World highlights

• One man died as thousands of firefighters battled dozens of fires burning out of control across southeastern Australia yesterday, some of them fanned by winds of up to 100 kmh. A thick smoke haze hung over Sydney as several large fires burned out of control in heavily wooded and inaccessible areas on the northern and western outskirts of Australia's largest city.

• Iraqi deaths hit a new high in October and 100,000 people are fleeing abroad every month to escape worsening violence that is segregating the country on sectarian lines, a UN report said.

• Britain said it could hand back Basra province toIraqi control early next year, for the first time putting a date on a major step towards reducing its presence in Iraq.

• The Dutch centre-right coalition battled to stay in government in an election yesterday against leftist rivals who could water down pro-business policies and be more conciliatory on immigration. Opinion polls put Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende's ruling Christian Democrats (CDA) narrowly ahead before the vote.