PC Sevda Gonen hit the boy in the back of a police van as he was being transported to hospital in LondonA police officer who slapped a 16-year-old boy with mental health difficulties multiple times in the face" as he was being transported to a hospital in London has been found guilty of assault.Judge Briony Clarke found Metropolitan police PC Sevda Gonen of assault for striking the boy multiple times in the face with an open palm" after she allowed her frustrations to get the better of her" on 13 November 2023, according to the prosecution. Continue reading...
In face-to-face meeting, Ahmed al-Sharaa gave assurances IS would not be allowed to operate in Syria, US official saysThe US has lifted a $10m bounty on Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the strongest force to emerge in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, after the first face-to-face meeting between American diplomats and the HTS leadership.Barbara Leaf, the state department's senior diplomat for the Middle East, said Sharaa had given assurances in the meeting in Damascus that Islamic State (IS) and other terrorist groups would not be allowed to operate in Syrian territory. Continue reading...
Chancellor pledges renewed focus on growth after Bank of England warning that Britain is on brink of stagnationRachel Reeves insists she won't gaslight" working people over her plans to turn round the economy as she launched a scathing attack on Reform's offer to voters, saying Nigel Farage hasn't got a clue".With many people still struggling with the cost of living, the chancellor defended her approach, which has so far focused on economic stability, arguing that it was impossible to turn round years of poor performance under the Tories in just six months. Continue reading...
Fiona Wood solves final conundrum to clinch victory and encourages other women to give it a go'A forensic accountant has become the first female Countdown champion in 26 years.Fiona Wood prevailed in the series final on Friday after correctly identifying the conundrum word as lassitude", meaning a state of physical or mental weariness. Continue reading...
by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent on (#6T2EZ)
Barry Manners says when British Airways crew discovered his partner had Aids they were both forced out of hotel where other hostages were being heldA man who was among British Airways passengers and crew taken hostage in Kuwait and used as human shields during Saddam Hussein's invasion, who are suing the airline, said his ordeal was made worse by its staff's homophobia.On Friday, more than 100 claimants served legal papers on BA and the government, who they say both knew the invasion had taken place hours before flight BA149 landed in Kuwait in 1990. Continue reading...
by Nadeem Badshah (now); Andrew Sparrow (earlier) on (#6T297)
Downing Street confirms appointment, with Keir Starmer praising his unrivalled experience'Peter Mandelson once described Donald Trump as little short of a white nationalist and racist", the Telegraph reports. In her story, Amy Gibbons says Mandelson made the comments in an interview with the Italian journalist Alain Elkann in July 2019.The Trump presidency clearly upset Mandelson greatly because Elkann opened the interview by asking the former cabinet minister how he was, and Mandelson replied:I wake up today and discover that not only am I seeing my country, which I love, being forced out of its own European neighbourhood, but is crossing the Atlantic to make common cause with an American president who is little short of a white nationalist and racist.So, you can imagine, I am not very happy. This disturbs me greatly, because it's completely different from all my upbringing, whether my family or in politics, what I believe in, and the identity I see for my own country.What Donald Trump represents and believes is anathema to mainstream British opinion, and the idea that as a result of Brexit we have to kowtow to an American president who holds those views will outrage people in Britain.Even those who have a sneaking admiration for Donald Trump, because of the strength of his personality, nonetheless regard him as reckless and a danger to the world.It's very promising to see councils implementing new policies to protect their residents from some of the impacts of consumerism, advertising, greenwashing and injustice. But that's not enough. National planning laws need to change - they haven't kept pace and it is clear that local authorities and communities need more power to object to harmful ads.We need updated planning regulations that properly control billboards, with local councils able to refuse on a range of grounds such as climate, nature, public health, light pollution, and the impact on local businesses. Continue reading...
Children's Society says accepting donation from Justin Welby would be inconsistent with its principles and valuesA children's charity has rejected a Christmas donation from the archbishop of Canterbury, who resigned over the Church of England's failures in dealing with a serial child abuser.In an embarrassing snub, the Children's Society said accepting a donation from Justin Welby would not be consistent with the principles and values that underpin our work". Continue reading...
Abdul Hamid Dabaiba says country must not be a platform for settling international scores after fall of Assad in SyriaRussia's move to reinforce its military base in eastern Libya after the toppling of the Assad regime in Syria is facing resistance from the country's UN-backed government.The prime minister of the Tripoli-based government, Abdul Hamid Dabaiba, said he rejected any attempt to turn Libya into a centre for major-power conflicts, stressing that the country would not be a platform for settling international scores. Continue reading...
by Rachel Savage Southern Africa correspondent and ag on (#6T2J2)
French president makes remark when confronted by residents still without water after huge storm last weekEmmanuel Macron swore during a furious exchange with residents of the cyclone-hit islands of Mayotte on Thursday night, telling a jeering crowd in the French territory: If it wasn't for France, you'd be 10,000 times deeper in shit."Cyclone Chido swept through Mayotte, which lies between Madagascar and Mozambique, on 14 December, destroying vital infrastructure and flattening many of the tin-roofed shacks that make up its large slums. Almost a week after its worst storm in 90 years, France's poorest territory still has shortages of water. Continue reading...
Arturs Putrasevics, 39, also charged with possession of a bladed article in a public place after death of Astra SirapinaA man has been charged with murder after the death of a woman who was found with serious injuries at a house in Coventry.Astra Sirapina, 62, was pronounced dead at the scene by police who were called to an address on Burnaby Road at about 1pm on Tuesday 10 December after reports of concern for the woman's wellbeing. Continue reading...
TV presenter's death on Greek island in June probably due to heatstroke or a pathological cause, coroner findsA coroner has recorded an open conclusion regarding the unascertainable" death of the TV presenter Michael Mosley, who died on a Greek island after he went for a walk.Crispin Butler, the senior coroner for Buckinghamshire, said Mosley's death was most likely attributable either to heatstroke (accidental) or non-identified pathological cause". Continue reading...
by Hannah Al-Othman North of England corespondent on (#6T2F0)
Allegations include false imprisonment, negligence, excessive use of force, and safeguarding failuresRepresentatives for Gypsy and Traveller children who were allegedly forced on to trains and prevented from visiting Manchester's Christmas markets have instructed human rights lawyers to bring a complaint against Greater Manchester police (GMP).The Traveller Movement, a national charity, has instructed Ryan Bradshaw, a human rights partner at Leigh Day, to bring a complaint against the force on several grounds, with allegations including false imprisonment, negligence, excessive use of force, and safeguarding failures. Continue reading...
Kyiv says that 2,200 Russian soldiers have died in the last 24 hoursThe Russian Defence Ministry said that its forces had taken control of two more settlements in Ukraine's Donetsk region, Uspenivka and Novopustynka, Reuters reported, citing Russian state news agency RIA.Russia has been moving toward the strategic city of Pokrovsk, with its forces getting to within 3km (1.9 miles) of it last week. Uspenivka is about 20km of Pokrovsk and Novopustynka is about 16km away from the city. Continue reading...
Labour veteran Peter Mandelson is the first political appointment as ambassador to Washington in 50 yearsFor some months, Lord Mandelson had been going round London suggesting he had no desire to be appointed to the role of Washington ambassador, saying he would rather not become a hotel manager so late in his career.His feigned lack of interest in shepherding a succession of middle-rank ministers through the British embassy, a 96-year-old recently restored Lutyens building, is typical of the smoke and mirrors that has surrounded his potential appointment. Continue reading...
Boy was restrained face down by staff and others placed a towel around the door of his room to stop him leavingA former student who was repeatedly restrained face down and once imprisoned for nearly five hours at a special school has been awarded 18,900 in damages.The father of the student, who is now 25 and cannot be named for legal reasons, launched a claim against Mulberry Bush school in Standlake, Oxfordshire, on behalf of his son, who was a pupil there until 2009. Continue reading...
Total value of parcels stolen estimated at 376m, with Black Friday and run-up to Christmas the worst periodsPolice forces across the UK are warning shoppers about a rise in porch piracy", an emerging criminal trend involving doorstep parcel thefts that is costing businesses and consumers millions of pounds.In one east London borough, police have put up posters in the lobbies of flats, while in other areas forces are using social media to provide tips on how to make life more difficult for thieves. Continue reading...
After joining pro-Palestinian sit-in, Andrew Ross and Sonya Posmentier were declared personae non gratae'Two professors declared personae non gratae", or PNG, by New York University have accused the university of escalating suppression of pro-Palestinian speech under pressure from donors, politicians and pro-Israel groups.NYU has barred the two tenured faculty members, Andrew Ross and Sonya Posmentier, from entering some buildings after they joined a sit-in at the library and other protests over two days last week to demand the university make public its investments in companies tied to Israel and close its campus in Tel Aviv. On the second day, they were arrested and charged with trespass and disorderly conduct, relatively minor offences that do not result in a criminal record. Continue reading...
by Sally Weale Education correspondent on (#6T27D)
Chair of committee of MPs, Helen Hayes, says current Send deep crisis' is neither sustainable nor acceptableParents frustrated by the multiple failings of England's special educational needs and disabilities (Send) system have been warned it is not realistic to expect reform to happen quickly, as MPs announced another inquiry into the crisis.MPs on the cross-party education committee in Westminster say the latest inquiry will seek to find practical solutions rather than just point out problems. The report from the previous one, which went on for 18 months, was published in 2019. Continue reading...
by Brendan Wood and Ishani Mistry for MetDesk on (#6T2AE)
Torrential rainfall driven by north-east monsoon displaces thousands of people as buildings collapseSouthern Thailand is grappling with severe flooding as torrential rainfall, driven by the north-east monsoon, continues to affect the region. During the north-east monsoon, which runs from November to March, winds from the north-east pick up moisture from the Gulf of Thailand and deposit it as heavy rain across the islands in the gulf and into exposed eastern parts of Thailand's southern peninsula.While high rainfall totals in southern Thailand are not unusual at this time of year, this year's has been significantly above average. Ko Samui, Thailand's second largest island, has recorded 571mm (22.48in) of rain this month - approximately 375% of the December average - with nearly a third of the month yet to go. In the nearby province of Nakhon Si Thammarat on the mainland, another weather station has surpassed 1009mm, more than four times the December norm. Continue reading...
GLAP missed repayment deadlines for 300m government loan and concerns raised over poor managementTaxpayers may be forced to bail out Sadiq Khan's London housing fund, after it repeatedly missed repayment deadlines for a 300m government loan and its auditors raised concerns over poor management.The London mayor's property development vehicle, known as Greater London Authority Land and Property Limited (GLAP), inherited the 300m debt when it was formed under Boris Johnson in 2012, after a merger of other public development bodies. Continue reading...
Much like in his mother's terrible year, the monarchy's vulnerabilities were exposed by a series of jolting eventsThe king will not look back on his annus horribilis with undiluted pleasure", as his late mother with masterly understatement so memorably observed of her own.His cancer diagnosis and that of the Princess of Wales was a shocking jolt, while the poor judgment of the Duke of York has cast a shadow over the Sandringham royal Christmas. The Duke of Sussex's relentless legal actions against newspapers has made headlines and he takes to the witness box again in the New Year. Continue reading...
Loss of authority in Syria after fall of Bashar al-Assad adds to domestic and international crises facing Iranian leadersThe Iranian government is attempting to salvage some influence with Syria's new leaders, as Tehran reels from its sudden loss of authority in Damascus after the collapse of the regime of Bashar al-Assad.The Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, is already facing multiple domestic and international crises, including power cuts due to a lack of oil supplies, continued tensions over its nuclear programme and a row about a new law that will make wearing the hijab compulsory for women. But it is the sudden loss of influence in Syria after the fall of Assad to rebel groups that is exercising Iranian officials most. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: For years, Dominique Pelicot drugged his wife and recruited men to rape her. It could be a turning point in social and legal attitudes to sexual assaultGood morning.Dominique Pelicot, described as one of France's worst sex offenders, has been sentenced alongside 50 other men who he recruited to rape his wife, Gisele Pelicot. Dominique, who was given the maximum sentence possible of 20 years in prison, had been drugging and raping his wife for a decade before he was caught. The scale of the horror and depravity of this case has shocked the world, and reignited conversations around consent and sexual violence.Middle East | Israel has launched widespread airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, killing at least nine people in the port city of Hodeidah, and threatened more attacks against the group, which has launched hundreds of missiles at Israel over the past year.Water | Water bills in England and Wales will rise by 36% over the next five years, as suppliers were accused of forcing struggling households to pay for years of underinvestment to fix leaky pipes and cut pollution.Diplomacy | Peter Mandelson is set to become Britain's next ambassador to the US, the first time a politician has been appointed to the role for almost half a century.Climate crisis | Potential new North Sea oil and gas fields with early stage licences from the UK would emit as much carbon dioxide as British households produce in three decades. The finding has led to calls to the government to reject demands from fossil fuel producers for the final permits needed to allow their operations to go ahead.Russia | Vladimir Putin said the war in Ukraine had made Russia much stronger" and denied that the fall of his key ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria had hurt Moscow's standing, as he held a marathon year-end press conference and television call-in seeking to project confidence at home and abroad. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Tycoon rejects settlement offer from Gambling Commission linked to failed bid to run UK lotteryThe media tycoon Richard Desmond is set for a courtroom showdown with the Gambling Commission that could cost good causes tens of millions of pounds, the Guardian has learned, after he rejected a settlement offer linked to his failed bid to run the National Lottery.Desmond launched a high court challenge in 2022 after the commission awarded the 10-year National Lottery licence to the Czech operator Allwyn, rejecting bids from his Northern & Shell business, as well as the incumbent Camelot. Continue reading...
Leanne Ekland, whose son Max Dixon was stabbed to death in January, says killers have taken my heart'The mother of a boy stabbed to death alongside his best friend in a case of mistaken identity in Bristol has said the teenage killers have taken my heart". She called for extra education in schools about knives and for families to do more to keep tabs on their children.Leanne Ekland, the mother of Max Dixon, 16, who was murdered in Bristol in January, described how she thought her son was tucked up in bed when the stabbing happened and dashed to his side as he lay fatally wounded on the street. Continue reading...
The delegation will speak directly with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leaders and seek clues on missing Americans including journalist Austin Tice, the state department saysA senior delegation of US diplomats has arrived in Syria to speak directly to the new Islamist-led rulers, hoping to encourage a moderate, inclusive path and to seek information on missing Americans.It is the first formal US diplomatic mission to Damascus since the early days of the brutal civil war that broke out in 2011 and culminated in a surprise lightning offensive that toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad this month. Continue reading...
W Clappison Ltd claims its supply agreement was ended at planting time without reasonable noticeThe grocery industry watchdog is to make a rare intervention in a Yorkshire sprout grower's 3.7m legal case against Aldi over the discount chain's decision to terminate a long-term supply deal.In papers filed at the high court, W Clappison Ltd, which produced sprouts for Aldi's UK arm for 13 years, said its supply agreement was ended in February last year at planting time without reasonable notice so it was unable to find new clients immediately. It said it was forced to cease sprout production and sell off its machinery. Continue reading...
MEPs warn of systemic inequities in EU executive after Michaela Moua left in lower position' than white peersA group of left-leaning MEPs have warned of systemic inequities" after it emerged that the EU executive's lead official in combating racism, who is a black European woman, was excluded from a reshuffle that left her in a lower position" than her white peers.The European Commission announced earlier this month that its coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, and her counterpart on battling anti-Muslim hatred, would be moved to its secretariat-general, the department at the apex of the EU executive that reports directly to president Ursula von der Leyen. Continue reading...
by Bethan McKernan in Aleppo. Photographs by David Lo on (#6T262)
A decade on from the Guardian's last visit, it is clear war has ripped the city apart - but there are signs of positive changeBashar al-Assad's face has been ripped away from posters at the abandoned checkpoint that separates Sheikh Maqsoud, a neighbourhood in the north of Aleppo, from the rest of the city. No cars dare use the wide boulevard any more because the road is still watched by Kurdish snipers allied to the regime. The units retreated into the warren of bombed and burnt-out buildings when Islamist rebel groups launched an unprecedented attack on the city at the end of November, triggering a chain reaction that led to the swift collapse of the Assad dynasty.Civilians hurry past, some with small children in pushchairs, others rolling cooking gas canisters down the road, all trying not to attract undue attention. A man had been shot and killed here the night before, picked off from the upper floor of a windowless apartment block. Aleppo fell to an umbrella of Sunni Arab factions led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) three weeks ago, but the Kurdish units stationed in sheikh Maqsoud had for years refused to lay down their weapons, afraid of what would happen if they surrendered. Now, they appear to be waiting for something to shift in Syria's new and fragile status quo. Continue reading...
by Presented by Joan E Greve, with Hugo Lowell, produ on (#6T263)
As Donald Trump's nominees woo Senate Republicans to secure their confirmation, Joan E Greve and Hugo Lowell look at who could be in charge of the major government departments and what they'll have to do to keep the president happy for the next four yearsArchive: CNN, Face the Nation, MSNBC, BBC, CBS News, ABC, Fox 11 Los Angeles, Fox News Continue reading...
Report argues for more powers, but teachers say this could strain already fraught relationships with parentsMinisters should give teachers the power to fine parents if they do not engage with the school to tackle an epidemic" of bad behaviour, according to the thinktank led by Tony Blair.Educators should have the same legal powers they have over non-attendance to compel parents to turn up to meetings with the school and agree an action plan for their child, the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) says in a new report. Continue reading...
Prosecutors look into sex-for-votes scandal after killing of Congress lawyer leads to investigation of her former bossProsecutors in Peru are investigating a sex-for-votes scandal in the country's Congress after uncovering an alleged prostitution ring inside the widely-loathed chamber.The investigation began after hired killers fired more than 40 rounds into a taxi carrying Andrea Vidal, a 27-year-old lawyer who worked in Congress, earlier this month in Lima. She died of her injuries in an intensive care ward on Tuesday. The taxi driver was also killed in the attack. Continue reading...
Company's annual report shows costs of 132m up to March 2024 in inquiry that ended this weekPost Office executives have spent more than 130m of taxpayers' money defending the company at the long-running inquiry into the wrongful prosecution of more than 900 workers, figures show.The company's annual report reveals that the company's legal and running costs from the start of the inquiry in September 2020 until 31 March 2024 total 132m, more than half of which - 82m - was spent in the last financial year alone. Continue reading...
by Agence France-Presse in Panama City on (#6T1ZZ)
Officials also say 180 children have been abandoned crossing treacherous jungle from ColombiaFifty-five US-bound migrants have died and 180 children have been abandoned this year while crossing the treacherous Darien jungle from Colombia, according to Panama's president, Jose Raul Mulino.Despite dangers including fast-flowing rivers, wild animals and criminal gangs, the Darien is a key corridor for Venezuelan and other migrants traveling overland from South America through Central America and Mexico to the United States. Continue reading...
Police arrest eight people after incident at Basorun Islamic high school in the city of IbadanAt least 35 children have died and six others were seriously injured in a crowd crush at a school fair in Nigeria's third largest city, Ibadan.Police said eight people had been arrested for their various involvements" in the incident. Among those detained was the main sponsor of the event on Wednesday at the Basorun Islamic highschool, which was organised by the Wings Foundation and Agidigbo FM radio. Continue reading...
Southern Water customers' taps ran dry or lost pressure after a fault at one of its supply worksIt feels awful," said Samantha Hargreaves as she trundled her bottle-laden trolley past queues of cars waiting for drinking water in an Asda car park. It was the second year in a row that her water supply had been cut off shortly before Christmas, and she was loading up her car with extra bottles to give to less mobile neighbours.There's quite a few of us who are struggling," said Hargreaves, a 31-year-old community healthcare assistant. Continue reading...
Four aged between 15 and 18 sentenced over deaths of Mason Rist, 15, and Max Dixon, 16, in 33-second attackFour teenagers have been jailed for life for murdering two boys in a case of mistaken identity in Bristol.Mason Rist, 15, and Max Dixon, 16, were attacked with machetes in the Knowle West area of the city on the evening of 27 January. Continue reading...
by Maya Yang (now); Tom Ambrose and Kirsty McEwen (ea on (#6T1EX)
This live blog is now closed. For the latest on the Middle East, read our full coverage here.At least 45,129 Palestinians have been killed and 107,338 injured in Israel's military offensive on Gaza since 7 October 2023, the Gaza health ministry said in a statement on Thursday.Iraq started on Thursday to send Syrian soldiers back to their homeland, state media reported. Continue reading...
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