4 h. ago France's flames of fury: Nearly a million protesters take to the streets across the country and violent clashes break out with riot cops as the French revolt against Macron's reforms

More than 40 people were arrested across France today as the country braced itself for mass violence against President Emmanuel Macron 's administration.

Politics

8 h. ago French cop 'raped drunk Brit woman while she was handcuffed'

The 37-year-old British woman is said to have been arrested by three French police officers for public drunkenness before one allegedly assaulted her while she was handcuffed in Aubagne, France

Events

53 h. ago Cryptocoins, official merch and Elon Musk: How Tommy Robinson pulled off his biggest march yet

What started as a promise for a ‘free speech festival’ with speakers from around the globe ended with dozens of police injured in violent clashes with protesters at what is thought to be the largest nationalist event in decades. But just how did Tommy Robinson pull it off? Holly Bancroft reports

Politics

8 d. ago 4 years, 3 protest movements: How public fury toppled leaders in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh

The deadly protests in Nepal that forced the country's prime minister to resign on Tuesday were a result of long-simmering discontent ignited by the government’s ban on major social media platforms

Politics

1 week ago Full list of high street stores closing in September including Poundland, Marks & Spencer and Bodycare

A number of high street chains are closing stores across the country due to rising costs

Politics

1 week ago At least 10 people killed during protests against Nepal’s social media ban

Free speech demonstrations came after government said Facebook and others failed to follow new regulationsAt least 10 people have been killed in Nepal after protests over a government ban on dozens of social media platforms – including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and X – led to violent clashes with police.The government, led by the prime minister, KP Sharma Oli, has faced mounting criticism after imposing a ban on 26 prominent social media platforms and messaging apps that it says have failed to comply with new regulations. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Little Jaffna review – undercover cop thriller goes deep into French

Lawrence Valin directs and stars in this Paris-set drama, where a young man caught between cultures infiltrates criminals shaped by Sri Lanka’s civil warHere is a Paris-set story that unfolds during the Sri Lankan civil war and revolves around Tamil immigrants supportive of the insurgent Tamil Tigers, but politics is not much more to the fore than good old-fashioned gangster machinations. Writer, director and star Lawrence Valin is himself from the French-Tamil community and he immerses the film within that hybrid culture beautifully, drawing out the internal conflicts and loyalties that a man like the one he plays here, Michael, might feel in the circumstances.Like many of the people he lives among, Michael is an orphan who came to France after both his parents met violent ends in the war in Sri Lanka. Brought up by his grandmother (Radhika Sarathkumar), who is, like much of the community, a staunch Catholic, Michael is torn between a longing for acceptance in the immigrant subcult...

Politics

1 week ago Dumfries branch of Bodycare closes after high street chain goes into administration

The High Street outlet is one of 32 stores across the country which has shut, with around 450 members of staff being made redundant.

Politics

1 week ago Police ‘subjected to exceptional level of abuse’ at Palestine Action protest

It comes as violent clashes broke out in Westminster, where an estimated 1,500 people gathered for the rally.

Events

1 week ago Police draw batons as violent clashes erupt during mass arrests at Palestine Action protest in Parliament Square

Police said around 150 people have been arrested so far as organisers described the scenes as ‘Labour’s Poll Tax moment’

Events

1 week ago Violent clashes break out at London protest in support of Palestine Action

Tensions have been swelling through the afternoon in Parliament Square as an estimated 1,500 people gathered for the rally.

Events

1 week ago Two men jailed after death of gangster Stephen Jamieson's cousin

James Small and Ryan Kearney were caged after father-of-one Kevin Kennedy died from a bleed on the brain following a violent clash in Glasgow.

Events

2 w. ago Topshop returning to UK high streets in 32 locations – see full list

Topshop is returning to the UK high street in John Lewis stores across the country from February next year – see the list of the 32 locations where you can shop the brand

Politics

2 w. ago Streeting says hate speech laws are having ‘unintended consequences’ after arrest of Father Ted writer – UK politics live

Health secretary says government needs to balance legislation so police are ‘not just policing tweets’ following detention of Graham Linehan over posts on transgender issuesAt the Downing Street lobby briefing yesterday the PM’s spokesperson was reluctant to comment directly on the arrest of Graham Linehan. But he did say that Keir Starmer thought the police should be focusing on “antisocial behaviour, shoplifting, street crime, as well as reducing serious violent crimes like knife crime and violence against women”. The Daily Telegraph has interepreted that as an attack on the Met.Wes Streeting, the health secretary, was on the media round this morning and in some respects he adopted the same line. Asked about the arrest, he told Times Radio:I think the prime minister and the home secretary have been very clear that with the law and order challenges we’ve got in our country, we want to see people being kept safe by policing streets, not just policing tweets.One thing I would say, be...

Politics

2 w. ago Sun, sex, but no sangria? The Balearics’ booze crackdown might just save their tourist industry | Dimah Ajeeb

The islands say they no longer want to be Europe’s cheap, consequence-free party playground. But is the move upmarket working?Last summer, Spain’s Balearic Islands launched one of Europe’s toughest crackdowns on alcohol-fuelled party tourism. In popular resorts such as Magaluf in Mallorca and Sant Antoni in Ibiza, tourists spilled out of bars at dawn, clutched cheap bottles from late-night shops, and treated entire neighbourhoods as giant open-air nightclubs.Local people were fed up. Noise complaints, violent brawls and clashes between residents and intoxicated tourists became routine. Rents rose while longstanding neighbourhoods became hollowed out into seasonal party zones. Pilar Hernando, from Palma, Mallorca told Reuters in 2024: “Prices go up, rents go up, everything goes up except salaries.” Hernando had to move into a caravan owing to the lack of affordable housing. Average rents have risen 158% over the past decade in the Balearics, with Palma now among the most expensive ci...

Politics

2 w. ago What to know about Indonesia's nationwide unrest over lawmakers' perks

Violent clashes that have swept across Indonesia and left at least six people dead are being seen as a major test for President Prabowo Subianto’s presidency

Politics

2 w. ago Indonesia protests: president scraps lawmakers’ perks in bid to calm tensions

Six people have now died in nationwide protests, forcing Prabowo Subianto to remove perks include a housing allowance worth 10 times the minimum wageIndonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has pledged to revoke lawmakers’ perks and privileges, including a controversial $3,000 housing allowance, in a bid to ease public fury after nationwide protests in which six people have died.Flanked by leaders of eight Indonesian political parties, Prabowo told a televised news conference in the capital, Jakarta, that they had agreed to cut the housing allowance and suspend overseas trips for members of parliament. It was a rare concession in response to mounting public anger. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Protests erupt in Indonesia over death of man hit by police vehicle

Government faces calls for police reform amid violent clashes across Jakarta and demonstrations in other citiesHundreds of Indonesians have protested at sites across Jakarta over the death of a man hit by a police vehicle, in the first big test for Prabowo Subianto’s nearly year-old government.The man, a motorcycle ride-sharing driver, was hit at the site of violent clashes near parliament on Thursday as police sought to disperse demonstrators protesting about a number of issues including lawmakers’ pay and education funding. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Photos of violent clashes between riot police and protesters in Indonesia

Protests erupted in multiple cities and tensions soared across Indonesia on Friday, a day after a delivery rider was allegedly run over by a police armored vehicle during clashes between riot police and students protesting against lawmakers’ allowances.

Events

2 w. ago Switzerland at boiling point: Fears stable country could face more riots as anger spills onto streets after spate of police

Switzerland may face more scenes of violence next week following two nights of rioting, according to one of the country's top sociologists.  

Events