World news | The Guardian

Storage dwindles in Mashhad, home to 4 million people, as country struggles with droughtWater levels at the dam reservoirs supplying Iran's north-eastern city of Mashhad have plunged below 3%, according to reports, as the country suffers from severe water shortages.The water storage in Mashhad's dams has now fallen to less than 3%," Hossein Esmaeilian, the chief executive of the water company in Iran's second largest city by population, told the ISNA news agency. Continue reading...

Incursions halted flights at Brussels and Liege airports last week with Russia said to be the most likely culpritBritain is deploying Royal Air Force specialists to help Belgium counter drone threats to the country's airports after disruptive sightings last week that some politicians blamed on Russia.Sir Richard Knighton, the head of the UK's armed forces, said the British military would provide our people, our equipment" to help Belgium, though he was careful to say we don't yet know" the origin of the drones seen last week. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Almost half of families flagged as emigrants based on Home Office travel data were still living in UKHome Office travel records used in a trial of a controversial anti-fraud crackdown that under which thousands of parents lost their child benefit were so flawed that almost half of the families initially flagged as having emigrated were still living in the UK, it has emerged.The pilot scheme saved HMRC 17m but left 46% of families targeted incorrectly suspected of fraud, a margin of error far in excess of the 1% to 5% scientifically acceptable. Continue reading...

Workers at the SunTrapp - opened in 1973 in Salt Lake City - claim the shuttering was a stunt' to prevent unionizationSalt Lake City's oldest and longest-running LGBTQ+ bar has closed, with workers claiming the shuttering was a stunt" to prevent unionization.The SunTrapp, widely considered the oldest LGBTQ+ bar in Utah was founded in 1973 and is one of the few safe havens for the community. It shut on 31 October after workers pushed to unionize. Continue reading...

Company already under scrutiny on secondary ticketing' amid outcry over touts using such platforms to exploit fansTwo UK divisions of the ticket resale website Viagogo have been hit with a 15m tax bill after HMRC found they had not paid enough duty.Corporate filings for VGL Services and IFOT Services, both part of the US-listed StubHub group that includes Viagogo, reveal that both firms set aside money to cover costs arising from a transfer pricing inquiry with HMRC" relating to the period between 2016 and 2018. Continue reading...

Culture secretary has spoken to BBC chair Samir Shah about criticised edit of US president's 6 January 2021 speechCulture secretary Lisa Nandy has said she retains confidence in the BBC's leadership, as the corporation prepares to apologise over the way it edited a Donald Trump speech.Samir Shah, the corporation's chair, is poised to apologise tomorrow for the edit, which appeared in an edition of Panorama. The issue was one of a series of criticisms of the BBC made in a letter to its board by a former external adviser. Continue reading...

Two men and a woman died in separate incidents after sudden sea surges battered the Spanish islandThree people have died and at least 15 were injured in separate incidents linked to rough seas battering the Spanish island of Tenerife, pulling several victims into the ocean, emergency services said.A rescue helicopter airlifted a man who had fallen into the water at a beach in La Guancha, a municipality in the north of the island, but he was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital. Continue reading...

Ron Dailey, 65, survived nearly three weeks in the frosty, mountainous wilderness after taking a wrong turnThe California hunter who spent nearly three weeks stranded in the frosty, mountainous wilderness reportedly survived by rationing out the little food he brought with him - eating 70 or fewer calories daily for a stretch - as well as consuming melted snow to stay hydrated.Yet before his 1 November rescue, 65-year-old Ron Dailey was so unsure whether anyone would save him that he tried to text his family regrets for possibly missing the rest of their lives - while assuring them that he would watch them from heaven". Continue reading...

Laws was inducted into the Australian Radio Hall of Fame in 2003 and received an Aria lifetime achievement award in 2008

Half of UK public unaware of contribution made by 2.5m British Asian members of armed forces who served in second world warBritish Asian families are being urged to record the experiences of relatives who fought for Britain for future generations" as data reveals half the British public don't know that Indian members of the armed forces served in the second world war.The My Family Legacy project, backed by the Royal British Legion, is building an online archive of Asian veterans' experiences to raise awareness of the shared histories and sacrifices of Britain's diverse communities. Continue reading...

Firearms testing' triggered by reports of gunshot at about 11.45am on day Freeman is alleged to have killed two police officers serving warrant

More than 150 psychiatrists sign letter condemning contract to host exams in country with well-documented human rights abusesThe Royal College of Psychiatrists is facing a backlash from members over a controversial partnership with Qatar's state healthcare provider.The college has signed a contract with the state-owned Hamad Medical Corporation to host international exams in Doha, enabling psychiatrists from across the Middle East and beyond to apply for membership. Continue reading...

Power to be cut for as much as 16 hours a day across most of Ukraine while repairs are carried outPower will be cut for between eight and 16 hours across most regions of Ukraine on Sunday, state transmission system operator Ukrenergo has said, after Russian attacks targeting energy infrastructure reduced the country's generating capacity to zero".Moscow, which has escalated attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure in recent months, launched hundreds of drones at energy facilities across the country from Friday into Saturday, which killed at least seven people, according to Ukrainian officials. Continue reading...

This blog is closed.BoM's axing of free flood forecasting potentially deadly consequences'Natural disaster-prone councils in south-east Queensland say the Bureau of Meteorology's decision to axe its free real-time flood forecasting tool is a cost shifting" exercise with potentially deadly consequences", with New South Wales emergency services also affected.The main treatment for viral gastroenteritis is to rest and drink plenty of fluids. Most people recover without complications, but more urgent care may need to be sought for infants, people with suppressed immune systems, and the elderly, who may experience more serious illness. Continue reading...

Pro-Palestine and climate activists join Jewish voices criticising entirely inconsistent police responses' and unfathomable approval'

Andrew Bragg says he can't imagine Liberals leaving Paris climate agreement and threatens to quit frontbench if party drops net zero emissions by 2050 target

Australia stopped buying fuel directly from Russia after its invasion of Ukraine but has imported more than 3m tonnes of its oil products since 2023

Djeison Rafael, 21, also charged with two counts of assault and possession of blade after incident in city centreA man has been charged with attempted murder after a woman was stabbed in the neck in Birmingham city centre.West Midlands police were called to reports of a stabbing at Smallbrook Queensway outside the Bullring shopping centre, shortly before 9pm on Friday. Continue reading...

Volodymr Zelenskyy calls for more sanctions on Moscow after 45 missiles and 450 drones launched at UkraineRussia launched a barrage of drones and missiles at Ukraine overnight, killing at least seven people and damaging energy infrastructure in three regions, according to Ukrainian officials.Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Russia had launched more than 450 drones and 45 missiles, most of which were shot down. Continue reading...

Security operations came as Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in Washington to meet Donald TrumpSyria has carried out nationwide preemptive operations targeting Islamic State cells, a spokesperson for the interior ministry said on Saturday, as the country's president arrived in the US for talks with Donald Trump.Syrian security forces carried out 61 raids, with 71 people arrested and explosives and weapons seized, the spokesperson told state-run Al Ekhbariya TV. Continue reading...

Sloane, an ex-journalist, is good at delivering lines. But if the state Coalition tears itself apart over net zero, she could be left talking up a fractured opposition

Exclusive: While fearing the technology can be an employment destroyer' in other industries, Kim Williams believes it won't be as damaging for the media

Taxi drivers to face higher penalties for refusing jobs as NSW commissioner says all passengers have right to hire taxi regardless of length of trip

Bureau of Meteorology says current system will be phased out as it no longer meets cybersecurity, stability and resilience' standards

Chadema party says deputy secretary general arrested and calls election of incumbent president fraudulentTanzanian authorities have detained a senior official from the main opposition party, Chadema, amid a spate of arrests in connection to deadly protests during elections last week.More than 1,000 people were killed by security forces during the demonstrations, according to Chadema and human rights bodies. The Tanzanian government has said these figures were exaggerated but did not give its own figures. Continue reading...

Some say Denmark's rigid rules are key to Social Democrats' power, but critical Labour MPs think model echoes far-right themesThe UK government is expected to announce changes to the country's immigration rules, modelled on a controversial system used in Denmark which is widely seen as one of the most stringent in Europe. Continue reading...

UPS cites abundance of caution' and manufacturer's recommendation after 14 died when wing caught fire and engine fell offThe freight companies UPS and FedEx have grounded their fleets of MD-11 aircraft days after a cargo plane crash that killed 14 people in Kentucky.The grounded MD-11s are the same type of plane involved in Tuesday's crash at a UPS facility in Louisville. They were originally built by McDonnell Douglas until it was taken over by Boeing. Continue reading...

Many women are afraid to go out, particularly on their own, after religiously aggravated rapes and assaultsSikh women in the Midlands have told how a spate of religiously motivated attacks have caused fear in their community, forcing some to change everything" about their daily routines.Two rapes of Sikh women, both in their 20s, in Walsall and Oldbury, have been reported in recent weeks. John Ashby, 32, has been charged in connection with a religiously aggravated rape in relation to the alleged Walsall attack. Continue reading...

Shabana Mahmood's proposals draw scorn from some Labour MPs, while others want government to go furtherShabana Mahmood is to announce changes to the UK's immigration rules modelled on the Danish system, largely seen as among the most stringent in Europe, the Guardian understands.Last month, the home secretary dispatched officials to Denmark to study its border control and asylum policies. Denmark's tighter rules on family reunions and restricting some refugees to a temporary stay are among the policies being looked at. Continue reading...

Presenter says she is in a much more positive place' after having lumpectomy and catching cancer earlyDavina McCall has revealed she has undergone surgery for breast cancer and urged others to get checked".In a video posted to Instagram, the presenter said she was very angry" when she found out about the cancer, but felt in a much more positive place" after a lumpectomy. Continue reading...

Azruddin Mohamed had emerged as a surprise contender in the presidential election and claims political persecutionGuyana has been thrown into political turmoil following the arrest and possible extradition to the United States of the country's main opposition leader just two months after he emerged as the surprise contender in the presidential election that kept incumbent Irfaan Ali in power.Azruddin Mohamed, 38, and his father, Nazar Mohamed, 73, two of Guyana's wealthiest figures thanks to their gold mining empire, were arrested on 31 October in the capital, Georgetown, in response to a formal extradition request from the US government. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Detainees at Rakefet include nurse deprived of natural light since January, and teenager held for nine monthsIsrael is holding dozens of Palestinians from Gaza isolated in an underground jail where they never see daylight, are deprived of adequate food and barred from receiving news of their families or the outside world.The detainees have included at least two civilians held for months without charge or trial: a nurse detained in his scrubs, and a young food seller, according to lawyers from the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) who represent both men. Continue reading...

Comments by Karoline Leavitt follow allegations that Panorama documentary misled viewers with its editing of a Trump speechDonald Trump's press secretary has described the BBC as 100% fake news" and a propaganda machine" in an outspoken interview that comes after allegations of bias at the broadcaster.Karoline Leavitt, a senior White House official in the Trump administration, said watching BBC bulletins while on trips to the UK ruins" her day, saying taxpayers were being forced to foot the bill for a leftist propaganda machine". Continue reading...

Party was shell-shocked after 2024 defeat but Tuesday night's coast-to-coast romp signals brighter times aheadIt has been a year of soul-searching, hand-wringing, and self-flagellation for Democrats after a ballot-box rejection so thorough that some had come to believe that the party had lost not only the White House and Congress but the culture itself.Shell-shocked, Democrats entered Donald Trump's second term in a political stupor - unsure of who they were or what they stood for. Their base had lost faith in its aging leadership class, and their brand, in Democrats' own words, had become toxic": a party increasingly confined to coastal states, big cities and college towns. And even there, warning signs were flashing. Continue reading...

Traders report long waits at Sevington inspection post and claim trees and shrubs are repeatedly being damagedImporters of plants say long delays and damage to shipments at a Kent border control post risk driving up prices and could lead to transport companies stopping deliveries across the Channel.Traders have reported long waits in recent weeks at the government's Sevington facility off the M20 near Ashford, which was built to check goods of plant and animal origin arriving from the EU. One importer said delays were adding 200 of costs to each load. Continue reading...

Minority government benefitted from opposition members voting across the aisle, paving way for billions in spendingCanada's prime minister Mark Carney's minority government has survived two confidence votes on its budget, quashing fears - for now - of a winter federal election.The Liberals managed to pass the second of three votes on the plan on Friday, paving the way for tens of billions in new spending. Continue reading...

Draft template seen by the Guardian has no reference to countries receiving benefits for sharing information, such as guaranteed access to medicines developed as a resultThe US wants countries to agree to hand over information on bugs that could cause large-scale disease outbreaks in return for restoring aid to tackle health problems such as HIV and malaria, according to government documents.The Trump administration is seeking new bilateral aid agreements with dozens of countries, after an abrupt withdrawal from existing arrangements at the start of this year. The agreements form part of a new America First Global Health Strategy announced in September. Continue reading...

Eleanor Gittens, 107, and Lyle Gittens, 108, of Miami met at a basketball game in 1941 and have been married for 83 yearsA Miami husband and wife who recently attained the title of world's longest-married couple say they managed that feat just by loving one another.We love each other," Eleanor Gittens, 107, said to LongeviQuest when the website specializing on people who are in their second century of life asked what was the secret to her 83 years of marriage to her husband, Lyle. Continue reading...

UK expected to reduce contribution to Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria by 20%A group of seven Labour MPs who served as ministers under Keir Starmer have written to the prime minister warning that an expected cut to UK funding for aid to combat preventable diseases would be both a moral failure" and a strategic disaster.With ministers and officials expected to decide the UK's contribution to the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria within days, the letter renews pressure on Starmer to pull back from an expected 20% cut. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Imran Patel, who resigned last year after reports about his conduct, is being investigated by the IOPCA former Metropolitan police officer allegedly used sex workers while on duty in the midst of a major investigation into behavioural standards, the Guardian can reveal.Britain's largest police force has been described as institutionally misogynistic" after widespread claims that a toxic" sexist culture has been allowed to thrive for decades. Continue reading...

Popularity of Britain's top mouser - the guy to meet in No 10' - to feature in documentary seriesHe's on his sixth prime minister, has watched presidents and princes walk through the black door of No 10, and will soon become the longest continuous resident of Downing Street since Pitt the Younger.The landscape of British politics has changed a lot in the past 15 years, but Larry the cat has remained a reassuring constant. Now his enduring popularity - the like of which some of his temporary owners would kill for - is to feature in a new Channel 4 documentary series exploring Britain's love of cats. For his fans, the spotlight has been a long time coming. Continue reading...

Health authorities urge consumers not to eat affected products sold in multiple supermarkets and grocers

The toddler was treated by paramedics at the scene in the tiny village of Baan Baa on Friday night but later died in hospital

China launches 5.4bn ship capable of carrying 60 aircraft that Beijing values as much for maintaining its global influence as for its use in warfareIn port, the 80,000-tonne Fujian aircraft carrier would be impossible to miss. More than 300 metres long and capable of carrying about 60 aircraft, the 5.4bn super-vessel places China second among the world's navies, with three aircraft carriers, though still a long way behind the global leader, the US, which has 11.Yet for all the great power projection of the new warship, nearly 5,000 miles away from its home port another conflict appears to suggest size may not matter. In the Black Sea, Ukraine achieved an extraordinary military success by inflicting a functional defeat" on Russia's naval fleet using swarms of skilfully targeted sea drones. Continue reading...

Former NSW senator and right factional enforcer has died aged 76 after a long period of ill health

BoM says destructive winds and very dangerous thunderstorms' are most likely across the Hunter, mid-north NSW coast and northern tablelands

Revelation comes as LNP accused of intimidation' after demanding sensitive medical details from parents of transgender children

Neil Duncan-Jordan, Chris Hinchliff, Brian Leishman and Rachael Maskell are last of series of penalised backbenchers to return to the partyFour Labour MPs who lost the party whip in July for being persistent rebels" have had the sanction removed, the last of a series of penalised backbenchers to be allowed back into the fold.Neil Duncan-Jordan, Chris Hinchliff, Brian Leishman and Rachael Maskell spoke to the party's chief whip, Jonathan Reynolds, and were allowed to hold the whip again after a review of how they had behaved since the suspension, it is understood. Continue reading...

Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, who was accidentally released on 29 October, arrested in north London on FridayA convicted sex offender who was released from prison by mistake a week ago is back in custody.Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, 24, from Algeria, was accidentally freed on 29 October from Wandsworth prison in south London. He was arrested in Finsbury Park on Friday after police said they had received a call from a member of the public. Continue reading...