Interior ministry considering options against Martin Sellner after days of protests against AfDGerman authorities are closely examining the possibility of an entry ban for the far-right Austrian whose masterplan for the deportation of immigrants is at the heart of a storm gripping Germany over the rightwing populist AfD.Martin Sellner, the founder of the so-called identitarian movement, which preaches the superiority of European ethnic groups, could be banned from entering Germany if he is deemed to pose a threat to German democratic stability, according to members of the interior affairs committee of the Bundestag. Continue reading...
Biggest reduction since December 2021 will allow 1tn more yuan to be released in form of new loansChina's central bank has announced a surprise cut to the amount of cash that banks must hold in reserve, hoping to boost the lending available to households and businesses as policymakers try to steer the economy through a fragile recovery.Pan Gongsheng, the governor of the People's Bank of China (PBOC), said on Wednesday that the reserve requirement ratio would be cut by 0.5% from 5 February, the deepest cut to the rate since December 2021. The move will allow about 1tn yuan (110.8bn) to be released in the form of new loans. Continue reading...
Letters warned employees that failure to follow return-to-office expectations could lead to further disciplinary action'Bank of America is cracking down on employees who aren't following its return-to-office mandate, sending letters of education" warnings of disciplinary action to employees who have been staying home.Some employees at the bank received letters that said they had failed to meet the company's workplace excellence guidelines" despite requests and reminders to do so", according to the Financial Times. The letter warned employees that failure to follow return-to-office expectations could lead to further disciplinary action". Continue reading...
Biden changes campaign leadership structure as he shifts into general election modeJoe Biden appears to have set his sights on an almost inevitable rematch with Donald Trump for the White House in November's election, after the former president's decisive win in the New Hampshire primary, on his sprint to the Republican nomination.Biden's campaign believes the presidential election has officially begun, Politico reported, with Trump's victory over Nikki Haley in New Hampshire on Tuesday officially kicking off what the outlet described as the longest and most grueling general election campaign in modern American political history". Continue reading...
by Jessica Murray Midlands correspondent on (#6J3F2)
Valdo Calocane, 32, who has paranoid schizophrenia, believed the agency was controlling him, says defence lawyerA man who killed three people in a series of attacks in Nottingham previously tried to surrender himself to MI5, in the belief the agency was controlling him, urging it to please arrest me".Valdo Calocane, 32, who has paranoid schizophrenia, believed he was being interfered with unnaturally" by malign forces" since 2019. Continue reading...
Raymond Grant says his time was limited' after being forced to appear at inquiry over minimum witness statementA former Post Office investigator has maintained that a branch owner-operator who had his conviction for embezzlement overturned last year was guilty.Raymond Grant, an investigator involved in the prosecution of the post office operator William Quarm who died in 2012 not knowing he would eventually be cleared years later, had to be legally forced to appear to give testimony at the public inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal. Continue reading...
Ministry of Defence clarifies it has no plans for conscription after Gen Sir Patrick Sanders says UK should take steps to place society on war footingThe people of the UK are part of a prewar generation" who must be prepared to fight a major war against Vladimir Putin's increasingly aggressive Russia if necessary, the head of the army argued in a speech on Wednesday.Gen Sir Patrick Sanders said ordinary citizens would be forced to reinforce the UK's small military - although in a clarification the Ministry of Defence said it was not calling for a return to peacetime conscription, which was abolished in 1960. Continue reading...
Owner says shutting Welsh blast furnaces will cut emissions, but it is opening a new one in IndiaThe owner of the Port Talbot steelworks has been accused of gross hypocrisy" as it prepares to open a new blast furnace in India, while citing a cut in carbon emissions for its decision to close two blast furnaces in south Wales, costing thousands of jobs.Tata announced last week that up to 2,800 jobs would be cut under plans to close Port Talbot's two huge blast furnaces and replace them with an electric arc furnace. Continue reading...
Rail services to and from Scotland suspended until at least midday with amber wind warning in place for parts of countryStorm Jocelyn has brought fresh travel disruption to much of the UK, less than two days after Storm Isha left two people dead and thousands without power.The 10th named storm of the season brought an amber warning for wind to parts of Scotland on Wednesday morning, with much of the UK covered by a yellow alert into Wednesday afternoon. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: As more women in the UK are facing prosecution, RCOG has released new guidance cautioning against reporting - could it shift the debate about decriminalisation? Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning.Between 1861 and 2022 only three women were prosecuted and convicted in the UK for illegal abortions. Over the last two years, six women have been taken to court and 29 suspected cases of illegal terminations came under investigation. The reason behind the rise in police investigating this issue is unclear, but it has caused much concern among health workers and campaigners who say that abortion should not be criminalised.Middle East | The US has carried out strikes in Iraq against three facilities linked to Iran-backed militias, the Pentagon has said, after a weekend attack on an Iraqi airbase that wounded US forces.US news | Donald Trump has won the New Hampshire primary, likely cementing his place as the Republican presidential nominee, but his only remaining rival, Nikki Haley, has vowed to stay in the race.World | The Doomsday Clock, a symbolic countdown to human extinction, has stayed at 90 seconds to midnight, the closest it had been since it was established in 1947, a panel of international scientists has said.Oscars 2024 | Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer leads the pack with 13 nominations at the 96th Academy awards, including best picture, director and actor for Cillian Murphy. Click here for a full breakdown of nominations for Barbie, Poor Things and more.Energy | Nuclear power generation is likely to break records in 2025 as more countries invest in reactors to fuel the shift to a low-carbon global economy, while renewable energy is likely to overtake coal as a power source early next year, data has shown. Continue reading...
by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent on (#6J35W)
Study by Appeal finds there was a desire to dilute influence of minority ethnic and working-class jurorsThe introduction of majority verdicts in criminal trials in England and Wales was partly motivated by a desire to dilute the influence of minority ethnic people and the labouring classes serving on juries, according to research.The study, by the miscarriage of justice charity Appeal, said that while the widely accepted narrative for allowing majority verdicts - introduced by parliament in 1967 - as opposed to unanimous verdicts, was that it would prevent jury nobbling" (corruption), there was another reason that was more disreputable. Continue reading...
Artists have said attractions leave no room for innovation, but firms say they are new way to look at old workFrom animated floor-to-ceiling paintings to giant fluorescent ball pits, immersive art experiences have proliferated in warehouses, often costing 25-40 a head. Now experts have claimed that many are overpriced gimmicks.Leading digital artists have claimed that some of the most popular commercial immersive experiences, particularly those based on the work of deceased artists, such as Van Gogh and Dali, are a money grab that provide little reward to visitors beyond Instagrammable moments. Continue reading...
Alarm in sector as cost of living crisis and rent rises mean that 125 independent venues either closed or stopped hosting live music in 2023Over a third of UK grassroots music venues are loss-making, according to the annual report of the sector charity Music Venues Trust (MVT).Thirty-eight per cent of the 835 venues, most of them small and entirely independent, made a loss, with cost of rent a particular pressure point: venues that rent their premises saw those costs increase by an average of 37.5% compared with 2022. Continue reading...
Chris Avell claims city of Bryan is violating his religious freedoms, after city accuses church of breaking zoning lawsA Christian pastor is fighting back against a city in Ohio after it charged him with breaking a municipal law by opening up his place of worship to unhoused people as well as others who need shelter.Police in Bryan, Ohio, filed 18 charges accusing Chris Avell - the pastor of Dad's Place - with zoning violations at his rented church building. Officers alleged that the church lacked proper kitchen and laundry facilities, safe exits and adequate ventilation, as required. Continue reading...
by Leyland Cecco in Toronto and agencies on (#6J2RK)
Survivors taken to hospital after aircraft carrying group of heli-skiers went down in rugged backcountry on Monday afternoonThree people have been killed and four others left in critical condition after a helicopter carrying a group of skiers crashed in the Canadian province of British Columbia.The downed aircraft was one of three helicopters carrying heli-skiers into the rugged backcountry, when it went down around at about 4.15pm PT on Monday, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement. Continue reading...
Four people found dead in home named by police force as Independent Office for Police Conduct starts investigationA man who was found dead in his home near Norwich along with three others was told to seek medical advice when he expressed concerned about his mental state in a 999 call earlier that morning, the police watchdog has revealed.The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) announced on Tuesday that it has launched an investigation into Norfolk constabulary's prior contact with the man, and its failure to respond to a call before the deaths last Friday. Continue reading...
UN agency calls for urgent vaccination efforts' in region to prevent further spread of diseaseThe World Health Organization has issued an urgent warning over measles after an alarming" 30-fold rise in cases across Europe.The UN agency reported an enormous increase in numbers affected by the disease, which it said had accelerated in recent months". More than 30,000 cases were reported between January and October last year, compared with 941 cases in the whole of 2022 - a more than 30-fold rise. Continue reading...
Prime minister tells MPs no decision has been taken to embark on sustained campaign' as SNP questions how successful strikes will beThe UK is hosting the next meeting of the European Political Community, the group set up in 2022 to provide a forum where EU countries can discuss matters of common interest with non-EU European countries. The event is meant to happen before the middle of 2024.But, according to a report in the Financial Times, Downing Street has not yet set a date - and European diplomats think that is because Rishi Sunak has not entirely ruled out a spring election. The FT says:European diplomats believe the UK government's refusal to rule out a snap general election this spring lies behind delays" to an upcoming meeting of the European Political Community in Britain.Several EU ambassadors have grumbled privately that officials in London have been dragging their feet over agreeing a date for the summit, which insiders said was initially expected to take place in March or April.The population is ageing and growing. It is getting sicker too as the effects of austerity bite. There are also rising costs in the NHS especially with medical equipment and many drugs.Of course the NHS needs more money. Continue reading...
by Nadia Khomami Arts and culture correspondent on (#6J2MR)
Doctor Who and True Detective star says he feared accusation could have ended his careerThe actor Christopher Eccleston has claimed an A-lister falsely accused him of inappropriately touching her while filming a sex scene.The star of Doctor Who and True Detective said he feared the accusation from the unnamed actor could have caused the end of his career. Continue reading...
Three people questioned on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter after collision in Pamiers, south of ToulouseA woman has died in southern France after a car hit a roadblock where she was standing. The blockade had been set up by farmers taking part in growing anti-government protests.The woman, a farmer in her 30s, was killed at 5.45am when a car went through a warning barrage and collided at speed with bales of straw piled up to stop traffic in Pamiers, Ariege, to the south of Toulouse. Continue reading...
by Sammy Gecsoyler (now) and Mabel Banfield-Nwachi (e on (#6J29T)
Turkey's parliament to debate Sweden's Nato bid; US Senate works on compromise for Ukraine aid but Maga Republicans refuse supportThe Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Tuesday launched the construction of a new unit at Egypt's El-Dabaa nuclear power plant via video link, the Ria Novosti news agency reported on Tuesday.The construction is being carried out by the Russian state corporation Rosatom. The plant will consist of four power units with a combined capacity of 4.8 gigawatts, Reuters reports. Continue reading...
Edward Richmond Jr, convicted over 2004 civilian death, arrested on charges he assaulted police offers with baton on January 6A former United States army soldier who was convicted of manslaughter for shooting a handcuffed civilian in Iraq to death was arrested Monday on charges that he assaulted police officers with a baton during the US Capitol attack.Edward Richmond Jr, 40, of Geismar, Louisiana, was wearing a helmet, shoulder pads, goggles and a Louisiana state flag patch on his chest when he attacked police in a tunnel outside the Capitol on January 6, according to an FBI agent's affidavit. Continue reading...
Car went into roadblock, hitting three people; industrial action by train drivers' union will begin on Wednesday and last until MondayAlternative for Germany (AfD) is down in the polls.An Insa/Bild opinion poll found that AfD's popularity has declined from 23% to 21.5% within the space of a week. Continue reading...
The pope told industry leaders at the Vatican the drink was a source of joy' but encouraged healthy habitsPope Francis has said that wine is a gift from God" and a true source of joy" for its consumers - words that have been immediately embraced by Italian wine producers who have fought against European health warnings.Francis made the comments during a private audience at the Vatican with winemakers from across Italy. Welcoming his audience, he joked: This seems like a drunk pope", before going on to say: Wine, land, agricultural skills and entrepreneurialism are gifts from God - the creator has entrusted them to us because, with our sensitivity and honesty, we make them a true source of joy." Continue reading...
Self-proclaimed pastor arrested over deaths of more than 200 people, most of whom had died of hungerA Kenyan court has charged a cult leader and dozens of suspected accomplices with manslaughter over the deaths of more than 200 people.Self-proclaimed pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and 94 other suspects, including his wife, pleaded not guilty to 238 counts of manslaughter, according to court documents seen by AFP. Continue reading...
CPS accepts Valdo Calocane's plea of manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility due to mental illness over June 2023 attacksProsecutors have accepted the pleas of the Nottingham stabbings killer, who admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to mental illness.Valdo Calocane, who goes by the name Adam Mendes, admitted killing three people and trying to kill three others in the spate of violence in the early hours of 13 June last year. Continue reading...
by Sandra Laville Environment correspondent on (#6J29W)
Charities call on government to prioritise outside spaces for play as MPs begin inquiry into planning and children's wellbeingChildren and young people are suffering huge damage to their health and wellbeing from policymakers refusing to prioritise the need for outdoor play, charities have said.As MPs begin an inquiry into how better planning could enhance the wellbeing of children, the charities said urgent change was needed. Continue reading...
Car carrying two people crashed into water at Six Pack Creek Boat Ramp in Dundee Downs last Thursday but only one of the occupants survivedEmergency services have been forced to kill several crocodiles in order to recover the body of a young driver who crashed his car into the water at a popular Northern Territory fishing spot.Police received reports on Thursday afternoon that a car carrying two people crashed into the water at Six Pack Creek Boat Ramp in Dundee Downs. Continue reading...
Rugby union player pleads not guilty and denies groping and sexually assaulting the complainant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, at Bondi Beach venue in 2022
World news | The Guardian