World

Billionaire Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been imprisoned over his role in pro-democracy protests. Mr Lai, founder of opposition newspaper Apple Daily, was one of several activists who appeared in court on Friday who had been earlier found guilty of taking part in “unauthorised assemblies” during mass pro-democracy protests in 2019. He was

Uighur people from Xinjiang working in other parts of China are subject to “political” checks and work under strict “half-military” style management, according to new evidence discovered by Sky News. The Xinjiang government runs an official “labour transfer programme”, according to its 2019 Five Year Plan, “so as to provide more employment opportunities for the

India has recorded more than 200,000 new coronavirus infections in a single day as hospitals report severe shortages of beds and oxygen and extra space is found in hotels. A doctor in New Delhi said he is treating 35-year-olds for pneumonia and the situation is “chaotic”. The record number of daily cases – 200,739 –

The Tokyo Olympics mascots were unveiled today to celebrate the 100 days-to-go milestone amid mounting public opposition to the Games taking place this summer. But British Olympic Association chair Sir Hugh Robertson said he believed it was not a matter of if the Games happen, but how. “I’m very confident it will go ahead,” he

New coronavirus infections in India have reached a record high with 184,372 cases reported in the past 24 hours alone. The country has reported 13.5 million COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began – pushing its toll past Brazil’s and making it second only to the US, though both countries have much smaller populations. Deaths are

Iran says it will increase its enrichment of uranium to 60% purity – its highest figure ever – bringing it closer to the levels needed for a nuclear weapon. It comes after an “attack” at the Natanz nuclear facility in the country which Iran has blamed on Israel as an act of sabotage. France says

Japan will release more than one million tonnes of radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean. The move is being fiercely opposed by Japan’s neighbours – with China calling the plan “extremely irresponsible”. China and South Korea are calling for more consultation on the move. Residents and local fishermen in

Two people have been shot outside a hospital in Paris, one of them fatally, according to reports. The incident happened in front of the Henry Dunant hospital in the 16th arrondissement of the French capital, and the attacker fled on a motorcycle, a police source told Reuters news agency. One of those shot has died,

Iran has blamed Israel for a sabotage attack on one of its underground nuclear facilities. Iranian officials warned that they would take revenge over the attack, which damaged centrifuges at the Natanz nuclear facility. A blackout on 9 April was initially blamed on a power failure but officials later said it was an act of

At the Maslovka railway station just south of the Russian city of Voronezh, there’s a small military camp, a few trucks and a tent. The clearing in front is rutted thanks to the steady unloading of military equipment in recent weeks. A soldier recognises us from the day before. “Hello spies,” he said. Image: The

Pictures shared with Sky News, taken by survivors of the Palma terror attack in Mozambique, give a graphic illustration of a terrifying three days under fire, surrounded by insurgents. Nearly 200 people – including foreign workers – took refuge in one of the town’s hotels. But survivors have told Sky News how they fled for

More than 80 people have been killed by rifle grenades in yet more violent clashes between the military and protesters in Myanmar. Bodies were piled up in a pagoda in the town of Bago after Myanmar security forces opened fire on a protest against the 1 February military coup in the country. The Assistance Association

There remains a “shocking imbalance” in the global distribution of coronavirus vaccines, the head of the World Health Organisation has said. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that on average, one in four people in rich countries have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine – compared with only one in 500 in low-income nations.

Europe’s drugs regulator is reviewing possible links between blood clots and Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine. It comes after four serious cases of rare clots with low platelets were reported after inoculation, one of which was fatal, according to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The Johnson & Johnson (also known as Janssen) vaccine has been

Turkey has rejected claims it snubbed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen because she is a woman. Footage went viral showing Ms von der Leyen being forced to stand while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and European Council President Charles Michel sat down, as only two chairs were laid out for the three leaders.

Ukraine’s president has visited the country’s eastern frontline amid an escalation of tensions with neighbouring Russia that has raised fears of a resumption of large-scale hostilities. In Moscow, a senior Kremlin official sternly warned Ukraine against using force to reclaim control of the rebel east, saying that this might force Russia to step in to