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Filmmaker loses High Court bid to take ownership of Hopwood Hall
Hollywood filmmaker Hopwood DePree has lost his High Court case against Rochdale Borough Council over access to his family’s ancestral home, Hopwood Hall. The ruling means the 2017 agreement to transfer the Grade II-listed hall to him for £1 was not triggered, despite planning permission and years of restoration work. DePree, 56, found the 600-year-old…
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England forward Ivan Toney pleads not guilty to Soho nightclub assault
Ivan Toney has pleaded not guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm over an alleged altercation at a Soho nightclub. The England forward has elected for a trial before a judge and jury, where the allegations will be considered. Prosecutors allege that, after an exchange of words at 100 Wardour Street on 6 December last…
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Macron calls crisis meeting after violent French school protests intensify
Protests over worsening conditions in French schools have turned violent, with masked youths accused of setting fires, attacking staff and clashing with police. The escalation has prompted President Emmanuel Macron to convene a crisis meeting, while raising concerns about the safety of teachers, firefighters and others caught up in the unrest. Demonstrations began last Monday,…
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Earl Spencer says Mohamed Al Fayed groped and propositioned Diana
Earl Spencer’s memoir Swan Song reveals that Princess Diana reported being groped and sexually propositioned by Mohamed Al Fayed, billionaire Harrods owner and father of her partner Dodi Fayed. This disclosure gains significance given that Al Fayed has since been posthumously accused of being a voracious sexual predator who abused hundreds of women before his…
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Cornell lawsuit highlights hurdles facing campus sexual assault survivors
A former Cornell University student, identified as Jane Doe, has sued the university, alleging she was drugged and raped by several fraternity members in 2024 and that Cornell failed to protect her or adequately punish those involved. Prosecutors initially declined to bring charges, but the county district attorney reopened the case after the lawsuit was…
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Fewer English secondary schools report cyber incidents, recovery improves
Ofqual’s survey found that fewer secondary schools in England reported cybersecurity incidents in 2025/26, and those affected were more likely to recover immediately. The findings suggest schools may be becoming more resilient, although Ofqual could not say what caused the improvement and many teachers were unsure what security changes their school had made. Of 3,775…
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Former bookkeeper ordered to repay employers just £2,017 of fraud proceeds
Megan Reynolds, 29, who admitted fraud totalling £126,984 against two employers, has been ordered to repay just £2,017 because that was the value of her available assets. She was given a suspended prison sentence last year, and the latest ruling under the Proceeds of Crime Act determines how much of the stolen money can currently…
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Addis Ababa rocked by overnight blasts after drone ban amid rising tensions
Explosions were heard overnight in Addis Ababa, including near military headquarters in the west and a secret service base in the south, residents and diplomatic sources said. The reports come amid heightened concern for the capital’s security, a week after fighting broke out in northern Ethiopia between the army and an alliance of armed groups.…
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Virgin Atlantic honours Joan Branson with portrait on Viva Forever aircraft
Richard Branson has unveiled a Virgin Atlantic aircraft bearing a portrait of his late wife, Joan, as a tribute to her role in the airline’s history and their 50-year partnership. The plane is named Viva Forever after her favourite Spice Girls song. The design includes the Branson family tartan, Joan’s heart-shaped necklace and the rings…