86 m. ago ‘Resistance is when I put an end to what I don’t like’: The rise and fall of the Baader

In the 1970s, the radical leftwing German terrorist organisation may have spread fear through public acts of violence – but its inner workings were characterised by vanity and incompetenceIn the summer of 1970, a group of aspirant revolutionaries arrived in Jordan from West Germany. They sought military training though they had barely handled weapons before. They sought a guerrilla war in the streets of Europe, but had never done anything more than light a fire in a deserted department store. They sought the spurious glamour that spending time with a Palestinian armed group could confer. Above all, they sought a safe place where they could hide and plan.Some of the group had flown to Beirut on a direct flight from communist-run East Berlin. The better known members – Ulrike Meinhof, a prominent leftwing journalist, and two convicted arsonists called Gudrun Ensslin and Andreas Baader – had faced a more complicated journey. First, they’d had to cross into East Germany, then they took ...

Politics

86 m. ago ‘It was a bad dream – but I never woke up’: what it is like to lose your best friend

For 25 years, Justin and Nichola were an essential part of each other’s lives. Then, one random Wednesday, came a terrible, wrenching phone callMany lifelong alliances begin with a period of mild intimidation, and so it was with my friendship with Nichola. We were 18, in the first year at university, and shared a few French classes. I didn’t know her name, had never heard her speak in English but, with her voluminous curls and friendly, curious stare, she stood out. I assumed she would be too cool to hang around with someone like me.One weekend, at a student social in the grotty union bar, booze acted as an icebreaker and the guardrails dropped. Nods of recognition in the corridor became cheery hellos, then toasties in the cafe, followed by nights out and nursing hangovers in front of the TV in our dilapidated student houses. Continue reading...

Politics

86 m. ago Black Rabbit review – it’s almost impossible to care about Jude Law and Jason Bateman in this TV misery

The two actors play brothers dragged into danger by gangsters, but are too stupid or poorly sketched for you to sympathise with them. It’s a relentlessly cheerless watchHard on the heels of the airless misery of Mark Ruffalo’s new venture, Task, comes Jude Law and Jason Bateman’s Black Rabbit, which has a bit more action but the same relentless, cheerless tone and even less forgiving lighting. One more entry and it’s officially a trend! We’ll all have to schedule recovery viewings of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, like winter vitamin D shots, to make it through unbowed.Law and Bateman are working-class brothers Jake (Law) and Vince (Bateman) Friedkin from Coney Island. They grew up in what we assume from relatively early on was a violent home, dominated by an alcoholic father. They became a Nirvana-lite rock group – Jake the handsome lead, Vince the drummer and creative force – until the latter’s taste for drugs and mayhem put paid to their success. Jake pivoted into management, primarily of m...

Politics

86 m. ago France should have recognised Palestinian statehood years ago. The cynic in me asks: why now? | Rokhaya Diallo

Weakened domestically, Emmanuel Macron wants an international legacy. Yet still, he does nothing to sanction IsraelWhen Emmanuel Macron announced that France intended to recognise Palestinian statehood, he drew a furious rebuke from Israel – and caused a diplomatic storm with the US. Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, wrote a letter accusing the French government of failing to “confront the alarming rise of antisemitism” in France, adding the harsh and unequivocal assessment: “Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this antisemitic fire.”In the same letter, he praised Donald Trump’s action to “protect the civil rights of American Jews”.Rokhaya Diallo is a Guardian Europe columnist Continue reading...

Politics

86 m. ago Are the stars finally aligning for the ‘new golden age’ of nuclear? | Nils Pratley

Let’s not be too cynical about the US-UK agreement to build new power plants – but costs must fall if nuclear is to make headwayPresidential visits, like investment summits, involve a blizzard of claims about companies set to spend squillions in the UK. Some “commitments” are merely extrapolations of current trends. Some can be filed under “believe it when you see it”. Some involve throwing everything into the mix and producing an implausibly precise number for the “economic value” to the UK. A few pledges are genuinely new, but scepticism should be the default setting.How to view this week’s “landmark commitments” by UK and US firms to build new nuclear power plants in the UK? Actually, this may be one of those rare occasions when one shouldn’t be too cynical. Continue reading...

Events

86 m. ago ‘We pray a visa comes before death’: Gaza’s injured children left in limbo

Mariam, Nasser and Ahmed were evacuated from the warzone but are now stranded in an Egyptian hospital that cannot treat their life-threatening injuries after Trump’s sudden ban on Palestinians entering the USMariam Sabbah had been fast asleep, huddled under a blanket with her siblings, when an Israeli missile tore through her home in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, in the early hours of 1 March.The missile narrowly missed the sleeping children but as the terrified nine-year-old ran to her parents, a second one hit. “I saw her coming towards me but suddenly there was another explosion and she vanished into the smoke,” says her mother, Fatma Salman. Continue reading...

Events

2 h. ago Alan Jones pleads not guilty to 27 charges after number of alleged victims drops from 11 to nine

Former 2GB and Sky News Australia broadcaster was not in court on Thursday when it heard 17 of previous 44 charges had been droppedFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAlan Jones faces 25 charges of indecent assault and two of sexual touching relating to nine complainants after prosecutors revealed two alleged victims would no longer be part of the case against the veteran broadcaster.Jones was on Thursday expected to make his first appearance in court this year to be committed to stand trial on 44 charges of indecent assault against 11 victims aged 17 and older. Continue reading...

Events

2 h. ago Trump celebrates Jimmy Kimmel suspension; some networks replace show with Charlie Kirk tribute – live

ABC says show will be off-air ‘indefinitely’ following complaints about host’s comments on the killing of rightwing activist KirkDonald Trump has claimed his administration has reached a deal with China to keep TikTok operating in the US, amid uncertainty over what shape the final agreement will take, with suggestions from the Chinese side that Beijing would retain control of the algorithm that powers the site’s video feed.“We have a deal on TikTok ... We have a group of very big companies that want to buy it,” Trump said on Tuesday, without providing further details. Continue reading...

Politics

3 h. ago China’s ‘temple economy’ in the spotlight as scandals rock influential religious leaders

Powerful Buddhist monks who have previously escaped punishment are the latest target of the government’s crackdown on excess wealth and alleged corruptionFor a religious leader, the allegations were scandalous. Mistresses, illegitimate children, embezzlement. But in 2015, the head abbott of Shaolin monastery, the cradle of Zen Buddhism and kung-fu in China, was untouchable. Shi Yongxin, the so-called “CEO monk” who turned the 1,500-year-old monastery into a commercial empire worth hundreds of millions of yuan, held firm. Soon he was cleared of all charges.But 10 years later, the 60-year-old monk was not so lucky. In July, not long after Shi returned from a trip to the Vatican to meet the late Pope Francis, the Shaolin Temple released a statement saying that he was being investigated for allegedly misappropriating funds and for fathering illegitimate children with multiple mistresses. Less than a fortnight later he was dismissed and stripped of his monkhood. He has not been heard fro...

Politics

3 h. ago Eddie Hearn threatens to sue Chris Eubank Jr over ‘sabotage’ claim before Conor Benn rematch

Eubank Jr makes allegations against Matchroom at press conferenceHearn rejects claims and threatens legal action unless boxer apologisesEddie Hearn has threatened to sue Chris Eubank Jr, after the boxer fired the first shots during a press conference ahead of his rematch with Conor Benn by accusing his opponent’s team of dirty tricks and “sabotage”.Eubank Jr, who won their first bout by unanimous decision in April, claimed an ambulance taking him to hospital afterwards was stopped – and appeared to point the finger at Benn’s promoters, Matchroom Boxing. Continue reading...

Events

3 h. ago Capital Markets Mongolia Announces Mongolia Investment Forum: London 2025 at the London Stock Exchange

Capital Markets Mongolia Announces Mongolia Investment Forum: London 2025 at the London Stock Exchange  Yahoo Finance

Economics

4 h. ago Venezuela starts days of military and ‘electronic warfare’ drills after US strikes on alleged drug boats

Armed forces say ‘special naval militia’ involved in Caribbean deployment as defence minister cites ‘threatening, vulgar voice’ of WashingtonVenezuela says it has begun three days of military exercises on its Caribbean island of La Orchila as tensions soar amid US military activity in the region.Forces deployed for what Washington called an anti-drug operation have blown up at least two Venezuelan boats and a combined 14 people allegedly transporting drugs across the Caribbean this month – a move slammed by UN experts as “extrajudicial execution”. Continue reading...

Events

5 h. ago Together for Palestine concert: Benedict Cumberbatch, Damon Albarn and Neneh Cherry take stage at galvanising and star

Scores of artists, speakers and activists appear at four-hour fundraiser curated by Brian Eno – but it’s Palestinian voices who make the biggest impressionThe sheer scale of it was boggling. A total of 69 artists, speakers and activists were to appear at Ovo Arena Wembley.There were stars of music: Damon Albarn, Bastille, PinkPantheress, Hot Chip and a festival’s worth of others. There were stars of stage and screen: Benedict Cumberbatch, Florence Pugh, Guy Pearce, Ramy Youssef and a huge supporting cast. There were the firebrands, the podcasters, the people you’re sure are important but you have no idea why. And there were the people who, well, you don’t really know what they’re bringing: the former footballer Eric Cantona, the Love Island host Laura Whitmore, the Chicken Shop Dates YouTuber Amelia Dimoldenberg. Continue reading...

Politics

6 h. ago Jimmy Kimmel Live! suspended indefinitely after host’s Charlie Kirk comments

ABC says late night show will not air for foreseeable future after Kimmel accused Republicans of ‘doing everything they can to score political points’ from Kirk’s killingWatch what Jimmy Kimmel said about the Charlie Kirk shootingJimmy Kimmel Live! will be suspended “indefinitely” after the late night host’s comments about the killing of Charlie Kirk, ABC has announced.The network, which is owned by Disney, announced on Wednesday night that it would remove Jimmy Kimmel’s show from its schedule for the foreseeable future. Continue reading...

Politics

6 h. ago British Airways, Ryanair and easyJet suffer same problem as odds of big flight delays revealed

The analysis looked at departure data for six of the biggest airlines – British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair, Tui and Wizz Air – between May 2024 and April 2025. They show that all of the airlines were less punctual now than before the pandemic in 2019

Politics

6 h. ago Three officers fatally shot and two injured in Pennsylvania shooting, police say

Governor says ‘we grieve the loss of life of three precious souls’ as two injured in critical condition in hospitalThree police officers were killed and two were injured in a shooting on Wednesday in the southern part of Pennsylvania, state police said.“We grieve for the loss of life of three precious souls who served this county, served this commonwealth, served this country,” governor Josh Shapiro said. Continue reading...

Events

6 h. ago Florida puts man to death in state record 12th execution this year

David Pittman, 63, convicted in 1991 of killing three people, executed after final appeal rejected by US supreme courtA Florida man convicted of killing his estranged wife’s sister and parents and setting their house on fire was put to death on Wednesday evening, a record 12th execution in the state in 2025.David Pittman, 63, was pronounced dead at 6.12pm local time following a lethal injection at Florida state prison near Starke, under a death warrant signed by Governor Ron DeSantis. Florida’s Republican governor has signed more death warrants this year than any of his predecessors. Continue reading...

Events

7 h. ago Murder charge in 2002 cold case after bones found buried in South Australian back yard

Detectives arrested and charged 64-year-old man over murder of Susan Goodwin, reported missing in July 2002Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPolice have charged a man with murder, hours after bones were found during a search for the remains of a woman who vanished more than 20 years ago.The breakthrough in the cold case was made late on Wednesday after the discovery of human remains, believed to be those of Susan Goodwin, 39, buried in the back yard of a house in Port Lincoln, South Australia. Continue reading...

Events

7 h. ago Starmer banks on £150bn investment to placate critics of Trump state visit

Prime minister seeks to make best of difficult state visit by US president with package of commitments by US firmsKeir Starmer has sought to navigate a politically treacherous state visit by Donald Trump with an announcement of £150bn of US investment in the UK, as the president was kept safely within the confines of Windsor Castle.As thousands of protesters voiced their anger in London at a Stop Trump Coalition protest, the US president was escorted by the king and queen through a first day that ended in a state banquet but kept him out of reach of his critics. Continue reading...

Economics

8 h. ago Donald Trump joins royals for state banquet at Windsor as thousands protest against US president’s visit – UK politics live

Politicians, dignitaries and high-profile tech entrepreneurs attend feast Lucy Powell has hit out at the “sexist” framing of her deputy Labour leadership campaign, with people claiming she and her rival, Bridget Phillipson, are standing as “proxies” for two men, Aletha Adu reports.Most of Donald Trump’s policies horrify progressives and leftwingers in Britain, including Labour party members and supporters, but Keir Starmer has said almost nothing critical about the Trump administration because he has taken a view that maintaining good relations with the White House is in the national interest.I understand the UK government’s position of being pragmatic on the international stage and wanting to maintain a good relationship with the leader of the most powerful country in the world. Faced with a revanchist Russia, Europe’s security feels less certain now than at any time since the second world war. And the threat of even higher US tariffs is ever present.But it’s also important to ensu...

Politics