Anger remains white hot in Whitehall over Olly Robbins sacking

Keir Starmer’s decision to oust senior official may have knock-on effect for No 10’s relationship with civil service

Fury within Whitehall about the treatment of Olly Robbins remains white hot several days on from Keir Starmer’s decision to sack the senior Foreign Office civil servant.

“It’s just total self-serving, narrow, selfish, political-endgame stuff,” said one supporter of Robbins, who was dismissed for failing to tell the prime minister that the now disgraced former US ambassador Peter Mandelson had not passed UK security vetting.

Continue reading...

from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/H5FtB2X

How safe is Starmer’s premiership after his Mandelson vetting statement to MPs?

Despite his explanation and the need for political stability, the PM is still unpopular – and Olly Robbins has yet to give his side of the story

Labour MPs frustrated with the lack of a clear mission from Keir Starmer’s No 10 have often urged the prime minister to be more forceful in his arguments, to prosecute his values, to find an enemy to define himself against.

The prime minister has found one: Olly Robbins. Starmer prosecuted his case against the former Foreign Office chief on Monday with the vigour of his former life at the bar.

Continue reading...

from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/AYclSKN

Victory slips away as marathon runner celebrates too soon

The dramatic end to the Delaware Marathon occurred when the lead runner slowed in celebration before a trailing marathoner sprinted toward the finish line .

from BBC News https://ift.tt/LsZoMdm

Ontario Premier Doug Ford agrees to sell $21m private jet following outcry

After confirming the purchase on Friday, Ford drew critcism from political opponents who called it a "gravy plane" and "out of touch".

from BBC News https://ift.tt/dFnJev5

Republican senator criticizes Trump’s ‘holy war’ with Pope Leo

Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, a long supporter of Trump, says president’s feud with the pope is a ‘distraction’

A Republican lawmaker has condemned what he refers to as Donald Trump’s “holy war” against Pope Leo XIV.

Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, a long supporter of Trump and the ultraconservative Maga movement, condemned the president’s attacks on the pope during a Fox News interview on Saturday.

Continue reading...

from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/tLuDY4y

Widespread damage as storm spreads through midwestern US

A series of strong winds has torn through the midwestern US, ripping roofs off homes and leaving roads obstructed.

from BBC News https://ift.tt/QDz0w3g

Two US army soldiers injured by brown bear during training exercise in Alaska

Soldiers were participating in ‘land navigation training’ when bear injured them in a ‘defensive attack’

Two US army soldiers have been injured after encountering a brown bear in a mountainous training area in Anchorage, Alaska, the military said on Friday.

The incident happened on Thursday as the soldiers were participating in a “land navigation training event” in Arctic Valley, part of the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson’s training area.

Continue reading...

from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/8I7qxQM

French peacekeeper killed in southern Lebanon

President Macron blames the attack on Hezbollah. The Iran-backed armed group denies "any connection" to the incident.

from BBC News https://ift.tt/Zj9kVmg

Starmer was kept in dark about Mandelson’s vetting by two other top civil servants

Exclusive: Officials have spent weeks debating whether or not to release highly sensitive information about the affair

Keir Starmer was kept in the dark about sensitive information relating to Peter Mandelson’s security vetting by two other top civil servants, including the head of the civil service, the Guardian can reveal.

The prime minister said on Friday that it was “unforgivable” and “staggering” that senior officials did not tell him that Mandelson failed a security vetting process weeks before he took up his role as ambassador to Washington.

Continue reading...

from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/EuILA7q

Palestinians hand over suspect in 1982 attack on Jewish restaurant in Paris

Hicham Harb is suspected of directing the attack in the Rue des Rosiers and acting as one of the gunmen who shot at diners.

from BBC News https://ift.tt/hB98M2Q