World

Sergei Surovikin, nicknamed “General Armageddon”, has been removed from his role as head of Russia’s war in Ukraine only three months into the job. He has been replaced by chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov, who is head of the Russian military. The change was announced by defence minister Sergei Shoigu, and was described

In the forest and snowed-over swamps of Ukraine’s 621-mile border with Belarus is a territorial defence unit gearing up for the worst. The 100th Brigade is mostly made up of volunteers – some teachers, plumbers, builders – who have enlisted to fortify the edges of the Volynska region and prepare against another Russian invasion from

The landscape around the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut has come to resemble a First World War battlefield, the ground carved up by artillery and cut with networks of trenches. For nine months, Russian forces including Wagner Group mercenaries have relentlessly attacked the city as they pursue full control of the Donbas region. Now Wagner chief

The coffin of football legend Pele has been carried through the streets of Santos in Brazil as the public paid their final respects to the sporting icon. Thousands of fans gathered to watch the procession to say their last goodbye to the three-time World Cup winner ahead of his private burial. The casket, draped in

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 enters 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”

The UK is expected to announce a requirement for travellers arriving from China to provide a negative pre-departure COVID test. The move will align the UK with a number of other countries, such as the US, which announced a similar rule in recent days. Sources said the move was precautionary and temporary, and due to

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

Half of Leonid Fatkulin’s home in the southern Osokorki suburb of Kyiv is now crumbling into a crater in his back garden. Just after 9am this morning, he was woken up by a loud blast as the wreckage of a Russian warhead fell into his house. “I was about to wake up and have a

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

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

Combat medic Myroslav Mardarevych is hunched over a desk in the foyer of St Sophia Cathedral in central Kyiv. He has just come from the frontline and is furiously writing down names on small pieces of paper. These slips are prayer submissions for the church and Myroslav has filled out three of them with names.