World

Several protesters have been injured after Sri Lankan forces raided an anti-government camp at the president’s office. Media footage showed soldiers in riot gear and armed with assault rifles tearing down the camp, which was set up by demonstrators in April. Activists stormed the president’s home and office as well as the prime minister’s residence

Russia is “about to run out of steam” in Ukraine, the head of MI6 has said. Richard Moore said President Vladimir Putin’s soldiers will “have to pause” as they find it hard to find more troops and equipment to send to the frontline in eastern Ukraine in the coming weeks. This will enable the Ukrainian

A lost royal city where worshippers prayed to a water goddess 2,000 years ago and whose existence was known only from ancient coins may have been found by scientists. Precious little is known about Natounia, believed to have been part of the Parthian Empire and one of many cities in the Middle East that are

Sri Lanka’s acting president has become the country’s new permanent leader after being selected in a parliament vote. Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed as the prime minister in May 2022 but was temporarily placed in charge of the presidency on 13 July after his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives. Sri Lanka is in the

Russia is laying the groundwork to annex Ukrainian territory as it seeks to establish total control over its gains in the east, according to US intelligence. The White House says Moscow is preparing to install illegitimate proxy officials in areas under its control, establish the rouble as the default currency and force residents to apply

Cyber spies suspected of working for Russia’s foreign intelligence service (SVR) are targeting NATO countries in a recent hacking campaign, according to a new industry report. The hackers are using online storage services such as Google Drive and Dropbox to avoid being detected, said cyber security company Palo Alto. The hacking attempts have included phishing

Vladimir Putin visits Iran today for his first trip outside the former Soviet Union since the invasion of Ukraine. The Russian president will meet Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as he seeks to bolster the few foreign alliances his regime still enjoys. Mr Putin has described Western sanctions against Moscow as a declaration of economic

Dramatic footage has captured a passenger plane as it flipped over during a crash-landing on an airport runway. The incident happened at Aden Adde international airport in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu. The crew and all passengers on board – around 30 – escaped. Image: Firefighters spray water on the flipped jet. Pic: Reuters Video from the

The Ukrainian head of security services has been fired due to alleged “treason”. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also sacked prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova amid claims dozens of employees in her office have “worked against our state”. Mr Zelenskyy said: “Such an array of crimes against the foundations of the state’s national security, and the links

The distraught family of a four-year-old killed in a missile strike in Ukraine have attended her funeral – while her unknowing mother remained in intensive care. Liza Dmytrieva died in the Russian bombing of the central city of Vinnytsia on Thursday. The blast left her mother, Iryna, in a “grave condition” in an intensive care

Europe is facing a heatwave as temperatures reach a record-high across Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece and Montenegro. Spain Fires have broken out in Spain where temperatures have peaked over 40C. Helicopters and firefights work on containing the dozens of burning fires during the second heatwave of the year in Guadapero, Spain. People have been cooling

Mexican military forces have captured notorious drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, who was behind the torture and murder of a US DEA agent in 1985. Caro Quintero, 69, was arrested after a search dog named Max found him hiding in shrubland in the town of San Simon in Sinaloa state during a joint operation by

A British aid worker who was detained by Russian separatists in Ukraine has died, a family member has told Sky News. Paul Urey is believed to have died five days ago “due to sickness”, according to information his family has received from the Foreign Office. He was charged with committing “mercenary activities” after being captured

Sri Lanka’s parliament has accepted a letter of resignation from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The letter was flown from Singapore late last night, and its authenticity has now been verified. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena says a new president will be appointed “quickly and successfully” – with the process set to be completed within seven days. Mr

The president of Sri Lanka has failed to resign despite promising to do so after thousands of people stormed his palace in protest at the economic chaos in the country. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his wife fled to the Maldives on Wednesday aboard an air force jet and he made the prime minister acting president

It was unfair to blame Liverpool fans for unrest in Paris before the Champions League final as state authorities failed to manage crowds, a report has found. France’s interior minister, Gerald Darmanin, pointed the finger at Liverpool fans to divert attention away from the failings of police and organisers, the report commissioned by the French