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Police charged the 16-year-old after interviewing him in hospital yesterday over Monday's alleged attack on a bishop in Wakeley. Follow the day's news live

Seating proceeded quickly Thursday afternoon after a morning of setbacks and concernsJudge Merchan, in directing the press not to use physical descriptors to describe jurors, complained specifically about mentioning one of the jurors had an Irish accent.We just lost" what would have been a good juror for the case, Merchan said, after one of the jurors was excused after she told the court that she had concerns about her ability to be impartial. Merchan added:She said she was afraid and intimidated by the press, all the press.I would recommend the press simply apply common sense and refrain from anything that has to do, for example, with physical descriptions. It's just not necessary, it serves no purpose. Continue reading...

This was not Donald Trump the business mogul or Donald Trump the 45th president - it was Donald Trump the defendantWith Donald Trump just a few feet away, a potential juror in the criminal case against him summed up the experience in just three words. This is bizarre," she said, with just a slight hint of a seasoned New York accent.Bizarre it was. There was a potential juror who once spent the night at one of Trump's lawyers' homes more than a decade ago (Trump's team used one of its pre-emptory strikes to remove the juror). The microphones didn't work. The proceedings had to start over when Judge Juan Merchan realized that a court reporter hadn't been present first thing. And the temperature in the courthouse was so frigid that Todd Blanche, one of Trump's lawyers, asked Merchan if it would be possible to turn up the temperature just one degree". Continue reading...

In order not to be isolated in using its veto power in support of Israel again, the US mission is trying to get others to abstainThe US has said it will veto a Palestinian request to the United Nations security council for full UN membership, blocking the world body's recognition of a Palestinian state.US officials had been hoping Washington could avoid use of its veto if other states objected to a draft resolution before the council recommending the State of Palestine be admitted to membership of the United Nations". But with the resolution due to go to a vote on Thursday evening, it had the support of up to 13 of the other 15 members. Continue reading...

Siblings appear on stage with president at campaign event in Philadelphia and offer full-throated support of White House runProminent members of the Kennedy political dynasty delivered a full-throated endorsement of Joe Biden's re-election campaign on Thursday, a pointed message that was in equal measure a stinging repudiation of their relative Robert F Kennedy Jr, who is making an independent run for the White House.Kerry Kennedy, one of six siblings of the controversial candidate on stage at a Biden campaign event in Philadelphia, called the US president my hero" as she celebrated a litany of his achievements she said would have pleased her father, the late former US attorney general Robert F Kennedy and late uncle and president John F Kennedy. Continue reading...

Poland's national prosecutor says man was preparing to share security details of airport used by Ukrainian presidentA Polish man has been arrested on allegations that he aided a plot by Russian intelligence services to assassinate the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, according to Polish and Ukrainian prosecutors.The office of Poland's national prosecutor said in a statement that the man, identified only as Pawel K, was accused of being prepared to pass airport security information to Russian agents and that he was arrested in Poland on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Bridget Thorne, a Republican elected in Fulton county in 2022, has spread election fraud lies and accused county employees of crimesA Fulton county commissioner in Georgia has been operating a private Telegram channel for years, propagating debunked claims about the 2020 election, and spreading accusations of crimes by county employees, including Ruby Freeman, an election worker defamed by Rudy Giuliani in the wake of Donald Trump's 2020 loss.Bridget Thorne, a Republican representing the relatively conservative cities of Fulton county north of Atlanta, indirectly identifies herself as the creator and administrator of the Fulton County Elections channel on Telegram, a mobile messaging platform, in multiple posts to its page. The channel uses the official logo of the Fulton county board of registration and elections. Continue reading...

Rowaa Ahmar's claims were made in the court papers of a discrimination case against the Cabinet OfficeA former senior civil servant has said in court papers that a hostile racist working environment" in the Cabinet Office meant she was forced to resign".Rowaa Ahmar, who has now withdrawn a discrimination case against the Cabinet Office, said that the racism within the Cabinet Office appeared to be unrelenting and systemic" and claimed that she was frozen out of ministerial meetings after complaining about it. Continue reading...

Jonathan Hall, Britain's reviewer of terrorism legislation, says more children could be exposed to encrypted extremist contentThe UK's terror watchdog has criticised Mark Zuckerberg's Meta for lowering the minimum age for WhatsApp users from 16 to 13, warning that the extraordinary" move could expose more teenagers to extreme content.Jonathan Hall KC said more children could now access material that Meta cannot regulate, including content related to terror or sexual exploitation. Continue reading...

Husband of Nicola Sturgeon was rearrested in connection with the embezzlement of funds' from party, say policePeter Murrell, the husband of the former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, has been charged in connection with embezzlement after being arrested for a second time by police investigating allegations regarding the funding and finances of the Scottish National party.Murrell, the former chief executive of the SNP, was first arrested and interviewed as a suspect by Police Scotland detectives in April 2023 at the home he shared with Sturgeon in Glasgow, but was released later that day pending further investigation. Continue reading...

High court hears arguments over prosecution of Trudi Warner for holding sign telling activists' trial juries of their rightsThe prosecution of a woman for contempt of court for holding a sign reminding juries of their rights is not in the public interest, the high court has been told.During a hearing on Thursday, the court heard arguments for and against an attempt by the solicitor general to bring a case against Trudi Warner, 69, who was charged last year for holding a sign - outside the trial of climate activists - reminding juries of their right to acquit a defendant based on their conscience, a principle known as jury equity. Continue reading...

Development follows Labour calling for investigation into Tory MP alleged to have misused funds to pay off bad people'

Prime minister also seeks to assure allies Israel's response to Iran will be measured, as officials urge him to focus on ceasefire dealBenjamin Netanyahu has told western diplomats that he will go ahead with a ground offensive on Rafah in southern Gaza, and has also suggested that Israel's anticipated reprisal for Iran's missile and drone salvo will be aimed at Iranian interests rather than Tehran's proxies.The Israeli leader has sought to assure anxious allies that Israel's response to Iran will be measured, while also claiming he will flood Gaza with aid and ensure that civilians and aid agencies are given ample opportunity to flee Rafah, the last relative refuge for at least 1.4 million displaced Palestinians. Continue reading...

Case comes after insiders warned of a potential ageism row last year following merger of BBC News and World News channelsThe BBC is facing another damaging row over equal pay, with the presenter Martine Croxall taking legal action against the broadcaster for age and sex discrimination.Croxall is suing the corporation after being off-air for more than a year following the merger of the BBC's News and World News channels, according to listings for London Central tribunal court for 1 May. Continue reading...

Pair also join two other siblings on board, further strengthening family's control of French luxury goods companyTwo sons of the world's richest man, Bernard Arnault, have joined the board of LVMH after a shareholder vote, further cementing the family's control on the French luxury goods company.The pair joined their elder siblings on the board of directors of the company, which houses brands such as Dior and Louis Vuitton, meaning four of Bernard Arnault's five children now sit on the board. Continue reading...

Mayor says brand Andy' move is utterly deliberate as people are sick and tired of Westminster'The West Midlands mayor, Andy Street, has said it is utterly deliberate" to exclude reference to the Conservative party from his campaign material, as he believes he is fighting an individual campaign and people are sick and tired of Westminster".Street is hoping to be elected to a third term in office in May's election in a vote that could be the strongest indicator yet as to how the two main parties will perform at the impending general election. Continue reading...

Chair Helen Pitcher says she is deeply sorry' for failing man jailed for 17 years for rape he did not commit Rape, DNA and injustice: a timeline of the Malkinson caseThe chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission has offered an unreserved apology" to Andrew Malkinson for its handling of his case after he spent 17 years in prison for a rape he did not commit.The apology from Helen Pitcher comes ahead of the publication of an independent review by Chris Henley KC of the CCRC's handling of the case. The review of the body set up to look into potential miscarriages of justice has been completed, and is expected to be critical and to be published imminently. Continue reading...

Former party chief executive and husband of Nicola Sturgeon taken into custody for further questioningPeter Murrell, the husband of the former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon, has been rearrested and questioned for a second time by police investigating allegations of financial wrongdoing by the Scottish National party.Murrell, the former chief executive of the SNP, was first arrested and interviewed as a suspect by Police Scotland detectives in April 2023 at the home he shared with Sturgeon in Glasgow, but was released later that day pending further investigation. Continue reading...

Noreen and Antonia, born last May, are among first cloned offspring of a native endangered species in the North AmericaTwo more black-footed ferrets have been successfully cloned in an attempt to save the endangered species, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced.The national agency shared news about the births of ferrets Noreen and Antonia, who were both born last May. Continue reading...

Internal investigation under way but party has not announced that police have been called inDuring questions in the Commons on next week's business, Penny Mordaunt, leader of the house, said that MPs would debate the latest Lords amendments to the Rwanda bill on Monday and that, if necessary, time would also be set aside on Tuesday for MPs to vote again on Lords amendments to the bill.But, at the No 10 lobby briefing, the PM's spokesperson told journalists that the government wants to conclude the ping pong" process (when the bill shuttles between the Commons and the Lords until both sides agree on its wording) on Monday night. He said:Our intention is to get this passed on Monday such that we can then set out the timetable for getting flights off as soon as possible. Continue reading...

Investor proposal to reduce levels of fat, salt and sugar in products is backed by only 11% of shareholdersNestle has fought off investor proposals that would have forced the world's largest consumer goods company to cut back on high levels of salt, sugar and fats in its food and drinks.The Swiss-headquartered multinational won the backing of 88% of shareholder votes at its annual meeting on Thursday, while 11% backed the resolution. Continue reading...

Police say girls aged six and 11 sustained superficial wounds in attack close to their school near StrasbourgA man has been arrested after two girls aged six and 11 were injured in a knife attack close to their school in the east of France.The 11-year-old was stabbed outside school in the town of Souffelweyersheim, just outside Strasbourg, while the six-year-old was allegedly attacked by the same man nearby. Continue reading...

Three works selected from 1,647 entries across 62 countries, with 50 selected for final displayThe artists Isabella Watling, Antony Williams and Catherine Chambers have been shortlisted for the National Portrait Gallery's annual painting prize.In total, 50 portraits have been selected for final display as part of the competition, which is returning for its 42nd year with its new sponsors Herbert Smith Freehills. The winning artist will receive 35,000 - one of the largest prizes for any global arts competition. Continue reading...

Glasgow-based Sandyford clinic issues update after Cass review found weak evidence' for use to treat gender incongruenceScotland's only clinic to offer treatment to gender-questioning young people has paused prescribing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones in light of last week's publication of the Cass review.The Sandyford clinic, based in Glasgow, which offers a range of services including emergency contraception, abortion and support for sexual assault victims as well as transgender healthcare, posted a service update online on Thursday morning. Continue reading...

Dozens died when a blaze tore through Stardust nightclub in Artane on Valentine's Day in 1981The 48 young people who died in the Stardust nightclub disaster in Dublin in 1981 were unlawfully killed, an inquest jury has found.The devastatingfire at the nightclub in Artane, north Dublin, broke out in the early hours of Valentine's Day 1981. Continue reading...

Painter replaced as country's representative by centrist coalition is showing his work under the banner Polonia Uncensored'In a world beset by culture wars - not to mention full-scale wars - it is no surprise that political tensions seethe beneath the surface of the Venice Biennale, a global art event.Take Poland. Its national pavilion this year hosts work by a collective, Open Group, from neighbouring Ukraine. But the artists were a last-minute replacements for a painter, Ignacy Czwartos, who was selected to represent his country under Poland's previous, right-wing government - and then deselected in December by the incoming centrist coalition. Continue reading...

Critics say plan to issue fines of up to 500 for climbing trees in Oderzo's public spaces is absurd'An Italian council has come under fire for banning people from climbing trees.Anyone caught climbing a tree in public spaces in the centre of Oderzo, a town in the northern province of Treviso, risks fines of between 25 (21) and 500 (428). Continue reading...

UN due to vote on Thursday on bid for full membership by Palestine in move the US is expected to block

Minister told London conference that Glorious Revolution of 1688 paved way for economic certaintyIt would be wrong to attribute the UK's wealth and economic success to its colonial history or racial privilege, the business and trade minister, Kemi Badenoch, has told an audience in the City.Addressing financial services bosses at TheCityUK's international conference in London, the business secretary said the UK's past exploitation and oppression of other countries and groups of people could not sufficiently explain the country's economic trajectory. Continue reading...

Charity that uses football to help pupils build relationships found to improve happiness in Greater Manchester projectIntensive mentoring for troubled schoolchildren using football kickabouts can significantly enhance wellbeing, increasing happiness equivalent to an unemployed adult getting a job, a study has found.A project involving more than 2,000 pupils in dozens of secondary schools in Greater Manchester showed that instead of wellbeing declining among pupils at risk of exclusion who had behavioural issues and special educational needs, their happiness scores increased. Continue reading...

Airline says demand has rebounded, with strong bookings at its holiday arm

Croatian Democratic Union and second-placed Social Democratic party both hoping to form governmentCroatia is heading for an extended period of political uncertainty after the ruling conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) emerged victorious in the parliamentary election, but with fewer seats than before and without a majority.Led by Andrej Plenkovi, who has served two terms as prime minister, HDZ won 61 seats in the 151-seat assembly with the votes from 99.8% of polling stations counted, the state electoral commission said on Thursday, down from 66 seats in the previous parliament. Continue reading...

Harry Potter star described wife, who founded dwarfism charity Little People UK, as greatest love of his life'Samantha Davis, the campaigner and wife of the Harry Potter star Warwick Davis, whom he called his soul mate", has died aged 53.Davis, who founded Little People UK - the dwarfism charity known as an essential resource for little people and their families" - was described by her husband as the greatest love of his life". Continue reading...

Mark Menzies allegedly spent 14,000 of campaign funds on medical costs and demanded 6,500 from aide to escape captors'A Conservative MP has lost the party whip over allegations he misused campaign funds and demanded thousands of pounds from an aide to pay off bad people" in the middle of the night.Mark Menzies, 52, was suspended from the Tory parliamentary party on Wednesday night while an investigation is carried out. Continue reading...

Study from University of California, Irvine and Brigham and Women's Hospital shows prison mortality rate spiked at least 50%When the Covid-19 pandemic began, it wasn't hard to predict that incarcerated people would be at higher risk. Many prisons and jails are crowded, dirty places with inconsistent access to healthcare - breeding grounds for the highly infectious virus. But the job of documenting the deaths has fallen to a patchwork of research groups and reporters.Now, a national study from one of these collaborations, between the University of California, Irvine and Brigham and Women's Hospital, shows that at the peak of the pandemic in 2020, people inside prisons died almost three-and-a-half times more frequently than the free population. Continue reading...

There were 830,000 unwanted moves in England over the past 12 months, meaning 40% have been forced to relocateUnwanted home moves cost renters over half a billion pounds a year, with tenants coughing up an average of 669 every time they are forced by landlords to leave their home, a survey has revealed.Analysis by the homelessness charity Shelter estimated that there had been 830,000 unwanted moves in England over the past 12 months, meaning 40% of renters who move house are doing so because they have been compelled to look for other accommodation. Continue reading...

Media executive's exit comes as broadcaster faces a number of controversies

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Dani Mansour, 19, charged after allegedly filming himself damaging two police vehicles amid anger over stabbing of bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel

Advocates say the boy took his own life, leaving his family devastated' and triggering a coronial inquest

Police say the sheep was shot dead after confronting officers called to the property in Waitakere, west of Auckland

Demand for private treatment booms as NHS waiting lists remain long, while more people also sign up for dental coverBritain's health cover market has grown by 385m in a year as the NHS crisis prompted more people to seek out private medical treatment and demand for dental insurance increased, according to a report.The total health cover market, including medical and dental insurance and cash plans, grew 6.1% to 6.7bn in 2022, the latest year for which figures are available, according to the health data provider LaingBuisson. Continue reading...

Disappointment and frustration as parliamentary inquiry into youth justice reform degenerates into a squabble'

Former secretary of the home affairs department recommends preparation of a war book' to allocate roles in the event of conflict

The US talks of Aukus as binding' the allies for decades to come, but Richard Marles says Australia must become more self-reliant'Australia's defence overhaul has accelerated some projects and cut others and has already prompted a plea from China to abandon a cold war mentality".But as the dust settles on a plan to increase overall military spending, the Albanese government has also sent some significant signals on how it sees the future of the Indo-Pacific region - and these aren't exactly how Australia's top security ally, the US, might see things. Continue reading...

Rate rose among middle-class women aged 18 to 45 and fell among working-class women of same ageThe number of younger middle-class women who smoke has jumped 25% over the past decade, according to research.Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and illness in the UK and accounts for 76,000 deaths annually. Experts from UCL examined data from nearly 200,000 adult participants in the Smoking Toolkit Study, a monthly survey of adults in England. Just over 44,000 were women aged 18-45. Continue reading...

Charities will offer free childcare essentials such as nappies and bedding, says Khan, promising to support city residents from birthBaby banks could be rolled out in every London borough for families to access free essentials for their children, as part of Sadiq Khan's bid to win a historic third term.The London mayor will launch his safer, fairer, greener London" manifesto in south-east London, pitching how his policies will support young Londoners from birth to securing a job and finding an affordable home to buy or rent. Continue reading...

Pope Francis to attend installation that includes short film featuring Zoe Saldana and Giudecca inmatesOriginally a convent dating to the 13th century, and once a reformatory for prostitutes, the Giudecca women's prison, set on an island in the Venetian lagoon, will this summer perform a quite different role: as the official pavilion for the Vatican at this year's Venice Biennale.Pope Francis is due to attend on 28 April - the first pontifical visit to the Biennale since it was founded in 1895. In the women's prison he will see a work by Maurizio Cattelan, who notoriously created a hyper-real sculpture in 1999 depicting Pope John Paul II struck down by a meteorite. Continue reading...

The prime minister says we need to do much better for the younger generation'

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel makes his first comments from hospital where he is being treated