World

Gunmen have attacked a school in northwestern Nigeria and snatched at least 30 students in the latest of a string of such kidnaps. The abduction happened at the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization on the outskirts of Kaduna, nearly 400 miles from the capital Lagos. The gang struck at around 11.30pm on Thursday, according to

Italy is set to impose another national lockdown over the Easter weekend to combat growing numbers of coronavirus cases. It will see non-essential shops closed from 3 April to 5 April, with people only allowed to leave their homes for work, health or emergency reasons, according to a draft government decree seen by Reuters news

The family of a man who was fatally run over by a bulldozer that the police were using to chase him have been given $475,000 (£340,000) in compensation. Gregory Longenecker, 51, was being pursued by officers after he was caught growing 10 marijuana plants in Pennsylvania. The pursuit took place on public land, with Pennsylvania

The European Medicines Agency has launched an investigation into the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab after reports of blood clots in vaccinated people. At present there is no firm evidence to suggest the two are linked and incidents of clotting have not been reported in the UK. The Danish Health and Medicines Authority has suspended the use of the

As much of the world desperately seeks COVID vaccines, there is evidence in France that millions of people are reluctant to have a jab. The most recent polls suggest around half of the adult population may refuse a vaccination – leading health professionals to worry about public safety long term. Vaccine scepticism is high in

The UK has seen a steep drop in COVID-19 cases, hospital admissions and deaths – but the picture in much of the rest of Europe is very different. Sky News analysis has found cases are rising in three-quarters of European countries, with the highest increases happening in central and eastern Europe. Only nine of the

Myanmar has recalled its ambassador in Britain after he called for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the civilian leader detained when the country’s military seized power last month. Kyaw Swar Min had released the statement on his own accord, state-run TV news channel MRTV said. “Since he did not conduct himself in accordance

A French schoolgirl has admitted to lying about a teacher before he was beheaded in an Islamist terror attack last year. Samuel Paty, 47, was killed after showing images of the Prophet Muhammad to his class during a lesson on free speech last October. On Sunday, French newspaper Le Parisien revealed that the girl, known

The Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine was able to combat the Brazil variant of COVID-19, it has been revealed. Scientists tested the blood of people who had received the jab and found it fared well against a laboratory made version of the virus similar to the one first discovered in Brazil. The research, published in the New

A nun in Myanmar told junta forces “you’ll have to come through me” – moments before they opened fire on protesters. At least two people were confirmed dead in the city of Myitkyina on Monday following clashes with security forces. Sister Ann Roza Nu Tawng previously said she was prepared to die to save others

At least 20 people have been killed after a series of large explosions at a military base in the city of Bata in Equatorial Guinea. The cause of the blasts is not yet known but reports on the TVGE news channel suggested authorities had ruled out an attack. TVGE called on people to donate blood

A British woman detained in Iran has had her ankle tag removed but faces a further court date, her local MP says. Amid reports in Iran that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been “freed”, Tulip Siddiq MP said she had been in touch with the mother’s family. Ms Siddiq posted on Twitter: “Thankfully her ankle tag has

The Pope has performed Mass in a Baghdad cathedral after earlier holding a historic meeting with Iraq’s top Shia cleric. Francis was greeted by enthusiastic well-wishers at the Chaldean Cathedral of Saint Joseph on the second day of his visit to the country. Only 100 or so people were allowed in because of COVID restrictions

Pope Francis has met Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani – Iraq’s top Shia cleric – at the Islamic scholar’s home in the Iraqi city of Najaf. The Pope arrived at the cleric’s small home in a bullet-proof vehicle. As he entered the house, white doves were released, reflecting the themes of this four-day visit to

A nun who knelt in front of armed security forces in Myanmar to stop them firing on civilians has said she was prepared to die to save protestors’ lives. In extraordinary scenes in Myitkyina, Kachin State, Sister Ann Roza Nu Tawng can be seen pleading with police and soldiers not to shoot. The intervention has

The Pope has arrived in Iraq for an historic weekend visit which carries both symbolism and risk. With a message of inter-faith tolerance, Francis will spend four days in Iraq in what is his first foreign trip in more than a year and the first-ever papal pilgrimage to the war-hit nation. The Pope will visit