Contest

• De peiling van Butterfly Conservation is open tot 7 juni, met een keuze uit 60 soorten, van het klein vuurvlindertje tot de purperkeizer. • Wordt het het snel verdwijnende voormalige tuinfavoriet, het klein vuurvlindertje? Of het "wezen dat in eikenbossen spookt" van dichter John Masefield, de charismatische purperkeizer? Of misschien de citroenvlinder, de ultieme voorbode van de lente? • De vraag welke de favoriete vlinder van Groot-Brittannië is, wordt voor het eerst aan een volksstemming onderworpen. De liefdadigheidsinstelling Butterfly Conservation organiseert de peiling, die loopt tot 7 juni, waardoor mensen de kans krijgen hun favoriet te kiezen uit de 60 soorten die elke zomer door Groot-Brittannië vliegen. Lees verder...

‘We weten dat Mark Carney Europa een beetje wil omarmen,’ zegt competitiedirecteur Martin Green. Canada is welkom om zich bij Eurovision aan te sluiten als het dat wenst, heeft de directeur gezegd, maanden nadat het land in zijn federale begroting onthulde dat het wilde "onderzoeken" om deel te nemen aan het songfestival. Eurovision-directeur Martin Green vertelde de BBC woensdag dat Canada nog geen aanvraag had ingediend, maar dat ze welkom zouden zijn. Lees verder...

• De MP zegt dat zijzelf de uitdaging aan gaat als er morgen geen kabinetminister naar voren stapt om de premier uit te dagen. • Goedemorgen. Er waren veel voorspellingen over de toekomst van Labour voorafgaand aan de Engelse, Schotse en Welshe verkiezingen, die verschrikkelijk zijn geweest voor de partij, maar er is één uitkomst die niemand had voorzien: een uitdaging voor het leiderschap door Catherine West. • West, MP voor Hornsey en Friern Barnet en tot haar ontslag bij de reshuffle vorig jaar junior minister op Foreign Office, kondigde gisterenmiddag aan dat zij het zelf zal doen, tenzij er morgenochtend een kabinetminister naar voren stapt om Starmer uit te dagen voor het leiderschap van Labour.

The Venice Biennale, Eurovision and Cannes are framed as artists representing their nations. But in a fractured world, national identity seems increasingly futile• Don’t get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereAre the arts being drowned out by politics? A few days before the biggest week of the year in Europe’s cultural calendar, that impression may be hard to avoid. The Venice Biennale opens its doors to the public on Saturday, but talk in the run-up to the world’s largest contemporary event has focused little on the works that will go on display inside the national pavilions, and a lot on which pavilions are going to open their doors, or shouldn’t.The building housing the Russian national representation was open for press previews on Tuesday, pumping out techno, for the first time since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It’s a decision the biennale president, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, seems to have made against the wishes of the Italian government that appointed him, and could cost the festival €2m in EU funds for a breach of its ethical standards. Russia has not participated in the past two editions due to its war in Ukraine. Its pavilion’s doors will be closed to the public when the biennale opens fully on 9 May, which a Ukrainian official told the Guardian was a “meaningful step”, after the biennale’s jury resigned en masse in April, in objection to entries from countries whose leaders are subject to international arrest warrants. Continue reading...

• Early trends from West Bengal assembly elections show BJP ahead of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), signaling a potential historic shift in the state's political landscape. • The early leads suggest competitive dynamics across constituencies, though final results remain uncertain as vote counting progresses and trends can shift significantly. • The election results could have implications for Indian politics at the national level and investor sentiment regarding governance and policy continuity in West Bengal's economy.

• Malaysia's Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition is almost certain to go solo in the next general election, announced Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. • The decision signals potential shifts in political alliances ahead of the polls, amid ongoing unity government dynamics. • This development could reshape Malaysia's opposition landscape and influence regional stability in Southeast Asia.

National broadcaster confirms it will not broadcast world’s largest live music eventNational broadcasters in Ireland, Spain and Slovenia will not air the Eurovision song contest this year, after they decided to boycott the event over Israel’s participation.Having already announced it would not submit a national entry, Slovenian broadcaster RTV confirmed on Thursday it would implement a broadcasting blackout of the world’s largest live music event and instead show a series of films about Palestine. Continue reading...

Prime minister has been trailing in the polls to Péter Magyar in race that could have repercussions for Europe, the US and RussiaHello from Budapest where Hungarians are voting in a closely contested election that could oust Viktor Orbán after 16 years in power and potentially reshape the central European country’s relations with the EU, Moscow and Washington.Pre-election day polls appeared to suggest that Péter Magyar of the centre-right Tisza party could be on course to win the election, ending Orbán’s era, much criticised for weakening the rule of law and civil liberties, and raising hopes of a more pro-European government in Budapest. Continue reading...

As the original event faces discord and boycotts on its 70th anniversary, Bangkok will host the inaugural spin-offEurovision is seeking to expand into the Asian market by hosting a version of its song contest in Bangkok this year, just as the original annual event is being buffeted by discord and boycotts on the eve of its 70th anniversary edition.The grand final of the inaugural Eurovision song contest Asia will take place in Thailand’s capital on Saturday 14 November, the Switzerland-based organisation announced on Tuesday. Broadcasters from 10 countries have confirmed their participation. Continue reading...

Survey puts Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco ahead with Democratic vote split between large field of candidatesRepublicans continue to lead the California governor’s race amid a crowded field of Democrats, a new poll commissioned by the state’s Democratic party found, fueling concerns of a conservative win in the famously liberal state.The party on Tuesday published the results of a large-scale poll of 2,000 likely voters conducted by Evitarus Research that revealed that 16% of participants would back the conservative political commentator Steve Hilton in the upcoming primary, while 14% would support Chad Bianco, the Riverside county sheriff. Continue reading...

The policy reversal came after a federal court judge asked the government to explain why it had stopped negotiating with Cape York traditional ownersFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Queensland government has made an 11th hour backflip on a secret policy to contest every new native title claim in court, on the eve of being hauled before the federal court to explain themselves.But the Liberal National party’s position appears to still be unclear after Queensland natural resources minister, Dale Last, doubled down on contesting native title in a statement to Guardian Australia on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Houston topped the New York Mets 6-4 in MLB Spring Training on Saturday in Palm Beach, Florida, powered by Jose Altuve's three hits and two RBIs. Mets prospect Jett Williams hit his first spring homer but couldn't rally late. Astros' bullpen held firm for the victory, now 10-7 in exhibition play. Game highlights position players for final roster cuts next week.