18 m. ago Donald Trump attacks Keir Starmer just days before meeting between pair

Donald Trump criticised Keir Starmer only days before the pair meet at the White House - we'll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story.

Politics

58 m. ago Trump says Starmer and Macron ‘haven’t done anything’ to end Ukraine war

Sir Keir has faced pressure to take a firm line with Mr Trump on support for Ukraine when he visits the US next week.

Politics

69 m. ago Hunter Schafer reveals passport now lists her as male after Donald Trump order

Convicted felon and US President Donald Trump announced that under his leadership, the US Government would only recognise two genders - male and female - based on what was assigned at birth

Politics

2 h. ago Donald Trump 'will join Putin in Moscow' for World War Two commemorations

Donald Trump will make a shock visit to Moscow for a World War II commemoration event, according to new reports, following days of deepening ties between the US president and the Kremlin

Politics

2 h. ago 'Trump's lies make him as dangerous as the Nazis, we are living George Orwell's 1984'

In George Orwell's classic, the proles swallowed up all the newspeak ­propaganda from Big Brother, and Brian Reade fears too many people today are falling for the US president's blatant reality twisting

Politics

2 h. ago US general goes against Trump as he brands Zelenskyy 'courageous leader' after Putin

Keith Kellogg, a retired US Army lieutenant general, has branded Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy a 'courageous leader', marking a sea-change from Donald Trump's comments

Politics

2 h. ago Justice department drops discrimination case against Elon Musk’s SpaceX

Case brought during Biden presidency accused space company of refusing, unlawfully, to hire certain immigrantsThe US Department of Justice on Thursday said it would drop a case accusing Elon Musk’s space technology company SpaceX of refusing to hire certain immigrants.The justice department last month signaled it could back away from the case, brought during Joe Biden’s term. Musk, a top adviser and donor to Donald Trump, is leading a commission tasked with identifying waste in the federal government, dubbed the “department of government efficiency”, or Doge. Continue reading...

Technology

2 h. ago Justice department drop discrimination case against Elon Musk’s SpaceX

Case brought during Biden presidency accused space company of refusing, unlawfully, to hire certain immigrantsThe US Department of Justice on Thursday said it would drop a case accusing Elon Musk’s space technology company SpaceX of refusing to hire certain immigrants.The justice department last month signaled it could back away from the case, brought during Joe Biden’s term. Musk, a top adviser and donor to Donald Trump, is leading a commission tasked with identifying waste in the federal government, dubbed the “Department of Government Efficiency”, or Doge. Continue reading...

Technology

2 h. ago Trump says Starmer has done 'nothing' to stop Ukraine war and repeats attack on Zelensky

Russian president expected to make the claims on the third anniversary of his Ukraine war on February 24

Events

3 h. ago Starmer to tell Trump that UK’s Chagos deal will avoid tensions with China

PM to claim if US rejects Mauritius’s claim to own the islands, Beijing will be drawn into the regional disputeKeir Starmer is to urge Donald Trump to recognise that a US rejection of Mauritius’s legal claim to own the Chagos Islands, including the strategic US military base at Diego Garcia, may stoke tensions similar to those in the South China Sea.Starmer is due to meet Trump next Friday mainly to discuss the future of Ukraine, but also a UK plan for Gaza’s reconstruction under international protection with no need for Palestinians to be required to quit the Gaza Strip. The paper is similar but not identical to proposals being discussed by Arab foreign ministers in Riyadh, which has a strong international component and would prevent Hamas ruling in Gaza. Continue reading...

Politics

3 h. ago UK must not respond to every Donald Trump 'twist and turn', says key Sir Keir Starmer ally

Pat McFadden said the special relationship is ‘vital’ and ‘in our interests’

Politics

3 h. ago Trump says 'it is not important' for Zelensky to be involved in peace talks because 'he makes it very hard to make deals' and 'Ukraine has no cards to play with'

Donald Trump on Friday said he doesn't consider it essential for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to be present at negotiations aimed at ending Russia's war in Ukraine.

Politics

3 h. ago Donald Trump dismisses Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron because they 'didn't do anything' to end the Ukraine war amid transatlantic spat over Volodymr Zelensky 'dictator' rant

The US President lashed out at Sir Keir Starmer and France 's Emmanuel Macron amid a transatlantic spat over Mr Trump branding Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky a 'dictator'.

Politics

3 h. ago Mexico reviewing request from cartel leader jailed in the US to be sent back

Mexico’s president says her government is reviewing a petition by Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a longtime leader of the Sinaloa cartel who is jailed in the United States, to be returned to Mexico for trial

Events

3 h. ago Donald Trump was recruited by KGB with codename 'Krasnov', claims ex

Former Chairman of Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee Alnur Mussayev claims the Soviet KGB recruited Donald Trump before the collapse of the USSR, assigning him the alias Krasnov

Politics

3 h. ago Trump says he ‘had very good talks with Putin’ and again criticizes Ukraine – live

US president also accuses Kyiv of talking ‘tough’ but having few bargaining chips in latest remarks in feud with Ukrainian president ZelenskyyNational security adviser Mike Waltz told a crowd of Donald Trump loyalists that he believes the president will receive the Nobel peace prize.“This is the presidency of peace. He’s going to end the war in Europe. He is going to end the wars in the Middle East. He is going to reinvest the United States and our leadership in our own hemisphere, from the Arctic to the border to Panama all the way down to our good friends in Argentina,” Waltz told the Conservative Political Action Conference.The pause comes after CNN reported on Wednesday that the mass terminations, which could affect over 50,000 civilian employees across the Pentagon, could run afoul of Title 10 section 129a of the US code. Following that report, Pentagon lawyers began reviewing the legality of the planned terminations more closely, the officials said.That law says that the secre...

Politics

3 h. ago Of course it's bonkers to say Ukraine started the war. But here's what I think Donald Trump's trying to achieve: BORIS JOHNSON

Well, folks, it has been a bad few days for the truth. But we have reached clinical levels of insanity. Apparently we can no longer ascribe the tragedy to 'Russian aggression'. Oh really?

Politics

3 h. ago Experienced workers, not just rookies, get cut as Trump slashes probationary employees

President Donald Trump has been cutting probationary employees as part of his effort to downsize the federal workforce

Politics

3 h. ago Voices: Readers praise Independent for pledging to speak out against Trump

Our readers have strongly backed our pledge to stand against Donald Trump’s threat to truth and democracy

Politics

3 h. ago Donald Trump source warns Zelenskyy must flee with Putin declaring victory on set date

A source close to Donald Trump has said that Volodymyr Zelenskyy needs to get out of Ukraine immediately as Russia is about to win the war. This comes as tensions between Ukraine and the US grow

Events

3 h. ago Why was Tiger Woods at the White House? Golf legends meets Donald Trump to discuss sport's reunification

Golf legend Tiger Woods and President Donald Trump met at the White House to discuss a potential reunification of golf amid the PGA and LIV Golf rift

Politics

4 h. ago Trump administration stalling medical evacuation for USAID staffers, spouses in peril, suits charge

Court orders have had only limited effect in the Trump administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development

Politics

4 h. ago US Senate passes budget resolution to fund Trump’s deportation plan

Bill approving $175bn for border security and extra $150bn for Pentagon faces tough challenge in HouseUS politics live – latest updatesThe US Senate has passed a budget resolution that paves the way for funding Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan after his “border czar” said there were insufficient funds for the operation.A 10-hour marathon session – dubbed a “vote-a-rama” – concluded in the early hours of Friday morning with a 52-48 vote almost entirely on party lines in favor of a spending structure that would see $175bn reserved for border security, including Trump’s prized border wall with Mexico, and a $150bn boost to the Pentagon budget. Continue reading...

Politics

4 h. ago UK must handle Trump relationship ‘correctly’, says senior minister

Sir Keir Starmer is due to meet Donald Trump in Washington next week amid growing concern about US support for Ukraine.

Politics

4 h. ago White House promises to unleash 'holy hell' on drugs cartels

Donald Trump's national security adviser on Friday promised to unleash 'holy hell' on drugs cartels, responsible for smuggling deadly fentanyl across the southern border.

Events

4 h. ago Sinn Fein defends boycott of US visit for St Patrick’s Day events amid criticism

Irish deputy premier Simon Harris said the party’s decision would not help any Palestinians.

Politics

4 h. ago Martin Rowson on Britain desperately clinging to the US while Trump abandons Ukraine – cartoon

Continue reading...

Politics

4 h. ago Senate passes budget funding Trump’s mass deportations; Pentagon reportedly delays firing civilians – US politics live

Republicans approve spending plan that will pay for hardline immigration policies; sackings on hold amid concerns they could hit military readinessMass firings could cause ‘monumental’ bill, say expertsNational security adviser Mike Waltz told a crowd of Donald Trump loyalists that he believes the president will receive the Nobel peace prize.“This is the presidency of peace. He’s going to end the war in Europe. He is going to end the wars in the Middle East. He is going to reinvest the United States and our leadership in our own hemisphere, from the Arctic to the border to Panama all the way down to our good friends in Argentina,” Waltz told the Conservative Political Action Conference.The pause comes after CNN reported on Wednesday that the mass terminations, which could affect over 50,000 civilian employees across the Pentagon, could run afoul of Title 10 section 129a of the US code. Following that report, Pentagon lawyers began reviewing the legality of the planned terminations m...

Politics

4 h. ago Ooops...We've sacked our nuclear weapons workers! Donald Trump team forced into emergency rehire of key staff

‘This shows a level of absolute incompetence in the firing process,” says Professor Don Moynihan

Events

5 h. ago Anas Sarwar echoes Donald Trump and Elon Musk by announcing Scottish Labour DOGE plan

The Scottish Labour leader said that he would create the department because of "the SNP's wasteful incompetence".

Politics

5 h. ago Trump is the world’s greatest showman – and the weakest strongman it has ever seen | Jonathan Freedland

His capitulation to Putin over Ukraine reveals a pattern. He’s the patsy: giving everything away, getting little in returnHe parades as a strongman, but in fact he’s weak, weak, weak. In the face of America’s adversaries Donald Trump is, as he might put it, a patsy, a sucker, a pushover. He folds like a pack of cards. He’s a human doormat. A loser.Just consider the gifts he has handed Vladimir Putin this week. He has brought Russia in from the diplomatic cold after three years of ostracism following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, whose anniversary is nearly upon us. Sergei Lavrov, Putin’s foreign minister, was meant to be persona non grata; he remains under international sanctions. Nevertheless, this week in Riyadh he met Trump’s secretary of state, Marco Rubio, in so-called peace talks.Jonathan Freedland is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Politics

5 h. ago Senate passes budget funding Trump’s mass deportations; federal workers brace for more firings – US politics live

Senate Republicans approve spending plan that will pay for hardline immigration policies; mass layoffs get all-clear after judge lifts blockMass firings could cause ‘monumental’ bill, say expertsThe defense department will delay a plan to fire civilian employees on probation as it assess whether the move complies with the law and if it affects military readiness, CNN reports.The cuts were to be made as part of Donald Trump’s effort to dramatically downsize the federal government, which is being led by Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency”. Here’s more, from CNN:The pause comes after CNN reported on Wednesday that the mass terminations, which could affect over 50,000 civilian employees across the Pentagon, could run afoul of Title 10 section 129a of the US code. Following that report, Pentagon lawyers began reviewing the legality of the planned terminations more closely, the officials said.That law says that the secretary of defense “may not reduce the civilian workforce ...

Politics

5 h. ago Donald Trump declares himself 'King' in mad boast as White House and world spiral into chaos

After barely a month back in the White House, much of the American electorate and the world are not comparing Trump to King Charles, but to King George III - afflicted with madness.

Events

6 h. ago Ooops...We've sacked our nuclear arsenal workers! Donald Trump team forced into emergency rehire of key staff

‘This shows a level of absolute incompetence in the firing process,” says Professor Don Moynihan

Politics

6 h. ago Elon Musk in row with Danish astronaut over claim Biden abandoned ISS pair

Musk claimed without evidence Nasa’s Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were left stranded on orbital outpost for ‘political reasons’Elon Musk has become embroiled in a heated row with a Danish astronaut who criticised the tech billionaire’s claim that the former US president Joe Biden abandoned two American astronauts at the International Space Station on purpose.Andreas “Andy” Mogensen accused Musk of lying when he claimed in a Fox News interview alongside Donald Trump that Nasa’s Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were left stranded for “political reasons” by Biden. Continue reading...

Politics

6 h. ago Another ceasefire is under threat from Trump – the precarious deal between Lebanon and Israel | Mohamad Bazzi

Israel, seemingly with the US president’s blessing, has kept troops inside Lebanon. Renewed conflict with Hezbollah is loomingAs global attention remains focused on the hostage-prisoner swaps between Hamas and Israel, another ceasefire in the region hangs in the balance.The 14-month war between Israel and Hezbollah, a Shia Muslim militia which has been the most dominant political faction in Lebanon for the past two decades, was paused by a US-brokered ceasefire in late November. The agreement also paved the way to end years of political deadlock in Beirut. Lebanon has formed a new government, and finally has leaders chosen for their promises to carry out reforms, rather than their sectarian affiliations – but the future of the ceasefire deal has left them facing an immediate crisis.Mohamad Bazzi is director of the Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies, and a journalism professor at New York University Continue reading...

Politics

7 h. ago President Donald Trump and Elon Musk want to check if there is still gold in Fort Knox

‘It would be cool to do a live video walkthrough of Fort Knox!’ the Tesla billionaire, father of alleged 13, said on X

Politics

7 h. ago Federal workers brace for more firings after judge lifts block on Trump administration job cuts – US politics live

Trump administration expected to continue its mass downsizing of the federal workforce amid warnings of unlawful terminations and a ‘monumental’ billMass firings could cause ‘monumental’ bill, say expertsWe expect Britain’s prime minister Keir Starmer to soon visit Donald Trump, at a moment when the American president is upending much of America’s foreign policy with his embrace of Russia’s position in the war in Ukraine. The Guardian’s Patrick Wintour looks at whether Starmer’s visit might reassure a rattled Europe:In November 1940, Winston Churchill sent a telegram to Franklin Roosevelt expressing relief both at the US president’s re-election and the victory of his anti-appeasement policy. “Things are afoot which will be remembered as long as the English language is spoken in any quarter of the globe, and in expressing the comfort I feel that the people of the United States have once again cast these great burdens upon you, I must now avow my sure faith that the lights by which we...

Politics

7 h. ago Refugees and their sponsors feel stuck after halt to programs letting communities resettle newcomers

Refugees had been arriving in the United States at levels unseen in nearly three decades, aided by nonprofits and ordinary people across the political spectrum

Events

7 h. ago Vladimir Putin to 'declare victory over Ukraine and Nato' as Donald Trump told not to be 'weak' in peace talks

Russian president expected to make the claims on the third anniversary of his Ukraine war on February 24

Politics

8 h. ago Zachary Levi says endorsing Trump was more ‘important than saving my career’

The ‘Shazam’ actor said that he ‘felt peace’ after endorsing the president

Politics

8 h. ago Outcry as Trump withdraws support for research that mentions ‘climate’

US government stripping funds from domestic and overseas research amid warnings for health and public safetyThe Trump administration is stripping away support for scientific research in the US and overseas that contains a word it finds particularly inconvenient: “climate.”The US government is withdrawing grants and other support for research that even references the climate crisis, academics have said, amid Donald Trump’s blitzkrieg upon environmental regulations and clean-energy development. Continue reading...

Politics

8 h. ago No matter how distasteful we find Trump and Vance over Europe, they speak a blunt truth | Simon Jenkins

The US has chosen the worst possible moment and the worst possible way to say it, but it is right to call for a realignmentIt’s tough being rightwing these days. You have to find something nice to say about Donald Trump. That is hard. He thinks Kyiv started the Ukraine war and its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is a “dictator”. But what about JD Vance? The US vice-president thinks that Europe’s “threat from within”, which is putting “free speech in retreat”, is worse than any threat from Russia or China. These men are deranged. What more is there to say?The answer is quite a lot. John Stuart Mill warned that “he who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that”. We must try to understand the case they are making, whether we agree with it or not. Continue reading...

Politics

9 h. ago International aid groups axe thousands of jobs in wake of Trump funding freeze

Fears that cuts will ‘decimate’ ability to react to crises as sector loses expertise and skills at every level, report findsSome of the world’s largest aid organisations are axing thousands of jobs as a result of US president Donald Trump’s freeze on overseas aid, potentially “decimating” the sector’s ability to react to future crises.Those that have already announced job cuts include the International Rescue Committee, Danish Refugee Council, Norwegian Refugee Council and war zone-focused Norwegian People’s Aid. Continue reading...

Politics

9 h. ago Why The Independent will not be silent in the face of Trump’s assault on truth and democracy

Editorial: The US president is pedalling dangerous misinformation about Zelensky and Ukraine – now is the time to tell the truth and stand up to the bully in the White House

Politics

9 h. ago We asked the people of Gaza how they saw their future – this is what we found | Nils Mallock

Support for Hamas is declining – no obvious alternative has emerged, but our poll shows there are reasons to be hopefulNils Mallock is research fellow at the XCEPT research group at King’s College LondonAfter coming the closest yet to falling apart, the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel is back on its fragile track. Just days ago, an escalating dispute threatened the deal after both sides expressed frustration about the other’s fulfilment of their respective obligations. Donald Trump’s recent proposal to resettle Gaza’s population of two million Palestinians also rattled the truce.The turbulences of the month-old ceasefire expose a deeper political uncertainty: after 15 months of fighting, no clear vision exists for what comes next. Who should govern and rebuild Gaza? What will its future relationship with Israel be?Nils Mallock is research fellow at the XCEPT research group at King’s College London, a PhD candidate at the London School of Economics, and regularly briefs the UK For...

Politics

10 h. ago Donald Trump insists Tiger Woods can still win ‘a couple more majors’ after talks to end golf’s civil war

Woods and Trump met this week amid ongoing negotiations over a possible partnership between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf

Politics

10 h. ago Several of Prince Harry's secret US visa records to be released in latest twist in legal saga

Lawyers for US Department of Homeland Security agree some of Harry’s visa documents can be released

Politics

10 h. ago Huge cuts in National Institutes of Health research funding go before a federal judge

A court battle is set to resume over the Trump administration’s drastic cuts in medical research funding

Events

10 h. ago Donald Trump in new 'Nazi salute' controversy as former chief copies Musk at MAGA event

The spiritual leader of the MAGA movement Steve Bannon, 71, made the gesture in front of crowds of Donald Trump fans at the Conservative Political Action Conference

Politics

10 h. ago Canadian singer changes national anthem lyrics to protest Trump

A singer who performed the Canadian national anthem before the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game on Thursday, 20 February, changed a lyric in protest against Donald Trump’s repeated threats to make the country the 51st US state.

Politics

11 h. ago Starmer facing pressure to be bold with Trump in Washington visit

The Prime Minister will meet US President Donald Trump next week amid a deepening feud between Kyiv and Washington.

Politics

11 h. ago Macron and Starmer to lead Europe’s Trump charm offensive when they travel to US – Europe live

French president and UK prime minister are due to meet Donald Trump next weekGoing briefly to a number of different false claims made by US president Donald Trump about Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraine, we have looked at some of them in detail and produced this short video explainer.French president Emmanuel Macron and UK prime minister Keir Starmer will lead Europe’s charm offensive next week as they both travel to the US to meet with president Donald Trump in an increasingly desperate bid to change his mind on Ukraine and European security. Continue reading...

Politics

11 h. ago Good cop Keir Starmer loses out to bad cop Emmanuel Macron in race to visit White House and try to soften 'weak' Donald Trump's Ukraine plan

The White House last night confirmed that both the Prime Minister and Mr Macron will head to Washington DC next week, in the wake of America's astonishing U-turn over Ukraine.

Politics

11 h. ago Elon Musk goes on bizarre rant accusing Zelensky of 'feeding off dead Ukrainian bodies'

Elon Musk has increasingly used his social media platform X/Twitter to share outrage at figures who have made negative comments about himself and President Donald Trump

Events

12 h. ago Putin turned into giant 10ft todger complete with massive helmet and hauled around country

Vladimir Putin has been 'honoured' – or perhaps reimagined – in a new statue to remind residents to 'not be afraid' of the Russian leader, who is currently in peace talks with Donald Trump

Politics

12 h. ago Mohammed bin Salman wants an alternative to Trump’s Gaza plan – but one that most benefits Saudi Arabia | Madawi al

The crown prince sees Hamas as a regional threat, and may propose a deal that risks sidelining PalestiniansSaudi Arabia has suddenly experienced a diplomatic awakening after lukewarm engagement with the conflict in Gaza. Today, leaders of Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will gather in Riyadh to discuss Donald Trump’s proposal for a US takeover of Gaza. (Keen to be viewed as a global deal maker, Saudi Arabia will also be hosting negotiations over Ukraine this week.)Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was alarmed by Trump’s outrageous “Riviera plan” to reconstruct Gaza following eviction of its people to neighbouring countries. Alongside Arab leaders, he hopes to propose an alternative plan with the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem its capital at its core. The crown prince has insisted that there will be no normalisation of Israel without a Palestinian state.Madawi al-Rasheed is a fellow of the British Academy and a visiting professor at the Midd...

Politics

12 h. ago 8 deeply weird things Donald Trump and Elon Musk did while you were sleeping

The Mirror has been reporting from CPAC, the biggest gathering of the MAGA faithful, in Washington DC. Yesterday saw speeches from Liz Truss and Nigel Farage - but the oddest appearances came from Vice President JD Vance and a chainsaw wielding Elon Musk

Politics

13 h. ago Trudeau schools Trump after hockey victory: ‘You can’t take our country or our game’

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau scored a direct political hit on Donald Trump Thursday night after Canada’s hockey team dispatched Team USA 3-2 in overtime in a 4 Nations Faceoff Championship Game in Boston.

Politics

13 h. ago Watch: White House briefing after Donald Trump calls Volodymyr Zelensky ‘dictator’

Watch as Karoline Leavitt delivered a White House press briefing on Thursday, 20 February, after Donald Trump accused Volodymyr Zelensky of being a “dictator.”

Politics

13 h. ago Elon Musk attacks 'despised' Zelensky and claims Kyiv 'feeding off dead soldiers' as US

Musk accused Kyiv of being a ‘massive graft machine feeding off the dead bodies of Ukrainian soldiers’

Events

15 h. ago Trump jokes that Canada can keep O Canada anthem as 51st US state

Donald Trump joked that Canada can keep ‘O Canada’ anthem as 51st US state while speaking at Republican Governors Association meeting in Washington on Thursday, 20 February.

Politics

15 h. ago European troops, US support are part of an emerging plan for Ukraine. But it faces many hurdles

Political and military leaders in Europe are fleshing out details of a plan for European forces to help ensure Moscow does not attack Ukraine again once the guns fall silent

Politics

15 h. ago How Trump's mass layoffs raise the risk of wildfires in the US West, according to fired workers

The termination letters that ended the careers of thousands of U.S. Forest Service employees mean fewer people and less resources will be available to help prevent and fight wildfires

Events

15 h. ago Federal judge will consider further blocking Trump administration from freezing funds

A federal judge will consider a request to further block President Donald Trump’s administration from freezing grants and loans potentially totaling trillions of dollars

Politics

16 h. ago Stock market today: Asia shares trade mixed as China benchmarks surge while others slip

Asian shares are trading mixed after a sharp slide for Walmart helped pull Wall Street off record highs

Politics

18 h. ago DHS makes shock decision on Prince Harry's secret US visa records that could reveal if he lied about drug use

The latest twist in the case came weeks after Donald Trump said he wouldn't deport Harry.

Events

18 h. ago Musk suggests Zelensky runs 'fraud machine feeding off the dead bodies of soldiers' as Washington's war of words with Kyiv deepens

The tech billionaire's unfounded claim will deepen Washington's war of words with Kyiv after the White House revealed President Donald Trump was 'very frustrated' with Zelensky.

Events

18 h. ago ‘What a lie’: Danish astronaut responds to Musk claim that Biden abandoned ISS pair on purpose

Musk claimed without evidence that Nasa’s Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were left stranded on the orbital outpost for ‘political reasons’Elon Musk has got into a heated row with a Danish astronaut who criticised the tech billionaire’s claim that former president Joe Biden intentionally abandoned two American astronauts aboard the International Space Station.Andreas “Andy” Mogensen had on Thursday shared on X a Fox News clip featuring Musk and his boss, US President Donald Trump, in which Musk claimed Nasa’s Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were left stranded on the orbital outpost for “political reasons” by Biden, and that the new administration was now coming to the rescue. Continue reading...

Politics

19 h. ago Musk sets up clash with Republican hawks over ‘Doge dividend cheques’

Billionaire says Donald Trump backs his idea to distribute cost-cutting savings to US citizens

Politics

20 h. ago Trump calls US team ahead of hockey final against Canada. Fans say they aren't there for politics

President Donald Trump has called the U.S. hockey team to wish players good luck ahead of their 4 Nations Face-Off final against Canada

Politics

20 h. ago PATRICK BISHOP: Why such vicious animus against Zelensky? Trump is jealous of him

Donald Trump's trashing of the norms that governed America's post-war relationship with Europe has had politicians and pundits scrabbling to find some method in what, to many, looks like madness.

Politics

21 h. ago IRS layoffs could hurt revenue collection and foil efforts to go after rich tax dodgers, experts say

Experts say the layoffs of roughly 7,000 IRS probationary workers likely mean the end of the agency’s plans to go after high-wealth tax dodgers and could spell disaster for revenue collections

Politics

21 h. ago Tiger Woods fights back tears as Donald Trump reveals him as surprise guest at Black History Month event

Tiger Woods was visibly emotional as Donald Trump introduced him as a surprise guest at a Black History Month reception at the White House on Thursday, 20 February.

Politics

21 h. ago Texas AG asks court to require NCAA to begin gender testing as part of new transgender policy

The Republican attorney general in Texas wants the NCAA to take its transgender policy a step further and require gender testing for athletes who compete in women’s sports

Events

22 h. ago ‘Interesting discussions’: Donald Trump and Tiger Woods hold talks on golf’s rift

Woods joins PGA delegation at White House on ThursdayLIV representatives also present in WashingtonDonald Trump’s involvement in professional golf’s peace talks has ramped up further, with Tiger Woods among those afforded an audience with the US president at the White House on Thursday afternoon.Woods joined the PGA Tour commissioner, Jay Monahan, fellow board member Adam Scott and representatives of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in a meeting hosted by Trump amid increasing hopes the fractured sport can unite over the coming months. Key sticking points were expected to surround the precise role for Yasir al-Rumayyan, the PIF’s governor, in golf’s new world and where the Saudi-established LIV Tour sits on the sport’s schedule. Continue reading...

Politics

22 h. ago Keir Starmer takes back seat to Emmanuel Macron in race to be first to see Donald Trump in Washington

The White House confirmed last night that Keir Starmer leader will meet Mr Trump next Thursday, after French president Emmanuel Macron visits him on Monday.

Politics

22 h. ago Trump brings out 'incredible' Tiger Woods at White House Black History Month celebration

President Donald Trump brought out golfer Tiger Woods to surprise the crowd at a White House Black History month celebration.

Politics

22 h. ago ‘Donald Trump won’t drive us out of lawless Slab City – there’s too many of us out here’

EXCLUSIVE: Angie Harrell Bragg told the Daily Star she thinks there will be other issues that drive her out of her home in Slab City before Donald Trump and Elon Musk can

Politics

22 h. ago Kids' disability rights cases stalled as Trump began to overhaul Education Department

As President Donald Trump reshaped the Education Department, parents say investigations and mediations into kids' disability rights cases ground to a halt

Politics

22 h. ago Dr. Mehmet Oz holds millions from companies that he'd wield power over if confirmed, report shows

Dr. Mehmet Oz holds millions of dollars worth of shares in health insurance, fertility, pharmaceutical and vitamin companies

Economics

22 h. ago Trump administration can continue mass firings of federal workers, judge rules

US judge rejects bid by group of labor unions to halt president’s government overhaul through Musk-led ‘Doge’The Trump administration can for now continue its mass firings of federal employees, a federal judge ruled on Thursday, rejecting a bid by a group of labor unions to halt Donald Trump’s dramatic downsizing of the roughly 2.3 million-strong federal workforce.The ruling by the US district judge Christopher Cooper in Washington DC federal court is temporary while the litigation plays out. But it is a win for the Trump administration as it seeks to purge the federal workforce and slash what it deems wasteful and fraudulent government spending. Continue reading...

Politics

23 h. ago Melania Trump is surprise social media star in China as Donald threatens WW3

Despite Donald Trump's views about the country being well known, social media users in China have praised Melania for her 'elegant' fashion taste and 'independent' streak

Politics

23 h. ago Melania Trump is surprise social media star in China despite Donald's previous rants

Despite Donald Trump's views about the country being well known, social media users in China have praised Melania for her 'elegant' fashion taste and 'independent' streak

Politics

24 h. ago Stop criticising Trump and sign $500bn mineral deal, US official advises Kyiv

National security adviser says Ukraine is wrong to push back against Trump’s approach to peace talks with RussiaWhite House officials have told Ukraine to stop badmouthing Donald Trump and to sign a deal handing over half of the country’s mineral wealth to the US, saying a failure to do so would be unacceptable.The US national security adviser, Mike Waltz, told Fox News that Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, should “tone down” his criticism of the US and take a “hard look” at the deal. It proposes giving Washington $500bn worth of natural resources, including oil and gas. Continue reading...

Politics

24 h. ago Watch live: Trump hosts Black History Month reception at White House after anti

Watch live as Donald Trump hosts a Black History Month reception at the White House on Thursday, 20 February.

Politics

24 h. ago White House reveals Trump's personal problem with Zelensky and issues furious demand of Ukrainian leader

President Donald Trump's 'frustration' with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is 'multifold,' the White House said on Thursday.

Politics

24 h. ago Trump ‘very frustrated’ with Zelenskyy for allegedly failing to ‘take opportunity’ of US

US national security adviser claims Ukrainian president has failed to ‘come to the table’ despite not being invited to Russia-US talks this weekVance poses immigrants as ‘greatest threat’ to US and EuropePeople in the US: share your views on Trump’s Russia-Ukraine approachFormer US state secretary John Kerry said “the basic playing field for making peace in Ukraine is there,” as he rejected Donald Trump’s suggestions that Ukraine was responsible for starting the war with Russia and dismissed Russian president Vladimir Putin’s logic for invasion as “lies.”Speaking at a London conference organised by the consultancy Brand Finance, Kerry, who served as the US state secretary in Barack Obama’s Democratic administration, said this:Putin individually decided, contrary to what Donald Trump said yesterday or day before, to invade Ukraine. He wants it back. He said different motives expressed at different times, that it was Nazis taking over the country, and he had to go in to root out the N...

Politics

24 h. ago New arrivals at Guantanamo Bay are Venezuelan immigrants with final deportation orders

U.S. immigration and military authorities say they are holding exclusively Venezuelan immigrants subject to final deportation orders at the U.S. naval station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

Events

24 h. ago CDC vaccination committee meeting postponed days after RFK Jr. took over at HHS

A panel of experts that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine policy will not meet as previously scheduled next week

Politics

25 h. ago Starmer’s tough stance on Ukraine is necessary for dealing with bullying Trump

Editorial: Trump and Starmer each seems to think that the other is a man he can do business with. In the most unpromising of circumstances, there is at least some hope that the ‘special relationship’ could be reborn

Politics

25 h. ago Unions sue over federal worker firings, alleging Trump administration misused probationary periods

Unions for federal workers have filed a lawsuit to block the mass firings of probationary federal employees by President Donald Trump’s administration, alleging that officials are exploiting and misusing the probationary period to eliminate staff across government agencies

Politics

25 h. ago In the Trump administration, nearly every major department is an immigration agency

As the Trump administration works on pledges to crack down on illegal immigration, the flurry of activity has stretched across the federal government

Politics

25 h. ago Trump brings Russia in from the cold, but at what cost to Ukraine? – podcast

In a matter of days, Donald Trump completed the most radical shift in US foreign policy in decades, bringing Putin back into the fold while sidelining Europe. He claims to have brought the end of the war in Ukraine in sight, but with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the rest of Europe excluded from the US-Russia talks, are we really any closer to peace? And, at what price?Jonathan Freedland speaks to veteran US diplomat Kurt Volker, who served as Trump’s special representative for Ukraine during his first term, and the Guardian’s US live news editor Chris MichaelSend your questions and feedback to politicsweeklyamerica@theguardian.com Help support the Guardian by going to theguardian.com/politcspodus Continue reading...

Politics

25 h. ago Trump ‘very frustrated’ with Zelenskyy for failing to ‘take opportunity’ of US

US national security adviser claims Ukrainian president has failed to ‘come to the table’ despite not being invited to Russia-US talks this weekVance poses immigrants as ‘greatest threat’ to US and EuropePeople in the US: share your views on Trump’s Russia-Ukraine approachFormer US state secretary John Kerry said “the basic playing field for making peace in Ukraine is there,” as he rejected Donald Trump’s suggestions that Ukraine was responsible for starting the war with Russia and dismissed Russian president Vladimir Putin’s logic for invasion as “lies.”Speaking at a London conference organised by the consultancy Brand Finance, Kerry, who served as the US state secretary in Barack Obama’s Democratic administration, said this:Putin individually decided, contrary to what Donald Trump said yesterday or day before, to invade Ukraine. He wants it back. He said different motives expressed at different times, that it was Nazis taking over the country, and he had to go in to root out the N...

Politics

25 h. ago Donald Trump aide brazenly tells Ukraine to 'tone it down' in dangerous war of words

White House national security adviser Mike Waltz made the comments as a war of words erupted between the two countries and Donald Trump repeatedly branding Ukraine’s President a 'dictator'

Politics

25 h. ago Nigel Farage dissents from Trump’s Zelenskyy ‘dictator’ claim

Reform leader contradicts Trump rant, saying ‘you shouldn’t always take things Donald Trump says absolutely literally’Nigel Farage has contradicted his ally Donald Trump, saying Volodymyr Zelenskyy “is not a dictator” after the US president’s attack on the Ukrainian leader this week.Farage, who became one of the last UK party leaders to distance himself from Trump’s remarks, said he had been delayed in calling it out earlier because he was heading to the US to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Continue reading...

Politics

25 h. ago Florida holds off updating population projections because of uncertainties over immigration policies

Florida officials are holding off updating the state’s population projections because of the uncertainties surrounding how the immigration policies of President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis are going to impact growth

Events

25 h. ago The Guardian view on Gaza’s future: the ceasefire and hostage deal must not fizzle out | Editorial

As Donald Trump persists with a monstrous proposal to remove Palestinians, the immediate need is to prevent fresh conflictThe pain and damage wreaked in the last 16 months will reverberate through families, communities and the Middle East for decades to come. On Thursday, the bodies of two young children and their mother, and that of an 83-year-old peace activist, were returned to Israel by Hamas. They were kidnapped in the 7 October 2023 raid in which the militants killed around 1,200 Israelis and others. Around 48,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its war in response.It was always feared that the ceasefire deal, which has brought desperately needed respite for Palestinians in Gaza and the return of Israeli and foreign hostages, would be fleeting. The six-week opening stage is due to expire on 1 March. The talks on the more complicated second stage have yet to begin, more than a fortnight after the...

Events

26 h. ago JD Vance slams Europe for censorship as he issues final warning to Ukraine

Vice President J.D. Vance vows that he and Donald Trump will work to deescalate wars around the globe.

Events