World news | The Guardian

Companies using heating oil have already begun rationing their fuel use, says Federation of Small Businesses

Concerns about coming wildfire risk, and temperatures also remain high on other side of Pacific where rare tropical cyclone has formedAfter a historically warm winter across nine states in the US, the first month of meteorological spring again brought exceptionally high temperatures, with numerous states recording new all-time high temperatures in March. The remarkable intensity and longevity of the warmth have left much of the mountain snowpack, a crucial source of water for millions in the American west, at critically low levels.Though precipitation totals tend to increase in spring, the low snowpack has raised concerns about a potentially severe wildfire season if conditions do not improve soon. And with further spells of abnormally warm, dry weather expected this week, the outlook is becoming increasingly worrying heading into the late spring and summer months. Continue reading...

Oliver Tokic-Bensley, 16, says he had been in the water mere minutes when a shark bit his foot

Levy on inherited farms and family businesses worth 2.5m or more comes into force 6 AprilA new inheritance tax regime for UK farms and family businesses comes into force on Monday and will present significant challenges" for those affected, according to accountants.In October 2024 the government announced plans to levy inheritance tax on farms - prompting an outcry in many quarters. Continue reading...

BFI and National Portrait Gallery to mark centenary of the film star's birth with the summer of Marilyn'Though often reduced to a sex symbol frozen in time, or a tragic figure at the centre of several scandals, Marilyn Monroe was something far more subversive, according to two exhibitions that will herald what has been nicknamed the summer of Marilyn".To mark the centenary of her birth, Monroe is being celebrated by leading British cultural institutions as a performer of sharp comic intelligence, a canny architect of her own image, and a woman who reshaped the possibilities for female stardom on screen. Continue reading...

Energy minister Chris Bowen says 3.4% of Australia's service stations had no diesel, as of Monday, after wholesale prices surged

How much fuel does Australia have left today, and when could we run out? Check how much petrol and diesel prices have risen near you in Sydney, Melbourne and across the country since the US and Israel's war on Iran began in late February

Three-day search effort ends after 65-year-old disappeared near Innamincka in remote north-eastern South Australia on Easter Saturday

Even if motorists can provide evidence they've paid for parking, they are threatened with bailiffs and courtDrivers have accused a leading car park management company of issuing false" parking fines - leaving one mother to defend herself from multiple debt collection agencies sent by the company.Jane Winder says she was sent letters from five different debt collection agencies each asking her to pay 170 after she was accused of not purchasing a 2.30 parking ticket at a car park in Lancashire managed by Euro Car Parks. Continue reading...

More than half of NHS trusts have cap on availability of products, forcing patients to pay for products themselvesMillions of people across the UK living with incontinence are facing shortages of sanitary products due to supplies being rationed by NHS trusts, according to a coalition of charities.The shortages are leading to a pad gap" where people are having to pay for incontinence products themselves, according to an open letter from organisations including the Royal College of Nursing, Prostate Cancer UK, and Bowel and Bladder UK. Continue reading...

Figures suggest if 500,000 limit set for Great Britain 30 years ago was adjusted for inflation the maximum would be more than 1mA 30-year freeze on compensation for victims of crime should be lifted, campaigners have said, adding that the maximum of 500,000 is insufficient to plan for a lifetime.The current highest rate, set in April 1996 by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), is paid to victims of crime in England, Scotland and Wales who have suffered severe life-changing injuries, including brain damage and paralysis. Continue reading...

This blog is now closedWatch American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson win her Stawell Gift heatThe Paris Olympic 100m silver medallist started from scratch but powered past the field with ease. Continue reading...

Japan's ban on married couples having different surnames has prompted an event to highlight people's reluctance to change their nameAt the very least, the three men and three women calming their nerves on a Friday evening at a venue in Tokyo know they have one thing in common.Spaced out across booths, they will soon be placed in pairs and given 15 minutes to get to know one another. Continue reading...

Reduced public holiday services and school holidays heighten pressure on network, leading to overcrowding

Union says new entitlements, part of Employment Rights Act 2025, will help lower-income householdsUp to 9.6 million UK workers are to benefit from the changes to sick pay rules, according to unions. They say the policy has widespread support from voters despite pushback from some businesses.From Monday, about 8.4 million workers who rely on statutory sick pay - the minimum amount employers must pay - will be paid from the first day of becoming ill rather than from day four, according to an analysis by the Trades Union Congress (TUC). Continue reading...

This blog has now closed. Our live coverage of the US-Israel war on Iran continues hereIranian media has claims that a US aircraft was destroyed while searching for the crew member of a missing US F-15 fighter jet.An American enemy aircraft that was searching for the pilot of a downed fighter jet was destroyed by the fighters of Islam in the southern region of Isfahan," the Tasnim news agency quoted Iran's Revolutionary Guards as saying. The Guardian was unable to verify their claim. Continue reading...

Nasa team get deeper into space than any humans have ever venturedAstronauts on the historic Artemis II mission are expected to reach the far side of the moon on Monday, venturing deeper into space than any humans before.Nasa has reported satisfaction with progress toward the lunar fly-round since the team's launch on Wednesday, with the three Americans and one Canadian on course to break the record for maximum range from Earth just as a total solar eclipse awaits. Continue reading...

President shifts deadline again for attacking power plants and bridges in expletive-ridden social media post

Investigation comes after South Asian Muslim and caste-oppressed Hindu community representatives lodged formal complaint

Councils urged to crack down on misuse of parking permits that help people with disabilities and health conditionsCouncils in England have been urged to crack down on the misuse of blue badge parking permits - legitimate and counterfeit - as the proportion of people holding them has reached one in 15.The AA called for more to be done to detect offences such as people using fake or stolen badges. Continue reading...

People encouraged to come forward as normal' when BMA members begin industrial action over pay on TuesdayThe NHS is urging patients not to put off seeking the care they need when resident doctors press ahead with strike action from Tuesday, a stoppage that the health secretary has called disappointing".Tens of thousands of resident doctors in England are to stage a six-day strike after the government took a key part of its offer off the table. Continue reading...

Announcement of eight young futures hubs made as concerns grow over the number of knives on the streets

Driver treated for burns after truck was carrying 9,000 gallons of gasoline at time of collision outside Fort WorthAn 18-wheel fuel tanker crashed into another vehicle, toppled power lines, then burst into flames outside Fort Worth early Sunday morning, according to local authorities.The truck was carrying 9,000 gallons of gasoline at the time of the collision. Continue reading...

Sponsors pull out after Keir Starmer calls decision to book rapper who wrote song titled Heil Hitler deeply concerning'Pepsi and Diageo have said they will withdraw their sponsorship of a UK music festival that is due to be headlined by Kanye West after Keir Starmer joined criticism of the event.The musician is understood to have not yet made an application to come to Britain and could be blocked under powers allowing the authorities to do so if his presence is deemed not conducive to the public good. Continue reading...

Rally met with bipartisan support after US border patrol revealed plans for steel wall across parts of beloved parksThe story is co-published with Public Domain, an investigative newsroom that covers public lands, wildlife and governmentThousands of people gathered at the steps of the Texas capitol on Saturday to protest against the construction of a border wall through Big Bend, in a show of bipartisan opposition to the White House's plans. Continue reading...

PM also criticises business figures and opponents of changes, many of which come into force on Monday

Members reportedly agree a rise of 206,000 barrels a day in May, but move symbolic while strait of Hormuz is effectively closed

Jared Isaacman says odds of evidence we are not alone are pretty high' four days after Artemis II rocket lifted off

Incident prompts political scrutiny across Hungary as Viktor Orban trails in polls before next Sunday's electionSerbia has said it found explosives of devastating power" near a pipeline that carries Russian natural gas to Hungary and beyond, sparking claims by Hungary's leading opposition candidate of a possible false flag" operation aimed at influencing the country's elections.On Sunday, Hungary's prime minister, Viktor Orban, said he had been informed by Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vui, of the discovery near an extension of the TurkStream pipeline, which transports Russian gas through the Balkans to central and eastern Europe. Continue reading...

Marjorie Taylor Greene and Bernie Sanders among those responding with alarm to Trump writing open the fuckin' strait, you crazy bastards'

Road and rail travel also disrupted across the UK before weather warnings lifted on SundayStorm Dave left thousands of homes across Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland without power and disrupted road and rail travel across the UK before high wind and snow warnings were lifted on Sunday morning.Winds of up to 93mph were recorded in Capel Curig in north Wales - 20mph higher than forecast - while the Met Office issued a yellow severe weather warning for heavy snow and blizzards across the Scottish Highlands, Argyll and the Western Isles on Saturday. Continue reading...

Protesters held on Sunday after joining a Lakenheath Alliance for Peace encampment outside airbase in SuffolkSeven people have been arrested under suspicion of supporting the banned group Palestine Action after a protest in Suffolk.They were arrested on Sunday morning after joining a peace encampment to create a blockade outside the main gate of Lakenheath airbase. The protest was organised after media reports that a US fighter jet shot down in Iran on Friday had taken off from the Lakenheath base. Continue reading...

Under Anne Hidalgo - mayor for 12 years until last week - the French capital added bike lanes, cut traffic and reclaimed public space, but not without resistanceWhen Corentin Roudaut moved to Paris 10 years ago, he was too scared to cycle. The IT developer had biked everywhere as a student in Rennes but felt overwhelmed by the bustling French capital. Cars were everywhere. Cyclists had almost no protection.But once authorities carved out space for a segregated bike lane on Boulevard Voltaire near his home in the 11th arrondissement, Roudaut returned to the two-wheel commute and did not look back. Continue reading...

Donald Trump will claim rescue as a triumph but 48-hour drama should be a caution against launching ground operation

Judge says boy should go back to his community to learn about stories and rituals that can only be taught on country'

Human brains are designed to detect faces as quickly as possible, which can lead to the perception of false faces'Faces: we see them in clouds, electrical outlets and even a $28,000 toasted sandwich said to look like the Virgin Mary.Known as face pareidolia, seeing faces ininanimate objects or patterns of light and shadow is a common phenomenon. Continue reading...

Immigration agents have spread into rural western Wisconsin, taking dozens of people from towns in more politically conservative areasThe Mexican restaurant where multiple workers were taken in February still sits dark, across the road from a travel plaza where people were also arrested by federal agents.An Ecuadorian market in a nearby town targeted by immigration agents is back open again, with a sign on the door telling people to ring the bell before entering. Continue reading...

Concerns raised over minors placed in adult detention centres since removals began under scheme in SeptemberMore than 70 children from various conflict zones whose ages were disputed by the Home Office have been held in detention centres in the UK in preparation for forced removal to France under the government's one in, one out" scheme, research shows.The one in, one out initiative means each small boat arrival can be forcibly returned to France in exchange for another person - who has not attempted the crossing - being brought to the UK legally. Continue reading...

Trump gives further details on rescue and threatens to bomb infrastructure if strait of Hormuz is not reopened

Elections seem top-of-mind for the Maha movement as key polling indicates anti-vaccine views are a liabilityUS health officials appear to be shying away from voicing negative views of vaccines in public as November's midterm elections loom and key polling indicates anti-vaccine views are a liability.Health officials have made unprecedented changes to routine vaccine recommendations in the past year - slashing one-third of the US childhood schedule, including the recommendation for hepatitis B immunization at birth. But even before a federal judge essentially invalidated these moves, officials haven't championed their dramatic changes after Donald Trump's pollsters recommended veering away from anti-vaccine ideology ahead of the midterms. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Animal welfare charities bitterly disappointed' UK government plans to backtrack on manifesto promises

No injuries reported and no suspect found after a search of park and surrounding area, agency saysThe US Secret Service said on Sunday it was investigating reports of overnight gunfire near Lafayette Park, which is across the street from the White House.No injuries were reported and no suspect was found after a search of the park and the surrounding area after midnight, the agency said in an online post. Continue reading...

Walker Smith, 54, who worked for retailer for 17 years, says he grabbed bag from thief before they escapedA Waitrose employee of 17 years has described his devastation after being sacked for stopping a shoplifter who had ransacked a display of Lindt Gold Bunny Easter eggs.Walker Smith, a shop assistant at a branch of Waitrose in Clapham Junction, south London, was going about his normal duties when a customer stopped him. They told me someone had filled up a Waitrose bag with the eggs," he said. Continue reading...

Letters to US agency raise concerns over tech firms' plans to use reflective satellites and expand numbers in low Earth orbitProposals to deploy reflective mirrors and up to 1m more satellites in low Earth orbit could have far-reaching consequences for human health and ecosystems, leading sleep and circadian rhythm researchers have said.Presidents of four international scientific societies representing about 2,500 researchers from more than 30 countries are among those who have raised concerns in letters to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Continue reading...

Ministry clarifies clause affecting those up to age 45 that is part of legislation that came into effect in JanuaryA little-noticed clause in sweeping changes to Germany's military service policy has caused uproar after it emerged that the law requires men aged up to 45 to get permission from the armed forces before any significant stay abroad, even in peacetime.The legislation, which went into effect on 1 January, aims to bolster the military and demands all 18-year-old men fill out a questionnaire to gauge their suitability to serve in the armed forces, but stops short of conscription. Continue reading...

Prosecutors say Anthony Odiong exploited his parishioners' emotional dependency to engage in sexual conduct with themA Roman Catholic priest with ties to Texas and south-east Louisiana and criminally charged with abusing his position as a clergyman to pursue sex with three spiritually vulnerable female congregants faces being taken to trial on all of those cases at once.The Texas district attorney's office prosecuting Anthony Odiong filed a motion seeking to consolidate the three cases in late March, ahead of a trial date that the Guardian understands has tentatively been set for 4 May. Prepared by McLennan county first assistant district attorney Ryan Calvert, the motion notes that Texas state law allows a defendant [to] be prosecuted in a single criminal action" if the crimes alleged are connected or ... are the repeated commission of the same or similar offenses". Continue reading...

Man working for V2X died in night attack as five sources say they are being placed in harm's wayA man employed by the US defense contractor V2X has been killed in a drone attack on Erbil airbase, amid concerns from colleagues that they are being placed in harm's way and pressured to remain in Iraq despite security risks, five sources said.The worker, from Kenya, died in a night attack in his sleeping quarters on the base on 24 March. Another five workers were injured. They are from Kenya and India, and are among a group of about 45 workers employed by V2X who have remained on the base. One of the workers is in a critical condition with severe burns, sources said. Continue reading...

Average traditional funeral now costs 4,623, up 1.3% since January, says report from Pure CremationThe war in Iran is pushing up the cost of living in the UK but it is also driving up the cost of dying" as higher gas prices feed through to funerals.A report has found the average cost of a funeral in Britain is running ahead of inflation, with the war seemingly partly to blame as it has pushed up the price of gas used in crematoriums. Continue reading...

Cultural figures sign open letter asking government for clarity on how long landmark collection will remain abroadOne of the world's most important collections of 20th-century Mexican art, including works by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, is set to be exported to Spain under an agreement with Banco Santander, sparking outrage among Mexico's cultural community.Nearly 400 cultural professionals have signed an open letter calling on the Mexican government to offer greater clarity on what the deal means for the masterpieces, particularly the works by Kahlo, which the Mexican state has declared an artistic monument". Continue reading...

Shirine Khoury-Haq and other managers did not receive annual bonus after damaging cyber-attack in 2025The former boss of the Co-op collected almost 2m before her sudden departure last month despite a difficult year when the retailer was pushed into the red by a damaging cyber hack.Shirine Khoury-Haq's total annual pay package amounted to 1.9m in 2025, including a 165,000 rewarding growth" bonus that was approved by the mutual's board despite falling sales and the slide to an underlying loss of 125m. Continue reading...