World

Swathes of La Palma are swimming in volcanic ash. It’s everywhere, on the roads, covering cars and buildings and in your clothes, and probably lungs. The roar of the volcano can be heard for miles. It is thunderous and menacing. The lava is spewing from the crater, burning everything in its path, utterly consuming anything

A volcanic eruption in Spain’s Canary Islands could last three months, experts have said. The Canary Islands Volcanology Institute said on Wednesday that the eruption on the island of La Palma and its aftermath could last for up to 84 days. Image: Since last Sunday’s eruption, powerful rivers of lava have swallowed up 185 buildings

Authorities have warned people on the island of La Palma of fresh dangers after a new volcanic vent blew open and rivers of unstoppable lava flowed towards more densely populated areas and the sea. Residents were cautioned on Tuesday about earthquakes, toxic gases, volcanic ash and acid rain after several small earthquakes shook the Spanish

The Australian city of Melbourne has been struck by a 6.0-magnitude earthquake, Geoscience Australia has said. The quake, which was one of the country’s biggest on record, caused some damage to buildings as it hit the city on Wednesday. No serious injuries have been reported so far, prime minister Scott Morrison said. The epicentre was

The desperation of those in Afghanistan is heart-rending. It’s in the faces of those who sit for hours with their children and their suitcases outside the building where one of the few airlifts is being organised. It’s contained in the dozens of emails sent to me: “You are a journalist. I am too. Please help

Boris Johnson has criticised other world leaders over their efforts to tackle climate change, telling them he is growing “increasingly frustrated” that their commitments are “nowhere near enough”. Speaking during a meeting at the United Nations in New York, the prime minister said the gap between what has been promised by industrialised nations and what

At least eight people have been killed and dozens injured after a gunman opened fire at a university in the Russian city of Perm, officials have said. The gunman at Perm State University was “neutralised”, according to the independent Russian news agency Interfax. The Russian Investigative Committee said the suspect had been identified as a

Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party is expected to secure an emphatic win as polls close in the country’s parliamentary election. Preliminary results from the Central Election Committee, based on just 9% of ballots counted, showed that United Russia had won 38.57% of the vote. Initial results also showed the Communist Party finishing in second place

The Taliban has replaced Afghanistan’s women’s ministry with an all-male “vice and virtue ministry”. The new ministry is tasked with enforcing the group’s extreme interpretation of Islam. Officials at the ministry told the Associated Press they had not been informed whether a new women’s ministry is being planned. Please use Chrome browser for a more

Maintaining unity between Western allies will “require a lot of effort” in light of an unfolding rift between France and members of a new security partnership, Germany’s ambassador to the UK has said. Andreas Michaelis was responding to France recalling its ambassadors to the US and Australia, after the latter’s government ditched a multi-billion dollar

France has recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia in a backlash over a new security partnership. The country’s foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian made the announcement following the deal between the UK, US and Australia – which aims to help Australia obtain nuclear-powered submarines. Mr Le Drian said in a statement that

The economic crisis in Lebanon is never-ending and now it’s ravaging the hospitals where medicines are running out. On the oncology outpatients ward we meet four-year-old Rudayana. She is fighting leukaemia but she still finds the strength to wipe a tear from her father Fawaz’s eyes. Image: The problems in healthcare are a symptom of

Google deleted a Russian tactical voting app from its online store after staff were threatened, sources at the tech giant have said. Both Apple and Google had come under significant pressure from Russian regulators to block the anti-government app, devised by allies of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny ahead of Friday’s election starting. The app

Around 3,000 health workers in France have been suspended, reportedly without pay, for failing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of a deadline this week to have at least one jab. It comes as care workers in England must get their first vaccine dose by today and be double jabbed by 11 November to keep

Fossil fuel companies are suing governments across the world for more than $18bn (£13bn) after action against climate change has threatened their profits, according to research conducted by campaign group Global Justice Now and provided exclusively to Sky News. Five energy companies, including British companies Rockhopper and Ascent, are using a legal process that allows

The UK, Australia and the United States have agreed a “landmark” partnership to boost their defences and share nuclear submarine secrets at a time of growing concern over China. The initiative will focus initially on helping the Australian navy procure a multi-billion-pound fleet of nuclear-powered submarines – a move that Beijing will likely see as