Exclusive: Chinese officials are using a ‘highly specific’ interpretation of EU rules to suggest Taiwanese figures should not be granted visas, officials say Chinese officials have been pushing “legal advice” on European countries, saying their own border laws require them to ban entry to Taiwanese politicians, according to more than half a dozen diplomats and officials familiar with the matter. The officials made demarches to European embassies in Beijing, or through local embassies directly to European governments in their capital cities, warning the European countries not to “trample on China’s red lines”, according to the European diplomats and ministries who spoke to the Guardian. Continue reading...

Strike on Lviv that used nuclear-capable ballistic missile a ‘dangerous, inexplicable escalation’. What we know on day 1,420 The US and Britain have condemned Russia for dropping a nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile on Ukraine. At an emergency meeting of the UN security council, Tammy Bruce, US deputy ambassador, called the Lviv strike a “dangerous and inexplicable escalation”. Britain’s acting UN ambassador, James Kariuki, called the attack “reckless”, adding that “it threatens regional and international security and carries significant risk of escalation and miscalculation”. Russia claimed the Oreshnik targeted an aviation repair factory. Ukraine has not confirmed what was hit but said the missile struck during a wider attack using drones and other rockets. The rarely used, multiple warhead Oreshnik missile is thought to be in limited supply – Ukraine’s military and special forces claim to have destroyed at least one of them on the ground in Russia. Observers have rated the two Oreshnik strikes so far on Ukraine as largely political and symbolic, with dummy warheads probably used, and any damage caused by their sonic boom and physical impact rather than live explosives. Analysts have questioned whether the Oreshnik is accurate enough to deliver non-nuclear bombs, which have to be more closely targeted than nuclear warheads to be effective. Russian forces launched attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv early on Tuesday, killing at least two people in Kharkiv and injuring another three, Ukrainian authorities said. Kyiv on Monday buried medic Sergiy Smolyak, 56, who was killed in a drone attack as he rushed to rescue residents from a housing block that Russia struck minutes earlier in a massive attack on the Ukrainian capital on Friday. “He was very kind, always calm and even-tempered. He saved so many people,” said Ryta Dorosh, a nurse who worked with Smolyak before the war. Russia has bombed two more civilian ships transporting food products in the Black Sea, according to Ukraine. “An enemy drone struck a Panamanian-flagged tanker that was waiting to enter port to load vegetable oil. Unfortunately, one crew member was wounded,” said Ukrainian regional development minister Oleksiy Kuleba. “There was also an attack on a ship flying the flag of San Marino, which was leaving the port with a cargo of corn ... This is further proof that Russia is deliberately attacking civilian ships, international trade and maritime safety,” he added. Odesa regional governor Oleg Kiper said the attacks happened around the Chornomorsk port on the southern Ukrainian coast. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Writing for Guardian Australia, Adler says she ‘cannot be party to silencing writers’ after Adelaide festival board cancelled Randa Abdel-Fattah’s invitation to appear Louise Adler: I cannot be party to silencing writers, which is why I am resigning as director of Adelaide writers’ week Peter Greste: If we silence voices we don’t agree with, we’re doing the work of extremists for them Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The director of Adelaide writers’ week, Louise Adler, has resigned after the board of the Adelaide festival announced it had dumped the Palestinian Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah from the literary event. “I cannot be party to silencing writers, so with a heavy heart I am resigning from my role as the director of the AWW,” said Adler, one of Australia’s most influential literary figures. Continue reading...

‘Historic’ moment in biggest coal-consuming countries could bring decline in global emissions, analysis says Coal power generation fell in China and India for the first time since the 1970s last year, in a “historic” moment that could bring a decline in global emissions, according to analysis. The simultaneous fall in coal-powered electricity in the world’s biggest coal-consuming countries had not happened since 1973, according to analysts at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, and was driven by a record roll-out of clean energy projects. Continue reading...

Seven out of 10 targets have little likelihood of being met by 2030, Office for Environmental Protection says The government will not meet its targets to save wildlife in England and Northern Ireland and is failing on almost all environmental measures, the Office for Environmental Protection watchdog has said. In a damning report, the OEP has found that seven of the 10 targets set in the Environment Act 2021 have little likelihood of being met by 2030, which is the deadline set in law. Continue reading...

Allen wins five frames in a row against Mark Williams Zhao Xintong cruises to 6-2 win over Gary Wilson Mark Allen shrugged off a bout of food poisoning to beat Mark Williams 6-2, winning five successive frames, and book a Masters quarter-final with Judd Trump or Ding Junhui, who play on Wednesday. Speaking to the BBC, Allen, the 2018 champion, said: “I prepare properly for these events, but I couldn’t prepare for this at all as I’ve been lying in bed all week with food poisoning. I just thought: ‘Go out there and give my best.’ I wouldn’t have had much left if it had got much closer.” Continue reading...

Former ambassador to US had earlier declined to give apology for keeping in touch with sex offender after his conviction Peter Mandelson has issued an apology for his association with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein – after declining to do so in an interview broadcast on Sunday. The Labour peer, who was sacked as US ambassador when details of his support for Epstein emerged in September, gave an interview to the BBC in which he suggested that as a gay man he knew nothing of the disgraced financier’s sex life. Continue reading...

Hospital trusts in Surrey and Kent say situation has been worsened by rise in flu and norovirus cases Four NHS hospital trusts in England have declared critical incidents after a “surge” in A&E admissions driven in large part by patients with flu, norovirus and respiratory viruses. Three trusts in Surrey and one in Kent sounded the alarm after a “surge in complex attendances to A&E departments”. Continue reading...

Prime minister tells parliamentary party that ‘being in the room’ for trade and defence talks will boost UK economy Keir Starmer has defended his frequent trips out of the country to Labour MPs, attempting to draw a direct link with the cost of living at home, which he warned would not be solved by isolationism. The prime minister told the meeting of the parliamentary Labour party (PLP) on Monday night that it was essential for him to be “in the room” for international negotiations on trade and defence, which would then have an impact on the domestic economy. Continue reading...

Keeper opted to join City rather than Newcastle in July ‘I’m a big fan of his,’ says Eddie Howe before semi-final The prospect of James Trafford joining Newcastle from Manchester City in the summer heightened on Monday when Eddie Howe spoke admiringly of the goalkeeper and Pep Guardiola left open the prospect of a move. Trafford chose City ahead of Newcastle when he left Burnley in July, expecting to become the first choice at the Etihad Stadium. Since the deadline-day arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma, however, he has played in only four domestic cup ties and one Champions League match. Continue reading...

Ørsted and other wind developers have faced repeated disruptions to multibillion dollar projects under Trump A federal judge on Monday cleared Danish offshore wind developer Ørsted to resume work on its nearly finished Revolution Wind project, which Donald Trump’s administration halted along with four other projects last month. The ruling by US district judge Royce Lamberth is a legal setback for Trump, who has sought to block expansion of offshore wind in federal waters. Continue reading...

Lawsuit comes in the aftermath of an ICE agent fatally shooting Minneapolis resident Renee Nicole Good Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison announced a lawsuit Monday against the federal government, seeking to end the surge of ICE agents in the state. “This is in essence a federal invasion of the Twin Cities, and it must stop,” Ellison said during a press conference, noting the shutdown of schools and the closure of local businesses. “This surge has made us less safe.” Continue reading...

A late Florian Wirtz-inspired flourish gave a convincing look to Liverpool’s margin of victory but Barnsley made their hosts battle for a place in round four. The League One club were a credit as they performed with commitment and ambition at Anfield, but Premier League class always had the edge and ultimately told. How Dominik Szoboszlai will be grateful for that outcome. The Liverpool midfielder gave his team the lead with a brilliant 30-yard strike only to gift Barnsley a way back with a ridiculous mistake shortly before the interval. Goals from Jeremie Frimpong and substitutes Wirtz and Hugo Ekitiké spared their teammate any further embarrassment. Continue reading...

Wicketkeeper-batter says she has lost some competitive edge 35-year-old will miss T20 World Cup in June and July Australia captain Alyssa Healy is to retire from cricket in March, after the forthcoming series with India, saying she has lost some of the competitive edge that drove her. The wicketkeeper-batter has been playing for Australia for 15 years, making her debut as a teenager, and has been full-time captain since Meg Lanning retired in 2023. Continue reading...

Incriminating video, dismissed by officials as a ‘hybrid attack’ has forced resignations of Nikos Christodoulides’s wife and chief of staff The Cypriot president, Nikos Christodoulides, has said he has “nothing to fear” over a scandal that has forced the resignations of his chief of staff and his wife from a leadership role of a major charity. As allegations of high-level corruption swirled days after the island assumed the rotating EU presidency, officials insisted the country had been the victim of “hybrid warfare”. The incriminating claims, implicating the president and first lady in a cash for access network, were made in a video uploaded on X. Continue reading...

Press chief says US president considering ‘many, many’ options amid deadly regime crackdown on protesters Donald Trump is “unafraid to use military force on Iran” the White House said on Monday as the Iranian regime still faces widespread unrest across the country. Speaking to Fox News, the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said that although diplomacy remained Trump’s “first option”, he was “unafraid to use the lethal force and might of the United States military if and when he deems that necessary”. Continue reading...

Former attorney general urges government to give clarity on British spy agencies’ role in Abu Zubaydah’s torture by CIA Ministers should explain why the UK has paid compensation to a Palestinian man who was tortured by the CIA and is still being held in Guantánamo Bay, according to a former attorney general. Abu Zubaydah, the first man subject to CIA waterboarding, was reported by the BBC to have been awarded a payment that may amount to hundreds of thousands of pounds because of the role of MI5 and MI6 in his mistreatment. Continue reading...

PGA offers re-entry to LIV Golf players via new program Koepka stands to miss out on at least $50m in equity Brooks Koepka is returning to the PGA Tour just five weeks after bolting from LIV Golf, agreeing to a one-time program for elite players that comes with a financial penalty that could rank among the largest in sports. Koepka plans to resume his PGA Tour career in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines at the end of the month. But he will not be eligible for PGA Tour equity grants for five years, he will not receive FedEx Cup bonus money in 2026 and he cannot play signature events unless he earns his way in. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Dutch police question claims used by West Midlands force in evidence to inquiry Dutch police have questioned the credibility of claims used by British officers to justify excluding Israeli fans from a football match in Birmingham in their testimony to an official inquiry. Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were banned from the Europa League game against Aston Villa in November by a Birmingham safety committee following intelligence from West Midlands police. Continue reading...

Man charged with maliciously damaging building after blaze at historic Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson The FBI says that a suspect in the arson fire at a historic Mississippi synagogue admitted to targeting the institution because of its “Jewish ties”. Stephen Spencer Pittman was charged on Monday with maliciously damaging or destroying a building by means of fire or an explosive, the FBI said. Continue reading...

Robert McBride, deputy to Trump ally Lindsey Halligan, is latest in series of dismissals The number two prosecutor in the US attorney’s office for the eastern district of Virginia has been fired, according to two people familiar with the matter, the latest in a series of dismissals in an office that is leading controversial criminal prosecutions of James Comey and Letitia James. Robert McBride, a former federal prosecutor in Kentucky, was brought in late last year to serve as the deputy to Lindsey Halligan, a Trump ally who the president installed as the acting US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia in September. McBride was dismissed after declining to lead the Comey prosecution, which a judge threw out in November after ruling Halligan was unlawfully appointed, one of the people said. (The justice department is appealing the ruling.) Continue reading...

Exclusive: David Lammy’s proposals could be altered to avoid fight in Lords after criticism from MPs, peers and lawyers Proposals to limit jury trials could be watered down after a backlash from MPs, peers and senior figures in the legal profession, the Guardian has been told. Sources say senior government officials are discussing potential changes in an attempt to draw the sting out of the plans and avoid a bruising fight in the House of Lords. Continue reading...

Maitlin Paige White accused of soliciting donations as Matthew Childress, whose daughter died at Camp Mystic A Florida woman allegedly posed as the grieving father of a teenager who died in July’s deadly Camp Mystic flooding in Texas and tried to raise money, leading to her being criminally charged with online impersonation, according to authorities. According to court records reviewed by multiple outlets, Maitlin Paige White, 28, of Crestview, Florida, is accused of posing as Matthew Childress and soliciting donations in the days after the death of his 18-year-old daughter, Chloe Childress, who was working as a counselor at Camp Mystic in Kerr county, Texas. Continue reading...

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Lib Dem MP hits out at Commons speaker for failing to grant him right to call for national emergency response Thousands of homes in the south-west of England were still without power or water on Monday in the aftermath of Storm Goretti. It has been four days since Goretti brought gusts of almost 100 mph and a rare red warning for “dangerous, stormy” winds, but the continued disruption has led one Cornish MP to call for a “national emergency”. Continue reading...