This documentary about Nato’s readiness for war seems intended to provoke a mix of terror and arousal in the goggling, flag-hugging viewer. It’s terminally dull stuff It is the world’s largest military alliance but, in reputational terms at least, Nato is currently vulnerable. For an organisation so dependent on US stability and generosity, Donald Trump’s shredding of the so-called “rules-based order” is a potentially existential threat. So Nato could use an easy PR win right now and, with Frontline: Our Soldiers Facing Putin, Channel 4 tries to provide one. This two-parter’s premise is that, after four years of war in Ukraine, we must plan for what comes next. If Russia is emboldened by the outcome of that conflict, it might invade another ex-Soviet border state, Estonia – which is a longstanding Nato member, so Nato would be at war. Are we prepared? Any worries about which side the present US administration would cheer for are put aside, as the results of exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Nato’s past year of manoeuvres are, breathlessly, presented. The answer to the question about Nato’s readiness is a stern affirmative. Putin ought to think on. Continue reading...

Christopher Moynihan pleads guilty to misdemeanor charge over threats last October to kill congressman A rioter who was pardoned by Donald Trump for the felony he was convicted of in the storming of the US Capitol on 6 January 2021 has pleaded guilty to a harassment charge over threats to kill congressman and House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries. Christopher Moynihan, 35, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge in a hearing in Clinton, New York, prosecutors said, and will be sentenced in April. His representative could not immediately be reached. Continue reading...

Project, following disgraced cyclist, reportedly sparked bidding war, with Conclave’s Edward Berger set to direct Oscar-nominated actor Austin Butler is scheduled to take on the role of disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong in a buzzy new biopic. According to Deadline, the package has caused a “frenzied” bidding war in Hollywood with Conclave director Edward Berger at the helm and King Richard’s Zach Baylin set to write the script. Continue reading...

His first Oscar nomination, for Hamnet, is testament to the German-born British composer’s chameleon-like adaptability The German-born British composer Max Richter had never been nominated for an Oscar until this year, though he may – unintentionally – have once scuppered someone else’s chance of winning one. In 2016, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences disqualified Jóhann Jóhannsson’s score for the film Arrival on the grounds that viewers would find it impossible to distinguish the late Icelandic composer’s soundtrack from the bought-in piece of music that book-ended Denis Villeneuve’s alien invasion psychodrama: Richter’s soaring, maximalist-minimalist On the Nature of Daylight. Continue reading...

While much of the attention has been placed on Lindsey Vonn in the run-up to the Winter Olympics, her teammate has an extraordinary story of her own In December 2024, Breezy Johnson glided into the starting gate on the Stifel Birds of Prey downhill course atop Colorado’s Beaver Creek, a sight for sore eyes and a bundle of nerves. “The anxiety will always be there until I’m in the downhill gate,” the 30-year-old said at Team USA’s pre-Olympics media summit in October. “Like, at no point can [I tell myself], I’ve got this thing.” Out of World Cup action for 14 months after whereabouts failures, she dropped on to Birds of Prey as bib No 32 in the 45-racer field – all women for the first time in the history of the legendary venue. With a few bends of her reconstructed knees, she snapped through the timing wand, charged through the Abyss (one of Birds of Prey’s steepest pitches) and kept carving her way through the 1.7-mile (2.7km) drop’s icy chop. Altogether, it was a solid run for Johnson, a 13th-place finish on home snow to restart her World Cup scoring streak. And just like that, America’s would-be standard bearer of the slopes was at it again. Continue reading...

Briton beats Oleksandra Oliynykova in three tough sets Chance to revive memories of Flushing Meadows success Emma Raducanu has reached her first final since the 2021 US Open. The British No1 beat Oleksandra Oliynykova 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 in a tough semi-final to take her place in Saturday’s Transylvania Open final in Cluj. She now has a shot at winning her first tournament since her incredible success at Flushing Meadows in 2021 and announcing herself as a real force on the WTA Tour. Continue reading...

Material did not have legally obligatory imprint clarifying that it was funded and distributed by political party Reform UK will face a police investigation in Gorton and Denton after admitting that it sent out letters from a “concerned neighbour” which did not state that they had been distributed and funded by the party. Greater Manchester police confirmed it had received a report about the breach of electoral law and said it would investigate. The Electoral Commission said the omission was a matter for the police, stressing that failing “to include an imprint in candidate election material is an offence.” Continue reading...

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, ICE protests in Los Angeles, Snoop Dogg at the Winter Olympics and Storm Leonardo – the past seven days as captured by the world’s leading photojournalists Continue reading...

Subdued tone as political leaders spoke on eve of Waitangi Day amid some fatigue in Māori communities over divisive coalition policies When New Zealand’s political leaders gathered to speak at the Waitangi treaty grounds where Māori chiefs and the British Crown forged a nation 186 years ago there was a striking absence: the public. As a light rain fell on the green peninsula in the far north of New Zealand on Thursday, fewer than 100 people gathered to watch the leaders welcomed onto the grounds, and only a handful of people heckled ministers as they spoke. Continue reading...

The abuse of women by figures such as Epstein, and of political power by the likes of Mandelson, must be confronted. As far as I am able, I will play my part Former prime minister ‘deeply regrets’ bringing Mandelson into his government In Jeffrey Epstein’s wider circle, women and girls were treated as less than human by powerful men acting far beyond the law. The sexual trafficking plotted by him and his fellow criminals is the most egregious example of a global network of wealthy and powerful men that thinks it can act with impunity. Nothing less than a century-defining rebalancing of power and accountability is equal to this moment and the trauma of the victims. This scandal is primarily about them and their pain. But as I digest the details of what has emerged, I also find it hard to find words to express my revulsion at what has been uncovered about Epstein and his impact on our politics. During the financial crisis, I wanted every moment of every day to be spent doing everything that could be done to save people’s homes, savings, pensions and jobs. That a member of the cabinet at the time was thinking more of himself and his rich friends is a betrayal of everything we stand for as a country. That the leaks of sensitive information were going to someone we now know was the ringmaster of a cabal of abusers and enablers sickens me. Gordon Brown is the UN’s special envoy for global education and was UK prime minister from 2007 to 2010 Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

Lightning-fast attacker lines up at full-back against England insisting that his gridiron tilt will only help his rugby The late, great Tom Petty wrote the song that, ultimately, defined Louis Rees-Zammit’s American football adventure. “Runnin’ down a dream, that never would come to me …” Twelve months ago Rees-Zammit was in New Orleans watching the Superbowl and still hoping to carve out a multimillion dollar NFL career. Now here he is, back in a Welsh rugby shirt and eager to make up for lost time. Sliding doors and all that. This weekend in America all roads lead to this year’s Superbowl in California: the Seattle Seahawks v the New England Patriots . But as Wales’s 25-year-old prodigal son prepares for the contrasting vibes and smells of a sodden Twickenham in February, he insists he still has no regrets about the gridiron flirtation that removed him from Six Nations circulation for two years. Continue reading...

Former prime minister says revelations about Epstein’s influence on UK politics caused him revulsion Brown: We owe it to victims and British democracy to demand change Gordon Brown has said he deeply regrets bringing Peter Mandelson into his government, and that revelations about Jeffrey Epstein’s influence on UK politics had caused him revulsion. Writing in the Guardian, Brown said the news that the disgraced former ambassador to the US was passing information to Epstein while businesses secretary was “a betrayal of everything we stand for as a country”. Continue reading...

⚽ Premier League updates from the 8pm GMT kick-off ⚽ Table | Follow us on Bluesky | Email Dominic Leeds: Darlow; Justin, Rodon, Strujik; Bogle, Gruev, Ampadu, Aaronson, Gudmundsson; Okafor, Calvert-Lewin. Subs: Perri, James, Longstaff, Piroe, Nmecha, Bijol, Tanaka, Bornauw, Gnonto. Continue reading...

Renny Harlin’s thankless trio of movies, taking a simple story and extending it for no creative reason, is at least finally over If you’re wondering how this shrug-along horror series has got this far, Renny Harlin shot all three back-to-back in Bratislava in late 2022; reshoots followed the indifferent response to the first chapter in 2024, which didn’t much alleviate the even more indifferent response to last year’s second. We’re getting them whether we wanted them or not: the modest resources had been spent, and so we now arrive at the last knockings which comprise this year’s most dutiful carnage. The mistake is to expand a morally gloomy universe that was better off self-contained; the more light Harlin and collaborators let in, the more their set-up presents as generic runaround, hopelessly out of place amid the recent horror renaissance. We’re deep into Strangers lore now, but last girl standing Maya (Riverdale graduate Madelaine Petsch, who surely hoped this was her Neve Campbell moment) continues to scurry about a devout woodland community like a bloodied fieldmouse with resting iPhone face; the masked thrill-killers – previously three, now two – have now gained ulterior motives for pursuing her. Also present: tatted survivor Gregory (Gabriel Basso, who must have been hoping for more to do) and ever-shifty Sheriff Rotter (Richard Brake), whose link to the killers is finally made explicit. New blood arrives in the form of Maya’s sister Debbie (Hollyoaks alumna and recent short-film Oscar-winner Rachel Shenton) who comes to town seeking answers, only to be drawn into another round of humdrum stalk-and-slash. Continue reading...

The disgraced royal was sheltered by silence. Accountability to victims must mean testimony abroad and scrutiny at home, not palace containment tactics When Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his titles last October, it was presented as a final act: a disgraced royal cut loose to protect the monarchy. The Epstein files suggest otherwise. Photographs and emails released by US authorities place Mr Mountbatten-Windsor deep inside Epstein’s network of favours. And they reveal an intimacy that goes far beyond poor judgment by the former prince. This is no longer about salacious gossip or constitutional niceties, but about providing accountability to victims of sexual abuse. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor insists on his innocence yet refuses to cooperate with investigators. The US Congress continues to pursue Epstein’s connections. In Britain, parliament still averts its gaze. This looks untenable. Continue reading...

Head coach’s previous deal ran until 2028 Bompastor won domestic treble in first season Sonia Bompastor has agreed a contract extension as Chelsea’s head coach, the Guardian can reveal, as the club issue a strong signal of trust and confidence in the Frenchwoman. Bompastor has been in charge at Chelsea since the summer of 2024, when she succeeded Emma Hayes on a deal to 2028. The 45-year-old completed a domestic season unbeaten during her first year and won a treble, as well as reaching the Women’s Champions League semi-finals. Continue reading...

Prosecutor says Jon Ruben, 76, who laced sweets with tranquillising drugs at a summer camp, used his ‘cloak of Christianity’ to abuse children A Christian camp leader who sexually abused young boys after lacing sweets with tranquillisers has been jailed for 23 years and 10 months. Jon Ruben, 76, a retired vet and church youth volunteer, used the “cloak of Christianity” to carry out sexual assaults on vulnerable children, Leicester crown court heard. Continue reading...

This BBC series hasn’t made the same the splash as Adolescence. But its reflections on men in prison are valuable Dennis Kelly, the author of the BBC’s six-part drama Waiting for the Out – now on iPlayer, with its final episode to be broadcast on Saturday – told an interviewer that fear is the secret hidden inside his latest series. The drama, about a man who takes a job teaching philosophy to a group of men in a prison, is based on Andy West’s memoir The Life Inside, which describes his real-life experiences teaching in prisons. Visiting jails for his research, Kelly picked up echoes of the debilitating shame that marred his own youth and early adulthood. In his thirties, Kelly tackled his alcohol addiction, and began to write and recover. He is now the author of highly regarded TV series including Utopia and Pulling, and won a Tony award for his script for the smash-hit musical version of Roald Dahl’s Matilda. Continue reading...

Criminal complaint alleges acts occurred in 2024 on set of the TV drama the Cleaning Lady, which Busfield acted in and directed A grand jury in New Mexico has indicted actor Timothy Busfield on child sex abuse charges, officials announced Friday. Busfield was indicted on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child, the Bernalillo county district attorney’s office said in a statement. In the US, call or text the Childhelp abuse hotline on 800-422-4453 or visit their website for more resources and to report child abuse or DM for help. For adult survivors of child abuse, help is available at ascasupport.org. In the UK, the NSPCC offers support to children on 0800 1111, and adults concerned about a child on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adult survivors on 0808 801 0331. In Australia, children, young adults, parents and teachers can contact the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or Bravehearts on 1800 272 831, and adult survivors can contact Blue Knot Foundation on 1300 657 380. Other sources of help can be found at Child Helplines International Continue reading...

Exclusive: Sasan Ghandehari reluctant to share details of $10bn trust in row with Christie’s auction house A high court battle over a Picasso painting has shone a light on the offshore financial structures of an Iranian-born businessman who paid for Nigel Farage’s £50,000 trip to Davos. The details about Sasan Ghandehari, who funded Farage’s tickets to the summit, emerged in court papers about a £4m claim brought by a British Virgin Islands firm, which accuses Christie’s auction house of misrepresentation when it sold the art. Continue reading...

Readers respond to an article by Jo Glanville about reading to her parents with dementia, and offer their own insights about supporting loved ones with the disease Well said, Jo Glanville (Reading was the key to breaking through the fog of my parents’ dementia, 1 February). Our mother lived with vascular dementia for many years, but she wasn’t “dead” or “as good as dead”. Far too many people believe this, even people whose loved ones have had dementia, and it’s a dangerous belief that undermines the rights of people who are already extremely vulnerable. Mum was alive and herself right to the end, even when she had become bedbound and crippled, even when somebody who could once have chatted for England barely spoke any more. But in those last few years, when she could no longer read for herself, Dad or I (or my brothers when they visited) read to her every day, and even when she didn’t say much, I could tell by the expression on her face whether she was enjoying it or not. Continue reading...

Readers respond to an article by Polly Hudson about the challenges of early parenthood that new mothers are not warned about I appreciated the sentiment in Polly Hudson’s piece, but ironically I also felt that it still framed motherhood as a wonderful thing, which of course it is for many, but not all women (I confessed a deplorable secret about motherhood to a friend – and it changed my life, 3 February). To fully tackle this issue, you need to look at a more rounded view of women’s experiences of motherhood, especially in those earliest days. For some women, it’s not just wanting to scream into a pillow every now and again, it’s feeling suicidal every day, having intrusive thoughts of harming yourself or your child, fearing sleeping in case they die in their cot and it’s your fault, or not leaving the house because you simply cannot put one foot in front of the other. Continue reading...

A teaching assistant rejects the suggestion that teachers are not incorporating technology in a purposeful manner As a teaching assistant, play coordinator and forest school leader in a primary school, I would argue that screens are already used in the classroom in a “purposeful, mindful” way (Letters, 30 January). Lessons are carefully planned and delivered using a screen as a tool, by a teacher, just like they were delivered using a blackboard before screens were a “thing”. The use of this technology saves time to teach more efficiently, with the added benefit that video clips, photographs and sounds can be used to enrich children’s education and experiences. Children are encouraged to contribute orally in the majority of lessons, particularly in those schools that are taking part in the Voice 21 oracy programme, which embeds oracy throughout the curriculum. Continue reading...

Jill Webster shares her own experience of birds carrying a message of comfort I was moved by both your published letters on birds carrying messages of comfort (2 February) and Zoe Williams’ reflections on Jilly Cooper’s memorial (3 February) to recall a stoic old dog who we rehomed a few years ago. She’d had a difficult life, much of it spent at the whims of unhappy owners, and after she died we buried her in our garden. Continue reading...

Exclusive: RCR says recruitment freezes in treatment centres doubled in 2025 and could undermine government’s care plans Hospitals have banned units which diagnose and treat cancer from hiring doctors as part of an NHS cost-cutting drive, despite the growing demand for care. Exactly half of the UK’s 60 specialist cancer treatment centres had a freeze on recruiting clinical oncologists imposed on them during 2025, more than double the 13 (23%) seen the year before. Continue reading...