Actor tells libel trial against Guardian that female accusers were lying' and seeking attention' in their claimsWomen began discussing Noel Clarke's past sexual misconduct in response to the #MeToo movement, the high court in London has heard, as he began giving evidence in his libel claim against the Guardian.Cross-examining Clarke for the Guardian, Gavin Millar KC told the actor he had begun to panic because the movement began to catch up with you". Continue reading...

PM expected to announce billions in savings from the personal independence payment, the main disability benefitBritain's benefits system is the worst of all worlds", with the numbers out of work or training indefensible and unfair," the prime minister has said as he prepares for deep cuts to disability payments.Addressing a private meeting of Labour MPs on Monday evening, Keir Starmer said he would take tough decisions to cut the bill for working age health and disability benefits, which is expected to hit 70bn by 2030. Continue reading...

Great Yarmouth MP says a poppy that stood up too tall has been chopped down' in lastest escalation of bitter rowRupert Lowe has accused Reform UK of suspending him for being a tall poppy" who threatened to overshadow Nigel Farage in the latest escalation of the bitter row that is tearing the party apart.Lowe said it was highly unlikely he would be ever allowed to return to the party, which he accused of trying to blacken" his reputation. Continue reading...

Adam Boehler says Hamas proposed a ceasefire and prisoner exchange in negotiations that did not involve IsraelA US envoy has said Hamas proposed a five-to-10-year ceasefire and a full prisoner exchange during backroom talks that have provoked angry responses from the administration of Benjamin Netanyahu and his conservative backers in Israel and the US.Adam Boehler, the US special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, told Kan News, an Israeli public broadcaster, that he does believe" Hamas would eventually lay down its weapons and leave power in Gaza. While he said the series of interviews was meant to explain the US position, he also defended the talks by saying that Washington is not an agent of Israel". Continue reading...

Kremlin accuses individuals of intelligence and subversive activities' in what appears to be latest in tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsionsTwo people connected to the British embassy in Moscow have been ordered to leave the country by the Russian authorities, which claimed they had been performing intelligence work.The British government hit back by accusing Russia of making malicious and baseless accusations". Continue reading...

Stephen Moore, who contributed to Project 2025, urges Congress to pass tax cuts by Memorial DayDonald Trump's focus on tariffs as an economic weapon is misguided", and the US economy is very wobbly", a former adviser and longtime supporter of the president said.I think that the president's emphasis on tariffs right now is misguided," Stephen Moore told Fox News on Sunday night. I think we have a very wobbly economy. We saw a not-very-good jobs report on Friday. The consumer confidence numbers are sinking, and other indicators are not positive. Continue reading...

Canada's incoming prime minister warns the US president's tariffs threaten the greatest crisis of our generation'When Mark Carney becomes Canada's prime minister later this week, a list of simmering crises across the country will demand his attention: housing is unaffordable, healthcare is breaking, living costs keep rising and the climate crisis is ransacking livelihoods.But most - if not all - of those concerns will be pushed aside, supplanted by a far greater threat to the country: the US president, Donald Trump. Continue reading...

Backpacker Rebecca Burke was handcuffed and taken to a detention facility in WashingtonA British tourist on a four-month backpacking trip around North America has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the US for 10 days after trying to enter the country via the Canadian border.Rebecca Burke, 28, a graphic artist from Monmouthshire, was trying to cross into the state of Washington when she was refused entry. Continue reading...

Nigel Higgins agrees with lawyer that some of Staley's affectionate' emails might seem odd to an Englishman'The chair of Barclays has said he did not ask Jes Staley whether he was still emailing or calling Jeffrey Epstein before declaring to the regulator that the last contact between the ex-boss and the child sex offender was well before" he joined the bank, a court has heard.Nigel Higgins admitted that he did not inquire about the kind of contact that the pair had, nor the exact date of their last meeting, before attempting to reassure the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) that he had no concerns about the nature of Staley and Epstein's relationship. Continue reading...

Polish prime minister tells friends' to cast aside arrogance after his foreign minister and Marco Rubio trade barbs onlineDonald Tusk, Poland's prime minister, has called on friends" to respect their allies and not be arrogant in a post on X which mentioned nobody by name but was published a day after an extraordinary social media spat between top officials in the US and Poland over Starlink satellites.Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, accused Poland's foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, of making things up" and suggested on Sunday he was ungrateful, in a strong rebuke after Sikorski said Ukraine may need an alternative to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite service if it becomes unreliable. Continue reading...

Syria's defence ministry spokesperson warns of further retribution against forces loyal to AssadSyria's defence ministry has announced it has completed military operations to fight remnants of former ousted president Bashar al-Assad's forces.China on Monday called for all warring parties in Syria to immediately stop" violence. AFP reports foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China follows closely the situation in Syria and is concerned about the large number of casualties caused by these armed clashes." Continue reading...

Shares in FTSE 250 company fall by nearly a fifth as geopolitical turmoil pushes down freight rates

Russian embassy in Australia says western boots on the ground is unacceptable' and statement is not a threat but a warning'

Government hopes to avoid backlash against upgrade of infrastructure as it tries to grow UK economy

Home affairs minister says opposition leader's recklessness has caught up with him'

The caravan plot was an elaborate scheme contrived by organised criminals domestically and from offshore,' AFP deputy commissioner Krissy Barrett says

Calls grow to control military use of unmanned aerial vehicles which, despite claims of precise targeting, are claiming civilian livesAlmost 1,000 civilians have been killed and hundreds more injured in military drone attacks across Africa as the proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles continues unchecked on the continent, according to a report.At least 50 separate deadly strikes by armed forces in Africa have been confirmed during the three years up to November 2024, with analysts describing a striking pattern of civilian harm" with little or no accountability. Continue reading...

Monarch recalls infectious energy' of late reggae singer in Apple Music broadcast to celebrate Commonwealth DayKing Charles has paid tribute to the marvellous, infectious energy" of the late reggae star Bob Marley, in a series of comments about his favourite music and musicians from around the Commonwealth.In a broadcast released in a collaboration with Apple Music on Monday as part of Commonwealth Day celebrations, the king described meeting Marley and other music legends during his royal duties, as he shared his personal playlist of hits that bring him joy". Continue reading...

Alleged offences occurred in locations across NSW including Newtown, Sydney city, Fitzroy Falls, Alexandria and Tamworth

Crime scenes set up in Green Park area with 40-year-old man taken into custody, say policeA man has been arrested after a 40-year-old woman who was shot dead in Talbot Green, about 15 miles west of Cardiff.The woman was found with serious injuries in the Green Park area of the Welsh town just after 6pm on Sunday and could not be saved by emergency services, south Wales police said. Continue reading...

Opposition leader says critics seeking political advantage' after Murray Watt says Dutton sold out his constituents' by attending Sydney soiree

Daniel Day, 29, has been charged with causing a public nuisance and trespassing on a protected siteA 29-year-old man has been charged after climbing on to the clock tower of Big Ben, the Metropolitan police has said.Daniel Day, of Palmerston Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, has been charged with intentionally or recklessly causing a public nuisance and trespassing on a protected site. Continue reading...

Humanitarian officials say move could hit already meagre water supply, as ceasefire talks grow increasingly chaoticIsrael is to cut off any remaining electricity supplies to Gaza in an apparent attempt to ramp up pressure on Hamas amid increasingly chaotic multi-track negotiations over the fragile ceasefire in the territory.The potential consequences of the Israeli decision for the 2.3 million residents of the devastated Palestinian territory are unclear, as most rely on diesel-fuelled generators for power. Continue reading...

Former central banker will be only second prime minister in Canadian history without a seat in parliamentMark Carney, the former central banker who oversaw the response to financial crises in North America and the UK, will become the next prime minister of Canada after winning the race to lead the country's federal Liberal party.Carney, 59, takes on the role as Canada is locked in a potentially catastrophic trade war with the US, long its closest ally and largest trading partner. Earlier in the week, Donald Trump announced a 25% tax on all Canadian goods, with a carveout for the automotive and energy sectors. The tariffs have the power to push Canada's fragile economy in a recession. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Justice minister James Timpson says more cell capacity means emergency early release schemes won't be neededPrisons are being prepared to cope with a sudden influx of offenders in case there is a repeat of last summer's riots, the justice minister, James Timpson, has told the Guardian.Hundreds of extra makeshift cells and newly refurbished cells will be in use by the end of this year, officials have disclosed, as the prisons minister said there will be no more emergency measures" such as early release schemes. Continue reading...

South-east Queensland and northern NSW face further heavy downpours and flash flooding

Sunday's peak of 19.7C in Merseyside beat Saturday's record of 19.1C in Cumbria, says Met OfficeThe UK recorded the warmest day of the year twice this weekend, with temperatures reaching almost 20C in parts of the country, the Met Office said.A high of 19.7C was reached in Crosby, Merseyside on Sunday, beating Saturday's peak of 19.1C in Cumbria. Continue reading...

Leak reportedly confirms next Bond will be a man, as actor says it was right decision' to pass franchise to AmazonThe next James Bond should be British, Pierce Brosnan has said, as a leaked memo reportedly confirmed the character will remain a man.The Irish actor, who played Bond from 1995 to 2002, said it was a given" that the spy should be British, after rumours an American could be tipped for the role. Continue reading...

Alteri and Modella Capital are the only two parties remaining in talks, according to Sky NewsThere are only two buyers left in the race to buy retailer WH Smith's ailing high street division, according to a report.The retail group confirmed in January it was seeking a buyer for its 500 UK high street shops, in a shake-up that would leave it free to focus on its more successful travel arm, where it has stores in railway stations, airports and hospitals in the UK and abroad. Continue reading...

Hundreds of events across UK commemorate those who died and pay tribute to health workersBereaved families and communities came together in a day of reflection on Sunday to mark five years since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.Towns and cities across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland hosted hundreds of events to remember those who died and also pay tribute to frontline health and social care workers, volunteers and researchers on the annual Covid Day of Reflection. Continue reading...

Far-right supporters of the candidate claim decision is undemocratic and Elon Musk describes his ban as crazy'Romania's central election authority has barred far-right pro-Russia candidate Clin Georgescu from running in May's presidential election re-run.The rejection of his candidacy, which was announced on Sunday evening and was condemned by far-right party leaders as undemocratic, can be challenged at the constitutional court. Continue reading...

Internet Watch Foundation says worrying' trend shows criminals are casting their nets wider to trap victims Our son was targeted by sextortionist online - here's what we didChildren as young as 11 to 13 are being targeted by sextortion criminals for the first time, according to data.The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) said the worrying" trend showed that criminals behind extortion attempts were casting their nets wider in an attempt to trap victims. Continue reading...

Richard Tice tries to calm party row in Sunday media round after pair attack each other in newspaper articlesThe fierce clash at the top of Reform UK has escalated as Nigel Farage and Rupert Lowe launched fresh attacks against each other and the party denied its suspension of Lowe was politically motivated.Richard Tice, Reform's deputy leader, was dispatched to the Sunday media studios to try to calm the row that has engulfed the party less than two months before a pivotal set of local elections. Continue reading...

Rupert Lowe row highlights split over direction of party, and threatens Farage's ambition to be UK's main rightwing forceOn the face of it, the clash at the top of Nigel Farage's Reform UK is a battle of egos. When Rupert Lowe, the MP touted by Elon Musk as a potential Reform leader, had the temerity to criticise Farage in an interview, the party's machinery quickly moved against him.Lowe complained to the Daily Mail last week that Reform remained a protest party led by the Messiah" and that it was too early to know whether Nigel will deliver the goods" by winning power. Continue reading...

A giant of political drama, Fugard captured the injustices of apartheid in works such as Sizwe Banzi Is Dead and The IslandThe South African playwright and director Athol Fugard, whose works included the plays Sizwe Banzi Is Dead and The Island and the novel Tsotsi, has died at the age of 92.A major political dissident playwright of the 20th century, Fugard wrote more than 30 dramas including Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act (in 1972) and Master Harold" ... and the Boys (1982). Both of those drew upon the time in the 1950s when he could only find employment as a clerk in one of the courts where black South Africans were charged (and inevitably convicted) of breaches of the pass laws", designed to control the movements of a racially segregated population under the apartheid system. There, he witnessed hourly the dehumanisation of those who had chosen the wrong" streets or people. Continue reading...

There is little middle ground in the battle over zonal pricing - and the energy secretary has only months to settle disputeHow would you prefer your electricity prices to be set - nationally or locally? There is little middle ground in the bitter lobbying battle over zonal pricing, the proposal that Great Britain's electricity market should be split into regions with prices set by local supply and demand. The energy secretary, Ed Miliband, must decide in the next few months, in time for this summer's auction for new wind and solar projects.One camp - led by Greg Jackson, the politically plugged-in founder of Octopus Energy, the UK's biggest retail energy supplier - argues that customers' bills will skyrocket" unless zonal pricing is adopted. It points to the wasted money spent paying windfarms to shut down when, for example, it is blowing a gale in Shetland and the local grid is overloaded with more power than can be transported south. Continue reading...

Ukrainian president calls for strengthened sanctions as he highlights weapons used against his countryLocal officials from Russia's ruling party have caused controversy by presenting mothers of soldiers killed in Ukraine with gifts of meat grinders, an appliance widely used to describe Russia's brutal tactics on the frontline.The United Russia party in the northern Murmansk region posted photos on social media showing officials smiling as they visited bereaved mothers with gifts of flowers and boxed meat grinders for International Women's Day on Saturday, which is widely celebrated in Russia. Continue reading...

Moscow claims it is close to surrounding thousands of Ukrainian troops in Kursk regionRussia has taken control of several villages in the Kursk region and claims its forces are close to surrounding thousands of Ukrainian troops fighting on Russian territory.For seven months, Ukraine has controlled a pocket inside western Russia. Last week, Russian and North Korean troops launched a major offensive, shortly after Donald Trump pulled the plug on military support, intelligence and satellite feeds with Kyiv. Continue reading...

Art lovers catch last glimpse of prestigious art collection before gallery shuts for five years for major revampVisitors from around the world have been flocking to the Pompidou Centre in Paris this weekend, seizing the last opportunity to enjoy Europe's largest temple of modern and contemporary art before it closes its doors for a five-year overhaul.In one of the most complex closures of its kind, the task of removing the museum's 2,000-strong permanent collection will start on Monday. The Pompidou's Chagalls, Giacomettis and myriad other treasures will be relocated to other sites in Paris and museums elsewhere in France and around the world. Continue reading...

Critics say perception that peerages may be a reward for donations harms upper house's reputation - especially when peers do little to participate

Conservatives benefit most from donations provided either before or after peers secured their seats

Affected roads include vital routes for holidaymakers, including A2 towards Folkestone and parts of A303 and A30A quarter of England's most important A-roads have electric car charging cold spots", according to government figures that suggest significant gaps remain in the infrastructure needed to switch away from fossil fuels.Twenty-nine out of 107 A-roads that are part of the strategic road network have at least one cold spot, according to data obtained by charging company Zest from the Department for Transport. Cold spots are defined as points where a vehicle with only 10% of its battery remaining would not be able to reach a site with at least six rapid or ultra-rapid devices. Continue reading...

Richard Branson's group plans rail routes linking London to Paris and Brussels, and maybe AmsterdamRichard Branson's Virgin Group is aiming to raise 700m to fund its plan to launch new cross-Channel rail services that would compete with Eurostar.Virgin, which previously operated intercity trains in Britain including between London and Glasgow, plans to start rail services connecting London with Paris and Brussels. It would also look to run trains to Amsterdam. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Jake Richards says government needs to focus on issues such as immigration and welfare to fight off ReformKeir Starmer could be heading for the same fate as Olaf Scholz, the recently defeated German chancellor, unless his government is able to deliver on issues such as immigration and welfare, a Labour MP has warned.Jake Richards, the MP for Rother Valley, said he had seen uncanny" parallels between Labour and Scholz's party during a recent fact-finding trip to Germany to study the rise of the far-right Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD). Continue reading...

After fears 11m would be diverted to Treasury, money will be spent on restoring polluted areas where penalties issuedMillions of pounds of fines imposed on water firms will fund environmental schemes to protect the country's waterways after fears the money would be diverted to the Treasury.The water restoration fund was set up by the Conservative government to ensure that polluting water firms paid for the damage they caused. The fund received 11m in fines and penalties from April 2022 to October 2023. Continue reading...

Internal row in party over messianic' leader becomes public amid competing members' allegations of bullying and dirty tricksJust a few short weeks ago, Nigel Farage's Reform party was riding high. It was consistently polling above Kemi Badenoch's Conservative party and in some surveys had even edged ahead of the Labour government.Donors who had previously handed over large amounts to the Tories were switching sides, while Farage was relishing having the ear of US president Donald Trump, touting himself as a far better representative to the leader of the free world than Keir Starmer. Continue reading...

Members of Putin's United Russia party in Murmansk said gifts were initiative of the women's wingLocal officials from Russia's ruling party have caused controversy by presenting mothers of soldiers killed in Ukraine with gifts of meat grinders, an appliance widely used to describe Russia's brutal tactics on the frontline.The United Russia party in the northern Murmansk region posted photos on social media showing officials smiling as they visited bereaved mothers with gifts of flowers and boxed meat grinders for International Women's Day on Saturday, which is widely celebrated in Russia. Continue reading...

Two personnel in serious condition after accident near city lashed by torrential rain brought by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred

Barefoot protester had breached parliament security and flown Palestinian flag from tower ledgeA pro-Palestinian protester who climbed the clock tower of Big Ben barefoot and spent more than 16 hours perched on a ledge has been safely brought down by emergency services.He flew the Palestinian flag from a ledge on the Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben in the Houses of Parliament, after breaching security measures by climbing over a fence. Continue reading...

Police inform family of man suspected of murdering Lisa Smith on Valentine's Day, after car abandoned on bridgePolice searching for the remains of a man who is suspected of murdering a woman outside a Kent pub on Valentine's Day have recovered a body from the River Thames.Lisa Smith, 43, from Slough, was shot dead near the Three Horseshoes pub in Knockholt just after 7pm on 14 February. Continue reading...