38 h. ago Donald Trump says Elon Musk has ‘lost his mind’ and dismisses peace offering

Trump says he’s ‘not particularly’ interested in reconciling with Musk, who reportedly wanted to speak to presidentUS politics live – latest updatesDonald Trump has accused Elon Musk of “losing his mind” as the dramatic breakdown between America’s most powerful person and the world’s richest person escalated into a full-blown feud that could have seismic political and economic consequences.In a series of phone calls to US media on Friday morning, Trump snapped back at Musk, after the tech mogul and Republican financier launched an extraordinary social media attack on the president the day before, which ended with him accusing Trump of being named in the so-called “Epstein files” – documents related to the convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Continue reading...

Politics

61 h. ago Tom Felton to reprise role as Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Actor to make Broadway debut in play set 19 years after events of the final book in JK Rowling’s fantasy seriesMore than a decade after casting his last spell, Tom Felton, best known for playing Harry Potter’s bleach-blond nemesis, is returning to the wizarding world.The actor will reprise his role as Draco Malfoy in the acclaimed stage production Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, making his Broadway debut. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Scottish stars read Gaelic children’s bedtime stories in new BBC ALBA series

BBC ALBA is helping little ones wind down with a new season of Stòiridh, its much-loved Gaelic bedtime story series with the help of some familiar Scottish personalities.

Politics

5 d. ago Sweden urged to ban international adoption after damning inquiry findings

Inquiry head accuses Swedish state of human rights violations, citing child-trafficking cases across four decadesSweden should ban international adoption and apologise after thousands of children were illegally and unethically taken from their home countries including South Korea, Colombia, China and Sri Lanka over several decades, a government inquiry has found.Presenting the damning findings of the almost four-year investigation, the head of the inquiry, Anna Singer, accused the Swedish state of “violations of human rights”, citing child-trafficking cases spanning from the 1970s to the 2000s. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Ivanka Trump stuns in bold dress at Miami dinner with sister

A private benefit dinner on Thursday night attracted A-listers from the White House to the runway for a glitzy event in Miami.

Politics

8 d. ago Bedtime stories: Three ways reading to your child at night can benefit them, according to sleep scientist

This timeless bedtime tradition is also backed by science 😴

Politics

1 week ago Roland Butcher: ‘West Indies are struggling – we’ve not hit rock bottom yet’

The Barbados-born former England player on being jettisoned as a West Indies selector, the risks of their new cricket structure and his thwarted football dreamsAfter West Indies secured a one-day series draw against Ireland on Sunday their captain, Shai Hope, was asked about the team’s imminent visit to England. “We played them at the end of last year and we won that series so we know they’re going to be coming at us even harder this time,” he said. “We’re looking forward to it. We know they’re going to be a tough, tough opponent but we’re always ready to play anyone.”Roland Butcher, child of Barbados, once of England and more recently a West Indies selector, has a less optimistic outlook: “We’re struggling, and the struggle is not over. We haven’t hit rock bottom yet.” The concentration of power across all three formats in the hands of one coach and selector – Daren Sammy – is what Butcher fears “is going to finally push us to the bottom”. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Reform UK’s income tax plans ‘to cost up to £80bn’ warns IFS – UK politics live

Research institute says costs of plan to exclude those earning less than £20k from the tax will dwarf those of party’s winter fuel and two-child benefit changesThe co-leader of the Green party of England and Wales, Adrian Ramsay, has renewed his call for Russia to face greater sanctions. Posting to social media, the MP for Waveney Valley said “Putin has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian civilians because he thinks he’ll face no consequences. Much tougher sanctions are urgently needed to bring him into serious peace talks to end this horrific war.”As well as appearing on the media round today, shadow chancellor Mel Stride has written for the Daily Mail, saying that the Conservatives continue to back the two-child benefit cap. Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago Pakistan sends ‘important signal’ of hope in a gloomy world of pushbacks on women’s rights

The city of Islamabad has moved to ban child marriage which politicians say is a mark of the country bucking global trends to stand behind its womenDuring last week’s tense debate over whether the Pakistan senate should pass a bill banning child marriage, Naseema Ehsan stood up to speak. “I got married at 13 years old and I want child marriage to be banned,” said the 50-year-old senator.“I was lucky to have good and affluent in-laws but most Pakistani women are not so lucky. Not every child has a supportive husband like me.” Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Israeli strikes over past 24 hours killed at least 38 people in Gaza, Palestinian officials say

Civil defence agency says some people are still under rubble after attacks on Deir al-Balah and JabaliyaIsraeli strikes over the past 24 hours have killed at least 38 people in Gaza, health officials in the Palestinian territory have said, bringing the death toll to more than 100 in less than three days.An attack on a tent housing displaced people in the central city of Deir al-Balah killed a mother and her two children, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Another strike in the Jabaliya area of northern Gaza killed at least five, including two women and a child, it added. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago No 10 delays child poverty strategy with tens of thousands more facing hardship

Exclusive: Flagship policy put back until at least autumn amid fears cost of scrapping two-child limit will outweigh political benefitLabour’s flagship child poverty strategy has been delayed until at least the autumn amid concerns at the top of government that the financial cost of key proposals outweighs the political benefit, even though tens of thousands more children will fall into poverty as a result.The strategy, which is being led jointly by Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, and Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, was due to be published in the spring and had been expected to include a recommendation to scrap the controversial two-child limit. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Boomtown, Reading and Leeds, and Love Saves the Day among 46 festivals uniting to fundraise for children affected by war

Music fans will be given a chance to win a pair of tickets to some of the UK’s top festivals this summer

Events

4 w. ago Kids author Mo Willems and The Pigeon stare down the future in a new book

Author Mo Willems has sold millions of books and won many awards, but the accolade that means most is when a parent says their child read aloud for the first time from one of his books

Culture