80 m. ago Pope Francis ‘slept well’ through night but remains in critical condition

Some laboratory tests said to have shown ‘slight improvement’ and pontiff reported to be in good humourPope Francis, who remains in a critical condition in hospital with pneumonia and mild kidney failure, rested well during the night, the Vatican said.The pontiff, 88, was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on 14 February after struggling to breathe and was subsequently diagnosed with a respiratory tract infection, pneumonia in both lungs and mild kidney failure. Continue reading...

Culture

2 h. ago Critically ill Pope ‘slept well’, Vatican says, as thousands unite in prayer

The 88-year-old has now been in hospital for 11 days

Culture

2 h. ago Deviants by Santanu Bhattacharya; The South by Tash Aw review – love under the eye of the law

Two contrasting but equally impressive Asia-set coming-of-age novels explore gay teenagers navigating their nascent sexuality against the backdrop of personal and political upheavals What makes sex so natural a subject for fiction isn’t simply prurience, but rather the drama built into the evergreen question of how private desire finds expression, not least when the law’s looking. Two new novels, both set in Asia and centred on the coming of age of gay men, play out against the legacy of section 377, the Victorian penal code criminalising homosexuality in British colonies – repealed in 2018 in India, where Santanu Bhattacharya’s Deviants unfolds, and still applicable in Malaysia, the setting of Tash Aw’s The South, the first of a planned quartet from the two-time Booker longlistee.Deviants, Bhattacharya’s second novel, hops with buttonholing vim around three gay men across three generations over the past half-century to draw surprising contrasts and continuities of experience amid l...

Politics

2 h. ago City breaks drive surge in summer travel demand for On The Beach

The travel agency pointed to a 10% rise in advance bookings for the crucial summer period, compared to the same time last year.

Transport

2 h. ago Joe Root backs ‘brilliant leader’ Jos Buttler as England face crucial Champions Trophy clash

Buttler’s England have lost 17 of their last 24 ODIs heading into Wednesday’s must-win encounter with Afghanistan

Politics

3 h. ago Ukraine war truce could be weeks away, Macron hints as he reveals talks with Starmer about sending troops

US President says ‘Europe is going to make sure nothing happens’ following talks with Emmanuel Macron

Politics

3 h. ago Crucial UN nature talks are about to reopen in Rome – but will enough countries turn up?

After last year’s Cop16 biodiversity talks in Cali left key issues unresolved, the extra summit will attempt to seek consensus, especially over fundingGlobal talks to halt the loss of nature will reopen today in Rome, amid “loss of trust” in the United Nations-led process and concerns that countries will not turn up for the meeting. Delegates are due to meet at Cop16, the UN’s biodiversity conference, to discuss global targets to stop nature loss by 2030.The additional meeting in Rome was called after talks were suspended in confusion in the Colombian city of Cali in November when they overran and delegates left to catch flights home. Continue reading...

Politics

3 h. ago Russia and Indonesia hold talks to strengthen ties on defense and security

A top Russian security official and Indonesia’s defense minister have held talks in Jakarta as Moscow’s war on Ukraine entered its fourth year

Events

4 h. ago Airdrie v Raith Rovers: Diamonds striker knows it's time to start winning

Ben Wilson says the Diamonds have turned the corner, but face a crucial part of the season

Events

4 h. ago Kanye West and Bianca Censori 'trying to make marriage work again' after post

The 47-year-old disgraced rapper and his 30-year-old wife have reconciled and decided to give their marriage a second chance after talking it over this week, a source told Page Six.

Economics

4 h. ago Thousands gather outside the Vatican to pray for Pope Francis' health

Thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square to pray for an ailing Pope Francis, expressing sorrow for his suffering, hope for his recovery and gratitude for his efforts to steer the Catholic Church in new directions

Politics

4 h. ago Ukraine war briefing: European allies rush to showcase extra support for Kyiv

Baltic and Nordic countries to equip and train Ukrainian brigade; Rheinmetall car part factories to make weapons and ammunition. What we know on day 1,098 Continue reading...

Events

5 h. ago Grace Slick on sex, drugs and Jefferson Airplane: ‘I was sober in the 80s. That was a mistake’

She topped the charts, dropped the F-bomb on US TV, was ghosted by Jim Morrison and planned to spike Richard Nixon’s tea with LSD. Now 85, the legendary singer tells allRock’n’roll might not be advertised as being good for your health, but it’s worked out all right for Grace Slick. The former Jefferson Airplane singer is talking me through a life story that spans psychedelic drugs, free love, alcoholism, house fires and a high speed car crash. And yet, even at the age of 85, she sounds as perky, full of mischief and hilariously coarse as any interviewee I can remember.“Rock’n’roll people are spoiled brats,” she says at one point with a throaty cackle. “We don’t know anything about anything except having fun, how much money we can spend and who we can screw.” Continue reading...

Events

6 h. ago Pope Francis health latest: Live updates as Vatican confirm pontiff 'resumes some work' and is showing 'slight improvement' but remains in a critical condition

MAILONLINE BLOG: Follow live updates on Pope Francis as 88-year-old pontiff remains in a critical condition at Rome's Gemelli hospital.

Economics

7 h. ago Can the ‘special relationship’ survive Donald Trump? – podcast

Keir Starmer is travelling to the White House for a high-stakes meeting. But will he have any influence over the US president? Patrick Wintour reportsIt’s the most important international relationship the UK has, and for decades has been referred to as “special”. Since the second world war, the UK and the US have considered themselves the closest allies, working together for shared values, with any resentments, differences of opinion or cross words kept to private channels.But now Donald Trump is back and he seems keen to throw the usual world order of alliances and enmities into chaos. Keir Starmer’s first meeting with the US president comes at a crucial juncture for Europe, with the future of Ukraine in the balance. “The stakes at the moment could not be higher,” says the Guardian’s diplomatic editor, Patrick Wintour. Continue reading...

Politics

7 h. ago In Rome, talks to protect Earth's biodiversity resume with money topping the agenda

An annual United Nations conference on biodiversity that ran out of time last year will resume its work Tuesday in Rome with money at the top of the agenda

Politics

9 h. ago Suffering in silence? One in every three men never open up to another male about their health concerns, poll reveals

The study - commissioned by BUPA - showed men do not talk about mental health strains, relationship break ups and physical ailments with their close male friends or family.

Politics

10 h. ago Trump and Macron 'both aim to dominate' in US talks before 'death grip' handshake

Trump and Macron greeted one another with a 'death grip handshake' as they appeared to clash during a meeting on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale military invasion of Ukraine

Politics

11 h. ago Watch: Trump hosts Macron at White House for Ukraine talks on third anniversary of Russia’s invasion

Watch as Donald Trump hosts Emmanuel Macron at the White House on Monday, 24 February, to discuss ending Russia’s war on Ukraine and the future of U.S. relations with Europe.

Politics

11 h. ago Five key questions we should be asking about Kristen Bell and this year's SAG Awards

Netflix and host Kristen Bell made The Screen Actors' Guild Awards one of the most-talked about ceremonies of the season - but forget who won what, Daily Mirror Columnist Jessica Boulton brings you her take on the real highlights....

Events