Jazz Jennings recalls youth soccer team ban: 'Had no merit'

Transgender activist Jazz Jennings says she was banned from playing girls' soccer as a child, and she doesn't want other transgender children to suffer the same fate.

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  • U-turn on register for serial domestic abuse and stalking perpetrators will leave ‘gaping hole’, government warned

    Exclusive: Yvette Cooper warns not introducing register will result in a gap in resources for tackling violence against women and girls

  • Ivanka Trump causes MAGA meltdown after sharing photograph getting vaccine

    Trump supporters called Ivanka a ‘disappointment’ for getting the jab

  • Why did Prince Andrew think he should go to the funeral as an Admiral?

    When Prince Andrew suddenly re-appeared in public last weekend, giving an interview outside the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor, the public could understand his grief at losing a father. Yet his appearance also raised an unfortunate question mark. It was 512 days after having last spoken publicly, and it seemed that on Sunday the Duke of York had returned to the frontline of the monarchy – and was speaking on its behalf. Within a day an unceremonious controversy erupted. Prince Andrew had reportedly demanded to wear the uniform of an Admiral at his father’s funeral on Saturday and had gone so far as instructing his tailor to style it with the distinctive three rows of lace and four stars, crossed baton and sword of that rank. The prince was, like his father, tested in war – no doubt a unique bond and a source of pride for the Duke of Edinburgh. As the only one of the generation of royals younger than his father to serve in battle, Prince Andrew certainly deserved to wear a uniform, as Prince Philip did his as honorary Admiral of the Fleet, the navy’s highest rank. But his current rank is Vice-Admiral, not Admiral.

  • Primary school places to be announced as families wait anxiously

    Parents need more support due to pandemic, say school leaders

  • European Commission warns Britain that further unilateral action over Northern Ireland Protocol is unacceptable

    The European Commission warned Britain that any further unilateral action over the Northern Ireland Protocol was unacceptable at a meeting last night. Maros Sefcovic, the commission vice-president, told David Frost that “solutions can only be found through joint actions and through joint bodies”. Rather than the unilateral extension of grace periods on some customs checks in the Protocol, which Brussels says is a violation of international law, “mutually agreed paths towards compliance are key”, the commission said. The Protocol prevents a hard border on the island of Ireland after Brexit by introducing a customs border in the Irish Sea. It means that Northern Ireland must continue following some EU rules in order to prevent extra checks. “The Vice-President stated clearly that the implementation of the Protocol is a joint endeavour, which leaves no space for unilateral action,” a commission statement said. “Only joint solutions, agreed in the joint bodies established by the Withdrawal Agreement, can provide the stability and predictability that is needed in Northern Ireland,” the commission said. Mr Sefcovic said that EU legal action against the UK for breaching the Protocol would continue but Brussels has granted a British request for an extension on a deadline to respond to a letter triggering the lawsuit. Last night’s meeting between Mr Sefcovic and Lord Frost came after a couple of weeks of technical work between officials on the implementation of the new customs arrangements for Northern Ireland. Good progress was made in that technical work, according to the commission, but both sides have stressed that significant differences remain and that any breakthrough is some way off. “The meeting took place in a constructive, solution-driven atmosphere. [...] both teams were given a political steer for the technical-level discussions that should further intensify over the coming weeks." Lord Frost was served asparagus soup with scallops, followed by grilled sea bass and mascarpone and vanilla ice cream, after arriving at the Berlaymont building at 7.30pm local time. The meeting lasted two and a half hours and Lord Frost flew back to the UK last night. A UK statement said that “some positive momentum had been established but a number of difficult issues remained.” Britain insists that its unilateral actions in extending the grace periods on food products and parcels is lawful and made in good faith. The UK argues that preventing some GB trade to NI would disrupt everyday life in Northern Ireland. “Lord Frost repeated the UK’s commitment to working through the joint bodies provided for by the Withdrawal Agreement. He underlined that any solutions had to be consistent with the overriding commitment to respecting the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its dimensions and to ensuring minimum disruption of everyday lives in Northern Ireland,” the statement said. The EU and Britain have identified 27 different issues in relation to Northern Ireland's contested post-Brexit trade arrangements, some of which are more difficult than others and require political solutions, Ireland's foreign minister Simon Coveney said on a visit to London on Thursday. Mr Sefcovic has suggested that aligning EU and UK animal health rules could remove the need for many border checks but Britain has rejected that. It wants its rules to be deemed equivalent, of a similar standard, to Brussels' rather than exactly the same and changing to match them over time.

  • Michel Barnier warns that Frexit remains a risk ahead of presidential elections

    Michel Barnier has warned that France could follow the UK out of the EU, as polls show growing support for the Eurosceptic Marine Le Pen. He said there was “social unrest and anger” over immigration and Europe’s failure to defend its borders and for the “red tape and complexity” of the EU. “We could draw some lessons from Brexit for ourselves. It's now too late for the UK but not for us," the former EU chief negotiator said. “We can find, not just in the UK, but here in France, in the northern regions […] citizens who want to leave the EU,” Mr Barnier, who has returned to domestic politics, said. He added, “It is our responsibility to understand why the British left [...] it's important for us to listen to the anger that was expressed in the UK, and to implement the kind of changes that are necessary to better understand and reassure the European citizens that remain.” Latest IFOP polling shows that Ms Le Pen, who leads the National Rally party, would beat the pro-EU Emmanuel Macron by two percentage points in the first round of next year’s presidential elections. Mr Macron is predicted to win in the second round by 54 percent to 46 percent but that is narrower than the 66.1 percent to 34.6 percent defeat she suffered four years ago. Ms Le Pen called for Frexit in that election but has since stopped campaigning for France to leave the bloc. Instead she wants to create a “Europe of nations”. Mr Barnier hopes to rebuild support for the centre-Right Républicains party ahead of the elections. He was speaking at an event on Brexit in Northern France, where fishermen are complaining they have not yet got fishing licences from the UK since Brexit. Clément Beaune, France’s Europe Minister, said the EU was accused of “being weak and slow”. He said that the bloc should take heart from its robust approach to the Brexit negotiations. “Back in 2016 people thought that this was the beginning of the end for Europe, but we have been able to show that we can be agile, that we can react, that we can be consistent in defending our interests in a firm way to defend the greatest European assets – the Single Market and our political unity.” He added: “These are lessons that we must all keep in mind as Europe is facing more difficulties.” The European Commission warned Britain that any further unilateral action over the Northern Ireland Protocol was unacceptable at a meeting on Thursday night. Maros Sefcovic, the commission vice-president, told Lord Frost that “solutions can only be found through joint actions and through joint bodies”. Britain insists that its unilateral actions in extending the grace periods on food products and parcels is lawful and made in good faith. The meeting over the implementation of new post-Brexit customs arrangements in Northern Ireland was said to be “constructive” by both sides.

  • 'This is a disaster': Boris Johnson urged to act after cases of Indian 'double mutant' variant found in UK

    Experts have called for the government to take action after it emerged that a mutant COVID strain first found in India has already been detected in the UK.

  • Prince Philip's custom-made Land Rover hearse unveiled for first time

    He is said to have remarked to the Queen when discussing his desire for a frill-free funeral: "Just stick me in the back of a Land Rover and drive me to Windsor." During Saturday’s ceremony, the Duke of Edinburgh will get his wish. The custom-made Land Rover that will carry the Duke’s body to its final resting place in St George’s Chapel has been unveiled for the first time. For the past eighteen years, it can now be revealed, the Duke had been quietly modifying the Land Rover Defender TD5 130, requesting a repaint in military green and designing the open top rear and special "stops" to secure his coffin in place. He made the final adjustments in 2019, the year he turned 98. The Land Rover's original role would also have been to transport the Duke 22 miles from Wellington Arch in central London to Windsor, but the pandemic curtailed the long-held plans for military parades in honour of Prince Philip through the streets of both the capital and the Berkshire town. The Duke first began the long-lasting venture to create his own bespoke hearse in collaboration with Land Rover in 2003, the year he turned 82.

  • John Cleese mocks Hank Azaria’s Apu regrets by apologising to ‘white English people’

    Monty Python star previously condemned ‘woke jokes’

  • Justin Trudeau claims UK is facing ‘very serious’ third Covid wave amid Canada’s slow vaccine rollout

    Downing Street says UK’s case data ‘speaks for itself’ as infections continue to fall

  • Harry Styles trends after photos emerge of him dressed as The Little Mermaid

    The former One Direction star is known for his androgynous style.

  • 77 cases of Covid variant first detected in India found in UK

    Professor Paul Hunter, of UEA, said the B.1.617 variant features two ‘escape mutations’ which ‘are causing people to be concerned’.

  • Have your say: Are you going to watch Prince Philip's funeral?

    The BBC's Huw Edwards will lead six hours of coverage of Prince Philip's funeral across three channels – despite record complaints to the broadcaster about its coverage of his death.

  • COVID-19 having 'catastrophic' impact on NHS as 4.7 million wait to start hospital treatment

    Charities and health organisations have warned the COVID-19 pandemic is having a "catastrophic" impact on NHS services - as the number of people in England waiting to start hospital treatment hits a new record high. A total of 4.7 million were waiting to begin treatment at the end of February 2021 - the largest figure since records began in August 2007, according to NHS England data. The number of people admitted for routine hospital treatment was down by 47% in February compared with a year earlier - with 152,642 admitted in February 2021 and 285,918 in February 2020, which had an extra day as it was a leap year.

  • Bail extended for woman arrested in Sarah Everard case

    The woman was arrested at the same time as kidnap and murder accused Wayne Couzens, on suspicion of assisting an offender.

  • UK records 30 more coronavirus deaths and more than 2600 new cases

    The UK recorded another 30 deaths from Covid as fatalities continue to fall. The daily death toll is almost half what it was on the same day last week- when 53 deaths were reported. This brings the official death toll to 127,191.

  • Driver with child in car crashes into lorry during 80mph police chase

    This is the heart-stopping moment an Audi A3 crashed into a skip lorry during an 80mph police chase - leaving a ten-year-old girl and her mum injured.Driver Jake Ilsley, 26, sped off after police tried to pull him over in connection with an unrelated incident. lsley, of Kersley in Coventry, admitted dangerous driving, exposing a child to unnecessary suffering/injury, failing to stop and driving without insurance. He was jailed for 14 months and banned from driving for four years and seven months this week. (SWNS)

  • Why Peter Phillips is the ideal peacemaker to stand between William and Harry

    Peter Phillips is the ideal peacemaker to stand between his cousins Prince William and Prince Harry at Prince Philip’s funeral. However badly the brothers have fallen out, they remain extremely fond of their first cousin. Ever since they were born, Peter Phillips has been the cousin they most look up to. As the oldest grandchild of the Queen and Prince Philip, he occupies a powerful role among the next generation of royals. At 43, he is 30 years older than his youngest royal first cousin, Viscount Severn, Prince Edward’s younger child. Five years older than William, and seven years older than Harry, Peter was the tough, strong, no-nonsense boy they admired when they were children. Now they’re grown-up, you can see how close they remain to him, joshing each other and laughing away. Prince Philip latest news and funeral updates

  • 'Help me, help me': Ousted Myanmar ambassador to UK urges British Government to intervene

    The ousted Myanmar ambassador to the UK has urged the British Government to help him as he faces being evicted from his residence by the country’s military regime. Kyaw Zwar Minn, who was last week forced out of the Myanmar embassy at the orders of the junta, was told to leave by Thursday the London house where he has lived with his family since his appointment in 2013 or face prosecution. The military regime – which seized power on Feb 1, paving the way for a bloody suppression of all civilian opposition – appears determined to extract revenge on the ambassador for daring to criticise the coup. Now he has urged Boris Johnson’s government to intervene and offer protection to him and his family. Speaking outside his residence in Hampstead he said: “I say to the British Government help me, help me, help me. I am hoping they will do so over the next few days.”

  • Rising from the flames: Paris's Notre-Dame Cathedral, two years on

    On the evening of April 15, 2019, the world watched in horror as Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris went up in flames and its burning spire crashed through the roof. Firefighters battled into the night to save the 850-year-old edifice. As the flames spread, Notre-Dame was at very real risk of collapse but luckily it remained standing.