The Guardian World

Exclusive: Ukrainian president says ‘small mistake can break a big friendship’ in wide-ranging interview with GuardianVolodymyr Zelenskyy has said the decision by some Reform UK councils to take down the Ukrainian flag was the kind of “small mistake that can break a big friendship”, as he underlined the significance of strong bilateral relations.The Ukrainian president tempered his rare foray into UK domestic politics by stressing how much the two countries “need each other” in the battle agains

Joseph Aoun says Lebanon is in talks about a non-aggression agreement and tells Israel a military solution is not an option for long-lasting securityIranian media is reporting that there were no immediate casualties following apparent Israeli strikes on the Karun petrochemical plant in Mahshahr, a city in Iran’s southwestern Khuzestan province.According to the Fars news agency, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they responded to what they described as an American-Israeli strike on the Iranian pet

Trump questions how former reality star Spencer Pratt lost his ‘big lead’ as council member Nithya Raman moves ahead in race for second place to face Karen BassSign up for the Breaking News US emailDonald Trump on Monday posted on Truth Social that “Israel and Iran must immediately stop ‘shooting’” before claiming an hour later that Israel and Iran were “looking to do an immediate ceasefire” and that “final negotiations on peace” were under way.While he did not provide any further details, AFP r

Fire in Bermondsey sends huge plumes rising high over the city and disrupts train travel in the areaFifteen fire engines and about 100 firefighters have been called to tackle a major fire at a recycling centre in south London.Fire control officers were first called just after 5.30pm on Monday to the centre on Landmann Way in Bermondsey. Continue reading...

President dramatically raised cost of visa for highly skilled workers in executive order last yearA US judge has invalidated Donald Trump’s $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications, ruling it an unlawful tax that violated federal administrative law and the constitution.US district judge Leo Sorokin in Boston issued the 42-page ruling in a lawsuit filed by 20 Democratic state attorneys general challenging a fee Trump announced in September that dramatically raised the cost of obtaining H-1B

Department of Agriculture says new cases in Texas and New Mexico as officials move to combat parasite’s spreadThe US Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Monday confirmed three additional cases of New World screwworm – two more in Texas and the other in New Mexico, according to the agency’s animal health arm.The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said the two Texas cases affected a calf in La Salle county and a goat in Gillespie county. Continue reading...

Recent exchange of missiles between Iran and Israel highlights diverging views between US president and Israeli PM The latest eruption of hostilities between Iran and Israel appears to have been contained for now after Donald Trump insisted he called “all the shots” in the Middle East, but in a dangerously fragile region Benjamin Netanyahu has again shown he is ready to take shots of his own.The exchange of missiles on Sunday and Monday was ample demonstration of the inherent instability of the

Netanyahu acknowledges pause in fighting in TV speech but vows forceful response to future attacksMiddle East crisis – live updatesFears of a return to a full-scale regional war in the Middle East eased on Monday as Israel and Iran said they had halted attacks on each other after an appeal from Donald Trump to “immediately stop shooting”.Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, acknowledged the halt in fighting with Iran in a televised speech, but vowed to respond “with force” to future atta

Progressive and former reality TV star have been battling for the number two spot to face off against Karen BassNithya Raman, the progressive Los Angeles city councillor, appeared to be edging out Spencer Pratt in the LA mayoral race challenging Karen Bass as Donald Trump continues to repeat falsehoods that California elections are “rigged”.The pair have been battling for the number two spot to face off against the incumbent, who already secured enough votes to advance to a runoff in November. P

Post on Facebook received more than 900 comments, with one Italian writing that they were ‘ashamed’A US tourist has warned visitors to Rome after paying €44 (£38) for two ice-creams in the Italian capital.Nicole Ann, from Florida, advised fellow tourists to “avoid Don Nino”, an ice-cream parlour on a street off Piazza Navona. She claimed she had ordered two small cups of ice-cream but instead was charged for two large cones topped with trimmings that were allegedly not requested, including macar

Paris and Berlin conclude firms involved unable to agree on way forward in blow to Europe’s common defence pushFrance and Germany have concluded that the companies involved in building a joint fighter jet will not be able to reach an agreement and have abandoned the project, officials in Berlin have said in a blow to Europe’s common defence efforts.The French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, had “reached the shared assessment that the companies will not be a

Molly Rose Foundation says government should instead set strict safety standards for appsA rushed under-16s social media ban in the UK could unravel and families will be left to count the cost, a leading child safety charity has warned.The Molly Rose Foundation (MRF) said an age limit on the use of tech platforms could unravel, after it was reported that the prime minister, Keir Starmer, would announce a ban on under-16s accessing “harmful” social media apps. Continue reading...

Plane on way to pick up Yadier Molina and his family crashed in Dominican Republic, killing pilot and co-pilotA pilot and co-pilot from the United States have died in a fiery plane crash as they attempted an emergency landing in the Dominican Republic, authorities said.Former major league baseball all-star catcher Yadier Molina said on social media that the plane was bound for Texas to pick him up, along with family and friends. Continue reading...

Former safeguarding minister says if ban came into force properly it could ‘basically eliminate’ problem The government has highlighted work done by the internet safety firm SafeToNet as showing that the technology is already in place that would allow tech companies to stop children using phones to take naked pictures of themselves, or other people. The Home Office says:Measures to protect children already exist within smartphones and tablets, but are applied inconsistently, often switched off b

Paul Quinn will serve at least 14 years for the 2003 rape in Salford and could spend less time in prison than MalkinsonThe government’s most senior law officer has been asked to review the “unduly lenient” prison sentence handed to a rapist who evaded police for nearly two decades in one of Britain’s biggest miscarriages of justice.Paul Quinn was jailed last week for a minimum of 14 years, meaning he could spend less time in prison than Andrew Malkinson, who was wrongly convicted of his crime. C

Today show host shares post saying ‘Bring her home’ months after disappearance of Nancy Guthrie from ArizonaSavannah Guthrie has shared another emotional plea for her missing mother as the search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie surpassed the four-month mark.On Sunday, the anchor of NBC’s Today show posted an Instagram story featuring a painting of Jesus Christ and the words: “Oh my, my soul it cries out, soul, it cries out.” In a separate caption, Guthrie wrote: “Bring her home” with a yellow hear

Arch-enemies Israel and Iran have returned to active confrontation while Donald Trump tries to present himself as mediatorMiddle East crisis – live updatesIsrael and Iran have returned to active war for the first time since a ceasefire was agreed two months ago in an exchange of rocket fire that threatened efforts to end the conflict.Donald Trump, who started the war in February alongside Israel but has since attempted to present himself as a mediator, told the two sides to stop shooting and sai

Sean McGovern pleaded guilty to two charges relating to a deadly feud after being extradited from the UAEA leader of the notorious Kinahan criminal cartel has been sentenced to 24 years in prison at a Dublin court.Sean McGovern, 40, who has been described as a senior lieutenant in the group, pleaded guilty to two charges of directing the activities of a criminal organisation relating to a deadly feud between the Kinahan and Hutch criminal gangs. Continue reading...

Chokehold on shipping route draws Houthis in Yemen back into conflict as commenters see ‘no turning back’Middle East crisis – live updatesIran’s reversion to large-scale military exchanges with Israel broadened the conflict that began in February not only by making the Israeli attacks on Hezbollah a direct casus belli for Iran for the first time, but also by drawing the Houthis in Yemen back into the conflict with as yet incalculable consequences.Some in Tehran, buoyed up by past perceived milit

Australia leads world in residential solar per capita with 22GW installed but commercial and industrial sector has deployed only a quarter of thatGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s revolution in rooftop solar has left behind commercial and industrial buildings where installations have lagged far behind homes, according to new analysis.Australia leads the world in residential solar on per capita terms, with 22GW installed as of last December. But businesses hav