Mohamed Al Fayed abuse compensation claims could reach £150m, says law firm 13. September 2026 (16:03) Combined value of 275 women’s claims is far greater than amount Harrods has set aside for payoutsCompensation claims by 275 survivors of alleged sexual abuse by the former owner of Harrods Mohamed Al Fayed could reach between £100m and £150m, according to a law firm representing the women.The combined value of their claims, calculated by KP Law (KPL), which represents more than half of known survivors, is around two to three times greater than the amount the luxury department store has set aside for all abuse payouts. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Director who oversaw Grenfell cost-cutting given senior council housing role 13. September 2026 (15:00) Fire survivors and bereaved urge Barnet Group to ‘reconsider’ appointment of Laura Johnson, who pushed for cheaper contractorGrenfell survivors and bereaved relatives have criticised the “outrageous decision” to hire a director who oversaw cost-cutting at Grenfell Tower in a £150,000-a-year senior council housing role.Laura Johnson, the director of housing at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) at the time of the 2017 Grenfell fire, has been appointed the permanent director of development and property at the Barnet Group, which manages the borough’s 13,000 council homes. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Surging inflation puts interest rates back in focus as policymakers meet in Japan, US and UK 13. September 2026 (14:33) Iran war and turbulent global bond markets add to pressure before this week’s series of rate-setting decisionsEconomics viewpoint: perilous UK economic conditions trace back to TrumpCentral bankers in economies including the US, Japan and the UK will face a moment of truth this week, as surging inflation raises the prospect of higher interest rates.Policymakers in all three countries will set rates in the next seven days against the backdrop of turbulent global bond markets. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Pressure builds in Spain to deny US extradition request for leftwing donor 13. September 2026 (14:00) Key government meeting this month will consider US bid to try James ‘Fergie’ Chambers over alleged support for HamasAttorneys for James “Fergie” Chambers, the US citizen and wealthy donor to leftwing and humanitarian projects worldwide who is currently imprisoned in Madrid and sought in extradition, have submitted a brief ahead of a decisive government meeting on the case.Meanwhile, Chambers’ partner, the actor and activist Stella Schnabel, met last week with multiple members of the Spanish parliament to assert his innocence. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Only slim chance target of building 1.5m homes in England will be met, minister says 13. September 2026 (13:23) Angela Rayner says manifesto pledge is not being dropped but focus is now on building council housesUK politics live – latest updatesThe government is unlikely to meet its target of building 1.5m homes in England, Angela Rayner has acknowledged, saying there was only a “slim chance” enough houses would be built before the next election.The manifesto pledge to build 1.5m houses by the next election was a “stretch target”, the communities secretary added, but said it was not being ditched and she was “definitely not giving up”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Voting under way in Sweden with far right eyeing first role in government 13. September 2026 (13:17) Party with neo-Nazi roots is in line for key ministerial positions if rightwing bloc wins the electionVoting is under way in Sweden in a high-stakes election that could lead to the far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) entering government for the first time.It comes after an unusually heated and polarised campaign punctuated by personal attacks between leaders, accusations of misinformation and Maga-inspired ads. Polls suggest an extremely tight race, with one showing just 0.3 percentage points between the left and right blocs. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Dover unrest exposes serious flaws in Britain’s handling of far-right extremism 13. September 2026 (13:00) Authorities were caught off guard by the disruption, which they labelled a ‘protest’ despite mass intimidation tacticsTo anybody watching the videos of a group of masked men, all wearing black, descending on the port of Dover last weekend, it was immediately obvious that something novel and disturbing was happening: a mass intimidation in uniform not seen in Britain since the 1930s.Yet to the police and the rest of the UK’s intelligence apparatus, the arrival of the men chanting “stop the boats” was a surprise, despite the fact that residents of a village 18 miles away tried to report that dozens of men were congregating there on the Friday, threatening to go to Dover and “attack Muslims”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Lawyer charged over alleged insurance fraud after Hurricane Ida poised to plead guilty 13. September 2026 (13:00) Richard Huye charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in apparent scheme linked to 2021 storm aftermathThe first defendant charged in connection with an alleged major property insurance fraud scheme in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in 2021 in Louisiana appears poised to plead guilty, if federal criminal court records are any indication.Richard William Huye III, who faces a count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud while working as an attorney for Texas law firm McClenny Moseley and Associates (MMA), is scheduled to tentatively appear at a rearraignment hearing on 28 September, filings in New Orleans’s federal courthouse show. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
George Osborne calls for UK to rejoin EU customs union and boost trade 13. September 2026 (12:48) Ex-Tory chancellor says economy has ‘fallen off a cliff’ since Brexit but rejoining union could be ‘quite simple’The former chancellor George Osborne said Britain’s economy had “fallen off a cliff” since Brexit and that rejoining the European Union’s customs union would be the fastest route to recovery.Osborne, who resigned as chancellor after being part of David Cameron’s cabinet at the time of the referendum, said it was important to rebuild links with the EU. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Sour times: pickled onions enjoy revival as Britons think outside the jar 13. September 2026 (12:00) With sales up 12%, pickles are moving beyond traditional role as a side to become an ingredient in their own rightThe humble pickled onion, long associated with classic pub culture, the ploughman’s lunch and cold festive buffets, is enjoying a revival as Britain’s appetite for pickles grows.About 8.5m UK households bought pickled onions over the past year, according to the consumer data firm Worldpanel by Numerator, with particularly strong momentum in recent months. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
