Experts say young men and boys with strong sense of grievance' are idolising' shooters involved in US massacres. They are also falling through the gaps of UK terrorism lawsOn the morning of 13 September, 18-year-old Nicholas Prosper was arrested while walking on a residential road in Luton. Minutes before, he had murdered his mother, younger brother and sister, shooting them dead in their family home.Neighbours called police after hearing gunfire coming from the flat in Leabank tower, on Luton's Marsh Farm estate, and officers found Prosper shortly afterwards on Bramingham Road. Later that day, searches of the area uncovered a loaded shotgun and more than 30 cartridges hidden in a nearby bush. Continue reading...
Israel had agreed partial troop withdrawal by 9 March, but start of second phase of truce hits impasseTalks aimed at maintaining the ceasefire in Gaza hit an impasse in Cairo on Saturday , over whether the truce should advance to a second phase.A Hamas official said the multilateral negotiations in the Egyptian capital had made no progress on Friday, and there was no evidence the talks had resumed on Saturday, the last day of the ceasefire's first six-week phase. Continue reading...
The city's mayor, Sadiq Khan, led the celebrations to observe holy month of Ramadan, now in their third yearPiccadilly Circus has once again been lit up by an installation to mark Ramadan.It is the third year of the annual display, which features 30,000 LED bulbs in the shape of Islamic geometric patterns and symbols hanging over the West End street. Continue reading...
The get-together between the UK prime minister and US president barely made a splash across the AtlanticA quick scan of the UK newspaper front pages and you would be forgiven for thinking it was the diplomatic moment of the century, but a glance at the media on the other side of the Atlantic suggests Keir Starmer and Donald Trump's get-together barely made a splash.Instead, much of the scant coverage portrayed the prime minister as a messenger, bringing an invite for something much more glamorous than a former lawyer from Oxted: the royal red carpet. Continue reading...
by Hannah Al-Othman North of England correspondent on (#6VJRG)
Rhianan Rudd, 16, was referred to Prevent by her mother after becoming fixated on Hitler', inquest toldA teenager who killed herself after becoming the youngest person in the UK to be charged with terror offences had been groomed online by an American neo-Nazi", an inquest has been told.Sixteen-year-old Rhianan Rudd, who was autistic, had been referred to the government's Prevent counter-radicalisation programme by her mother, Emily Carter, the counsel to the inquest, Edward Pleeth, told the hearing. Continue reading...
UK pharmaceutical companies aim to put executive pay on par with US rivals' but package will depend on share priceThe annual pay of GSK's chief executive could rise to nearly 22m in three years' time as the pharmaceutical company attempts to offer US-style pay packets to top executives.Emma Walmsley's package could increase to a maximum of 21.56m if the company's share price rises by at least 50% and it hits stretching targets, according to its annual report. Continue reading...
by Hannah Al-Othman North of England correspondent on (#6VJ7Z)
Hilda Jackson and fellow residents partied with strobe lights, glowsticks and drum'n'bass from festival-headlinerIt was a birthday party that would do even the most seasoned raver proud, with strobe lighting, glow sticks and a headline act who has played some of the biggest festivals in the UK.The birthday girl sipped on champagne, while guests helped themselves to free-flowing cocktails from a pop-up bar run by Jagermeister. This was not an Instagram influencer's Ibiza pool party, however - it was Hilda Jackson's 105th-birthday rave in her Derbyshire care home. Continue reading...
Vice-chancellor says large-scale savings are needed but union says university should instead use its wealthThe University of Edinburgh is facing a 140m black hole that demands radical actions including job cuts, according to its vice-chancellor, as it becomes the latest higher education institution to reveal its financial turmoil.Prof Peter Mathieson, the university's leader, told staff that the magnitude of the financial gap that we need to close" amounted to 10% of its annual turnover. Continue reading...
by Australian Associated Press and Natasha May on (#6VH6E)
Strike Force Pearl investigators arrested and charged Sarah Abu Lebdeh, 26, but no charges have been laid against her former colleague Ahmed Rashid Nadir
Malaysia transport minister says firm Ocean Infinity has resumed hunt for the plane, which went missing in one of aviation's biggest mysteriesA new search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been launched more than a decade after the plane went missing in one of aviation's greatest enduring mysteries.Maritime exploration firm Ocean Infinity has resumed the hunt for the missing plane, Malaysian transport minister Anthony Loke said on Tuesday. Continue reading...
Mohamed Amra's arrest ends nine-month manhunt when armed assailants ambushed prison convoy in NormandyA notorious French fugitive who staged a deadly escape that killed two guards last year has been extradited from Romania to France, days after his arrest in Bucharest ended a nine-month international manhunt.Mohamed Amra, nicknamed The Fly", was arrested near a shopping centre in Bucharest on Saturday after being identified by Romanian police, despite having dyed his hair red, possibly to evade detection. The Bucharest court of appeal approved his extradition request on Sunday. Continue reading...
The document contains a series of previously unpublished claims, including 22 from members of the publicThe independent inquiry into what the BBC knew about the former Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood's conduct has been published almost three years after a joint investigation by the Guardian and BBC News.The investigation told the stories of a number of women who accused the 67-year-old of sexual misconduct and predatory behaviour.Hounded" a 17-year-old Black woman with phone calls and texts.Invited a girl who was 15 or 16 back to his home following an under-16 night, after she had added him on Blackberry to get information about the event.Contacted a woman who had shared her business card, and appeared agitated when she did not want to meet late at night.Hurled" a can of drink at a woman who was serving in a club.A former BBC staff member told the corporation their son had witnessed Westwood propositioning a 15-year-old girl in a night club in around 2007. The BBC reported the complaint to the Metropolitan police, who took no action.A BBC employee said in 2022 that a guest on Radio 1 had described potential sexual assault by Westwood between 2004 and 2007. They said they had reported it to a more senior employee, but White found no evidence the complaint had been documented. Westwood's lawyers said he was never spoken to about the incident.A student told the review about Westwood referring to her breasts during a 1Xtra DriveTime show in 2010, calling her cuddly" and miming grabbing her breasts, which his lawyers say he strongly denies.A Sun journalist contacted Radio 1 in November 2012 saying they had been given tipoffs about Westwood and inappropriate relations with young girls". A senior figure flagged allegations made about Westwood on Twitter to HR and the corporate investigations team, which decided that no action would be taken without further evidence.White concluded that senior BBC staff did not think Westwood had had sexual contact with 15-year-old girls, but that the issue ought to have been formally raised with him" and the online allegations should have been examined further.Many" BBC employees perceived there to be a close relationship between the controllers and Tim Westwood".Witnesses felt they were unable to complain because of the feeling that ... senior management were likely to side with presenters".Westwood made repeated comments about guests and staff members' bodies, particularly about women's breasts.Until Westwood was removed from the 1Xtra DriveTime show in 2012, the approach appears to have been to raise issues informally ... and, when the situation did not improve, to move BBC staff working on the 1Xtra DriveTime show to other programmes". Continue reading...
by Libby Brooks Scotland correspondent on (#6VH0V)
EHRC raises issues from tribunal brought by nurse who objected to sharing women's changing room with trans doctorThe Scottish government stands firmly behind" the provision of single-sex spaces, a minister has said after the UK equality watchdog addressed issues raised by an employment tribunal brought by a nurse who objected to sharing a women's changing room with a transgender doctor.The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) requested a meeting with Holyrood's health secretary as well as writing directly to Fife health board, which is disputing the claim, to remind" management of their obligations under the 2010 Equality Act. Continue reading...
Church of England plans action against former archbishop of Canterbury and nine others after Makin reportGeorge Carey, the former archbishop of Canterbury, is among 10 Church of England clergy who could face disciplinary proceedings over the way the church handled allegations of abuse carried out by the barrister John Smyth.A damning independent report, the Makin review, into Smyth's alleged sadistic abuse of more than 100 boys and young men over decades led to the resignation of Justin Welby as archbishop of Canterbury in November and has sent shockwaves through the C of E. Continue reading...
by Josh Halliday North of England editor on (#6VGQP)
Officers had to fire 19 rounds into two dogs to stop incident in Warrington that left victim fighting for his lifeHaving an XL bully is like owning a loaded firearm", police have said after officers had to unload 19 rounds into two dogs to stop a ferocious" attack on an 84-year-old man.The victim, who was left fighting for his life in hospital, was walking along a residential street when he was dragged into a garden and mauled at about 6.40pm on Monday. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6VGM2)
Exclusive: Departure follows meetings with Wes Streeting and unusual criticism from two Commons committeesAmanda Pritchard is standing down as chief executive of NHS England, in a development that will shock the health service.Her departure from the top job follows recent meetings she held with Wes Streeting, the health secretary, to discuss his plans to overhaul the service and her own future role. Continue reading...
Taiwan's coastguard says it cannot be ruled out that it was a grey-zone intrusion by China'Taiwan's coastguard has detained a cargo ship and its Chinese crew after an undersea cable in the Taiwan Strait was damaged on Tuesday, saying it cannot rule out the possibility it was a deliberate grey zone" act.Whether the cause of the undersea cable breakage was intentional sabotage or a simple accident remains to be clarified by further investigation," the coastguard said in a statement. It cannot be ruled out that it was a grey-zone intrusion by China." Continue reading...
New high tempered by dip in number of female CEOs at 100 biggest listed firms to fewer than 10 last yearWomen occupy more than two in five seats on the boards of Britain's biggest listed companies after further progress was made last year, but the number of female FTSE 100 chief executives dipped for a time to fewer than 10, according to a report.The proportion of board positions held by women at FTSE 350 companies rose to a new all-time high of 43.4% last year, up from 42.1% in 2023, according to the government-backed annual FTSE Women Leaders Review. Among the 100 biggest listed companies, the proportion of women in the boardroom was even higher, at 44.7% versus 42.6% in 2023. Continue reading...
The Emilia Perez best actress nominee will be at Sunday's ceremony with Netflix paying for all expenses incurredThe Emilia Perez star Karla Sofia Gascon is reportedly set to attend this Sunday's Oscars after controversy over bigoted tweets.The Spanish actor, who is nominated for best actress, had been removed from the campaign trail by Netflix after resurfaced tweets led to a backlash. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Court documents obtained by Guardian Australia show appeal argues judge was wrong to decide penalty was needed to provoke' leadership attention
Official sent email to charity that suggested Home Office had data on hundreds of thousands of unsuspecting Britons'The Home Office has been accused of collecting data on hundreds of thousands of unsuspecting British citizens" while conducting financial checks on migrants.A report by a private contractor for a routine immigration application was mistakenly sent to a charity by a government official, and contained information on more than 260 people including their names, dates of birth and electoral roll data. Continue reading...
The star has urged for a shift away from plans where artists must opt out of a system allowing AI free use of any online workSir Elton John has called on the government to rethink proposals involving the relaxation of copyright rules in the hope of protecting creative talent from AI.The singer and songwriter is among a growing list of public figures to express concerns about plans that would allow tech firms to use online material, including creative work, for AI without permission. Continue reading...
The opposition leader picked up on News Corp claims that Tony Burke was conducting industrial-scale' ceremonies. Labor denies it has anything to do with the election
by Jessica Murray Midlands correspondent on (#6VE05)
Jess Phillips says Raneem's law' scheme will support force-wide cultural change' as initial phase is rolled outDomestic abuse specialists embedded in control rooms receiving 999 emergency calls will help create force-wide cultural change", said Jess Phillips as the first phase of Raneem's law" was rolled out across England.The new law is named in memory of Raneem Oudeh, who was killed alongside her mother, Khaola Saleem, in Solihull by Oudeh's ex-husband, whom she had reported to the police at least seven times, as well as making four 999 calls on the night she was murdered. Continue reading...
Lord Walney: senior Tories deeply wrong' for suggesting judges are ideologically driven when enforcing the lawThe shadow cabinet ministers Robert Jenrick and Chris Philp are putting judges' lives at risk" by launching ill-chosen" attacks on their integrity, the outgoing extremism tsar has said.Lord Walney, who until last week was the Conservative-appointed watchdog on political violence, said the senior Tories were deeply wrong" for indicating that judges were ideologically driven when enforcing the law. Continue reading...
Rachel Reeves understood to be considering proposal to reduce annual allowance from current 20,000Major savings providers have pledged to fight any attempts to cut tax breaks on cash Isas after it emerged the government was considering a proposal to slash the maximum amount that people can put into them from 20,000 a year to 4,000.In recent weeks a row has broken out over whether ministers should scale back tax breaks on the popular savings accounts. The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is being lobbied by some fund managers to put more focus on the riskier practice of investing in the stock market as a way of boosting economic growth. Continue reading...
Return to pre-pandemic hygiene behaviour may be contributing factor, experts sayThe number of norovirus patients in hospital in England has reached an all-time high, figures have revealed, with experts saying a return to pre-pandemic behaviours could be fuelling the situation.Norovirus, also known as the winter vomiting bug, is highly contagious. While most people get better at home in a couple of days, it can be more serious in older adults, younger children and people who are immuno-compromised. Continue reading...
Ships' presence off east coast follows incident in South China Sea in which a Chinese fighter jet released flares in front of Australian military plane
by Presented by Michael Safi; produced by Alex Atack, on (#6VD6Z)
Israel's war has left many Lebanese people contemplating what once seemed unimaginable: is Hezbollah finished? Michael Safi reports from BeirutMichael Safi was in Lebanon in the summer, when it was on the brink of war between Israel and Hezbollah, the most powerful force in the country. Months later, in October, Israeli troops invaded Lebanon amid a wave of airstrikes and assassinations of top Hezbollah leaders and commanders.Michael returned this month and visited destroyed villages in southern Lebanon as civilians were returning to their homes. On the ground, it appeared the Israeli military had a political strategy too: splintering Lebanese society by driving a wedge between the community that traditionally supports Hezbollah and everybody else. Continue reading...
Man was trekking with another Briton in Dhauladhar range on trail from Dharamkot to Triund in northern IndiaA British tourist has died after seriously injuring himself while trekking in the Himalayas.The man, who had gone on a short hike to the foot of the Dhauladhar mountain range in northern India with another British tourist, fell during his descent on Sunday evening and was taken down the mountain on a stretcher. Continue reading...
Six cartels added to list as part of Trump's plan to wage war' on drug trafficking groups to address fentanyl crisis in USThe US has added six Mexican cartels to its list of foreign terrorist organisations (FTOs), as it calls for the total elimination" of the criminal groups trafficking drugs to the US.Mexico's two biggest organised crime groups, the Jalisco New Generation and Sinaloa cartels, were among those added, as were Tren de Aragua and Mara Salvatrucha, groups with ties to Venezuela and El Salvador. Continue reading...
Florida lawsuit accuses Alexandre de Moraes of violating free speech rights of far-right Brazilian influencerDonald Trump's media group and the video platform Rumble have jointly filed a lawsuit against a Brazilian supreme court justice, alleging that he violated the right to free speech of a far-right Brazilian influencer residing in the US.The suit against justice Alexandre de Moraes was filed in a federal court in Tampa, Florida, on Wednesday morning, just hours after he received the indictment of Brazil's ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, formally accusing the far-right leader of leading a plot to cling to power after losing the 2022 election. Continue reading...
by Hannah Al-Othman North of England correspondent on (#6VCV7)
Police arrested prolific criminal after homeowners showed CCTV footage of him tripping on string tied to pail of waterA bungling burglar has been jailed after he was caught out by a Home Alone-style bucket trap.The homeowners in Northumberland had set the snare after several recent reports of attempted break-ins in the local area. Continue reading...
Eli Sharabi learned his wife and daughters had been killed after his release from captivity in Gaza but is mentally strong', says British brother-in-lawDon't worry, I will be back. Whatever they do to me, I will be back," was one of the last things Eli Sharabi told his wife and daughters before he was abducted by Hamas. And when the 52-year-old was freed after 16 months in captivity in Gaza, he was desperate to know if his family were waiting for him.It was only then that he was told that his British wife, Lianne Sharabi, 48, and daughters Noiya, 16, and Yahel, 13, had been murdered at their home in the Be'eri kibbutz in Israel on 7 October 2023. Continue reading...
by Jessica Elgot Deputy political editor on (#6VBXB)
Lady Carr defends judiciary's independence after Starmer said decision to accept case resulted from a legal loophole'England and Wales's most senior judge has written to Keir Starmer about an unacceptable" exchange with Kemi Badenoch at prime minister's questions, saying she was deeply troubled" by the discussion on the case of a Palestinian family's right to live in the UK.Lady Sue Carr, the lady chief justice, criticised the Conservative leader's questions about the case, in which a family from Gaza had applied through a scheme designed for Ukrainian refugees. Continue reading...
The singer is being charged with defamation of the far-right Italian prime minister leader while performing at a festival in Turin in 2023Placebo frontman Brian Molko is being charged with defamation after appearing to call the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, a piece of shit, fascist, racist" in Italian while performing at a festival in Turin in 2023.In August 2023, Meloni sued Molko over the comments. Prosecutors subsequently opened an investigation into the claims and have charged Molko with contempt of the institutions". Continue reading...
Fire broke out on Valentine's Day, partially destroying London venue that had been due to host Bafta partyA fire that tore through a luxury London hotel popular with celebrities was caused by wood falling from a pizza oven.The Chiltern Firehouse, which had been due to host a post-Bafta film awards party on Sunday evening, was partially destroyed by the fire on Friday Continue reading...
by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#6VBC5)
Jacket potato seller, who has 4 million followers, says the council want to replace him with a flower bedMore than 65,000 people have signed a petition urging a council to reinstate the pitch of a wildly popular jacket potato seller.Spudman, also known as Ben Newman, has 4 million followers on TikTok who watch as he serves potatoes with generous toppings that include cheese, beans, tuna mayonnaise and chicken curry. One customer asked for his bag of Chilli Heatwave Doritos to be topped up with cheese, minced beef, nacho cheese sauce, crispy onions and honey. Continue reading...