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Oscars 2020: Joker leads pack – but Academy just trumps Baftas for diversity Joker nominated for 11 awards1917, The Irishman, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood up for 10Little Women and Parasite take six nominationsCynthia Erivo sole non-white acting nomineeOscar nominations: full list for 2020Less than a week since Bafta’s strikingly white and male awards shortlist met with widespread criticism – including from the organisation’s own chief executive – the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released a set of nominations whose small concessions to diversity seem striking by contrast.Cynthia Erivo is nominated for best actress for her role in a biopic of abolitionist Harriet Tubman, and Parasite – Bong Joon-ho’s acclaimed South Korean black c...

Priti Patel defends inclusion of Extinction Rebellion on UK terror list Home secretary accepts XR is not terror group but says assessment has to be based on ‘security risks’The home secretary, Priti Patel, has defended anti-terror police for putting the Extinction Rebellion environmental protest group on a list of extremist ideologies, saying it was important to look at “a range of security risks”.While accepting that XR was not a terrorist organisation, Patel told LBC radio that such assessment had to be “based in terms of risk to the public, security risks, security threats”. Continue reading... Go to Source

Prince Harry and Prince William dismiss 'false story' about their relationship – live news Harry to meet Queen and senior royals at Sandringham with Meghan phoning in from Canada in bid to resolve crisisFull report: Harry to attend crisis talks with QueenThe royal showdown: all you need to know 11.45am GMTPrince Harry and Prince William have dismissed a “false story” in a UK newspaper today speculating about their relationship. The joint statement on behalf of the Duke of Sussex and Duke of Cambridge said: “Despite clear denials, a false story ran in a UK newspaper today speculating about the relationship between The Duke of Sussex and The Duke of Cambridge. For brothers who care so deeply about the issues surrounding mental health, the use of inflammatory language i...

Iranian police fired live rounds to disperse protesters, say witnesses Several people wounded during demonstrations in Tehran over plane deathsIran protests over downed jet – live updatesIranian authorities appear to have fired live ammunition to disperse protesters in Tehran, wounding several people, according to witness accounts provided to the Guardian and footage circulating on social media.Hundreds of protesters on Sunday defied a heavy security presence in the Iranian capital to hold vigils and demonstrations throughout the day and march in the evening on Azadi Square in the centre of the city. Continue reading... Go to Source

Flybe 'in rescue talks to stave off collapse' Europe’s largest regional airline seeks financing after rising losses, report saysFlybe, Europe’s largest regional airline, is scrambling to stave off a collapse that would put 2,000 jobs at risk.The airline operates more UK domestic flights than any other, and is in talks over potential emergency financing after suffering rising losses, Sky News reported. Continue reading... Go to Source

Labour leadership: Thornberry and Lewis must hit nomination target by 2.30pm or drop out - live news Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happenLabour leadership hopefuls make final pitches for supportLabour leadership election: the latest oddsJohnson hails ‘incredible time’ as he visits Northern Ireland 11.49am GMTThe Press Association has snapped this from this morning’s Downing Street lobby briefing.Iran’s ambassador to the UK has been summoned by the Foreign Office in response to the “unacceptable” arrest of the British ambassador in Tehran, Downing Street said. 11.46am GMTFrom the BBC’s Darran MarshallFirst Minister Arlene Foster jokes with PM - on his arrival at Stormont - that "we are very concerned about t...

Labour leadership hopefuls make final pitches for support Several contenders still short of 22 backers needed to go to next round as deadline nearsLabour MPs hoping to take over the party leadership will make their final behind-the-scenes pitches to colleagues for their support ahead of nominations closing on Monday.Last-minute phone calls, messages and meetings will be held as contenders to replace Jeremy Corbyn as leader, and Tom Watson as deputy, rally MPs and MEPs to try to reach the threshold of 22 nominations to get through to the next round. Continue reading... Go to Source

Families sending relatives with dementia to Thailand for care British people with disease sent abroad over inadequate and expensive care at homeBritish families are sending elderly relatives with dementia overseas to Thailand in a small but growing trend.Researchers visiting private care homes in Chiang Mai have found eight homes where guests from the UK are living thousands of miles away from their families, because suitable care in their home country was impossible to find or afford. Continue reading... Go to Source

Iran deploys riot police as backlash against government grows Protests across country as media outlets join outcry at shooting down of Ukrainian jetRiot police have been deployed in parts of Tehran after tear gas was used to clear the streets of protesters angry at the government’s admission it had mistakenly shot down a passenger jet killing all 176 people on board.Images of dozens of demonstrators taking to the streets in the capital and other cities including Isfahan were circulating on social media as activists called for mass mourning rallies, raising the possibility of fresh clashes between protesters and security forces. Continue reading... Go to Source

Safety fears as hospitals redeploy nurses to care for patients in corridors Overcrowding forces ward staff to spend part of shift looking after patients without a bed ‘I’m being asked to take bloods while patients are on the floor’Hospitals are having to redeploy nurses from wards to look after queues of patients in corridors, in a growing trend that has raised concerns about patient safety.Many hospitals have become so overcrowded that they are being forced to tell nurses to spend part of their shift working as “corridor nurses” to look after patients who are waiting for a bed. Continue reading... Go to Source

Rebecca Long-Bailey wants to abolish the House of Lords Labour leadership contender also says she would not block Scottish independence voteThe Labour leadership contender Rebecca Long-Bailey has said she wants to abolish the House of Lords and would not stand in the way of another Scottish independence referendum.The shadow business secretary, who is a close ally of the outgoing leader, Jeremy Corbyn, said having “completely unelected people” within the structure of government was wrong and representative of the “Westminster bubble”. Continue reading... Go to Source

Harry and Meghan seek global trademark for 'Sussex Royal' brand Filings suggest plans for items and activities from clothing to ‘emotional support groups’The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are seeking to register the “Sussex Royal” brand as a global trademark for a range of items and activities including clothing, stationery and the running of “emotional support groups”, international filings suggest.The application covering Australia, Canada, the EU and US was filed in December with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in the name of their new foundation, according to details online. Continue reading... Go to Source

Storm Brendan: gales of up to 80mph forecast for UK Met Office issues warnings of power cuts and disruption to travel servicesGales of up to 80mph are forecast to sweep across parts of the UK with the arrival of Storm Brendan.The Met Office has issued warnings of disruption to travel services and potential power cuts on Monday and Tuesday. Continue reading... Go to Source

Dominic Raab warns Iran of 'pariah' status after ambassador arrest UK’s representative in Tehran held during demonstrations for ‘inciting’ protestersThe foreign secretary has condemned the arrest of Britain’s ambassador in Iran during anti-government protests as a “flagrant violation of international law” and said the country was marching towards “pariah status”.Dominic Raab’s strongly worded statement came after the ambassador, Rob Macaire, was arrested on Saturday during demonstrations near Amirkabir University in Tehran for “inciting” the protesters. He was held for more than an hour on suspicion of organising, provoking and directing radical actions before he was released, the Iranian Tasnim news agency said. Contin...

Prince William: Harry and I are now separate entities ‘I’ve put my arm around my brother all our lives and I can’t do that any more,’ prince saysThe Duke of Cambridge has expressed his sadness over tensions with his brother before Monday’s crisis summit at Sandringham called by the Queen to decide the future of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.The brothers are now “separate entities” but Prince William hopes matters can be resolved so the royal family can once more play as “a team”, according to reports. Continue reading... Go to Source

Malta gets new PM after Muscat departs over Daphne Caruana Galizia murder Robert Abela elected as Labour leader after PM Joseph Muscat resigned amid controversy surrounding investigation of journalist’s deathOutsider Robert Abela is set to become Malta’s new prime minister after the downfall of previous leader Joseph Muscat over the investigation into the murder of an investigative journalist.Abela, who is seen as representing continuity, was elected leader of the Labour party on Sunday, meaning he automatically takes the role of prime minister. Continue reading... Go to Source

Labour leadership: Keir Starmer slams free market as divisions grow on left Party should not ‘trash’ the Corbyn years, says Labour leadership favouriteKeir Starmer appealed to the Labour left to back his bid for the leadership on Saturday as he denounced the “free-market model” as a failure and backed higher taxes on the wealthiest to pay for better public services. Related: Keir Starmer’s team are confident – but expect a rival’s surge Continue reading... Go to Source

UK weather: warnings for gales and large waves as Storm Brendan sweeps in Seafronts may take a battering and travel disruption is predicted, with winds reaching up to 80mphStrong gales of up to 80mph are set to sweep across parts of the UK on Monday.The Met Office has warned coastal routes and communities could be particularly affected by Storm Brendan as large waves batter seafronts. Continue reading... Go to Source

Iran's admission of guilt over plane crash sparks unrest in Tehran Protesters speak out against supreme leader in response to deaths of Iranians in disasterIran’s embattled regime was shaken by a wave of international condemnation and domestic criticism on Saturday night after admitting its forces shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane with 176 people on board and lied in a bid to cover up its role in the tragedy.Facing possibly the biggest crisis since the 1979 Islamic revolution, senior clerical, political and military leaders scrambled to contain the fallout from what President Hassan Rouhani termed a “disastrous mistake”. Continue reading... Go to Source

Harry and Meghan: Queen calls senior royals to crisis summit The Queen, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex to meet at Sandringham on MondayThe Queen has summoned senior royals to an emergency summit at her Sandringham estate in Norfolk on Monday to discuss the future of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.The meeting, to be attended by the Queen, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex, will be the first time the four have met since the Sussex crisis exploded on Wednesday. Continue reading... Go to Source

Keir Starmer slams free market as divisions grow on left Party should not ‘trash’ the Corbyn years, says Labour leadership favouriteKeir Starmer appealed to the Labour left to back his bid for the leadership on Saturday as he denounced the “free-market model” as a failure and backed higher taxes on the wealthiest to pay for better public services. Related: Keir Starmer’s team are confident – but expect a rival’s surge Continue reading... Go to Source

Revealed: 10,000 child refugees risked their lives to enter Britain The vast majority of arrivals hid illegally in lorries rather than using safe schemes backed by governmentMore than 10,000 unaccompanied children are believed to have entered the UK over the past decade using dangerous methods such as hiding in the back of a lorry according to new analysis that raises fresh scrutiny over the Home Office’s approach towards helping young refugees.Although the Home Office cites the volume of arrivals as proof of its compassion, lawyers accuse it of being disingenuous and say that in reality 90% of the minors have illegally entered the UK and done so by risking their lives. Continue reading... Go to Source

Keir Starmer: Labour has a mountain to climb to win back power Shadow Brexit secretary formally launches Labour leadership campaign with call for unitySir Keir Starmer has called on Labour members to end factionalism and promote a unity, as he formally launched his leadership campaign at the Mechanics Institute in Manchester on Saturday afternoon.Speaking at the birthplace of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) Starmer said: “We need to fight to regain our heartland seats, not just those lost in this election but the ones lost in previous elections. But we have got do more than that because if we just re-win our heartland seats we will lose the next election. Continue reading... Go to Source

Extinction Rebellion could sue police over extremist ideology listing Group threatens action after being named in guide designed to help prevent terrorismExtinction Rebellion is threatening legal action against counter-terrorism police for what it said was the illegal listing of the group as an extremist ideology in a guide designed to help stop terrorist violence.The Guardian revealed on Friday that counter-terrorism police had placed the non-violent protest group on a list of extremist ideologies that should be reported to the authorities running the Prevent anti-radicalisation programme. Police now say that was an error. Continue reading... Go to Source

Iran's admission it shot down airliner is 'important first step', says Boris Johnson – live news Tehran says its military unintentionally shot down Ukraine International Airlines flight 752, killing all 176 people onboardFull report: Iran admits shooting down Ukrainian airliner ‘unintentionally’Plane crash admission triggers international calls for full investigation 5.19pm GMTIn related news, German chancellor Angela Merkel repeated a call for all parties to respect the Iranian nuclear accord, despite Iran’s decision to intensify its enrichment of uranium and moves by the United States to impose economic sanctions, PA reports.Under a deal brokered in 2015, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran agreed with China, France, Germany, Russia, the U...

Northern Ireland assembly reopens three years after collapse Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill stress need for unity as they take up senior rolesThe Northern Ireland assembly has reopened for business three years almost to the day after it and the power-sharing executive in the region collapsed.At an unprecedented Saturday sitting of the regional parliament, assembly members elected Sinn Féin’s Alex Maskey as the chamber’s speaker, the Democratic Unionist party (DUP) leader, Arlene Foster, as first minister and Sinn Féin’s deputy leader, Michelle O’Neill, as deputy first minister. Continue reading... Go to Source

Iran admits shooting down Ukrainian airliner 'unintentionally' ‘Human error’ blamed as admission comes after initial denials were contradicted by western allies’ intelligenceIran has admitted that its military “unintentionally” shot down a Ukrainian jetliner, killing all 176 people onboard, after days of rejecting western intelligence reports that pointed to Tehran being responsible.A military statement came on Saturday morning via state TV, with “human error” blamed for the downing of Ukraine International Airlines flight 752 on Wednesday. It was followed by an apology from Iran’s president. Continue reading... Go to Source

Sultan of Oman dies and is succeeded by cousin Reports say Haitham bin Tariq al-Said will replace Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who had no children and, under protocol, no publicly named successorOman’s Sultan Qaboos bin Said died on Friday evening, state media has announced. Reports early on Saturday said his cousin, Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, was being sworn in as the new sultan.Western-backed Qaboos, 79, had ruled the Gulf Arab state since he took over in a bloodless coup in 1970 with the help of Oman’s former colonial power Britain. Continue reading... Go to Source

Terrorism police list Extinction Rebellion as extremist ideology Exclusive: Police scramble to recall guide issued to teachers putting climate activists alongside far-right groupsCounter-terrorism police placed the non-violent group Extinction Rebellion (XR) on a list of extremist ideologies that should be reported to the authorities running the Prevent programme, which aims to catch those at risk of committing atrocities, the Guardian has learned.The climate emergency campaign group was included in a 12-page guide produced by counter-terrorism police in the south-east called “Safeguarding young people and adults from ideological extremism”, which is marked as “official”. Continue reading... Go to Source

Samira Ahmed wins sex discrimination equal pay claim against BBC Presenter’s victory leaves broadcaster potentially facing huge bill for similar claimsSamira Ahmed has won a sex discrimination pay claim against the BBC in a landmark case that leaves the BBC facing the prospect of a huge bill for similar claims.In a judgment published on Friday, after the tribunal ended in early November, judges were damning of the broadcaster’s argument that Ahmed’s job as presenter of the audience feedback show Newswatch was significantly different to Jeremy Vine’s as a presenter of Points of View. Continue reading... Go to Source