Nato ‘cowards’ | Duck dish | Measurements | Small amounts | Chelsea gnomes | Excuses | Floaters

Perhaps Donald Trump might encourage his “cowardly” Nato colleagues by reminding them about his heroic efforts during the Vietnam war? ( Anger grows among UK ministers amid fears Iran war could jeopardise Britain’s fragile finances, 21 March ).
Tony Green
Ipswich

• My favourite cooking quantity ( Letters, 19 March ) comes from a wartime recipe for vegetarian duck. The first line reads: “Take a marrow about the size of a duck”.
Laurie Baily
West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire

While Ollie Watkins gave the most articulate response to his omission from the England squad with the second-half goal that consolidated Aston Villa’s place in the Premier League’s top four, the most rousing noise around Villa Park arrived when Youri Tielemans replaced John McGinn a minute earlier.

Most of the stadium took to their feet and cheered the Belgian’s name more loudly than anyone else’s as he made his return after two months out with an ankle injury. On a day when McGinn, Villa’s inspirational captain, followed up his goal in Thursday’s Europa League victory over Lille with another nerve-settling strike here, the returning strength and quality of Unai Emery’s squad suggests they can maintain their two-pronged approach for Champions League qualification.

It promises to be a long three weeks for Tottenham Hotspur and Igor Tudor. That is, of course, if Tudor gets the time, after Nottingham ­Forest plunged Spurs deeper into the ­relegation fight, recording a humiliating 3-0 victory. “We are staying up,” was the chant from the away fans, who delighted in suggesting ­Stevenage could be visiting this vast arena for a Championship game in August.

When Spurs, a point above the relegation zone, do re-emerge after the international break, their trip to Sunderland will be the first of seven games to save their Premier League status. For Forest, who had to weather a first-half storm, waves of Spurs set pieces, this turned into a dreamy afternoon in the capital, a second victory in four days and, crucially, Vítor Pereira’s first league win since taking charge last month. West Ham’s defeat at Aston Villa only enhanced Forest’s fuzzy feeling.

US president’s backing comes as Hungary’s PM faces toughest election campaign of 16 years in office

Donald Trump has endorsed Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, who faces his toughest electoral challenge next month since taking power 16 years ago, as Europe’s far-right leaders gather for a “grand assembly” in Budapest.

In a video message, the US president told the national-conservative Cpac Hungary conference in the capital on Saturday that Orbàn, who has been trailing in the polls behind a centre-right rival for more than a year, was a “fantastic guy”.

Exclusive: Allowing US tech firm to analyse intelligence in name of tackling fraud raises fresh concerns over privacy

• Campaign groups rail against Palantir, but the UK contracts keep coming

Palantir is to be granted access to a trove of highly sensitive UK financial regulation data, in a deal that has prompted fresh concerns about the US AI company’s deepening reach into the British state , the Guardian can reveal.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has awarded Palantir a contract to investigate the watchdog’s internal intelligence data in an effort to help it tackle financial crime, which includes investigating fraud, money laundering and insider trading.

• Ronald Araújo scores only goal in hard-fought 1-o win

• Como thrash Pisa in Serie A for fifth straight victory

Ronald Araújo’s header helped Barcelona extend their lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga to seven points with a tight 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday. Álvaro Arbeloa’s Real Madrid host Atlético Madrid, who are fourth, later on in a derby clash.

Araújo nodded home João Cancelo’s corner after 24 minutes to secure the three points at Camp Nou but Joan García’s superb display in goal played just as big a part in their victory.

Witnesses describe coordinated raids in which homes and vehicles were set on fire and several Palestinians injured

• Middle East crisis live – latest updates

Israeli settlers have carried out a series of attacks across the occupied West Bank, setting homes and vehicles on fire and wounding several Palestinians in what witnesses described as coordinated raids on communities.

The violence, reported across at least half a dozen locations overnight from Saturday into Sunday, comes amid a wider surge in tensions in the territory. The official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, cited local sources as saying settlers had entered al-Fandaqumiya and the nearby town of Seilat al-Dahr, south of Jenin, late on Saturday.

Nasa confirms meteor after residents reported hearing thunder-like noises about the time the fireball was visible

A suspected meteorite crashed into a home in suburban Houston on Saturday night, according to local residents and officials.

Speaking to the local news outlet KHOU11 over the weekend, Spring area resident Sherrie James recalled the incident, saying: “My grandson went to check and said there was a hole in the ceiling … then I saw the rock, and I thought, ‘That looks like a meteor.’”