50 m. ago Trump bailing on the White House Correspondents’ Dinner means Washington can have some fun

Analysis: The entire reason for this insufferable ritual of official Washington has nothing to do with whether the president sits down for a meal with the press, writes Andrew Feinberg

Politics

1 hour ago Woman, 45, who was living in 'BDSM threesome with husband and wife did not look pregnant before having an illegal abortion', court hears

Nicola Packer, 45, who is accused of illegally taking abortion medication at home, showed 'absolutely no indication' she was pregnant in the weeks prior, Isleworth Crown Court heard today.

Events

2 h. ago 'I tried Amazon's gold smartwatch and it's ideal if you want bling on a budget'

TV writer Jake Hackney sampled the Maxcom FW65 Iron S, Amazon's budget smartwatch and fitness tracker designed for those who like the finer things in life

Economics

2 h. ago Quarter of a million people viewed Pope’s body over three days, says Vatican

The requiem mass will be attended by world leaders and dignitaries.

Economics

2 h. ago The Guardian view on posthumously publishing Joan Didion: goodbye to all that | Editorial

Would the legendary American writer have welcomed the publication of her therapy notes? It seems unlikelyJoan Didion entered the fray on the publication of Ernest Hemingway’s unfinished final manuscript in an essay titled Last Words in 1998: “You think something is in shape to be published or you don’t, and Hemingway didn’t,” she wrote. You believe a writer’s unpublished work is fair game after their death or you don’t, and Didion – it would seem – didn’t.Debate about the ethics of posthumous publication has been ignited once more, this time with Didion at its centre. After the writer’s death in 2021, about 150 pages were found in a file next to her desk. These were meticulous accounts of sessions with her psychiatrist, from 1999 to 2003, focused mainly on her adopted daughter Quintana, who was spiralling into alcoholism. Addressed to her husband, screenwriter John Gregory Dunne, this journal has been published under the title Notes to John. “No restrictions were put on access,...

Politics

3 h. ago Pope Francis funeral LIVE: Basilica closed to mourners as world leaders gather in Rome for historic service

World leaders including US President Donald Trump, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will be in attendance

Politics

4 h. ago What the killing of a Russian general in Moscow means for Trump’s plan for peace in Ukraine

The latest killing of a Russian general underscores the fact that Ukraine is still very much in the fight for its survival, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley

Events

4 h. ago Pollster predicts grim local elections for Starmer and Badenoch with Reform surge

The local elections, which will be the first big electoral test since last summer’s general election, will see the Tories lose around 500 seats, a leading pollster has predicted

Politics

5 h. ago What the murder of a Russian general in Moscow means for Trump’s plan for peace in Ukraine

The latest killing of a Russian general underscores the fact that Ukraine is still very much in the fight for its survival, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley

Politics

5 h. ago I travelled the world solo for just £19 a day – and here is how you can backpack on a super low budget

365 days, £7k, 15 countries, and a lifetime of memories. Travel writer Lydia Swinscoe reveals how she backpacked around the globe on a seriously low budget — and how you can do it too

Economics

6 h. ago Why Zelensky may fear being dragged into a boxing match with Kyiv’s mayor

A growing rivalry between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vitali Klitschko could weaken the president’s position as pressure mounts for ceasefire, writes chief international correspondent Bel Trew

Politics

6 h. ago Wearing outdoor shoes inside is unhygienic. Here’s the proof

Outdoor shoes carry bacteria, allergens and toxic chemicals – many of which are linked to serious health concerns, Manal Mohammed writes

Politics

6 h. ago World leaders arriving for Pope’s funeral as 150,000 mourners pay respects

The coffin will be closed on Friday evening ahead of Saturday’s requiem mass.

Politics

7 h. ago Chris Eubank Jr FAILS to make weight for Conor Benn fight and is hit with huge $500,000 fine

Chris Eubank Jr has narrowly missed the middleweight limit ahead of his grudge match with Conor Benn, tipping the scales just half an ounce over the 160lb threshold during Friday's weigh-in.

Events

7 h. ago O’Neill praises Pope’s commitment to peace as she confirms funeral attendance

The Sinn Fein vice president has cut short a family holiday to attend Pope Francis’s funeral in Rome.

Culture

7 h. ago Pope Francis funeral LIVE: World leaders and thousands of mourners gather in Rome for historic service

World leaders including US President Donald Trump, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will be in attendance

Politics

8 h. ago Reform UK on course to win in two mayoral contests – UK politics live

Polling predicts victory for party in Greater Lincolnshire and Hull/East Yorkshire with the Greens possibly taking West of EnglandThere are six mayoral elections next week. Two of them are for single-authority mayors (Doncaster and North Tyneside), but the others are for combined-authority mayors (or regional mayors – like metro mayors, but not just covering city regions). Today YouGov has released polling covering all four of these contests and it suggests Reform UK is on course to win two of them easily. And the Green party is narrowly ahead in a third, the poll suggests.Here are the polling figures.In theory the Tories should be winning in Lincolnshire as they hold most of the parliamentary seats in the area and have dominated local politics forever. But it’s also the most Reform-friendly part of the country. It contains Richard Tice’s constituency and numerous seats in which they came second. Plus their candidate is a former Tory MP – Andrea Jenkyns, famous for her Boris Johnson...

Politics

8 h. ago All options ‘remain on the table’ for Ukraine – Downing Street

Downing Street has said that all options “remain on the table” when it comes to support for Ukraine in the event of a peace deal.A Number 10 spokesman said on Friday that “advanced coalition of the willing planning is developing at pace” and “all options remain on the table” when it comes to supporting Kyiv.The Times newspaper reported on Friday that the UK is likely to abandon plans to send troops to Ukraine as risks are considered to be too high, however Number 10 said that it does not recognise that report.A Number 10 spokesman said on Friday: “All options remain on the table and advanced coalition of the willing planning is developing at pace.”The spokesman also pointed to the Operation Interflex programme training Ukrainian troops as one of the ways the country is being supported.Asked whether troops being deployed would be dependent on the US offering a “backstop” to a peace deal, the spokesman said he would not give a running commentary on talks, but added: “As the Prime Mini...

Politics

8 h. ago ‘It’s Fleabag’s home – the audience is unshockable’: Phoebe Waller

The central London institution champions new talent, amplifies LGBTQ+ voices and always takes risks. With a new outpost opening in Walthamstow, artists discuss how the West End venue is not just a place – it’s a philosophyA fixture on London’s Dean Street for 25 years, Soho theatre has hatched plays that won Oliviers, shows that earned the Edinburgh comedy award and ideas that became TV hits. On any night, across its upstairs studio theatre, its main house and basement cabaret bar, you’ll find plays from new writers, experimentations in clowning, drag performance, standup comedy, or a hybrid of them all.In those rooms, I’ve watched American clown Natalie Palamides giving such a spirited performance that she vomited on stage, dancer and comedian Adrienne Truscott challenging rape jokes, and performance artist Kim Noble pushing audiences beyond comfort. I’ve sung along to ballads with sketch group Daphne, and folk songs with Sh!t Theatre. Continue reading...

Events

9 h. ago Starmer faces Labour revolt over plan to raid bank accounts of benefit claimants

Welfare fraud bill would allow funds to be taken from bank accounts and driving licences to be cancelledShould benefit claimants risk having their bank accounts spied upon and driving licences revoked? I don’t think soKeir Starmer is facing a rebellion over his plan to use direct deductions from people’s bank accounts and the cancellation of driving licences as part of a government crackdown on welfare fraud and over-claiming.In an attempt to claw back the annual £9.7bn in benefit overpayments made by the Department for Work and Pensions due to fraud or error, the government has adopted Conservative plans for debt recovery. Continue reading...

Economics