81 m. ago The Guardian view on the price of a prince: what Virginia Giuffre’s story says about palace accountability | Editorial

The Jeffrey Epstein scandal has exposed a constitutional blind spot: royal privilege remains beyond democratic scrutiny. MPs must be able to question powerThe tragic story of Virginia Giuffre raises the question of who governs when royal privilege and public outrage collide. As a vulnerable teenager she was drawn into a world of sexual exploitation by the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Ms Giuffre alleged that Epstein trafficked her and that she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions, including when she was 17. He has denied all the claims. Despite previously insisting he had no memory of meeting her, the prince reportedly paid £12m to settle her civil case in 2022. The money was said to have come from his mother, the late queen – who, just six weeks later, was photographed walking beside him at her husband’s memorial service.With a posthumous memoir, Ms Giuffre has brought the issue back into the spotlight. In his calamitous 2019 Newsnight interview,...

Politics

4 h. ago ‘A punch in the face’: Germany’s dash for gas raises questions over climate targets

Plans for a fossil fuel project in Wadden Sea nature reserve have angered local people and campaigners, as political enthusiasm for renewables wanesPeering out on a clear day from the windswept dunes that dapple the north-western tip of Germany, on a gull-shaped island in the Wadden Sea nature reserve, tourists hoping to spot seals may soon see a dark metal platform rise out of the water.The planned structure is one of several fossil fuel projects that Germany is pushing to build despite a legal deadline to stop polluting the atmosphere with carbon emissions in 20 years’ time. The joint Dutch-German venture, which received the green light from regional authorities last month, seeks to extract 13bn cubic metres of gas from just outside a protected area at the marine border between the two countries. Continue reading...

Society

25 h. ago Jacksonville Jaguars raise several major questions after blowout loss to Rams in London

Jacksonville Jaguars raise several major questions after blowout loss to Rams in London  The Florida Times-Union

Politics

66 h. ago Trump officials ask supreme court to permit national guard in Illinois

Justice department submits emergency filing as Trump pushes to expand use of military in Democratic-led citiesThe Trump administration on Friday asked the US supreme court to permit the deployment of national guard troops to Illinois, as the president pushes to expand the domestic use of the military in a growing number of Democratic-led cities.In an emergency filing, the justice department urged the court to overturn a lower court ruling that halted the deployment of several hundred national guard troops to the Chicago area. The district judge had raised doubts about the administration’s justification for sending troops, questioning its explanation in light of local conditions. Continue reading...

Politics

69 h. ago Trump administration asks supreme court to permit national guard troops in Illinois

Justice department submits emergency filing as Trump pushes to expand use of military in Democratic-led citiesThe Trump administration on Friday asked the US supreme court to permit the deployment of national guard troops to Illinois, as the president pushes to expand the domestic use of the military in a growing number of Democratic-led cities.In an emergency filing, the justice department urged the court to overturn a lower court ruling that halted the deployment of several hundred national guard troops to the Chicago area. The district judge had raised doubts about the administration’s justification for sending troops, questioning its explanation in light of local conditions. Continue reading...

Politics

2 d. ago Cartel crackdown or conflict creation? Trump’s Venezuela strategy raises questions

Scholars warn U.S. military actions in Venezuela may stretch the bounds of international law

Events

3 d. ago Nicky Butt unleashes on Man United academy as Paul Scholes raises serious question

Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes have unleashed a scathing assessment of the Manchester United make-up at present, picking apart the club's management, upper personnel, and academy

Politics

3 d. ago Stock markets hit by US regional bank worries and trade tensions – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsFears are swirling today that we could be facing a repeat of the US regional banking crisis of 2023.That episode led to the demise of US bank SVB and then Europe’s Credit Suisse.An initially positive risk mood turned during the US session yesterday after news that Zions Bancorp (-13.14%) made a $50m charge-off while Western Alliance (-10.81%) alleged it also suffered from fraud on loans to the same borrowers linked to distressed commercial mortgages.While this was an ostensibly isolated story at two banks each less than $10bn market cap, the event drew inevitable comparisons to the regional bank stress that followed the collapse of SVB in March 2023 and raised broader questions over potential credit quality issues after a lengthy period of elevated rates and expansion in private credit, following also the bankruptcy of subprime auto lender Tricolor last month. Continue reading...

Economics

3 d. ago Survivors reported after latest US attack on alleged drug boat in Caribbean

It is unknown whether the US military rendered aid to survivors after attack on suspected ‘narcoterrorist’ vesselThe US military carried out a new strike on Thursday against a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean, and in what is believed to be the first such case, there were survivors among the crew, a US official told Reuters.The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not offer additional details about the incident, which has not been previously reported. But it raises new questions, including whether the US military rendered aid to the survivors and whether they are now in US military custody. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago Skull fragment found on beach could rewrite history of Antarctic exploration

Mystery of the bones of a young Chilean woman raises questions about who reached the frozen south first, and when

Politics

4 d. ago The China spy case evidence raises more questions than it answers

Political correspondent Archie Mitchell runs through what we know – and the unanswered questions – about the collapsed China spy case

Politics

5 d. ago England have qualified for the World Cup but unanswered questions raise doubts over their development

Latvia 0-5 England: A superb performance in Riga booked the Three Lions their spot in next summer’s tournament but questions remain, not least how they will perform against stronger opposition

Politics

6 d. ago Emma Raducanu slumps to third straight defeat after fresh injury scare in China

Briton went down 6-3, 4-6, 1-6 to Zhu LinRaducanu called for trainer twice for treatmentEmma Raducanu again struggled physically in a first-round exit at the Ningbo Open to China’s Zhu Lin, raising questions over the rest of her season.The British No1 was back on court a week after retiring from her opening match in Wuhan with dizziness in hot and humid conditions. She posted a picture on social media from a doctor’s office and said she felt better but she faded after winning the opening set against Zhu and slumped to a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 defeat. Continue reading...

Events

6 d. ago ‘For the sake of peace’: why a Palestinian forgives the Israeli soldier who shot him

Exclusive: Munib al-Masri Jr is part of a campaign asking the UK to help create a ‘just future’ in Palestine – starting with an apology for its role in the crisisHe has spent 14 years in pain, adjusting to paralysis below the waist. But Munib al-Masri Jr, 37, says he forgives the Israeli soldier who shot him.Masri is among Palestinians who welcomed the UK’s recognition of Palestinian statehood last month but are pushing the government to go further. The Britain Owes Palestine campaign that Masri is part of wants the UK to formally apologise for what they say is its historical role in creating the Middle East crisis, as ceasefire talks bring an uneasy peace to the region and raise questions about its future. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Mum and newborn daughter tragically die within hours of each other following home birth

Questions have been raised over why the home birth went ahead despite hospital staff describing the plan as “out of guidance” and “against advice”.

Events

7 d. ago How Man Utd board members voted in sack meeting as Ruben Amorim questions raised

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim is under growing pressure following a poor start to the season and he knows exactly how club chiefs feel about potentially sacking him

Politics

7 d. ago Are you a secret Trump voter? Why four questions about raising a child give the game away for parents

The so-called 'child-rearing index' is based on four questions in which voters are asked to choose between pairs of desirable qualities in their children.

Politics

7 d. ago Second death investigated at care home where woman fell from window

SPECIAL REPORT: A coroner has raised questions about the death of another pensioner

Events

8 d. ago Chilling CCTV capture's little girl's final moments with doctor mum accused of her murder

Dr Neha Gupta's daughter, Aria was found in a swimming pool at a Florida Airbnb - but a postmortem raised sinister questions over what really happened to the four-year-old

Events

9 d. ago Bruno Fernandes makes honest admission over Man Utd role after criticism

Bruno Fernandes has missed two of the three penalties that he's taken for Manchester United this season, raising questions over whether he should remain their first choice

Events