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'It was gut-wrenching': Berlin Wall tunnellers recall 1971 capture Tunnel built to aid escape East Berlin is excavated and opened to public for first timeA tunnel built under the Berlin Wall to allow dozens of East Germans to escape to freedom has been exposed for the first time in almost half a century.Hundreds of volunteers including some of the original tunnellers dug up 189 cubic metres of earth beneath a 19th century brewery allowing access to the former escape route, which will open to the public on Monday as part of celebrations to mark 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Continue reading... Go to Source

BBC 'deliberately failed to call key witnesses' in Samira Ahmed dispute Equal pay tribunal hears that witnesses involved in initial contracts were ‘tellingly’ not calledThe BBC deliberately chose not to call key witnesses who could explain the pay difference between Jeremy Vine and Samira Ahmed, an employment tribunal has heard. Related: Jeremy Vine was 'gifted' his show, says Samira Ahmed Continue reading... Go to Source

General election: McDonnell says it is 'common sense' to relax borrowing rules for £400bn investment - live news The shadow chancellor follows his Tory counterpart in delivering speech outlining economic visionSign up to the morning briefing: the day’s news delivered to your inboxFormer Labour MP Ian Austin tells voters to back Boris JohnsonTom Watson quits as Labour deputy leader 11.59am GMTMcDonnell is now answering questions from activists at the event.He says Labour wants to give local authorities the power to control rents. People think that is radical, he says. But it is normal through Europe. And rent controls used to apply in this country too. 11.58am GMTQ: Why have Ian Austin and the Jewish Chronicle both decided that the election choice should not be Labour?McDonnell doe...

Police officer charged with murder of Dalian Atkinson Second constable facing charge of actual bodily harm after death of former footballerA police officer has been charged with the murder of the former premiership footballer Dalian Atkinson, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.Atkinson, who played for Aston Villa and Manchester City, died aged 48 in 2016 following a clash with police outside his father’s home in Telford, Shropshire. Continue reading... Go to Source

Ukraine crisis put on ice by Trump staff busy working out how to buy Greenland State and defence departments wanted military aid restored, but the Greenland issue ‘took up a lot of energy’, new testimony revealsAfter the White House cut off military aid to Ukraine, Donald Trump’s top officials scrambled to get it restored but were unable to organise a meeting with the president, in part because his staff were too busy pursuing his interest in buying Greenland, according to newly released congressional testimony.The acting US ambassador to Ukraine, Bill Taylor, told Congress that Trump’s order in mid-July to cut off security assistance triggered a series of high-level meetings with cabinet members on how to get it resumed, given the urgency of the Russian military intervention in e...

Government drops Grenfell contractor in sudden U-turn Housing secretary backtracks on allowing Rydon to bid for public contracts after outcryThe government has told the main builder of the disastrous Grenfell Tower refurbishment to stop bidding for public contracts, in an abrupt U-turn just days after it sparked fury among survivors by naming the firm on a list of recommended contractors for high-rise housing.The housing secretary, Robert Jenrick, said late on Wednesday that Rydon should no longer bid for projects until the truth about what caused the loss of 72 lives was established. Continue reading... Go to Source

Merkel's CDU could 'tear itself apart' after call for AfD coalition Regional politician gives warning, after calls for barriers on far-right outfit to be liftedJens Spahn: As German health minister, I’m championing both migration and patriotismAngela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union risks “tearing itself apart” over her legacy in the wake of a string of poor election results, as some conservative politicians double down on her pro-immigration stance while others eye a pact with the nationalist far-right.In the eastern state of Thuringia, where the CDU was beaten into third place by the openly xenophobic Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) at state elections last month, 17 politicians from the party have written a letter calling for lifting the cordon sanitaire around the far-righ...

Tom Watson quits as Labour deputy leader and steps down as MP Move will reopen debate about party’s direction under Jeremy CorbynTom Watson is quitting parliament and stepping down as Labour’s deputy leader, reopening the debate about the party’s direction under Jeremy Corbyn. Watson, who is one of Labour’s best-known figures, has represented the constituency of West Bromwich East since 2001.In a letter to Corbyn released by Labour, he said his decision to step down was “personal, not political”. Continue reading... Go to Source

Top US diplomat observed clear Trump-Ukraine quid pro quo, testimony reveals US officials said Trump would not ‘sign a check’ for military aid without investigation into Joe Biden, Bill Taylor tells inquiryTrump impeachment inquiry – live updatesFor a second time in two days, newly released testimony in the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump has produced a firsthand account of US officials negotiating a quid pro quo in Ukraine in which military aid would be used to pay for a political hit against Joe Biden, the president’s potential 2020 adversary. Related: Trump-Ukraine scandal: Taylor transcript details direct quid pro quo via irregular channels – live Continue reading... Go to Source

Boris Johnson goes on attack after series of high-profile Tory gaffes PM vows to quickly resolve Brexit, then berates Jeremy Corbyn and Nigel Farage Boris Johnson sought to turn around his scandal-hit election campaign on Wednesday as he gave his first major speech, attacking Jeremy Corbyn for planning tax rises to fund “deranged” nationalisation and Nigel Farage for thriving on Brexit not happening.The prime minister promised activists in Birmingham that he would get Brexit completed within weeks and spend next year focusing on the NHS, schools and other priorities, as he tried to draw a line under a disastrous few days for the Conservatives. Continue reading... Go to Source

Twitter employees charged with spying for Saudi Arabia Company workers reportedly obtained personal account information of critics of the government in Saudi ArabiaTwo former Twitter employees have been charged with spying after they reportedly obtained personal account information for critics of the government of Saudi Arabia.A complaint unsealed on Wednesday in US district court in San Francisco detailed a coordinated effort by Saudi officials to recruit employees at the social media giant to look up the private data of thousands of Twitter accounts. Continue reading... Go to Source

Schiphol security alert a false alarm caused by hijack warning sent in error Air Europa says crew member on board Madrid flight accidentally sent alert, prompting huge evacuation and lengthy delaysA false alarm has sparked a massive security operation at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam after a crew member on board a flight to Madrid accidentally sent a hostage-taking alert. Related: Dutch police find 16 migrants at port in lorry destined for UK Continue reading... Go to Source

Boris Johnson urged to ditch Alun Cairns as an election candidate Welsh secretary’s resignation over rape trial allegations not enough, says CorbynLatest election news – live updatesBoris Johnson is facing calls to remove Alun Cairns as a Conservative candidate after the Welsh secretary resigned over allegations that a former aide sabotaged a rape trial.Cairns stepped down following huge pressure in recent days over the actions of his former adviser Ross England, with the furore threatening to derail the Tory campaign in Wales. Continue reading... Go to Source

Labour NEC drops antisemitism row MP as election candidate Chris Williamson blocked from standing for party along with Stephen Hepburn and Roger GodsiffLatest election news - live updatesLabour has blocked the leftwing campaigner Chris Williamson from standing as a candidate for the party in the general election after he was suspended over accusations he had downplayed antisemitism.The party’s ruling body also refused to endorse the Jarrow MP, Stephen Hepburn, who was kicked out of the party over allegations of sexual harassment. Continue reading... Go to Source

Trump impeachment inquiry: public hearings to begin next week, Schiff announces – live House intelligence chair announces Bill Taylor and George Kent to testify on Wednesday and Marie Yovanovitch to appear next Friday – follow liveSign up for the US briefing and get a new perspective 5.53pm GMTCongresswoman Ayanna Pressley has broken with The Squad... to endorse Elizabeth Warren for president.Pressley’s close House allies Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have all endorsed Bernie Sanders, but Pressley announced she would back Warren in a Twitter video this afternoon.Big structural change can’t wait. pic.twitter.com/8Sanof9COD 5.38pm GMTReuters is reporting that a meeting between Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping to sign an interim trade deal could be delaye...