CATEGORIES

Protesting EU farmers win delay in rules forcing land to be set aside for biodiversity

Farmers protesting across Europe have won their first concession from Brussels, with the EU announcing a delay in rules that would have forced them to set aside land to encourage biodiversity and soil health.

'Our people are back' Moscow and Kyiv exchange Pows a week after plane crash

Russia and Ukraine have conducted a prisoner-of-war exchange a week after a previous swap was prevented when a Russian Il-76 transport plane was shot down and exploded near the border between the two countries.

EU clashes with Orbán over €50bn Ukraine package

EU leaders have returned to Brussels for a second showdown in two months with Hungary's Viktor Orbán over his refusal to sanction a new €50bn (£43bn) assistance package for Ukraine.

Calls for railings on seawall were ignored before girl fell and died

Repeated calls 30 years ago from a coroner and safety experts for railings to be installed on a seawall in Devon after a teenager lost his life were ignored, it has emerged, after the death last year of a young Ukrainian refugee in similar circumstances.

Trans people in England at higher risk of mental ill health, study finds

Transgender people in England are much more likely to have a longterm mental health condition than cis people, the first study of its kind shows, with some facing a risk five times higher.

Abled-bodied actor cast as Richard III to press on despite backlash

The artistic director of Shakespeare's Globe has pushed on with plans to play Richard III this summer, but vowed not to \"alter [her] physicality\" following a backlash over not casting a disabled actor in the role.

Zuckerberg apologises to bereaved families of children abused online

Mark Zuckerberg has apologised to the parents of children who have died following sexual exploitation or harassment via social media during a congressional hearing in Washington over alleged online harms to children.

Adele reveals four Munich gigs in pop-up shell stadium

Adele is to deploy a \"a one-off, bespoke pop-up stadium\" for a series of new concerts, her first in mainland Europe since 2016.

Henry thanks public as he quits as Comic Relief host

Sir Lenny Henry is to host Comic Relief for the last time when it airs on the BBC in March.

Northern Ireland to get new Brexit trading rules in deal to restore power sharing

New rules to smooth post-Brexit trade between Britain and Northern Ireland have been published by the government as part of a deal with the Democratic Unionist party that will restore the Stormont executive and install a Sinn Féin first minister.

Single-dose gene therapy 'cures' hereditary disorder

A groundbreaking gene therapy has been hailed as a \"medical magic wand\" after the treatment transformed the lives of patients with a hereditary disorder that causes painful and potentially fatal swelling.

Biden's secret weapon? Rightwingers accuse Pentagon of 'Operation Swift'

Taylor Swift is a \"Pentagon asset\", an \"election interference psyop\" who has conspired with unnamed left-leaning forces to \"rig\" the Super Bowl and then endorse Joe Biden in the presidential election.

Labour 'must stick to £28bn low-carbon economy pledge'

Labour’s proposed investment of 28bn a year in the low-carbon economy is an absolute minimum, a leading business figure has said, adding that without green investment on that scale the UK will face steep decline as a result of crumbling infrastructure and stagnating industry.

Frustration in party ranks as Reeves rejects return of bankers' bonus cap

Senior Labour figures have been left annoyed and perplexed by the surprise announcement by Rachel Reeves that the party will not reinstate a cap on bankers' bonuses if it wins the next election.

Sturgeon admits errors in handling pandemic

Nicola Sturgeon has admitted failing to properly record key discussions about the pandemic after being pressed at the UK Covid inquiry yesterday over claims that some decisions were too centralised and secretive.

Olise and Eze blunt Blades to help ease pressure on Hodgson

Crisis, what crisis? Roy Hodgson has seen it all in his lengthy managerial career but even the former England manager must have feared the worst when Ben Brereton Díaz put Sheffield United in front inside the first 30 seconds.

Climate has to be No 1 priority, top business leaders say

Britain's next government should make the transition to a green economy its number one priority to reboot economic growth and avoid falling behind rival nations, the head one of the country's most powerful business groups has said.

Labour pledges to cut regulations and champion financial services sector

Labour has pledged to \"unashamedly champion\" the UK's financial services sector as it promised to cut down 10,000 pages of regulations and ruled out a windfall tax on bank profits.

Accused in Corsica treasure trial argues for part ownership of 'smuggled' Roman plate

The trial has begun in Marseille of a man accused of smuggling a national treasure after being caught with a Roman plate believed to be part of a mysterious hoard of sunken gold.

Ukrainian commander's refusal to step down fuels speculation he faces sack

Volodymyr Zelenskiy asked his most senior military commander, Valerii Zaluzhnyi to step down on Monday, but the general refused, triggering speculation that he will be dismissed.

All roads into Zeebrugge blocked as action targets major port

The Belgian port of Zeebrugge was blockaded yesterday, with gridlock on surrounding roads as farmers' protests spread across Europe.

Imran Khan given 10-year jail term in run-up to Pakistan general election

Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for leaking official secrets, amid a crackdown on his political party before the general election due next week.

'We won' Crystal toasts libel victory over Laurence Fox

The drag artist Crystal may have marked Monday by winning an emphatic libel victory against the rightwing activist Laurence Fox, but celebrations after the judgment were muted.

Patient families group demands trust be shut after Norfolk killings

The families of people who have died in the care of Norfolk and Suffolk mental health services have said the tragic case of a man believed to have killed himself and his family underlines the need for a statutory inquiry into the NHS trust.

Biden Response to killing of soldiers has been decided, says president

Joe Biden has said he has decided how to respond to the drone attack in Jordan that killed three American soldiers and wounded dozens more, as the Iran-backed militia Washington blamed for the attack announced it had suspended anti-US operations.

Hospital raid Israeli forces disguised as doctors kill three in Jenin

Israeli forces dressed in doctors' scrubs and women's clothes killed three Palestinian militants yesterday in an undercover operation in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.

Ceasefire plan Netanyahu rules out withdrawal from strip

Benjamin Netanyahu has said he would not accept any ceasefire deal that required the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners or the departure of Israeli troops from Gaza, as the Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, said he was willing to go to Cairo to discuss proposals.

Hamas militants have 'retaken control' in parts of northern Gaza

Hamas militants have returned to northern Gaza, where they are mobilising against Israeli forces and rebuilding a system of governance, aid officials, Gaza residents, analysts and Israeli officials say.

Comedian Fern Brady and Booker-shortlisted writer Paul Murray win first Nero book awards

The Booker prize shortlisted author Paul Murray and the comedian Fern Brady have been announced as the winners of their categories in the inaugural Nero book awards.

Knife ban is not the solution, says school chain head

Banning \"zombie\" knives and machetes will not end the trauma of knife crime, the founder of an academy trust has warned, after two pupils at one of his schools were fatally stabbed over the weekend.