Bad

Enthusiasts track down weapon used to fell fleeing Eli Wallach amid preparations for 60th anniversary of film’s releaseSix decades after Clint Eastwood nonchalantly used a cigar to light a cannon’s fuse in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly to fell a fleeing Eli Wallach, the Manchester-made weapon has been rediscovered in a museum in south-east Spain.The artillery piece was tracked down by the Sad Hill Cultural Association, a group of volunteers dedicated to restoring the graveyard near Burgos, northern Spain, built for the climax of Sergio Leone’s seminal spaghetti western. Continue reading...

The host of the film awards ceremony at which Tourette syndrome activist John Davidson shouted a racial slur has said he won’t host it againAlan Cumming has criticised the organisers of the Bafta film awards in February as “bad people who weren’t doing their jobs properly” after the N-word outburst by Tourette activist John Davidson, which was broadcast by the BBC during its coverage of the ceremony.In an interview with the Sunday Times, Cumming, who was the host of the ceremony, said: “It was bad, bad, bad, bad leadership … Bad people who weren’t doing their jobs properly, who really had not prepared and let people down.” Continue reading...

Party leader has been vocal about its gains in London and there is a feeling that its losses could have been worseBy any sane person’s reckoning, the Conservative party had a night to forget in Thursday’s local, mayoral and devolved elections. It lost about 500 councillors in England and ceded control of three local authorities to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK – losing to the rightwing upstarts in England, Wales and Scotland. Why then is Kemi Badenoch hailing these results as proof that “the Conservatives are coming back” – and why do many Tory MPs appear to agree with her?The Conservative leader was vocal on Friday about the eye-catching gains her party made in politically atypical London, where the Tories won back the totemic council of Westminster, took the most seats in Wandsworth council and saw off the threat from Reform in Bexley and Bromley. Continue reading...

Israeli PM says he has ‘full coordination’ with US president amid reports that Washington no longer consults himBenjamin Netanyahu interrupted an uncharacteristically long silence over the Iran conflict this week with a video commentary insisting he had “full coordination” with Donald Trump, with whom he spoke “almost daily”.The insistence that all was rosy in the US-Israeli relationship followed weeks of reports in the domestic press that Israel was no longer being consulted over the Iran conflict, and even less over Pakistani-brokered peace talks. Such is the scepticism over Netanyahu’s trustworthiness among the general public and independent press that the immediate reaction among observers to his video statement was speculation that the reality could be even worse than they had imagined. Continue reading...

• The United States has closed its consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan, transferring all diplomatic functions and responsibilities to the main embassy in Islamabad. • The consolidation reflects the U.S. government's restructuring of its diplomatic footprint in Pakistan and aims to streamline operations. • The move impacts diplomatic engagement in northwestern Pakistan, a strategically important region bordering Afghanistan.

Badenoch’s statement came after the Conservatives won back Westminster and Wandsworth councils in LondonElections 2026 live: latest news updatesFull results from England, Scotland and WalesKemi Badenoch has claimed that the Conservatives are “coming back” after winning back Westminster and Wandsworth councils from Labour in London, despite her party suffering significant losses throughout England in Thursday’s elections.The party also saw off a threat from Reform in Bexley. But the Tories suffered a series of losses in Essex, where Badenoch herself is an MP, losing 13 seats while Reform gained 52. It held on to Harlow, securing all 11 district council seats available. Continue reading...

• Defending champions Lahore Qalandars will face tournament debutants Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen in the PSL 2026 opening game. • The Pakistan Super League introduced a new logo and opened a player transfer window to refresh team rosters. • Tournament expected to utilize six venues, expanding its footprint for the upcoming season.

Tory leader says she did not sign off on video attacking Labour’s Troubles legacy proposals Kemi Badenoch has apologised after footage from Bloody Sunday was used in social media posts criticising a bill on legacy issues in Northern Ireland.The Conservative leader said on Saturday that she did not sign off on the use of a clip from the massacre, in which British soldiers opened fire on unarmed civil rights demonstrators in Derry, and that it was distributed by “very young people”. Continue reading...

Green checkmark will appear on artist profiles to signal they meet the platform’s standard for authenticitySpotify on Thursday unveiled a new verification system designed to help listeners distinguish human musicians from AI-generated content, as people flood streaming platforms with a growing volume of synthetic tracks made with artificial intelligence.The Swedish streaming giant said its “Verified by Spotify” badge – marked by a green checkmark – will begin appearing on artist profiles and in search results in the coming weeks, signaling that a profile has been reviewed and meets the platform’s standards for authenticity. Continue reading...

Experts estimate ‘accounting of the harm that was done’ by 200 years of chattel slavery would be US$2tn in damagesBritain stole 25 million years of life and labour through slavery in Barbados, according to new research by a team of international experts.Their report concludes that Barbados’s population of African descent have suffered damages estimated at up to US$2tn (£1.5tn) from 200 years of chattel slavery. Continue reading...

Badge holders and carers report being harassed, filmed and threatened by strangers who think they are faking disabilityDisabled people who use blue badges to go about their daily lives have said they are being harassed, questioned and even assaulted, as anti-benefits rhetoric becomes more mainstream in the UK.About 3 million people in the UK now have a blue badge, including 1 in 15 adults in England. The number of people who qualify for the scheme – which allows drivers to park in more accessible spaces – has caused some to warn of misuse and fraud. Continue reading...

Opposition leader also says ‘we have seen terrible acts of atrocity coming from Gaza’ as he doubles down on immigration policyFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe opposition leader, Angus Taylor, has said “there is a higher risk that some bad people come from those bad countries”, doubling down on his immigration policy and refusing to call out Pauline Hanson’s hardline stance.Speaking to the ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday, Taylor also defended preferencing One Nation above the independent community candidate, Michelle Milthorpe, in the upcoming Farrer byelection, arguing the teals “vote with the Greens”. Continue reading...

• US-Iran ceasefire talks collapsed in Pakistan, raising doubts over Army Chief Asim Munir's role as mediator despite Trump's prior praise. • Concerns in US national security circles focus on Munir's alleged IRGC ties, questioning his neutrality. • Tehran refuses further Islamabad-hosted talks, pressuring Pakistan's diplomatic standing.

Leader of Tories criticises Farage after he says holding another independence vote ‘probably quite reasonable’Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative party, has accused Nigel Farage of being an opportunist who does not believe in unionism after he urged Scottish nationalists to back Reform.Farage said earlier this week he believed in “genuine nationalists” who do not support the Scottish National party’s bid to rejoin the EU, and urged them to vote Reform in the Holyrood election on 7 May. Continue reading...

Orbán is out in Hungary and talks have failed to end the war in Iran – ill-fated roadtrip has been setback for Maga aimsShortly before JD Vance’s ill-fated week crisscrossing the world, Donald Trump asked him during a private Easter brunch about how the Iran negotiations were shaping up. “If it doesn’t happen, I’m blaming JD Vance,” Trump said to laughs in the room. “If it does happen, I’m taking full credit.”The joke at Vance’s expense contained an unfortunate nugget of truth: this is not an administration that rewards failure. Continue reading...

JD Vance leads American delegation while Iran’s negotiators headed up by Iran’s parliamentary speakerPeace talks between Iran and the US began in Islamabad this afternoon, with senior negotiators from both countries meeting face to face at the highest level for the first time since 1979, in the presence of mediators from Pakistan.Pakistani state TV said US and Iranian officials were “sitting directly at the same table” – which was later confirmed by the White House – and discussions were beginning in a positive atmosphere, despite fighting ongoing in Lebanon. Continue reading...

Conservative leader promises biggest peacetime rearmament effort in UK history if her party is re-electedThe Conservatives would reinstate the two-child benefit cap and use the savings for a wide-ranging spending splurge on defence in what Kemi Badenoch said would be “the biggest peacetime programme of rearmament in our country’s history”.Speaking at a defence conference in London, the Tory leader criticised the government for Britain’s “lack of readiness” for war, which has been exposed by recent world events. Continue reading...

Army deployed in Pakistan’s capital as negotiations set to begin. Plus, Melania Trump issues bafflingly timed denial of ties to Jeffrey EpsteinGood morning.As Pakistan prepared to host negotiations between Iran and the US, the already fragile ceasefire in the conflict showed further strain as Donald Trump accused Tehran of doing “a very poor job” in upholding promises on the strait of Hormuz, and Israel attacked Lebanon – which Iran claimed violated the truce.What about the strait of Hormuz? The agreement also included Iran lifting its near-total blockade of the strait, which has caused the worst-ever disruption to global energy supplies. Trump posted on Truth Social late Thursday that Iran was being “dishonorable” in not allowing oil to go through the strait. “That is not the agreement we have!” Trump wrote.This is a developing story. Follow our liveblog here.Why did she make this speech? The first lady’s surprise address created confusion about why she had chosen to speak out now – or whether her husband knew she was planning to draw attention to a subject he has called for the public to move on from.What did she ask for? In a final twist, Melania urged Congress to give Epstein survivors a public hearing to help uncover the truth, a call immediately endorsed by the Democrat Ro Khanna and the Republicans Majorie Taylor Greene and Nancy Mace. Continue reading...

In Pakistan’s capital, the army has been deployed, a public holiday has been declared and the streets are eerily emptyMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe streets of Islamabad were on strict lockdown as Pakistan’s capital prepared to play host to historic negotiations between Iran and the US that have dangled the promise of an end to war that has devastated the Middle East.Even as the US-Iran ceasefire looked increasingly precarious, amid Israel’s continued bombardment of Lebanon and disputes over the terms of the talks, Pakistani officials insisted that the make-or-break peace negotiations would be going ahead over the weekend as planned. Continue reading...

Councils urged to crack down on misuse of parking permits that help people with disabilities and health conditionsCouncils in England have been urged to crack down on the misuse of blue badge parking permits – legitimate and counterfeit – as the proportion of people holding them has reached one in 15.The AA called for more to be done to detect offences such as people using fake or stolen badges. Continue reading...

• Rachel Recchia from The Bachelorette broke down emotionally while discussing the intense hate comments she has received online. • The reality star opened up about the toll of public scrutiny in a candid Us Weekly feature. • Her story highlights ongoing mental health struggles faced by reality TV personalities in the U.S.

The US president thumbs his nose at concerns about the most serious energy crisis in global history. But Australia, like other countries, is paying a high priceGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGently, about 10 days ago, Anthony Albanese tried to send Donald Trump a message about the escalating war in Iran.In a Hobart radio interview, the prime minister said the US had achieved its original justifications and should bring hostilities in the Middle East to an end. Continue reading...

Conservative leader expected to call for government to lift suspension on licences in drive to reduce energy pricesKemi Badenoch is “peddling a dangerous fantasy” about North Sea energy in her attempt to reverse a ban on new oil and gas licences, a leading campaign group has said.The Conservative leader is expected to call on the government to lift its suspension of the licences as part of a drive to reduce energy prices, as the party launches a new campaign aimed at boosting the fossil fuel sector. Continue reading...

Experts say brutal temperatures in west threaten to melt sparse snowpack – and warn hot, dry conditions here to stayA stunning heatwave that shattered records in the US west is threatening to rapidly melt the sparse snowpack and ramp up wildfire risks in the seasons ahead.March has already been historically hot, but the early onset of summer weather across the region may be here to stay. There’s little reprieve in forecasts, which show more heat records may fall this spring. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Richard Hermer, who is Jewish, says Tory leader and shadow minister seem ‘to only have an issue with Muslim events’Richard Hermer, the attorney general, has challenged Kemi Badenoch to say whether she would object to Jewish prayer in public, after the Conservative leader backed one of her shadow ministers who said an Islamic prayer event was intimidating and un-British.Hermer, one of the UK’s most prominent Jewish politicians, said Badenoch’s decision to support the views of Nick Timothy, the shadow justice secretary, put her on a par with Reform UK and Tommy Robinson, the far-right activist. Continue reading...

Conservative leader says debate not about freedom of religion, but its expression in shared public spaceUK politics live – latest updatesKemi Badenoch has backed her shadow justice secretary, Nick Timothy, after he claimed that Islamic prayers taking place in public are intimidating and un-British, with Labour saying the Conservatives had embraced the “gutter” politics of prejudice.The row began after Timothy posted images on social media of prayer at a Ramadan event in London’s Trafalgar Square, saying mass prayer in public places was “an act of domination” and “straight from the Islamist playbook”. Continue reading...

Steady UK opposition to the war and the US president’s insults mean MPs are finding it easier to point out the obviousWhen is a U-turn definitely a U-turn? To the consternation of politicians through the ages, this is rarely something within their control, but decided instead by the herd. And thus it is with Kemi Badnoch over Iran and Donald Trump.The Conservative leader would very much like it to be known that she had not changed her stance on the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, or on the US president. Continue reading...

Tory leader says US president’s words ‘completely wrong’ as she tries to distance herself from his war on IranKemi Badenoch has called Donald Trump’s repeated criticisms of Keir Starmer “childish”, as the Conservative leader continued her recent moves to distance herself from the US president and his military action against Iran.Speaking shortly before Trump yet again singled out Starmer for condemnation to say the prime minister had not been sufficiently supportive of the US war, Badenoch used a social media video to describe Trump’s actions as counterproductive. Continue reading...