World

There was an awful near silence as the war crime investigators went about their business and the bodies of the victims were methodically packed into body bags. We counted at least 15 body bags being loaded one on top of each other into a succession of ambulances. The death toll is higher and includes several

Vladimir Putin has railed against Western “dictatorship” as he declared Russian rule over four regions of Ukraine. It is the biggest forced occupation since the Second World War, amounting to 15% of Ukrainian territory. Russia has been “reborn and strengthened”, the Russian president claimed during a ceremony at the Kremlin. Following a series of referendums

Vladimir Putin has for seven months insisted his invasion of Ukraine was only a special military operation. That way he hoped the conflict would seem distant and contained to the broad Russian public. With his military suffering setback after setback, a week ago he announced the mobilisation of hundreds of thousands of reservists. But even

The Finnish government has said it will ban anyone coming into the country with a tourist visa from Friday following thousands of arrivals after Vladimir Putin’s mobilisation order. Finland closing its border shuts off the last remaining direct land route to the European Union for Russians trying to avoid conscription into the war with Ukraine.

A fourth leak has been reported on the Nord Stream gas pipelines. Swedish coastguard told the newspaper Svenska Dagbladet it had found the leak on Nord Stream 2 earlier this week. It comes after three other leaks were reported on the pipelines – which run from Russia to Germany – with sabotage widely suspected. “Two

A suspected act of sabotage – possibly by Russia – against gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea was likely a premeditated attack using underwater explosive devices detonated remotely, according to a British defence source. The source said any mines could have been lowered to the seabed on a long line, dropped over the side of

All four of the occupied areas of Ukraine have voted to join Russia after referendums in the republics and regions, pro-Moscow officials have said. British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is one of the many western politicians who earlier described the votes in the self-declared republics of Luhansk and Donetsk and the regions of Kherson and

Mysterious leaks in the Nord Stream gas pipe network began with “powerful subsea blasts” and resulted from “deliberate actions”. Two pipelines running underwater from Russia to Germany were damaged in a total of three places on Monday. Nord Stream AG, the owner, described the breakages as “unprecedented”. The pipes were not pumping gas to Europe

Leaders from across the world have gathered for the state funeral of Japan’s assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe. More than 4,300 people attended the event, which has caused nationwide protests, in Tokyo’s Budokan Hall as thousands of armed police were posted around the capital. Mr Abe, the country’s longest-serving leader, died after being shot

The announcement of Russia’s first mass mobilisation since World War Two – calling up troops for its war in Ukraine – has triggered a rush for its borders, causing concerns in neighbouring nations. Long queues have been seen at crossings out of Russia, into countries bordering the length and breadth of the huge nation. Officially,

Mahsa Amini, the young woman whose death in police custody has prompted mass protests in Iran, was “tortured and insulted” before she died, her cousin has said. In an interview with Sky News, Erfan Mortezaei spoke about what happened to his cousin and how she has become the “voice of the anger of the Iranian

A gas leak from the defunct Russian-owned Nord Stream 2 pipeline has led the Danish authorities to issue a warning to ships in the Baltic Sea. Following the overnight leak, Denmark‘s energy agency has asked ships to stay five nautical miles clear of the island of Bornholm. It described the leak as being “dangerous for

An Australian former professional surfer has died after allegedly being punched in the face outside a pub. Chris Davidson, 45, hit his head on the pavement after being struck in the town of South West Rocks in New South Wales on Saturday. Paramedics found him unconscious in Sportsmans Way just after 11pm and rushed him

Giorgia Meloni left it very late to vote. It was dark when she arrived at the polling station, and she was lit up by the flashes of cameras and phones. The limelight has found her. Four years ago, Ms Meloni and her Brothers of Italy party were also-rans in the last general election. Now, they

Italy’s Democratic Party has conceded defeat in the country’s election after an exit poll suggested far-right leader Giorgia Meloni’s alliance is leading the vote. The Democratic Party said it would be Italy‘s main opposition force after projections based on votes counted from nearly two-thirds of the polling stations in Sunday’s balloting indicated Ms Meloni’s Brothers