Prime minister to meet mourners in mining town as families speak of their loss in one of Canada’s deadliest mass shootings Canadian prime minister Mark Carney is to join mourners in Tumbler Ridge on Friday, as authorities and relatives released details of the five children and assistant teacher killed by a shooter in the remote mining town’s high school. Carney will attend a vigil in Tumbler Ridge in memory of the victims, and he invited leaders from all political parties to join him in the town, the site of the country’s deadliest mass shooting in years. Continue reading...

Japan’s fisheries agency said the vessel failed to comply with an order to stop. The incident comes weeks after a row between China and Japan over Taiwan Authorities in Japan have seized a Chinese fishing boat and arrested its captain in a move that is likely to inflame an ongoing diplomatic row between Tokyo and Beijing. The seizure, which occurred on Thursday about 170km from the south-western port city of Nagasaki, came after the skipper refused an order to stop for an onboard inspection, according to media reports. Continue reading...

A suspect who broke into a jewellery store using a forklift, allegedly stole 150 grams of gold, and fled the scene on a donkey was arrested in Kayseri, central Turkey. Police teams from the provincial police department identified the suspect after reviewing security camera footage following the incident. Continue reading...

Donald Day discussed extreme conspiracies with Queensland family before they killed two police officers and a neighbour at rural property Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast An American man who spent a year discussing extreme conspiracies with the family behind the Wieambilla shootings has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. Donald Day, 58, was arrested in the US after a year-long investigation into his contact with Gareth, Nathaniel and Stacey Train before the trio killed two police officers and a neighbour at their rural Queensland property. Continue reading...

Emails show Kathy Ruemmler had close ties to convicted sexual abuser she called ‘Uncle Jeffrey’ Kathy Ruemmler, the top lawyer at Goldman Sachs and former White House counsel to Barack Obama, has announced her resignation in the wake of emails showing a close relationship between her and Jeffrey Epstein, whom she referred to as “Uncle Jeffrey”. Ruemmler said in a statement on Thursday that she would “step down as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of Goldman Sachs as of June 30, 2026”. Continue reading...

US secretary of state says ahead of Munich Security Conference appearance that ‘we live in a new era of geopolitics’; Ukrainian cities pounded in latest attacks. What we know on day 1,451 The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has said he will have a chance to meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy at this week’s Munich Security Conference. A year after the vice-president, JD Vance, stunned assembled dignitaries with a verbal assault on many of the US’s closest allies in Europe, Rubio plans to take a less contentious but philosophically similar approach when he addresses the annual gathering on Saturday, US officials say. Before boarding his flight on Thursday evening, Rubio used reassuring words as he described Europe as important for Americans. “We’re very tightly linked together with Europe,” he told reporters. But he also made clear it wouldn’t be business as usual, saying: “We live in a new era in geopolitics, and it’s going to require all of us to reexamine what that looks like.” The war in Ukraine is on the conference’s agenda, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron – who is making the trip to Germany – has said he hopes for a resumption of talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Macron said on Thursday he did not expect to speak with Putin in the coming days, and that European nations first needed to agree what they wanted from Russia. “It’s not a matter of days, there are preparations involved,” he told reporters after EU leaders’ talks. Russia pounded Ukraine with ballistic missiles and drones overnight on Thursday, further battering its energy system and leaving tens of thousands in the capital, Kyiv, and the cities of Dnipro and Odesa without heat, power and water, officials said. In Kyiv alone, about 3,500 apartment buildings were without heating on Thursday after the latest winter attack on Ukraine’s power grid knocked out supplies to nearly 2,600 high-rises, on top of the 1,100 already affected by previous strikes, said mayor Vitali Klitschko. More than 100,000 families were without electricity, according to private energy firm DTEK. Odesa was hit twice in less than 24 hours. Late on Thursday, the regional governor said a second wave of drone strikes had damaged houses, industrial sites and energy infrastructure and disrupted electricity, heating and water supplies. The attack also sparked a fire that engulfed one of the city’s markets, injuring one person, said the military administration. In the industrial south-eastern city of Dnipro, a combined missile and drone strike wounded four people, including a baby boy and a four-year-old girl, the regional governor said. In the north-eastern Kharkiv region bordering Russia, two people were killed and six more wounded in an attack on the railway hub of Lozova, prosecutors said. Vladyslav Heraskevych has accused the International Olympic Committee of doing Russia’s propaganda for them after he was barred from racing in the Winter Games because he wanted to wear a “helmet of memory” in honour of Ukraine’s war dead, reports Sean Ingle. In one of the most controversial decisions in recent Olympic history, the 27-year-old Ukrainian skeleton racer was informed only minutes before he was due to compete that his accreditation had been rescinded. A wave of support for Heraskevych swept Ukraine over the ban, while Zelenskyy said the IOC’s decision played “into the hands of aggressors”. Ukraine’s western allies have already pledged around $35bn in military aid to Kyiv this year, the British defence minister, John Healey, said on Thursday. The figure included new commitments by individual countries but also previous promises made by Ukraine’s allies, including €11.5bn ($13.6bn) already announced by Germany, a diplomat at Nato said. “We will step up military assistance to Ukraine,” Healey said after a meeting of Ukraine’s allies. “We will step up pressure on Russia.” More than 220,000 people in Russia’s Belgorod region were left without electricity after a Ukrainian attack caused an accident at a substation, governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Thursday. “Emergency crews are working. Restoration will take at least 4 hours,” he wrote on Telegram. Another group of Russian and Ukrainian children have been reunited with their families by the US first lady, Melania Trump, the White House said on Thursday, without specifying how many children were reunited or when it took place. It was the third time the first lady had brokered such a repatriation, it said. Continue reading...

Voting was largely peaceful in an election seen as a test of Bangladesh’s democracy after years of political turmoil under autocratic ruler The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Tarique Rahman, has claimed a sweeping victory in the country’s first election since a gen-Z uprising toppled the autocratic regime of Sheikh Hasina. “This victory was expected. It is not surprising that the people of Bangladesh have placed their trust in a party ... capable of realising the dreams that our youth envisioned during the uprising,” said Salahuddin Ahmed, a leading BNP committee member. Continue reading...

Elordi and co-star Margot Robbie walked the carpet at Sydney’s State Theatre on Thursday night for Emerald Fennell’s lavish, hyper-stylised adaptation of Emily Brontë’s doomed romance Continue reading...

Dispute about rules elevates from insults to fisticuffs, with as many as 20 players becoming involved A dispute over a rule led to a brawl during a pickleball game at a central Florida country club, authorities said, with one player hitting his opponent in the face with a paddle and punching him on the ground before others got involved. A 63-year-old man was charged Sunday with two counts of felony battery on a person 65 or older, and his 51-year-old wife, who joined the fight in Port Orange, was charged with a single count of felony battery on a person 65 or older, according to an arrest affidavit. Continue reading...

Scott Socha, whose company sued to claim trademark rights to Yosemite name, criticized by conservation groups Donald Trump has nominated the hospitality executive Scott Socha – whose company once sued to claim trademark rights to the name “Yosemite National Park” – to lead the National Park Service. The nomination of an outsider with business ties to the agency he’d oversee comes at a pivotal moment for the service, which lost a quarter of its staff under Doge’s civil sector purge and which has been the subject of the Trump administration’s aggressive efforts to erase mention of historical events from NPS sites that portray Americans in an unfavorable light, such as slavery. Continue reading...

Ley said she would step away ‘completely and comprehensively from public life’ after losing Liberal leadership ballot to Angus Taylor Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Sussan Ley will soon quit politics, saying she plans on “stepping away completely and comprehensively from public life” after being defeated in a partyroom spill for the Liberal leadership, setting up a by-election for her seat of Farrer which could see the opposition’s parliamentary numbers dwindle further. Ley, the former opposition leader who lost the vote 34-17 to conservative challenger Angus Taylor, said her tenure had been “very tough” but she bore no ill will to colleagues who voted against her, and wished her successor good luck. Continue reading...

Report by Tony Blair Institute urges government to drop some green policies amid criticism of decarbonisation goal Tony Blair’s thinktank has accused Ed Miliband of driving up energy prices in his push to make Britain’s energy supply more environmentally friendly. The Tony Blair Institute (TBI) published a report on Friday criticising the government’s green policies and urging the energy secretary to drop some of them altogether, including almost completely decarbonising the electricity system by 2030. Continue reading...

Spending watchdog says state-owned bank exposed taxpayers to ‘unacceptable risk’ as cost spiral to £3bn An attempt to modernise the state-owned savings bank NS&I has been a “full-spectrum disaster”, parliament’s spending watchdog has concluded in a damning report. NS&I (National Savings & Investments), which runs a popular monthly cash-prize draw for premium bond holders, has been criticised by a committee of MPs for exposing the taxpayer to “unacceptable risk” owing to the spiralling costs of its £3bn modernisation programme. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Manufacturers tell European Commission proposed ban would cause unnecessary confusion More than a dozen food companies have urged the European Commission not to ban the use of words such as “sausage” and “burger” for non-meat products. Companies including Linda McCarney Foods, Quorn and THIS have signed a joint letter calling on commissioners to “let common sense prevail” ahead of a debate on the proposed ban, which they say would cause “unnecessary confusion” for customers “without helping anyone”. Continue reading...

UK officials have seized almost 20m fake pills since 2021, many containing incorrect doses or toxic ingredients Men have been warned against buying illegal erectile dysfunction pills online after nearly 20m pills – enough to fill two doubledecker buses – were seized in the last five years. The “stigma and embarrassment” of erectile dysfunction is being “exploited by criminals”, according to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Continue reading...

Burnley have the chance of a Cup run, Leicester fear an unwelcome repeat and Brighton fans get a raw deal Chelsea have kept two clean sheets in 10 games since appointing Liam Rosenior as head coach last month. Repeated doziness at the back has cost them. They have held commanding advantages against Charlton, Crystal Palace, Wolves and Leeds, only to give away silly goals. It is a bad habit and proved costly when a 2-0 lead was squandered during Tuesday’s draw with Leeds. Rosenior was livid afterwards, and is waiting for a consistent performance. Chelsea travel to Hull , Rosenior’s former club, on Friday night. They will surely advance against Championship opponents, but how they do it will matter. It is time for them to get serious. Jacob Steinberg Hull City v Chelsea, Friday 7.45pm (all times GMT) Burton Albion v West Ham, Saturday 12.15pm Burnley v Mansfield, Saturday 3pm Southampton v Leicester, Saturday 3pm Continue reading...

UK charity warns against excessive academic pressure and suggests reducing the number of high-stakes tests Exam stress at age 15 can increase the risk of depression and self-harm into early adulthood, research suggests. Academic pressure is known to have a detrimental impact on mood and overall wellbeing, but until now few studies had examined the long-term effects on mental health. Continue reading...

Glimpse of sun after weeks of unrelenting rain marks end of longest sunless period in area since records began Aberdeen has finally had some sunshine for the first time in 21 days, marking the end of the longest sunless period in the area since Met Office records began in 1957. Residents of the Granite city in north-east Scotland glimpsed the sun late on Thursday afternoon with sunshine last recorded on 21 January. The Met Office said that 30 minutes was officially recorded in the Dyce area in the hour up to 4pm. It followed weeks of unrelenting rain in the region and throughout the UK in 2026. More than 277mm of rain fell on Aboyne in Aberdeenshire in January, about four times the monthly average, while the first 10 days of the year brought heavy snow to the north-east of Scotland. In only the first three days of this month, south-east England received nearly a third of its average February rainfall. The wintry weather is expected to continue with a yellow warning for snow and ice for most of Scotland and northern England in place until 12pm on Friday. The Met Office spokesperson Grahame Madge said an air mass called Arctic maritime air is bringing temperatures down. He said: “The snow and ice warnings that we’ve issued at the moment cover pretty much Scotland and northern parts of England. There may be some snow showers a little bit further south than that. “We’re not expecting any particularly impactful snow and the conditions will be quite brief before we get another system coming in from the Atlantic over the weekend, but for the next few days it will feel quite a bit different, as we’ve got colder air coming in.” BBC Scotland weather presenter Judith Ralston said: “With a change in weather type, we finally lose the stuck pattern of cloud, rain, and bitingly cold winds. “This finally breaks, allowing a northerly air mass to set in, bringing much drier, brighter conditions, sunshine on the way on Friday and Saturday and a few wintry showers on Friday.” Continue reading...

Semi-final first leg: Atlético Madrid 4-0 Barcelona E Garcia 7og, Griezmann 14, Lookman 33, Alvarez 45+2 You must always have faith, Diego Simeone had said and so it was. A biblical storm blew through the Metropolitano, leaving Barcelona torn to pieces and Atlético Madrid closer to a first Copa del Rey final in 13 years than even he could ever have believed. Forty-five extraordinary minutes gave them a 4-0 lead to take to the second leg at the Camp Nou in three weeks’ time. An own goal from Eric Garcia and three more, from Ademola Lookman, Antoine Griezmann and Julián Alvarez before the half-time whistle did the kind of damage that only a miracle can repair now. Barcelona could not even begin to fix it here in a second half in which they had a goal ruled out after seven long minutes waiting on the VAR not bringing any more goals. They then had Eric Garcia sent off late on. It was a wonder they were still standing at all, given what had hit them from the very start. Continue reading...

Inquest concluded Robin Windsor was ‘vulnerable to rejection’ which was among ‘contributing factors’ that led to death The family of a Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer have told of their “profound sadness” after an inquest jury concluded he took his own life. Robin Windsor, 44, was found in a hotel room in Shepherd’s Bush, west London, in February 2024. Jurors found Windsor was “vulnerable to rejection both emotionally and professionally” and that this was among the “contributing factors” that led to his death. In a statement on Windsor’s X account on Thursday, after the conclusion of the inquest, his family said: “The coroner has now concluded the investigation into the cause of Robin’s death. It is with profound sadness that we acknowledge that Robin took his own life. “As a family, together with Robin’s close friends, we can now begin to move forward and attempt, over time, to rebuild our lives.” The Latin and ballroom dancer joined the BBC programme in 2010 and danced with actors Patsy Kensit, Anita Dobson and Lisa Riley, along with Dragons’ Den entrepreneur Deborah Meaden in four series until 2013. He could not perform in the 2014 series because of a back injury and was dropped in 2015 but still appeared in the Christmas special that year, dancing alongside TV presenter Alison Hammond. A written statement from Emmerdale actor Riley read to the inquest at West London coroner’s court said Windsor’s “glow had gone” after he was cut from the professional dancers’ lineup. She said: “It was from this moment, on to the time of his death, he kept slipping deeper and deeper into endless depression. “His glow had gone.” Addressing Windsor’s family in the courtroom, the coroner Dr Anton van Dellen said: “I hope you can think of the happy times he brought to the public and the deep affection the public held him in.” The dancer’s family thanked those who “marked (Windsor’s) life with such love”. “We wish to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who has shown us kindness, compassion and support throughout the long and difficult period since Robin’s passing,” their statement said. “Thank you to everyone who has remembered Robin and marked his life with such love.” A BBC spokesperson said: “Our sympathies are with Robin’s family, friends and all who knew him. The whole of the Strictly Come Dancing family remain deeply saddened by his passing. Robin was a much-loved member of the team – both on and off air – during his time on the show. “As the inquest has heard this week and the jury concluded, several complex factors contributed to how Robin felt at the time of his tragic death and our thoughts remain with all who knew and loved Robin.” Windsor, from Ipswich, had been an ambassador for mental health charity Sane. The Windsor family statement concluded: “If you or someone you care for is struggling with mental health, reaching out for support can really make a difference. You don’t have to face things alone. “Support is available via organisations like Sane and You Are Loved (a company that provides mental health support for LGBT+ people).” • In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...

York Knights 19-18 Hull KR Hingano drop goal earns stunning comeback win York Knights produced an incredible comeback to stun the reigning Super League champions and win their first ever game in the top flight on the opening night of the 2026 season. North Yorkshire hosted Super League rugby for the first time in front of a full house and many of those who were watching York for the first time will have seen enough to return. They trailed last year’s treble winners 18-6 at one stage but scored 13 unanswered points in the final quarter to inflict a rare defeat on the Robins and cause pandemonium in the stands. Continue reading...

This was billed as a test of Arsenal’s mettle after Manchester City had picked themselves off the canvas against Liverpool at Anfield to reignite the title race. But having seen their lead at the top whittled down from nine points to just three since the weekend, Mikel Arteta’s side showed their fallibility as they were held by a dogged Brentford side who will feel that they should have even claimed victory. Just when they needed to put in a statement performance, Arsenal were edgy throughout and struggled to create anything of note until Noni Madueke opened the scoring. Keane Lewis-Potter’s equaliser that came from a long throw had been coming as Keith Andrews’ side showed exactly why they are enjoying such a successful season since he replaced Thomas Frank last summer. Continue reading...

Manchester United secured an important 3-0 lead in the first leg of their Women’s Champions League playoff against Atlético Madrid. Goals from Elisabeth Terland and Melvine Malard bookended the first half before Julia Zigiotti Olme added a third late on as Marc Skinner’s side produced a professional performance away from home. These two were familiar opponents having met in Madrid back in October in the league phase. United came out with a 1-0 win on that occasion in an eventful encounter in which both sides were reduced to 10 players. Continue reading...

Though Department of Homeland Security almost certain to shutter at midnight Friday, ICE largely unaffected Democrats in the US Senate have blocked a funding package for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) amid ongoing fury over the Trump administration’s crackdown and the deaths of two people in Minneapolis. Thursday’s vote means that the department is almost certain to shut down at midnight Friday evening, affecting a range of services yet largely leaving the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) – the target of Democrats’ ire – unaffected because it is already the recipient of lavish federal funding. Continue reading...

Seamus Culleton has been held for five months despite having valid work permit and being married to US national An Irish court apparently issued a warrant for the arrest of the Irish man currently embroiled in controversy with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has been ramping up detentions and activity around the United States since last year. Seamus Culleton has spent five months in US custody and faces deportation despite having a valid work permit in a case that has attracted widespread publicity. His lawyer called him a “model immigrant” with no criminal record. Continue reading...