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Showing posts from April, 2023

The Met was ill prepared when Stephen Port began killing gay men – and it still is | Matt Parr

I hoped to find a police force that had learned from its many mistakes, but even now I cannot give that assurance Matt Parr is HM Inspector of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services Between June 2014 and September 2015, Stephen Port drugged, sexually assaulted and murdered four young gay men in east London, leading to a police response that was criticised by a coroner for a large number of “very serious and very basic investigative failings ”. Eight years after Port murdered his last victim, what has changed in terms of the way the Metropolitan police might cope with similar circumstances? I have looked into that, and the sad answer is not enough. What happened remains shocking. Anthony Walgate was Port’s first victim . He was found dead outside the block of flats where Port lived, after Port rang 999 to report finding a young man collapsed. Anthony had died from an overdose of GHB, which is sometimes known as the “date rape” drug. Matt Parr is HM Inspector of Constabulary a

Digested week: how can the US embrace James Corden, but not quiche? | Emma Brockes

This week there was the last ever Carpool Karaoke, more royal rumblings, and a pastry pursuit A milestone in television history this morning, as the last ever Carpool Karaoke , the hugely popular section of James Corden’s CBS Late Late Show in which he interviews music icons while driving them around, airs ahead of his final show. Put it down to lack of eye contact, novelty format, or the sheer balls of a host willing to chip in and duet with Celine Dion, but even for Corden-sceptics the feature was irresistible. The most viewed Carpool of all time was the 2016 episode starring Adele, which has been watched on YouTube by more than 260 million people. Adele is a hoot. Corden is – I can’t believe I’m saying this – delightful. It is a genuinely great piece of television. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/wJc8nLE

Pentagon leak: US felt UN chief too ‘accommodating’ to Russia on grain deal – report

US documents reportedly describe private conversations between António Guterres and his deputy, including on Black Sea export grain deal The US felt UN secretary general António Guterres was too sympathetic to Russia’s interests when renegotiating the Black Sea grain deal, documents from the leaked Pentagon files reportedly suggested. The report emerged as the Kremlin warned on Wednesday that the outlook for extending the deal beyond 18 May was “not so great” because Russia’s own such exports still faced obstacles. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/lQ84dcP

Abortion pill ruling: will the US supreme court hear another abortion case?

An appeals court has reimposed restrictions on mifepristone in a closely watched case that could have a major impact on access to medication abortion Late on Wednesday, an appellate court ruled partially in favor of anti-abortion advocates in a case challenging the Food and Drug Administration’s authorization of mifepristone, a key abortion drug. The decision by the fifth circuit court of appeals imposes restrictions on mifepristone that include lowering the use of the drug to seven weeks of pregnancy instead of the current 10-week limit, and requiring in-person doctor visits for those looking to obtain the drug. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/VGxKTkf

Senior Conservatives hit out at Suella Braverman’s ‘racist rhetoric’

Former senior minister accuses home secretary of undermining party for sake of her own leadership ambitions More senior Conservatives have hit out at Suella Braverman’s “racist rhetoric”, accusing her of undermining the party for the sake of her own leadership ambitions. Pressure was mounting on Rishi Sunak on Thursday to intervene to protect the party’s reputation after the home secretary stoked renewed anger by criticising police for confiscating a set of racist dolls displayed in an Essex pub. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/BG0yH1g

From desert to wonderland: images show California’s striking superbloom

The parched state’s landscape is peppered with magnificent red, orange and yellow blooms that can be seen from space California’s superblooms this year are so lush and so exuberant, that they can be seen from space. Satellite images from Maxar Technologies, a Colorado-based company, show striking images of bright orange, red, yellow and purple blooms across southern California. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ZfWoGPY

Biden casts US and Ireland as allies in quest for shared values

US president makes strong defence of democracy before the Oireachtas in Dublin and urges No 10 to work ‘closer’ with Irish government UK politics live – latest updates Joe Biden declared that Ireland and the US have a “partnership for the ages” in a highly personal address to the Irish parliament. The US president celebrated his Irish heritage and made a passionate defence of democracy in a speech to a joint sitting of the Oireachtas – both houses of parliament – in Dublin on Thursday evening. “Tá mé seo abhaile,” Biden told the chamber in Irish. “I’m at home.” He added: “I just wish I could stay longer.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/zPUKHum

Joe Biden says political violence ‘must never be allowed to take hold again’ in address to Irish parliament – politics live

US president calls for Westminster government to work more closely with Ireland and Northern Ireland Chris Philp , the policing minister, has published an article in the Telegraph today explaining the changes being introduced to the way that police record crimes in England and Wales. The changes are being introduced following recommendations from the National Police Chiefs’ Council. Philp says: Firstly, we are dropping the requirement for police to record some crimes twice or more, reintroducing the previous “principal offence” rule. This will remove multiple entries on the database which effectively re-record the same incident many times. Accurate crime recording is vital, and these changes will better reflect victims’ experience. Recording crime does not equate to investigating crime and the police will continue to pursue all offences involved in the incident. Accurate records of crime must be kept, and crimes will be recorded. These changes to the crime-recording rules will e