Acclaimed stage and screen actor has taken part in Washington DC’s Folger Shakespeare Library residency program during a troubling time for the Capitol

Addressing an audience at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, Adjoa Andoh acknowledged that some of her work might look “Black or colour-centric” but that is only because of the silos the world forces us into. She could just as easily be Leeds United football club-centric, she added.

“I am missing two crucial matches to be here with you this week,” the 63-year-old exclaimed, prompting laughter in the theatre. “I have tickets!”

Today it is a fundraising juggernaut, but when it was born 40 years ago this month, things were very different. Lenny Henry, Richard Curtis and more explain how they got the gang together for a good cause

A near-the-knuckle Spitting Image skit involving the former prince Andrew. The Young Ones performing their chaotic single Living Doll with Cliff Richard. Kate Bush somehow being coaxed on to a stage to duet with Rowan Atkinson. It was 40 years ago this month that Comic Relief staged its inaugural event at London’s Shaftesbury theatre, and while today it is a fundraising juggernaut (the 2026 event, held last month, raised £30m for charity), its origin story remains delightfully scrappy and exploratory.

In 1984, a year before Live Aid entirely recalibrated what a showbiz charity event could look like, there was a remarkable gathering of what was fast becoming the new British comedy elite at a tiny village in Hampshire. The location, Nether Wallop, was chosen seemingly on the basis of its amusing name, and the intention was to create a comedy alternative to the Edinburgh festival.

I had presumed I would love her instantly – but a traumatic birth led to devastating numbness

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I was waiting for an overwhelming rush of love, but when I looked at my newborn baby what I felt was utter despair. No matter how much I smiled at her, crooned at her, fed, patted, caressed and changed her, I was absolutely numb.

I had yearned for her. Growing up in Italy, I was surrounded by images of perfect motherhood. Every rural crossroad has its tiny shrine to the Madonna and Child. I was certain by the end of my teens that I wanted to have at least one baby.

As interest in the lives of celebrities has intensified, we have become acclimatised to them curating and mercilessly monetising their image

Last month, Ryan Gosling addressed an audience about to see his new movie. “It’s not your job to keep cinemas open,” he told them. “It’s our job to make things that make it worth you coming out. This movie’s for you. Enjoy the trip!”

Small wonder they applauded. This is a strategy radically different to that adopted in the immediate aftermath of the Covid crisis, when studios believed the best way to get people to leave their homes and buy cinema tickets was to hector them to do so.

The rival superpowers are ramping up preparations for a crewed lunar landing nearly six decades after the first moon walk

The world watched earlier this month as Nasa sent four astronauts around the moon – but to actually land on the surface the US is once again in a space race, this time with China. And China may well win.

Both countries plan to build inhabited lunar bases – the first settlement on another celestial body – as well as searching for rare resources and using the deep space environment to test technology for future crewed missions to Mars.

NHS chiefs fear rising costs and healthcare shortages due to the shipping standstill in the Gulf

The war in Iran has put the NHS on high alert amid fears about looming shortages and rising costs for medicines and medical products such as syringes, intravenous bags and gloves.

Much of modern healthcare is dependent on the petrochemicals now held up by the Gulf shipping standstill – whether for active pharmaceutical ingredients or to produce the millions of sterile single-use items, ranging from personal protective equipment (PPE) to catheters and diagnostic-device casings.

US president and first lady were unharmed and suspect is being charged with two counts of felony firearms and assault charges

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Donald and Melania Trump were evacuated from the White House correspondents’ dinner on Saturday evening after the event was interrupted by gunfire.

A suspect was in custody, the FBI said, after the annual black-tie dinner honoring the White House press corps in the ballroom of the Washington Hilton was suddenly interrupted by confusion and chaos. Journalists ducked under tables as authorities rushed the president and members of his cabinet out of the room.

Prime minister says ‘you never hear from … the people who are supportive, loyal and just want to get on with the job’

Keir Starmer and the Labour party continue to fight to maintain control in the aftermath of the Mandelson controversy. Starmer spoke to the Sunday Times about how he believed that the vast majority of Labour still supports him and that his party can still win in May.

Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, took to the morning shows to defend Starmer and Labour, noting that in his work abroad and campaigning around the country, Mandelson is rarely mentioned and that particularly during a town hall yesterday with constituents, “Peter Mandelson didn’t come up once”. “People are more worried about the impact of the Middle East on their energy bills,” Jones said.

Chris Philp, shadow home secretary, said that if Starmer doesn’t resign, “Labour backbenchers and ministers should develop a backbone and get rid of him”.

SNP also called for Starmer’s resignation on Sunday in response to a Daily Mail story quoting Labour insiders as saying that the prime minister was considering sacking chancellor Rachel Reeves. “Keir Starmer is living on another planet if he thinks he can save his skin by sacking everyone else,” said Kirsty Blackman, SNP chief whip.

Kirsty Blackman, SNP chief whip, responded on Sunday to a Daily Mail story quoting unnamed Labour insiders as saying that Keir Starmer is considering firing chancellor Rachel Reeves in a cabinet reshuffle in the aftermath of the Mandelson scandal.

Health secretary’s ‘power grab’ to override Nice comes amid growing concern move may be illegal and benefit big pharma

Dozens of MPs are opposing Wes Streeting’s decision to award himself power to dictate what the NHS pays for drugs amid growing concern the move may be illegal.

Thirty-one MPs have signed a House of Commons motion voicing their disapproval of the health secretary being handed the power to override the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (Nice) judgment on how much the NHS should spend on individual medicines.

Discrepancy in forecasts raises questions over government planning for net zero

One vision of the UK’s future involves a decarbonised economy powered by clean, renewable energy. Another involves making the UK an AI superpower.

The government departments responsible for these two visions do not appear to have agreed on their numbers.