Violence has returned to the streets of Spain after a few days of tense calm following the arrest of a rapper. Bank windows were smashed in Barcelona and at least 10 people were arrested after peaceful marches turned violent, with similar scenes in other parts of the Catalonia region. Officers also said they apprehended a
World
Pupils kidnapped from a boarding school in Nigeria alongside members of their family and teachers have been released, an official has confirmed. All 42 people, including 27 teenage boys, 12 of their relatives and three staff members were freed on Saturday by gunmen who had been holding them hostage since 17 February. Niger state governor
American airstrikes in Syria show that Iran can expect consequences for supporting militia groups threatening US interests and personnel, Joe Biden has warned. “You can’t act with impunity. Be careful,” the US president said when asked what message he intended to send with the airstrikes early on Friday morning on Syria‘s eastern border with Iraq.
A UN climate change report has found that global efforts to reduce CO2 emissions “fall far short of what is required” and that nations must “step up” to fulfil promises made under the Paris agreement. In a stark warning ahead of a make or break COP26 climate conference in Glasgow later this year, countries were
A massacre in which Eritrean soldiers killed “many hundreds” of people in the Ethiopian city of Axum may amount to crimes against humanity, an Amnesty International report has said. The report describes what could be the deadliest massacre in the ongoing crisis in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, with soldiers in late November gunning down civilians as
European Union leaders are divided over developing vaccine passports to open the continent up to tourism this summer. Some countries want an EU-wide approach instead of individual nations having their own certificates, while others are concerned such documentation could result in discrimination. Leaders of the EU’s 27 countries met online on Thursday to start a
Six people have been killed after an illegal gold mine in Indonesia’s Sulawesi island collapsed on nearly two dozen people working inside. One other worker is missing following the incident, officials said on Thursday. An estimated 22 people became trapped in the rubble when the mine in Central Sulawesi province’s Parigi Moutong district collapsed late
A flight carrying 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine has arrived in Ghana as part of a global effort to immunise the world’s poorest people. The delivery comes eight months after the launch of the COVAX initiative – the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) sharing scheme which is aimed at ensuring global vaccine equity. The
China, Russia and India have been accused of engaging in “vaccine diplomacy” as they cherry-pick nations to give their COVID-19 vaccines to in order to bolster their influence. Sky News analysis has found 47 countries, plus the African Union which represents 55 nations, have made or been offered vaccine deals with India, China and Russia.
Ireland’s prime minister Micheal Martin has confirmed the country will continue at the highest level of coronavirus restrictions until at least 5 April. The Taoiseach said there will be a difference in the current Level 5 restrictions, with the phased reopening of schools from 1 March. The government’s revised Living With COVID plan will also
Facebook will lift a block on news pages in Australia following a week-long standoff between the social media giant and the government. The site had removed access to all news content in the country on its platform and also prevented people around the world from posting links to Australian publications after the government considered legislation
Boris Johnson will warn the United Nations Security Council that unless urgent action is taken to tackle climate change, the world risks worsening conflict, displacement and insecurity. In a virtual address, the prime minister will call on all members to help the most vulnerable countries adapt to the impact of climate change and cut emissions.
A second incident involving a Boeing plane’s engine catching fire and dropping parts has been reported – this time in the Netherlands. A woman was injured by falling debris when the Boeing 747-400 cargo plane dropped engine parts after taking off from Maastricht Airport on Saturday. It comes after a United Airlines 777 bound for
The UK foreign secretary is to demand the instigators of the coup in Myanmar stand down and release the country’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi. In an address to the UN Human Rights Council on Monday, Dominic Raab will say the democratic wishes of the nation should be respected, and violent scenes like those over the
The risk of becoming ill with coronavirus falls by 95.8% after the second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, Israel’s health ministry has said. The vaccine was also 98% effective in preventing breathing problems or a fever and 98.9% effective in preventing hospitalisations and death, the ministry added. It comes only days after a vaccine efficacy
Russia has recorded the world’s first cases of humans being infected with the H5N8 strain of bird flu. The cases were confirmed by Anna Popova, head of consumer health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, on Saturday. Seven poultry workers in the south of Russia were infected in December but have since recovered and “the situation did not develop