AFP Teenage footballers listen to the Russian national anthem before a match. Nearby, artists paint Russian President Vladimir Putin’s portrait on a wall during a graffiti festival. Welcome to Burkina Faso, one of the African nations where Russia is boosting its operations to gain influence. Evidence found by the BBC shows that Russia is using … Read more
Gareth Williams Rhiannon Williams had been receiving counselling for depression and anxiety. A father has said his 24-year-old daughter’s suicide hit him like a “depth charge” which “shred things in ways that are difficult to describe”. One year on from Rhiannon’s death, Gareth Williams wants other parents to know how “seriously dangerous” poor mental health … Read more
The title of Matt Frei’s latest documentary is Trump: Should We Be Scared? You probably know the short answer. This is the longer one. Frei, a journalist and presenter for Channel 4 and its former Washington correspondent, roams through Miami, Florida and Washington DC talking mostly to the Donald’s fans in the former and to … Read more
James Earl Jones, the actor whose beautifully sonorous tones gave voice to Star Wars’ principal villain Darth Vader, has died aged 93. Jones died at his home in Dutchess county, New York, according to an announcement from his representatives. No cause of death was provided. Jones was not the original choice for the role of … Read more
This trip to Montenegro will live long in the memory for Craig Bellamy and the hundreds of Wales supporters who made the jaunt. In the city of Niksic, at a poky stadium with a running track and only two stands – one completely exposed to the elements – Bellamy chalked up his first win as … Read more
Spoiler alert: this recap is for people watching Sherwood on BBC One. Please don’t read it unless you have watched the series two finale. Blood for blood In the aftermath of Mickey Sparrow’s murder, younger son Ronan (Bill Jones) blamed himself for starting the deadly feud with the Bransons. Elder brother Rory (Perry Fitzpatrick) was … Read more
PA Up to 1,750 offenders are spending their last night in prison before being released under the Ministry of Justice’s emergency plan to ease the overcrowding crisis in jails. Releases are due to begin on Tuesday morning as governors unlock cells under the plan to free up 5,500 beds. One charity has warned that women … Read more
The Dare delays our 10am interview by an hour. “He’s been having trouble sleeping,” explains his publicist. When he emerges bleary-eyed on Zoom at 11, I ask what’s been keeping him awake, wondering if he was out late. Apparently not. “But I actually have a harder time sleeping when I stay in,” he growls. “I … Read more
The chancellor has faced down would-be rebels in a private meeting of Labour MPs ahead of the crunch vote on the government’s controversial plan to scrap the winter fuel allowance. Rachel Reeves told a gathering of the parliamentary Labour party that the move was necessary, despite fears about the impact on millions of less-well-off pensioners, … Read more
Microbes that cause disease in humans can travel thousands of miles on high-level winds, scientists have revealed for the first time. The winds studied carried a surprising diversity of bacteria and fungi, including known pathogens and, some with genes for resistance to multiple antibiotics. Some of the microbes were shown to be alive – in … Read more