Early PSG goal silences Arsenal crowd in Champions League semi-final
Ousmane Dembele’s early goal leaves Arsenal requiring a second-leg comeback if they are to keep their Champions League dream alive as Paris Saint-Germain earned a 1-0 win to take back to the French capital.
Arsenal were unable to find the equaliser despite long spells of pressure at the Emirates, with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma making two excellent saves to deny low shots from Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard and Mikel Merino seeing his header from Declan Rice’s free-kick ruled out for offside.
Merino’s disallowed goal, which came after a three-minute VAR review, punctured some of Arsenal’s belief after they survived a blistering start from PSG, who struck inside four minutes when Dembele finished off a wonderful move with a low shot that snuck inside the post.
David Raya also made a strong save to deny Desire Doue’s low effort as PSG produced another impressive display in England – having already knocked out Liverpool and Aston Villa. Follow all the reaction from Arsenal v PSG below.
Brexit-style misinformation still a danger in local elections, industry body warns
Fears have been raised that the sort of election interference with fake stories and narratives on polling day which marred the Brexit referendum is still a threat in the UK.
The warning comes as voters in many parts of England prepare to go to the polls on Thursday to cast their ballots for county council and mayoral elections as well as the parliament by-election in Runcorn and Helsby.
The elections could see Nigel Farage’s Reform propelled from a fringe party to one challenging for power but there are calls for an urgent change in the law to deal with misinformation going online when people go to the polls.
BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, which represents IT and tech engineers, has said that restrictions on reporting on election days means that mainstream media is unable to counter narratives which could emerge as people go to the polls.
Almost two thirds of tech experts now believe broadcasters and recognised online media platforms should be allowed to rebut misinformation on polling day.
While BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT did not mention Brexit by name the issue came to the surface with the EU referendum.
A parliamentary investigation by the culture, media and sport committee looked at the way how social media bots were able to spread misinformation.
Researchers at City St George’s University of London found that 13,493 accounts tweeted on the two weeks before and after the referendum before disappearing after the polling stations closed.
While the £350m per week for the NHS promise on the Vote Leave bus became symbolic of misinformation, bots spread claims on immigration and other inflammatory issues.
Analysis of the 2019 general election by Lord Ashcroft found that 16 per cent of voters made their decision on polling day or when completing their postal ballot.
Now 62 per cent of IT professionals surveyed believe the ban on election coverage on polling day should include an exemption to allow mainstream media to counter online misinformation.
Dan Howl, head of policy at BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT said: “As we head into local elections, which often see lower turnout and less public attention than general elections, it’s even more important that broadcasters are empowered to challenge misinformation and disinformation in real time.
“Currently, while polling stations are open, the rules prevent even the most reputable media outlets from responding to false or misleading claims — leaving voters vulnerable to online rumours, deepfakes, and other forms of manipulation at a time when trusted information is crucial.
“Allowing broadcasters to fact-check and correct misleading content as it appears would help voters feel more confident in the information they rely on and ensure that elections at every level are fairer, more transparent, and better trusted by the public.”
The current regulations, set by Ofcom, state that discussion and analysis of election issues must finish when the polling stations open, and not resume until they close. This also includes that whilst people are voting, broadcasters must not publish the results of any opinion polls.
In the same survey of 1200 technologists, 65 per cent of respondents expressed concern that deepfakes would have had a significant influence on the result of the 2024 UK general election.
First transgender judge takes UK to court over biological sex ruling
The only ever judge to publicly say they are transgender in the UK is taking the government to the European Court of Human Rights over the ruling that trans women are not legally women under the Equalities Act.
The long-awaited judgment from the Supreme Court was hailed by gender-critical campaigners but led to warnings it would “exclude trans people wholesale from participating in UK society”.
Dr Victoria McCloud, 55, who stood down last year, is bringing action against arguing a breach of her rights under article six of the European Convention on Human Rights.
She claims the court refused to hear her views on how the ruling would affect her and other trans people. Another trans person had also wanted to give evidence.
Dr McCloud came out as trans in her twenties and is one of about 8,000 people to have legally changed the sex on their birth certificate.
Dr McCloud sought to present evidence to the Supreme Court about how the outcome of the ruling would affect her and other trans people. She has since accused them of “refusing to hear me or my evidence”.
The court’s ruling means that transgender people can be excluded from single-sex spaces if “proportionate”.
Gender-critical campaigners have hailed it as a victory but there are concerns it will put trans people at risk and exclude them from public life.
While the Supreme Court did consider arguments on how the ruling would impact trans people – including from Amnesty – it did not hear from trans activists.
Speaking to The Guardian, Dr McCloud said the basis of her action was that “the Supreme Court refused to hear me, or my evidence, to provide them with information about the impact on those trans people affected by the judgment and failed to give any reasons”.
She added: “Those are two basic premises of normal justice. There were protest groups speaking on behalf of women in this court case, but ordinary women were not actually represented as a whole.
“The disabled were not represented, and now we’re seeing the Conservatives saying that trans people have got to use the disabled loos, which impacts the lives of disabled people. The impacts of all of this have not been dealt with.”
She added that rather than bringing clarity, the judgement and subsequent statements had “brought chaos”.
Doctors at the British Medical Association (BMA) have also condemned the Supreme Court’s ruling on biological sex, dubbing it “biologically nonsensical” and “scientifically illiterate”.
The branch of the union which represents resident doctors, around 50,000 medics previously known as junior doctors, passed a motion on Saturday criticising the judgment, which ruled that trans women are not legally women under the Equalities Act.
Earlier this month five judges from the Supreme Court, the highest court in the UK, ruled unanimously that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act refer to a biological woman and biological sex, in a decision that will have wide-ranging ramifications for trans women’s rights to use services and spaces reserved for women.
It means that transgender women with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) can be excluded from single-sex spaces.
Travel delays as blackout chaos continues in Spain and Portugal
Travel chaos has continued into Tuesday in Spain and Portugal, after one of Europe’s most severe blackouts plunged the Iberian peninsula into darkness.
Around 500 flights were cancelled due to the blackout, according to an estimate by The Independent’s travel correspondent Simon Calder. Large crowds remained at Madrid’s main train station on Tuesday.
Power has now returned to households in Spain and neighbouring Portugal. Investigators still looking into the cause of the blackout which remains unclear, but authorities denied foul play and rumours of a cyber attack.
“What happened yesterday cannot ever happen again,” Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez said Tuesday afternoon, vowing to hold private operators to account.
A power blackout hit most of the Iberian Peninsula on Monday around 12.30pm local time, forcing the two countries to declare a state of emergency.
The mass blackout upended the lives of tens of millions of people for hours as traffic and transport came to a standstill and left leaving many without water, Wi-Fi or mobile network.
Portuguese grid operator REN said there was a “very large oscillation in the electrical voltages, first in the Spanish system, which then spread to the Portuguese system”.
Ronnie O’Sullivan faces talented Si in World Championship quarter-final
Ronnie O’Sullivan is already in control of his record-extending 23rd World Snooker Championship quarter-final against Si Jiahui as ‘The Rocket’ continues his bid for a history-making eighth world title.
O’Sullivan wasted little time in securing a routine 13-4 win over Pang Junxu in the second round at the Crucible Theatre and now leads talented youngster Si, who shockingly made the semi-finals here in 2023 at the age of just 20, 6-2 after their first session on Tuesday afternoon.
Now 22, the Chinese star has established himself in the top 16 but a best-of-25 clash against the greatest snooker player of all time still represents a huge challenge for the fearless potter and any errors during the first eight frames were punished by a ruthless O’Sullivan, who will look to break the back of the best-of-25 contest when the second session resumes at 10am on Wednesday.
Before O’Sullivan v Si got underway in Sheffield, another mouthwatering quarter-final clash begun in the morning session as snooker legends John Higgins and Mark Williams squared off once again. Both men turned professional in 1992, the same year as O’Sullivan, and celebrate their 50th birthdays this year but are still at the top of their game. The quarter-final got off to a compelling start as Higgins raced into a 5-1 lead but Welshman Williams dug deep to claim the final two frames of the session and trail just 5-3 heading into this evening’s second session.
Follow all the scores, results and latest updates from the World Snooker Championship below:
How online schools can help children form friendships as they learn
When thinking about the best education for your child, it’s naturally not just academic success that comes to mind. A good quality school experience is made up of many parts and one key element is the socialising opportunities that school can provide. Socialisation is crucial for building social skills, growing emotional intelligence and helping children form their own individual identity, as well as giving them an additional incentive to attend a place where they have fun and feel part of a community.
While it might be assumed that the social options are reduced when children attend online school, this is not the case. In fact, there are a number of advantages in terms of the structures, support and diverse social opportunities offered to children who join online schools.
Online schools give students the opportunity to form connections with a much more diverse community of students. The online model allows schools to welcome young people from around the world and this gives pupils a chance to make friends with students from differing backgrounds and cultures. Furthermore, this means they can meet more like-minded individuals and form stronger bonds and more meaningful friendships. This access to such a big and vibrant community also ensures that students can really find ‘their people’ and avoids situations where students are stuck in small circles or forced to engage with classmates that don’t share the same interests or passions.
This is something that Grace, who is now in year 13, has experienced since moving to online school. At her previous school, she was struggling with socialisation and felt that she didn’t really have a self-identity. At an online school, she has found she can be more herself. “A lot of people think that online school is about being alone, but I’ve found that without the physical element, I can express myself better,” Grace explains. Subsequently, the majority of her closest friends are from her online school and many she has met offline too. “I feel like I’ve met my people,” she says.
Isabella, who is in year 10, has also found that her experience of socialising at an online school has suited her much more than previous bricks and mortar schools. With her father’s job meaning the family moves country every three years, she has always previously struggled forming new friendships at the schools she joins. “I’m always the ‘new’ student, and it’s tough,” she says. After experiences with bullying, she found that online school is an environment she can thrive in. “You don’t have to turn on your camera or use your microphones if you’re not feeling comfortable. I’m not really a ‘social’ person, but I have made some friends here because we have these breakout rooms where we can talk to each other,” she adds.
While young people might not be meeting their fellow students physically every day, online schools put in place extensive measures to ensure that socialising is available for those who want to. This can be seen clearly at King’s InterHigh, the UK’s leading global online school which welcomes children aged 7 to 19 from across the world. Here, students join a warm and welcoming community with a huge range of opportunities for socialising. There’s dozens of clubs and societies for students across all year groups, representing a vast range of interests from chess to technology, sculpture to debate. Throughout the yearly student calendar, there are a number of events, showcases, and competitions of all kinds that provide a chance to socialise in different settings. Some happen internally, like the King’s InterHigh Arts Festival, while others allow students to interact with peers from outside their school when attending events like the International Robotics Competition.
Assemblies bring students together on a weekly basis and give them the chance to celebrate each other’s achievements, hear from their Student Council representatives, and find out what’s coming up at school. Each student is also assigned to one of the school’s eight houses and these smaller, tight-knit communities bring students a sense of belonging and camaraderie. Additionally, inter-house competitions are a fun and friendly way for students to engage and bond.
Although much socialising can come as a result of activities organised by the school, students at King’s InterHigh who are aged over 13 can continue building these relationships in a more informal setting thanks to the in-house, monitored, social media platform. Restricted solely to school students, the platform is safe, secure, and monitored to ensure a positive socialising environment for all those who choose to use it.
Online schools don’t just offer opportunities to socialise online but also offer ample opportunities to cement these connections in offline settings. At King’s InterHigh, there are global meet-ups throughout the year which bring together families allowing both children and parents and guardians to connect in real life. Regular educational school trips, from Geography excursions to science practical exams at other Inspired schools (the group of premium schools of which King’s InterHigh is part of) also allow children to socialise and have fun together in different settings.
Meanwhile, the annual summer camps, themed around a variety of interests and passions, including adventure sports, fashion, football, and tennis, are open to students across all Inspired schools and are held at spectacular Inspired campuses worldwide. Furthermore, the Inspired Global Exchange Programme offers a range of school exchange opportunities, lasting from one week to a full academic year.
Choosing where to educate your children is a big decision for any parent or guardian that involves many factors. However, when it comes to the social benefits, for the right child, online schools offer something truly transformative. To find out more about King’s InterHigh and whether it might be the right learning choice for your family, visit King’s InterHigh
Police investigate Leeds ‘massacre’ plans as crossbow attacker dies
Police are investigating a Facebook account that detailed plans to carry out a “massacre” on a Leeds pub crawl, as the man arrested over a crossbow and firearms incident in which two women were injured has died in hospital.
Owen Lawrence, 38, who died from self-inflicted injuries, has been named as the key suspect following the incident that unfolded during the Otley Run in Headingley at 2.47pm on Saturday.
Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley said officers would continue their investigation and asked if anyone had information that could assist them, to pass it onto police.
“We understand there are concerns around the incident, and questions about how and why this has happened. Our teams are committed to carrying out an in-depth investigation to provide answers to those affected,” he said, adding they were not seeking anyone else in connection with the attack.
“Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those affected by this incident.”
Lawrence was arrested and taken to hospital on Saturday, while a crossbow and a firearm were recovered from the scene.
A 19 and 31-year-old woman were also injured. Police said on Sunday one of the victims had undergone surgery after suffering life-threatening injuries. She was on Sunday recovering in hospital in stable condition. The second victim was previously discharged from hospital.
Counter Terrorism police confirmed a Facebook account posting about an “Otley Run massacre” in which students, run participants, and police would be targeted, was being assessed as part of the investigation.
The account said the poster had also explored far-right ideologies, and had read material written by Brenton Tarrant, the man who carried out the March 2019 Christchurch massacre, in which 51 people were murdered.
The social media giant has now removed the account and is liaising police over the incident.
People were out running in their fancy dress for the pub crawl, which is seen as a rite of passage among students, involving 17 venues.
Local media had on the day cited an eyewitness who said that people had asked to hide inside the restaurant she worked at.
A woman who works at the Heaney & Mill restaurant told Leeds Live: “I was at work at a nearby restaurant and some girls were sitting outside. They asked if they could come in and finish what they were having because they’d seen someone with a crossbow.”
Leeds District Commander, Chief Superintendent Steve Dodds said he had boosted the visibility of police on the streets and key community events over the coming days.
“We fully appreciate the understandable shock and concern that this incident has caused in the Headingley community, and we are continuing to work closely alongside our partner agencies to support and reassure those living, working or studying in, or visiting the area,” he said.
Putin ally threatens Nato with nuclear strikes in wild speech
Russia could strike Nato with nuclear weapons, a key Putin ally warned, as he hit out at Sweden and Finland joining the bloc.
Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian prime minister and security council deputy, said the two Scandinavian countries have “automatically become targets for our armed forces.”
Mr Medvedev is an anti-Western hawk and has made repeated nuclear threats since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
“They are part of a bloc hostile to us which means they automatically became a target for our armed forces, including retaliatory strikes and even the nuclear component or preventive measures,” he said.
It comes after a major Russian drone attack on Ukraine killed a 12-year-old child this morning and wounded three others just hours after Russian president Vladimir Putin announced a fresh 72-hour ceasefire next weekend.
The girl was killed after one of 100 drones fired by Russia overnight hit a residential building in Samarivskyi district in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine’s emergency service said.
Shortly before the attack, Volodymyr Zelensky accused Mr Putin of “another attempt at manipulation” with his latest offer of a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine.