File detailing security mitigations is among those withheld at the request of the Metropolitan policeMinisters have faced renewed cross-party pressure in parliament over documents missing from a 1,500-page release of papers about Peter Mandelson's appointment as ambassador to Washington.Despite the volume of information published on Monday, crucial documents were withheld at the request of the Metropolitan police on the grounds that they could potentially prejudice" an investigation. They include a document summarising the vetting process, which concluded with officials recommending Mandelson not be given security clearance. Continue reading...
Keir Starmer says Younger led an exemplary life', while foreign secretary says country owes him an enormous debt of gratitude'Alex Younger, the former head of MI6, has died at the age of 62 after being treated for cancer.Younger led the Secret Intelligence Service, the agency also known as MI6, between 2014 and 2020. Continue reading...
by Kat Lay Global health correspondent on (#762HK)
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the virus had a big head start' but that the response was catching upThe Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo could have begun as early as January, the head of the World Health Organization said, giving the virus a big head start".Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also said the response was being hindered by blanket travel restrictions and highlighted high levels of community mistrust and low levels of contact tracing as key concerns. Continue reading...
Clear-up has begun but psychological impact likely to last much longer as community recovers from violent protestsThe clean up was quick. The day after an anti-police demonstration turned violent in the Portswood area of Southampton, workers cleared up broken glass and fixed fences that had been torn down to use as missiles against officers.But the psychological impact is likely to last much longer. Continue reading...
Alexis Boon says student's death was a tragedy and video was a very difficult watch'Zia Yusuf, the Reform UK home affairs spokesperson, told Sky News this morning that he thought the treatment of Henry Nowak did justify his party's claim that two-tier policing operates in the country. He said:Having watched that footage [of Nowak's arrest] ... it's hard to escape the conclusion that it is a demonstrable example of structural two-tier policing that is embedded in Hampshire police force and forces across the country.People can go to Hampshire police's website and read their race action plan that was brought about under a Tory government.We understand and appreciate as police officers that we are accountable for our actions. What we ask, however, is that those actions are judged through fair and transparent processes. In this case, that process is already underway with the IOPC conducting their independent investigation.What we, as a society, cannot accept is the violent scenes we saw in Southampton last night.I know that since the release of the body-worn video footage from the night of Henry Nowak's murder, there is a desire for answers and accountability but that must be done in the right way and not used as an excuse to threaten and intimidate my officers and bring violence to our streets causing fear and harm to those living and working in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Continue reading...
Non-binding agreement to start building vehicles in 2027 would safeguard jobs at UK's largest car factoryNissan has agreed to look at building cars in northern England for Chinese manufacturer Chery, in a move that would secure jobs at the UK's largest car factory.The Japanese carmaker on Wednesday said it had signed a non-binding agreement and that discussions were ongoing over contract manufacturing by Nissan for Chery, which is part-owned by the Chinese state. Continue reading...
by Douglas Smith Indigenous affairs reporter on (#762DK)
There's a three-week wait on test results in Yuendumu, near Alice Springs, and locals say NT Health has dropped the ball on telling locals what to do if they test positive
Obstetricians and gynaecologists say anti sex-selective abortions bill predicated on misinformation' and underlying aim is to restrict access to abortion'
by Sally Weale Education correspondent on (#762CD)
DfE plans to withdraw funding for assistive software, saying it is now rarely needed due to widely available free tools'Disability campaigners have called on the government to halt plans to cut funding for specialist tech support for tens of thousands of disabled students in England.Almost 10,000 people have signed a petition opposing Department for Education (DfE) proposals to withdraw funding for specialist assistive software, currently available as part of the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). Continue reading...
Stephen McCullagh planned cold-blooded and calculated' killing of Natalie McNally in Lurgan, Northern Ireland, in great detailA YouTuber who set up a false alibi by livestreaming a video-gaming session online has been sentenced to 31 years in prison for the cold blooded and calculated" murder of his pregnant partner.Stephen McCullagh, 36, of Lisburn, County Antrim, showed no emotion on Wednesday as he was sentenced at Belfast crown court for the murder of Natalie McNally, a crime that chilled Northern Ireland. Continue reading...
New issue of the American Journal of Public Health focuses on parallels between marketing for cigarettes and UPFsThe new issue of the American Journal of Public Health focuses on ultra-processed foods, and reveals that big tobacco companies used strategies that helped them sell cigarettes to sell ultra-processed food products, including Lunchables, geared toward children.The parallels between ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and cigarettes include not only how UPF products were formulated and marketed to drive excess consumption, but also the growing body of evidence linking UPFs to a variety of health risks. For UPFs, these include cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers and cognitive health decline. Continue reading...
Petrol station attack in Calabria throws spotlight on widespread exploitation of foreign farm labourersThe exploitation of farm workers in Italy has come under the spotlight again after four men - three Afghans and one from Pakistan - were allegedly burned alive in a car at a petrol station in Calabria.The attack was captured by a surveillance camera at the garage in Amendolara, close to Cosenza. Two Pakistani nationals have been arrested on charges of aggravated murder, according to public prosecutor Alessandro D'Alessio. Continue reading...
Clifton George convicted of fatally stabbing charity worker Annabel Rook after she tried to end relationshipA man who fatally stabbed his partner and then set off a gas explosion at their north-east London home last summer has been found guilty of her murder.Clifton George, 45, had denied murdering Annabel Rook, a 46-year-old charity founder, during an argument at their home in Stoke Newington on 17 June 2025. Continue reading...
Mixed picture emerges from races across the US, as Trump's pick fails in Iowa. Plus: Jill Biden speaks about her husband's decision to drop out of the 2024 election
Home Office barred Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker on grounds their visit was not conducive to the public good'Two leftwing US political commentators who were banned from entering the UK will still speak at the Oxford Union via livestream.The Home Office told Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker their presence in the country was not conducive to the public good" when they attempted to come to London to attend this week's SXSW London event. Continue reading...
by Lisa O’Carroll Senior correspondent on (#7627H)
Proposal for 10-12.5% levies, to also include EU, Taiwan, Canada and Australia, would allow US president to skirt court-imposed limitsDonald Trump has threatened tariffs of between 10% and 12.5% on 60 countries including the UK, EU and Australia over alleged forced labour failures, in the latest attempt to revive his signature trade policy.The EU immediately hit back, saying it expected the US to respect the tariff deal it entered into last July and arguing that stealth tariffs breached the spirit of that agreement. Continue reading...
Anthony Odiong was sentenced to life in prison for sex crimes against his congregants in TexasA Louisiana church where a Roman Catholic priest served as pastor before being recently convicted in Texas of criminal clergy sexual assault and sentenced to life in prison has been criticized by his victims and their supporters for soliciting prayers on his behalf in a parochial bulletin published after his guilty verdict - which neglected to mention the survivors.One of the two women whom Anthony Odiong was convicted of assaulting in Waco, Texas - identified in court proceedings as Mary Doe - issued a statement on Tuesday encouraging St Anthony of Padua's community in the New Orleans suburb of Luling, Louisiana, to pray for his victims, too. Continue reading...
Son of deposed shah forced to distance himself from once-dreaded Savak as some of his fascistic' supporters glorify itFor decades, the Savak was seen as the most hated symbol of repression that kept Iran's last shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, in power - and a main driving force behind the revolutionary fervor that toppled him in 1979.Now the deposed monarch's son, Reza Pahlavi, has been forced to distance himself from the once-dreaded security agency after some of his most vociferous supporters glorified it as the defining emblem in their drive to install him on the throne in a royal restoration. Continue reading...
Emergency services at scene of incident at Sourton Down, near OkehamptonA Royal Navy helicopter has crashed into a field in Devon, police have confirmed.Emergency services are at the scene of the incident at Sourton Down, near Okehampton. Continue reading...
Sarah Jones says guidance that black and white suspects should be treated differently gives wrong impression'Anti-discrimination guidance to police that black and white suspects should be treated differently gives the wrong impression", according to the policing minister, who said protesters involved in overnight violence in Southampton should not be allowed to shape the reaction to the murder of Henry Nowak.Two people were arrested after unrest in Southampton after the sentencing of the 18-year-old's killer, Vickrum Digwa, who told police attending the scene of the stabbing in the city on 3 December 2025 that he had been the victim of a racist attack. Continue reading...
Disgraced former congressman said to have put bet on whether he would be at Trump's State of the Union speechFederal authorities are investigating whether George Santos, the disgraced former Republican congressman from New York, engaged in insider trading by betting on a prediction market on his own attendance to the State of the Union address, multiple news outlets reported on Tuesday.Santos allegedly placed a bet on Kalshi, a popular online prediction market, over whether he would be in attendance at Trump's State of the Union address in February, according to NPR, which first reported on the investigation citing anonymous sources. Continue reading...
Health secretary announces expansion of Transform trial but does not back population-wide testingThousands more black men will be invited to take part in a prostate cancer screening trial as the health secretary insisted he was following the science" in not backing population-wide testing.James Murray accepted a recommendation from the UK national screening committee (UKNSC) that will result in only a few thousand high-risk men with a gene mutation being screened for the disease. Continue reading...
Former first lady speaks about Biden's decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race at event for her new memoirJill Biden recalled the immense pressure that Joe Biden faced in the aftermath of his disastrous 2024 debate performance, saying he told her Jilly, I had no choice," following his decision to drop out of the presidential race.The former first lady made the comments during a Tuesday book event coinciding with the release of her new memoir, View from the East Wing. The event was held at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, and moderated by comedian and co-host of The View, Whoopi Goldberg. Former president Biden was in attendance at the event and received two standing ovations from the crowd. Continue reading...
Move comes after meeting in which Pelley said network chief Bari Weiss was murdering' news showScott Pelley, one of the most well-known and respected journalists in broadcast journalism, has been fired by CBS News after clashing with network brass over last week's severe round of cuts at 60 Minutes, the show he has worked on since 2004, the Guardian confirmed.While changes were long expected at 60 Minutes, CBS News management shocked staffers last week by firing the network's executive producer, executive editor and two correspondents, Cecilia Vega and Sharyn Alfonsi, without giving a specific reason for their terminations. Continue reading...
Police say one hostage has been safely surrendered with the rest in good health' as people urged to avoid downtownA man barricaded himself inside a bank in the southern California city of Bakersfield with an unknown number of people, police said on Tuesday.The unidentified man had a bomb strapped to his body, according to Bakersfield Now. Continue reading...
Members of Jalisco New Generation cartel used fake retail store in San Diego as a front for trafficking drugsFederal prosecutors have charged four suspects with trafficking more than one ton of cocaine for the Jalisco New Generation cartel using a fake retail store in San Diego as a front for a sophisticated tunnel that ran across the border to Tijuana, Mexico.The defendants include two Mexican nationals and two Americans charged with conspiring to traffic drugs across the US-Mexico border. The suspects, who range in age from 18 to 32, all face sentences that could land them in prison for life. One of them, Gregorio Epifanio Hernandez Lopez, also faces the charge of constructing, financing or using unauthorized tunnels". Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#76200)
NHS bosses giving evidence to public accounts committee admit current position is unacceptableGPs in England are so overloaded" that they cannot help older people who are at risk of falling in what NHS bosses accept is an unacceptable failure of care, the House of Commons' public accounts committee has said.Pressure on GPs' time has intensified as a result of the government's decision to give patients online access to their services, according to a report by the influential cross-party group of MPs. Continue reading...
Bank of England says updated imagery will celebrate native wildlife while bolstering anti-counterfeit featuresPuffins, dolphins and bumblebees are among the wildlife that could feature on new banknotes in the UK as the Bank of England announces its shortlist.There has been controversy over the decision, with figures including Nigel Farage criticising the Bank for, he claimed, wanting to replace Winston Churchill with a beaver. The Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, said it was a silly thing to do", and Reform UK's Farage called it absolutely crackers". In the end, no beaver appeared on the shortlist. Mammal options include bottlenose dolphins and red foxes. Continue reading...
Alarm after Elias Irizarry is hired to position in office that manages highly classified military operationsThe Pentagon has appointed a rioter convicted for his role in 6 January, 2021 insurrection to a sensitive national security role dealing with counterterrorism, overriding insiders' concerns about his past record.Elias Irizarry, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in connection with the storming of the US Capitol, has been appointed to a position in the US Department of Defense's special operations and low intensity conflict office which manages highly classified military operations, causing alarm among Pentagon officials. Continue reading...
by Anna Bawden Health and social affairs corresponden on (#761XW)
Patients with knee arthritis who took medications for at least three years at reduced risk of needing surgeryTaking weight-loss drugs for at least three years could prevent thousands of knee replacements a year, research suggests.Globally, more than 500 million people have osteoarthritis. Knee arthritis is the most common form, affecting about 14 million people in the US and more than 5 million in the UK. Many will require knee surgery. In the UK more than 120,000 knee replacements are carried out every year. Continue reading...
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