World

Female students have been banned from universities in Afghanistan with immediate effect, the Taliban has said. A letter, confirmed by a spokesperson for the higher education ministry, instructed Afghan public and private universities to suspend access to female students until further notice in accordance with a cabinet decision. The United States and Britain have both

A former teammate of Iranian footballer Amir Nasr-Azadani, who faces the death penalty for participating in nationwide protests, has told Sky News that his friend is a “shy person” and “really kind”. Speaking from Finland where he now captains top flight side VPS Vaasa, Sebastian Strandvall said: “Amir was one of the young guys on

The committee investigating the January 6 storming of the US Capitol is recommending criminal charges against former President Donald Trump. They include conspiracy to defraud the United States; obstructing an official proceeding (the certification of Joe Biden‘s election victory); conspiracy to make a false statement and inciting or assisting an insurrection. The recommendation is mainly

Even first thing in the morning the crematoriums were burning in Beijing. Plumes of smoke against the cold blue sky. Dongjiao crematorium to the east of the city was busy. Ambulances arriving, grieving relatives gathered round and a queue of vans carrying the coffins. It’s been reported that this crematorium has been specifically designated for

Argentinian fans have been celebrating through the night after their team won the World Cup in what some commentators have described as one of the best games in the history of the tournament. The side beat defending champions France 4-2 on penalties after drawing 3-3 after extra time in front of a 88,000-strong crowd in

Ukraine has a good chance to liberate all its territory – apart from Crimea – by the end of 2023, a military expert says. Cities like Severodonetsk, Melitopol and even Mariupol could be liberated if Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s forces keep up their counteroffensive success, according to former military intelligence officer Philip Ingram. As we approach the

Australian police have released images of people they want to trace after “shocking” violence erupted at a football match. Fans invaded the pitch and Melbourne City’s goalkeeper was hit in the face with a sand-filled bucket and needed hospital treatment. The trouble erupted during the derby against Melbourne Victory on Saturday, with players and the

Qatar World Cup chief Hassan Al Thawadi says the tournament has changed perceptions of the region and transformed his country. He also insisted there should be recognition for improved workers’ rights after previously “unacceptable” conditions. Mr Al Thawadi told Sky News: “The progress will not end when the final whistle is blown.” Lusail – the

Leo Varadkar has returned to the office of Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) in keeping with the agreement underpinning coalition government. The Fine Gael leader, who has been Tanaiste (deputy prime minister) for the last two years, has swapped roles with Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin. Mr Varadkar, 43, was nominated during a special sitting of

The deputy prime minister of Mongolia has defended his country buying almost 100% of its gas from Russia, saying that its position as a large landlocked country presents “a lot of problems and issues”. Speaking exclusively to Sky News, Sainbuyan Amarsaikhan said that while Russian sources are important to ensure “continued supply with a reasonable

In her sunshine yellow coat, a 17-year-old girl clambered on top of a car and threw her hands in the air – fingers spread to show V for victory – and the crowd erupted in a loud cheer. Sonia Sharifi had just been released from the clutches of Iranian detention. It is the fourth month

Ukraine is preparing for Russia to try again to invade from the north – maybe around the anniversary of its first, failed attempt to seize Kyiv last February, a top commander has said. President Vladimir Putin could even ultimately order millions of soldiers into the war as Russia’s offensive falters in the face of fierce

A 30-day state of emergency has been declared in Peru after the country’s president was impeached and a week of protests left at least eight dead. It gives police the power to search homes without permission and limits certain freedoms, including the right to assembly. Demonstrations have been ongoing since the ousting of former president

A boy has been killed in Montpellier amid clashes between France and Morocco fans following the World Cup semi-final. A statement issued by the local government office said the boy was “violently hit” by a car in the city, in the south of France, on Wednesday. He was transferred to the hospital, but died shortly

While it no longer controls vast swathes of Iraq and Syria, Islamic State remains a threat and will seek to spring 10,000 of its fighters from Syrian prisons in 2023, experts say. The infamous terror group is much diminished from its peak in 2014 but it remains a menace in a volatile part of the

The grey house with the Christmas wreath on the front door and twinkling fairy lights overhanging the back patio could be any other student home in the remote town of Moscow, Idaho. A blanket of snow covers the ground, and a rubbish bag overflowing with beer and seltzer cans is propped up near an outdoor

The fact that China’s authorities will no longer report asymptomatic cases sounds technical but it’s really significant. It means the public will never know how bad the current dramatic surge of infections sweeping this country is. For the vast majority of the pandemic China has reported symptomatic and asymptomatic coronavirus cases separately. While it’s always

US scientists have carried out the first ever nuclear fusion experiment to achieve a net energy gain, paving the way for a “clean energy source that could revolutionise the world”. During a landmark news briefing at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, officials revealed the successful fusion experiment had taken place last week. As

Argentina are through to the World Cup final after beating Croatia. The South American side triumphed 3-0 over their semi-final opponents to progress to Sunday’s final, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar. They will face either France or Morocco, who are due to play their semi-final on Wednesday. Argentina took the lead through a first

The mother wept with relief as she cradled her newborn baby at the only maternity hospital still working in the Ukrainian city of Kherson. Yulia Khomchyk, 37, discovered she was pregnant after Russian forces had seized the regional capital during the first days of the full-scale invasion in February. But almost nine months later, a