After weeks of testimony, Trumps trial turned to much drier but arguably more crucial details on Monday Sign up for our free Trump on Trial newsletter After weeks of testimony that focused on some of the more salacious, tabloidy aspects of why former president Donald Trump wanted to keep his alleged affairs under wraps before the 2016 election, his hush-money trial turned to much drier but arguably more crucial testimony on Monday. Continue reading...

Lawmakers pass bill to regulate industry after 190 decomposing bodies found in bug-infested facility and another found in hearse After the discovery of nearly 200 decaying bodies were found in a Colorado funeral home in October, lawmakers saw the need to tighten the states lax funeral home oversight and on Monday passed a bill that in combination with a second bill that passed last week would help to regulate the industry. A series of cases that include sold ashes and fake body parts have deva

Shadow chancellor will highlight Labours plans to boost economy and say Conservatives are out of touch Rachel Reeves will draw the economic battle lines for the next general election on Tuesday, challenging the governments claims that the economy is turning a corner when millions are still struggling with the cost of living. The shadow chancellor will accuse Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt of gaslighting the public with over-optimistic statements about the UK economy that are out of touch with most

Wilson beats qualifier 18-14 after nervy wait for final frame Englishman claims title four years after being runner-up Snooker has a new grandmaster of the baize: but unlike so many of his predecessors, the story of Kyren Wilson has been far from a straightforward one. As the ticker tape rained down over the 32-year-old on Monday eveningand he fulfilled his childhood dream by becoming snookers newest world champion, Wilson would have been forgiven for thinking back to the bumps in the road which

Palestinians in Gaza thrown into confusion by Hamass acceptance of a deal, followed by Israels sceptical response and bomb attacks Rafahs fate hung in the balance on Monday after Hamas said it had accepted a ceasefire-for-hostage deal but Israel responded sceptically and said it would press on with its campaign on Gazas southernmost city, carrying out night airstrikes. The more than 1 million Palestinians taking refuge in Rafah were thrown into confusion by the days events. Israel issued orders

Ten men, including a boxer and an ex-marine, make allegations of sexually inappropriate behaviour against the star who was once box office dynamite. Then this documentary goes even further In Kevin Spaceys written right-of-reply statement at the end of Spacey Unmasked, he reminds the world that every criminal and civil court case accusing him of sexual assault has been resolved in his favour. He has a right to reiterate that fact. Public opinion, however, has long since turned against an actor w

Winning books include Night Watch and King: A Life, while journalism winners focused on coverage of the Israel-Hamas war This years Pulitzer winners include the New York Times and ProPublica as well as authors including Jayne Anne Phillips and Jonathan Eig. The Pulitzers honored the best in journalism from 2023 in 15 categories, as well as eight arts categories focused on books, music and theater. The public service winner receives a gold medal. All other winners receive $15,000. Continue readin

If Erik ten Hags future at Manchester United remained up for debate then surely this removed any lingering doubts for Sir Jim Ratcliffe . Even amid a season in which his team have lurched from one disaster to another, a scintillating performance from a Crystal Palace side inspired by the magical feet of Michael Olise delivered one of the most embarrassing evenings of the Dutchmans tenure. Uniteds European aspirations for next season may now have to rely on them beating Manchester City in the FA

Gruesome twosome Canning and Shane throw poor wee Tommy to the lions to get results. But they should know better than to mess with one of this loyal lot Canning went off-piste and Tommy paid the price. Heres all the intel on the Shakespearean-titled fourth episode, The Stamp of Nature Continue reading...

UCLA watched the chaos unfold in the middle of the night and did nothing until it was far too late Things had been tense at the University of California, Los Angeles, with some ugly jibes and the occasional shove exchanged between students who support Israels war on Gaza and those whove set up encampments to call for a permanent ceasefire and the universitys divestment from companies that arm and otherwise profit from Israels occupation and military incursions in the Palestinian territories. But

Independent senator, 82, stresses need to improve healthcare and protect abortion rights and condemns extremist Netanyahu Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent senator and former candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, announced on Monday that he will run for a fourth six-year term at the age of 82. In a video statement, Sanders thanked the people of Vermont for giving me the opportunity to serve in the United States Senate, which he said had been the honor of my life. Continue

Jeremy Skibicki, charged with four counts of first-degree murder, is believed to have left bodies of at least two victims in a landfill An accused serial killer in Canada, who police believed disposed of his victims by dumping some of them in landfills, has admitted to killing four Indigenous women , with his lawyers arguing a mental disorder meant he was not criminally responsible for the crimes. Jeremy Skibicki is charged with four counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Rebecca Contois

Despite disastrous election results, long-threatened coup lacks numbers to force no-confidence vote After months of plotting to oust Rishi Sunak by some on the right of the Conservative party, the rebellion fizzled out with barely a whimper this weekend despite a disastrous set of local election results . Senior Tories had long predicted that bad losses could be enough to push their despondent colleagues over the edge, even those who could see that changing leader yet again before the general el

University and police denounced as masked group marched on campus and attacked pro-Palestinian demonstrators last week The University of California, Los Angeles said that it would create a new office dedicated to campus safety following mounting criticism of authorities slow response to a brutal attack on pro-Palestinian protesters by a mob of instigators . The schools chancellor, Gene Block, said on Sunday that urgent changes were needed to better protect our community moving forward, and anno

Premier League updates from Selhurst Park, kick-off 8pm BST Any comments on the game? Feel free to email Tim here The referee, Jarred Gillett, may be secretly relieved not to have Fernandes in his ear. But he will have something else: a camera. For the first time, a Premier League ref will wear a video camera, which has inevitably been dubbed RefCam. Its pictures wont be used in the live broadcast they will appear later in a programme from Premier League Productions. The question is, will it ma

Partys return to minority government after a year of upheaval will test his renowned negotiating skills John Swinney declares new chapter as he becomes SNP leader Few people understand the internal dynamics and historical loyalties of the Scottish National party better than John Swinney, who joined the party at 15 and quickly rose to become national secretary by his early 20s. His unfussy election as leader says much about the esteem in which he is held by colleagues across factions and ages wh

Peter Abbott hammered on womans windscreen and screamed at her after she beeped her horn at him A road rage driver who hammered on a womans windscreen and screamed at her has been warned he faces jail after being found guilty of threatening behaviour. Peter Abbott, 60, unleashed a torrent of abuse at Samantha Isaacs, who was on her own, after she beeped her horn at him after being cut up outside a Tesco petrol station in Bournemouth in August last year. Continue reading...

Most of 32,500 properties back online after mains pipe burst but hundreds to go without for another night About 2,000 homes in Hastings are into their fifth day without water and will probably have to wait until at least Tuesday for their taps to be flowing again. On Thursday, 32,500 properties in Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea were left without water after a mains pipe burst. On Monday Southern Water said about 25,500 of the homes affected had had their water supply restored. Continue reading.

Militant group has told mediators it is accepting Qatari-Egyptian proposal as Israeli officials suggests softened deal not acceptable to Israel An Israeli official is now giving remarks following Hamass announcement of the agreed ceasefire deal. Stay tuned for further updates. Continue reading...

The surprise defeat of the West Midlands mayor, Andy Street, confirmed that the tectonic plates are shifting in British politics Local elections are not known for producing Portillomoments. But the defeat of the ConservativeWest Midlands mayor, Andy Street, announced late on Saturday, undoubtedly encapsulated a sense of tectonic plates inexorably shifting in Labours favour. A locally popular and avowedly non-ideological figure,Mr Street had done his best to distance himselffrom the Tory brand. B

Threatening to withdraw personal independence payments will only ramp up stress on unwell people The best thing that can be said about the latest proposals from ministers to reform disability benefits is that they are unlikely ever to come to fruition. A consultation closes in late July, so the work and pensions secretary, Mel Stride, can be expected to announce changes in the autumn. Given the imminence of a general election, however, any new policies on benefits should be viewed as fodder for

National Weather Services Storm Prediction Center issued a rare high risk for central Oklahoma and southern Kansas Millions of people in the central US could see powerful storms Monday including long-track tornadoes, hurricane-force winds and baseball-sized hail, forecasters said. Much of Oklahoma and parts of Kansas are at the greatest risk of bad weather including areas in Oklahoma, such as Sulphur and Holdenville, still recovering from a tornado that killed four people and left thousands wit

Club announce end of managers second stint in charge Former Wolves coach Julen Lopetegui set to take over David Moyes will leave the role of West Ham manager by mutual consent when his contract expires at the end of the season. The club confirmed the news on Monday evening, amid reports that the former Spain, Real Madrid and Wolves head coach, Julen Lopetegui, has agreed a deal to take over in the summer. More to follow Continue reading...

More than 200 expected to join protest calling for climate action and to cut ties with Israeli institutions More than 100 students have occupied Ghent University in the first European protest to fuse demands about Gaza and the climate crisis. Ghents centrepiece UFO building was peacefully taken over by students calling for concrete action to meet the universitys 2030 climate plans, and asking the university to cut ties with institutions connected to the Israeli military. Continue reading...

Swinney says party has been having a tough, rough time as he laments impact of recent infighting and chaos John Swinney declared a new chapter in our partys history as he became leader of the Scottish National party on Monday, but said recent infighting and chaos had left the public worried about where we are as a party. Speaking to senior SNP politicians and activists at an event at the University of Glasgow, Swinney said his decision to stand for the role of leader after Humza Yousaf announce

The Dutchman leaves Feyenoord after a dream tenure and can emulate how Jrgen Klopp makes fans feel special For most of Sunday, Rotterdam sat under a thick blanket of cloud, but as day ticked into evening, just as fans were streaming into DeKuip for Feyenoords penultimate home fixture of the season, the skies cleared. On what became a glorious, balmy evening the team comprehensively outclassed PEC Zwolle. Arne Slot, overseeing his 100th league game in charge, watched from the touchline and his so

Matches could be played in Porto, Lisbon or Marseille Combined attendance of weekends two semi-finals was 115,000 Champions Cup organisers are exploring the possibility of hosting destination semi-finals in the same city in the future with Portugal among the places under consideration. In a move that would ape the Top14, which staged both its semi-finals in San Sebastin last season, it is understood that European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) is assessing whether it would be feasible to do so w

Mulino, who won 34.3% of vote, pledges to welcome business and investment without forgetting those who are hungry Jos Ral Mulino, a former security minister, has emerged from a chaotic campaign to become Panamas next president and will now have to address a cocktail of social discontent with just a fraction of the seats in parliament. Amid record turnout, Mulino won 34.3% of the vote, followed by the lawyer Ricardo Lombana on 24.8% and former president Martn Torrijos on 16%. Continue reading...

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Belgian sprinter wins after GC contenders late break is caught Pogacar stays in pink jersey, 46 seconds ahead of Thomas Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier sprinted to victory in the third stage of the Giro dItalia on Monday, after race leader Tadej Pogacar had threatened to steal a march on the sprinters with a late burst. The mostly flat 166km ride from Novara to Fossano was expected to culminate in a sprint finish, but Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates) had other plans. The man in the pink jersey broke cle

The requirement to present photo ID at polling stations reinforces confidence in our elections, says Robert Frazer , but Maureen McLaughlin worries about those left without a vote. Plus letters from Nigel Evans and Peter Bottomley I cannot agree with Andy Becketts condemnation of voter ID ( After this weeks squalid experiment, see voter ID for what it is: a Tory scam to steal elections, 3 May ). The basic principle of voter ID is not objectionable: we all agree that Europe has much more sophisti

Peter Taylor points to a neglected but important feature of elective democracy According to Polly Toynbee ( Its Sunaks doom loop: the more desperate and cruel the Tories become, the more voters reject them, 30 April ), younger generations are refusing to turn Tory as they age, the way previous cohorts reliably did. The problem with this statement is that cohorts dont vote, people do. And the people who have voted Labour tendto be from lower socioeconomic groups whose members die younger. For ins

With routes for aid into Gaza closed, relief workers say helping displaced people could become impossible Aid groups have warned of grave humanitarian consequences and drastic cuts to the supply of aid if an Israeli offensive on Rafah goes ahead, after Israel demanded that tens of thousands of people leave the eastern part of the city. A military incursion into Rafah could lead to a bloodbath because of how densely populated Rafah has become, said Tamara Alrifai, the director of external relatio

PM absolutely determined to fight despite Tories disastrous local election results and Labour poll lead Rishi Sunak has said the general election result is not a foregone conclusion despite disastrous local election results and the Tories struggling to close the gap with Labour in the polls. The prime minister said he was absolutely determined to fight in the run-up to polling day to show the government was making a difference to peoples lives on issues including the economy and migration. Conti

Workers say tentative agreement was reached for first union contract after threats of walkout during gala, a major fashion event Workers at Cond Nast, the media empire behind Vogue, Vanity Fair and GQ, announced a tentative agreement has been reached for a first union contract after threatening to stage a walkout during the Met Gala on Monday evening. The Cond Nast Union, which represents around 540 editorial workers, has been bargaining for a union contract since September 2022. It is affiliate

Developing a daily practice of sustainability can help ease your anxiety about the future so I tried it out for a week When it comes to climate change, I, like many others, often wonder: does it matter if we adjust our individual behaviors to be more sustainable, or are these efforts insignificant? Many experts argue that focusing too granularly on individual responsibility can shift the burden from destructive industry and policy on to regular folk. Eventually, we can burn out on the endless m

I have trespassed in peaceful protest. I have shutdown government offices in civil disobedience. I have made the powerful uncomfortable. Thats the point In America, the student movement has been seriously radicalized wherever police and police brutality intervened in essentially nonviolent demonstrations: occupations of administration buildings, sit-ins, et cetera. Hannah Arendt, observing Columbia University protests in 1968. When youve been in the midst of a demonstration that devolves into c

Vladimir Putin responds to recent statements from David Cameron and Emmanuel Macron over Ukraine war Ukraine war live updates Russia has threatened to strike British military facilities and ordered its military to hold battlefield nuclear weapons drills in a move the Kremlin described as a response to comments from the French president, Emmanuel Macron, on western troops fighting in Ukraine and from the British foreign secretary, David Cameron, on using British-supplied weapons against Russia.

The Last Week Tonight host looks into attacks on public libraries, from slashed funding to harassment to banning certain book titles John Oliver defended public libraries on Sundays Last Week Tonight, as the local institutions have become another front in the ongoing culture war with attacks on their funding, their staff and their collections. The American Library Association documented efforts to censor over 4,240 unique book titles in schools and libraries in 2023, the highest level they have

Your daily caffeine habit is not good for the planet. Thankfully, researchers are finding alternatives to ground coffee beans Name: Synthetic coffee. Age: Three. Continue reading...

How did UK activists outfox 700 police? Why was Hong Kong traffic stopped by mini Stonehenges? And could an octagonal treehouse and a crows nest really have saved a German forest? Our writer enjoys a 200-year history of resistance architecture In his 1868 street-fighting manual, Instructions for an Armed Uprising , the French revolutionary Auguste Blanqui sets out meticulous instructions for how to build a good barricade. Such defences, he wrote, must no longer be thrown together in a confused a

Donald Trumps would-be running mate has already outraged the US by shooting her own pet. This is no time to double down When Kristi Noem, the South Dakota governor being vetted as a candidate for Donald Trumps vice-president , admitted in her memoir to having shot and killed her 14-month-old puppy, I have to admit I thought it was a play. She was just testing the waters: how much could she insult human decency without making a dent in her numbers? As the battle rages on, Im coming to accept that

Michels team of misfits showed against Barcelona why they deserve their plaudits despite the big blue elephant in the room Cristian Portugus Manzanera was lying on the physios bench, pissed off, his manager pointing at him. It was the morning of the best day of their lives and Miguel Sanchez Muoz, Michel II of Vallecas, Prince of all Girona , had just named the team that would go down in history. This time, Yan Couto wasnt in it and he wasnt happy either, so the coach took him aside and explaine

There was widespread surprise at the failure of Aidan OBriens colt to live up to his pre-race billing at Newmarket Learning to live with regular disappointment is an important part of the process of racing and betting on horses but even so, City Of Troys dismal failure to justify odds-on favouritism for the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket was a horribly deflating experience. On Saturday morning, we dared to hope that last years outstanding champion two-year-old might elevate himself into the ranks of

After PMs bold reading of disastrous Tory local election results, we assess the variables in play at national level UK politics live latest updates Rishi Sunak has boldly claimed that the Conservatives disastrous set of local election results prove the country is on course for a hung parliament and a Labour-led coalition of chaos after the general election. The prime minister seized on research by the election experts Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher suggesting that if Thursdays results were

Binibeca Vell residents say officials have left them to grapple alone with noise and rubbish from stampede of visitors Perched over a small bay, the village of Binibeca Vell on the Spanish island of Menorca has long been a magnet for tourists looking to wander along its winding, narrow lanes lined with whitewashed villas. But as its popularity swells on social media, setting off a stampede for selfies snapped along its cobblestone streets, residents are threatening to stop access to the village

Northern Ireland police investigate possible paramilitary links after attack left victim with life-changing injuries There has been widespread condemnation of an attack on a man who was found nailed to a fence in a car park in Bushmills, County Antrim. The victim, in his 20s, was discovered with nails in both hands and injuries to his nose in the Dundarave Park area. He was taken to hospital for treatment in the early hours of Sunday. Continue reading...

School announced it will switch to smaller celebrations in its 19 colleges, almost three weeks after pro-Palestinian protests began Columbia University has announced that it will be cancelling its university-wide commencement ceremony this month and switching to smaller celebrations in its 19 colleges, almost three weeks after pro-Palestinian protests erupted at the Ivy League institution. A university official told the Guardian that the decision to scrap a large commencement ceremony was driven

South Dakota governor and Trump VP hopeful refuses to back down amid scandal over animal killings and North Korea claim Tuesday will see publication of No Going Back , a campaign book by the South Dakota governor Kristi Noem that generated unusual buzz after the Guardian revealed how Noem describes in detail the day she shot dead her dog, Cricket, which she deemed untrainable and dangerous, and an unnamed goat. The revelation sparked a political firestorm, widely held to have incinerated Noems c

They were meant to refresh local politics, not confuse it. Starmer must devolve proper powers to every city and town Englands 12 metro mayors should be abolished. Metro mayorships are artificial creations whose regional geography rarely reflects any civic identity or pride. Towns and cities should have properly elected mayors, as is common in other democracies. These regional entities were invented by Whitehall in the 2010s, supposedly to order transport and investment. Their boundaries were con