to intensify even further today – with temperatures expected to reach as high as 46C. Spain, Italy and Greece will bake tomorrow and the European Space Agency has warned that France, Germany and Poland will also face extreme heat over the coming days. Sardinia and Sicily – among

Meteorologists are warning temperatures will hit new record highs across southern Europe this week. The latest forecasts show peaks of 44C (111F) on multiple days, with temperatures consistently in the high 30s and low 40s across the region. The European Space Agency has warned countries including Italy, Spain, France, Germany and Poland will face extreme

Two people have been killed following reported explosions on a bridge linking Russia with Crimea. The couple who lost their lives in the unspecified incident were parents, according to officials in Russia’s Krasnodar region, which lies at the eastern end of the bridge. Their daughter, who was a passenger in the car, was wounded and

A tsunami warning has been issued after an earthquake in the Alaska Peninsula region, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) has said. The US Tsunami Warning System issued the threat after the 7.4 magnitude earthquake, which struck early on Sunday. The “notable quake” was at a depth of 9.3km (5.78 miles), the USGS said on

In a moment of candour, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky said the counter-offensive has not gone exactly as planned. “We must all understand very clearly, as clearly as possible, that Russian forces in our southern and eastern lands are doing everything they can in order to stop our soldiers.” He was speaking in his nightly

Benjamin Netanyahu is in hospital, his office has confirmed. The Israeli prime minister, 73, is in a good condition and undergoing assessment in Sheba hospital, in Tel Hashomer, near Tel Aviv, his office added. According to Israeli reports he was feeling unwell, but fully conscious en route to the hospital. Netanyahu was rushed to hospital

At least seven people have died after torrential downpours triggered deadly flash floods and landslides in South Korea. The country has been hit by heavy rainfall since 9 July, which has intensified in the past three days and is expected to continue in some regions until Sunday. Thousands are being evacuated after a dam in

Europe is set to reach even higher temperatures over the weekend, as the Cerberus heatwave continues to grip the south of the continent. Temperatures are expected to continue to swelter in Italy, with a second heatwave expected to rocket 12C (53.6F) above average in some areas on Sunday. Five cities in Sicily, Sardinia and Puglia

Ukrainian forces say they have conducted a “special operation” on a Dnipro island, as dramatic footage shows soldiers using speed boats and drones. Ukrainian special forces are said to have headed towards the Russian-held island, firing weapons as they drew closer, aerial footage posted by the Ukrainian army’s command of the special operations forces shows.

The heatwave affecting southern Europe has been building for months. And it’s about to get much worse. Temperatures have been consistently above 40C since mid-April in many areas. Europe heatwave – latest: Continent could have hottest day ever But on the Mediterranean islands of Sicily and Sardinia they’re expected to climb to 48C in the

French police are doing a “final sweep” search for a missing two-year-old boy in the French Alps. Today’s search will continue until 4pm local time (3pm UK time) and involves 50 officers who will search a 1.8km (1.1 miles) stretch of road near where the boy’s grandparents live. The boy, named only as Emile, was

The UK is not an “Amazon” delivery service for weapons to Ukraine, Britain’s defence secretary has said. Ben Wallace added that Kyiv might be wise to let its supporters “see gratitude”. In a blunt intervention, the minister said his “counsel” to the Ukrainians was to keep in mind that they need to persuade some doubting

A rift has emerged at the NATO summit in Lithuania as the military alliance struggles to find a consensus on Ukraine’s future membership. A new forum, named the NATO–Ukraine Council, will be established as one of several commitments set to be signed by G7 countries and other allies today after they promised to provide Ukraine