Ron DeSantis confirms he is running for US presidency in 2024 – live updates

Florida governor announces candidacy for the Republican nomination With the executive and legislative branches locked in a standoff over raising the debt ceiling, let’s check on the third branch of government: the judiciary. The Guardian’s Martin Pengelly reports that supreme court chief justice John Roberts gave a speech in which he vowed that the court would maintain the highest ethical standards, despite allegations of improper ties between some justices and parties with interests in their cases: The chief justice of the US supreme court, John...

Read More

La Liga president apologises for saying Vinícius Júnior was ‘manipulated’

Javier Tebas sorry for comments in aftermath of racist abuse ‘I expressed myself badly, at a bad time,’ says Tebas The La Liga president, Javier Tebas, has apologised for suggesting Vinícius Júnior was being “manipulated” when the Real Madrid winger called out racism he has suffered in Spain. The Brazil international took to social media to speak out after being abused in Sunday’s game at Valencia, saying it was a problem he had endured throughout the league. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/WSUPtF8 via IFT...

Read More

Arsenal didn’t win the title for you Dad, but watching them try helped me

Arsenal winning the title in his memory was a fanciful thought, but in the end this team showed me something more valuable “Come to see the Arsenal … you’ve only come to see the Arsenal …” The refrain continues, as it always will, repeated in the treasured memories of watching Arsène Wenger’s fabulous team with my father, Ray, in their glory years. But we’re not singing along. Ray is most likely succeeding in not showing his delight after another goal is rattled in, while sharing a knowing look with my brother, Adam, and I. Meanwhile our poker...

Read More

Ron DeSantis to launch presidential campaign on Twitter with Elon Musk

Rightwing Florida governor has maintained a consistent distant second place to Donald Trump The rightwing governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, will launch his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination on Wednesday evening in a live appearance with Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of Twitter. NBC News first reported the plan, saying the Twitter Spaces talk at 6pm ET would be moderated by David Sacks, a tech entrepreneur, Musk confidante and DeSantis supporter. Multiple outlets later confirmed the scheme and Musk himself retweeted one report. Continue...

Read More

Canadian special rapporteur rules out inquiry into Chinese interference claims

David Johnston warns that subversive efforts represent ‘increasing threat’ to democracy but public inquiry would be the wrong choice An official named to investigate allegations that China attempted to subvert Canadian elections has announced he will not launch a public inquiry, prompting frustration from critics who say the decision only furthers Beijing’s interests. Special rapporteur David Johnston on Tuesday released a 55-page report on foreign interference in Canadian institutions, warning that subversive efforts represented an “increasing...

Read More

Trump hush money trial set for March 2024 during Republican primaries

Video hearing follows news that E Jean Carroll seeks new damages over ex-president’s comments in CNN town hall Donald Trump’s trial on criminal charges over hush money payments to the porn star Stormy Daniels will begin on 25 March 2024, amid the Republican presidential primary and less than than eight months before the general election the former president hopes to contest. The trial date was announced in a hearing in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday afternoon, Trump attending by video link from his Florida home. Continue reading... from The...

Read More

Boris Johnson referred to police over allegedly hosting friends at Chequers in lockdown

Records of visits were allegedly found in official diary by lawyers as they were preparing for Covid public inquiry Boris Johnson has been referred to police by the Cabinet Office over claims he broke lockdown rules by hosting family and friends at Chequers during Covid. The visits to the former prime minister’s grace-and-favour residence were found in his official diary by his government-funded lawyers as they prepared his defence for the public inquiry into the pandemic. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/yLcGxhi via IFT...

Read More

Newcastle back in Champions League as Leicester cling to hope with draw

At kick-off Newcastle fans unfurled an enormous banner emblazoned with the message: “Bad times don’t last but legends do.” Those words were superimposed on giant images of Eddie Howe and his players as a manager and a team that spent most of last season fighting relegation completed one of football’s more remarkable transformations. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/VjIpLPB via IFT...

Read More

Argentina unveils 2,000-peso banknote as value of currency plummets

New highest-denomination bill is officially worth only $8.50 and just over $4 on parallel markets with inflation on course for 130% Argentina’s new 2,000-peso bill, the largest denomination note, went into circulation on Monday, though due to fast depreciation of the currency it is worth only $8.50 at the official exchange rate and just over $4 in commonly used parallel markets. The peso has shed about a quarter of its value against the dollar this year despite strict capital controls that slow its fall. Most Argentinians buy dollars in unofficial...

Read More

‘Not something I’m proud of’: six Greeks explain their election choice

Economic policies seemed to swing it with voters as PM’s party finishes 20 percentage points ahead of the left opposition New Democracy enjoyed a landslide victory in Greece on Sunday that put it far ahead of the leftwing opposition, which fared worse than forecasted. Despite securing 41% of the vote, under new election rules the party remains short of an outright majority and leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said he will push for a repeat poll “as soon as possible”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/WFTqNrK via IFT...

Read More

Newcastle United v Leicester City: Premier League – live

Premier League updates, 8pm BST kick-off, St James’ Park Magpies just need point to book Champions League spot Live scoreboard | Feel free to email Michael or tweet him What a huge call from Dean Smith to leave his two most talented players on the bench, just the second time this season that neither player has featured for the Foxes. Interestingly, Leicester only win in the last 14 leagues games came against Wolves, when neither Maddison or Barnes played. And it looks like a change in formation, Leicester lining up in a 3-5-2, or a 5-3-2, depending...

Read More

Jeffrey Epstein allegedly tried to extort Bill Gates over extramarital affair

Convicted sexual offender reportedly threatened to expose Gates’s relationship with Russian bridge player Mila Antonova The convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein appeared to threaten Bill Gates and tried to blackmail the multi-billionaire over his extramarital affair with a Russian bridge player, according to a new report published by the Wall Street Journal. Speaking to the Journal, sources familiar with the matter said that after Epstein found out about the Microsoft co-founder’s affair with Russian bridge player Mila Antonova, he threatened...

Read More

Disabled woman forced to sleep in hotel dining area ‘after booked room was unavailable’

Kat Watkins, who requires a ventilator at night, said she is suffering from severe back pain after night at Travelodge in Hounslow A disabled wheelchair user who requires a ventilator at night had to sleep on a sofa in a hotel dining room because the accessible room she booked was not available. Kat Watkins, 36, a UN convention on the rights of disabled people development officer at Disability Wales, who has brittle bone disease and sleep apnoea, said she is suffering from severe back pain as a result of not being able to sleep in the bed she had...

Read More

From ‘exquisite beauty’ to ‘lingering horror’: the secret world of Australia’s herbarium

With 1.4m specimens kept in state-of-the-art sealed vaults, the $280m collection holds stories of the past, predictions for the future – and plants that could literally change your mind Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email At the National Herbarium of New South Wales, specimens of plant species are treated with reverence. They are kept in temperature-controlled sealed vaults, in immaculate condition, behind thick walls of rammed earth that are fire- and waterproof. These plants, after all, are precious: the information that holds the past...

Read More

Manchester City cap title triumph with win over Chelsea thanks to Álvarez

Manchester City have never enjoyed a more dominant moment – or a more tantalising one. A third Premier League title in a row and fifth in six seasons? Check. It had been sealed when Arsenal lost at Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening – what happened on the pitch here felt incidental. It was a party in sky blue, beginning inside the Etihad when the Chelsea players lined up to give the champions a pre-match guard of honour and rolling all the way through to the pitch invasion from thousands of City supporters at full time. The lack of jeopardy...

Read More

Manchester United v Manchester City: Women’s Super League – live

Match at Leigh Sports Village kicks off at 6.45pm (BST) Chelsea will be WSL champions if United fail to win Share your thoughts with Sarah with an email or a tweet A fun fact for you before we dive into what the managers have said ahead of the Manchester derby. Chelsea set a new record for the most consecutive home wins in WSL history today with the victory over Arsenal being their 15th. They are also the only team to ever win all their home matches in a season and have done so for a second time, also achieving the feat last campaign. Chelsea...

Read More

Player ratings for Manchester City’s 2022-23 Premier League title winners

Three of Pep Guardiola’s squad are awarded 10s and one gets a 9.5 for their part in the club’s fifth title in six seasons Close to flawless. Again. The Brazilian is the unassuming star of City’s backline who, under pressure, initiates attacks by coolly tapping the ball short, or has the vision to launch a 50-yard hail mary into Erling Haaland. Can be dominant in the air and has panther-like reflexes when required. 9 Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/PXb7jWg via IFT...

Read More

How Rico Lewis helped harden up Manchester City’s treble challenge | Jamie Jackson

Guardiola believes advent of the teenage talent sowed seeds of change that turned his side into champions again Mid-January, the Etihad Campus. Before Tottenham’s visit a discontented Pep Guardiola is addressing a Manchester City team meeting that includes Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones and Ederson. The champions are in second place, eight points behind Arsenal, each having played 18 games. Performances have dipped and so has the attitude of his players. The final match before the World Cup was a 2-1 home defeat by Brentford. Since...

Read More

Pete Brown, countercultural poet, singer and Cream lyricist, dies aged 82

British poet who wrote lyrics for Sunshine of Your Love, White Room and many more also had acclaimed solo career Pete Brown, a cult figure in British poetry, rock, psychedelia and rhythm and blues who wrote lyrics for many of Cream’s classic songs, has died aged 82. He had been living with what he recently described as “various forms of cancer” for a number of years. The family of his long-term late collaborator Jack Bruce wrote on social media: “We are extremely saddened to learn of the death of Jack’s long term friend and writing partner Pete...

Read More

Rishi Sunak: Britain has moved on from judging people for being rich

PM says Labour criticism of family tax arrangements doesn’t bother him, as rich list shows he and his wife have lost £200m Rishi Sunak has said he is “not bothered” by Labour’s criticism of his wealthy family’s tax arrangements and thinks the UK has “moved beyond” judging people on their money, as a new estimate said the UK prime minister’s fortune had fallen to around £500m. Sunak, who is the wealthiest British prime minister ever on account of his wife’s shareholdings, said he did not pay attention to Labour’s personal attacks on his finances. Continue...

Read More