Report says it is unlikely' Justin Welby knew nothing of concerns about Smyth, who abused schoolboys at Christian holiday campsThe Church of England covered up the actions of its worst and most brutal serial abuser, who subjected his victims to traumatic physical, sexual, psychological and spiritual attacks, an independent review has concluded.John Smyth, a powerful and charismatic barrister, sadistically abused private schoolboys who attended evangelical Christian holiday camps in the late 1970s and early 80s. When the abuse was discovered, Smyth was allowed to move abroad with the full knowledge of church officials, where he continued to act with impunity. Continue reading...
Event has brought new drama each week, and stars such as Robbie Coltrane, to city's West End since it began in 2004I couldn't imagine it not being here," says Diane Carroll, who has worked at the ticket desk for A Play, a Pie and a Pint at the Oran Mor in Glasgow since it opened its doors in 2004. As she assists those who are queueing for the show it becomes clear what they have come early for: a cart of fresh, steaming pies makes its way down to the venue with them.A Play, a Pie and a Pint, a lunchtime theatre event in the historic building in the city's West End, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Continue reading...
Taipei says it is paying close attention to reported request by Elon Musk's firmTaiwan's government says it is paying close attention to reports that Elon Musk's SpaceX asked Taiwanese suppliers to move manufacturing to other countries because of geopolitical" concerns.Reuters reported on Wednesday that SpaceX's request to suppliers in Taiwan's multibillion-dollar industry appeared to have prompted some to shift locations to Vietnam, Thailand and other places. In response, Taiwan's economic affairs minister, JW Kuo, said the industry was strong and should be able to cope", but that the government was monitoring the situation. Continue reading...
by Luke Harding and Dan Sabbagh in Kyiv on (#6S1V3)
Attack on Ukrainian capital lasts eight hours with five districts hit and high-rise building set on fireRussia has carried out a massive drone attack on Kyiv, hours after Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election. The Kremlin also called on the west to stop backing the Ukrainian government in order to save its people.The moped-like whine of Iranian shahed drones could be heard at 6am local time on Wednesday above the Ukrainian capital. There was machine gunfire and explosions in the centre of Kyiv as air defence tried to shoot the missiles down. The attack lasted eight hours. Continue reading...
German opposition leader, Friedrich Merz, opposes timetable laid out by chancellor in news conferenceGermany's centre-right opposition leader has called for an immediate vote of confidence to be held in parliament, after Olaf Scholz's ruling coalition collapsed.Friedrich Merz, the chair of the former chancellor Angela Merkel's party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), stands to profit most from the bombshell developments in Berlin, one day after Donald Trump's election as US president upended the global political landscape. Continue reading...
Share surge increases Elon Musk's fortune by $26bn in a day as Jeff Bezos, Sergey Brin and Bill Gates also benefitThe wealth of the 10 richest people in the world - a list dominated by US tech billionaires - increased by a record amount after Donald Trump's victory in the presidential election, according to a widely cited index.The Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimated that the world's 10 wealthiest people gained nearly $64bn (about 49.5bn) on Wednesday, the largest daily increase since the index began in 2012. Continue reading...
Met inquiry looking into historical accusations against former Radio 1 hip-hop DJProsecutors are considering bringing charges against the former Radio 1 hip-hop DJ Tim Westwood, after detectives investigating allegations of non-recent sexual abuse submitted a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).The criminal inquiries began after a joint investigation by the Guardian and BBC News in 2022 heard from women who accused the DJ of sexual misconduct and misusing his position in the music industry to take advantage of them. Continue reading...
Unexpected move throws Europe's largest economy into political disarray and is likely to lead to snap elections in MarchThe German government has collapsed after the chancellor, Olaf Scholz, unexpectedly sacked his finance minister, plunging Europe's largest economy into political disarray.Christian Lindner was thrown out of the three-way coalition during a meeting of high-level government members on Wednesday evening, after months of bitter infighting that has contributed to the administration's growing unpopularity. Continue reading...
Robert F Kennedy Jr, vaccine skeptic and conspiracy theorist, says Trump promised him control of health policyDonald Trump will be propelled to the White House for a second term amid concerns about inflation kicked off by the pandemic, with a leading vaccine skeptic - Robert F Kennedy Jr - at his side, and proposals from conservative supporters to fundamentally restructure public health agencies central to pandemic-era ire.Covid-19 was never seen as the central issue of the 2024 presidential campaign season, but in the first post-pandemic presidential election, it reverberated as the anti-vaccine movement ascended to its greatest political heights ever. Continue reading...
The Crucifixion, painted in 1420s, was due to be sold to overseas buyer before deferral granted in JanuaryThe Ashmolean Museum in Oxford has raised 4.48m to prevent a rare Italian Renaissance painting from leaving the country after two centuries.Fra Angelico's The Crucifixion was going to be sold to an overseas buyer last year, but due to the work's value and importance to the UK, the culture secretary granted a deferral of nine months in January to keep the painting in the UK, giving the Oxford University institute time to raise the funds needed to acquire it. Continue reading...
by Paul Karp Chief political correspondent on (#6S1K0)
Tony Burke introduces bill to facilitate removal of unlawful non-citizens and regulations to reimpose ankle bracelets and curfews on those released after high court's NZYQ decision
by Rebecca Ratcliffe South-east Asia correspondent on (#6S1MF)
Exclusive: a UN report will accuse the military of imposing collective punishment' on Rakhine state, more than three years after seizing power in a coupTwo million people in Myanmar's Rakhine state could face starvation within months because fierce conflict and trade blockades have led to a total economic collapse" and the imminent risk of famine, a senior UN official has warned.Rakhine state, which borders Bangladesh in the west, is on the brink of disaster, as people's incomes crater, rice cultivation plummets, and military-imposed trade restrictions lead to severe food shortages and hyperinflation, according to forthcoming research from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which accuses the military of inflicting collective punishment" on civilians. Continue reading...
Team led by Paralympic champion will work with aviation industry to break down barriers', says transport secretaryThe Paralympic champion Tanni Grey-Thompson is to lead a new taskforce created to improve air travel for disabled passengers, the transport secretary, Louise Haigh, has announced.The taskforce will spend nine months speaking to disabled passengers to establish what are the biggest barriers to air travel, and working with the aviation industry to find short- and long-term solutions. Continue reading...
by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent on (#6S1KE)
Women have had to share bedrooms with unrelated men and some have faced further sexual violence, charities sayThe UK asylum system is retraumatising women and girls who have fled rape and sexual abuse and putting them at risk of further harm, leading charities have said.Sexual violence and abuse is often a major driver for women to leave their country of origin, as well as a common experience on their journey to the UK, but when they get here they are failed, according to Rape Crisis England and Wales (RCEW) and Imkaan. Continue reading...
Actor and wife filmed promotional ad in UAE, a country which strives to present itself as tolerant while carrying out repression against dissent'Australian movie star Chris Hemsworth has been criticised for starring in a slick advertisement promoting Abu Dhabi as a tourism destination in partnership with the United Arab Emirates government, the latest celebrity to use their influence to promote the gulf state.Hemsworth features in the minute-long ad with his actor and model wife, Elsa Pataky, which they posted on their Instagram accounts on Wednesday. The ad was also shared by the Experience Abu Dhabi Instagram account.Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Continue reading...
Former PM says past comments don't reflect his views as envoy, while foreign minister says she is confident of Australia's alliance with USAustralia's ambassador in Washington, Kevin Rudd, deleted comments he previously made about Donald Trump after the Republican's election win, saying on Thursday they did not reflect the view of the Australian government.Rudd, a former prime minister, had previously made the comments about Trump in his capacity as the head of a US-based thinktank, a statement on his personal website said. Continue reading...
Guidelines for England and Wales address criticism of earlier draft advising CBT alongside or as an alternative' to HRTWomen with menopause symptoms should be offered hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as a first-line treatment, not therapy, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice).Its final menopause guidelines for medics in England and Wales, published on Thursday, state that HRT is the preferred treatment for managing symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, depression and sleep problems, in what is seen as a climbdown from previous wording. Continue reading...
Victims of fiery crash near Phoenix airport include 12-year-old boy, with pilot hospitalized for serious burn injuriesA 12-year-old boy was among five people who died in the fiery crash of a small business jet near a suburban Phoenix airport, authorities said Wednesday.Preliminary information indicated the six-seater HondaJet HA-420 aircraft had been headed to Provo, Utah, when it aborted takeoff at the Falcon Field airport in Mesa on Tuesday afternoon. The plane crashed through the airport's metal fence before colliding with a vehicle that was traveling on a road west of the airport, according to authorities. Continue reading...
John Cannan was jailed for 35 years in 1989 for rape and murder of Shirley BanksA convicted murderer and rapist who was the prime suspect in the disappearance of the missing estate agent Suzy Lamplugh has died in prison aged 70.John Cannan was jailed for a minimum of 35 years in 1989 for the rape and murder of a Bristol factory manager, Shirley Banks, along with a further sexual offence, an attempted kidnapping and two offences of abduction with intent to engage in unlawful sexual intercourse. Continue reading...
by Hayden Vernon (now) and Martin Belam (earlier) on (#6S0VF)
Philippe Lazzarini, head of Unrwa, says aid agency will collapse without intervention by member states'Lebanon's army has issued a warning to residents in the Ghobeiry area of the southern suburbs of Beirut that today between 10.30am and 1.30pm it will detonate unexploded ordnance" in the area.Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has offered his congratulations to Donald Trump, who appears on course for re-election in the US.Dear Donald and Melania Trump, congratulations on history's greatest comeback! Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America. This is a huge victory! In true friendship, yours, Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu. Continue reading...
by Bethan McKernan in Jerusalem and William Christou on (#6S178)
Brig Gen Itzik Cohen said in a briefing that aid would only be allowed to enter south of Gaza Strip, not the northIsraeli ground forces are getting closer to the complete evacuation" of northern Gaza and residents will not be allowed to return home, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has said, in what appears to be the first official acknowledgment from Israel it is systematically removing Palestinians from the area.In a media briefing on Tuesday night, the IDF Brig Gen Itzik Cohen told Israeli reporters that since troops had been forced to enter some areas twice, such as Jabaliya camp, there is no intention of allowing the residents of the northern Gaza Strip to return to their homes". Continue reading...
MEPs express concern for EU climate leadership as commission head confirms she will miss Baku summitUrsula von der Leyen's decision to miss the Cop29 climate summit is a fatal signal" and raises questions about Europe's commitment to the climate crisis, observers have said.The European Commission confirmed on Tuesday that its president would not attend the UN climate talks in Baku, which start on Monday. The commission is in a transition phase and the president will therefore focus on her institutional duties," a spokesperson said. Continue reading...
Chancellor says UK's trading relationship with US is absolutely crucial' and promises not to be a passive actor'Another Labour politician who has criticised Donald Trump strongly in the past is Emily Thornberry, shadow foreign secretary when Jeremy Corbyn was Labour leader and now chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee. In an interview on the Today programme this morning she said Trump's victory (or apparent victory - he still has not officially hit 270 electoral college votes) was disappointing", and that it made the world unpredictable".When it was put to her that she described him as a racist, sexual predator" when he visited the UK during his first term as president, she replied:Well, he is. But he is the president of the United States, and we need to work with him.I know that many Londoners will be anxious about the outcome of the US presidential election. Many will be fearful about what it will mean for democracy and for women's rights, or how the result impacts the situation in the Middle East or the fate of Ukraine. Others will be worried about the future of NATO or tackling the climate crisis ...The lesson of today is that progress is not inevitable. But asserting our progressive values is more important than ever - re-committing to building a world where racism and hatred is rejected, the fundamental rights of women and girls are upheld, and where we continue to tackle the crisis of climate change head on. Continue reading...
Scarf made by First Nations women showed Pelicot that others around the world feel the same way', says lawyerGisele Pelicot, the French woman who has become a feminist hero after insisting that the rape trial of her ex-husband and 50 other men should be held in public, has said she was honoured to wear a scarf to court each day which was sent to her by an Australian organisation working to raise awareness of sexual assaults on older women.I'm very honoured to wear it," Gisele Pelicot said on leaving the courthouse in Avignon, southern France. In court on Wednesday, Gisele Pelicot reached for the scarf and clutched it to her during testimony by an accused man who denied raping her despite video evidence. Continue reading...
by Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent on (#6S0YW)
Ex-Network Rail chair Lord Hendy vowed to withhold contracts from supplier whose engineer spoke out on rail safetyThe rail minister Peter Hendy has apologised for emails in which he threatened to withhold contracts from a supplier whose engineer had publicly raised safety concerns about overcrowding at Euston station.Lord Hendy told an industry conference in London that the tone of his messages sent in his previous role as chair of Network Rail fell well short of what should be expected, and for that I apologise". Continue reading...
Kevin Hollinrake tells Horizon IT scandal inquiry that Nick Read was unable to properly lead organisation Business live - latest updatesThe former postal minister Kevin Hollinrake has said that the outgoing Post Office chief executive, Nick Read, was paid lots whilst not doing a very good job", and that working with him was like drawing teeth", the inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal has heard.Hollinrake, who held ministerial responsibility for the Post Office from October 2022 until the general election, gave a scathing assessment of the culture and management of the Post Office, describing it as an inward looking, poorly led, dysfunctional organisation". Continue reading...
Impact of increase in NICs and minimum wage on customers and suppliers uncertain, says bossMarks & Spencer has reported a better than expected jump in profits but warned that measures in last week's budget could cost the company 120m next year.The British retail chain's pre-tax profits hit 407.8m for the six months up to October, up 17% on the same period last year, bolstered by sales rising 8.1% for food and 4.7% for clothing and homeware. Continue reading...
Tim Martin blamed increases to the minimum wage and employers' national insurance contributionsPubgoers should expect prices to go up as a result of Labour's first budget in 14 years, the politically outspoken boss of Wetherspoon's, Tim Martin, has said.Speaking as the hospitality chain announced record quarterly sales, Martin pinned the blame for an expected increase in pubs' costs on the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, whose economic pedigree" he has previously praised. Continue reading...
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