by Peter Walker Senior political correspondent on (#74B26)
Steady UK opposition to the war and the US president's insults mean MPs are finding it easier to point out the obviousWhen is a U-turn definitely a U-turn? To the consternation of politicians through the ages, this is rarely something within their control, but decided instead by the herd. And thus it is with Kemi Badnoch over Iran and Donald Trump.The Conservative leader would very much like it to be known that she had not changed her stance on the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, or on the US president. Continue reading...
Trump pick to replace Kristi Noem signaled he'd avoid her mistakes but defends president's immigration campaignMarkwayne Mullin defended his ability to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and expressed regrets for comments he made about a US citizen killed by immigration agents at his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, which began on an unusually quarrelsome note when a fellow Republican senator accused him of encouraging violence.Donald Trump earlier this month nominated Mullin, a first-term Republican senator from Oklahoma, to lead DHS, after the president ousted Kristi Noem amid public blowback against the administration's aggressive approach to its mass deportation agenda and the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Continue reading...
PM calls on Kemi Badenoch to sack justice spokesperson after he called public prayers as act of domination'Keir Starmer has claimed the Conservative party has a problem with Muslims" after the shadow justice secretary described an event where the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, joined others to pray in Trafalgar Square as an act of domination".During PMQs, the prime minister urged Kemi Badenoch to sack Nick Timothy over a post on X in which he shared a clip of Khan and other Muslims praying in the square. Continue reading...
Producers say alleged victim of grooming was ready to tell his story and show raises urgent issues around online safetyChannel 5 has defended its controversial drama about the downfall of Huw Edwards, saying it raises the urgent" issue of grooming and online safety and gives voice to his alleged victim, who worked with the programme to tell his side of the story so no one who has been silenced feels they are alone".Starring Martin Clunes as the disgraced former BBC newsreader, the drama charts the claim of a relationship and texts between Edwards and a vulnerable young man who was at the centre of a scandal reported by the Sun in 2023, which alleged the presenter made payments to a 17-year-old for sexually explicit images.Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards will air at 9pm on 24 March on Channel 5. Continue reading...
by Miranda Bryant Nordic correspondent on (#74AVY)
Marius Borg Hoiby accused of 39 offences, but denies the most serious charges of four rapesMarius Borg Hoiby, the son of Norway's crown princess, should receive more than seven years in prison if he is found guilty of 39 offences, including four rapes and assaults, according to prosecutors.On Wednesday, the penultimate day of the more than six-week-long trial at Oslo district court, the prosecution said it believed that Hoiby was guilty of 39 of the 40 offences with which he was charged, which, as well as rape and domestic abuse, include multiple breaches of restraining orders, assault, drug and driving offences. Continue reading...
Government's first published land use framework maps how land is used and how it can be adapted to meet changing needsAbout 7% of England's land - an area roughly two-and-a-half times the size of Cornwall - will need to be given over to nature, forests and renewable energy, to meet the UK's environmental targets, new data shows.But there will still be enough land to grow the food needed, and to house a growing population, according to the government's first land use framework, published on Wednesday.Placing a high priority on restoring peatland, all but 13% of which is degraded across England, but this will not include an outright ban on development such as wind or solar farms.Encouraging the multi-use" of land, for instance with livestock grazing alongside wind and solar farms, and wildlife protection and nature restoration on arable land.Encouraging local authorities to put nature reserves in urban areas as well as in the countryside.Grouse moors to come under closer scrutiny and tighter regulation, which will go further than EU rules.No new right to roam" is included in the framework, but there will be a consultation on making landowner liability more proportionate", which could open up areas for public access.A national soil map will be published.A new land use unit will be established.Government planning for changes to the UK's landscape under global heating of 2C above preindustrial levels, and of much higher heating of 4C. Continue reading...
Emanuel Fabian says his routine report became focus of wager with $23m at stake on online prediction platformAn Israeli journalist received threatening messages from users of the online prediction platform Polymarket after one of his reports, on a minor missile strike near Jerusalem, suddenly became the focus of an unresolved bet about the Israel-Iran conflict.After you make us lose $900,000 we will invest no less than that to finish you," said one message to the journalist, Emanuel Fabian. Continue reading...
Snub comes as Iran vows revenge for killing of Ali Larijani. Plus, judge orders reinstatement of Voice of America staffGood morning.Donald Trump has said the US does not need Nato, after a number of the organization's members rejected his call to send their warships to reopen the strait of Hormuz.How many people have been displaced in Iran? Up to 3.2 million people, according to the UN's refugee agency. Here, Tehran residents speak about their daily life under bombardment.For the latest updates, follow our liveblog. Continue reading...
Sky News Arabia has been accused of broadcasting propaganda and whitewashing genocide in SudanSky is considering terminating its joint venture with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after accusations it is involved in broadcasting propaganda and genocide denial.Sky is in talks with its partner in the UAE on Sky News Arabia over the potential termination next year of the licence to use its brand. Continue reading...
The stars of Sex Education and The Morning Show will appear in a new West End production of Edward Albee's classic, directed by Marianne ElliottGillian Anderson is to return to the West End in a role she has coveted for decades". The Sex Education star will appear opposite Billy Crudup in a revival of Edward Albee's marital meltdown classic Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in the autumn. Staged in-the-round, the production will be directed by Marianne Elliott at the intimate @sohoplace theatre.Anderson will play Martha who spars with her professor husband George over drinks with a young married couple in the 1962 play. Martha's rage is inseparable from her longing, her disappointment and her need to be seen - all things still eminently relatable 60 years on," said Anderson. The role was first played on Broadway by Uta Hagen, on screen a few years later by Elizabeth Taylor (opposite her husband Richard Burton) and in a 1996 London revival by Diana Rigg. I've wanted to play Martha for decades," said Anderson. I'm thrilled Billy Crudup is joining me in the ring as George." Continue reading...
German food delivery firm's share price has plummeted by 93% since 2021 boom during Covid lockdownsHelloFresh has reported a sharp decline in sales as the struggling food delivery company battles falling demand after the pandemic-era meal kit boom.The German company was forced to make 900 UK job cuts last year with the closure of a delivery site in Nuneaton, and the demand for meal kits tumbled as revenue fell by more than 11% during 2025. Continue reading...
Thomas Corbett-Dillon, who claims to have advised Boris Johnson, says immigrants could turn' on white populationGB News is facing a backlash after a commentator on one of its shows suggested there is a genocide happening" against white people in England and that immigrants could turn" on the white population.Ofcom, the media regulator, has received a series of complaints about the comments by Thomas Corbett-Dillon. Continue reading...
Researchers say their prototype is a big step towards fully functioning batteries with rapid charging timesAustralian scientists have developed what they say is the world's first proof-of-concept quantum battery.Quantum batteries, first proposed as a theoretical concept in 2013, use the principles of quantum mechanics to store energy, and have the potential to be more efficient than conventional batteries. Continue reading...
Aircraft carrier has been participating in strikes on Iran, after previously taking part in the operation to seize Venezuela's president Nicolas MaduroA fire onboard the USS Gerald R Ford, injuring sailors and destroying 100 beds, is the latest mishap to plague the world's largest aircraft carrier on a marathon deployment some argue has sapped crew morale.At sea for almost nine months, and currently stationed in the Red Sea to support the war on Iran, the carrier will reportedly set sail for Crete for repairs. Continue reading...
A 2006 Guardian interview with Iran's slain security chief now reads as a grim warning of the conflict that killed himDeep down, Ali Larijani always believed that the western powers were bent on destroying Iran's revolutionary regime, for which he had fought on the battlefield.The prescience of that inner conviction has now been vindicated in lethal fashion as Larijani has become the latest establishment figure to die at the hands of Israel, killed in an apparently targeted airstrike, according to reports.Robert Tait was the Guardian's correspondent in Tehran from February 2005 until December 2007 Continue reading...
by Richard Partington Senior economics correspondent on (#74AJ5)
As Iran war drives up cost concerns, thinktank says 3.7bn discount system should be developed before next winterThe UK government is facing calls to spend almost 4bn to launch a social tariff" providing cheaper energy for poor households amid growing concerns over the Iran conflict.As households brace for an increase in living costs, the Resolution Foundation said ministers should develop a system of discounted domestic energy bills in time for next winter to protect the most vulnerable households. Continue reading...
Exclusive: finding out who owns land will become simpler under plans to make the best use of green spaces and hit net zero targetsFinding out who owns land in England is to become much simpler because a paywall will be lifted from large parts of the Land Registry, the government is to announce.A small number of landowners control the majority of land but finding out who owns what is difficult to piece together, even for government departments, owing to the way the Land Registry operates. Freeing up access will make it easier to determine ownership of key areas, such as river catchments, grouse moors and peatland. Continue reading...
House to consider amendment that would pardon women in England and Wales affected by prior unjust' lawsWomen who have been arrested, investigated and convicted under abortion legislation in England and Wales must not be left behind" if the law is changed to prevent women being criminalised in future, campaigners have said.Last summer, the House of Commons voted to end the criminalisation of women who terminate their pregnancies outside the legal framework, through a new clause in the crime and policing bill. Continue reading...
Show in part a rediscovery of more than 40 mostly forgotten women who plied their trade in the Low CountriesJudith Leyster, an artist of the Dutch golden age, was thought to be about 21 when she painted her self-portrait in 1630. In the picture she presented to the world, Leyster exudes cheerful confidence. Clad in shimmering silks and a stiffly starched lace collar, she leans back in her chair, palette and brushes in hand, a painting by her side.This work, completed in the year she was admitted to a painters' guild in Haarlem, proclaimed her arrival as an established artist. It was one of the first self-portraits by an artist in the Dutch republic, a device most male painters did not adopt until years later. Continue reading...
Evanston mayor Daniel Biss and Cook County commissioner Donna Miller were among those who came out on top in the elections ahead of the midtermsDemocratic voters in Illinois handed the party's nominations for five open seats in the House of Representatives to candidates that included Evanston mayor Daniel Biss and Cook County commissioner Donna Miller, after heated and at times bitter campaigns that saw significant spending by outside groups, most controversially the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac).The primaries acted as a test of the style of politics voters were looking for ahead of the midterm elections in November, when Democrats hope to regain control of Congress. All five districts are heavily Democratic, making the primary victors favorites to triumph in the general elections. Continue reading...
The progressive candidate was behind Krishnamoorthi until she got an infusion of cash from Governor PritzkerIllinois lieutenant governor Juliana Stratton won the Democratic primary race to succeed Illinois' US senator Dick Durbin, beating out US representative Raja Krishnamoorthi.With nearly 90% of the vote tallied, Stratton was leading Krishnamoorthi by more than six percentage points on Tuesday night, according to the Associated Press. Continue reading...
Nasa spokesperson says meteor was traveling at 45,000mph but no reports of debris foundA meteor over Ohio caused a large boom that jolted people as far away as Pennsylvania on Tuesday morning, Nasa has confirmed.The meteor entered the atmosphere at about 9am local time on Tuesday, producing a sonic boom felt across a wide swath of northern Ohio and beyond. Reports poured in from Cleveland and other sectors as far east as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and into New York state. Continue reading...
by Callum Jones and Eva Corlett in Wellington on (#74AE3)
New Zealand economic growth tipped to overtake Australia's this year but Middle East conflict casts a shadow over outlookJust as New Zealand's fragile economic recovery shows flickers of improvement - with economists predicting its annual growth could surpass that of its larger neighbour Australia - it is facing a new threat: the war in the Middle East.New Zealand is particularly exposed to the energy shocks produced by the conflict - and to economic crises generally - with the small, isolated nation highly dependent on global trade and tourism. It is susceptible to disruptions in supply chains and shipping. Continue reading...
Experts say attacks on Afghanistan are defensive, not offensive' but carry a risk of spiralling cycle of violenceAn escalating Pakistani campaign of airstrikes against targets in Afghanistan is aimed at forcing the Taliban authorities to abandon their support for Pakistani militants, according to officials and experts.The strategy is to impose such a steep cost on the Taliban administration that they act to prevent attacks emanating from Afghanistan. Yet it carries the risk of spiralling violence. Continue reading...
Chancellor seeks genuine break with the past' in tackling centralised and geographically unequal' countryRachel Reeves has announced that the Treasury will draw up proposals to hand England's mayors a share of national tax revenues as part of a radical plan to rebalance the economy.The chancellor promised a genuine break with the past" that would shift spending power away from Westminster, as she promised to create investment-led growth across the UK. Continue reading...
by Peter Walker Senior political correspondent on (#74AE5)
Exclusive: England and Wales Greens leader outlines economic policy including help to meet rising energy costs and water re-nationalisationSuccessive governments have turned the UK from a manufacturing economy to one where the basics of life have been privatised and are rented back to people at a crushing cost, Zack Polanski will say.In a speech billed as the Green leader's biggest policy intervention since he took over as leader six months ago, Polanski will argue that decades of gradual economic rebalancing in favour of a minority who own assets has left much of the country vulnerable to economic shocks such as the current rise in fuel prices. Continue reading...
by Josh Halliday North of England editor on (#74AE7)
Greater Manchester mayor hopes yet-to-be-built 250m course could provide lasting legacy' for north of EnglandFrom the fairways of Rome to the greens of Versailles, could the world's most prestigious golf tournament be heading to Bolton?Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, has announced a bid to bring the Ryder Cup to the north of England for the first time in nearly 60 years. Continue reading...
MSPs reject bill after concerted campaign to block it and despite amendments intended to placate criticsThe Scottish parliament has voted against legalising assisted dying after critics and religious groups led a concerted campaign to block the measures.MSPs voted 69 to 57 to reject the proposals in a late night vote on Tuesday - a larger margin than expected, despite a series of last-minute amendments designed to placate critics of the private member's bill. Continue reading...
Former deputy prime minister says Labour's immigration changes are un-British' and Starmer must respond to fall in party's popularityAngela Rayner has said the very survival of the Labour party is at stake and warned Keir Starmer that he cannot go through the motions" in the face of declining support.In a speech at campaign group Mainstream's spring reception, the former deputy prime minister said she believed the government was running out of time" to show it can deliver the change that the public needs. Continue reading...
Musician, AKA Michael Tyler, faces up to 20 years after entering plea in state court outside Baton Rouge, LouisianaThe US rapper Mystikal on Tuesday pleaded guilty to third-degree rape in connection with a case that led to his arrest in 2022.Mystikal - whose given name is Michael Tyler - faces up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty in a state courthouse outside Baton Rouge, Louisiana, according to reports from local news outlets WBRZ and WAFB. Continue reading...
by Geraldine McKelvie Senior correspondent on (#74A46)
In letter to justice secretary, groups say judge-led decisions more likely to be influenced by bias than those made by 12 random peopleThirty organisations representing victims of violence against women and girls (VAWG) have written to the justice secretary, David Lammy, urging him to drop plans to significantly reduce the number of jury trials.The groups said that the proposals, which will affect court cases in England and Wales, will deepen mistrust in the justice system among victims and distract from measures designed to reduce offending. Continue reading...
