Feed wwwtheguardiancom World news | The Guardian

Favorite IconWorld news | The Guardian

Link https://www.theguardian.com/world
Feed http://www.theguardian.com/world/rss
Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2026
Updated 2026-04-12 06:47
Historic March heatwave in US west shatters high-temperature records
Some highs in California, Nevada and Arizona recorded at 25-35F above normal, with widespread alerts and closuresStates across the US south-west recorded blistering temperatures at the tail end of winter, including some of the hottest March temperatures ever recorded in the US, with forecasts indicating hotter days are still to come.California, Nevada and Arizona were all under heat warnings on Thursday amid record-breaking temperatures. Continue reading...
Iran says it will show ‘zero restraint’ if energy infrastructure is targeted again
Foreign minister issues warning after Israeli attack on South Pars gasfield and as Qatar reels from retaliatory strike
Body of missing Illinois student found in waters off beach of Barcelona
James Jimmy' Gracey was at nightclub in Spanish city for spring break when he separated from friends at about 3amThe body of James Jimmy" Gracey, a 20-year-old college student from Illinois, was found Thursday in the water off a Barcelona beach, police in Spain said.Gracey's body was found by police divers and positively identified, the press office for Catalonia's regional police in Barcelona told the Associated Press. Continue reading...
Bradley John Murdoch, murderer of British tourist Peter Falconio, yelled at police to ‘get out’ before he died in hospital
NT coroner ends inquest into Murdoch's death, which heard the outback killer refused to reveal where he hid Falconio's body right up until his death
US states sue Trump EPA over decision to repeal bedrock climate finding
Lawsuit says rescission of endangerment finding - which ruled greenhouse gases threaten public health - was illegal
Nigel Farage condemned over call to ban public prayer for Muslims in the UK
Reform party leader criticised for making comments after event held in London's Trafalgar Square this weekMuslim leaders have condemned Nigel Farage's call to ban public prayer by Muslims in the UK as bigoted and warned of a growing tide of hate" after the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, questioned whether the events fitted within the norms of British culture".Farage was speaking at the launch of Reform UK's manifesto for the forthcoming Scottish parliament elections when he made the remarks. Continue reading...
Strike on Iran gasfield exposes US-Israel rift as Trump claims he did not know
US president says he told Netanyahu don't do that' as he distances himself from attack that has angered Gulf alliesThe US-Israeli war against Iran has exposed further divisions between the two countries after an Israeli strike on Iran's largest gasfield angered US allies in the Gulf and prompted Donald Trump to say he knew nothing in advance about the attack - a claim that Israeli officials disputed.Speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said he had spoken to Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu following the strikes on Iran's South Pars gasfield - part of a reserve shared with Qatar - and had told the Israeli prime minister to refrain from further attacks that could escalate a regional war on energy infrastructure. Continue reading...
Tens of thousands of prisoners in England and Wales at risk of cell fires
About a quarter of prison places are unsafe, Ministry of Justice admitsThe government has reneged on a pledge to make all prison cells fire-safe or take them out of use by the end of next year, meaning tens of thousands of prisoners in England and Wales will remain at risk.The Ministry of Justice has admitted it has known for almost two decades that about a quarter of prison places are unsafe, putting the people housed in affected cells at risk. Continue reading...
Peers vote to back clause pardoning women convicted over illegal abortions
House of Lords decision welcomed as landmark moment' after attempt to strike out amendment is defeated
Tropical Cyclone Narelle to make landfall in far north Qld on Friday as category 5 storm, bringing 315km/h wind gusts
Massive storm tracking a path to Queensland coast, which intensified offshore Thursday morning to category 5, fuelled by warm waters in Coral Sea
Farage backs Tory attack on Muslim iftar event, saying public prayer ‘was a shock’ – UK politics live
Nigel Farage echoed Nick Timothy's comments after he said public prayer for Ramadan was an act of domination'
Joseph Duggar, former reality TV star, arrested on child molestation charges
Duggar, 31, was taken into custody in Arkansas and was awaiting extradition to Florida, where he faces charges
PEN America announce 2026 World Voices festival with Judith Butler and Bill McKibben
The 2024 festival was cancelled after multiple authors pulled out over the non-profit's stance on the Israel-Gaza warThe literary free speech organization PEN America has announced plans for their 2026 World Voices festival. The four day event will take place in New York and Los Angeles from 29 April to 2 May and feature writers from over 140 countries, with in person appearances from authors including Judith Butler, Bill McKibben, Cory Doctorow, Megha Majumdar and Katie Kitamura.In a press release, the event is billed as a testament to literature's ability to unite us, and to counteract the closed mindedness that has resulted in a nationalist maelstrom. It continues to affirm PEN America's commitment to championing writers and their work." Continue reading...
Meningitis vaccine eligibility expanded after Kent outbreak rises to 27
Anyone who was at Club Chemistry in Canterbury from 5 March to 15 March advised to get antibiotics and vaccinationThe government has announced a major expansion in vaccination against meningitis in Kent after seven new cases of the disease were confirmed in the county, taking the total number of cases to 27.On a visit to the University of Kent, the health secretary, Wes Streeting, said anyone who attended the Club Chemistry nightclub in Canterbury from 5 March until 15 March should come forward for antibiotics and vaccination. Continue reading...
Bank of England tipped to raise UK interest rates twice this year to fight inflation shock from Middle East crisis, as oil and gas prices rise – as it happened
UK central bank has left rates on hold, and warned that CPI inflation will be higher in the near term as a result of the new shock to the economy' from Iran war
NHS was ‘on brink of collapse’ during pandemic, Covid inquiry finds
Heather Hallett says superhuman' efforts of workers were at times the only reason health service survived
No timeframe for ending US war against Iran, says Pete Hegseth
US defense secretary suggests Thursday will be largest strike package yet ... death and destruction from above'
‘She didn’t want that pain’: Paola Marra’s brother despairs of Lords block on assisted dying bill
On second anniversary of his sister ending her life at Dignitas, Tony Marra will protest outside parliament with other campaignersTwo years after Paola Marra, on the eve of her death, appealed to politicians to change the law on assisted dying, the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill is stuck in the House of Lords. For her brother, the second anniversary of her death will be spent protesting outside parliament.Marra died aged 53 on 20 March 2024. She documented her solo journey from north London to Dignitas in Switzerland in photographs and a short film by the photographer Rankin, released posthumously, as well as in a powerful interview with the Guardian. Continue reading...
Sex garden to ‘break taboos’ at Chelsea flower show as gnome ban ends
Lovehoney sponsors Aphrodite-themed pleasure garden' full of flowers associated with love and sexIt is one of the most prestigious events of the UK social calendar, but the great and good attending Chelsea flower show may be in for a shock this year as the Royal Horticultural Society unveils a sex-themed garden sponsored by a company that sells vibrators.Lovehoney, a sex toy company, is sponsoring an Aphrodite-themed pleasure garden" full of flowers and plants associated with love and sex.Chelsea flower show will be held at the Royal Hospital Gardens from 19-23 May. Continue reading...
British schoolgirl stranded in Denmark after return flight blocked over UK border rules
Exclusive: Hanne, 16, from Sussex, was denied board on flight to London after weekend in CopenhagenA 16-year-old British schoolgirl has been left stranded in Denmark after she was refused board on a flight to London because of new UK border rules introduced on British dual nationals.Hanne*, from Sussex, was denied board on a flight home on 8 March after a weekend seeing her British father, who is an academic on a short work stint at a university in Copenhagen.Has your child been refused board on a flight because of the new rules? If you want to share your story, email: lisa.ocarroll@theguardian.com* Names have been changed. Continue reading...
Hungary’s Orbán says he won’t back down and allow EU’s €90bn loan to Ukraine – Europe live
Hungarian PM, who is facing an upcoming election, appears in no mood to compromise as EU leaders meet in Brussels this morningGermany's chancellor Friedrich Merz also called for de-escalation in the Middle East, welcoming what he said were signals by US president Donald Trump that combat action in Iran could come to an end, which could allow Europe to contribute to securing peace in the region.I am expressly grateful that the US president sent a signal in this regard last night that he is prepared to bring the fighting to an end," he told reporters ahead of an EU summit in Brussels in comments reported by Reuters. Continue reading...
Horizon IT scandal compensation scheme set up for families of victims
Close relatives of affected post office operators will be able to make claim over harm scandal caused familiesFamily members of post office operators affected by the Horizon IT scandal will be able to claim compensation under a new government scheme.Campaigners have lobbied for compensation in relation to the harm the scandal has caused to the mental health and wellbeing of close relatives who have not been eligible under the redress schemes being run by the Post Office and the government. Continue reading...
Europe’s biggest airlines say fuel price spike caused by Iran war will drive up fares
Carriers warn they cannot hold off passing on costs for long, while some airlines plan to increase flights via Asia
First Thing: Trump threatens to ‘blow up’ all of Iran’s South Pars gasfield if Tehran strikes Qatar
The move would be a major escalation in the US-Israel war against Iran. Plus, FBI director admits to buying data tracking Americans' locationsGood morning.Donald Trump threatened to massively blow up" the world's largest gasfield after Israeli strikes on Iran's South Pars field led Tehran to take revenge on energy facilities across the Middle East.What's happening to oil and gas prices? Brent crude rose by 8% to $116 a barrel. European gas prices jumped, with the Dutch wholesale gas price up 24%.What do we know about the war's economic cost? The war cost the US $12.7bn by day six - the total is likely to have now exceeded $18bn. Here's a visualization of how that has been spent.Could US-Israeli attempts to take out Iranian leaders backfire? Some analysts think so. It is not an approach that produces Jeffersonian democrats but hardened resistance fighters. It breeds more resistance," said Sanam Vakil, an Iran expert at Chatham House.Follow our live coverage here.Who has spoken out? Labor rights activist and co-founder of the UFW Dolores Huerta, 95, released a statement on Wednesday saying: I have kept this secret long enough. My silence ends here." The report also includes the stories of two women, who were daughters of organizers in the movement, who said they were children when the grooming and abuse began. Continue reading...
BP to sell German oil refinery as part of $20bn cost-cutting plan
Energy company plans full return to London by moving global HQ to new development on South Bank
US rapper Afroman cleared after police sued him over use of home raid footage
Artist who topped UK charts with Because I Got High created comedic videos from footage, which officers claimed invaded their privacyChart-topping US rapper Afroman has been cleared of wrongdoing after Ohio police filed a lawsuit against him, alleging defamation, emotional distress and invasion of privacy after the artist used footage from a police raid on his home in a series of mocking videos.In 2022, police searched the rapper's home for evidence of drug possession and trafficking, and kidnapping. No evidence was found and no charges were filed. Continue reading...
UK pay growth sinks to five-year low as younger workers hit by hiring slowdown
Unemployment holds steady, but Bank of England is unlikely to be convinced by ONS data to cut interest rates
The war on Iran cost the US $12.7bn by day six. Here’s how it’s been spent – in charts
Now, the total is likely to have exceeded $18bn and counting. Where are America's war dollars going, in a war that was never declared in the first place? Continue reading...
‘Eerily silent’: Cape York residents batten down the hatches ahead of Tropical Cyclone Narelle’s arrival
Residents of Coen and surrounding towns in far north Queensland spent Thursday sandbagging, stockpiling food and preparing for power outages ahead of possible category 5 storm
Leo Varadkar: LGBTQ+ rights in Europe face ‘chill wind’ from east and west
Ireland's former taoiseach warns of conservative Russian influence and says US is now off the pitch' under TrumpLGBTQ+ rights in Europe are caught in a chill wind" from east and west as Vladimir Putin's Russia exports its conservative agenda and the Americans are off the pitch" under Donald Trump, Ireland's former taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.Varadkar, who in 2017 became Ireland's first out gay prime minister, said Europe needed to step up" to avoid the continent becoming further squeezed by global forces seeking to chip away at recent progress. Continue reading...
UK to cut climate aid to developing countries by 14% to £2bn a year in ‘refocus’
Move will put national security and lives overseas at risk, critics say, as overall UK aid budget is slashed to 0.3% of gross national incomeClimate aid to developing countries from the UK will be cut by about 14% to roughly 2bn a year under government plans, in a move critics said would put national security and lives overseas at risk.The move follows bitter rows with the Treasury, which wanted deeper cuts owing to pressure on spending resulting from the war in Iran. Continue reading...
Thursday briefing: The largest cluster of cases in a generation – what’s behind the meningitis B outbreak?
In today's newsletter: After a spate of infections linked to a nightclub in Kent, some parents and experts are questioning the UK's vaccination regimeIt is every parent's worst nightmare. University students enjoying themselves at a nightclub, only to fall ill a few days later with a potentially deadly illness. So far, two young people have died and more are seriously unwell in hospital after a meningitis outbreak in Kent, which appears to have started at Club Chemistry in Canterbury in early March. Health authorities have launched a major response: 30,000 people have been given antibiotics and up to 5,000 University of Kent students will receive a meningitis B vaccine, the strain that is believed to be behind the outbreak.The health secretary, Wes Streeting, has urged calm, explaining that the risk of transmission is low, urging students to keep going to school and insisting that people do not need to seek private vaccinations. But that has not stopped a rush for jabs, causing a national shortage. The high street pharmacies Boots and Superdrug say they have seen a major spike in bookings, with some locations running out of stock.Middle East | Israel struck Iran's giant South Pars gasfield on Wednesday, marking a major escalation of the war, hours after Israeli forces killed the regime's intelligence minister and launched some of the most intense airstrikes in Beirut for decades.Reform UK | Nigel Farage called for the release of Sean Diddy" Combs and commended the efforts to free a former Honduran president jailed in the US for drug trafficking. The remarks were made on the personalised video platform Cameo.Assisted dying | Senior ministers believe Keir Starmer will not intervene to give the assisted dying bill further time in parliament as he is wary of opening up new divisions among Labour MPs.Media | The former Google executive Matt Brittin is expected to be named as the BBC's next director general within days, with the corporation's board meeting this week for a final discussion about the appointment.Green party | A government led by the Green party would not set targets for GDP growth but would instead focus on people's mental health, social cohesion and community welfare, Zack Polanski has said in a major speech to set out his plans for the economy. Continue reading...
Malinauskas steps up One Nation attack ahead of SA election – as it happened
This blog is now closed
Power prices expected to fall by up to 10% from July, bringing ‘welcome relief’ to Australia’s east coast
Increased wind and solar generation, along with falling electricity contract prices, are expected to deliver lower energy bills
‘Alright mate?’: Amazon pins UK hopes on AI upgrade of Alexa
Long-awaited Alexa+ aims to get Britons re-engaging with their devices - but it may have its work cut outCommiserations, mate, Chelsea lost 3-0 in the Champions League last night against Paris Saint-Germain," says Alexa as it attempts to break the news gently to an awaiting Blues fan. Such is the injection of personality and understanding that Amazon hopes will lead to Britons re-engaging with their millions of Alexa devices, restoring it to the cutting edge of voice assistants rather than resigned to being a glorified egg timer.After its early access launch last year in the US, the long-awaited generative AI upgrade Alexa+ is finally making its debut in the UK, supporting eight years of existing devices strewn through more than half of UK households. With the UK being Amazon's most engaged market and more than 40 accents to contend with across the UK and Ireland, the next-generation ambient AI assistant" has its work cut out for it. Continue reading...
Stopping gas dictating UK energy price could cut bills by £200, thinktank says
Iran war has increased gas price, with effects on UK energy bills that could be avoided, Common Wealth saysHousehold energy bills could be reduced by up to 203 a year by stopping expensive fossil gas setting the price of energy in the UK, according to a report.Under the existing system, gas - the most expensive form of electricity production in the UK system - set the price of energy 85% of the time in 2024 in the UK, even though it generates only about a quarter of Britain's electricity. Continue reading...
Nigel Farage Cameo videos backed cryptocurrencies that collapsed in value
Cameo videos produced by the Reform UK leader were used to drum up interest in obscure memecoins
Woman who was sexually abused by her parents for 14 years says she was devastated by The Australian’s podcast
Abuse survivor tells news.com.au that her mental health suffered after being contacted by journalist Richard Guilliatt
Possum found nestled in with plush toys at airport gift shop in Tasmania
A brushtail possum was found peering out among the toy kangaroos and dingoes in a retail store in Hobart's airport, delighting staff and customers
A ‘few scallywags’ gossiping or a premier under threat? Inside Labor’s push to ditch Jacinta Allan
More than a dozen Victorian Labor sources, including ministers and factional powerbrokers, confirm move for leadership change
FBI probing US counter-terrorism chief who resigned over Iran war, reports say
The reported inquiry predates Joe Kent's departure on Tuesday from his post as director of the national counter-terrorism centerThe resignation of Joe Kent, a senior counter-terrorism official who spoke out against the US war in Iran, took a dramatic turn on Wednesday with a report that he is under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over an alleged leak of classified information.The inquiry predates Kent's departure on Tuesday from his post as director of the national counterterrorism center, where he had overseen the analysis of terrorist threats, according to Semafor and CBS News. The FBI declined to comment on the existence of any such investigation. Continue reading...
Cathay Pacific suspends flights to and from Dubai until end of April – as it happened
This liveblog is closed - follow our new liveblog here.Iran is still exporting millions of barrels of oil, with about 90 ships, including oil tankers, having crossed the strait of Hormuz since the beginning of the war with Iran, according to maritime and trade data platforms reports.This is despite Iran saying it had closed the vital waterway to vessels from the US and its allies. Continue reading...
Doctors missed Gia’s UTI after childbirth. The Vietnamese Australian woman’s death was preventable, coroner finds
Gia Lam should have been offered interpreter by medical team at Fairfield hospital, coroner's court finds
Rohan Dennis social media post of Porsche criticised as ‘offensive’ after wife Melissa Hoskins fatally struck by car
Hoskins, like Dennis an Olympic cyclist, was struck by his car in 2023. His return to Instagram included picture with caption an absolute weapon'
Reader callout: are you feeling the petrol pinch in Australia, and how is it affecting you?
Have you cancelled a holiday? Are you working from home more or taking fewer journeys? Tell us your experienceGlobal oil market prices have surged, with the US-Israel war on Iran disrupting key shipping routes. The strait of Hormuz, where as much as a fifth of global fuel supply travels through, has been closed due to the conflict.Asia is deeply affected by the crisis, relying heavily on imported energy that passes through the strait. Continue reading...
Senate Republicans vote down Democrats’ war powers resolution to check Trump on Iran – as it happened
This live blog is now closed.
Hong Kong apartment fires: hearings to begin into Wang Fuk blaze that killed 168 people
Independent committee to investigate safety standards and whether building practices contributed to worst residential fires in decades
New York high school student released after 10 months in ICE facility
The detention of Dylan Lopez Contreras, 20, of Venezuela, a freshman in the Bronx, sparked national outrageA New York high school student who was detained at an immigration courthouse in May last year, sparking national outrage, was released on Wednesday.Dylan Lopez Contreras, 20, of Venezuela was a freshman at Ellis Prep academy, a Bronx public school dedicated exclusively to students who have recently arrived in the US. It was the first widely known instance of a public school student being arrested by federal immigration agents. Continue reading...
Democrats walk out in protest over ‘outrageous fake’ Epstein briefing from Pam Bondi
Lawmakers leave closed-door meeting after AG refuses to commit to honoring subpoena to testify under oathDemocrats on the House oversight committee walked out of a closed-door briefing from attorney general Pam Bondi about the Jeffrey Epstein files on Wednesday, leaving what California congressman Robert Garcia called an outrageous fake hearing" after Bondi refused to commit to honoring a subpoena to testify under oath.The committee voted to subpoena Bondi earlier this month, with five Republicans joining Democrats to demand that the attorney general answer questions about the justice department's failure to properly release files from the federal investigations into Epstein. Continue reading...
Australia’s major fuel suppliers being investigated over alleged price-gouging amid Iran war
Anthony Albanese also announces new national fuel supply taskforce and reiterates call for motorists to only take what you need'
...19202122232425262728...