The Guardian

Lithuanian Aurimas Mockus activated emergency beacon late on Friday. Follow today’s latest updates liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLambie lashes Trump as ‘unstable’ and ‘not good for world order’Senator Jacqui Lambie has also weighed in on the explosive clash between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and said the Ukrainian president “has the backing of the Western world.”There’s no doubt about that. If Trump wants to continue with his tantrums and change his mind every hour, then you have to leave him out of the equation because he’s extremely unstable and that is not good for

PM takes centre stage amid calls for new era of diplomacy but declines to point finger at chaos in the White HouseRussia-Ukraine war – latest news updatesAfter Friday’s calamitous scenes in the Oval Office there were immediate calls for quick answers, new eras and pages of history being turned. Keir Starmer, it seems, is the person now forced to say: hang on, it is a bit more complicated than that.The hastily arranged gathering of leaders at London’s Lancaster House on Sunday was undeniably dramatic, with the UK prime minister at its centre – including in the group photo, where he

Prime minister confirms UK and France will lead a ‘coalition of the willing’ to help end the war with RussiaRussia-Ukraine war – latest news updatesKeir Starmer has said Europe is “at a crossroads in history” and must act to support Ukraine to secure a lasting peace, as he confirmed the UK and France would lead a “coalition of the willing” to help stop the fighting.After a crucial defence summit in London, the prime minister said Britain was willing, with other European nations, to put “boots on the ground and planes in the air” to help provide an effective deterrent to

Charity calls for help to be speeded up as research shows families incur on average £700 a month in extra expensesYoung people with cancer in England are waiting an average of seven months before receiving disability benefits to support their treatment, research shows, prompting calls for people with a diagnosis to qualify for help immediately.Research by the charity Young Lives shows the families of children with cancer on average face almost £700 each month in additional expenses during their treatment. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/02/young-people-cancer-england-face-seven-month-wait-disability-benefits Author : Aletha Adu Political correspondent Publish date : 2025-03-02 16:34:00 Copyright for syndicated

Government must scrap English baccalaureate to make arts more accessible to working-class children, critics sayLeading cultural figures have expressed doubts about the government’s commitment to restoring the creative arts in English schools, with one warning that Labour has “lost the plot” and “the current signs are they are worse than the Tories”.When Labour won the election, it promised to expand opportunities for working-class children by broadening the school curriculum to include more drama, art, music and sport alongside the core academic subjects. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/mar/02/cultural-figures-question-labour-plans-for-arts-in-schools Author : Sally Weale Education correspondent Publish date : 2025-03-02 15:00:00 Copyright

Exclusive: Government document confirms electricity from large-scale renewables has flatlined, with one campaigner saying pipeline has ‘little sign of life’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOfficials have warned the Western Australian Labor government that work to build wind and solar farms for the state’s main electricity grid has stalled under its leadership, a leaked document shows.A confidential state government document reveals state bureaucrats advised the government that the “decarbonisation work program” in Perth’s electricity grid had “stalled to date”. It said there were “few new wind developments” advanced enough to be added to the grid before

Tommy Cash says he did not expect Espresso Macchiato, with references to mafia and pasta, to cause such offenceEstonia’s entry for this year’s Eurovision song contest has said he never intended to offend Italy with his song that pokes fun at Italian stereotypes of coffee-drinking, spaghetti-eating mafiosi – and said he submitted the song after his grandmother cried over it.There have been calls in Italy for Tommy Cash’s catchy song, Espresso Macchiato, to be banned from the competition, which takes place in Basel, Switzerland, in May. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/mar/02/i-love-italy-says-estonian-eurovision-entry-tommy-cash Author : Angela Giuffrida in Rome Publish date

Experts say young men and boys ‘with strong sense of grievance’ are ‘idolising’ shooters involved in US massacres. They are also falling through the gaps of UK terrorism lawsOn the morning of 13 September, 18-year-old Nicholas Prosper was arrested while walking on a residential road in Luton. Minutes before, he had murdered his mother, younger brother and sister, shooting them dead in their family home.Neighbours called police after hearing gunfire coming from the flat in Leabank tower, on Luton’s Marsh Farm estate, and officers found Prosper shortly afterwards on Bramingham Road. Later that day, searches of the area uncovered a

Widespread shooting and looting preceded arrival of M23 rebels, overwhelming city’s poorly resourced facilitiesPatients at hospitals in the second-largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo have described how they sustained serious injuries during the chaotic withdrawal of the Congolese army and its allies in the days before Rwanda-backed M23 rebels marched in.Widespread shooting and looting preceded the arrival of the rebels in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, on 14 February, overwhelming the city’s poorly resourced hospitals. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/02/bukavu-hospital-patients-tell-of-being-shot-congolese-withdrawal Author : Prosper Heri Ngorora in Bukavu and Carlos Mureithi in Nairobi Publish date

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to join leaders and meet King Charles as UK and EU ­support Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative party, has written in The Telegraph to call for an increase to defence spending among Nato countries. She welcomed Keir Starmer’s plans to increase domestic defence spending to 2.5% of national income by 2027 but said “that step cannot be the final one”. Starmer said the rise from the current 2.3% means £13.4bn more will be spent annually on defence after 2027. It will be paid for by cuts to to foreign aid.In making his surprise announcement

Victims commissioner tells chancellor cutbacks and national insurance hike creating ‘existential crisis’ for rape and domestic abuse charities The government has cut millions of pounds in funding for victims’ services, prompting warnings that “criminals will go unpunished” unless it urgently changes its position.The Victims’ Commissioner has written a letter to chancellor Rachel Reeves, shared exclusively with the Observer, saying a combination of funding reductions and the upcoming employers’ national insurance increase was creating an “existential crisis” for charities. The commissioner and charities in the sector are calling for an urgent funding increase in the next spending review, which concludes this

City damaged during occupation by Islamic State group reopens 850-year-old mosque in time for Ramadan as reconstruction gathers pace In the small courtyard of Sara’s grandmother’s house, children are running and playing as if time had never passed. “The house kept our memories,” Sara says, sitting on the sofa of the courtyard. “It seems like we never left. On the contrary, when we came back, we felt we belonged to this house.”Located in the old Iraqi city of Mosul, right behind the Great Mosque of al-Nuri, their home is part of the local cultural heritage. It was heavily damaged during

Directive allows government organisations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer services in languages other than EnglishPresident Donald Trump has signed an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States.The order on Saturday allows government agencies and organisations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer documents and services in languages other than English. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/02/trump-signs-executive-order-designating-english-as-official-language-of-us Author : Associated Press Publish date : 2025-03-02 03:31:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Minns government says contract with prison operator MTC Australia will end in late 2026Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOne of New South Wales’s largest prisons will return to public hands as Labor continues to reverse what the union representing guards has dubbed “the failed prison for profit model”.The Minns government announced on Sunday its contract with MTC Australia – a subsidiary of a controversial American private prison operator – to run Parklea correctional centre would end in October 2026.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue

Bureau of Meteorology says guidance ‘favours landfall on Thursday’ possibly near Brisbane as Queensland disaster management committee meetsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA tropical cyclone lingering off the Queensland coast will “likely” turn towards the state’s south-east later this week, the Bureau of Meteorology says.Queensland authorities have begun preparations for the possibility that slow-moving Tropical Cyclone Alfred hits densely-populated urban areas near Brisbane. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/02/tropical-cyclone-alfred-likely-to-head-towards-southern-queensland-coast-later-this-week Author : Ben Smee Queensland state correspondent Publish date : 2025-03-02 01:37:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to

Australian navy ship heading to Coral Sea after Aurimas Mockus calls for help one week out from reaching AustraliaFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA Royal Australian Navy ship is bound for the Coral Sea after a Lithuanian man attempting to row across the Pacific Ocean from San Diego to Brisbane got into trouble.Aurimas Mockus activated his emergency beacon on Friday night about 740km east of Mackay, Queensland, and 90km west of Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/mar/02/lithuanian-rower-attempting-to-cross-pacific-activates-emergency-beacon-off-queensland-near-cyclone-alfred Author : Australian Associated Press Publish date

Ukraine leader embraced in No 10 and given £2.26bn defence loan one day after his White House dressing downKeir Starmer has described his meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “meaningful and warm”, according to Downing Street.The British prime minister met the Ukrainian president on Saturday evening, just 24 hours after Zelenskyy’s meeting with the US president, Donald Trump, and vice-president, JD Vance, in Washington. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/mar/01/starmer-hosts-zelenskyy-for-meaningful-and-warm-talks Author : Nadeem Badshah Publish date : 2025-03-01 23:06:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Veteran director, who originally opposed adapting 1967 film for the stage, is ‘very proud’ as Menier Chocolate Factory production will move to London’s Garrick theatreThe Menier Chocolate Factory has announced that its acclaimed production of The Producers is to transfer to the West End this autumn. Having sold out its three-month run at the 180-seat London venue before first night, it is set to move to the Garrick theatre. But according to its original creator Mel Brooks, the musical might never have happened at all.The 98-year-old Brooks has told the Guardian he was initially reluctant to adapt his 1967 movie

Officials say minerals deal would serve as commitment to US security guarantee and Ukraine leader shouldn’t have pressed issueInside the Trump White House, officials blamed the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for the meltdown in the Oval Office on Friday, and expressed frustration that he pushed for security guarantees even though the US had made clear they wanted to negotiate that later, according to people familiar with the matter.The officials had told their Ukrainian counterparts in advance of the meeting that Trump wanted to sign an economic partnership this week at a ministerial level, as aides worked on the details about

Coalition energy efficiency package also on the cards as climate advocates urge better subsidies on solar and other alternativesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLabor is expected to flick the switch on a household battery incentive scheme in a dual cost-of-living and climate action pitch to voters.Guardian Australia understands the government is preparing a large residential energy efficiency package as part of Anthony Albanese’s re-election platform.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/02/labor-backs-household-batteries-in-bid-to-spark-voters-on-cost-of-living-and-climate-worries Author : Dan Jervis-Bardy Publish date : 2025-03-01 19:00:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked

Peer argues that national ‘trickledown’ approach will fail to benefit those in most needKeir Starmer’s government must strictly target the delivery of its core “missions” at areas of maximum deprivation or lose huge numbers of votes to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, an independent commission led by a former Labour cabinet minister will suggest this week.The Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods (ICON), chaired by Labour peer Hilary Armstrong, a former party chief whip and housing minister, will say the government risks “wasting billions of pounds in higher public spending while failing to transform the places that need it most” unless it adopts

Nice may be at the heart of France’s upmarket Mediterranean coast, but violent drug gangs making €1.5m a month are colonising part of itThe sight of the gun tucked into the man’s trousers told us it was time to go. We had been in one of France’s most notorious estates for several hours, trying to understand life on the frontline of the country’s spiralling drug war.Seeing three people he did not know and a camera, he decided enough was enough. “You, where do you live?” he said, rushing towards us from the foot of a tower block where he had

This year’s 16 fatal accidents fall below average rate of 20 per month, yet recent crashes were US’s deadliest in a decadePeople across the US are worried about flight safety after several high-profile plane crashes this year, including a commercial crash in Washington DC that killed 67 people. Google searches for “is flying safe” have jumped in recent weeks. But the numbers suggest 2025 has actually been a relatively safe year to fly – at least in terms of the overall number of accidents.January and February typically have about 20 fatal aviation accidents per month, according to numbers from the

Back home there was widespread support for Ukraine’s president, but also dismay at his car-crash encounter in the Oval OfficeLive reaction to Zelenskyy’s clash with Trump and VanceUkrainians have rallied behind Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his mauling on Friday in the White House, and have accused Donald Trump and the US vice-president, JD Vance, of deliberately and cynically “starting a brawl”.There was widespread support for Ukraine’s president at home and dismay at his car-crash encounter in the Oval Office. There was also praise for Zelenskyy’s insistence that a peace deal without security guarantees was meaningless, and that Russia could not be

Ukraine’s president due to meet European leaders scrambling to mitigate fallout from diplomatic meltdown in WashingtonLive reaction to Zelenskyy’s clash with Trump and VanceVolodymyr Zelenskyy has said it is important for Ukraine to be heard and not forgotten after his discussions with Donald Trump in Washington veered sharply off track.His comments came as he arrived in London for a defence summit with European leaders to discuss Ukraine’s future. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/01/zelenskyy-says-important-for-ukraine-to-be-heard-after-clash-with-trump Author : Geneva Abdul Publish date : 2025-03-01 12:07:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.