For decades, Canada was seen as a global laggard in defence funding, and just two years ago, recruitment was so dire that a former defence minister warned the armed forces were in a "death spiral".

Now, the Canadian army is growing at a pace not seen in decades, reaching its highest number of recruits in 30 years and potentially reversing the chronic personnel shortage that has plagued the country's military.

The boost over the last two years comes as the world grapples with major armed conflicts and

Thirty-nine people have been killed in another day of intense Israeli strikes in Lebanon, the country's health ministry said.

One Israeli strike on the southern town of Saksakiyeh killed at least seven people, including a child, the ministry said. Another strike killed a Syrian national and seriously injured his 12-year-old daughter in the southern city of Nabatieh, local media said.

Lebanese armed group

Parents in Mexico have criticised a plan to end the school year a month early so the country can accomodate increased travel during the Fifa World Cup this summer.

Education Secretary Mario Delgado said the school year would end on 5 June, leaving parents across the country with less than four weeks to find additional childcare.

After parents' and employers' associations objected, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum appeared to soften the announcement, describing it as

Iran has indicated it will take part in this summer's football World Cup, but has demanded a series of guarantees from Fifa and the tournament's hosts amid growing tensions surrounding the team's participation.

The Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) said Iran would compete at the tournament "without any retreat from our beliefs, culture and convictions", while insisting the hosts "must take our concerns into account".

The demands come after FFIRI president Mehdi Taj was denied entry to Canada before last

Greek authorities have rendered safe a naval drone carrying explosives after it was discovered in the Ionian Sea by fishermen.

The unmanned vessel, suspected to be of Ukrainian origin, was found in a cave near Lefkada on Greece's western coast on Thursday with its engine still running. Greek bomb disposal experts removed its detonators and battery.

The incident has raised questions about Greece's maritime security and its vulnerability

I've attended many Victory Day parades on Red Square.

This year's version felt very different.

In previous years I've had to sprint from the media bus that normally parks up by St Basils' Cathedral, in order to nab a decent spot in the press area at the side of the square.

No running was required this year. There were far fewer journalists at the event. Many international media organisations had not been granted

The moment after a Frontier Airlines plane killed a person who was on a runway after jumping a perimeter fence at Denver International Airport on Friday night is captured in air traffic control audio.

"We just hit somebody," the pilot tells the control tower after halting Flight 4345's take-off. "We have an engine fire."

Smoke could be seen in the Airbus A32

The director general of the World Health Organization (WHO) has sought to reassure residents of Tenerife that their risk of infection is low ahead of the arrival of a cruise ship on which an outbreak of hantavirus occurred.

Tedros Ghebreyesus stressed that "this is not another Covid" and that there were no symptomatic passengers currently aboard the MV Hondius, in a personal message to people on the Canary Island.

The MV Hondius is due to

The Royal Navy is sending a warship to the Middle East where it could join an international mission to safeguard shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

HMS Dragon, a type 45 destroyer, will "pre-position" in the region ahead of its "potential role" in what the Ministry of Defence (MoD) described as a "strictly defensive and independent" mission.

Sir Keir Starmer, who together with French