Raheem Sterling: Chelsea fans banned for alleged abuse of Manchester City forward
Chelsea suspend four people from attending matches while an investigation into the alleged abuse of Raheem Sterling takes place.
Push for alternative to leasehold system
The Law Commission wants commonhold to be used as an alternative to leasehold in England and Wales.
Catalan hunger strikers sending message, not risking life – jailed separatist
Jailed Catalan separatists who have gone on hunger strike are protesting against their treatment by the Spanish judicial system but have no intention of starving themselves to death, one told Reuters.
Cobblestones commemorating murdered Jews stolen in Rome
Twenty cobblestones commemorating members of two Italian Jewish families who were deported to Auschwitz or killed in Rome were dug up and stolen in the early hours of Monday in an apparent anti-Semitic attack.
Brexit in turmoil as May pulls vote on her divorce deal
British Prime Minister Theresa May abruptly postponed a parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal on Monday, throwing Britain's plan to leave the European Union into chaos after admitting that she faced a rout.
No vote on Brexit delay ‘discourteous’
The Speaker says "many colleagues" have told him they are not happy with the government bid to put off Tuesday's planned vote on the Brexit deal.
Obsession with grammar schools just leaves poor children behind | Letters
Dr John Somers reflects on his path not taken, and Katy Simmons writes of the schools that are missing out
I read ‘We are in an education arms race’ (G2, 5 December) with interest and some dismay. I attended a very good village primary school in Wales immediately after the second world war and, from the beginning, was acutely aware that near the end of my time there I would take an exam, the result of which would decide whether I went to an urban grammar school or a rural secondary school.
The education received in each was wildly different, and when I passed the exam at the second attempt I entered a world of Latin, trigonometry and other studies. These seemed irrelevant to my life as a rabbit and mole-catching youngster living in a village house lit by oil lamps with a weekly tin bath in front of the living-room fire, where my mother seemed to work from the time her eyes opened until she slept. My subsequent career in education led me from an urban secondary modern to a comprehensive, a college of education and a university. I have worked extensively abroad, founded and edited an international research journal and held senior roles in my university. If I had gone to the rural secondary school – the curriculum of which prioritised rural skills including pig-keeping and gardening – I would probably have left at 14 and got a labouring job in my locality.
Continue reading...Shire railways are losing out to London | Letters
Les Bright points to deprived areas of the south, while Peter Fellows crunches numbers
It is no surprise that, with all eyes turned towards Brexit, politics has reverted to type with the “north-south divide” reasserting itself (North of England continues to see cuts in public spending, report finds, 5 December). But this formulation is inaccurate and divisive, suggesting that all of the south is prosperous and favoured by those who allocate government resources. Tell that to the people of the southern shires where per pupil spending is significantly below that of London; rail travellers whose trips are cancelled or made by bus when moderate storms coincide with high tides; and communities where bus services have been reduced or removed. Crossrail will do little or nothing to improve rail services outside of the corridor of privilege that it will create, and HS2 has no relevance for most of us. London’s dominance over the rest of the UK, as measured by power, influence and funding, may well have contributed as much to the outcome of the referendum as migration-related fears and must be addressed if further fractures are to be avoided.
Les Bright
Exeter, Devon
• Transpennine rail upgrade linking Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Bradford Hull and York: £2.9bn. Crossrail 2 vanity project: £30bn. Says everything you need to know about the government’s political priorities (Transport secretary considering ‘seriously flawed’ rail upgrade, 8 December). Roll on a general election.
Peter Fellows
Bradford
NHS spent money on ads instead of jabs | Brief letters
Flu jab | Shire elections | Navy photo | Brexit | Theresa May
Sarah Matthews (Letters, 10 December) describes the difficulty that she experienced in getting a flu jab from her GP and local pharmacist after having been exhorted to do so as an over-65 by Trevor McDonald in an NHS advert. When I was experiencing similar difficulties I discovered that while the NHS had spent a great deal of money on such adverts, no provision had been made for supplying an adequate number of vaccines to meet the extra demand to which such advertising would inevitably lead. A serious case of left hand/right hand perhaps?
Harvey Sanders
London
• Further to Jacqueline Angell’s advice (Letters, 10 December), I stood for election for the Labour party, repeatedly, in the not very leftwing heart of Buckinghamshire, following in my daughter’s footsteps. Despite doubling her vote to a respectable, if definitively losing, figure, I rarely met people who would admit to supporting me or the party beyond an occasional “congratulations” on getting a letter printed in the Guardian. Such quiet words appear to be the shibboleth among true but hidden believers in the shires.
Peter Hutchinson
Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire
Date for new Brexit vote depends on when we get assurances from EU – May’s spokesman
The date for a new vote on whether to approve Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal will depend on when her government gets the assurances it needs to satisfy parliament, May's spokesman said on Monday.
Macron faces pressure to change tack as French unrest slows economy
President Emmanuel Macron met French lawmakers, trade unions and business groups on Monday before giving a national address when he will respond to violent anti-government protests convulsing the country.
Chelsea bans fans after Raheem Sterling ‘racially abused’
Chelsea have banned four people from attending games while they investigate alleged racist abuse directed at Raheem Sterling.
EU ministers plan no Brexit meeting on Tuesday – EU official
European affairs ministers who will meet in Brussels on Tuesday to prepare a leaders' summit later in the week will not convene a special session on Brexit, a senior EU official said on Monday.
Australia ranks well in global health, despite cancer and obesity alarm bells
Comparison with OECD countries shows Australia doing well for life expectancy and infant mortality, but worse on male obesity
Australian men have the highest rate of cancer within the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), though the result may be down to the country’s highly detailed data collection, a comparison of international health statistics has found.
A new tool, released on Tuesday by the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare, helps compare Australia’s performance with other OECD nations against a range of key health indicators by synthesising a range of data sets.
Continue reading...Gambler’s victims to sue bookmakers where he spent stolen cash
Claims totalling £1.5m against William Hill and Paddy Power for allegedly failing obligations
Two of the UK’s largest bookmakers are facing compensation claims worth £1.5m over allegations that they allowed a gambling addict to bet hundreds of thousands of pounds in stolen cash.
Betting shop records seen by the Guardian show that the addict, who has asked for his name to be withheld, staked £650,000 in two William Hill shops over six months, losing £150,000.
Continue reading...Protesters disrupt U.S. fossil fuel event at climate talks
Protesters disturbed a U.S.-sponsored event promoting fossil fuels on the sidelines of U.N. climate change talks on Monday, saying attempts to rebrand coal as a potentially "clean" energy source were misleading.
Speaker John Bercow urges MPs to be given say on Brexit vote delay
The Commons speaker says postponing the vote so late will be seen as "deeply discourteous".
Jailed Russian serial killer convicted of 56 more murders
A former police officer jailed for murdering 22 women received a second life sentence on Monday for the murder of 56 more people, making him one of modern Russia's deadliest serial killers.
Inter midfielders Vecino, Nainggolan set to miss PSV match
Inter Milan midfielders Radja Nainggolan and Matias Vecino are both set to miss Tuesday's vital Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven, coach Luciano Spalletti told reporters.
U.N. envoy hopes Yemen factions agree on further talks early next year
The United Nations special envoy to Yemen said on Monday he hopes there will be an agreement by the warring factions to hold another round of talks early next year.
EU court cites union goal to let UK stop Brexit
The European Union's top court ruled on Monday that the British government may reverse its decision to leave the bloc without consulting other member states, a decision welcomed by those campaigning to stop Brexit.
Brexit: Corbyn reaction to May delaying meaningful vote
The Labour leader says Theresa May's government is "shambolic" and in "disarray" over the Brexit talks and timings.
Theresa May: ‘Does this House want to deliver Brexit?’
The prime minister tells MPs who want a second referendum to be “open” and “honest” about what that would mean for the country.
No-deal Brexit more likely amid ‘confused’ situation in London, France says
A costly British exit from the European Union without a negotiated deal is increasingly likely, France's European affairs minister said on Monday, after British Prime Minister Theresa May postponed a vote on a deal in the face of defeat.
EU’s top diplomat: EU-Iran trade vehicle could be ready by year-end
The European Union's foreign policy chief said on Monday a system to facilitate non-dollar trade with Iran and circumvent U.S. sanctions could be in place by year's end.
Germany sees no possible change to Brexit deal
German foreign minister Heiko Maas said on Monday there were no possibilities of changing the agreement on Britain's withdrawal from the European Union next year.
Inter, PSG and Liverpool sweating on last-16 spots
The bid to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League reaches its climax this week with Inter Milan, Paris St Germain and Liverpool among seven clubs sweating on taking the remaining four places for the last 16.
Billionaire ‘playboy’ should be extradited to India, court rules
Billionaire "playboy" Vijay Mallya should be extradited from the UK to India to face fraud charges over the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines, a court in London has ruled.
Accused Russian agent Butina poised to plead guilty-court filing
Accused Russian agent Maria Butina appeared poised this week to plead guilty in the case, after her lawyers and prosecutors filed a joint motion asking a federal judge on Monday to schedule a change of plea hearing this week.
Bangladesh briefly shuts dozens of online news sites, citing security concerns
Bangladesh's telecoms regulator shut down dozens of online news portals for several hours on Monday, citing security reasons, as officials scrutinise hundreds of sites before a parliamentary election this month.
Liberal Democrat leader says would support vote of no confidence in May
The leader of Britain's pro-European Union Liberal Democrats said on Monday his party would support a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Theresa May if one were called by the opposition Labour Party.
We no longer have a functioning government. May must step aside | Ian Lavery
The prime minister has bottled it and pulled the vote on her Brexit deal. The country can’t go on like this
Theresa May has bottled it. She’s realised her deal is so disastrous that she has taken the desperate step of delaying her own vote at the 11th hour.
For weeks, she has insisted that her Brexit deal is the best possible deal, even though it’s opposed by most people in her party and across the country.
Continue reading...Pound extends slump to 20-month lows after May delays Brexit deal
Sterling <GBP=D3> tumbled on Monday to 20-month lows versus the dollar as investors took fright as Prime Minister Theresa May's decision to abandon a parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal.
May pulls vote on her divorce deal, thrusting Brexit into the unknown
British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday abruptly pulled a parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal, throwing Britain's plan to leave the European Union into chaos after admitting that she faced a rout.
UK Parliament should decide whether Brexit vote is delayed – speaker
The speaker of Britain's lower house of parliament said it would be "right" that members of parliament were given a chance have their say on whether or not to delay a planned vote on Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plan.
Labour leader Corbyn tells May: Make way for Labour
Britain's Labour Party called on Prime Minister Theresa May to make way for the opposition party if she could not take on board the fundamental changes required to get her deal through parliament.
UK man accused of importing 1.3 tonnes of cocaine goes on trial in Paris
Robert Dawes arrested two years after drugs transported on Air France plane in 30 suitcases
A British man believed to be one of Europe’s biggest drug traffickers has gone on trial in Paris, accused of importing 1.3 tonnes of cocaine into France.
Robert Dawes was arrested two years after the drugs were discovered inside 30 unregistered suitcases, transported on an Air France plane from Caracas to Charles de Gaulle airport. The cocaine had a street value of €240m (£217m).
Continue reading...Senior eurosceptic MP: May must govern or quit
British Prime Minister Theresa May must either govern or quit, a senior eurosceptic lawmaker in her Conservative Party said on Monday, after she delayed a vote in parliament on her Brexit deal.
May will seek further assurances from EU on Brexit backstop
Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday she would do all she could to secure further assurances from the European Union on the so-called backstop arrangement in the Brexit deal that has angered so many across parliament.
Grenfell Tower inquiry: Victims’ lawyer attacks fire brigade
The victims' barrister says there is "overwhelming" evidence the service failed to prepare for the fire.