Starmer: Bristol violence shocking and unacceptable

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer says the scenes from Bristol, after a peaceful 'Kill The Bill' protest turned violent, were "shocking and completely unacceptable" and could not be justified.

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  • Too much Prince Philip coverage? BBC says complaints have been received

    The British Broadcasting Corporation said on Saturday it had received complaints about the amount of coverage it dedicated to the death of Prince Philip after some viewers were upset that normal programming was cancelled. The BBC interrupted normal programming on radio and television a few minutes after Buckingham Palace announced at midday on Friday that Philip had died, and many scheduled programmes were scrapped for the rest of the day to make way for coverage of his death. "We're receiving complaints about too much TV coverage of the death of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh," the BBC's complaints web page said.

  • Wellwishers continue to leave flowers for duke despite Covid concerns

    At Buckingham Palace a steady stream of people arrived to lay bouquets at the front gates.

  • Pub-goers ‘will be forced to wear masks in beer gardens’ by ‘overzealous’ councils

    Pub-goers will be forced to wear masks in beer gardens in some parts of England as further lockdown restrictions are eased. From April 12, outdoor restaurants, non-essential shops and pub gardens will be allowed to open to the public. The rule is being enforced by some “overzealous councils” who have set up enforcement teams to monitor beer gardens, the Telegraph reports.

  • ‘I Can’t Breathe’: Police Release Footage Showing Officer Repeatedly Shoving Snow in Man’s Face

    A police officer resigned amid an internal use-of-force investigation, after he was shown to have repeatedly shoved snow in the face of a man during a domestic violence arrest in Akron, Ohio, on February 7.In video footage released by the City of Akron, an officer can be seen repeatedly placing snow on a man’s face as other officers handcuff him. The man can be heard saying that he “can’t breathe.”The incident happened after a woman called 911 to report that a man, named as Charles Hicks, had “threatened her with a knife and that she was scared for the safety of her children”, according to local reports.During a news conference on Thursday, Acting Chief Mike Caprez said the “tactic” used by the officer was “not supported by the circumstances” or trained by the department. Officer John Turnure voluntarily resigned effective March 31, local media reported. Credit: City of Akron via Storyful

  • Husband walks in on wife being allegedly sexually assaulted at Sydney aged care home

    Husband walks in on wife being allegedly sexually assaulted at Sydney aged care home. José says he hasn’t been able to sleep since alleged assault, which was described as ‘cuddling’ in incident report

  • COVID-19: England's pubs, restaurants and shops prepare for Monday reopening - but PM postpones his pint

    England's coronavirus restrictions will be eased further on Monday, with pubs and restaurants allowed to serve customers outdoors. Hairdressers will reopen, as will non-essential shops, indoor gyms, swimming pools, libraries, zoos and nail salons. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has postponed his celebratory pint and is not expected to mark the reopening of businesses with a statement.

  • ‘My dear Papa was a very special person’: Prince Charles pays touching tribute after death of Prince Philip

    The Prince of Wales last night paid a touching tribute to his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, saying: “My dear Papa was a very special person.” In an unscripted, televised address, an emotional Prince Charles, 72, said: “As you can imagine, my family and I miss my father enormously. He was a much loved and appreciated figure.” He said the Duke had “given the most remarkable, devoted service” to the Queen, the Royal Family, his country and the Commonwealth.

  • Coronavirus latest news: South Africa variant can 'break through' Pfizer's vaccine

    Half of people in England live in areas that are Covid free Why Europe's approach to AstraZeneca jab differs from ours Two-thirds of pubs lack outdoor space to open on Monday Private Covid tests to be subject to quality checks Subscribe to The Telegraph for a month-long free trial The coronavirus variant discovered in South Africa can "break through" Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine to some extent, a real-world data study in Israel found, though its prevalence in the country is low and the research has not been peer reviewed. The study, released on Saturday, compared almost 400 people who had tested positive for Covid-19, 14 days or more after they received one or two doses of the vaccine, against the same number of unvaccinated patients with the disease. It matched age and gender, among other characteristics. The South African variant, B.1.351, was found to make up about 1 per cent of all the Covid-19 cases across all the people studied, according to the study by Tel Aviv University and Israel's largest healthcare provider, Clalit. But among patients who had received two doses of the vaccine, the variant's prevalence rate was eight times higher than those unvaccinated - 5.4 per cent versus 0.7 per cent. This suggests the vaccine is less effective against the South African variant, compared with the original coronavirus and a variant first identified in Britain that has come to comprise nearly all Covid-19 cases in Israel, the researchers said. Follow the latest updates below.

  • Man charged with murder of ‘bright and beautiful’ Black trans woman Dominique Lucious

    A man has been charged with murder for the fatal shooting of Dominique Lucious, a 26-year-old Black trans woman from Missouri.

  • Alison Hammond says Amanda Holden is getting in trouble while filming new show

    "It was so much fun. Jimmy and Amanda put a smile on my face."

  • Florida anti-masker who coughed on cancer patient sentenced to 30 days in prison

    Debra Hunter has been sentenced to serve 30 days in prison, pay a $500 fine, take anger management classes – and pay for her victim’s Covid test

  • Service with a smile: Prince Philip puts Land Rover hearse at heart of funeral he designed himself

    The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin will be carried through the grounds of Windsor Castle in a modified Land Rover that he designed for the occasion himself. The funeral will take place next Saturday at 3pm, following a short procession in which the Prince of Wales and senior members of the Royal family will follow the coffin on foot as it is driven to St George’s Chapel. The Queen will not take part in the procession. It will be a royal funeral like no other, with Royals adhering to Covid-19 guidelines by wearing masks throughout the ceremony and maintaining social distancing. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson confirmed that it would not be a state occasion, in accordance with the Duke’s wishes, but a ceremonial royal funeral in line with the Queen Mother’s funeral in 2002. Her Majesty gave final approval to the plans, which “very much reflect the personal wishes of the Duke" who died peacefully at home in Windsor Castle on Friday morning.

  • Virus hotspots could lead to third Covid wave in UK, scientists warn

    Virus hotspots could lead to third Covid wave in UK, scientists warnBoris Johnson accused of dropping pledge to ‘follow data not dates’ and urged to wait for more vaccinations before easing restrictionsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverage Leeds city centre last summer. West Yorkshire is one of the areas with high infection rates. Photograph: Gary Calton/The Observer

  • 7 Casualty spoilers for next week

    What's coming up on the wards?

  • Donald Trump takes swipe at Mitch McConnell and Mike Pence in speech to Republican donors

    Donald Trump vowed to help Republicans win seats in Congress in 2022 elections but lashed out at two top party figures, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell and former Vice President Mike Pence, at a donor retreat on Saturday. At a dinner at his Mar-a-Lago Club for Republican National Committee donors in Palm Beach, Florida, the former president made clear he is still irked at his inability to hang on to the White House despite losing the Nov. 3 election to Democrat Joe Biden, who is now president. Mr McConnell drew Mr Trump's ire in the aftermath of the election for stating the obvious - that Mr Biden had won the presidency - and the two remain at odds. Parting from the prepared text of his speech, Mr Trump called the senator a "son of a bitch," an attendee told Reuters. Before leaving office, Mr Trump had scolded Mr Pence for not intervening to stop the congressional certification of the vote tally, an authority the vice president did not have. The vote certification was the backdrop for the events on Jan. 6 when pro-Trump protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Departing again from his prepared text, Mr Trump said he had spoken to Mr Pence recently and told him he was still disappointed in him, the attendee said. Representatives for Mr McConnell and Mr Pence did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In prepared remarks seen by Reuters, Mr Trump sought to position himself as the Republican kingmaker, saying he wanted to talk "about the future of the Republican Party - and what we must do to set our candidates on a course to victory." "I stand before you this evening filled with confidence that in 2022, we are going to take back the House (of Representatives) and we are going to reclaim the Senate. And then in 2024, a Republican candidate is going to win the White House," he said. Mr Trump has spent the 2-1/2 months since his chaotic exit from the White House considering requests from 2022 candidates for his endorsement and has been giving them his blessing based on whether they support him and his agenda or not. He has said any talk of his own plans - the Constitution gives him the right to seek another four-year term - should wait until after the November 2022 elections. A variety of other Republicans are considering their own potential runs for the party's presidential nomination in 2024, such as Trump's former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. While Mr Biden defeated Mr Trump by millions of votes, the Republican made inroads among traditional Democratic voters such as Hispanics and African Americans. Mr Trump, who also sprinkled his remarks with attacks on Mr Biden, said the key to victories in 2022 is to build on those gains, saying "the Republican Party will succeed and grow in the future by embracing its destiny as the champion of working-class Americans." Mr Trump's active role in Republican politics despite losing the 2020 election is unlike other former presidents, who have tended to retreat from the limelight after leaving the White House. “Saturday’s speech will be welcomed words to the Republican donors visiting Mar-a-Lago to hear directly from President Trump. Palm Beach is the new political power centre, and President Trump is the Republican Party’s best messenger," said Trump adviser Jason Miller.

  • Black Army lieutenant files $1m law suit against police officers who ‘pepper-sprayed and assaulted’ him

    Caron Nazario filed a $1million federal law suit last week claiming he was assaulted by two Virginia police officers

  • Who will be the 30 people attending Prince Philip’s funeral?

    Queen must take into account strict limit on numbers due to Covid crisis

  • Gun salutes across UK mark Duke of Edinburgh’s death

    Saluting batteries began firing 41 rounds at one round every minute from midday on Saturday in cities including London.

  • UK passes 32m first Covid vaccination target figure days ahead of 15 April deadline

    Milestone passed as number of second jabs hits daily high

  • Saudi Arabia announces the execution of three soldiers for 'high treason'

    Saudi Arabia on Saturday executed three soldiers for "high treason", the defence ministry said, in a rare public announcement that accused them of colluding with an unspecified enemy. The executions come as a Saudi-led military campaign intensifies in neighbouring Yemen and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler, consolidates his grip on power.The soldiers were convicted of "the crime of high treason in cooperation with the enemy" in a way that threatens the kingdom and its military interests, the ministry said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.The statement named the three soldiers -- Mohammed bin Ahmed, Shaher bin Issa and Hamoud bin Ibrahim -- without identifying which enemy they were accused of aiding.Saudi Arabia, a Sunni powerhouse, views Shiite Iran as its main regional foe and identifies Yemen's Tehran-aligned Houthi rebels as a major security threat to the oil-rich kingdom.The statement makes a rare announcement of military executions in the kingdom, which is known to be highly secretive about its armed forces."The fact that the names of the decedents were publicised means the Saudis must consider their alleged misconduct to be exceptionally egregious and thus worthy of exemplary punishment," David Des Roches, from the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, told AFP.The defence ministry said the soldiers were executed in the military's Southern Command, based close to the border with Yemen, where Saudi Arabia is leading a six-year campaign against Houthi rebels.Riyadh led a military coalition into Yemen in March 2015 to prop up the internationally recognised government, but it has struggled to oust the Houthis.It has also faced a surge in missile and drone attacks against the kingdom.Fighting has intensified for the key Yemeni region of Marib, with 53 pro-government and Houthi rebel fighters dead in the past 24 hours, loyalist military officials said Saturday.The Houthis have been trying to seize oil-rich Marib, the government's last significant pocket of territory in the north, since February.Consolidating powerThe executions come as Prince Mohammed, the 35-year-old heir to the throne, tightens his control on power.Prince Mohammed -- the son of King Salman, the kingdom's ageing monarch -- is already viewed as the country's day-to-day ruler, controlling all the major levers of government, from defence to the economy.He holds the title of defence minister, while his younger brother Prince Khalid bin Salman is the deputy.Over the past three years, the crown prince has mounted a sweeping crackdown on critics and rivals, with the imprisonment of prominent royal family members, business tycoons, clerics and activists.In March last year, Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, a brother of King Salman, and former crown prince Mohammed bin Nayef were detained, multiple sources said.Saudi authorities have not publicly commented on their ongoing detention, which analysts see as an attempt by Prince Mohammed to stamp out traces of internal dissent.The kingdom has long faced criticism for one of the world's highest rates of executions and what human rights campaigners call an opaque judicial system.But earlier this year, the government-backed Human Rights Commission (HRC) reported a sharp drop in executions in 2020, as the kingdom seeks to blunt international criticism of its human rights record.The HRC said it documented 27 executions in 2020, a decrease of 85 percent over the previous year, due in part to a moratorium on the death penalty for drug-related offences.Since the beginning of this year, Saudi Arabia has carried out the death penalty against 20 people, according to a tally based on official figures published by state media.(AFP)