Germany may hold election sooner than planned, Scholz says – POLITICO

King Charles and Sir Tony Blair paid tribute to former deputy prime minister John Prescott, who passed away at 86 after battling Alzheimer’s. The King praised Prescott's decades of public service and remembered his unique character and sense of humor. As a pivotal figure in Blair's New Labour project, Prescott served as deputy prime minister for 10 years, mediating the relationship between Blair and Gordon Brown while representing Kingston upon Hull East for 40 years....

Rosie Millard, the chair of the BBC’s Children in Need, resigned over the charity's grants to LGBT Youth Scotland (LGBTYS), whose former chief was convicted of child sex assaults. The charity awarded £466,000 to LGBTYS, led by James Rennie, a member of a paedophile ring, despite new management being in place when the grants began. Children in Need suspended funding to LGBTYS after Millard raised concerns about the 2009 case, eventually withdrawing support following a...

After President Biden authorized Ukraine to use American-supplied long-range missiles against Russia, Ukraine launched ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles at Russian targets. The Pentagon expressed concern over Russia's experimental missile launch, which Moscow had notified the U.S. about beforehand. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy accused Russia of escalating the conflict by firing intercontinental ballistic missiles into Ukraine, prompting him to highlight Moscow's fear of Ukraine in his address. Full Article

In a new crackdown on anti-social behavior, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper will introduce "respect orders" to tackle hooligans causing havoc in local communities, reminiscent of Tony Blair's Respect Agenda. The police will be granted powers to ban troublemakers from town centres and public spaces, as well as seize vehicles associated with anti-social behavior like off-road bikes and e-scooters. Cooper's initiative aims to empower the law-abiding majority and eradicate the scourge of anti-social behavior, echoing Blair's...

Your support helps The Independent cover important stories, from reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech. By donating, you enable journalists to report on critical issues and provide unbiased coverage accessible to all. A new poll shows public support for a commission on end-of-life care in the UK before a debate on assisted dying, with former PM Gordon Brown backing the push for improved palliative care. Full Article

Ian Hislop criticized Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby for attending a gala just one day after resigning over an abuse scandal in the Church of England involving John Smyth. Hislop called it "jaw-dropping" and was unimpressed by Welby's presence at the event, telling him it was "lovely" that he had resigned. Hislop also condemned gala attendees for praising Welby's resignation, stating they were too quick to forgive each other and not focused enough on seeking...