Darting dilemma Turning Littler into a celebrity or brand is the least interesting thing you can do

Luke Littler is sitting alone in the green room of the Jonathan Ross Show. By this point we have already heard: Liam Gallagher talking about his dog; Raye recounting her 6am trip to McDonalds after winning six Brit Awards; Millie Bobby Brown from Stranger Things on her future wedding; the comedian Rob Beckett on his new quiz show. Gallagher and John Squire have played their new single. The chat is flowing. Famous people are laughing with polished, performative loudness.

Workers' rights Labour under pressure to water down plans

In his pre-election budget last Wednesday, Jeremy Hunt rehearsed a new attack line against Labour, alongside familiar arguments on tax and spend: Keir Starmer's party would, the chancellor said, \"destroy jobs\".

US firm Elliott says it will not pursue bid to buy Currys

The US investment group Elliott has ended its bid to buy Currys after previous offers were rejected by the electrical goods retailer.

Trump risk requires Europe to pool defence - Airbus boss

Europe is unprepared for war with Russia or the risk that Donald Trump could withdraw the US from Nato and needs to increase spending on defence equipment, the boss of Airbus has said.

French-Malian singer defies far right over Olympics show

One of France’s biggest music stars, Aya Nakamura, has hit back at farright groups angry ata suggestion she may sing in front of 300,000 people during the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, telling them: You can be racist but not deaf.”

Madonna apologises for urging wheelchair-using fan to stand up

Madonna has been filmed apologising toa wheelchair-using concertgoer after she initially questioned why they weren’t standing up while she performed.

Gallery to bring artist out from the shadow of Picasso

When the artist Francoise Gilot walked out on Pablo Picasso after a long and turbulent relationship, he told her she would be nothing without him and set out to destroy her career.

Call for action over alleged Russian Red Cross links to Putin's regime

The international Red Cross movement is under pressure to take action against the Russian Red Cross RRC) over close links between the group and the Kremlin’s war and propaganda machine.

West must work with Yemen to stop Houthis, say experts

Western efforts to stop Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea will fail unless the US and its allies build stronger intelligence and military relations with the UN-recognised government in Yemen, warn politicians and experts.

Rights groups accuse Israel of failing to comply with court ruling on aid to Gaza

Twelve of Israel’s most prominent human rights organisations have signed an open letter accusing the country of failing to comply with the international court of justice’s ICJ) provisional ruling that it should facilitate access of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Aid worker describes terror as gangs wage war on Haiti's leader

A British aid worker who is one of dozens of foreigners stranded in Haiti after a gang insurrection against the government has described the \"fear and bewilderment\" of being marooned in a city under siege.

Analysis PSD faces familiar dilemma over populism

The dilemma facing Luís Montenegro of Portugal's Social Democratic party (PSD) will be familiar to a growing number of Europe's centre-right parties: if the shortest and surest route to power means working with populists, should you take it?

Profile Programmer who made his fortune from public sector contracts

Frank Hester has become rich running one of the companies most critical to Britain's health infrastructure, but most people will never have heard of him or his firm.

No fingerprints or yawns Strict rules, bar tab and sailing trip perks at TPP

The working culture at the Phoenix Partnership (TPP), which is responsible for 80m patient records in the UK and globally, is set by an exacting and eccentric array of company rules.

Protesters plan trespass over charge to enter park in Cotswolds

Hundreds of people are expected at a mass trespass of Cirencester Park in protest against the introduction of charges and electronic gates for pedestrians and joggers.

Home Office 'will drop opposition to inquiry into Manston abuse'

The Home Office is to concede to demands for a statutory inquiry into alleged assaults, racist abuse and mistreatment of asylum seekers at Manston processing centre, Whitehall sources have said.

Princess of Wales apologises after photo is recalled by picture agencies

The Princess of Wales has issued a public apology and said she was responsible for digitally editing a Mother's Day family photograph released to the media but withdrawn by international picture agencies over suspicions it had been \"manipulated\".

Long odds on two tall jockeys have them neck and neck

You don't come across many lofty figures in the weighing rooms of the UK's racecourses but two jockeys standing at a (relatively) towering 6ft 4ins will rub shoulders when the Cheltenham festival begins today.

Shells from Cook's final voyage that were saved from skip get new home

An internationally important collection of shells, including specimens from Captain Cook's final voyage, has been rediscovered 40 years after it was thought to have been thrown out in a skip.

‘Arrogant’ Gething admits he lost WhatsApp Covid posts

Bereaved families who lost loved ones to Covid have accused the former Welsh health minister of incompetence and arrogance after he revealed that all his WhatsApp messages from the time had been lost.

Legal warnings Gove wants to name groups he defines as extremist

Michael Gove wants to use parliamentary privilege to name groups that he says fall foul of his new definition of extremism later this week, despite pushback from government lawyers who have warned about the legal implications of doing so.

PM warned over prospect of more defections after Anderson joins Reform

Downing Street is braced for more defections after Lee Anderson quit the Conservative party for Reform UK, with MPs warning Rishi Sunak that he \"cannot pretend any longer\" his strategy is working.

Stage review Cacophony of crudeness with the emphasis on cack

I she funny, or is his comedy the nadir of western civilisation? Not being a close follower of the storied TV career of Leigh Francis, AKA Keith Lemon, I arrived at his maiden live show an agnostic in this lively critical conversation.

What goes around comes around: vinyl in the inflation basket again

Not since Simply Red's album Stars topped the albums chart in 1992 have vinyl records been included in the basket of goods used to calculate annual inflation, but a rise in sales over recent years has brought them back as a marker of UK shop prices.

Orban says Trump 'will not give a penny to Ukraine'

Donald Trump “will not give a penny” to Ukraine if he is elected US president for a second time, the far-right Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán , said after a controversial meeting with Trump in Florida.

Biggest Tory donor: looking at Diane Abbott makes you 'want to hate all black women'

Remarks by man who gave party £10m raise questions over his behaviour in workplace

Burning Díaz captures tone and energy but cannot find the winner

Liverpool winger could not tear himself away from the spectacle after City had dominated the first half

Spurs on target after Maddison’s bullseye

Last week James Maddison enjoyed going head to head against his Tottenham teammate Micky van de Ven in a darts challenge with the elite players Michael Smith and Nathan Aspinall and the Spurs No 10 stepped up to the oche here to twist a cagey contest in their favour.

'Work to do': McCullum targets refined England after India humbling

Head coach insists belief is still there despite a 4-1 series defeat but side have to be smarter’ with their approach

France power leaves Wales fighting to avoid wooden spoon

Wales are staring at that wooden spoon. Another run-out for these youngsters, another credible effort, but the challenge against a France side who can cut just as sharply as they bludgeon remorselessly was too much in the final quarter.