Few tears likely to be shed as plan for No 10 TV press briefings droppedAnalysis: Insiders say plan had been ‘kicked down the road for so long’ it was inevitable it would be dropped Allegra Stratton has been handed a new role as spokeswoman for this autumn’s Cop26 – the global climate change conference. Photograph: Aaron Chown/PA
Tens of thousands turn out in support of imprisoned Kremlin critic, who is currently on hunger strike
Transparency International UK said those with political access appeared to be favoured.
Johnny Mercer's extraordinary attack also extended to the 'cesspit' of Westminster, which he said is populated by 'children' who are 'frankly unemployable elsewhere'.
India’s shocking surge in Covid cases follows baffling declineAnalysis: Rapid spread of cases across country comes after long spell in which virus seemed almost to vanish Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverage Relatives wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) mourn a man who died from the coronavirus. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters
The Church of England should stop “unconditionally celebrating” slave traders with statues, a landmark anti-racism report has concluded. The Archbishops’ Anti-Racism Taskforce was set up last October following the murder of George Floyd – a black man killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis which sparked protests around the world – with the aim of bringing greater racial justice and equality in the Church of England. The report, published on Thursday to coincide with Stephen Lawrence Day, warns that a failure to act could be a “last straw” for many people of UK Minority Ethnic (UKME) backgrounds, with “devastating effects” on the future of the Church. It comes days after a Panorama investigation reported claims that UKME church staff subjected to racist abuse are "forced to sign NDAs to buy their silence”. The report sets out almost 50 actions for the Church to implement. These include establishing new, salaried “racial justice officers'' in all 42 dioceses, and introducing a “racial justice Sunday'' once a year. It calls for at least one black and UKME candidate on every job shortlist and an aim of 15 per cent of General Synod, the Church’s legislative body, and all local church councils to have black and UKME representatives by 2030. On slavery, the taskforce drew a line on where the Church should stand regarding potentially offensive monuments and criticised it for taking “little action” so far. It said: “The protests following the killing of George Floyd, and in particular the tearing down of the Colston statue in Bristol, highlighted issues surrounding the Church of England’s consideration of its own contested heritage. “The Church of England has taken little action in addressing the historic slave trade and its legacy since it made an apology at General Synod in 2006 for its involvement in the trade. “Regarding monuments and the built environment, deciding what to do with contested heritage is not easy. “While history should not be hidden, we also do not want to unconditionally celebrate or commemorate people who contributed to or benefitted from the tragedy that was the slave trade.”
Jeanette Whittle, 44, and Rhianne Halton, 19, from Torquay, died within weeks of one another and were laid to rest at a joint funeral.
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The United States is considering sending missiles and other weapons to Ukraine, amid a buildup of more than 100,000 Russian troops along its eastern border and fears of an impending invasion. Shipments of military aid have been discussed by Joe Biden’s administration, and could include anti-tank, anti-ship and anti-aircraft systems according to the Wall Street Journal. Officials in Kyiv have asked for help after Russia’s increasingly bullish behaviour, which has included the largest troop buildup in the region for nearly a decade, intruding into European airspace and restricting the movement of foreign ships in the area. Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns told Congress last week: “That buildup has reached the point where it could also provide the basis for a limited military incursion. “It’s something not only the United States, but also our allies have to take very seriously.”
Sushila Phillips was ‘eternally compassionate in the face of unspeakable suffering’, her sister says
Universities have offered to "hotel quarantine" students from "red listed" India amid concerns the Government will not be able to cope with an influx of up to 50,000 from the country. The universities say they have the experience and accommodation, including even their own hotels, that would enable them to quarantine the Indian students and potentially cover their costs to avoid them facing hardship or being forced to give up hard-won places. Universities UK International (UUKI) has been in talks with the Government over the plan and an agreement with the Scottish Government for international students attending Scottish students is understood to be on the brink of being signed. The move has emerged just days after the Government placed India on its red list for travel, which requires any arrival including students to quarantine for 11 days in Government-approved hotels at a cost of up to £1,750 per person. The ban on foreign travel from India was imposed after a double mutant variant emerged amid a spike in coronavirus cases that has claimed thousands of lives. There are about 55,000 Indian students currently studying at UK universities, with each providing a major source of income of between £10,000 and £60,000 a year to the UK institutions through fees on top of any wider benefits to the UK economy. Most are postgraduates.
We all have our favourite movie trilogies, but can you remember the individual titles of the films?
Banning smart motorways would "kill drivers" by forcing them onto unsafe roads, a government minister has said. Baroness Vere, the roads minister, told MPs that the stretches of motorways that used the hard shoulder as an extra lane were safer than conventional roads and motorways as they eased congestion. She also defended the Government’s decision to keep the system in place despite recent warnings from coroners over the deaths of drivers left stranded on smart motorways, saying a number of safety improvements have been made to them. Her comments come after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced recently that no new smart motorways will be created unless they have the technology in place to spot when a broken-down motorists is unable to reach the sporadic safety bays that replace the hard shoulder. A number of smart motorways were previously launched by Highways England without the monitoring system in place and the Government has given the organisation until March 2023 to ensure all have coverage. Highways England has previously insisted smart motorways are the “safest roads in the country”. However, figures show there were 15 deaths on them in 2019, up from 11 in 2018. Appearing in front of the transport select committee, Baroness Vere said she was “astonished” and “disappointed” by the way Highways England had handled the rollout of smart motorways. However, she said smart motorways were safer than conventional roads as they gave drivers more space. Baroness Vere said: “One of the things that makes all drivers more safe is to provide more capacity on our safest roads and that is what all-lane running motorways do. “If you increase capacity on those roads they are our safest roads in terms of fatalities, as you take traffic off less safe roads.”
The Russian president has called for citizens to get vaccinated so the country can hit the target.
The former cage fighter admitted contempt of court after he falsely claimed not to know a man it was said had witnessed the crash.
Security forces broke up a protest in Myanmar’s southern city of Dawei, arresting four demonstrators and a reporter according to Dawei Watch media outlet, which also said live rounds were used.
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Lateral flow tests for pregnant women and their partners are among measures ‘urgently’ recommended by NHS England.
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