Thousands gather as centuries-old rough-and-tumble contest is held for first time since pandemicIn the north Lincolnshire villages of Haxey and Westwoodside, 6 January is bigger than Christmas.For the first time since the start of the pandemic, thousands of villagers have gathered in fields nearby to compete in the Haxey Hood, one of the UK’s most curious traditions – a rough-and-tumble game that dates back to the 14th century. Continue reading...
by Harriet Sherwood Arts and culture correspondent on (#67J09)
Opera company lost more than half its funding after Arts Council England sought to divert money to underserved regionsThe prestigious opera company Glyndebourne has cancelled its touring programme for 2023 after cuts to its public funding.Glyndebourne has taken its world-class opera productions to audiences around England for more than 50 years. But it lost more than half its public funding in the settlement announced in the autumn as Arts Council England (ACE) sought to fulfil a government instruction to divert money to places underserved by the arts. Continue reading...
Constance Marten and Mark Gordon went missing on M61 after car broke downPolice in Greater Manchester are searching for a couple and their newborn baby who went missing after their car broke down.Constance Marten and Mark Gordon are missing with their baby after their vehicle broke down near junction 4 of the M61, near Farnworth, Bolton, on Thursday evening. Continue reading...
Body of fashion designer and model Edwin Chiloba, 25, found stuffed in metal box by side of road, say reportsKenyan police are investigating the death of an LGBTQ+ rights activist whose body was discovered stuffed in a metal box in a killing that has provoked national outrage.Edwin Chiloba, a 25-year-old fashion designer and model, was found dead by the side of a road on Wednesday 25 miles (40km) outside the Rift Valley town of Eldoret in western Kenya, according to reports. Continue reading...
Emission of toxic chemicals and carcinogens from gas stoves creating indoor pollution worse than car trafficAround one in eight cases of asthma in children in the US is due to the pollution given off by cooking on gas stoves, new research has found, amid moves by Joe Biden’s administration to consider the regulation, or even banning, of gas cookers sales to Americans.Around a third of US households have gas stoves in their kitchens, with the gas industry long touting the method as the cleanest and most efficient way to cook food. Continue reading...
Kennedy School allegedly bowed to donors unhappy with organisation accusing Israel of apartheid in occupied territoriesThe dean of one the US’s leading schools of government blocked a position for the former head of Human Rights Watch (HRW) over his organisation’s criticism of Israel’s oppression of the Palestinians.The Harvard Kennedy School’s Carr Center for Human Rights Policy offered Kenneth Roth a position as a senior fellow shortly after he retired as director of HRW in April after 29 years. Roth is highly regarded within the human rights community for the part his organisation played in advances such as the creation of the international criminal court and the prosecution of major human rights abusers. Continue reading...
Stonewall hails as ‘historic step’ results showing 262k people identify as gender different to sex at birthTransgender and non-binary people have been counted for the first time in the 220-year history of the census for England and Wales, which has revealed that 262,000 people identify as a gender different to their sex registered at birth.The number of people who said they were not the same gender as their birth sex amounted to 0.5% of the population that responded, lower than polling by Ipsos last summer in which 3.1% of people said they were trans, non-binary, gender queer or gender fluid, a gender or another gender that was not male or female. Continue reading...
Standoff between UN and Taliban may lead loss of billions in humanitarian aid for AfghanistanThe UN’s lead humanitarian coordinator has said UN-supplied aid cannot continue if the Taliban does not lift its ban on women working for humanitarian aid agencies in Afghanistan.Martin Griffiths, the head of the UN’s humanitarian programme OCHA is due to visit Kabul shortly to discuss the impasse. Continue reading...
Abnormally high temperatures caused by orientation of high and low pressure, but also point to effects of climate changeExceptionally high temperatures affected large parts of Europe last week, with longstanding records across the central and western regions broken in a number of locations. The abnormally high temperatures developed due to the orientation of high and low pressure across the continent, which helped push very mild air in from the south-west. Although the pressure pattern was not particularly unusual, the temperatures were unprecedented in many places, and scientists are certain that they would not have been achieved without the influence of human-induced climate change.Temperatures peaked at 18.9C in Warsaw, Poland, on New Year’s Day, smashing the previous record set in 1993 for the month of January by an astonishing 5C. In Bilbao, Spain, 25.1C was recorded, more than 10C above the seasonal average, which is typically around 14C. Continue reading...
Duke of Sussex recounts altercation with brother, saying ‘he wanted me to hit him back, but I chose not to’Prince Harry has said he saw “the red mist” in his brother, Prince William, when his older sibling allegedly attacked him during a confrontation over the younger duke’s relationship with Meghan Markle.In a newly released clip from ITV’s forthcoming interview with Harry, the Duke of Sussex said his brother, William, was so frustrated during the 2019 incident he saw “the red mist in him”. Continue reading...
Figure of £281,272 comes as property values drop by 1.5% in December, after 2.4% decline in NovemberThe average UK house price fell for the fourth month in a row in December, according to Halifax.Property values decreased by 1.5% in December, after a 2.4% drop in November, a 0.4% decrease in October and a 0.1% dip in September. Continue reading...
One of Tokyo’s most famous buildings was dismantled in April due to asbestos fears. Now 23 of the capsules have been saved for posterityTatsuyuki Maeda had more reason than most to feel a pang of regret as he joined admirers and passing office workers to watch Nakagin Capsule Tower being dismantled.The building was not just one of Tokyo’s most famous structures; for more than a decade it had been Maeda’s occasional home – a pied-à-terre in the heart of the city he had coveted since he first set eyes on it from his nearby workplace. Continue reading...
by Analy Nuño in Guadalajara and agencies on (#67H7F)
Ovidio Guzmán’s arrest on Thursday prompted heavy fighting from cartel gunmen in the city of CuliacánMexican authorities have captured Ovidio Guzmán, a son of incarcerated drugs kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, prompting a wave of retaliatory attacks from cartel gunmen in the northern city of Culiacán.After a night of violence, gunmen exchanged fire with security forces, blocking roads with burning vehicles and shooting at army helicopters and police aeroplanes bringing reinforcements to the city. Continue reading...
Officials believe Yevgeny Prigozhin – owner of the private military Wagner Group – is vying for natural resources to help fund Russia’s warA close ally of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, is interested in taking control of salt and gypsum from mines near the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, according to a White House official.Yevgeny Prigozhin is the founder of Russia’s most powerful mercenary force, the Wagner Group. Wagner has played a key role in the Russian offensive against Bakhmut. Continue reading...
Lockdowns were good news for book trade as people read more and sought out bookshops when they reopenedThe number of independent bookshops in the UK and Ireland climbed to a 10-year high in 2022, as the book trade defied the odds in an otherwise brutal year for high street retailers.The lifestyle changes brought about by the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns were a boon for the book trade, as Britons with more time on their hands read more and sought out bookshops when they reopened. Continue reading...
Offences committed in England and Wales have included murder, kidnap, and child rape, study of data showsNearly 900,000 offences including murder, kidnap, and child rape, have been committed by people on bail in England and Wales since the Conservatives came to power, a new analysis has found.The latest government figures show more than 20,000 offences were committed by those released from custody as they awaited a hearing, equating to 55 offences a day. Continue reading...
Annalena Baerbock makes appeal as she holds talks in London with UK foreign secretary James CleverlyDisputes over implementation of the Northern Ireland protocol have become “the achilles heel” of the EU’s relations with the UK, the German foreign minister said on Thursday as she held talks with her UK counterpart in London.Annalena Baerbock’s appeal to find a solution to the deadlock over the protocol came during wide-ranging and much delayed talks with James Cleverly in London, which also covered the war in Ukraine and the state of Anglo-German relations. Continue reading...
Nicholas Rossi, 35, says he is being taunted with John Denver song over his possible extradition to the USAn alleged fugitive fighting extradition to the US is seeking to be freed on bail from a Scottish jail because fellow prisoners are taunting him by singing John Denver’s hit Leaving on a Jet Plane.Nicholas Rossi, 35, faces extradition to the US over charges of serious sexual assault in Utah, after he was arrested in an intensive care ward in Glasgow following his admission with Covid. Continue reading...
This blog has now closed, you can read more on this story hereStarmer says voters looked at Labour again in 2022. And he felt, “for the first time in a while that we could return their gaze with confidence”.But Labour must not rest on its laurels. It needs to push forward, and show it can be a “bold, reforming government”, he says. Continue reading...
by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent on (#67GZG)
Parole Board says Russell Causley, who killed Carole Packman in 1985 and has never revealed location of her body, poses low riskA man convicted of killing his wife, who faced the first public parole hearing in England and Wales, should be released from prison, a panel has decided.Russell Causley was freed from prison in 2020 after serving more than 23 years for the murder in 1985 of Carole Packman but was returned to jail in November 2021 after breaching his licence conditions.In the UK, call the national domestic abuse helpline on 0808 2000 247, or visit Women’s Aid. In Australia, the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the US, the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines may be found via www.befrienders.org Continue reading...
Maggie Oliver Foundation says it would be ‘unethical’ to accept money raised on crowdfunder page in aid of Eleanor WilliamsA charity that helps victims of sexual exploitation has refused £10,000 originally raised to help Eleanor Williams, convicted this week of lying about being trafficked by an Asian grooming gang and making false rape claims.Maggie Oliver said it would be “unethical” for her charity to accept any of the money. Oliver is a former Greater Manchester police (GMP) detective who rose to prominence as a whistleblower on sexual exploitation in Rochdale. Continue reading...
Labour leader pledges major push to devolve power from Westminster in ‘decade of national renewal’Labour will launch a “take back control” bill aimed at devolving sweeping powers to local communities in its first term if it wins the next election, Keir Starmer has promised.In a speech setting out his vision for a future Labour government, the party leader pledged a major push to devolve power away from Westminster as part of what he said would be an “end to sticking-plaster politics”. Continue reading...
Mourners celebrate life of one-time resident Ray Nash, after MoD permits burial in village of ImberOver the decades, Ray Nash would return to the “ghost village” of Imber to visit his father’s grave on days when military exercises were halted and public access was granted.On Thursday, Nash’s final wish was fulfilled when he was laid to rest in the same graveyard, after the Ministry of Defence gave permission for his funeral and burial to take place in the deserted Salisbury Plain settlement in Wiltshire. Continue reading...
by Jasper Jolly, Emine Sinmaz and agencies on (#67GVF)
Tarek Namouz, 43, sentenced to 12 years in prison after being found guilty of funding terrorismA barber has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after sending thousands of pounds from taxpayer-funded coronavirus grants to the terrorist group Islamic State in Syria.Tarek Namouz, 43, told an associate he had transferred up to £25,000 to an Islamic State fighter after discussing purchasing bombs, Kalashnikov rifles and other firearms as part of a plot to attack the Syrian government, the court heard. Continue reading...
Northern Ireland police say weapon appears to come from home of victim, who may have known her killerPolice in Northern Ireland believe they have recovered the weapon used in the killing of Natalie McNally, who was stabbed multiple times in her home in Lurgan, County Armagh, on 18 December.DCI Neil McGuinness said the weapon appeared to come from the victim’s home rather than having been brought to the property by the killer. Continue reading...
by Josh Halliday North of England correspondent on (#67GT8)
Liverpool coroner describes shot 26-year-old as beautiful young woman, before inquest adjourned until 5 MayA beautician who was shot dead outside a pub on Christmas Eve was a “beautiful young woman” who had a “bright future ahead”, a coroner said as she opened an inquest into the death of the 26-year-old.Elle Edwards was celebrating with friends when she was shot in the head outside the Lighthouse pub, in Wallasey Village, Wirral, just before midnight on 24 December 2022. Continue reading...
The Avengers actor, who suffered a snowplow accident, shared his first video on social media showing himself in recoveryActor Jeremy Renner has shared his first video on social media since he suffered a snowplow accident that left him in critical condition.The Avengers star and two-time Oscar nominee is seen in the short clip receiving a shampoo massage from his sister while his mother looks on. The accompanying caption reads: “A “not no great” ICU DAY, turned to amazing spa day with my sis and mama. Thank you sooooo much.” Continue reading...
Netflix series, memoir and ITV interview reveal Harry has ammunition on William and is prepared to use itIf the Duke of Sussex’s hopes are for an early reconciliation with his family, his wishes seem unlikely to be fulfilled anytime soon, judging from extracts published from his tell-all memoir, Spare, due out on Tuesday.The dramatic scenario Harry describes, with his brother William, now Prince of Wales, allegedly physically attacking him and knocking him to the floor in a furious row over the Duchess of Sussex, is startling. It shows, despite the six-hour Netflix documentary series, Harry still has the ammunition; that he is happy to take aim at his family and the institution; and that he is capable of inflicting deep wounds that may take some time, if ever, to heal. Continue reading...
Vandals’ clothing leads to claims they are Jewish extremists who have desecrated over 30 Christian gravesSecurity camera footage of men dressed in Jewish religious clothing and smashing a stone cross in a historic Jerusalem cemetery has led to claims that Israeli extremists are responsible for the desecration of more than 30 Christian graves.The vandalism at the Protestant cemetery on Mount Zion, conducted in broad daylight on Sunday afternoon, has shocked church leaders and led to calls for Israel to crack down on racist far-right settlers. Continue reading...
Culture secretary Michelle Donelan reverses proposals set out under predecessor Nadine Dorries in Boris Johnson’s governmentPlans to privatise Channel 4 have been formally abandoned, ending years of threats to the broadcaster that cost the government millions of pounds and were opposed by the vast majority of the media industry.The culture secretary, Michelle Donelan, said Channel 4 was a “British success story and a linchpin of our booming creative industries” and therefore should not be sold. Instead, she is suggesting a relative modest series of tweaks to Channel 4’s remit, with the business continuing to be owned by the state. Continue reading...
Elliot Benham and Sophie Harvey, both 23, accused of charges including procuring poison to cause miscarriageA man and a woman in their 20s are to face trial over allegations that they were involved in an illegal abortion.Elliot Benham and Sophie Harvey, both 23, are jointly accused of procuring a poison to cause a miscarriage, concealing the birth of a child and intending to pervert the course of justice by disposing of a baby’s body. Continue reading...
David Crouch says incarcerated son-in-law Babis Anagnostopoulos wrote him letter about Athens killingThe father of Caroline Crouch, the British woman who was murdered by her helicopter pilot husband as she lay asleep in their Athens home, claims his daughter died because her self-confessed killer got involved in drug smuggling.Speaking publicly for the first time, David Crouch, 79, said his incarcerated Greek son-in law had gone so far as to give a detailed account of the events that led to her death in a typewritten letter. Continue reading...
Government introduced free travel on train journeys in SeptemberFree train travel introduced by the Spanish government in September to offset the rise in the cost of living has been extended to intercity bus services with free travel on the 389-mile (626km) Madrid to Barcelona route as of 1 February.A 50% discount has been in effect on this and 41 other bus routes since September and it is expected that the 100% discount will be applied to all long- and middle-distance journeys. Continue reading...
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