Former UK defence secretary suggests Ukraine can still win the war if it continues holding off Russian forces

MP accused of threatening party chair says dealing with leadership is like smashing his head against a brick wallRupert Lowe has compared dealing with the Reform party leadership to smashing his head against a brick wall amid a public war of words that has revealed deep tensions at the heart of the rightwing party.Lowe posted a statement on X asking the party leader, Nigel Farage, to have dinner with him less than 24 hours after Lowe lost the Reform whip, having been accused of threatening the party chair, Zia Yusuf. Continue reading...

Nationalist parties have tended to praise the US president's politics, but many voters dislike his treatment of UkraineEurope's rightwing populist parties are split over how far to distance themselves from Donald Trump's pressure on Ukraine, with some fearing unflinching solidarity with the US president's brand of nationalism will damage their efforts to widen their domestic support.Broadly, unease over Trump's treatment of Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and the ominous encroach of authoritarianism by the new US administration, is strongest among the populist parties in western Europe and some Nordic countries. Continue reading...

Exclusive: More than a dozen authorities have bought more than 850 properties in English towns and cities since 2017London councils and housing companies they own have spent more than 140m buying up homes to relocate homeless people out of the city.More than a dozen councils in the capital have collectively spent millions buying up more than 850 properties in towns and cities across England since 2017, Guardian analysis of property ownership data found. Continue reading...

President Slava Kir appeals for calm while analysts say escalating tensions could lead to full-blown conflictA South Sudanese general and dozens of soldiers have been killed after a United Nations helicopter trying to evacuate them from the northern town of Nasir came under attack, the government has said.The UN said Friday's incident, which could deal a blow to an already fragile peace process, was utterly abhorrent" and a possible war crime. Continue reading...

PM Donald Tusk says country needs army of 500,000 and backs withdrawal from treaty banning landmines

State named 57% of new commemorative places after women in 2024, up from 35% in 2023

Cause of Betsy Arakawa's death was hantavirus pulmonary syndrome while Hackman died of heart disease, with advanced Alzheimer's disease contributingThe actor Gene Hackman died of natural causes days after his wife, Betsy Arakawa, succumbed to a rare respiratory virus, authorities said on Friday.Arakawa died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome while Hackman died of heart disease, with advanced Alzheimer's disease contributing, said Dr Heather Jarrell, the chief medical investigator for the New Mexico office of the medical investigator. The couple's partially mummified bodies were discovered last month at their home in New Mexico. Continue reading...

Worries mount for health of media mogul and pro-democracy activist, 77, as his trial nears endThe son of the jailed Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai has called for an urgent meeting with the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, saying he was desperate" as his father's defence drew to a close in a high-profile trial.Sebastien Lai said a fresh diplomatic push was now needed to free the 77-year-old pro-democracy activist, who holds British citizenship and has been kept behind bars in Hong Kong since December 2020. Continue reading...

UK reviewers described the homely show from the Duchess of Sussex as smug, syrupy' and narcissisticIt received a toe-curling" one-star review in the Guardian, was written off as smug, syrupy and endlessly spoofable" in the Times and denounced as an exercise in narcissism" in the Telegraph.But according to Netflix, there's more joy to be shared". Continue reading...

Former Alexander McQueen protege's show a major fashion moment as it is first by a new female creative directorThe obvious place to start at Givenchy would be with Audrey Hepburn, but Sarah Burton is a more subtle designer than that.Instead of rewatching Breakfast at Tiffany's, Alexander McQueen's protege-turned-successor studied old photographs of Hubert de Givenchy's first ever show in 1952. She was struck by the minimalism of stripped back, not fussy" clothes, she told Vogue before the show. It is quite clean, quite pure, obviously postwar," she said. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereMeanwhile, in Ukraine... Russia launched a massive" drone and missile attack on Ukrainian energy facilities early Friday, just days after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European allies proposed that Moscow and Kyiv halt strikes on critical infrastructure, AFP reported.The Ukrainian air force said Russia had launched at least 58 missiles and nearly 200 drones, damaging energy facilities across the country from Kharkiv in the east to Ternopil in the west. Continue reading...

Jury convicts Katrin Ivanova, Vanya Gaberova and Tihomir Ivanchev over alleged plots around Europe

Nigel Higgins asked if FCA would drop investigation into Staley's relationship with Epstein if CEO quitThe Bank of England governor, Andrew Bailey, was accused by the Barclays chair of having destroyed" Jes Staley, a court heard on Friday, after the City watchdog led by Bailey at the time launched an investigation into the banker's ties to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.Nigel Higgins, who made the accusations and is still the Barclays chair, also asked in 2019 whether the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) would be willing to drop its investigation if Staley resigned. Continue reading...

Trump's abandonment of Ukraine has led even Farage to praise Starmer's lead role in European diplomacyBarely a day passes, it seems, without Keir Starmer talking to another European leader or preparing for a continental summit. The crisis over Ukraine has very much pushed the UK closer towards the centre stage than at any point since Brexit. But is this a new era or a false dawn?One thing is certain: the optics of engagement have changed. Starmer never shared Boris Johnson's almost active pride in stoking a row with Brussels, but particularly before the election his advisers were wary of reminding voters about his past as a diehard remainer. Continue reading...

Pair among 12 charged with bribery or misconduct relating to council contracts, say Merseyside policeA total of 12 people, including the former Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson, have been charged with offences related to bribery and misconduct over the awarding of contracts from Liverpool city council between 2010 and 2020.Anderson, who stood down in 2021 after he was arrested, is charged with one count of bribery, one count of misconduct in a public office and one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office. Continue reading...

Cost of second-class service to rise to 87p in sixth increase in little more than three years

Transparency advocates raise concerns over survey' that asked loaded questions about Climate 200-backed MPs Zoe Daniel and Allegra Spender

The biggest unknown in the largely predictable Western Australia election campaign is the extent to which Libby Mettam's Liberals can re-emerge from the political wilderness

Wang Yi hits out at 20% levy on Chinese goods and warns law of the jungle' could emerge from Donald Trump's policyChina's foreign minister has accused the US of two-faced" behaviour, condemning the imposition of tariffs on Chinese goods and warning against the law of the jungle" that could emerge from Donald Trump's America First" policy.Speaking at the sidelines of China's annual parliamentary gathering, Wang Yi said China would firmly counter" US pressure. No country should think that it can suppress China and maintain good relations," he added. Continue reading...

Ahead of his potential release, police and supporters of the impeached president were seen gathering around the presidential residence in SeoulA South Korean court has cancelled President Yoon Suk Yeol's detention warrant, paving the way for his potential release after being held since mid-January on charges of leading an insurrection relating to his failed attempt to impose martial law in December.The Seoul central district court accepted Yoon's petition to cancel his custody in a ruling delivered on Friday, though the president still faces the serious criminal charges that could result in life imprisonment or even the death penalty if convicted. Continue reading...

This week, Donald Trump picked fights with Canada, Mexico, Ukraine, US veterans and every Democrat sitting in Congress for his State of the Union address.Chris Michael and Joan E Greve discuss why the US president is turning up the heat on longtime allies, whether Democrats are responding successfully and, in the end, who loses out if Trump's tactics fail?

Frustrated by government's failure to ease rules, an NGO is opening a centre a stone's throw from parliament in WarsawThey poured on to streets across Poland in their hundreds of thousands, carrying placards reading The revolution has a uterus" and My body, my choice". In late 2023 they helped vote in a prime minister who promised a swift overhaul of the country's draconian abortion laws.Now, after more than a year of stalled promises, Polish abortion campaigners are taking matters into their own hands, setting up a pregnancy termination centre on one of the country's corridors of power. Continue reading...

Monarch shares soundtrack to his life, including disco, reggae and Afrobeats, to celebrate Commonwealth DayKylie has a legion of fans around the globe, but it might come as a surprise to many that the king is one of those who can't get her out of his head.The princess of pop, alongside Bob Marley and Grace Jones, are among the music artists beloved of Charles, it was revealed on Friday as part of Commonwealth Day celebrations, which falls on Monday. Continue reading...

Compelling evidence' suggests figure is Lady Jane Grey, making it only known depiction made before 1554 executionShe was known as the nine-day queen" and was used as a pawn in the ruthless ambition that defined the Tudor court. But for centuries, historians have struggled to find a single portrait of Lady Jane Grey that was painted during her lifetime.Now, research by English Heritage suggests a mysterious portrait depicts the royal who reigned over England for just over a week in the summer of 1553, and who was executed less than a year later. Continue reading...

Ryan Wedding, 43, wanted for role in billion-dollar cross-border drug trafficking operation and several homicidesAuthorities in the United States have offered a $10m reward for information that leads to the arrest of a Canadian former Olympic snowboarder-turned-international drug kingpin.Police in Los Angeles said on Thursday that Ryan Wedding - also known as El Jefe", Giant" and Public Enemy" - is wanted for his role in a billion-dollar cross-border drug trafficking operation and for several homicides linked to his drug sprawling network. Continue reading...

Leaders endorse von der Leyen proposal but show of unity over Ukraine is marred by Hungary's Viktor Orban

Extremists linked to Reichsburger movement also planned to kidnap health minister and create conditions for civil warA German court has jailed five members of an extremist group linked to the Reichsburger (Reich Citizens) movement for plotting a coup and to kidnap the health minister.The defendants, four men, aged 46 to 58, and a 77-year-old woman, who belonged to the self-styled United Patriots" group, were sentenced to between five years and nine months and eight years' jail by the Koblenz higher regional court on Thursday. Continue reading...

BoM warns of hazards from erratic' storm and forecasts show it slowed again and dlowngraded to a category one storm when it makes landfall between Friday and Saturday morning

Decision made after attempts to raise more funds had been unsuccessful, agency tells authoritiesFood rations for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh have been slashed in half by the World Food Programme, days after refugees in Kenya protested against a reduction to their rations.The WFP, which is funded entirely by voluntary contributions and provides assistance to more than 150 million people, said it did not have enough funds to continue to provide the full ration so would be reducing the food voucher to 726 Bangladeshi taka (4.60) per person, from 1,515 taka. Continue reading...

Actor also known as Pamela Hasselhoff died on Wednesday and the cause is still under investigation, authorities sayPamela Bach, an actor and the ex-wife of the Baywatch star David Hasselhoff, has died at 62.The Los Angeles medical examiner's office reports that she died on Wednesday and the cause is still under investigation. Also known as Pamela Hasselhoff, Bach appeared on The Young and the Restless and met her future husband on the set of his series, Knight Rider. Continue reading...

Telegraph columnist was visited by exemplary' officer after complaint about inaccurate tweet she later deletedA review of Essex police's pursuit of the Daily Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson over an allegedly racist tweet has concluded the force was right to investigate her.The Essex force was criticised by Pearson and her supporters when officers knocked on her door on Remembrance Sunday morning last year, as part of their inquiries. Continue reading...

Lord chancellor announces move follows claims that new sentencing rules discriminate against white menShabana Mahmood has ordered a review of the powers of the independent body which draws up judges' guidelines in England and Wales following claims that new sentencing rules discriminate against white men.The lord chancellor wrote that she will be reviewing the role and powers of the Sentencing Council" and will introduce new laws if necessary" after the body recommended changes which would make the ethnicity or faith of an offender a greater factor when deciding whether to jail them. Continue reading...

Kyle Clifford, 26, had already admitted murdering Louise Hunt, her sister Hannah and their mother, CarolA former soldier has been found guilty of raping his ex-girlfriend before murdering her with a crossbow in a final act of spite".Kyle Clifford, 26, shot dead Louise Hunt, 25, and her sister Hannah Hunt, 28, with a crossbow and fatally stabbed their mother, Carol Hunt, 61, during a four-hour attack at their home in Bushey, Hertfordshire, on 9 July last year. The women were the wife and daughters of the BBC racing commentator John Hunt. Continue reading...

Rupert Lowe, touted as a future leader of the party by Elon Musk, says Farage needs a proper plan' for governmentOne of Nigel Farage's most prominent MPs has questioned his messianic" leadership and called for his leader to delegate more and make a proper plan".Rupert Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth, who was touted as a replacement leader by Elon Musk earlier this year, also said he did not know whether Farage would be a good prime minister. Continue reading...

Adaptation of Brecht's Mother Courage will train people from the north-east to take on their first ever acting rolesHis plays have been buzzy, hot-ticket openings in the West End and at the National Theatre. Films he has written have had glitzy debuts in Cannes and Venice.But for the next world premiere of a Lee Hall show, head to the Methodist church in a former mining village in County Durham. Continue reading...

Owner Pepco Group considers all strategic options' amid increasingly challenging UK retail landscape'

Retailer had hoped to open more stores in Britain in coming year but will do so in Ireland and Belgium insteadHMV has put its UK expansion on hold and is to open stores in Ireland and Belgium instead, because of rising wage costs announced in last autumn's budget that begin next month.Phil Halliday, the managing director of the entertainment retailer, said it had hoped to open up to 10 more stores in the UK in the coming year but had put that plan on hold as it was peddling pretty hard" to maintain profits despite strong sales growth. Continue reading...

Most economists had expected activity to rebound in February but S&P Global construction PMI slumped to 44.6 Business live - latest updatesSteep declines in housebuilding and engineering work have plunged the UK's construction sector to its lowest level of activity since May 2020, according to a survey of building companies.After one of the steepest monthly declines in housebuilding activity, the latest S&P Global construction purchasing managers' index (PMI) slumped to 44.6 in February - a sharp drop from 48.1 in January. Continue reading...

More than 100 Labour MPs and peers sign open letter saying ESG policies are holding back defence spending

Joanne Sharkey admits to charge of manslaughter with diminished responsibility over death of boyA woman has pleaded guilty to killing a newborn baby whose body was discovered in woodland in Warrington in 1998.The baby, subsequently named Callum, was found dead in a bin bag near Gulliver's World theme park in Warrington on 14 March 1998 by a dog walker in a wooded area off Camp Road. Continue reading...

Fossil fuel groups poured a record $96m into Trump in 2023-24, demanding more scrutiny, not less, says Sheldon WhitehouseThe Republican party's seizure of the Senate and House of Representatives has ended a congressional investigation into big oil just when it is needed most, according to the leader of the inquiry.The fossil fuel industry is running perhaps the biggest campaign of disinformation and political interference in American history and they're backing it up with immense amounts of political spending," said the Rhode Island senator Sheldon Whitehouse. The consequences in the White House are enormous and having a huge effect ... but people aren't aware." Continue reading...

Militant group accuses the US president of seeking to undermine deal with his ultimatum for release of hostages

Family announces on Facebook that the musician died in New York City after a long illnessRoy Ayers, the jazz-funk pioneer whose hit Everybody Loves the Sunshine has become a summer staple across the globe, has died aged 84.A post on the musician's official Facebook page said: It is with great sadness that the family of legendary vibraphonist, composer and producer Roy Ayers announce his passing which occurred on March 4th, 2025 in New York City after a long illness. Continue reading...

New Zealander, Malaysian and Sierra Leone national all received appropriate mental health care' before they separately killed themselves inside Villawood over a three-year period, inquest finds

Stigma, lack of treatment and disproportionate rise of the disease in women draws comparisons with HIV epidemicAn alarming rise in obesity in Africa has been compared with the HIV epidemic, with stigma and lack of treatment having a disproportionate impact on women.Almost half of women in Africa will be obese or overweight by the end of the decade, according to a recent study by the World Obesity Federation. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Important collection of author's letters and manuscripts, being sold in April, reveals his loathing of sloppiness and love of languageJRR Tolkien was so irritated by a careless typist's slapdash work on one of his manuscripts that he vented his frustration in a letter that has come to light.The Lord of the Rings author said in despair: She reduced [my manuscript] to nonsense. I have some sympathy with the typist faced with such unfamiliar matter; though evidently she wasn't paying much attention." Continue reading...

Multimillionaire Paul Marshall understood to be talking to senior figures in Britain's right-leaning media about the ideaThe multimillionaire owner of the Spectator has met some of the most senior figures from Britain's right-leaning media to discuss a plan to fund a new generation of journalists, the Guardian understands.Sir Paul Marshall, the hedge fund founder who has become an increasingly pivotal media player in recent years, is said to have discussed the idea at a private dinner held around the time of the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (Arc) conference, a global gathering in London of conservative thinkers, politicians and businesspeople that he co-founded and supports. Continue reading...

Hackney council calls time on Ashwin Street studio, neighbour to newly famous live music venue Cafe OtoAfter getting an Oscars shoutout at the weekend, the mood in Dalston's cultural corridor should be triumphant. Instead, a group of creatives in the same artistic hub are racked with fear about their future.Dozens of artists working in V22 Ashwin Street, a studio that has long been a space for developing talent, have been told to vacate the building by the end of the month. Hackney council, which owns the site, says this is because it is unsafe for those inside. Continue reading...