Tag Archives: Britain

Bloomberg News reports: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak should apologize for the UK’s treatment of gay and trans veterans, according to a government-commissioned review that details a “culture of homophobia” that pervaded the British military for decades. The study — slated for publication in the first half of June and seen by Bloomberg — details accounts of electric-shock conversion therapy, intrusive …

The Hill reports: President Biden on Saturday congratulated King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their coronation, saying he is pleased that first lady Jill Biden could be present in the United Kingdom to join them for the ceremony. The president did not attend the event as U.S. presidents have traditionally not attended the coronations of British monarchs, but the …

The BBC reports: Thousands of people are expected to line the streets hoping to catch a glimpse of King Charles III as he travels between Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey before and after his coronation. Soldiers and royal footmen, marching bands and ornate coaches, magnificent horses and an Irish wolfhound called Seamus will all be taking part in the UK …

Bloomberg News reports: Jill Biden has celebrated the athleticism of wounded service members with Prince Harry, discussed the value of early childhood education with Princess Kate and sipped tea poured by Queen Elizabeth II. Now the first lady is back in London for another royal engagement. President Joe Biden has dispatched his wife to represent the United States at Saturday’s …

Reuters reports: Some South Africans are calling for Britain to return the world’s largest diamond, known as the Star of Africa, which is set in the royal sceptre that King Charles III will hold at his coronation on Saturday. The diamond, which weighs 530 carats, was discovered in South Africa in 1905 and presented to the British monarchy by the …

The BBC reports: Former US President Donald Trump has said “it is great to be home” as he arrived in Aberdeen on a visit to his Scottish golf properties. It is Mr Trump’s first visit to the UK since 2019 after leaving office. He attended a ceremony to break ground on a new course at his Aberdeenshire resort, Trump International …

Politico Europe reports: He hopes to win the hearts and minds of devoted Donald Trump supporters ahead of next year’s U.S. election. But Republican presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis failed to impress British business chiefs at a high-profile London event Friday, in a tired performance described variously as “horrendous,” “low-wattage” and “like the end of an overseas trip.” One U.K. business …

CNN Business reports: The embattled chairman of the British Broadcasting Corporaration (BBC), Richard Sharp, resigned on Friday after a report found he failed to disclose his involvement in facilitating a loan of almost $1 million to former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Sharp claimed the breach was “inadvertent and not material,” but said he was resigning to “prioritise the interests …

The Telegraph reports: Andrew Bridgen has been expelled from the Conservative Party after he made controversial comments about coronavirus vaccines. Mr Bridgen was stripped of the Tory whip and forced to sit as an independent MP in January after he tweeted claims that Covid vaccines were the “biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust”. A Conservative Party spokesman confirmed this …

The Associated Press reports: U.K. Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab grudgingly resigned Friday after an independent investigation found he bullied civil servants, though he criticized the report as “flawed.” Raab’s announcement came the day after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak received the findings of an investigation into eight formal complaints that Raab, who is also justice secretary, had been abusive toward …

The BBC reports: A councilor accused of saying white men should have black slaves has been suspended by the Conservative Party. Political opponents identified the voice of Andrew Edwards on a recording of someone making racist remarks. Mr Edwards, who represents the Haverfordwest Prendergast ward on Pembrokeshire council, said he could not comment as the case had been referred to …

The BBC reports: Singer Melody Thornton has apologised after rowdy audience members halted a performance of The Bodyguard musical. The ex-Pussycat Dolls star was unable to complete the show’s final song due to the disruption at Manchester’s Palace Theatre on Friday. Speaking on Instagram, Thornton said she “fought really hard” to finish the show, but it had not been possible. …

The BBC reports: The husband of former first minister Nicola Sturgeon has been arrested in connection with an investigation into Scottish National Party finances. Peter Murrell, 58, is being questioned after being taken into police custody on Wednesday morning. Police Scotland said officers were carrying out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation. Ms Sturgeon stood …

The BBC reports: Manchester Arena bomb survivors have filed landmark legal action against a conspiracy theorist who claims the attack was faked. Martin and Eve Hibbert, who were left with severe disabilities after the 2017 blast, are suing Richard D. Hall [photo] for defamation and harassment. It is the first time such action has been launched in the UK against …

Deadline reports: King Charles’s upcoming Coronation will be swimming with world leaders and dignitaries, but it has emerged that the US president will not be among them. British press reports this weekend that Joe Biden will not be attending the ceremony on May 6 in London, citing previous commitments. No US president in history has attended the Coronation of the …

The Guardian reports: Paul O’Grady, the beloved TV presenter and comedian who broke on to the scene with his drag act persona Lily Savage, has died at the age of 67. His husband, Andre Portasio, confirmed in a statement that O’Grady died “unexpectedly but peacefully” on Tuesday evening. Days ago, O’Grady had finished a stint playing Miss Hannigan in the …

CNN reports: The terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland has been raised from “substantial” to “severe” just days before a potential visit to the country by US President Joe Biden, but the White House has said the change won’t alter his plans. The decision to raise the threat level to “severe,” meaning an attack is highly likely, was made by …

The Guardian reports: Scottish nationalists picked Humza Yousaf to be the country’s next leader on Monday after a bitterly fought contest that exposed deep divisions in his party over policy and a stalled independence campaign. The 37-year-old practising Muslim succeeds Nicola Sturgeon as leader of the governing Scottish National Party (SNP) and will take over as head of the semi-autonomous …

Rolling Stone reports: In 1997, after attending a Royal Gala evening, Geri Halliwell kissed Prince Charles on the cheek. According to royal protocol and etiquette, you’re only allowed to shake a royal’s hand, so the scandalous moment landed on the front pages of newspapers and went down in pop culture history. Now, instead of daring Ginger Spice to kiss Charles …

People Magazine reports: The Duchess adopted the monarch’s two surviving corgis, Sandy and Muick (pronounced “Mick”), gifted to the Queen by Ferguson, her ex-husband Prince Andrew and their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. But caring for the U.K.’s most famous pets comes with some stress. “They are national icons, so every time they run chasing a squirrel, I panic,” …