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Showing posts from 2026

Ex-US spy for Israel calls for Gaza ethnic cleansing as he seeks Knesset seat

Jonathan Pollard, who served 30 years for selling US military secrets, advocates ‘forcible removal’ of Palestinians Jonathan Pollard, a former US navy intelligence analyst jailed for 30 years for spying for Israel , has said he will stand for election to the Knesset this year on a platform of ethnic cleansing. Speaking to Channel 13 television , Pollard said: “I personally prefer the forcible removal of all current residents of Gaza, and the annexation of Gaza and its repopulation by us.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/0icDJsw

Fire causes ‘substantial damage’ to Book of Mormon theater in New York

‘Deep-seated fire’ forces temporary closure of Eugene O’Neill Theatre, which is home to the long-running musical Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email A fire broke out Monday in the Broadway theater that hosts the The Book of Mormon , forcing the long-running musical to close, at least temporarily, as the historic venue undergoes repairs. The blaze, which began in an electrical room, caused “substantial damage” to the Eugene O’Neill Theatre, according to David Simms, New York fire department assistant chief. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Nz81sn7

Teens storm Scientology church in New York in latest ‘speed running’ incident

Group broke through locked door in Manhattan, damaging property and injuring a staff member, church says A group of youths forced their way into a Scientology church in New York on Saturday in the latest in a string of nationwide “speed running” incidents that have gone viral on social media in recent weeks. The group broke through a locked door to gain entry to the Church of Scientology on West 36th Street in Manhattan, throwing objects, damaging the property and injuring a staff member as worshippers and visitors attended a seminar, the church said in a statement to the Guardian. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/DT40gLP

Bournemouth beat Crystal Palace with ease to keep Champions League dreams alive

By month’s end, Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner will depart their respective clubs. Having both taken their clubs into uncharted territory, neither’s task is yet complete. Bournemouth’s victory, a game all but won in the first half, was one for the club with their Premier League position as the priority. Bournemouth’s hopes of emulating Palace this season in playing European football for the first time were increased by a deserved, convincing win. The Champions League may even be in reach, Europa League permutations permitting. “We are in a good spot but need more points,” said Iraola, determined to leave a legacy and delighted by a “most dominant performance … we want to give the players the chance to play in Europe next season, it would be massive.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/D4MHjiq

Miami Grand Prix: main race qualifying after Norris wins sprint race – live

️ F1 qualifying updates from 9pm BST ️ McLaren one-two in sprint race | Mail Philip Button, who has a world title, confident that George Russell will be competitive come main qualifying as the Mercedes driver pursues a championship of his own. The heat is on in Miami. Drivers kept as cool as they can be by umbrellas as the cars receive their last touches. Jenson Button probably quite happy to not be wearing a race suit. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/nDQgkot

Olly Stone shines for Notts, Surrey’s Sibley hits century: county cricket, day two – as it happened

The Nottinghamshire bowler took five Leicestershire wickets at Grace Road while Dom Sibley dug in against Sussex A wicket at Grace Road , where Notts are pounding Leicestershire round the ground. Jack Haynes a fourth wicket for Ben Green. Joe Clarke is approaching his hundred. Notts 426-5. A pretty good looking crowd at Taunton, some huddling against a brick wall for warmth. Joe Root at first slip polishes the ball, Will Smeed, slow starting again, still on nought. Jack White on the money. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Gpk6E2u

Ancient Roman gravestone found in New Orleans back yard returned to Italy

Nearly 2,000-year-old artifact handed over by FBI matches piece missing from museum near Rome for decades A nearly 2,000-year-old Roman grave marker discovered in a New Orleans backyard has now been returned to Italy. The marble epitaph – dating back roughly 1,900 years – was officially handed over to Italian officials in Rome on Wednesday during a ceremony led by the FBI. The event also marked the repatriation of another antiquity recovered in the US, the agency said. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/vo7wPYZ

Voting rights groups sue to block Louisiana from suspending primary elections

State’s governor has ordered congressional primary halted until state can redraw districts and dilute Black vote The American Civil Liberties Union filed a suit on behalf of Louisiana voting rights groups on Friday, asking a state court to block the state’s governor, Jeff Landry, and secretary of state, Nancy Landry, from suspending congressional elections . Landry suspended the state’s congressional primary election on Thursday – even after early voting had begun – to enact new districts for the 2026 election. The move came after the supreme court’s 6-3 decision in the Louisiana v Callais case on Wednesday, which invalidated swaths of the Voting Rights Act and declared that a Louisiana congressional district with a majority-nonwhite voting population violated equal protection provisions of the US constitution. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/5GfShb9

Venice Biennale jury quits amid row over participation of Russia

Decision follows backlash from Italian government and European Commission The jury of the Venice Biennale has quit just days before the prestigious art exhibition is due to begin, amid a row over the decision to allow Russia to participate. The resignation of the five-member international jury was announced late on Thursday in a brief statement by the Venice Biennale organisers, and came a day after the Italian culture ministry sent inspectors to Venice in search of information about the decision to allow Russia to have a pavilion at the event. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Dg8rKbe

US gas prices hit $4.23 high as Hormuz fears drive oil surge

Blockade threat in vital strait and Trump’s stance lift crude, pushing pump prices to highest level since 2022 Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox Average US gas prices have hit a new high at $4.23 a gallon, their highest since 2022 and a record since the start of the war with Iran, according to the motor club AAA. The price of Brent crude, the benchmark that influences the price of gasoline in the US, now stands at $114.60 a barrel, up nearly 25% from the recent low since mid-April. US gas prices a year ago averaged $3.16 a gallon. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ENKcd0t

‘Stole a charity’: Elon Musk accuses Sam Altman of betrayal in courtroom showdown

Trial is culmination of a years-long feud between Musk and Altman that has become increasingly vicious The trial pitting Elon Musk against Sam Altman and OpenAI began in earnest on Tuesday with opening arguments, as lawyers for the two tech moguls seek to convince a California jury of their client’s version of the AI company’s history. The trial is set to feature testimony from both billionaires, as well as some of the most powerful executives in the tech industry. Musk’s attorney argued that Altman, OpenAI and its president, Greg Brockman, broke a foundational agreement to better humanity when the non-profit pivoted towards a for-profit structure. Musk, who left OpenAI in 2018 after co-founding it with Altman and Brockman three years earlier, also alleged that his co-founders unjustly enriched themselves as the company raised billions of dollars and grew into the AI behemoth it is today. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/zuRhtm3

89-year-old man arrested over Athens double shooting

Multiple people injured when gunman opened fire inside a social security office and later an appeals court An 89-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of shooting and wounding several people in attacks on government buildings in Athens. Hours after the double shooting in the Greek capital, authorities announced a suspect had been detained in the western port city of Patras, reportedly attempting to flee to Italy. His arrest followed a countrywide manhunt. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/5mMYbHn

World Cup will be ‘bonanza of sportswashing’ under Trump, say human rights groups

Fans warned of uncertainty around protests and policing Lise Klaveness set to raise concerns over ICE with Fifa This summer’s World Cup will be a “bonanza of sportswashing” according to human rights organisations, who claim the Trump administration is using sport as a political tool to “cover up abuses”. With supporter groups warning they have “absolutely no clue” what will happen to fans if they do “stupid stuff” in the US during the tournament, the Sport and Rights Alliance (SRA), which includes Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International, has called for more to be done to ensure the protection of individual rights at the World Cup, which begins in six weeks. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/HzUniGQ

European football: Inter fritter away two-goal lead; goalkeepers sent off for fighting in Spain

Nikola Vlasic scores Torino equaliser in 2-2 draw Dortmund seal Champions League spot with 4-0 win Champions-elect Inter were held to a 2-2 draw at Torino on Sunday, with the Serie A leaders letting slip a two-goal lead and leaving the title race ticking over with four rounds left. Inter appeared to be cruising after Marcus Thuram put them in front in the 23rd minute and Yann Bisseck doubled their lead 16 minutes after the break with another header but Torino clawed their way back into the game. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/6amVSxh

Drowning in the banter-sphere: how can the Premier League rivals handle the heat? | Barney Ronay

The current season has become a meme-war without end, an endless rolling wall of gloat and taunt in which players and managers must try to block out the noise In his new book, Saved, Gianluigi Buffon talks about feeling crushed by nerves even at the peak of his playing career. The day before the 2006 World Cup final Buffon and Gennaro Gattuso walked past the French squad after training and were immediately sent into a tailspin by their opponents’ intimidating size and athleticism. “We don’t stand a chance,” Gattuso joked, not actually joking. Buffon spent most of the night smoking in the hotel corridor with half the Italy team. At breakfast nobody could speak. They turned up at the stadium already feeling exhausted. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/SG5Amqi

Coco Gauff reaches fourth round despite vomiting on court at Madrid Open

American beats Sorana Cirstea 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 Gauff struggles as virus spreads through locker room Coco Gauff described how difficult it has been for players to remain healthy at the Madrid Open this year after she reached the fourth round despite vomiting on court and struggling with a virus that appears to have torn through the locker room . “I think I got a little cocky because I’ve been at tournaments where there were viruses and I never got it,” she said. “I saw it going around, I was like, ‘I’m not going to get it.’ And then here I am. I think it’s hard because you don’t know who’s sick, who’s not. I do a good job at using hand sanitiser and washing my hands and wiping my [training] mats and stuff before I use them. But sometimes some things are just hard to avoid when you’re all in a big building like this and have to pass each other and use the same equipment. Hopefully everybody’s all good by Rome.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/r85Cb6I

Northampton strengthen grip on top of Prem after thrilling win against Bath

Northampton 41-38 Bath Fin Smith clinches win with last kick If only these two could play each other every week. Having wowed the rugby world a fortnight ago with their Champions Cup quarter-final at the Rec, scoring 11 tries between them, here they went one better and scored 12. Six each, obviously. The scores were level as the clock ticked red. The crowd were as breathless as the players. And then, alas, the winning moment came not from a moment of brilliance – although Fin Smith tried it with his dummy and drop-goal attempt. He missed that, but the television match official had spotted one of those agonising high tackles by a tall man on a dipping, slightly shorter one. Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi it was who clipped the bustling Henry Pollock on the chin. Smith did not miss the subsequent penalty, the first penalty taken at goal, the last kick of the match. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ELeoilI

US millionaire big-game hunter dies after being crushed by elephants

Ernie Dosio, a 75-year-old vineyard owner, was hunting an antelope species in Africa when the incident occured Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox An American millionaire big-game hunter has died after being crushed by a group of elephants during a hunting expedition in Gabon. Ernie Dosio, a 75-year-old vineyard owner, was hunting yellow-backed duiker, an antelope species, in the central African country of Gabon when the incident occurred last Friday. While in the Lope-Okanda rainforest, he and his guide unexpectedly came across five female elephants accompanied by a calf. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/y2A9NjX

Lockheed Martin CEO sees Trump’s Pentagon as ‘golden opportunity’ for growth

Jim Taiclet spoke in earnings call as company expands contracts with the US government amid the Iran war Lockheed Martin’s CEO has called the Trump administration a “golden opportunity” for the company as it expands its contracting work for the federal government amid the conflict in the Middle East. In an earnings call on Thursday covering the first quarter of 2026, Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet told investors that the company is well positioned “based on more available resources for us”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/W0S5BGs

US saw record high of 5,668 books banned in libraries in 2025, says agency

Most-banned book was Sold, a 2006 novel by Patricia McCormick about sex trafficking in India Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox The American Library Association (ALA) has reported a record high in the number of books banned in US libraries. In 2025, 5,668 books were banned – representing 66% of the total number challenged – with an additional 920 censored through access restriction, such as relocation on the library shelves. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/1vmLQHD

Lewis Moody ‘picking up baton’ left by Doddie Weir with MND fundraising cycle ride

Former England captain plans to ride 500 miles in seven days 2003 World Cup winners among the fundraisers The former England captain Lewis Moody has said he is “picking up the baton” left by Doddie Weir after announcing plans to lead a 500-mile, seven-day cycling challenge this summer to raise funds for the fight against motor neurone disease. Moody will be joined by many of his fellow 2003 World Cup winners, including Jonny Wilkinson, Mike Tindall and Ben Kay, as well as his teenage sons on a journey from Newcastle to the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, with all proceeds going to the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/anVqxWd

Taiwan president blames China for forced cancellation of Eswatini trip

Lai Ching-te abandons visit after Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar revoke overflight permission Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te, has cancelled his trip to Eswatini, the democratic island’s only diplomatic ally in Africa, after his government said several countries had revoked overflight permits because of “intense pressure” from China. Lai was to leave on Wednesday for the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/tF0ev51

Kash Patel sues the Atlantic for $250m over article alleging heavy drinking and absences - US politics live

FBI director’s lawyers accuse magazine of publishing ‘a sweeping, malicious, and defamatory hit piece’ Kash Patel sues the Atlantic over bombshell story Sign up for the Breaking News US email My colleague Jeremy Barr has more on the lawsuit filed by Kash Patel against the Atlantic. Patel’s legal team accused the magazine and reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick of publishing “a sweeping, malicious, and defamatory hit piece” on 17 April. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/sy7nrvJ

Republican senator criticizes Trump’s ‘holy war’ with Pope Leo

Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, a long supporter of Trump, says president’s feud with the pope is a ‘distraction’ A Republican lawmaker has condemned what he refers to as Donald Trump’s “holy war” against Pope Leo XIV. Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, a long supporter of Trump and the ultraconservative Maga movement, condemned the president’s attacks on the pope during a Fox News interview on Saturday . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/rK0qLRN

Arteta’s desire for complete control may derail Arsenal’s wobbling title drive | Jonathan Wilson

Now Guardiola has granted his players freedom to improvise, it’s the Gunners’ manager who is the stickler for blueprint over instinct At half-time in the Carabao Cup final , Arsenal’s hopes of a quadruple remained strong. They were unbeaten in 14, 11 of them won. They were drawing 0-0 against Manchester City and it wasn’t unreasonable to think that if the second half carried on as the first half had, they would eventually find a winner – quite possibly from a corner. They had drawn a Championship side in the sixth round of the FA Cup and a Portuguese side in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. They held a nine-point lead in the Premier League. This was shaping up to be the greatest season in Arsenal’s history. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/aAqVzrU

Man charged over 2002 Jam Master Jay killing to plead guilty, documents show

Jay Bryant negotiating plea deal in New York death of Run-DMC star, over which one conviction has been overturned One of the three men charged in the killing of Jam Master Jay plans to plead guilty, court records show, in what would be the first admission anyone has made in court to any role in the Run-DMC star’s death in 2002. Jay Bryant pleaded not guilty to murder after his 2023 indictment, but his lawyer and federal prosecutors told the court in recent letters that they were negotiating a plea agreement. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/qC3sbOk

Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike ruled out for rest of season and World Cup with France

Forward could be out until 2027 with suspected achilles tendon rupture Ekitike is club’s leading goalscorer this season with 17 goals The Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike will miss the rest of the season and the World Cup with the injury he sustained against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, Didier Deschamps has confirmed. Ekitike suffered a suspected achilles tendon rupture in the first half of Liverpool’s Champions League quarter-final second leg defeat and could be sidelined until next year as a result. The full extent of the 23-year-old’s injury has not been confirmed – he underwent scans on Wednesday and Liverpool are expected to provide an update later this week – but the head coach of the France national team has ruled Ekitike out of his plans for this summer’s World Cup. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/mGIXU8z

Suspect accused of planting pipe bombs on eve of January 6 faces new charges

Brian Cole Jr, accused of planting the devices near the RNC and DNC buildings in DC, faces two more felony counts The individual accused of placing pipe bombs near the headquarters of both the Republican and Democratic national committees on the night before the January 6 Capitol attack is now facing two more felony counts, as detailed in a newly released indictment on Wednesday. Brian Cole Jr, 30, of Woodbridge, Virginia , had previously been arrested in December and charged with transporting and positioning two improvised explosive devices outside the DNC and RNC buildings. The updated indictment introduces charges of attempting to use weapons of mass destruction and carrying out an act of terrorism while armed. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/sz1mDPT

US edges closer to popular vote deciding winner of presidential elections

Virginia signs national popular vote bill into law, joining interstate compact with 17 other states and District of Columbia A national majority vote for president is one step closer to reality after the Virginia governor, Abigail Spanberger, signed the national popular vote bill into law, joining an interstate compact with 17 other states and the District of Columbia. Under the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, states would assign their presidential electors to the winner of the popular vote, regardless of the results within the state. The compact takes effect when states representing a majority of electoral votes – 270 of 538 – pass the legislation and thus would determine the winner of the presidential contest. With Virginia, the compact now has 222 electors. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/de9iZ4m

Brazil’s former spy chief who fled country arrested by ICE agents in US

Alexandre Ramagem fled country after he was sentenced to 16 years for his role in plotting military coup in Brazil When Brazil ’s former president Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced to nearly 30 years in prison for an attempted coup, six other members of his cabinet were also found guilty and all began serving their sentences – except for one. Days before the verdict, Alexandre Ramagem, Bolsonaro’s former spy chief, fled by car to Guyana and boarded a flight to the United States, where he has remained ever since. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/VqBJ4ze

Zero Stars review – Sara Pascoe and Roisin Conaty are brilliant in this travel show about awful tourist traps

The two comedians tour the world in search of overpriced attractions, dodgy food – and trips you really wouldn’t want to go on The last thing the world needs is another celebrity travelogue. You have to assume that the genre that gave us Coastal Railways with Julie Walters and Rob Brydon’s Honky Tonk Road Trip is commissioned by drawing names and places out of two tombola drums. The celebrity travelogue is smug. The celebrity travelogue is lazy. The celebrity travelogue insults our intelligence like little else. And so it is with a mixture of delight and horror that I announce that this one isn’t bad. Zero Stars is a rare exception to the form, mixing a novel premise with bearable hosts. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/yqAF1ki

Richard Tice’s firm alleged to have broken law by failing to pay tax

Report says company did not pay tens of thousands in tax on dividends given to Reform UK deputy leader and trust Richard Tice’s company has been accused of breaking the law by allegedly failing to pay tens of thousands of pounds in tax on dividends that were paid to him and his offshore trust. Reform UK’s multimillionaire deputy leader is alleged to have received at least £91,000 in excess payments as a result, the Sunday Times reported . Dan Neidle of Tax Policy Associates – whose analysis was cited by the newspaper – said that further analysis suggested that the total in tax that should have been paid by Tice’s company was about £120,000. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/QncDoza

European football: Bayern break Bundesliga goals record and close on title

Goretzka hits leaders’ 102nd goal in 5-0 win at St Pauli Ferran Torres double helps Barcelona beat Espanyol 4-1 Bayern Munich crushed hosts St. Pauli 5-0 in the Bundesliga to set an all-time season scoring record while also extending their lead at the top to 12 points with five games left to play. The Bavarian club, who host Real Madrid next week in their Champions League quarter-final second leg after their 2-1 win in Spain, are within touching distance of the league title on 76 points, with second-placed Borussia Dortmund stuck on 64 after their 1-0 home loss to Bayer Leverkusen . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/lRvXy1O

Tyson Fury v Arslanbek Makhmudov: heavyweight boxing – live

Conor Benn v Regis Prograis also at Tottenham Stadium Makhmudov on Russia’s grizzlies, God and Tyson Fury Send thoughts to Alex on email | Sign up for The Recap More elite-level pre-fight previewing: Donald McRae on the reasons behind Tyson Fury’s latest comeback. I encourage you to give it a read. For me, it’s everything,” Fury said of boxing. “It’s everything that I love to do and it’s something that I’ll continue to do.” He then added, with aching simplicity: “It’s been a while and I’ve missed it.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/CKFowWk

The week around the world in 20 pictures

Crisis in the Middle East, Russian shelling in Ukraine, Artemis’s lunar flyby and World Press Photo winners – the past seven days as captured by the world’s leading photojournalists Warning: this gallery contains images some readers may find distressing Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/p5U09S2

I've tested nearly every Sonos product – here's the good and bad about its portable speakers

They’re pricier than the competition, but have key features: the music doesn’t skitter when you step out of Bluetooth range and they can handle water and dust How do Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 compare against hearing aids? I put them to the test Sign up for the Filter US newsletter, your weekly guide to buying fewer, better things Over the past eight years, I’ve reviewed dozens of portable speakers from every top brand. And I can confidently say that Sonos makes three of the best portable speakers of them all. There’s Sonos Play, the brand’s newest portable and the Goldilocks of its lineup in size, sound and features. The Roam 2, a Toblerone-shaped speaker that’s small enough to go anywhere . And the Move 2, a powerhouse that doesn’t sacrifice bass performance. The little one: Sonos Roam 2 Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/COjIotH

‘I’m broken-hearted’: father pays tribute to student, 21, stabbed in Primrose Hill

Finbar Sullivan, who ‘loved movies and making films’, had gone to London park to use new camera, says father A film student who was stabbed to death in London’s Primrose Hill was a “beautiful, lovely, outgoing, loving” man, his father has said. Finbar Sullivan, 21, was stabbed in a fight in the north London park in the early evening on Tuesday and was pronounced dead at the scene. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/58chCdV

Teens accused of bombing attempt at Mamdani home openly discussed plans to kill

Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi were arrested 7 March with alleged homemade devices at Gracie Mansion in New York Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox Two teen alleged Islamic State supporters accused of trying to detonate explosive devices during a protest outside the home of New York City’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani , freely discussed how many people they might kill, with one remarking: “I want to start terror, bro,” according to an indictment unsealed on Tuesday. The teenagers, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi , were arrested on 7 March for allegedly igniting two improvised explosive devices during an anti-Islam protest outside Gracie Mansion. Authorities claim that Balat, 18, lit one device and threw it in the direction of the protesters. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/9wuyrt0

American journalist released a week after being kidnapped in Iraq

Freelancer Shelly Kittleson was reportedly held by Iran-backed militia which says she must now leave country The US journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was kidnapped from a Baghdad street corner last week, has been released, according to an Iraqi official with direct knowledge of the situation. Kittleson was freed in the afternoon, said the official, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly. He did not share her current whereabouts but said that before her release, she had been held in Baghdad. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/zCJZd8S

Cars make way for bikes as Sydney commuters saddle up to circumvent ‘crazy’ fuel costs

The shock of the oil crisis is playing out on Australian streets, where bike shop sales are up and cycle lanes are busier Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Before the 1970s global oil crisis, city planners in Copenhagen were considering removing bike lanes. Bicycles were considered outdated now car was king, and just 10% of locals were cycling regularly. But as economic shock waves reverberated around the world, Denmark, which almost entirely relied on imported oil, took a dramatic U-turn, with citizens staging mass protests in the middle of highways demanding better cycling infrastructure. Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/tvuKDFR

Leeds fans will take over London for FA Cup semi-final, Daniel Farke promises

Club in FA Cup last four after shootout win at West Ham ‘I feel humble. You can see how much it means to them’ Daniel Farke promised that Leeds fans will take over London after their side secured an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea thanks to a breathless win against West Ham on penalties . Leeds appeared to be cruising to an easy victory at the London ­Stadium, only for West Ham to force extra time by fighting back from 2-0 down with stoppage-time goals from Mateus Fernandes and Axel Disasi. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/pOPiw50

Brighton stun Arsenal in Women’s FA Cup shock; Liverpool also through to last four

Brighton two wins away from first major trophy Liverpool edge out Charlton in extra time Arsenal made a surprise exit at the quarter-final stage of the Women’s FA Cup for the second successive season as Brighton stunned the record 14-time cup winners at Borehamwood. Liverpool managed to avoid it becoming a day of shocks as they struck late in extra time to eventually find a way past a stubborn Charlton Athletic side, but they was no such joy for Arsenal, who paid the price for a performance that was well below their best. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/D7O5swV

Leeds hold nerve to win shootout after West Ham’s dramatic fightback

The familiar London Stadium rush for the exit has never been so misjudged. A lot of West Ham fans decided they had seen enough when Dominic Calvert-Lewin put Leeds within touching distance of a first FA Cup semi-final since 1987, but how wrong they were. The non-believers reckoned without their side forcing extra time with a wild fightback from 2-0 down and were not allowed back in to see a ridiculously game go the distance. It ended with Finlay Herrick, a 20-year-old goalkeeper whose experience of senior football extended no further than 10 games during a loan spell with National League side Boreham Wood earlier this season, coming on for his West Ham debut after Alphonse Areola went down injured. Talk about a baptism of fire. Soon West Ham’s No 4 goalkeeper was in a penalty shootout. To add to the mix, it took place at the West Ham end amid unconfirmed suggestions that those in charge of stadium security did not want the kicks taken in front of the 9,000 travelling Leeds. Continue ...

I accidentally emailed a stranger 10 years ago. He has been invited to family celebrations ever since | Emma Wilkins

The delight of ‘meeting’ a person from a different country and time zone is one of the wonders of the internet. Perhaps one day we will host a party in his honour One of the many people my husband’s clan and I invite to family celebrations isn’t related to us by blood or marriage. He isn’t dating one of us, he hasn’t met any of us, and none of us – were he to attend – would know his face. But from time to time he gets an invite to a birthday of someone he has never met and is asked to bring a plate. He has never come, but he always responds with excitement and warmth. He’s not technically “one of us”, but he shares a surname with some of us and over years earned himself the ultimate sign of group acceptance: a nickname. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Sm3xKri

Halting $400m White House ballroom project is national security risk, Trump officials say

US National Park Service lawyers cite materials that will be installed to make ‘heavily fortified’ facility Donald Trump’s administration is arguing that a judge’s order to halt construction of a $400m White House ballroom creates a security risk for the US president as his team asks a federal appeals court to pause the ruling. In a motion filed on Friday, US National Park Service (NPS) lawyers say that the federal judge’s order to suspend construction of the new facility is “threatening grave national-security harms to the White House, the president and his family, and the president’s staff”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/LYlUrdQ

Children as young as 12 buying and selling knives and weapons via the internet

Government must ‘come down very hard’ on online trade in knives and weapons, says policing and crime minister Sarah Jones Children are setting up online businesses selling knives in the same way they trade clothes, the policing and crime minister Sarah Jones has said. Jones heard how children as young as 12 were buying and selling the weapons on the internet and social media at the opening of the new National Knife Crime Centre in Bloomsbury, central London, on Thursday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/WHQ2g0Z

Swedish PM offers deal that could see far-right allowed into government

Party, which has neo-Nazi roots, will hold ‘important ministerial posts within immigration’ if four-party coalition wins in September The Swedish prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, has said that he will allow the far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) into government for the first time – and give its members key ministerial posts – if his coalition wins the next general election. Despite becoming Sweden’s second biggest political party after the Social Democrats in the last election, SD currently plays only a supporting role in the minority-run coalition. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/FQj4lPp

Tottenham Supporters’ Trust expresses ‘serious concerns’ over De Zerbi’s support for Greenwood

New Spurs head coach supported Greenwood at Marseille Greenwood had charges including attempted rape dropped in 2023 The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust has strongly criticised the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as the club’s head coach, expressing “serious and far-reaching concerns” over his past support for Mason Greenwood. In a statement released soon after De Zerbi signed a five-year contract on Tuesday, the Trust said his arrival placed a “heavy strain” on unity at a time when Spurs are battling against relegation from the Premier League. It also called on Spurs and the Italian to publicly reassert their “commitment to the values that fans hold dear – chief among them equality, respect, and integrity”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/IgRQJ2n

Chip Taylor obituary

Songwriter and musician best known for the enduring hit Wild Thing, made famous by the Troggs and Jimi Hendrix In a career spanning seven decades, Chip Taylor, who has died aged 86 of cancer, wrote songs recorded by a huge array of artists from Willie Nelson, Linda Ronstadt and the Hollies to Janis Joplin, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Emmylou Harris. Yet it was the primitive but irresistible Wild Thing , composed in a matter of minutes, that became his best-known calling card. He wrote it in 1965 when commissioned to write a song for Jordan Christopher and the Wild Ones, but their version was not a hit. However, when the Troggs recorded it the following year it topped the US chart and became a smash around the world. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/VeEMCRi

Rachel Reeves to tell G7 accelerating shift to clean energy is best defence against energy price shocks

Starmer to convene major energy industry and insurance figures to draw up emergency plans amid continued blockade of strait of Hormuz Rachel Reeves will warn G7 nations they must move faster on clean energy to insulate economies against global price shocks from oil and gas as she and the energy secretary Ed Miliband meet G7 finance and energy ministers on Monday. Keir Starmer will also gather major energy industry and insurance figures to thrash out what emergency measures might be needed to contain the continuing crisis from the blockade of the strait of Hormuz. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Z3GjwFc

Chesney the kangaroo found after hopping away from farm for three days

Marsupial escaped from enclosure at Wisconsin’s Sunshine Farm on Wednesday after he was spooked by stray dogs How does a kangaroo escape a petting zoo? It’s not the opening line to a dad joke. If you’re Chesney the kangaroo, you scale an 8ft (2.5-meter) fence and go on the lam for three days, giving your keeper sleepless nights and sending residents of a small Wisconsin town on a search that would end happily on Saturday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/wVlGt27

Goal-shy Leicester rooted to bottom of WSL but manager and fans not giving up

Relegation playoff against a WSL2 side beckons if Rick Passmoor’s team cannot end seven-game losing run The sight of two unwaveringly optimistic young girls waving their “Foxes never quit” flags proudly in the air – despite the swirling rain at the King Power Stadium – summed up the never-say-die attitude required for a relegation battle that Leicester are going to need now more than ever, after their chances of staying up decreased significantly with this defeat on Sunday. Even before losing against Brighton, Leicester’s hopes had sustained a big blow with the sight of Oona Siren hitting a superb, looping volley into the net to secure for 11th‑placed West Ham a valuable point in a lunchtime kick-off. The 1-1 draw at home against London City Lionesses edged West Ham further away from the bottom side Leicester, who went on to be deservedly beaten 1-0 by Brighton and find themselves four points adrift with four games remaining. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/sh...

Hundreds of organised protests show resilience of Iranian regime, experts say

More than 850 public demonstrations of support held since start of war and at least 1,400 arrests, research reveals Parents of Iran school bombing victims describe their worst day Iran’s regime has organised more than 850 public demonstrations of support of the government since the beginning of the war and launched a continuing crackdown on unrest that has led to at least 1,400 detentions, research reveals. The high number of pro-regime gatherings and the increasing number of detentions underlines the resilience of the Islamic Republic despite a month-long campaign of intensive airstrikes by the US and Israel, experts said. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/4QqVcIB

New York City hospitals drop Palantir as controversial AI firm expands in UK

The decision follows activist pressure as Palantir faces growing scrutiny over NHS and UK government deals Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox New York City ’s public hospital system announced that it would not be renewing its contract with Palantir as controversy mounts in the UK over the data analytics and AI firm’s government contract. The president of the US’ largest municipal public health care system, Dr Mitchell Katz, testified last week before the New York City Council that the agreement with Palantir would expire in October. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/YmxCat9

Pretty Lethal review – Amazon’s ballerina action thriller puts on a decent enough show

A group of American dancers face off against Hungarian gangsters, and a hammy Uma Thurman, in a cheap and cheerful Friday night adventure Last year’s Ballerina, or as Lionsgate’s marketing team would prefer us to say From the World of John Wick : Ballerina, failed as both proof that the Keanu Reeves -led franchise could support expansion and that “ballet action thriller” could be a worthy new genre. The title, in whichever format audiences came across it, was both confusing and misleading, the film ultimately featuring very little in the way of actual dance moves. For those who left the cinema enraged at Ana de Armas’s lack of arabesque kills, they can get their fill at home this week with Amazon’s fresh-from-SXSW actioner Pretty Lethal, a film all about ballet dancers actually using their skills to slaughter a string of eastern European bad guys. It’s a neat idea, positioning women who might be untrained fighters but who have grit and stamina learned from a gruelling form of dance ...

‘There’s something sassy about this’: the reinvention of the sari – in pictures

The sari has gone through many changes over its 5,000-year history. The Offbeat Sari , a new exhibition running at Bunjil Place gallery in Melbourne until 30 August, celebrates the garment in its contemporary form. Featuring more than 50 ensembles, it showcases contemporary sari design’s materials, silhouettes and styling Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/p6UvV7w

Valerie Perrine, Superman and Lenny actor, dies aged 82

Perrine gained notoriety for a naked TV role and was acclaimed for her roles opposite Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman and Jeff Bridges Valerie Perrine, who was Oscar nominated for her performance in Bob Fosse’s 1974 Lenny Bruce biopic and played Lex Luthor’s girlfriend in the Richard Donner Superman films, has died aged 82. Writing on Facebook , the film-maker Stacey Souther announced her death, saying: “It is with deep sadness that I share the heartbreaking news that Valerie has passed away.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Ll40UhN

Moma brand recalls porridge products over possible mice contamination

Customers told not to eat affected pot and sachet products and to return them to place of purchase for refund Several porridge products in the UK have been recalled over a possible mice contamination at their manufacturing site. The British porridge and oat drink brand Moma issued a warning for seven versions of its pots and two of its sachets. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/inTGIe0

Newcastle promise action after alleged racist abuse stops derby with Sunderland

Sunderland’s Lutsharel Geertruida allegedly abused Referee stops game per anti-discrimination protocol Sunderland’s Tyne-Wear derby victory at Newcastle was overshadowed by reports that Lutsharel Geertruida had been the subject of racist abuse from home fans. The Premier League will now investigate after the referee, Anthony Taylor, stopped the match in line with the league’s on-field anti-discrimination protocol early in the second half. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/QdwjvLa

Chessum makes Tigers purr on return from England duty as Bristol fall short

Leicester 33-19 Bristol Victory lifts Leicester into third place in Prem table Swapping the bright Saturday night lights of the Stade de France for the rusty old Crumbie Stand can be a real mental challenge. There is certainly less demand for foie gras in Aylestone but for certain people nothing beats a constant diet of rugby. England’s Ollie Chessum did occasionally look a tad weary during another selfless 80-minute shift but a vital 33-19 Leicester win made all those hard yards worthwhile. The result not only hoists the Tigers into third place in the Prem table but Gabriel Hamer-Webb’s spectacular last-gasp try earned what could prove a vital extra point when the playoff maths are totted up. Bristol, who had been pressing for a couple of bonus points of their own, were ultimately left empty-handed and down in fifth place after a game that was never less than intense and absorbing. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/EXbf7C5

Josh Kerr surges to 3,000m gold for Britain at world indoor championships

Kerr wins final in a time of 7min 35.56sec Scot holds off Hocker and Schrub to regain title After the injuries and the trash talk, Britain’s Josh Kerr delivered where it mattered most on Saturday night by winning a thrilling 3,000m world indoor title with a last-lap surge. It had been billed as the race of the championships, with all three 1500m medallists from the Paris 2024 Olympics going mano a mano once more. On that occasion Kerr had been pipped to the line by the American Cole Hocker, who took a shock gold medal , with Yared Nuguse taking bronze. This time, though, Kerr was not to be denied. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3Q1RwI9

Arizona desert town breaks record for hottest March temperature in US history

Martinez Lake, about 145 miles west of Phoenix, reached 110F (43.3C) on Thursday amid scorching south-west heat Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox A small community in the Arizona desert has broken a record for the highest March temperature ever recorded in the US, as the south-west bakes in a blistering late-winter heatwave. The astonishing temperature was recorded just outside Martinez Lake, Arizona, which reached 110F (43.3C) on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/psjRiFw

Meg Jones to captain England at Women’s Six Nations with Zoe Stratford pregnant

Jones was vice-captain in Red Roses’ World Cup triumph Centre to lead team in Six Nations opener against Ireland Meg Jones has been chosen to lead England’s world champions in 2026 after the regular Red Roses captain, Zoe Stratford, announced her pregnancy on Wednesday. Jones, who was vice-captain when England beat Canada to lift the World Cup last September, will take over from Stratford for the upcoming Women’s Six Nations. England kick off their campaign against Ireland on 11 April at Twickenham when a tournament-record crowd of more than 60,000 will be in the stands. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/5ixDYIT

What is the £1.3bn MFS mortgage scandal and what is private credit?

A worldwide freezing order has been imposed on Paresh Raja, the owner of a UK mortgage provider A £1.3bn worldwide asset freezing order has been granted against the tycoon accused of fraud after his UK mortgage lending business collapsed. Paresh Raja, the founder and chief executive of Market Financial Solutions (MFS), is now barred from dissipating assets worth up to the suspected value of funds allegedly missing from his mortgage and buy-to-let lending company, after orders from courts in London and Dubai. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/aEiTQOu

Colombian president accuses Ecuador after ‘27 charred bodies’ found near border

Relations deteriorate as Gustavo Petro claims government of Trump ally Daniel Noboa bombing targets in Colombia President Gustavo Petro has accused Ecuador of bombing targets inside Colombian territory, saying later that the burned remains of nearly 30 people had been found near the border, in a sharp deterioration in relations between the two neighbouring countries. The Colombian leader said on Tuesday that an attack which had left “27 charred bodies” did not appear to have been carried out by Colombia’s own forces or any illegal armed groups which he said do not have armed planes. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/PKafd31

Bank of America settles Epstein survivors’ lawsuit

Lawyer for women who accused bank of facilitating their sexual abuse calls settlement ‘one more step’ to justice Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox Bank of America has settled a civil lawsuit brought by women who accused the bank of facilitating their sexual abuse by Jeffrey Epstein , court records showed on Monday. Lawyers for the bank and the women told Manhattan-based US district judge Jed Rakoff in a 12 March telephone call that they had reached a “settlement in principle”, a court filing said. The terms of the settlement were not immediately clear. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Zgj1t6X

Paris paradox: did Borthwick liberate England or was it down to player power? | Gerard Meagher

Despite a huge upswing in performance against France, the head coach still has a case to answer for what went wrong in the Six Nations Did England play like that because of Steve Borthwick or in spite of him? For all that the Rugby Football Union will deep dive, look under the bonnet, get into the weeds – pick your own favourite bit of corporate speak – it is the fundamental question that Bill Sweeney and his review panel must ask in the coming weeks. Did Borthwick liberate his players against France , or did they take matters into their own hands? As usual, the panel will include input from Sweeney and Conor O’Shea as well as those from outside the building who insist on anonymity. It is said that despite the huge upswing in performance in defeat against France, the RFU is still determined to establish what went wrong during this Six Nations. That is a positive sign because when the dust settles, this still goes down as their worst-ever championship. The noises coming from the RFU s...

Quick on the draw: the worldwide appeal of sketching 100 people in a week

Liz Steel and Marc Taro Holmes live on opposite sides of the globe, but connected through a sketching challenge. Now it’s a phenomenon If you’re lucky, you may spot Liz Steel tucked into the corner of a sun-dappled Sydney cafe, water-soluble pencils and markers in hand. Half a world away, Marc Taro Holmes is led by his sketchbook on to the thawing streets of Montreal, “like a bear coming out of hibernation”. The duo are co-founders of #OneWeek100People challenge, an informal global initiative that asks artists to sketch 100 people in seven days. The challenge, now in its 10th year, took place this week, but Steel and Holmes stress it is entirely for enjoyment and anyone can take it up and post with the hashtag at any time. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/zZj8Lpi

KPop Demon Hunters sequel confirmed at Netflix: ‘This is only the beginning’

The streamer’s biggest film of all time, also nominated for two Oscars, is getting a followup A sequel to record-breaking hit KPop Demon Hunters has been officially confirmed at Netflix . The film will again be a collaboration between the streamer and Sony with Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, the writer-directors, returning. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/KxB2ry8

Billionaire Zara founder Amancio Ortega to receive €3.23bn dividend

Payment for Inditex founder, the world’s 15 richest person, tops last year’s dividend of €3.1bn The billionaire founder of Zara is to receive a company record €3.23bn (£2.8bn) dividend this year from the world’s biggest fashion retailer. Amancio Ortega, who still controls 59% of Spain’s Inditex and whose daughter Marta Ortega PĂ©rez is now chair, will receive half his dividend in May and half in November – as will other shareholders. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/UMS2g1d

White House says increase in gas prices is ‘temporary’ and claims there will be rapid drop – US politics live

Karoline Leavitt tries to assuage anxiety over rising gas prices and says they could drop ‘lower than they were prior’ to start of US military action in Iran Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox Hegseth says the aftermath of the conflict is “going to be in America’s interests” and says it “will not live under a nuclear blackmail” from Iran . It comes shortly after the defence secretary reiterated president Donald Trump’s threat that if Iran does anything to prevent the flow of oil in the strait of Hormuz , it will be hit “twenty times harder”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/on963Tq

X suspends 800m accounts in one year amid ‘massive’ scale of manipulation attempts

Social media company tells MPs of continual fight against state-backed efforts, with Russia being most prolific Elon Musk’s X said it had suspended 800m accounts over a 12-month period as it fights the “massive” scale of attempts to manipulate the platform. The social media company told MPs it was continually fighting state-backed attempts to hijack the agenda on its network, with Russia the most prolific state actor, followed by Iran and China. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Nsvq1ZK

Revealed: the Ukrainian facility where UK engineers help fix vital weapons

Exclusive: MoD-contracted workers assisting Ukrainians in a way ‘no other nation has been willing to do’, says minister In an unmarked and undisclosed location in western Ukraine, British and Ukrainian engineers work side by side to fix damaged military hardware, crawling under the chassis of artillery systems and pulling apart the insides of British-donated howitzers. Until now, the existence of this facility, along with three other similar sites inside Ukraine, has been kept quiet, buried in neutral language to avoid drawing too much attention to the sites, given the sensitivities of all military-linked work inside Ukraine. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/n2v4OsL

David Harding obituary

Sculptor and educator who embedded art within the new town of Glenrothes and encouraged students at the Glasgow School of Art to move beyond the studio The sculptor and educator David Harding, who has died aged 88, insisted that art should stand in the same weather as everyone else. As town artist for Glenrothes, Fife, in the late 1960s and 70s, he embedded sculpture in underpasses, bus stops, and housing schemes, working with planners rather than against them and using the same concrete and brick as the surrounding streets. The result was not ornament but argument: that public space could carry memory, poetry and dissent. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/x9c7jo2

Newcastle United v Manchester United: Premier League – live

⚽ Premier League updates from the 8.15pm GMT kick-off ⚽ Live scores | Table | Follow us on Bluesky | And mail Scott ⚽ Brighton v Arsenal, Man City v Nottingham Forest – live Newcastle make two changes to their starting XI following their 3-2 home defeat to Everton. Nick Pope, an error or two in him of late, loses his place in goal to Aaron Ramsdale, while Harvey Barnes comes in for the ill Nick Woltemade. Manchester United make just one change to their first XI after their 2-1 win over Crystal Palace. Noussair Mazraoui replaces Diogo Dalot, who drops to the bench. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/kVLxmJP

Post your questions for Martin Clunes

His credits range from Men Behaving Badly to Wuthering Heights, and now he’s playing Huw Edwards. What would you dearly love to know about the actor and documentary presenter? It’s delightful that Martin Clunes has won so many plaudits for his performance in this year’s Wuthering Heights, alongside Margot Robbie’s Cathy and Jacob Elordi’s Heathcliff. He plays Cathy’s drunk but generous, cruel yet humorous father in a part that could easily have drifted into the background. But he makes such an impression that the Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw reckons he “ pretty much pinches the whole film ”. It’s not as if Clunes hasn’t brushed shoulders with the Hollywood A-list before. You might remember him as Richard Burbage, opposite Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes and Judi Dench, in 1998’s Shakespeare in Love – a role with added resonance given that his father, Alec Clunes, who died when Clunes was eight, was a distinguished Shakespearean actor. Other roles include 1992’s Carry On Columbus (the la...

Lord Allen to become latest casualty of horse racing’s intractable politics

It was possible to spin his 2025 arrival as a clean slate but the former businessman soon lost the confidence of key players The wait continues for confirmation that Charles Allen’s brief, troubled – and ultimately ineffectual – tenure as chair of the British Horseracing Authority is over. In racing terms, however, he is nine-tenths out of the saddle, his backside inching towards the turf and gravity is about to take over. Even in the thankless and intractable world of racing politics, few stars have waned as rapidly as that of Lord Allen of Kensington, a former businessman and senior broadcasting executive who arrived in September at the BHA promising to restructure the sport’s governance and, in the words of his day-one mission statement, “develop British racing into a modern commercial and cultural powerhouse”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/WOa9F4z

The Guardian view on an explosion of solo exhibitions by women: move over old masters | Editorial

From a landmark Tracey Emin show at Tate Modern to the first female painter in the Royal Academy’s main space, the art world is finally catching up “Do women have to be naked to get into the Met Museum?” the feminist art collective Guerrilla Girls asked in their famous 1989 poster . It pointed out that fewer than 5% of the artists in the modern art sections were women, but 85% of the nudes were female. They could have asked the same question of any major art gallery in the world. Four decades later, this year’s biggest UK exhibitions finally show a different picture. Dame Tracey Emin might be naked in many of her self-portraits, but that isn’t what got her into Tate Modern for a landmark retrospective . Rose Wylie , 91, is the first female painter to have a solo exhibition at the Royal Academy . The Colombian artist Beatriz GonzĂ¡lez (who died, aged 93, in January) is at the Barbican . And that is just this week’s openings. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/vXyV...

Son of rapper Lil Jon drowned after ingesting hallucinogenic mushrooms

Body of Nathan Smith, known professionally as DJ Young Slade, was found in pond north of Atlanta in February The son of the rapper Lil Jon drowned after ingesting hallucinogenic mushrooms, officials in the US state of Georgia said. The body of Nathan Smith, known professionally as DJ Young Slade, was found in a pond north of Atlanta in early February. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/FMYgOHt

At least 80 children dead as missile reportedly hits school in southern Iran

The building appears to be among many devastated in Trump’s ‘major combat operations’ as long expected attacks arrive US-Israeli attack on Iran – live updates US and Israel strikes on Iran: what we know so far Iran’s parents had just dropped their children off for class on Saturday morning when they found themselves racing back to school gates, as bombs began to fall across the country in a joint US-Israel attack. At one elementary school, according to Iran’s state-controlled media, they arrived to find devastation. At least 80 children had been killed in the strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ school in Minab, southern Iran, the IRNA news agency reported, with dozens more unaccounted for. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/EN3j7Mm

UK social media ban for under-16s edges closer with Starmer expected to back it

Liz Kendall to launch consultation next week that will also explore alternatives such as curbs on infinite scrolling Ministers will take another step towards banning social media for under-16s next week as they launch a consultation on the policy, with government insiders increasingly certain Keir Starmer will back the idea. Liz Kendall, the technology secretary, will publish the terms of reference for the consultation, which is expected to explore options including an age limit and less hardline action such as curbs on infinite scrolling. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/bT5jVUZ

Doom Bar maker Sharp’s Brewery in Cornwall to be closed by US owner

Molson Coors says site, as well as national call centre in Wales, ‘no longer financially sustainable’ The Cornish brewery that makes Doom Bar ale is to be closed by its US owner, throwing the popular beer brand’s future into doubt and putting about 200 jobs at risk. The drinks company Molson Coors said it plans to shut Sharp’s Brewery in Rock, Wadebridge, along with its national call centre in Wales, saying it was “no longer financially sustainable”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/bcdiBDg

Louvre president resigns as jewellery heist inquiry reveals ‘systemic failures’

Laurence des Cars steps down days after parliamentary inquiry called Paris museum a ‘state within a state’ The president of the Louvre in Paris has resigned, four months after a gang of thieves broke into the museum’s Apollo gallery and made off with €88m (£76m) of Napoleonic jewellery in France’s most dramatic heist in decades . Laurence des Cars, who had offered to step down in the immediate aftermath of the burglary, tendered her resignation to Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday in what the French president called “an act of responsibility”, the ElysĂ©e Palace said. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/9tacFsq

Ex-Mail on Sunday editor denies misleading inquiry over private investigator

Peter Wright confronted in high court over evidence on newspaper’s relationship with convicted investigator The former editor of the Mail on Sunday has denied claims he misled the Leveson inquiry into press standards over the newspaper’s involvement with corrupt private investigators. Appearing at the high court, Peter Wright, who edited the Sunday newspaper from 1998 to 2012, said some of the allegations aimed at the title – which include landline tapping and bugging – were “just incredible”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/USwViKW

England to conduct ‘uncomfortable’ review of Six Nations defeat by Ireland

George Ford: ‘We want to get to root of the problems’ Second straight loss destroyed championship hopes George Ford has vowed that England will conduct a “properly honest” and “uncomfortable” review of their Six Nations humiliation against Ireland on Saturday. The hosts collapsed spectacularly in the face of an Irish onslaught at Twickenham, falling 22-0 behind after half an hour, with Ford’s surprising inaccuracy at fly-half exemplifying an error-strewn team display. The Sale No 10 missed two kicks for touch which proved terminal to England’s hopes of applying pressure in the decisive early stages. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/I9Fmu3j

European football: Barça retake top spot, Atalanta fight back to beat Napoli

FermĂ­n LĂ³pez caps 3-0 win over Levante Atalanta strike late to beat Napoli 2-1 Barcelona returned to the top of La Liga with a 3-0 victory over relegation-threatened Levante as Marc Bernal, Frenkie de Jong and substitute FermĂ­n LĂ³pez struck at Camp Nou. Last season’s champions moved to 61 points from 25 games, one ahead of Real Madrid after their rivals’ defeat by Osasuna on Saturday. Barça had slipped to second following last week’s 2-1 loss to Girona but rarely looked troubled by a Levante side second from bottom on 18 points. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/P15IBU3

Prominent Brits are facing a reckoning over Epstein. In the US, not so much | Arwa Mahdawi

After Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, officials said ‘nobody is above the law’. Sadly that doesn’t seem true Schadenfreude isn’t a particularly noble sentiment. But who cares, eh? These days bad things never seem to happen to bad people; accountability is fleetingly rare. So I think we should all take a moment to really appreciate how glorious the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public office on Thursday was. Not only was the disgraced royal dragged in for questioning like a mere commoner; the arrest happened on his 66th birthday. Instead of birthday cake, he got his just deserts. And, to top things off, the occasion was immortalized with a photo – an instant classic – of Andrew leaving the police station looking shell shocked and decrepit. Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/CE3ImX1

Mexican security forces reportedly kill drug cartel boss ‘El Mencho’

Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, leader of Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was one of world’s most wanted drug traffickers One of the world’s most wanted drug traffickers – the Mexican cartel boss known as “El Mencho” – has reportedly been killed by his country’s security forces. The drug lord, whose real name is Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes , was killed on Sunday in the western state of Jalisco, Mexican newspapers reported, citing government sources. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/wmjc3Mq

Russell inspires Scotland to thrilling Six Nations comeback win against Wales

Wales 23-26 Scotland Finn Russell scores 11 points in second-half turnaround Scotland pulled off a dramatic comeback win against Wales to back up their impressive Calcutta Cup success the previous week. Hosts Wales had the lead at half-time thanks to a spark lit by the wing Josh Adams but the visitors managed to fight their way to victory with a feeling they were lucky to come away with five points. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/dqDK9fC

Scottish Premiership: Islam Chesnokov gets Hearts’ title push back on track

New signing makes mark as leaders see off Falkirk Dundee win at Aberdeen; Kilmarnock snatch draw Hearts got their Premiership title push back on track with a 1-0 win over Falkirk at Tynecastle. The Jambos, beaten 4-2 at rivals Rangers last weekend, broke the deadlock just before half-time when the January signing Islam Chesnokov lashed home his first goal for the club. Hearts held out to move five points clear of Rangers, who travel to bottom side Livingston on Sunday. Ethan Hamilton’s late goal gave Dundee a 3-2 win at 10-man Aberdeen , who had Liam Morrison sent off just before half-time. The Dons had gone in front after 13 minutes when Kevin Nisbet’s shot was fumbled by the Dundee keeper, Jon McCracken, and looked to have gone over the line before Toyosi Olusanya knocked in the rebound. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/FszO5CX

At least five people killed in string of avalanches in Austria

Fatalities and injuries reported in avalanches across Tirol after prolonged snowfall and windy conditions At least five people have been killed in a string of avalanches in Austria, authorities said on Saturday. The government office of the Tirol region said intense snowfall over the last week had led to accumulations of up to 1.5 metres (5ft). Combined with strong winds and weak snowpack below, the conditions were especially susceptible to avalanches, it said. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/1xoO7re

Let a thousand stinky blossoms bloom: how Australia became the world’s corpse flower destination

Australian collections of the endangered and notoriously unpredictable flowers have popped off in recent years, as ‘personas’ like Putricia, Stinkerella and Smellanie prove a hit with nosy spectators Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here From little things glorious fetid things grow. Corpse flower blooms, once vanishingly rare, are becoming more commonplace in Australia. More than a dozen bloomed across the country in 2025, including the infamous Putricia in Sydney , Morpheus in Canberra, Big Betty in Cooktown, and Spud and co in Cairns. But with plants kept in gardens across the country, and blooming more frequently after their first flower, you could catch a whiff of one soon. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/VaQ4Ume

French prosecutor seeks murder charges over killing of far-right activist

Political tensions rise after fatal attack at protest in Lyon as Emmanuel Macron hits out over remarks by Italian PM A French prosecutor is seeking murder charges against seven suspects in the fatal beating of a far-right activist that has fuelled political anger beyond France’s borders, prompting Emmanuel Macron to tell Italy’s Giorgia Meloni to keep out of French affairs. Quentin Deranque, 23, died from head injuries after being attacked by at least six people on the sidelines of a far-right protest in Lyon on 12 February. Most of the 11 suspects who have been detained are from far-left movements. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/EnXTOSb

Bad Bunny set for first lead acting role in historical drama Porto Rico

The Grammy winner will star alongside Edward Norton and Javier Bardem in a film inspired by an early 20th century revolutionary, directed by rapper Residente Fresh off his victorious Super Bowl half-time show, Bad Bunny will take on his first lead acting role. The rapper and sometime actor will star in Porto Rico, a love letter to his home of Puerto Rico directed by the veteran rapper RenĂ© “Residente” PĂ©rez Joglar. As announced by Deadline , the film boasts a starry cast including Viggo Mortensen, Javier Bardem and Edward Norton, as well as executive producer Alejandro G IĂ±Ă¡rritu, director of Birdman and The Revenant. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Z6T3eC1

The Guardian view on local government elections: fix the system, not the timetable | Editorial

Labour can justify local government reform. It cannot justify delaying elections. Tweaking maps won’t enrage voters; stagnant pay and broken services will Being forced to abandon plans to delay local elections in England with fewer than three months’ notice is not just another policy U-turn by the government. It brings to a head issues of aptitude and judgment. The rationale seemed sound: avoid electing councillors to bodies that would be abolished under Labour’s reorganisation of local government. The political problem was that 21 of the 30 councils were Labour-led. That created a perception – fair or not – of democratic manipulation. The elections should have gone ahead. The Electoral Commission last December warned of “unprecedented” uncertainty around them. The commission was clear: “Scheduled elections should as a rule go ahead as planned, and only be postponed in exceptional circumstances.” Changing course late in the day puts their smooth running at risk and piles pressure ...

Benfica v Real Madrid, Monaco v PSG, and more: Champions League – live

⚽ Champions League updates from the first-leg matches ⚽ Live scores | Follow us over on Bluesky | And email Scott The free kick is just to the right of the Juve box. Gabriel Sara whips it in viciously. All Davinson SĂ¡nchez has to do is tickle the ball with his eyebrow to send it across Michele Di Gregorio and into the top left. He couldn’t miss! Sara put that on a plate, a world-class delivery. And the hosts respond to Juve’s turnaround with one of their own. What a match this is! Galatasaray 2-2 Juventus. Juan Cabal brings down Barış Alper Yılmaz, flying down the right, just to the side of the box. Cabal goes into the book, and nearly earns a second booking by pawing at the referee’s arm, Danny Makkelie telling him to get his hands off in angry fashion. And from the resulting free kick … Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/oX07tpO