36 minutes ago Who is Torsten Bell? The new pensions minister pegged as Britain's future chancellor

From being one half of Britain’s most influential political twin duo, to his role in the infamous ‘EdStone’, Emma Loffhagen reports on Torsten Bell, the former think tank director promoted to pensions minister

Politics

2 hours ago Sex and the City fans queue outside Carrie Bradshaw's NYC apartment after owner reveals plan to stop tourists

The West Village townhouse used as the exterior for Carrie Bradshaw's NYC apartment on Sex and the City is still being trampled by tourists.

Society

1 hour ago Gaza deal should benefit Netanyahu in short term, but he is critically exposed

Israeli PM must appease his coalition to avoid fresh elections, as well as reckoning with unpredictable TrumpMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe nature of Israel’s febrile coalition politics has long favoured theatrics. The standing and psychology of its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, adds a further element of panic and cynical calculation.All those characteristics were in evidence as Israel and Hamas edged towards a ceasefire deal, particularly in Netanyahu’s struggle to triangulate his portrayal of an agreement that has the potential to damage him politically. Continue reading...

Economics

82 minutes ago Football Daily | Spurs live down to underdog billing as Arsenal paint town red

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Since comfortably beating Aston Villa at the start of November, Tottenham Hotspur have won only two of the 11 Premier League matches they’ve contested. Well, played in or at least turned up for. Indeed, a good lawyer might argue that technically they haven’t really won any because one of the aforementioned victories came against peak b@nter era Manchester City, while not even Spurs were capable of doing anything other than swat the current Southampton rabble aside, a feat that is not so much something to be proud of, but more the equivalent of helping yourself to the pennies covering a dead man’s eyes. Having taken just eight points from their previous 10 games, Ange Postecoglou’s knack-depleted team went into Wednesday night’s north London derby as firm underdogs and duly lived down to their billing.I would never dare doubt the accuracy and reliability of statistics from Big Website, but some of the match stats from the Holsten Pil...

Sport

38 minutes ago Labour backs down over grooming gangs: Whitehall fixer to undertake 'rapid audit' into scale of child sex abuse in Britain

Yvette Cooper told MPs she had asked Baroness Louise Casey to oversee a three-month review into gang-based child sexual exploitation.

Events

92 minutes ago Keir Starmer tells school children Roy Of The Rovers is his favourite book

The Prime Minister also said his favourite football player is Arsenal star Martin Odegaard.

Culture

1 hour ago John Swinney apologises to patients after damning report on overcrowding in Scots hospitals

The First Minister is under pressure as Scotland's struggling NHS endures a tough winter season with demand for services soaring.

Science

55 minutes ago ‘Everything we were taught about success is wrong’: how to find true fulfilment in your life and career

Made good life choices yet still feel dissatisfied? A life coach suggests an alternative way to look at our goals and aspirations to find more positive outcomesAuthor Annie Dillard wrote that “how we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives”. So, how was it that I spent a large portion of my 20s ­ terrified of the big, long life I had before me? After Stanford University, I’d moved to New York to work at Google but I was depressed, anxious.When I realised that many brilliant and accomplished people were also secretly miserable, just trying to make it through the day, I looked for terminology to describe this, but there was none. So I came up with my own: the underfulfilled overachiever, or UFOA. This describes a constant striver who is living a great‑­on‑­paper life, yet feels disconnected from their work, life and self. UFOAs see success as the organising principle of our lives. We call it by a catchy name: hustle culture. We brag about our intense busyness. Side hustle...

Politics

7 hours ago Top Russian model robbed at knifepoint in London after partying at nightclub

Irena Fedotova claims she was robbed at knifepoint as part of a set up outside a London club, where she had around £40k stolen after masked armed robbers forced her to unlock her phone

Society

4 hours ago Liverpool's transfer options including £30m deal and FSG stance on Arne Slot signings

Liverpool are flying at the top of the Premier League and Champions League, while still in with a chance of domestic cup success - but will their squad be bolstered in the January transfer window?

Economics

21 hours ago Football fan 'violated' as club explain camera above women's toilet inside stadium

The supporter was left horrified to see the fixed camera above the cubicles at Swindon Town last night when they played against Birmingham City, who won 2-1

Sport

70 minutes ago Crazy P singer Danielle Moore's cause of death confirmed at inquest as family issues statement

Danielle Moore, the much-loved Mancunian music icon and Crazy P lead singer, took her own life on 30 August 2024 at the age of 52, an inquest into her death has concluded

Events

6 hours ago Africa has no shortage of celebrated writers – so why is it so hard for African readers to get hold of their books?

Across the continent books can be expensive and libraries scarce. But growing numbers of tech innovators and independent publishers are working to make African literature available and affordableTsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions, a novel about growing up in colonial Zimbabwe, is one of the most important works of 20th-century African literature and features on university curricula across the UK. British students can order a used copy for less than £3.But there is one place readers struggle to find it: Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe and Dangeremba’s home town, even though it is published in paperback across the border in South Africa. “It’s very, very difficult to find my books anywhere in Zimbabwe,” says Dangarembga. Continue reading...

Culture

3 hours ago Swinney in apology to patients who have ‘unsatisfactory experience’ in hospital

It comes after a report from the Royal College of Nursing warned of a ‘corridor care crisis’ across the NHS.

Science

58 minutes ago Bathgate MP uses Prime Minister’s Questions to demand action on ‘dental deserts’

Bathgate and Linlithgow MP Kirsteen Sullivan called on the Prime Minister to tackle the growing problem of dental deserts and ensure local NHS dentistry is accessible to all communities across the UK.

Politics

7 hours ago Lloyds Bank to cut hundreds of jobs and shut offices as part of major overhaul

'Making changes means not only creating new roles and upskilling colleagues in some parts of the business but also having to say goodbye to talented people who have been a part of the group’s success in the past'

Society

7 hours ago This Gaza ceasefire deal is a fragile thing, beset by strongman egos. But it is our best hope yet | Simon Tisdall

Netanyahu, with Trump waiting in the wings, has no interest in lasting peace. From these beginnings must come political change – and a reckoning At last! The yearned-for Israel-Hamas ceasefire-for-hostages deal is finally happening. It is welcome. Like thin ice covering deep waters, it is scarily fragile, prone to crack under the slightest pressure. And it is desperately, lethally overdue. Tens of thousands of Palestinians, and many Israelis, have died since last May, when US president Joe Biden first set out the parameters of this agreement. Civilians are still being killed in Israeli airstrikes that have actually intensified since the two sides grudgingly initialled the deal in Qatar.Palestinians in Gaza and elsewhere are naturally relieved these merciless Israeli bombardments will soon stop. But celebrations are tempered by fears about the future, and by deep grief and anger over the still terrifying present and immediate past. According to Gaza health ministry figures, more than...

Economics

21 hours ago Football fan left 'violated' after horrifying discovery inside women's toilets

The supporter was left horrified to see the fixed camera above the cubicles at Swindon Town last night when they played against Birmingham City, who won 2-1

Sport

2 hours ago Starmer says UK prepared to play a role in guaranteeing Ukrainian security

But Sir Keir said the current focus was on ensuring Ukraine was in a position of strength rather than any future peacekeeping mission.

Events

23 hours ago Model and actress Caprice spotted 'filming new Christmas movie' in Scots town

American model, TV personality, singer, actress and businesswoman Caprice Bourret was photographed whilst filming her latest movie in Aberfeldy, Perthshire.

Culture

5 hours ago Jenufa at the Royal Opera House review: symbolic, psychologically probing and more potent than ever

This revival was Jakub Hrusa’s first production as Covent Garden’s music director designate – the venue is in safe hands

Science

66 minutes ago Kemi Badenoch rules out Nigel Farage pact after blistering tirade against ex

Kemi Badenoch lashed out at former Tory leaders despite all her shadow cabinet having served as ministers in previous governments as Labour said she is in 'complete denial'

Politics

24 hours ago Oracle's Larry Ellison Has Just Bought A London Townhouse For $202 Million To Add To His Global Property Portfolio

Oracle's Larry Ellison Has Just Bought A London Townhouse For $202 Million To Add To His Global Property Portfolio  Yahoo Finance

Society

10 hours ago Disabled Oasis fan spent £419 to see his heroes... then was told he couldn't go

A disabled Oasis fan worried he might miss huge Heaton Park gig because Ticketmaster wouldn't let him take a carer

Economics

3 hours ago Israel Hamas ceasefire agreement hits snag hours before Sunday peace deal set to start

Israel's Cabinet won't meet to sign off any Hamas ceasefire agreement until a late snag has been resolved, says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - just days before Sunday's ceasefire was due to start

Events

28 hours ago Families 'devastated' as another Scottish council proposes cut to school music tuition

Hundreds of signatures are being added to petitions by campaigners every day

Culture

23 hours ago Truth about milk: What Oxford scientists say can fight cancer, the secrets of ultra

Perhaps the pushback began in earnest in 2023, when model Hailey Bieber, wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the dairy industry's campaign logo, 'Got Milk?'

Science

72 minutes ago Blue Monday: How to use music to beat Blue Monday 2025 and boost your mood

How singing with friends and a spot of classical music can help you through 2025’s Blue Monday 🎶🤦 ♂️🎺

Politics

26 hours ago Spain sets a new record with 94 million international tourists last year

Spain's Tourism Ministry says that a record 94 million international travelers visited Spain in 2024, the best year for tourism in the country since records started

Society

10 hours ago Liz Truss is long gone from Downing Street – but zombie economics lives on | Aditya Chakrabortty

Labour’s panicked reaction to turbulence is to promise ‘ruthless’ cuts. It has learned the wrong lessons from Britain’s shortest-lived PMBritain’s centre of power is stalked by a zombie. Across Westminster, the mere mention of her name summons up a grim past, but she remains ever present: blond bob, eyes that never move and a grin slightly aslant so it expresses not mirth, but faint menace. When least expected, she can bark a laugh that sends shivers up a cabinet minister’s spine. And whenever her shadow looms in SW1, the dread murmur starts: she used to be prime minister, you know.Liz Truss’s stint at the top of politics ended years ago. Perhaps close confidants and trained medics are yet to break the news, but for her, power is a fading memory, a shrinking image in the rear-view. As the voters of South West Norfolk ensured last July, she is now an ex-politician. Yet in British political culture, she is the great undead. No other prime minister since the Brexit vote so haunts curre...

Economics

3 hours ago A town torched by LA fires rallies to revive its community: ‘Everybody wants to come back’

Eaton fire tore through Altadena, burning buildings and killing many. Its residents are only now taking in the scale of devastationA week after wildfires tore through the community of Altadena, the smell of destruction still hangs in the air. The acrid smoke seeped into the walls of homes that survived the Eaton fire, which burned 7,000 buildings and killed at least 15 people.On Woodbury Road, where unblemished homes stand in between blackened lots of charred rubble, the devastation overwhelms the senses. The houses that haven’t completely collapsed offer glimpses of life before disaster arrived – pitchers and mugs in a cabinet, all a deep black, a bed still standing, a scorched bicycle and children’s toys. Continue reading...

Events

1 hour ago Bangladeshi and British politics collided to bring down Tulip Siddiq | Salil Tripathi

After allegations of corruption, the former government minister’s family legacy now lies in tatters in both countriesIt was unusual to see Muhammad Yunus, a widely respected Nobel laureate and the chief adviser of the unelected interim government of Bangladesh, taking aim at a British minister, accusing Tulip Siddiq of benefiting from “plain robbery” in his home country and calling for her to apologise. But once that happened, things moved swiftly: accusations against the beleaguered treasury minister swirled, she pulled out of an official delegation going to China, she referred herself to Laurie Magnus, the government’s adviser on ministerial standards, and finally this week she resigned from her post. (Siddiq “totally refutes” allegations of corruption.)This month, the Financial Times reported that Siddiq was given a two-bedroom central London flat by a developer closely associated with her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the recently ousted longtime leader of Bangladesh. Siddiq had claimed ...

Politics

34 hours ago Work begins to transform long vacant police station site into care home creating 100 healthcare jobs

The creation of Jubilee Heights promises to create employment opportunities in Bury town centre

Society

11 hours ago Starmer travels to Ukraine to sign partnership deal lasting ‘for generations’

Sir Keir Starmer said the 100 Year Partnership would cement the friendship between the two countries for the next century.

Economics

4 hours ago Grammy Awards 2025 will proceed with wildfire relief changes. Here’s what to expect

The 67th annual Grammy Awards will still take place Sunday, Feb. 2, at the Crypto

Events

2 hours ago British ministers indicate support for China's plans for new large embassy in London

British ministers indicate support for China's plans for new large embassy in London  Reuters UK

Politics

14 hours ago Katie Price continues to spark concern over drastic weight loss in 'worrying' new clip after hitting back at Ozempic rumours

The 46-year-old former glamour model shared a clip on Wednesday promoting her friend's clothing brand, JYY London, while wearing a burgundy co-ord.

Economics

5 hours ago Paul Danan celebrity tributes as Love Islander and Hollyoaks legend dies at 46

A range of celebrities from TV, journalism, and music all spoke out to share touching messages about the impact Paul Danan had on their lives after his heartbreaking death

Events

2 hours ago Next stop Manchester City: Khusanov ‘the train’ back on track after bumpy journey

The 20-year-old, who is set to join Premier League champions, had to move to Belarus to reignite his career after rejection in UzbekistanAbdukodir Khusanov was born on 29 February and he is, without a doubt, a rarity. In four years the defender has gone from being discarded in his home country of Uzbekistan to play for a small club in Belarus before, this month, agreeing to join Manchester City from Lens in a £33.5m deal. Pending a medical, he will become the first Uzbek to play in the Premier League but – because of his success – perhaps not the last.The nation has been captivated by Khusanov’s rise and delighted that he is now joining the Premier League champions. It is a huge source of pride. “Abdukodir means almighty in the Uzbek language, and it suits him,” says the Championat.asia editor Narzulla Saidullaev. “He is also nicknamed “the train” here because of his raw power and has become the most famous person in the country. Even people who know nothing about football talk abou...

Politics

19 hours ago Ghislaine Maxwell's £3.2million townhouse where infamous picture of Prince Andrew 'with hand around Virginia Roberts' waist was taken' goes up for sale

The convicted sex trafficker's property, located in the upmarket neighbourhood of Belgravia, has gone on the market for £3.25million.

Economics

6 hours ago ‘Major issues’ with HS2, Holocaust memorial and nuclear subs, ministers warned

Some 27 of the 227 large-scale schemes the Government is overseeing appear to be unachievable, according to the Infrastructure and Projects Authority

Events

2 hours ago Starmer considers UK troops in Ukraine in peacekeeper role as he meets Zelensky in Kyiv

Keir Starmer has made his first trip to Kyiv as UK prime minister to offer long term support to Ukraine which could see British troops brought in as peacekeepers

Politics

27 hours ago 'Why are Brits paying to surrender something that's already ours?': Kemi Badenoch skewers Keir Starmer over £9bn cost of 'dud' Chagos Islands deal

The Prime Minister was told to abandon his 'dud' deal to handover the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius, which will reportedly land taxpayers with a huge bill.

Economics

7 hours ago ‘I came down here to die’: the untold story of the first JFK assassination attempt

In a fascinating new book, the forgotten tale of Richard Pavlick, who tried to kill JFK in 1960, is brought to light“Everybody’s got the right / To their dreams,” goes the lyric in Stephen Sondheim’s musical Assassins, sung by a chorus line made up of men and women who have tried, with or without success, to kill the president of the United States.The infamous group includes John Wilkes Booth, Charles J Guiteau and John Hinckley Jr. An updated version might add Thomas Crooks and Ryan Routh for allegedly trying to assassinate Donald Trump last year. But there is no place for Richard Pavlick, the would-be killer of John F Kennedy you probably never heard of. Continue reading...

Events

2 hours ago Ministers and emergency services to hold national test of pandemic preparedness

Blue light services will join senior ministers in the first test of pandemic preparedness in nearly a decade.

Politics

27 hours ago PMQs LIVE: Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch clash after Tulip Siddiq's resignation and inflation fall

PM faces questions over Tulip Siddiq’s resignation as Treasury minister

Economics

7 hours ago Middle East latest: Netanyahu says Cabinet won't meet over ceasefire until Hamas drops new demands

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Thursday his Cabinet won’t meet to approve the agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages until Hamas backs down from what it called a “last minute crisis.”

Events

2 hours ago No need for City minister to recuse herself over past lobbying, No 10 says

Emma Reynolds reportedly lobbied on behalf of Chinese businesses in a previous job.

Politics

28 hours ago Watch live: Keir Starmer faces grilling from Kemi Badenoch in Commons after surprise inflation fall

Watch live as Sir Keir Starmer faces Kemi Badenoch at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, 15 January, after a surprise inflation fall gave a boost to under-fire chancellor Rachel Reeves.

Economics

8 hours ago Jimmy Mizen: Investigation into killer Jake Farhi over rap music claims

Jimmy Mizen: Investigation into killer Jake Farhi over rap music claims  BBC.com

Events

3 hours ago Minister defends dropping Troubles law appeal amid Gerry Adams payout fears

Sir Keir Starmer said on Wednesday the Government would look at ‘every conceivable way’ to stop these claimants receiving damages.

Politics

29 hours ago Keir Starmer 'pushes for US trade deal with Donald Trump' as he scrambles to get growth back into UK economy

The Prime Minister used yesterday's Cabinet meeting to outline his aim of striking a 'partnership' with America under Mr Trump to 'advance our economic growth'.

Economics

8 hours ago Netanyahu says Cabinet won't meet over ceasefire until Hamas backs down from 'last minute crisis'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Thursday his Cabinet won’t meet to approve the Gaza ceasefire deal until Hamas backs down from what it called a “last minute crisis.”

Events

3 hours ago ‘I hate this movie, and I haven’t even seen it’ – Americans won’t let a chimp Robbie Williams entertain them

Better Man is a genuinely good movie but it’s bombing – and now his song has been disqualified from the Oscars tooDespite the terrible box office performance, and movie theatres cancelling screenings, Americans are at least talking about the Robbie Williams biopic, Better Man.“I hate this movie, and I haven’t even seen it it makes me angry and I don’t know why!” complains TikTokker Jasmine Dayra, one of thousands posting similar videos. Others claim they’ve been “gaslit” into believing he’s a huge star, or that the film is the result of “the Mandela effect”, a false memory shared by a large group of people. “I just found out Robbie Williams is real,” says one angry poster. Continue reading...

Politics

31 hours ago Phones4U billionaire John Caudwell's £90,000 Tesla Model X breaks down 'on day the warranty ran out'

Phones4U billionaire John Caudwell has claimed his £90,000 Tesla Model X broke down on the day the warranty ran out.

Economics

8 hours ago Death toll rises to 87 as standoff between police and miners ends in South Africa

Police say the death toll in a monthslong standoff between authorities and miners trapped while working illegally underground at an abandoned gold mine in South Africa has risen to at least 87

Events

3 hours ago Man City XI vs Ipswich: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injury latest for Premier League

Champions have been handed big boost as duo return to training

Politics

32 hours ago Phones4U billionaire John Caudwell £90,000 Tesla Model X breaks down 'on day the warranty ran out'

Phones4U billionaire John Caudwell has claimed his £90,000 Tesla Model X broke down on the day the warranty ran out.

Economics

12 hours ago Israeli strikes on Gaza reported after Sunday ceasefire deal with Hamas announced – live

Medics in Palestinian territory say more than 30 killed in strikes late on Wednesday; Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says ‘final details’ of deal still being worked on ahead of security cabinet meetingGaza ceasefire deal: what we know so far A ceasefire deal is here. For Gaza, the Middle East and the world, the future remains unknown Hamas and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire deal, pausing the war in Gaza and designed to broker an end to the brutal 15-month conflict. The agreement is set to be officially accepted by Israel after a cabinet meeting on Thursday.The announcement on Wednesday night from Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, was made after weeks of negotiations in the Qatari capital, Doha. There were intensified efforts in recent days to hammer out the final details after increased pressure on Israel to reach a deal from the US president-elect, Donald Trump, which Sheikh Mohammed acknowledged in his media conference.Israel’s prime minister, Ben...

Events

3 hours ago Revealed: drinking water sources in England polluted with forever chemicals

Exclusive: Water industry calls for PFAS ban after analysis of sampling data shows contamination across countryWhat are PFAS, how toxic are they and how do you become exposed?The Guardian view on chemical pollution: the UK can’t ignore the risks from PFASRaw drinking water sources across England are polluted with toxic forever chemicals, new analysis has revealed, prompting the water sector to demand that ministers ban the substances and polluters pay for the astronomical cleanup costs.The areas covered by Affinity Water and Anglian Water were found to be particularly badly affected, and experts have said they fear “we are drastically underestimating the size of the problem”. Continue reading...

Politics

34 hours ago Poorest Londoners to pay council tax for first time due to town hall cash crisis

Poorest Londoners to pay council tax for first time due to town hall cash crisis  Evening Standard

Economics

15 hours ago Roman Kemp's replacement for presenting duties at the BRIT Awards 2025 is REVEALED

It was revealed on Wednesday that the son of the Spandau Ballet star wouldn't be hosting the 2025 ceremony despite viewers hailing him a huge success last year.

Events

3 hours ago Starmer finds alleged spiking on parliamentary estate ‘incredibly concerning’

Parliamentary authorities have said they are treating the matter extremely seriously.

Politics

40 hours ago No 10 refuses to rule out emergency budget as fresh inflation figures due: Live

Sir Keir Starmer hit by second ministerial resignation in six months as Tulip Siddiq steps down as anti-corruption minister

Economics

17 hours ago Jimmy Mizen: Investigation into killer Jake Farhi over reports he recorded music about murder

Jimmy Mizen: Investigation into killer Jake Farhi over reports he recorded music about murder  BBC.com

Events

4 hours ago Keir Starmer's new City minister WILL be allowed to make decisions about China despite Emma Reynolds having previously 'lobbied against tougher rules on Beijing'

Emma Reynolds was this week appointed as Economic Secretary to the Treasury to replace Tulip Siddiq, who quit following a sleaze probe.

Politics

20 hours ago Starmer welcomes ‘overdue’ Gaza ceasefire and mourns Britons lost in conflict

The UK Prime Minister said Britain would join its allies in continuing work to ‘break the cycle of violence and secure long-term peace.’

Events

4 hours ago Play that funky noise intoner! The rumblers, gurglers and howlers of the world’s strangest orchestra

With their funnel-like hooters and cupboard-like shapes, they looked bizarre, sounded wild and left audiences baffled. Now, more than 100 years on, Luigi Russolo’s orchestra of futurist machine instruments is back Today it is the venerable home of the English National Opera, but back in June 1914, the London Coliseum welcomed an act quite unlike anything seen there before or since: an orchestra of futurist noise machines. With their aggressively boxy chassis and funnel-like hooters, they resembled a flock of cubist birds or an artillery battery designed by Tove Jansson. Even stranger were the sounds they made. Each one had its own onomatopoeic name and in combination they evoked more a diagnostic toolkit for gastroenterologists than a set of musical instruments: there was the rumbler (or rombatore), the gurgler (gorgogliatore), and, most disturbingly of all, the howler (ululatore). It was a pretty far cry from The Pirates of Penzance.All things considered, the response of the London...

Politics

21 hours ago Israel 'hid explosives inside Iranian nuclear equipment' in plot similar to deadly pager bomb attack that devastated Hezbollah

Javad Zarif, Iran's former foreign minister and chief negotiator of the 2015 nuclear deal, revealed the allegations during a televised interview, claiming Iranian officials discovered the explosives embedded within a centrifuge platform.

Events

4 hours ago Former football club chairman bailed on £10m stadium loan inquiry fraud charge

Ex-Northampton Town chairman David Cardoza appeared before a judge alongside property developer Howard Grossman and two other men.

Politics

21 hours ago Family of murdered banker ‘disappointed’ at not meeting chief constable

Alistair Wilson was murdered at his home in Nairn in the Highlands on November 28 2004.

Events

4 hours ago Jamie xx: south London's hottest export on politics, fame and finally growing up

The DJ and producer is in demand around the world – and in 2025 he’s set to scale things up

Politics

21 hours ago The Guardian view on a ceasefire in Gaza: far too late, but desperately needed | Editorial

As officials report that a deal has been agreed, a precarious pause in hostilities and the release of hostages could only be welcomedHope has rarely felt so fragile, or so inadequate. A moment long sought and prayed for will nonetheless be met with fear and apprehension as well as joy by Palestinians in the wasteland that is Gaza and among the traumatised families of Israeli hostages.After more than 15 months of war, which has left tens of thousands dead and almost 2 million struggling to survive, US officials and others reported that a ceasefire and hostage-release deal has been reached. The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said there were still “unresolved clauses”, though his cabinet was expected to vote on it on Thursday morning. They should back it. The broad outlines of this agreement have long been clear. The cost of the delay is unbearable. Since it was first mooted, thousands more Palestinians and an unknown number of Israeli hostages taken in the Hamas...

Events