USA - Donald Trump was wrongly removed from Colorado’s primary ballot last year, the US supreme court has ruled, clearing the way for Trump to appear on the ballot in all 50 states. The court’s unanimous decision overturns a 4-3 ruling from the Colorado supreme court that said the former president could not run because he had engaged in insurrection during the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. The Colorado decision was a novel interpretation of section 3 of the 14th amendment, which bars insurrectionists from holding office. “We conclude that States may disqualify persons holding or attempting to hold state office. But States have no power under the Constitution to enforce Section 3 with respect to federal offices, especially the Presidency,” the court wrote in an unsigned opinion. All nine justices agreed with the central holding in the case: that the Colorado supreme court had wrongly barred Trump from appearing on the ballot.

UK - Five Extinction Rebellion activists were convicted of smashing a glass revolving door at JPMorgan's European headquarters as a judge said their beliefs did not 'afford them a defence'. Amy Pritchard, 38, Stephanie Aylett, 29, Adelheid Russenberger, 32, Rosemary Webster, 66, and Pamela Bellinger, 66, used hammers and chisel to cause £350,000 worth of damage during the protest. They smashed the custom-built revolving door and a large glazed panel at the entrance to the US bank's Victoria Embankment offices in the City of London. Pritchard told Inner London Crown Court the policies of JP Morgan had led to the deaths of 'hundreds of thousands of children.'

UK - A billion-pound reparations push by the Church of England to atone for its historic links to slavery is 'anti-Christian', critics warned last night. The church will ask super-wealthy families and investors to help it build an enormous pot of cash to address 'enduring harms from enslavement'. The C of E announced last year that it was setting up a £100 million fund for reparations to recognise that it once profited from the slave trade. But a report yesterday said this was 'insufficient' to 'fully redress' the centuries-long impact of the 'great evil' of slavery – and called for a much bigger target of £1 billion.

FRANCE - The French parliament has enshrined abortion as a constitutional right at a historic joint session at the Palace of Versailles. Out of 925 MPs and senators eligible to vote, 780 supported the amendment, which will give women the “guaranteed freedom” to choose an abortion. There was thunderous applause in the chamber as the result was announced on Monday; in central Paris, the Eiffel Tower was illuminated to mark the occasion. The measure had already been passed by the upper and lower houses, the Sénat and the Assemblée Nationale, but final approval by parliamentarians at the joint session at Versailles was needed to effect constitutional change.

FINLAND - Finnish President Alexander Stubb has boasted that NATO membership gives his country a “real nuclear deterrent” in the form of American missiles. At his inauguration on Friday, Stubb promised to lead the Nordic nation into a “new era” of military partnership with the West. Stubb, who was nominated by the center-right National Coalition Party, defeated Pekka Haavisto, an independent candidate backed by the center-left Green League, by 51.6% of the vote to 48.4% last month. On Friday he officially took over the presidency from Sauli Niinisto, who held the position since 2012 and oversaw the country’s accession to NATO last year.

USA - The US is reportedly in discussions with the UK and Australia about inviting Japan to take part in weapons development under the AUKUS security partnership, outlet Nikkei Asia claimed on Saturday, citing US officials. An official announcement of the partnership is expected to be made during Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Washington next month, the outlet claimed, noting that Japan would be the first country invited to work with the trilateral AUKUS military technology sharing framework established in 2021 by Australia, the UK, and the US.

VATICAN - Pope Francis said Sunday that military disarmament is not optional but constitutes a “moral obligation” for all nations. “How many resources are wasted on military expenditure, which, because of the current situation, sadly continues to increase!” he told the estimated 20,000 tourists and pilgrims gathered in the square. He went on to express his hope that “the international community will understand that disarmament is first and foremost a duty, and that disarmament is a moral obligation.” “Let’s get this into our heads,” he added. “And this requires the courage of all members of the great family of nations to move from a balance of fear to a balance of trust.” In the past, the pope has suggested that if people are really serious about world peace, the solution is to “ban all weapons.”

USA - The $16 bacon cheeseburger may not be enough to save your neighborhood bar and grill. Independent restaurants are on financial life support, owners say, squeezed between escalating payroll costs and diners’ dwindling tolerance for ever-higher checks. Wages for waitstaff, table bussers and line cooks will grow more expensive for many eateries this year, with 22 states in January raising the minimum wage for hourly workers.

UK - Ultra-processed foods are to blame for the state of more than half the patients I see, says Professor Rob Galloway. We must act to stop them killing more. Last night, I got back late from work and, feeling stressed and tired, I raided the kitchen cupboards and scoffed a bowl of Coco pops, two pieces of toast and all the Tunnock’s Milk Chocolate Caramel Wafers in the biscuit tin. I knew what I was eating was highly processed and unhealthy — but the temptation of the short-term hit was too great to worry about any of the health implications.

UK - It has been touted as the 'golden liquid' that is teeming with miraculous benefits - but many experts are pushing back on what they call olive oil 'propaganda'. In recent years, olive oil has earned a reputation as a superfood, partly because of research showing the 'Mediterranean diet' is linked to numerous positive health outcomes - and olive oil is a staple of the diet. The consensus among experts is that cooking with a splash of olive oil is safe and indeed the preferred cooking oil of many professional chefs and dietitians alike.

USA - Stand-up comedian Atsuko Okatsuka, who was the second Asian American Woman to have a stand up special on HBO, recently ignited a viral discussion with her joke about dietary allergies and intolerances. She has now unintentionally shone a light on a pervasive issue: the questionable state of American food. The punchline, rooted in the observation that dietary issues such as gluten intolerance seemed to be predominantly a ‘white’ problem, had people not just laughing but thinking and sharing their experiences on social media. One user stated, “I am lactose intolerant and gluten intolerant until I leave the US. I can eat anything in other countries just fine… it’s insane.” This comment opened the floodgates, with numerous others sharing anecdotes of their dietary woes disappearing abroad but re-emerging upon returning to the States.

UK - During a coffee break on Tuesday morning I pondered on the state of the nation (as you do) and let loose this verdict on X (the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, the name I still prefer to use) where I have 1.2 million followers: ‘The UK is drifting, unhappy, losing faith in previously respected institutions (like the police), buffeted by extremists (often allowed to run amok), dismayed by decline, angry at the inability of the political class to do anything about it, despairing that the Westminster politico/media bubble pursues an agenda, issues and priorities (look at the obsession with Lee Anderson) which are not most people’s — and had enough of being lectured to by a disconnected, de haut en bas chattering class.

GERMANY - Berlin must be ready for “major disasters,” Karl Lauterbach has said. Germany must improve its healthcare system to be able to swiftly respond to crisis situations, such as a new pandemic or a military conflict, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has said. Legislation for reforms expected to be presented this summer will be “a turning point for the healthcare system,” the Social Democratic Party (SPD) politician told the newspaper Neue Osnabrucker Zeitung in an interview published on Saturday. Though the ruling ‘traffic light coalition’ has already pushed for reforms following the Covid-19 pandemic, the health minister said that with the Ukraine conflict, the challenges have become even more important. “In the event of a crisis, every doctor, every hospital, every health authority must know what to do.”

USA - The devastating impact of the Texas wildfires is beginning to emerge as the cattle industry braces for historic losses. One of several wildfires raging in the Texas Panhandle has now grown to become the largest in state history. The Smokehouse Creek fire has been burning since Monday and has so far destroyed over one million acres of land in Texas alone. However, emergency crews have made little progress in containing it. It has so far torched the most land than any other recorded wildfire in the history of the state. The same blaze has also destroyed 31,500 acres in Oklahoma, according to CNN. The owners of the historic Turkey Track ranch in Texas estimate that it has lost at least 80% of its land to the wildfires. “The loss of livestock, crops, and wildlife, as well as ranch fencing and other infrastructure is, we believe, unparalleled in our history,” the ranch said in a statement.

MIDDLE EAST - Palestinian Islamic Jihad is calling for Ramadan to be a “month of terror” and seeks to escalate attacks in the West Bank and Gaza. In a recent speech, Abu Hamza, the spokesman for PIJ’s Al-Quds Brigades, said he wants Arab countries in the region and pro-Iranian groups to continue to “unify” various arenas and fronts against Israel. This is the latest indication that terrorist groups plan to seek an escalation in hostilities over the next month. Hamza’s remarks were published by Beirut-based Al Mayadeen news channel, which is pro-Iranian and frequently highlights Hamas and Hezbollah attacks. Ramadan is set to begin on March 10, when the new moon heralds the arrival of the new month on the lunar calendar.