Astronaut calls fellow Canadian Ryan Gosling’s movie ‘extraordinary’ ahead of Artemis II crew’s lunar fly-around The new space movie Project Hail Mary starring Ryan Gosling has gotten a rave review from more than halfway to the moon. Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen said on Saturday that he and his Artemis II crewmates got to watch the film with their families before launching on the lunar fly-around. He said it was “a real treat” to view the movie while getting ready for his own space adventure. Continue reading...

The delight of ‘meeting’ a person from a different country and time zone is one of the wonders of the internet. Perhaps one day we will host a party in his honour One of the many people my husband’s clan and I invite to family celebrations isn’t related to us by blood or marriage. He isn’t dating one of us, he hasn’t met any of us, and none of us – were he to attend – would know his face. But from time to time he gets an invite to a birthday of someone he has never met and is asked to bring a plate. He has never come, but he always responds with excitement and warmth. He’s not technically “one of us”, but he shares a surname with some of us and over years earned himself the ultimate sign of group acceptance: a nickname. Continue reading...

When Marisha Matthews first saw ‘cool minister’ Paul, she noticed his kind eyes and jewellery. Their growing relationship was a slow burn over many years Find more stories from the moment I knew series In the summer of 2014, I was living in Adelaide with my two young children in a very hot rental house with a low ceiling and a rat problem. It also had a slightly leaky pool, which was good for entertaining. It was coming up to Australia Day, which I’ve always had mixed feelings about. I couldn’t stomach inviting people over for a plastic flag-fest, so I suggested my guests bring items to make a welcome package for refugees. As a first-generation Anglo Indian British Australian with Chinese siblings, and previously married to a Persian refugee, my family is full of the newly arrived. Continue reading...

Met police say 19-year-old man held at Westminster magistrates court, where three other men charged over attack A fourth person has been arrested in connection with the arson attack on Jewish volunteer ambulances in north-west London, the Metropolitan police has said. The force said the 19-year-old man was arrested on Saturday morning at Westminster magistrates court, where three other men were charged over the arson attack. Continue reading...

US National Park Service lawyers cite materials that will be installed to make ‘heavily fortified’ facility Donald Trump’s administration is arguing that a judge’s order to halt construction of a $400m White House ballroom creates a security risk for the US president as his team asks a federal appeals court to pause the ruling. In a motion filed on Friday, US National Park Service (NPS) lawyers say that the federal judge’s order to suspend construction of the new facility is “threatening grave national-security harms to the White House, the president and his family, and the president’s staff”. Continue reading...

It will take more than a thumping FA Cup quarter-final victory over the worst team in League One to ignite Chelsea’s season as it enters the defining stretch. This was, at least, a step in the right direction. Or, perhaps, it was just good for the club to avoid any further chaos. The occasion was framed by Liam Rosenior’s decision to ban his vice-captain, Enzo Fernández, for the game and Chelsea’s next one which is here against Manchester City in the Premier League next Sunday. The manager felt he had to act after Fernández’s none-too-subtle message to Real Madrid during the international break. Basically, he is bang up for joining them. Continue reading...

Springs fire, which had spread quickly by windy conditions, at least 45% contained on Saturday, say fire officials California fire protection crews on Saturday were getting a handle on the wildfire that broke out the previous evening in Riverside county, fanned by high winds that quickly spread the flames to more than 4,100 acres. The Springs fire, about 64 miles (103km) east of Los Angeles, was at least 45% contained on Saturday, a fire department spokesperson said. It was 25% contained late on Friday evening. Continue reading...

São Paulo player spent days in hospital after fainting Oscar won two league titles in five years at Chelsea The former Brazil international Oscar has been forced to retire at the age of 34 with cardiac problems, São Paulo confirmed on Saturday. The attacking midfielder spent five days in hospital after fainting during a routine medical in November and has not played since. A vasovagal syncope, caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure, heart rate, and cerebral blood flow was observed, forcing Oscar to call time on his career. He had a contract that was due to expire in 2027. Continue reading...

⚽️ FA Cup updates from 8pm BST kick-off at St Mary’s ⚽️ Arteta admits to Carabao pain | Email Scott here Their unfortunate no-show at the League Cup final apart, Arsenal have taken some stopping this season. Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester United required dramatic late goals to best them in the Premier League and … er … that’s it. So on the face of thing, this should be a shoo-in for the leading club in England against second-tier opposition. Especially as Arsenal have won 45 of their last 48 FA Cup ties against teams from lower divisions; they’ve won 14 of their last 16 quarter-finals; tonight’s opponents Southampton have lost all of their last five quarter-finals against top-flight opposition; and Arsenal are four from five against the Saints in the FA Cup, a record that includes victory in the 2003 final. But nothing’s ever that simple in the FA Cup. Arsenal may have that 80 percent record against Southampton in this competition, but it’s Saints who won the last meeting, 1-0 in January 2021. And while Arsenal are this season’s form team in England, Saints aren’t on a bad roll either, unbeaten in 14 games, having won six of their last seven. Fold in the fact that Arsenal’s victory at St Mary’s on the final day of last season was only their seventh win in 18 visits, at a venue where they’ve tasted defeat six times, and suddenly things aren’t quite so crystal clear. Continue reading...

Trump ordered data collection after raising concern about race being used as factor in college admissions A federal judge on Friday halted efforts by the Trump administration to collect data that proves higher education institutions aren’t considering race in admissions. The ruling from the US district court judge F Dennis Saylor IV in Boston granting the preliminary injunction follows a lawsuit filed earlier this month by a coalition of 17 Democratic state attorneys general. It will only apply to public universities in plaintiffs’ states. Continue reading...

Most of what has gone wrong this season can be put down to poor recruitment – but the manager must share the blame Even when the fixture list was revealed last summer, it was perhaps predictable that the middle of March would represent the crisis point for Newcastle. If they had reached the Champions League quarter-finals and won the Tyne-Wear derby at St James’ Park, a lot of other frustrations could have been forgotten. Even better, that game against Sunderland would have had to be postponed had Newcastle reached a third Carabao Cup final since 2023. Those days of celebration a year ago feel a long time ago now, but the mood could easily have been very different. Newcastle were the better side in the home leg against Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League. Only the concession of a daft late penalty denied them victory and they were a persistent threat on the break in the first half of the away leg. Only in the second half of the second leg did the game get away from them: a 7-2 defeat made the difference between the sides seem much greater than it actually was. Continue reading...

Muriqi strikes late winner for relegation battlers Bayern Munich come from behind to beat Freiburg Real Mallorca dealt a major blow to Real Madrid’s title aspirations as Vedat Muriqi struck an added-time winner to seal a shock 2-1 win for the hosts, leaving Real four points behind Barcelona before the leaders play Atlético Madrid later on Saturday. The hosts withstood Real’s pressure early in the game, the goalkeeper Leo Roman denying Kylian Mbappé with two diving saves, before Mallorca took the lead from their first shot on target in the 42nd minute as Manu Morlanes converted Pablo Maffeo’s cross. Continue reading...

Last 16: Bath 31-22 Saracens Second-half turnaround sends Bath through to quarters Henry Arundell’s two tries helped Bath to a tight victory over Saracens as they squeezed their way into the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup. The English champions trailed 10-0 at the break against a Sarries side unrecognisable from the one crushed at the Rec a fortnight ago in the Prem. But Bath’s heavyweight bench came to the rescue, with Thomas du Toit to the fore, as they rallied to win. Saracens pushed Bath all the way and a late try from Noah Caluori set up a nervy finish, but Arundell’s second of the match with the final play settled the contest and booked a last-eight tie at home to Northampton next weekend. Continue reading...

Danny Rohl’s side move above Hearts on goal difference Hibs turn up heat on Motherwell in battle for fourth spot Rangers put pressure on their title rivals by moving top of the Scottish Premiership for the first time in more than two years with a patchy 4-2 win over Dundee United at Ibrox. Ryan Naderi opened the scoring on the half-hour mark with a close-range finish before Dujon Sterling added a second four minutes from the interval with his first league goal for the Gers. The United forward Amar Fatah reduced the deficit with a strike just before half-time, but Thelo Aasgaard restored the Light Blues’ two-goal advantage in the 52nd minute. This story will be updated Continue reading...

Roberto Mazzarella, head of a notorious Camorra clan, had been on the run for more than a year An Italian mafia boss, who was one of Italy’s most dangerous fugitives, has been arrested on murder charges after more than a year on the run, Italian police said on Saturday. Roberto Mazzarella was the head of the notorious Mazzarella clan of the Camorra – the Naples-based organised crime gang. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Guardian investigation finds several clinics making potentially unlawful claims about benefits of unregulated therapies What are peptides, are they safe and is there evidence to back up the hype? The medicines regulator is investigating whether UK clinics are breaking the law by making claims about the benefits of unregulated, experimental peptide therapies, the Guardian can reveal. Interest in experimental peptides has boomed in recent years. The substances are delivered by injection and are touted by sellers, influencers and even some medics as aiding everything from anti-ageing to recovery from injury. Continue reading...

‘Mentality wasn’t there’ in 4-0 loss to Manchester City Slot adds ‘the amount of goals we score is far too low’ Arne Slot slammed Liverpool’s “missing fighting spirit” after the 4-0 humiliation by Manchester City that propelled Pep Guardiola’s team into the FA Cup semi-finals. The manner of the 4-0 reverse will heighten scrutiny of the manager’s future, with Liverpool next at Paris Saint-Germain for Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg. A similar defeat in the tie may prove terminal for Slot. Continue reading...

Dark-blue women end eight years of rivals’ dominance Light-blue crew power to four-length win in men’s race Oxford’s women ended eight years of Cambridge dominance in their Boat Race with a sensational performance led by the Olympic medallist Heidi Long, while Cambridge eventually overpowered their dark-blue rivals in the men’s race after a fiercely contested opening. On a breezy and largely overcast day in London, Oxford’s women forged an early lead as the first race of the day sped away from Putney, and they led by about six seconds by Hammersmith Bridge, with tens of thousands of fans cheering the boats on from the riverside, lining the 6.8km course all the way. Continue reading...

⚽️ FA Cup updates from 5.15pm BST at Stamford Bridge ⚽️ Burslem Globetrotters plot another shock | Mail Emillia Right, time for some team news… Manchester City sailed through to the semi-finals with a huge 4-0 win over Liverpool earlier today. Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick to send his team through, with Antoine Semenyo getting on the scoresheet as well. Goalkeeper James Trafford also played a huge part by saving a penalty from Mohamed Salah in the second half. Continue reading...

Matthew Rodriguez, 18, was apprehended in Pennsylvania in connection to shooting that killed Kaori Patterson-Moore A second suspect in the stray-bullet killing of a seven-month-old baby on a Brooklyn street was arrested on Friday, investigators said, two days after a shooting the New York police department (NYPD) commissioner called “a tragedy that truly shocks the conscience”. Matthew Rodriguez, 18, was apprehended in Pennsylvania by NYPD detectives working with US marshals, according to authorities. Continue reading...

Greens, Reform UK, Your Party, Conservatives and even Lib Dems are making extravagant spending pledges As local and regional elections across the UK loom into view, it is clear the spectre of Trussonomics lives on. The Greens, Reform UK, Your Party, Restore Britain, the Conservatives and even the Liberal Democrats cannot help making extravagant spending promises, often paid for by cutting something or borrowing more that, they argue, will have no negative economic consequences. Or if they do, the costs will be borne by people and businesses they do not care about. Continue reading...

Researchers are weaving Native practices with western methods to revive ecosystems and reclaim food sovereignty “I’m a glorified clam counter.” So said Marco Hatch, a marine ecologist at Western Washington University and an enrolled member of the Samish Indian Nation. Hatch has been conducting surveys of mollusks growing in and around clam gardens in the Pacific north-west, as he collaborates with seven Indigenous communities to build or rebuild these rock-walled, terraced beaches once created and tended by their ancestors. Continue reading...

As voters head to polls, Washington support and alleged interference from Moscow raise questions about influence The official announcement that JD Vance was to visit, days before Hungarians cast their ballots in a hotly contested election, was greeted by Budapest with no less than four exclamation marks and three emojis. “!!Official!!” Viktor Orbán’s political director, Balázs Orbán, wrote on social media as he confirmed the news. The White House said Vance, along with his wife Usha, will land in Hungary on Tuesday, in what is widely seen as an attempt to bolster Orbán as he trails in the polls. Continue reading...

Alan Hayward James, who called himself ‘Al Capone’, admitted to rigging bids for IT contracts with Pentagon A former US air force master sergeant who nicknamed himself “Al Capone” has pleaded guilty to defrauding the military branch out of $37m by inflating the cost of IT contracts – and giving some of the extra money to an individual he called “Godfather”. Alan Hayward James, from Texas, ran a nine-year scam, beginning in April 2016, which also saw him funnel excess funds to himself, his family and his co-conspirators. Continue reading...

The former Little House on the Prairie star said husband was ‘last person in world who would hurt a child’ Melissa Gilbert has staunchly defended her husband and fellow actor Timothy Busfield in her first interview since New Mexico prosecutors charged him with child sexual abuse in early February. In part of a conversation scheduled to be broadcast on Monday on Good Morning America but circulated in advance as a preview, Gilbert told ABC host George Stephanopoulos that she believed the Emmy winner whom she married in 2013 to be “the last person in the world who would hurt a child”. Continue reading...