World

Malaysia’s government says it is banning all Swatch products that contain lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer elements. Watches, wrappers and boxes are banned, with authorities warning anyone found with one promoting LGBTQ rights could be jailed or fined. Same-sex relationships in Malaysia, which is predominantly Muslim, are illegal. Punishments range from caning under Islamic

Cats in Cyprus are being given human COVID-19 medicine in an effort to slow the spread of a feline mutation of the virus that has left thousands of animals dead on the island. Cats began getting the medicine on Tuesday, which coincidentally was International Cat Day. Speaking to The Guardian, Christodoulos Pipis, the government’s veterinary

These images show the devastation wreaked by wildfires in the historic Hawaiian town of Lahaina. Before and after satellite images of the town – on the island of Maui – show the devastating impact of the fire, with row upon row of burnt out homes and businesses. At least 36 people have died and more

Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio has been shot and killed by an unidentified gunman while at a political rally in Quito. The killing comes amid an alarming wave of violence in the country, with drug trafficking and violent killings on the rise. Incumbent president, Guillermo Lasso, suggested an organised crime gang was behind the killing.

Syrian President Bashar al Assad has said he would welcome home refugees who escaped the country’s long-running civil war. In an exclusive interview with Sky News Arabia, he blamed the country’s economic situation as the reason why refugees are not returning to their homeland, pointing to the “image of war” in Syria for the lack

Russia is planning to build up its forces at its western borders following Finland’s accession to NATO, the country’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu has said. The defence minister also noted Poland had already announced plans to strengthen its military, and that he expected significant NATO forces and weaponry to be deployed in Finland. Finland’s inclusion

Italy has said it will spend €2.9m (£2.5m) to tackle an invasion of aggressive crabs that is threatening the country’s role as one of the top producers of clams in the world – and potentially one of its signature pasta dishes. The blue crab, originally from the western Atlantic, has spread across several lagoon-like locations

The oil-rich country hosting the next UN climate summit, which this year said it was “running towards” a clean power future, missed its own green energy target, Sky News can reveal. The United Arab Emirates, which will host COP28 in Dubai in December, pledged in 2015 to generate 24% of its electricity from clean sources

A YouTube chef has been charged with murdering and dismembering a Colombian surgeon on a Thai island. Daniel Sancho Bronchalo has been charged with premeditated murder, which carries a possible death penalty, and with concealment of a body to cover up the death, said Surat Thani provincial police commander Saranyu Chamnanrat. The 29-year-old was taken

Niger has closed its airspace until further notice citing the threat of military intervention from the West African regional bloc after coup leaders rejected a deadline to reinstate the country’s ousted president. The airspace was closed by the junta on Sunday “in the face of the threat of intervention that is becoming more apparent,” a

Another Russian warship listing in the water is probably not the image Vladimir Putin had in mind for his beloved Black Sea fleet – but it does demonstrate the increasing effectiveness of Ukraine’s sea drones. The last few days have seen two attacks on Russian ships, both reportedly carried out by Ukrainian unmanned vessels. In

A deadline for Niger’s coup leaders to stand down and reinstate the country’s elected president has arrived. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said on Friday its defence chiefs had drawn up a plan for military action if the junta, which has said it will not bow to outside pressure, did not comply

Ukraine is embroiled in a fight for its very survival as an independent state. Although Moscow is able to strike Ukrainian territory with impunity, the West will not allow Ukraine to use Western-supplied weapons to strike Russia across the border for fear of an escalation. But is this limitation preventing Ukraine from striking a potentially

Zambia’s football association has said it is “surprised” by misconduct claims made against women’s team head coach Bruce Mwape. It comes after allegations, first reported by The Guardian, that the manager had rubbed his hands over the chest of one of the players days before Zambia’s Women’s World Cup win over Costa Rica. FIFA confirmed

Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been sentenced to a further 19 years behind bars on charges his supporters have branded trumped up to keep him out of politics for even longer. The 47-year-old, who is President Vladimir Putin’s fiercest domestic critic, is already serving more than 11 years in prison for fraud and

President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger has claimed he is a “hostage” and that the entire Sahel region could fall to the Russians following the country’s military coup. Writing for the Washington Post, Mr Bazoum said he had been “illegally imprisoned” after all political activity was suspended by Niger’s military junta. He said that if successful,

Iran has announced a nationwide shutdown due to “unprecedented heat”.  A two-day national holiday will start tomorrow with governmental offices, banks and schools all closing. The health ministry said hospitals will be on high alert, as it warned the elderly and people with health conditions to stay indoors. Many cities and towns across Iran have

China is to limit the export of long-range drones over fears they are being converted for military use in Ukraine. Beijing says it will limit the export of some high-performance civilian devices due to the “increasing risk” that they are being used for “non-peaceful purposes”. Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of targetting

France and Italy have announced plans to fly their citizens out of Niger following a military coup in the country. It comes after Niger’s presidential guard surrounded the palace in the capital Niamey, detained elected president Mohamed Bazoum, and announced a new military government last week. The French Foreign Ministry in Paris cited recent violence

Niger is the latest country in the Sahel region of northwest Africa to experience a military coup. Since Mali’s armed takeover in August 2020, several neighbouring countries have seen a similar pattern emerge. Elected officials are overthrown amid growing dissatisfaction with the political regime, which is often accused of corruption and failing to fend off