The UK’s world-class arts festivals are in crisis. They need proper support in order to survive and flourish

At a press conference for the Sarajevo film festival in the early 1990s, its founder, the Bosnian director Haris Pašović, was asked why he set up such a festival during the war. His reply, he told the Los Angeles Times, was: “Why the war during the film festival?” Sarajevo under siege is an extreme example, but the point is that arts festivals matter, especially during times of crisis.

Covid, austerity and sponsorship issues have left even the most successful festivals in the UK struggling. This week Shona McCarthy, the outgoing chief executive of the Edinburgh festival fringe, argued that the fringe should be given the same support as major sporting events like the Olympics. This follows warnings from Nicola Benedetti, a classical violinist and director of the fringe’s parent, the international festival, that its world-class status is threatened by funding cuts.

Rupert Lowe row highlights split over direction of party, and threatens Farage’s ambition to be UK’s main rightwing force

On the face of it, the clash at the top of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is a battle of egos. When Rupert Lowe, the MP touted by Elon Musk as a potential Reform leader, had the temerity to criticise Farage in an interview, the party’s machinery quickly moved against him.

Lowe complained to the Daily Mail last week that Reform remained a “protest party led by the Messiah” and that it was “too early to know whether Nigel will deliver the goods” by winning power.

Barbican Hall, London
The Labèque sisters gave an uncannily composite performance of Mozart’s Concerto for Two Pianos, then chief conductor Semyon Bychkov took the Czech Philharmonic through a mighty rendering of Mahler’s Fifth

Pairing early Mozart and blockbuster Mahler on a stage unmistakeably dominated by male musicians, the second instalment of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra’s two-concert Barbican residency was untouched by its coincidence with International Women’s Day. Presumably there are complex reasons why female musicians remain such a minority in this orchestra. In that of all contexts, novelty programming as an annual exception would do little to improve matters.

So it was business as usual – and a reminder of just how good that can sound from the ensemble named Orchestra of the Year at last year’s Gramophone Awards, under its chief conductor Semyon Bychkov.

Barbican Hall, London
The Labèque sisters gave an uncannily composite performance of Mozart’s Concerto for Two Pianos, then chief conductor Semyon Bychkov took the Czech Philharmonic through a mighty rendering of Mahler’s Fifth

Pairing early Mozart and blockbuster Mahler on a stage unmistakeably dominated by male musicians, the second instalment of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra’s two-concert Barbican residency was untouched by its coincidence with International Women’s Day. Presumably there are complex reasons why female musicians remain such a minority in this orchestra. In that of all contexts, novelty programming as an annual exception would do little to improve matters.

So it was business as usual – and a reminder of just how good that can sound from the ensemble named Orchestra of the Year at last year’s Gramophone Awards, under its chief conductor Semyon Bychkov.

But Friedrich Merz cautions such a move could not replace the US’s existing protective shield over Europe

Germany’s chancellor-to-be, Friedrich Merz, has said he will reach out to France and Britain to discuss the sharing of nuclear weapons, but cautioned that such a move could not be a replacement for the US’s existing protective shield over Europe.

“The sharing of nuclear weapons is an issue we need to talk about,” Merz said in a wide-ranging interview on Sunday with the broadcaster Deutschlandfunk (DLF). “We have to be stronger together in nuclear deterrence.”

• England 47-24 Italy
• Sleightholme scores two tries in bonus-point win

It now feels like France’s Six Nations to lose but England remain at least mathematically in the title equation. Seven tries on a beautiful Sunday afternoon ensured a comfortable home win over an out-gunned Italian side and another bonus-point victory against Wales in Cardiff might yet increase the pressure slightly on Les Bleus when they face Scotland in Paris later the same day.

England will also be reasonably pleased with their performance having suffered significant early disruption to their plans. The loss of a hamstrung Ollie Lawrence after just eight minutes could have thrown them off balance tactically but a composed performance from fly-half Fin Smith and some sharp finishing, not least from Ollie Sleightholme, who scored a brace of tries, ultimately left the visitors chasing shadows.