World

An armed suspect who allegedly killed his mother before taking two hostages in Dresden has been shot dead, police said. Officers said they were initially communicating with a 40-year-old German after he barricaded himself in a shopping mall with a child aged nine and a 38-year-old shop worker. Three hundred officers, including special forces, responded

Vladimir Putin has said Russia may have to strike a deal with Ukraine to end its war. Speaking at a news conference in Kyrgyzstan, the Russian president also admitted there had been problems in mobilising hundreds of thousands of conscripts to fight in the conflict. Russia has suffered a series of military setbacks since launching

A middle-aged woman with a bright yellow hat stepped out of a white van close to the frontline Ukrainian town of Bakhmut, one of the most dangerous places on the planet. Smiling cheerfully, Liudmyla Bila handed out a jumble of supplies – from woollen socks and metal pans to dried noodles and cans of beans

US basketball star Brittney Griner has been freed in a prisoner swap. The WNBA star was released in exchange for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, known as the “Merchant of Death”. She had been imprisoned in Russia after being convicted in August and sentenced to nine years in prison. Ms Griner was detained in

US basketball star Brittney Griner has arrived back in America after being freed in a prisoner swap with convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, known as the “Merchant of Death”. The 32-year-old WNBA star was flown to San Antonio, Texas. US special presidential envoy, Roger D. Carstens, said: “So happy to have Brittney back on

Vladimir Putin has said “we haven’t gone mad” when asked about concerns he could use nuclear weapons in Ukraine – but didn’t rule out a possible first-strike if threatened. The Russian president described the weapons as a deterrent, but reiterated his country would use “all the means at our disposal” to defend its interests if

German authorities say they have foiled a plot by a far-right terrorist group to overthrow the government. More than 3,000 police officers took part in raids across the country, with a self-styled prince among 25 people arrested. But who is Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss – the 71-year-old alleged mastermind – and what is the Reichsburger

Around 3,000 police officers have carried out raids across Germany to stop an alleged plot by a far-right terrorist group to overthrow the government. Federal prosecutors said 25 suspected members and supporters of the Reichsburger group – the so-called Reich Citizens movement – were detained during the raids in 11 of the country’s 16 states

Standing by a makeshift stove at the bottom of a bitterly-cold ditch, the Ukrainian troops enjoyed a quick tea break. Suddenly there was a loud whistle and a crack as a Russian artillery round flew overhead and exploded in a field behind them. The soldiers barely flinched, hardened by months of war. Instead, their focus

Facing a serious challenge from ongoing widespread unrest, Iran’s government is blaming Kurdish separatists for inciting the unrest, an Iranian academic has said. Protests demanding the overthrow of Iran’s clerical rulers are now in their fourth month, which erupted after the death of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish-Iranian woman, while in custody of the morality police.

Bulgaria has been accused of shooting a refugee after a new video emerged showing a young Syrian man being fired at on the border with Turkey. It is the first footage of an asylum seeker being hit with live ammunition on the EU border. It follows a joint investigation by Sky News, Lighthouse Reports, The

Through the streets of Doha’s West Bay district, a smattering of England fans singing “It’s coming home,” could be heard long past 3am. For a capital unaccustomed to late-night rowdiness, it was an unfamiliar sound during this unique World Cup. But reaching a tournament quarter-final is becoming familiar territory for the Three Lions. It’s now

France reached the World Cup quarter-finals after strikers Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappe both broke scoring records in a comfortable 3-1 win over Poland. The reigning champions claimed victory as Giroud made history by becoming France’s all-time top goalscorer during the match at Al Thumama Stadium in Qatar. World Cup 2022: Follow live updates from

The family home of female Iranian rock climber Elnaz Rekabi, who competed abroad without wearing a hijab, has been demolished. Iran’s official judiciary news agency, Mizan, said on Saturday that the destruction of her brother’s home was due to its ”unauthorised construction and use of land” and took place months before the climber competed at

A woman has died and four people have been injured after a “rogue wave” hit a cruise ship in the Atlantic. The Viking Polaris was sailing towards the Argentinian resort town of Ushuaia as part of its Antarctic Explorer cruise when the wave hit at 10.40pm local time on Wednesday. The travel company said the

A group of people tried to steal a Banksy mural from a battle-scarred wall in Ukraine, the governor of the region has said. They managed to slice off a section of board and plaster bearing the image of a woman in a gas mask and dressing gown holding a fire extinguisher. But they were spotted

The Chinese Grand Prix has been cancelled for the fourth year in a row as the country tries to curb the spread of coronavirus with strict measures. Formula 1 said the Shanghai event, scheduled for 16 April 2023, would not happen “due to ongoing difficulties presented by the COVID-19 situation”. The sport is now facing

The host of a conference in Kyiv alerted guests that air raid sirens were sounding, before assuring them they were safe and the event would carry on as planned. It is a small example of how people across Ukraine are learning to cope with the unpredictability of war while carrying on with their lives in

Germany have been knocked out of the World Cup, with a win against Costa Rica not enough to secure them a place in the last 16. Hansi Flick’s side came from behind to beat Costa Rica in their final group game 4-2. On a thrilling night in Qatar, Japan beat Spain 2-1 in the other

Major Chinese cities have started to lift COVID lockdowns and ease restrictions following widespread protests over stringent zero-COVID policies. Less than 24 hours after violent protests in Guangzhou, officials in at least seven districts of the sprawling port city north of Hong Kong announced they were lifting lockdowns. One district on Wednesday said it would