2 h. ago Russians hoping for peace talks and ‘universal joy’ – but will western brands return?

Following last week’s US-Russia talks, the mood in Moscow suggests many are beginning to think about what a post-war reality might look likeAfter three years of war and western isolation, Russians are starting to hope that the recent flurry of US-Russia diplomacy could offer a path to peace in Ukraine – and restore the sense of normality lost when their leader sent tanks across the Ukrainian border.Last Tuesday’s US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia have sent the country’s propagandists and political establishment into euphoria, celebrating what they see as a real chance of achieving Russia’s goals in the war at the expense of Ukraine and its European allies, which have been sidelined from discussing the future of the invaded country. Continue reading...

Politics

4 h. ago Trump’s bullshit blitz has Europe on its knees | Stewart Lee

For the US president’s cheerleaders, the whitewashing of the deaths of ten of thousands of Ukrainians is a small price to pay for sticking it to the wokeratiWas it really only a month ago that the pole-dancer patron, fridge explorer, Brexit get-doer, model bus maker, sofa-strainer, wall-spaffer, current Daily Mail columnist and former British prime minister Boris Johnson eulogised the inauguration of Donald Trump in the Mail, recounting how, as the “invisible pulse of power surged” from the battered bible into the hand of Trump: “I saw the moment the world’s wokerati had worked so hard to prevent.”I hope Johnson is pleased with the way things have worked out. Because now the foolish wokerati have been schooled beyond Johnson’s wettest dreams. It’s the Trump-Putin-bin Salman party! An adjudicated sex offender and convicted fraudster, and a man who sanctioned a chemical warfare hit, killing a British citizen on British soil, have met at the luxury Saudia Arabian hotel of another man, ...

Events

5 h. ago There is a bleak horizon for the economy, but still a glimmer of hope

Persistent pessimism prevails when thinking about the economy.

Politics

5 h. ago German election: Voting begins after campaign dominated by economy and security fears

Conservative leader Friedrich Merz, 69, leads the race to become chancellor

Politics

6 h. ago Monty Don warns of jobs you must do at the end of February to get your garden ready for spring

Gardening guru Monty Don has a list of things that keen gardeners can do to get their outdoor spaces ready for the sunnier days on the horizon.

Events

8 h. ago Why Conservatives must revive Thatcherism in face of threats from Putin and Reform

The UK needs to create a strong economy – a task way beyond the quick-fix charlatans of the policy-less Reform UK party – in order to increase defence spending

Politics

8 h. ago I saw the devastation of homes burned and a school destroyed in Gaza

When the news of the October 7 attacks broke, I could never have imagined the devastating consequences of that Hamas attack and the subsequent war, and the horror that continues to unfold in the region.

Events

9 h. ago Trump’s assault on aid sparks chaos in east Africa’s relief hub

Kenya’s economy and healthcare system are reeling from president’s bid to shut down USAID

Events

9 h. ago Discontented Germany votes in an election with economy, migration and far

German voters are choosing their new government in an election dominated by worries about the years-long stagnation of Europe’s biggest economy, pressure to curb migration and growing uncertainty over the future of Ukraine and Europe’s alliance with the United States

Politics

9 h. ago Underwater search teams to launch new hunt for Kevin McGuire missing since 1994

SUNDAY MAIL EXCLUSIVE: The Scots joiner disappeared more than 30 years ago and his family have never given up hope.

Events

19 h. ago Germany’s best defence against the AfD is for mainstream parties to offer hope

Editorial: The spectre of the anti-immigration right that is haunting Europe can be banished and parties occupying the centre-ground know what they have to do

Politics

19 h. ago England vs Scotland LIVE: Score and updates from Six Nations as compelling Calcutta Cup set for thrilling finale

Scotland have dominated this fixture in recent years and will hope to continue their superiority

Sport

20 h. ago England vs Scotland LIVE: Score and updates from Six Nations as visitors notch two wonder tries in frantic game

Scotland have dominated this fixture in recent years and will hope to continue their superiority

Sport

21 h. ago Wales were beaten by Ireland but hope is alive and a myth has been blown apart

Wales were competitive as they slipped to a 27-18 defeat to Ireland in Cardiff

Politics

21 h. ago Arsenal vs West Ham LIVE: Premier League latest score and updates as Bowen goal stuns Gunners

The Gunners hope to close the gap on Liverpool with win over the Hammers

Sport

22 h. ago Arsenal vs West Ham LIVE: Premier League latest score and goal updates as Mikel Merino starts in attack

The Gunners hope to close the gap on Liverpool with win over the Hammers

Sport

23 h. ago England vs Scotland LIVE: Updates from Six Nations ahead of fascinating Calcutta Cup clash

Scotland have dominated this fixture in recent years and will hope to continue their superiority

Politics

28 h. ago Russia and US could meet again within weeks to discuss Ukraine, Moscow says – Europe live

Moscow and Washington held their first talks on ending the nearly three-year war in Ukraine on TuesdayUkrainians who once lived in parts of the country now occupied by Russia hope they can claim some kind of compensation from the Russians in charge for the damage to their homes, Reuters reports.Maria Seryogova is one of those who have returned to snap photos of the rubble to back up their claims. Continue reading...

Politics

31 h. ago Sir Alex Ferguson very clear what makes a good manager as pressure grows on Ruben Amorim

Ruben Amorim's time at Manchester United so far has been a huge struggle, but Sir Alex Ferguson's verdict on what he wants from a boss at Old Trafford will offer hope

Events

33 h. ago A train through Germany: is Europe’s powerhouse going off the rails?

In the run-up to Sunday’s crucial election, the Guardian took a long journey through Europe’s heartland to talk to votersCreaking, overcrowded, neglected, Germany’s railways, once a source of national pride, have taken a battering to their image in recent years. Amid wider concerns about the health of Europe’s stagnating largest economy, the state of its trains has become something of a metaphor for a more general sense of malaise.On Sunday Germans will go to the polls in one of the most important elections in recent times, with an emboldened far right hoping to more than double its share of votes. In the run-up, the Guardian travelled more than 850 miles on trains across Germany to hear what its citizens have to say about the state of their nation. Continue reading...

Politics