Discrimination against black people is “baked” into the leadership, culture and governance of the Metropolitan Police, an internal review has found.
The independently commissioned review, authored by Dr Shereen Daniels, surveyed 40 years of evidence of how racism had affected black communities, as well as black officers and staff.
Baroness Doreen Lawrence, mother of murdered black teenager Stephen Lawrence, said that while the report was welcome, it “contains nothing I did not already know”.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley described the report as “powerful”, adding that it “calls out that further systemic, structural, cultural change is needed”.
The review, commissioned from the consultancy HR Rewired, concluded that darker-skinned Met staff were “labelled confrontational” while lighter-skinned employees might receive quicker empathy and leniency.
Dr Shereen Daniels said that systemic racism was “not a matter of perception”, adding that “true accountability begins with specificity”.
“The same systems that sustain racial harm against black people also enable other forms of harm. Confronting this is not an act of exclusion but a necessary foundation for safety, fairness and justice for everyone,” Dr Daniels said.
Baroness Lawrence said that discrimination “must be acknowledged, accepted and confronted in the Met”, adding that racism was the reason why her son had been killed and why the police had “failed to find all of his killers”.
She added: “The police must stop telling us that change is coming whilst we continue to suffer. That change must take place now.”
Imran Khan KC said that the report’s conclusions were “little surprise”, adding that Sir Mark Rowley should resign if he did not “recognise, acknowledge and accept” its findings.
He added: “This Report lays out in shocking clarity that the time for talking is over, that promises to change can no longer be believed or relied on.”
The report is the latest to highlight racism within Britain’s biggest police force, after Louise Casey’s 2023 review – commissioned after the murder of Sarah Everard – concluded that the Met was institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic.
Reviews conducted decades ago have criticised discrimination within the Met – including the 1999 Macpherson report that called the force “institutionally racist” after the mishandling of Stephen Lawrence’s case.
Earlier this year, secret BBC filming found serving Met Police officers calling for immigrants to be shot and revelling in the use of force.
Following the publication of the latest report, Sir Mark Rowley said: “London is a unique global city, and the Met will only truly deliver policing by consent when it is inclusive and anti-racist.”
Hundreds gather to express opposition to US president’s attendance at ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters have held demonstrations opposing United States President Donald Trump’s visit to Malaysia for the ASEAN summit.
Protesters gathered in Kuala Lumpur’s Independence Square and the Ampang Park area of the city in separate demonstrations on Sunday morning and evening to oppose Trump’s support for Israel’s war on Gaza.
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Trump was in Kuala Lumpur to attend the 47th ASEAN summit, where he oversaw the signing of a ceasefire deal between Cambodia and Thailand and announced a number of trade deals.
In Independence Square, protesters wearing keffiyehs braved the midday sun while chanting “Free, Free Palestine”.
Protesters rally against US President Donald Trump’s visit to Malaysia at Kuala Lumpur’s Independence Square on October 26, 2025 [Erin Hale/ Al Jazeera]
Asma Hanim Mahoud said she had travelled 300km (185 miles) from the state of Kelantan in northeast Malaysia to attend the protest and another demonstration on Friday in front of the US embassy.
“People who have a conscience know that Trump is a genocide enabler. Without him, Israel cannot kill all the children and people in Gaza,” she told Al Jazeera.
“It’s not rocket science.”
Mahoud was dismayed that the morning protest had been moved by authorities from Ampang Park, close to the venue of the ASEAN summit, where protests earlier in the week had taken place.
Police said they had expected between 1,000 and 1,500 protesters at the anti-Trump rally on Sunday, according to Malaysia’s Bernama news agency.
The turnout, while much lower, drew from a diverse swath of Malaysian society.
Choo Chon Kai, a leader of the Socialist Party of Malaysia, said he was attending the rally to protest US foreign policy in the Middle East and elsewhere.
“This is a solidarity rally against US imperialism, as well as solidarity with the people of Palestine and people all over the world who are victims of US imperialism,” Choo told Al Jazeera.
Choo also said he was disappointed the protest had been moved from the vicinity of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, where Trump and other leaders gathered for the summit.
Protesters later gathered at Ampang Park, the original gathering site for the protest, in the evening to demonstrate against the US president’s visit.
Asma Hanim Mahoud (left) travelled several hundred kilometres to attend a demonstration against US President Donald Trump in Kuala Lumpur on October 26, 2025 [Erin Hale/ Al Jazeera]
“We just want to make a point that we are against the US policies, but unfortunately, our police have been very hostile to the protest and even shut down the area where we were going to protest,” Choo said.
Kuala Lumpur resident Mursihidah, who asked to be referred to by one name, said she and her husband had been attending pro-Palestine demonstrations since 2023.
Mursihidah said protesters should no longer have to take to the streets after more than two years of war.
Israel and Hamas signed a ceasefire agreement earlier this month – an agreement also overseen by Trump – but violence has continued, with each side accusing the other of breaching the truce.
“I honestly don’t know why we’re still doing this,” she told Al Jazeera.
“This shouldn’t be happening, but somebody has to be their voice. We have to be their voice because they don’t have a voice.”
Phone snatchers often use e-bikes or mopeds to make off at speed
The Metropolitan Police’s newly appointed lead on phone theft says its work in tackling the crime has not been “good enough”.
Just over 1% of phone thefts in London result in a charge or conviction, according to the force’s data, compared with 11% for robberies.
London Assembly member Neil Garratt urged more to be done to tackle the issue of phone theft, which he compared to an “epidemic” in the city.
Appointed two months ago to focus on phone theft at the Met, Cdr Andy Featherstone said the force’s revised strategy, which involves targeting organised crime, was making a difference.
Cdr Andy Featherstone said involvement of the serious crime directorate signalled how “seriously” phone theft was now being taken
Cdr Featherstone said the issue of phone thefts had been an “outlier” for the Met.
“But the bottom line is that isn’t good enough,” he said. “The public deserve better.”
Earlier this month the force made 18 arrests and seized 2,000 handsets in what the Met claimed to be the UK’s largest-ever operation targeting phone thefts.
“We think they are responsible for approximately 40% of all phone thefts in London,” Cdr Featherstone said.
“Our serious crime directorate has been involved in these operations, which they wouldn’t normally be. They would normally be involved in firearms offences, drug importation, et cetera.”
He said the involvement of the directorate signalled how “seriously” phone theft was now being taken, adding: “We’re putting our very best resources and assets pointed at this crime type.”
Christian D’ippolito lost tens of thousands of pounds as a result of having his phone stolen
Christian D’ippolito, was in Hackney when he had his phone stolen by a group of four men while it was unlocked.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Mr D’ippolito said. “I could not believe that had just happened.
“You see, never in a million years did I expect this to happen to me,” said Mr D’ippolito, who is founder of the Spartan Project, a charity supporting vulnerable young people.
Earlier this month the force made 18 arrests and seized 2,000 handsets in what the Met claimed to be the UK’s largest-ever operation targeting phone thefts
He said his digital wallet, PayPal account and business banking details were compromised and the thieves even tried to take out loans in his name.
“It’s quite incredible, actually, to see how, when given the opportunity, individuals can literally clear you out for everything you have in a very relentless way,” he said.
He lost tens of thousands of pounds as a result.
Mr D’ippolito added: “The general public tends to view phone theft as the loss of a valuable piece of hardware, whereas the criminal mind would take that for granted and view what lies beyond the value of the phone as the real opportunity.”
The Met Police said organised crime groups have pivoted to dealing in stolen phones because of how lucrative it can be.
The force said a phone-snatcher could make up to £400 per stolen phone, with devices fetching up to £4,000 when sold in China, given they are internet-enabled and therefore attractive to those trying to bypass censorship.
According to Met Police figures, 117,211 phones were stolen during 2024, up 25% on the 2019 figure of 91,481.
Neil Garratt, who represents Croydon and Sutton on the London Assembly, has repeatedly called for more action to deal with the rising numbers of mobile phone thefts in the city.
“I challenged the mayor (Sir Sadiq Khan) to show leadership last year, but he refused,” Mr Garratt, a Conservative group member, said.
“So I produced a report showing how to tackle phone theft without breaking the bank.”
That report, published in February, recommended targeting a “small group” of criminals which was “committing the most crime”.
“News that more will be done by the Met is extremely welcome,” Mr Garratt told the BBC. “But I am disappointed that the mayor has yet to take political leadership on this issue and has abdicated responsibility to an overstretched and underfunded police force.
“If Khan had pulled his finger out, how many thousands of phones may have not been stolen since?”
In response, a spokesperson for the Sir Sadiq said: “Nothing is more important to the mayor than keeping Londoners safe and Sadiq is supporting the Met to double down on every level of mobile phone crime, with operations to tackle street robbers as well as the handlers and organised criminal groups driving criminality in our communities.
“Last month the mayor backed the biggest-ever Met campaign to tackle mobile phone crime, successfully disrupting an international major criminal network linked to 40% of all phones stolen in London.
“This work is happening in tandem with record funding from City Hall boosting visible neighbourhood policing and deploying specialist operations in hotspot areas like Westminster and the West End.
“But the police can’t defeat this on their own.
“The mayor has long been clear we need decisive and co-ordinated action to halt the global trade of stolen phones and he will continue to push the mobile phone industry to go much further in preventing stolen phones being used, sold and repurposed, to build a safer London for all.”
The Metropolitan Police said it is “actively” looking into media reports that Prince Andrew tried to obtain personal information about his accuser Virginia Giuffre through his police protection.
“We are aware of media reporting and are actively looking into the claims made,” the force said on Sunday.
It comes after Ms Giuffre’s brother called on King Charles III to strip Andrew of his “prince” title, following the announcement he would stop using his other titles.
Prince Andrew has not commented on the reports, but consistently denies all allegations against him. Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.
Ms Giuffre, who took her own life earlier this year, said she was among the girls and young women sexually exploited by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his wealthy circle.
She also claimed that she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions, including when she was 17.
According to the Mail on Sunday, Andrew asked his police protection officer to investigate her just before the newspaper published a photo of Ms Giuffre’s first meeting with the prince in February 2011.
The paper alleged that he gave the officer her date of birth and confidential social security number.
On Friday, Andrew announced that he was voluntarily handing back his titles and giving up membership of the Order of the Garter – the oldest and most senior order of chivalry in Britain.
He will also cease to be the Duke of York, a title received from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
It’s a bit of a mad one with Wayne this episode that includes Liverpool v Man Utd chat, his birthday weekend, opinions on England and Marcus Rashford, and meet-ups with 50 Cent and Ed Sheeran.
Wayne takes us inside his 40th birthday bash, but who did he dress up as? Which songs did he belt out on karaoke? And who ended up with a nasty injury?
Musician and Liverpool fan Jamie Webster joins Wayne, Kelly and Kae to discuss why their rivalry with Manchester United is the biggest in English football. But who is this match more important for: Arne Slot or Ruben Amorim?
Jamie’s appearance on the show leads to a number of musical revelations from Wayne: how did he end up on stage with 50 Cent? And Why did Coleen have to step in when he tried to change an Ed Sheeran song?
Wayne gives his thoughts on England’s World Cup qualification and explains why he’s pleased the players are less certain of their places under Thomas Tuchel. He also has strong words for Marcus Rashford’s recent comments about the “inconsistent environment” at Old Trafford not helping his form.
Meanwhile, we discover what led Wayne and Jermain Defoe to watch his entire wedding DVD together while they were away at the 2010 World Cup and what was Wayne gutted to find out on the last day at Glastonbury?
You can watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport YouTube, iPlayer, as well as listen on BBC Sounds.
Sir Tony Blair met with Jeffrey Epstein in Downing Street while still prime minister, following lobbying by Lord Peter Mandelson, the BBC has confirmed.
A memo written by senior civil servant Matthew Rycroft, dated 14 May 2002 briefs Sir Tony about “super-rich” financial adviser Epstein ahead of a meeting scheduled at 17.00 GMT that day.
The meeting was six years before Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor in June 2008.
A spokesperson for Sir Tony, said: “As far as he can remember, Mr Blair met with him for less than 30 minutes in Downing Street in 2002, and discussed US and UK politics. He never met or engaged with him subsequently.”
He added: “This was, of course, long before his crimes were known of and his subsequent conviction.”
Emails seen by the BBC show Lord Mandelson pushed for the meeting, telling Sir Tony’s chief of staff Jonathan Powell that Epstein was “a friend of mine” who ex-US President Bill Clinton hoped to introduce to the PM.
The release of this and several related documents had previously been blocked by government officials due to concerns about the impact on UK-US relations.
Now the document has been released by the National Archives under Freedom of Information request, following the sacking of Lord Mandelson as US ambassador after fresh revelations about his friendship with the disgraced financier.
In the email to Powell – the current UK government’s National Security Adviser – Lord Mandelson refers to Epstein as “safe”.
The email on 7 May 2002 states: “Do you remember when Clinton saw TB [Tony Blair] he said he wanted to introduce his travelling friend, Jeffrey Epstein, to TB?
“This was frustrated – TB said at the time – in the office for reasons (he says) he was unclear about. I think TB would be interested in meeting Jeffrey, who is also a friend of mine, because Jeffrey is an active scientific catalyst/entrepreneur as well as someone who has his finger on the pulse of many worldwide markets and currencies.
“He is young and vibrant. He is safe (whatever that means) and Clinton is now doing a lot of travelling with him.”
The email continues: “I mentioned to TB that Jeffrey is in London next week and he said he would like to meet him.
“I have ascertained from Jeffrey that he is flexible – he could be here any time from Tuesday onwards to fit round the diary – but would obviously need to know reasonably quickly so as to re-schedule accordingly. Can you let me know?”
There are three separate handwritten notes on the print-out of the email, some of which are illegible, but one appears to read “do you want to do this… Because you wanted to see Clinton by yourself… I know very little more about him”.
At the time, Lord Mandelson was a backbench MP, having twice resigned from the cabinet, but still a force in Labour.
Bill Clinton has acknowledged being a former associate of Epstein but said had no knowledge of his crimes.
Epstein was convicted in Florida for soliciting prostitution from a person under the age of 18 in 2008. He died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The National Archive has also released a schedule headed Trade and Industry Meetings with Industry, which includes a memo published on 14 May 2002. briefing Sir Tony about Epstein ahead of a meeting schedule for 17.00 GMT that day.
The briefing, written by senior civil servant Matthew Rycroft is marked R, understood to mean restricted.
In the memo Rycroft, who until March 2025 was the permanent secretary at the Home Office, wrote to Blair: “Jeffrey Epstein is seeing you at 5pm today.
“He is a financial adviser to the super-rich and a property developer. He is a friend of Bill Clinton and Peter Mandelson.”
Rycroft states “The background on Epstein is that he is very rich and close to the Duke of York”.
He adds: “Peter says that Epstein now travels with Clinton and Clinton wants you to meet him.
“He thinks you would find worthwhile a conversation with him about a) science and b) international economic and monetary trends.”
The memo was also sent to Powell and Geoffrey Norris, one of Sir Tony’s special advisers.
Police remove a protester taking part in a demonstration organised by Defend Our Juries
At least 442 people have been arrested in central London during protests in support of the proscribed group Palestine Action the Metropolitan Police has said.
Organisers Defend Our Juries said around 1,000 took part in demonstrations backing Palestine Action – a group which was proscribed by the government in July making it illegal to show any support or affiliation to them.
Demonstrations went ahead despite calls from ministers and police who called for protests to be postponed following Thursday’s deadly synagogue attack in Manchester.
Sir Keir Starmer had urged protesters to “respect the grief of British Jews”, while Jewish figures also criticised the protests.
Defend Our Juries member, Zoe Cohen, said as a Jewish person she is “grieving after the appalling synagogue attack” but also “grieving for the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have been murdered, displaced and starved in Gaza”.
She added: “I think it’s possible for us to be compassionate and open our hearts to victims of multiple atrocities at one time.”
In the statement, released during the protest, she said “if today’s vigil had been cancelled we would have been letting terror win”.
In their latest update, the Met Police said: “As of 18:30 BST officers had arrested 442 people for supporting a proscribed organisation.”
Earlier on Saturday they said: “The majority of people still remaining in Trafalgar Square are onlookers who are not holding placards in support of Palestine Action.”
It added that a different protest group had gathered in Whitehall, “blocking the road before trying to march first towards Trafalgar Square, then Parliament Square. Officers have intervened”.
Public Order Act conditions have been imposed on the Whitehall protest by police, which means protestors must leave the road and assemble on Richmond Terrace. Officers will open the road again when it is safe to do so.
Reuters
Police said the protest diverted officers from “protective security” for communities
Ahead of the demonstrations, the Met Police said it would deploy 1,500 officers to Trafalgar Square to deal with the protesters.
In an update on Saturday afternoon, the Met said the bulk of those arrested were detained for gathering in Trafalgar Square; while six were arrested for unfurling a banner backing the proscribed group on Westminster Bridge earlier in the day.
The force said each arrest took time because “many of those arrested won’t walk out of the square and need to be carried”.
The Met said this is a process which requires a minimum of five officers to do so safely.
PA Media
Police remove a protester after a banner was unfurled on Westminster Bridge
On Friday, the Met wrote to Defend Our Juries to raise concerns about the amount of police resources the protest would divert at a time when “visible reassurance and protective security” was needed for communities.
But the group, which has led demonstrations against the ban on Palestine Action, defied these calls and went ahead with the protest.
In a statement beforehand, it said it hoped police “choose to prioritise protecting the public from real terrorism, and not waste resources on enforcing the absurd and ridiculous ban on Palestine Action”.
Minutes before the main event started in Trafalgar Square, Defend Our Juries managed to hold two banners over the north side of Westminster Bridge which read: “I oppose genocide” and “I support Palestine Action”.
The Met said officers removed the banners minutes later, and arrested those involved for supporting a proscribed organisation.
PA Media
Protesters unfurled a banner on Westminster Bridge against the backdrop of the Houses of Parliament
A spokesperson for human rights group Amnesty International UK, said arresting people for “peacefully sitting down and holding these signs” was not a job for the police.
“These arrests are in breach of the UK’s international human rights obligations and should not be happening”, they added.
PA
Around 100 showed up to the march in Manchester that began at Manchester Cathedral
A similar event held by Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine also took place where a crowd of around 100 pro-Palestinian supporters gathered outside Manchester Cathedral ahead of a march.
The Manchester Palestine Movement said the protest was to mark “two years of genocide in Gaza”.
The protests were held just days after two Jewish men – Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz – were killed after Jihad Al-Shamie drove a car into people outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester.
The knifeman then tried to force his way into the synagogue before being shot dead by armed police. Three others were injured in the attack.
Ahead of the demonstrations, the Community Security Trust (CST) charity – which provides security for the Jewish community – told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the protests were “phenomenally tone deaf”.
Dave Rich said: “For so many people who claim to care about human rights and care about freedoms, to be taking police resources away from protecting the rights and freedoms of Jewish people to live their lives and go to synagogue in safety, all to support a proscribed terrorist organisation, which is not the same thing as supporting the Palestinians.
“The two are not the same. And I think it’s remarkably self absorbed and insensitive to say the least.”
The group has urged the Met to “prioritise protecting the community, rather than arresting those peacefully holding signs” in support of Palestine Action.
The government proscribed Palestine Action under anti-terrorism legislation in July, after activists broke into an RAF base and damaged two military aircraft earlier in the year.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has written to the home secretary and the mayor of London after a BBC investigation found misogyny and racism inside the force.
Footage captured by a Panorama undercover reporter showed serving Met officers calling for immigrants to be shot, revelling in the use of force and being dismissive of rape claims.
Here is the Met chief’s letter in full:
Dear Home Secretary and Mayor,
Tonight’s BBC Panorama Undercover in the Police has once again placed a spotlight on the culture and standards of the Metropolitan Police Service. The behaviours of some of the Met officers and staff featured in the show are reprehensible and completely unacceptable.
In the programme we saw appalling, potentially criminal, behaviour from officers, that lets down our communities and will cause Londoners to question if they are safe in our custody, and whether they would be believed and respected as victims of crime. This damages trust and confidence, and I have apologised to those we serve.
It’s my expectation that for those involved, where there is incontrovertible evidence of racism, misogyny, anti-Muslim sentiment or bragging about excessive use of force, they will be put on a fast-track hearing within weeks and on a path to likely dismissal. We stand ready to work with the IOPC to make this happen.
As Commissioner, I have been candid about the longstanding systemic, cultural, leadership and regulatory failings that have allowed misogyny, racism and a lack of public service ethos to put down deep roots. We are part way into conducting what is already the biggest corruption clear-out in British policing history, more robust than the Met has been historically and relentlessly arresting and sacking officers and staff – with nearly 1,500 removed so far.
In light of the deep concern that I know Londoners will have following Panorama, I wanted to share a detailed update with you on the immediate steps we took upon being alerted by the BBC; provide an update on our relentless focus on culture and standards, and share how this focus will continue as we deliver New Met for London 2 – the next phase of our reforming strategy.
Immediate Actions
The Met was alerted to these allegations by BBC on 9th September in the form of a 13-page letter. Within 48 hours of the letter being received, nine officers and one staff member had been suspended, with two more officers being removed from frontline duties. The Met also referred these allegations to the IOPC who have since taken the investigation independently, with the Met’s full support.
The Met and the IOPC have both asked the BBC to share any further information they hold to support the investigation. This has not yet been forthcoming, but we are hopeful that now the programme has aired that the BBC will ensure that any relevant material they hold is shared with the IOPC and the Met without delay. The broadcast tonight was the first time that the Met and IOPC have seen the transmission – we expect that the IOPC will now consider whether any of the initial misconduct or criminal assessments need revising as part of their investigation.
Alongside the immediate suspension and restriction decisions related to the 12 officers and staff featured, we have taken wider immediate and uncompromising action to handle this case. There are clearly deep-rooted issues related to Charing Cross which we need to address. Therefore, we:
Dismantled the custody team at Charing Cross, with 34 dedicated detention officers immediately moved to alternative custody sites. All 16 Charing Cross custody sergeants were removed from their positions and posted into other non-custody parts of the organisation. These officers are being closely monitored and supervised to ensure they are upholding our values and professional standards.
Inspectors based in Charing Cross custody have been removed within the last two weeks and replaced. We are making changes to the leadership team in our Custody command.
We are also making senior leadership changes at the wider Central West BCU, which covers Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham boroughs. This includes movement of Chief Inspectors and Superintendents.
Have asked our independent custody assessors to increase the regularity of their visits, so they can better help us to identify areas of concern.
We are reviewing several complaints relating to custody to make sure any isolated or more systemic issues are identified and pursued.
More widely across Custody teams city-wide, we have also begun a rolling process to rotate all Custody Sergeants who have over two years’ tenure.
These steps are a specific response to the allegations that the BBC put to us, they are unprecedented and decisive, and begin to address an unacceptable culture.
Clearing out Corruption
These immediate actions are in line with the plan we set out in New Met for London to deliver our mission of ‘more trust, less crime and high standards’. As you know, three years ago I stated that we would be ruthless in tackling those who corrupted the Met’s integrity and began the biggest police corruption clear-out in British history.
As part of this we dedicated a further 200 officers to proactively uncovering and dealing with wrongdoing. The results are significant. Since 2020 we have also seen forced exits treble with 550 officers and staff being exited last year. Over the last three years almost 1,500 people have left the Met, having failed to meet our standards. Alongside this, our officers and staff are increasingly confident to report wrongdoing. Thanks to their courage and conviction we have seen internal reporting treble since 2021/22.
In parallel with exiting those not suitable, entry standards were tightened, resulting in a notable increase in vetting rejection rates from historic standards from around 5% in 2021 to 10% in 2024.
Whilst this is progress, I am under no illusion that this clear-out is complete; we are still arresting and dismissing officers weekly and we will be relentless until the job is finished. We are also now probing deeper into the corrupt networks and cliques that our actions have driven underground. This was a theme of the BBC investigation, and we are pursuing it.
Tackling Culture
In addition to the unprecedented blitz we have made on standards, we have made major strides in addressing some of the cultural issues which have in the past hindered the Met’s ability to gain the trust of our communities, and more than ever before we are asking Londoners to be the arbiters of our progress.
Whilst under no misconception whatsoever at the scale of the problem, and recognising that much more needs to be done, we have made progress in building trust – 81% of Londoners agree the Met is doing a good or fair job and 74% of Londoners agree the Met is an organisation that they can trust.
We have also seen the confidence gap between female and male Londoners close and trust among Black Londoners increase by 10% over two years. Victim satisfaction has also improved from 59% to 63% in the past year.
As part of our efforts to address cultural issues, 40,000 Met staff and officers have received bespoke training on the values we expect those within the Met to follow, along with additional training to recognise and combat victim-blaming behaviours. This is not a one-off, it is [an] embedded feature of training at all ranks of the organisation.
Whilst these stats show that significant progress has been made, we recognise that this process of cultural change will take much longer than three years, and will require us to push harder, further and in different ways.
The vast majority of our people join policing with a vocational sense of public duty. We are determined to support even more staff to report wrongdoing and the abuse of power. We will equip and develop our leaders to help them succeed in driving lasting cultural change.
Next Phase: New Met for London 2 (NMfL2)
In July we published our draft New Met for London 2 document for consultation. This plan sets out how we will continue our determined efforts on culture and standards. The behaviour in the BBC documentary shows we still have a way to go. We must, and will, focus relentlessly on culture and standards, at the same time as maintaining our improving crime performance.
As part of NMFL2, we will:
1. Improve support for victims and reporters of wrongdoing. The work to date has led to a tripling of reports and we will go further:
We will increase awareness of established confidential, accessible channels for reporting culture and leadership failures.
Accelerate the creation of a specialist Victim Support Team, trained in trauma-informed approaches and cultural sensitivity.
Every victim will be provided with a named caseworker for continuity and to improve trust and confidence.
Implement stronger protective measures – such as temporary redeployment and flexible working – to safeguard victims during and after investigations.
2. Leadership Development
We have some outstanding leaders who deliver excellent results and display care and empathy for communities. Our best leaders have helped deliver the progress so far, but all leaders will need to do more as we eradicate the embedded cliques and networks left behind as we clear out the volume.
As part of NMFL, we will continue to invest heavily in improving training and equipping our leaders, this includes:
Creating a new leadership framework, guiding principles and values to underpin leadership development programmes.
Established a Leadership Academy. We are in our second year of delivering this to our leaders ensuring they have at least 5 days of training and development per year.
We have introduced a new performance management process which in its second year has achieved over 90% compliance.
We are reforming our promotion processes to ensure we select leaders who we are confident will be effective leading culture change while driving up performance.
However, the events at Charing Cross show that our leadership values are not universally adopted and embedded across the whole of the Met. They also show the abuse of the power of leadership. We still have some leaders who allow these behaviours to embed and systemic discrimination to continue. We will intensify our support and development of leaders – supporting and developing our organisation’s role models and removing those who either can’t or won’t improve. Strong leaders, who are present and curious and demand the right behaviour from colleagues will continue to thrive.
3. Harden our policies and innovate how we use data to spot trends in problematic behaviour. Our anti-corruption unit is currently running multiple covert operations, looking at cases involving racism, misogyny and criminal relationships.
As part of our commitment to tackle standards in the Met through modernisation and data-driven improvements, we are exploring how advanced technology can help us make better use of the data we already hold.
Working with a leading expert in data integration and analytics, we are testing new ways to use AI and data insights to supercharge our ability to gain clearer insights into our workforce. This approach will help us identify where we need to intervene and spot trends early.
Based on an intelligence-led process started six months ago, we plan to update our declarable associations policy. The secrecy around Masonic links can create a lack of trust – with the public and with other colleagues. It can also create behaviour which puts personal advantage over public service or creates expectations of special treatment.
4. We will bring even more external scrutiny and community involvement so Londoners can hold us to account to a greater extent than ever before.
We have already asked our independent custody assessors to increase the regularity of their visits, so they can better help us to identify areas of concern.
We have recognised inconsistencies in community scrutiny work and will soon be presenting a new model – for rollout across the Met – which will ensure this is done effectively in every borough, including broader scope and proper co-ordination across London.
We are holding an event in all 32 London boroughs, by the end of the year, to hear more about communities’ views on the New Met for London 2 plan and how we can deliver it together. With our first two events happening this week – in Brent on Monday, and Hillingdon taking place tomorrow.
The new Met Engage platform allows communities to raise local concerns, share their views on our policing priorities and give direct feedback to their local policing teams without having to attend a ward panel event.
Independent Advisory Groups will continue to provide robust challenge and advice across many areas of operational activity in the Met.
We are also held to account by London Policing Board which was introduced by the Mayor following Baroness Casey’s review and provides expert advice and scrutiny across culture, standards, performance, finance and operational fields.
The Met and City Hall will also shortly share with Londoners the details on the planned jointly commissioned progress review recommended by Baroness Casey.
The events unveiled at Charing Cross show that our work is far from complete, and for the appalling behaviour displayed, which damages the trust our communities put into the Met, we are truly sorry.
We have made significant progress in clearing out corruption and improving our standards and culture over the past three years. This progress stands on the determination of the good majority of our people who have stepped forward and reported wrongdoing at three times the rate.
We are all committed to this continued relentlessness until that job is finished and as we seek to improve it is vital that we draw even closer to our communities and partners to ensure we are actively listening to feedback and continually striving to deliver policing that puts the public first.
I remain optimistic about delivering our mission of ‘more trust, less crime and high standards’ and know that the good majority, thousands of officers and staff, are delivering on this mission every day.
Thank you for your continued challenge and support.
Strictly Come Dancing pro Dianne Buswell has addressed a comment she received about dancing whilst pregnant and her post about it has then been met with support
23:47, 24 Sep 2025Updated 23:47, 24 Sep 2025
Dianne Buswell reacted to a comment about her dancing whilst pregnant earlier this week(Image: Kate Green/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA)
Professional dancer Dianne Buswell has addressed criticism over her decision to compete on Strictly Come Dancing whilst pregnant. She has also been met with support after sharing a message that she received about the situation.
Dianne announced that she’s expecting a baby with her partner Joe Sugg earlier this month, with their son due next year. The news has been celebrated by fans but she’s also faced concern over still competing on the BBC show ahead of the first live show, which is taking place this weekend.
It was confirmed in the launch show that Dianne will remain one of this year’s dancers as the partner of Neighbours star Stefan Dennis. She’s said to be the first pregnant competitor in the show’s history, as reported by the Express.
However, not all viewers are pleased, with it suggested she should withdraw from the contest due to her pregnancy. Dianne shared an update on her Instagram Story on Wednesday, where she showed one negative message that she’s received.
The message stated: “I don’t want to see her dance being pregnant, it’s already feeling uncomfortable and she’s only starting to show. It’s really not appropriate.” Dianne responded to the comment in her own post, expressing her frustration. She wrote: “I can’t believe in 2025 things like this are still being said.”
In a subsequent post, she highlighted a response from one of her supporters, who defended Dianne. They said that her dancing whilst pregnant was “nothing short of beautiful and magical”. They went on to say she is “inspirational and incredible” in the message, which Dianne shared beside teary-eyed emojis and red hearts.
The fan said: “Saw [Dianne’s] story and just had to say something. Her dancing pregnant in Strictly this year is nothing short of beautiful and magical. Women’s bodies are INCREDIBLE and I don’t actually think some people realise that.
“This will show all of those people who believe this weird twisted notion that women should hide away when they’re carrying a baby that women are capable of so much more & can do anything. You’re inspirational and incredible. We as a family cannot wait to watch you doing what you love and were born to do again every weekend. And we will be cheering you on as always beautiful.”
Dianne revealed earlier this month that she and YouTuber Joe are expecting their first child together. Since then, some of her fans have questioned whether the 36-year-old pro should carry on performing some of Strictly’s lifts.
Speaking to comedian Chris McCausland, whom she won Strictly with last year, on their Winning Isn’t Everything podcast, Dianne said that her doctor had given her advice following her pregnancy announcement. Chris said: “How’s it work with all the lifts and things like that because we did quite a lot of lifts that were quite high impact.”
Dianne replied: “Well, look, I’m still doing everything that I did before. Obviously, with lifts, there’s just going to be a bit more caution. But my doctor has said that everything is like normal. He said, basically, if you’ve done it before, like in terms of you’re a dancer, you’ve done lifts, you’ve done this, you’ve done that, then crack on and keep doing what you were doing.”
She continued: “He said, because you’ve danced since you were five, literally, this is what your body’s meant to do. He said you shouldn’t stop what you do. So obviously, with lifts, you just do it with caution.”
LA QUINTA — Briana Ortega had been home for all of three minutes when she heard a fist pounding against her door.
She opened it to find a Riverside County sheriff’s deputy “claiming a black man with dreadlocks had jumped over her backyard fence” and was trying to break into her La Quinta home, according to court records.
Almost immediately, Ortega, 29, suspected Deputy Eric Piscatella was there for other reasons. The encounter last summer wasn’t the first time they’d met. It wasn’t even the first time he’d shown up at her home unannounced, according to an arrest affidavit and claims in a civil lawsuit.
“You look pretty without makeup … sorry I don’t mean to be rude or unprofessional,” Piscatella said, after spending a scant few seconds looking out a window for the purported suspect, according to a recording of the incident.
It was the fourth time in less than a year that Piscatella had either shown up at Ortega’s home or contacted her without a legitimate law enforcement purpose, according to the affidavit and lawsuit. Ortega shared text messages showing the deputy tried to flirt with her and ask her out on dates, but she rebuffed him at every turn.
A former Riverside County sheriff’s deputy is accused in a lawsuit of using law enforcement resources to pursue a woman he met at a public event.
(Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
Last year, Riverside County prosecutors charged Piscatella, 30, with seven counts of illegally using law enforcement databases to look up information about Ortega.
But instead of resolving the situation, Ortega says, the way Piscatella’s case played out in criminal court has only prolonged her ordeal.
Ortega said she remains “terrified” of Piscatella and declined to testify against him. In July, a Riverside County judge downgraded all charges against Piscatella to misdemeanors. He pleaded guilty and received probation, avoiding jail time.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco kicks off his campaign to run for governor at Avila’s Historic 1929 center on Feb. 17 in Riverside.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
“I feel like with him getting the misdemeanor, nothing is ever going to change… If it takes me having to [file this lawsuit], I will, if it helps,” she said.
Piscatella declined to comment through his defense attorney.
A spokesperson for the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said Piscatella resigned last October after roughly five years on the job. His ability to work as a police officer in California is suspended, accreditation records show, but without a felony conviction it could be restored.
Ortega recalled her first run-in with Piscatella as innocent enough.
She was attending what she described as a “family fair,” with her two sons in Coachella in September 2023, enjoying amusement rides and carnival games when she said her oldest son ran up to a group of sheriff’s deputies who were giving out stickers. Piscatella was among them, according to Ortega, who said they had a polite but forgettable conversation.
They did not exchange contact information, but a few months later, in January of 2024, Ortega said, she got a text from an unknown number.
The texter claimed to be her “personal officer.” A fitness influencer with more than 100,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram, Ortega gets random flirtatious messages from men. So she shrugged it off.
That same month, Piscatella searched Ortega’s name and the city of La Quinta in both the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System and other sheriff’s databases shortly before the texts were sent, according to court records. In Ortega’s civil suit, she alleged this was how Piscatella tracked her down.
One month later, Piscatella showed up at Ortega’s La Quinta home while she was at work, according to her lawsuit. Her mother answered the door, and was “alarmed” when the deputy questioned where her daughter was. Still, Ortega wasn’t bothered.
“I’m like, he’s a cop, he can’t be that crazy. He’s on the force for a reason … of course he knows where I live,” she said.
Echoing claims in her lawsuit, she added: “I’m not thinking he’s going to continue to look for me or stalk me. If I would have known, I would have complained.”
Ortega was so unfazed that she actually went to Piscatella for help a month later. Her younger sister had been the victim of an assault and was struggling to get attention from the Sheriff’s Department. So Ortega contacted the man who claimed to be her “personal officer.”
But when Ortega began describing the purported crime, Piscatella responded by asking her to send a “selfie” and insisting they should go to the gym together. Annoyed, Ortega eventually changed her number when instead of help, all she got was a picture of Piscatella wearing Sheriff’s Department clothes, according to text messages.
Court records show Piscatella continued to use law enforcement databases to keep tabs on Ortega in the months that followed. In May 2024, he searched her name and ran her license plate, according to court records. He did the same in July, right before showing up at Ortega’s house, claiming he saw the man with dreadlocks break in.
At that point, Piscatella’s interest in Ortega had turned into an “obsession,” according to her lawsuit. Since he arrived just minutes after she’d returned from a trip to San Diego, Ortega said it felt like Piscatella was “waiting for me.” She alleges in her lawsuit that the deputy “used law enforcement resources and databases … to stalk her.”
After letting him in, she surreptitiously recorded the deputy standing in her living room, talking to her children. In the lawsuit, Ortega said she was “confused, scared and uncomfortable,” especially after Piscatella asked for her new number, which she gave him out of “fear.”
Piscatella texted her a short time later, according to messages reviewed by The Times, describing her kids as “so cool.”
“I don’t feel comfortable with everything that just happened. Please do not contact me again,” Ortega wrote back.
Briana Ortega filed a lawsuit alleging that she has been living in fear of a former Riverside County sheriff’s deputy.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
She made a complaint to the Sheriff’s Department the same day. Court records show the department launched an internal investigation and quickly determined Piscatella had used law enforcement databases to look up information on Ortega several times, according to an affidavit seeking a warrant for his arrest.
The affidavit shows there was “no corresponding call for service” related to the day Piscatella showed up at Ortega’s home and claimed someone was breaking in.
Riverside County prosecutors filed seven felony charges against Piscatella.
Ortega said she refused to testify because, even though the Sheriff’s Department had presented a case against one of their own, she feared Piscatella or a fellow deputy might seek retribution against her.
At a July court hearing in Indio, Piscatella made an open plea to the court seeking to downgrade each charge to a misdemeanor and avoid jail time, according to a transcript of the proceeding.
Riverside County Deputy Dist. Atty. Natasha Sorace pleaded with Superior Court Judge Helios J. Hernandez not to accept the lesser charges.
“The defendant was a police officer — a sheriff’s deputy, who used his position of power and the information he had access to as a result of that position to put someone in the community in significant fear for their safety,” Sorace said.
“He searched information — conducted a search about a particular individual and used that information to come up with an excuse to get into that woman’s house, where he proceeded to hit on her and make her feel uncomfortable in her own on home.”
But Hernandez rebuffed her attempts to argue the point further. In his view, “nothing actually happened.”
“He never, like, broke into the house or threatened her,” Hernandez said, according to a transcript of the hearing.
Hernandez sentenced Piscatella to probation and community service and ordered him to stay away from Ortega. Records show prosecutors have appealed the decision.
A spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office would not say if Ortega’s refusal to testify affected their ability to bring other charges, including the stalking allegation she made in the civil suit.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s spokesperson declined to comment on the pending litigation.
The entire ordeal left Ortega feeling like law enforcement failed her at every level. She noted that Piscatella still knows where she lives.
While she previously did not hold a negative view of police, now she says she turns the other direction and grows anxious anytime she sees a Sheriff’s Department cruiser.
“It’s a betrayal of trust from law enforcement … who do you call when it’s the police who are the problem?” asked her attorney, Jamal Tooson. “When can you ever feel safe? You almost feel trapped, in your own house.”
Gemma and Gorka have been dating since 2018Credit: Instagram
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The duo met in 2017 as Strictly Come Dancing cast-matesCredit: Instagram
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They’re now engaged and share two childrenCredit: instagram/glouiseatkinson
But funnily enough Gemma, 40, and Gorka, 35, weren’t actually coupled up during their time on the show.
Their relationship blossomed off-screen, with the duo beginning to officially date in 2018.
They got engaged three years later and now share a son and a daughter – Mia, five, and son Thiago, two.
After years of being engaged, Gemma has revealed why the couple have been waiting so long to walk down the aisle – and why they plan to wait even longer.
Read Strictly Come Dancing
In an interview Gemma said: “We’ve toyed about doing it in Spain so his [Gorka’s] family can come.
“We’ve even thought about doing it in a registry office or a hotel in Manchester, just the two of us, and then have a big party after.”
But what the lovebirds have settled on couldn’t be sweeter or more thoughtful.
“I think now we want to wait until Thiago is a bit older, so maybe next year or the year after, as he’s only two.
“If he’s a bit older, he could be involved in it, which would be really nice.”
Back in 2022 Gemma announced that herself and Gorka had to postpone their previously-planned wedding.
Strictly’s Gorka Marquez breaks down in tears as he pays tribute to Gemma Aktinson as he leaves her and their kids for weeks
The cancellation came about due to incredibly busy schedules on both ends, with Gorka busy as a professional dancer and Gemma as a radio host.
The pair were also wishing to prioritise trying for another baby instead of splashing out on a lavish event.
The wedding update comes only months after Gemma and Gorka found out that their reality TV show Gemma and Gorka: Life Behind The Lens had not been renewed for a third season on Apple TV.
It was devastating news for the couple, as the show had performed really well.
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They’re waiting to tie the knot so their youngest child can participate in the dayCredit: Instagram
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They weren’t dance partners during their Strictly daysCredit: PA
A SUSPECTED Epstein victim claims she met Prince Andrew, sat on the Queen’s throne, and was taken inside Buckingham Palace, according to bombshell files from Jeffrey Epstein’s so-called “birthday book.”
The woman – whose name has been redacted – penned a glowing tribute to the disgraced financier for his 50th birthday in 2003, saying he had transformed her life.
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An alleged Epstein victim claimed she met Prince Andrew, sat on the Queen’s throne, and visited Buckingham Palace
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The unidentified woman wrote Epstein transformed her life from a hotel hostess
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The claims were made public in a 238-page ‘birthday book’ released by US officials
In the entry, the unidentified woman described how she had once been “a 22-year-old divorcee working as a hostess in a hotel restaurant” before meeting Epstein.
It is unclear who the woman is – but she describes the same circumstances of being lured in and jetted around the world that many of Epstein’s victims experienced.
She claimed: “I have met Prince Andrew, President Clinton, Sultan of Brunei, Donald Trump, Antonio Verglas, Naomi Campbell, Stephanie Seymour, Peter Brant, Kevin Spacey, Chris Tucker, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, brilliant scientists, lawyers and business men.”
The alleged victim went further, boasting she had “seen the private quarters of Buckingham Palace, sat on the Queen of England’s throne” and taken part in lavish adventures ranging from skydiving to attending a Victoria’s Secret fashion show.
The entry was accompanied by bikini shots of the woman on a beach – captioned in handwriting: “And thought you might like.. Some bikini Shots! Bye-bye! XX”.
It also featured a photo of a man and woman walking arm in arm with his hands stuffed down the back of her trousers.
A bold “Thank you!!!” was scrawled underneath.
In the same entry, she praised Epstein directly: “Jeffrey, there are no words to describe how much I appreciate and admire you.
“I believe you are the most extraordinary person I’ve ever met and can’t believe how lucky I am to have become a part of your life.”
New Epstein files FINALLY reveal ‘missing minute’ of prison footage showing movement near rapist’s cell before his death
The explosive claims were made public as part of a new tranche of documents released by the US House Oversight Committee.
It includes Epstein’s will, his infamous address book, and the 238-page “birthday book.”
The book, compiled for Epstein’s milestone birthday, contains messages and photographs from around 40 friends, colleagues and associates.
They were divided into categories such as “friends,” “business,” and “science.”
But names under “family” and “girl friends” were redacted.
Committee chairman James Comer said the release was part of a broader push to obtain full transparency around Epstein’s network, though he accused Democrats of “cherry-picking documents” for political purposes.
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Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre, and Ghislaine Maxwell posing for a photoCredit: AFP
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Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein’s home going for a stroll together through New York’s Central ParkCredit: Jae Donnelly
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Epstein and partner in crime Ghislaine Maxwell in at BalmoralCredit: AFP
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Ghislaine Maxwell and Kevin Spacey sitting on thrones belonging to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace
Other high-profile names appear in the collection, including entries attributed to Bill Clinton and Lord Peter Mandelson, who has since said he “very much regrets” ever being introduced to Epstein.
Epstein – the convicted sex offender whose connections stretched from royalty to Hollywood – died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.
Prince Andrew has long denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.
The “birthday book” revelations add fresh controversy to an already notorious royal link: it is known that Ghislaine Maxwell once posed on a throne at Buckingham Palace and that she and Epstein were invited to Balmoral, the late Queen’s Scottish retreat, as guests of Prince Andrew.
As for Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate from whom the “birthday book” originated, she’s currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking.
In recent months, she was quietly transferred to a minimum-security federal prison camp in Texas following interviews with the Department of Justice.
Critics have slammed the move as unusually lenient.
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It also featured a photo of a man and woman walking arm in arm with his hands stuffed down the back of her trousers
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The disgraced financier died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex traffickingCredit: Rex
A WOMAN has been left totally lost for words after receiving a passive-aggressive letter from a neighbour she’s never spoken to.
So if you thought your neighbours were bad, you may want to think again.
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A woman has been left totally stunned after receiving a rude letter from a neighbour she has never metCredit: Reddit/BadNeighbors
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Posting on Reddit, the bewildered woman shared a snap of the note, which accused her of being ‘creepy’Credit: Getty
Not only was the typed-up letter extremely harsh, but it even accused the anonymous woman and her husband Joe of being ‘creepy’ and ‘strange.’
Stunned by the note and unsure on what to do next, the woman who lives in a flat with her hubby, took to social media to ask for advice.
Posting on Reddit on the r/BadNeighbors thread, the woman uploaded a snap of the direct letter and titled her post “At a complete loss.”
She then asked: “What would you do if you received this letter from a neighbour you’ve never spoken to?”
Read more neighbour stories
The long letter read: ‘Can you please stop with all of the noise. I live below you. I work from home full time and I am in school full time, online, at ECU for accounting.
‘I am also having to take care of my 13 year old dog in-between those times. In case you haven’t noticed, I am always home.
‘Your loud banging and stomping around is in all of my recorded WebEx meetings and proctored exams.
‘Can you please, for the love of God, stop with all of the noise.
‘Every time you bang your dining room table chair on the floor, slam your kitchen drawers, and have a martial argument you are also causing my animals, and myself, to be in a constant state of hyper awareness and stress. It makes me jump and scares my animals.”
The neighbour then accused the woman of being ‘creepy,’ as the letter went on: ‘Why are you coming home 5 times a day in different cars and sometimes parking on the side of the building and creeping past my window? The other day you were staking my apartment out. Why?
Moment neighbour ‘STEALS’ 1.9m of next door’s garden & tears down their shed in bitter land row while they’re on holiday
‘It’s creepy. I’m installing a camera to keep track of your strange activity because it is not normal. Please stop looking in my window while walking your dog and please stop parking your truck directly in front of my apartment window.’
The neighbour, who claimed to have been a property manager since 2016, continued: ‘I am not sure why it bothers you so much that I am home all the time. A lot of people work from home and do school remotely.
What would you do if you received this letter from a neighbour you’ve never spoken to?
Reddit poster
‘I am at a loss as to why it bothers you so badly and makes you suspicious of me. I have family and friends in law enforcement. If l have to report you for noise complaints and suspicious activity I will.
‘I have lived in this apartment for 5 years and you guys are the only neighbours that I’ve had that intentionally try to make my life a living hell.
‘Per the NC lease agreement, it is my right to live in a safe quiet place. You are currently not respecting that law.’
The Top Five Reasons Neighbours Squabble
One study by Compare the Market revealed the top reason British neighbour’s argue
Broken fences – top of the board was broken fences and whose responsibility it was to fix it
Parking: one of the leading drivers of neighbour disputes, with 54.1 per cent of people having issues with people parking in front of their house, parking bay or driveway
Trees – complaints about a neighbour’s tree cracking your garden path was also common with nearly half of participants finding it frustrating
Bin wars – outdoor bin etiquette continues to ignite the most furious debates between neighbours
Nosy Neighbours – some people have their eyes and ears at the ready to have a peek causing problems for others
As well as keeping a copy of the letter, the neighbour also stressed that they would be ‘keeping track of all activity to further support my case in the instance I need to show proof.’
The letter continued: ‘I really hope we can be done with the passive aggressiveness and become civil neighbours. You may be accustomed to living in a loud angry household, but I am not.’
Reddit users react
But Reddit users were left gobsmacked by the letter and many eagerly raced to the comments to share their shock and advice.
One person said: “So YOU have to change your life because THEY work odd hours? Umm no.
“They are trying to threaten you…tell them to go ahead and call the police.
Ignore it, but keep it if they try any other type of communication with you
Reddit user
“They can’t do anything about your living noises if they aren’t excessive. This person feels entitled.”
Another added: “Talk to the landlord and inform them of your confusion and that these allegations are groundless.”
A third commented: “Ignore it, but keep it if they try any other type of communication with you. They should be contacting property management if they have a noise issue with you.”
Meanwhile, someone else penned: “My response would depend on what complaints were valid, if any.”
I had a two-year bin war with my next door neighbour
Gemma Smith and Sophie Wood were engaged in a weekly feud for a year over their wheelie bins.
Protesters and counter-protesters met during demonstrations
Protests over the use of hotels for housing asylum seekers have been held across the UK.
Demonstrators gathered in parts of England including Bristol, Liverpool and London, as well as in Mold in Wales, Perth in Scotland and County Antrim in Northern Ireland.
Police stepped in to keep opposing groups separated in manyplaces where anti-racism campaigners mounted counter-demonstrations.
It comes after a High Court ruling this week blocked a hotel in Epping, in Essex, from accommodating asylum seekers and some local authorities in England said they were now considering legal challenges.
In Bristol, several hundred anti-racism protesters were held apart from other protesters in Castle Park by police in riot gear and on horseback for almost two hours, with some pushing at police lines in an attempt to get through. They outnumbered dozens of anti-migrant campaigners.
Bristol City Council has said it has no plans to challenge the government in using hotels to house asylum seekers in the city.
Police in the city said a 37-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker.
Merseyside Police said 11 people were arrested for various offences including being drunk and disorderly, assault and affray after a protest in Liverpool.
More than 400 people had turned out for a march called by UKIP calling for migrants to be deported. They were opposed by a few hundred people from Stand Up To Racism and the Merseyside Anti-Fascist Network.
Other protests took place in Exeter, Tamworth, Cannock, Nuneaton, Wakefield, Newcastle and Horley in Surrey.
In Perth, about 150 protesters gathered outside the Radisson Blu hotel were holding signs with the slogan “get them out”.
More than 200 people took part in a counter-protest across the street, unfurling a banner which read “no to racism” and “refugees welcome”.
About 300 people joined a protest in Mold to oppose a possible plan to provide accommodation for asylum seekers in flats above a retail unit in the town. They were met by a counter-protest of about 40 people.
In County Antrim, about 40 people gathered outside a hotel being used to house asylum seekers. Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has started an investigation into its legal planning status.
Police stepped in to keep protesters and counter-protesters apart in Bristol
Police forces are deploying extra officers over the weekend and using special powers enabling them to require people to move away from the area.
Surrey Police made three arrests at a protest outside the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel – two for breach of the peace and one for breaching the conditions of a community protection notice.
Officers kept a group of approximately 100 people gathered outside the hotel, which is used to house asylum seekers, separated from around 30 counter-protesters carrying anti-racism signs.
More protests are planned in parts of the UK on Sunday.
Rival groups of protesters also faced each other in Liverpool, where police made 11 arrests
Saturday’s demonstrations are the latest in a series of protests over using hotels to house asylum seekers that have taken place in recent weeks.
Crowds had gathered to protest outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex last month after an asylum seeker living in the hotel was arrested and later charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in the town.
The High Court ruling on Tuesday saw Epping Forest District Council granted a temporary injunction to stop people being placed at the hotel. It argued that the hotel had breached local planning controls by changing its use and that, in turn, had led to events that were a public safety risk.
The UK is legally bound to find homes for asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute while they wait for a decision to be made on their asylum claim.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said the government was committed to closing all asylum hotels, but that it needed to happen in “a properly managed way”.
Figures released by the government on Thursdayshowed that the number of asylum seekers being housed in hotels had reached 32,059 – an 8% increase in the year since Labour came to power but down on the 2023 peak.
As Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares for a summit in Alaska with his United States counterpart Donald Trump, he can draw on his experiences from 48 previous meetings with American presidents.
Over 25 years as Russia’s leader, Putin has met and worked with five US presidents: Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Barack Obama, Trump and Joe Biden.
While some of the earlier meetings were relatively warm, reflecting the hopes of US-Russia friendship between the end of the Cold War and the early 2000s, most of Putin’s more recent interactions — especially with Obama and Biden — have been frostier, as bilateral ties have worsened.
Here’s a recap of some of the key moments from those past meetings, and how jazz concerts and fishing trips gave way to threats.
Bill Clinton shares a light moment with Putin during a tree-planting ceremony before the G8 meeting in Nago, Okinawa, Japan, on July 21, 2000 [Vincent Yu/AP Photo]
June 2000: Putin-Clinton
Less than three months after he formally became president of Russia, Putin hosted US President Clinton in Moscow. The Russian leader took Clinton on a tour of the Kremlin, after which a Russian jazz group performed for them.
Clinton congratulated Putin on Russia’s decision to ratify two arms control treaties. “President Yeltsin led Russia to freedom. Under President Putin, Russia has the chance to build prosperity and strength, while safeguarding that freedom and the rule of law,” Clinton said, referring to Boris Yeltsin, Putin’s predecessor as president.
Putin, on his part, described the US as “one of our main partners”. Moscow, he said, would never again seek confrontation with Washington. “Never. We are for cooperation. We are for coming to agreement on problems that might arise,” he said.
But Clinton acknowledged their differences over Chechnya, where Russian forces had launched a major war the previous year, after a series of apartment blasts in Russia killed more than 300 people. Moscow blamed Chechen separatists for the explosions.
The Moscow meeting was the first of four between Putin and Clinton in 2000, the others on the margins of multilateral events, before the US president left office in January the following year.
George W Bush and Putin during a toast at Bush ranch, Crawford, Texas, on November 14, 2001 [AP Photo]
November 2001: Putin-Bush
After the September 11 attacks, Putin was the first world leader to call then-US President Bush and offer support. Two months later, Bush hosted Putin at his Crawford, Texas ranch, optimism about ties dripping from his words.
“When I was in high school, Russia was an enemy. Now the high school students can know Russia as a friend; that we’re working together to break the old ties, to establish a new spirit of cooperation and trust so that we can work together to make the world more peaceful,” Bush said. Bush drove Putin in a pick-up truck to a waterfall on the ranch.
But by the time they met in Russia in November 2002, US-led efforts for NATO expansion had injected unease into the relationship.
Putin holding up a fish he caught in Maine, while visiting Bush and his family on July 2, 2007 [AP Photo]
July 2007: Putin-Bush
By this point, the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 had amplified tensions between the two countries. But despite differences, Bush continued to maintain a warm personal relationship with Putin, whom he hosted at his parents’ home in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Both acknowledged areas where their views diverged, but they each credited the other with transparency.
Bush took Putin fishing. The Russian president was the only one who caught a fish on that trip – it was set free, Putin said.
Bush, left, and Putin, look on during a news conference at the Russian leader’s residence in Sochi, Russia, on April 6, 2008 [Gerald Herbert/AP Photo]
April 2008: Putin-Bush
The final meeting between Bush and Putin as presidents took place in Sochi, Russia, and was focused on US plans to expand a missile defence system in Europe that Russia was opposing.
There was no breakthrough – the two leaders agreed to disagree.
But their personal rapport appeared intact. Bush met Putin 28 times in total. He only met British Prime Minister Tony Blair more.
Barack Obama meets with Putin in Moscow on July 7, 2009 [Haraz N Ghanbari/AP Photo]
July 2009: Putin-Obama
Putin was now prime minister, with ally Dmitry Medvedev the Russian president.
US President Obama met Putin during a visit to Moscow. By now, differences had grown over Russia’s invasion of Georgia in 2008, which the US had opposed.
“We may not end up agreeing on everything, but I think that we can have a tone of mutual respect and consultation that will serve both the American people and the Russian people well,” Obama told Putin.
Obama meets with Putin in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, on June 17, 2013 [Evan Vucci/ AP Photo]
June 2013: Putin-Obama
As Obama met Putin on the margins of the G8 summit in Northern Ireland — Russia had been added to the grouping in 1998 and was expelled in 2014 after its annexation of Crimea — their frustration with each other was visible in an awkward photo that made headlines.
The US and its allies wanted then-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to quit amid the civil war in that country, but Russia was backing him.
“With respect to Syria, we do have differing perspectives on the problem, but we share an interest in reducing the violence; securing chemical weapons and ensuring that they’re neither used nor are they subject to proliferation,” Obama said.
Obama talks with Putin at the opening session of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Lima, Peru, on November 20, 2016 [Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo]
November 2016: Putin-Obama
By the time Obama and Putin met for the ninth and final time at the APEC Summit in Peru, there was no pretence of bonhomie.
Russia had accused the US of engineering a coup against its ally and former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014. The US and its allies had imposed sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Crimea.
Putin and Obama spoke for barely four minutes on the sidelines of the summit, with the US president asking his Russian counterpart to stick to his commitments under the Minsk agreements that were meant to bring peace to Ukraine.
Putin, right, and Trump give a joint news conference at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16, 2018 [Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo]
July 2018: Putin-Trump
A year and a half into his first presidency, Trump’s victory in the 2016 US presidential election was still clouded by accusations that Russia had interfered in the election on his behalf when he met Putin in Helsinki.
The two met alone, with only interpreters. In a media interaction after that, Putin tried to recast the relationship in optimistic hues. “The Cold War is a thing of past,” he said, before listing a series of modern challenges facing the world — from an environmental crisis to terrorism. “We can only cope with these challenges if we join the ranks and work together. Hopefully, we will reach this understanding with our American partners.”
But it was Trump who made headlines. After he acknowledged that he had discussed the allegations of election interference with Putin, Trump was asked whether he believed US intelligence agencies that had concluded that Moscow had intervened in the vote.
“I have great confidence in my intelligence people, but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today,” Trump said. “He just said it’s not Russia. I will say this: I don’t see any reason why it would be.”
Trump met Putin six times in all in his first term.
Putin, left, and Joe Biden shake hands in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 16, 2021 [Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP Photo]
June 2021: Putin-Biden
US President Joe Biden flew to Geneva for his only face-to-face meeting with Putin.
After years of steady deterioration, relations had reached their nadir after Biden had described Putin as a killer in March, prompting Russia to withdraw its ambassador from Washington. The US had followed.
The Geneva meeting helped reset ties – a bit. Both countries agreed to reappoint ambassadors.
But Biden was also blunt with Putin about US concerns over Russian election interference and cyberattacks, and said he had, in effect, threatened Moscow that Washington could launch tit-for-tat cyberstrikes.
Russia by then was building up its troop presence along the border with Ukraine, a key source of stress in ties with the US that came up during the Putin-Biden meeting.
Eight months later, Russia would launch a fully fledged invasion of Ukraine, marking the start of Europe’s largest war since World War II — a war Trump says he wants to end through the summit in Alaska on August 15.
NEW YORK — Pete Alonso hit a three-run homer to power the New York Mets to a 6-3 win and series sweep of the Angels on Wednesday.
Alonso, mired in a 2-for-34 slump dating to July 10, homered two batters after Francisco Lindor broke a career-long 0-for-31 drought with an RBI single.
Brandon Nimmo hit his 14th career leadoff homer and Lindor added another RBI single in the fourth for the Mets, who swept a series for the fifth time this season.
Sean Manaea (1-1), making his third appearance and second start after battling oblique and elbow injuries, allowed one run and struck out five over five innings. Edwin Díaz got the final four outs for his 21st save.
Mike Trout homered in the third — the 396th home run and 999th RBI of his career — for the Angels, who were swept for the seventh time. Luis Rengifo (forceout) and Chris Taylor (double) collected RBIs in the seventh.
Left-hander Jake Eder (0-1), the last of three Angels pitchers on a bullpen day, gave up five runs in a career-high six innings.
Key moment
Alonso’s first homer since July 8 was the 248th of his career, pulling him within four of Darryl Strawberry for the all-time Mets franchise lead.
Key stat
Trout is aiming to become the second active player with 400 homers and the ninth with 1,000 RBIs.
Up next
Angels LHP Yusei Kikuchi (4-6, 3.13 ERA) starts Thursday, when the Angels return home for a four-game series against the Seattle Mariners and RHP Logan Evans (3-3, 3.81 ERA).
Five-day deluge unleashed flash floods and landslides that killed 18 and left nine others missing, authorities say.
Torrential rains that lashed South Korea have killed at least 18 people and left nine others missing, authorities said, as the government lifted advisories for heavy rain and the meteorological agency warned of a return of heatwaves to southern parts of the country.
The toll on Monday came as South Korea’s military also announced dispatching thousands of troops to rain-ravaged areas to assist in recovery efforts.
The downpours began on July 16 and brought some of the heaviest hourly rainfall on record to some of South Korea’s central and southern provinces. The five-day deluge collapsed homes, triggered landslides and unleashed flash floods that swept away cars and campers.
At least 10 people were killed in the southern county of Sancheong, and four others remain missing there, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
Another person was killed when their house collapsed in the town of Gapyeong, northeast of the capital, Seoul, while a man who had been camping near a stream there was found dead after being swept away by rapid currents.
The man’s wife and teenage son remain missing, the South Korean JoongAng Daily reported. Two others, including a man in his 70s who had been buried in a landslide, were listed as missing in the same town.
The rains also forced some 14,166 people to evacuate their homes in 15 cities and provinces, and caused “extensive property damage”, the Yonhap news agency reported.
A village devastated by a landslide caused by torrential rains in Sancheong, South Korea, on Sunday [Yonhap via Reuters]
The agency said 1,999 cases of damage had been recorded at public facilities, and 2,238 cases were recorded at private homes and buildings.
South Korea’s military said it has dispatched some 2,500 personnel to the southwestern city of Gwangju as well as the South Chungcheong and South Gyeongsang provinces to assist in the recovery efforts.
The troops will be overhauling homes and stores affected by the rains, it said.
Hannah June Kim, an associate professor in the Graduate School of International Studies at Sogang University in Seoul, told Al Jazeera that “a lot of people were taken off guard” because monsoonal rains came later than expected this year.
“The expectation was that monsoons would not be appearing during this summer,” she said. “So, when this heavy rain started to fall this past week, a lot of local areas were unprepared.”
“We are seeing the heavy effects of climate change and how it’s affecting different areas,” she added.
South Korea’s Meteorological Administration (KMA) forecast more rainfall in the southern regions on Monday but said that a heatwave would follow. According to the JoongAng Daily, heatwave advisories and warnings have already been issued for parts of South Jeolla, the east coast of Gangwon and Jeju Island.
“From July 24 onward, morning lows will remain between 23 and 26 degrees Celsius [73.4F to 78.8F], and daytime highs will range from 30 to 35 degrees Celsius [86F to 95F], higher than the seasonal averages of 22 to 25 degrees Celsius [71.6F to 77F] in the morning and 29 to 33 degrees Celsius [84.2F to 91.4F] during the day,” it reported, citing the KMA.
Scientists say climate change has made extreme weather events more frequent and intense around the world.
In 2022, South Korea endured record-breaking rains and flooding, which killed at least 11 people.
They included three people who died trapped in a Seoul basement apartment of the kind that became internationally known because of the Oscar-winning Korean film Parasite.
The government said at the time that the rainfall was the heaviest since records began, blaming climate change for the extreme weather.
The driver of the car that killed two 8-year-old girls at a school in south-west London has been interviewed following her re-arrest over the girls’ deaths.
Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau died after a Land Rover driven by Claire Freemantle crashed into an end-of-term tea party at The Study Preparatory School in Wimbledon, on 6 July 2023.
Ms Freemantle, 48, was arrested at the scene but was later told she would not face charges. However, she was re-arrested in January after police reviewed their investigation.
The Metropolitan Police said she was interviewed on Thursday 17 July on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and was bailed until October for further inquiries.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Ms Freemantle may have experienced an epileptic seizure as she was driving, which caused her to lose control of the vehicle that then crashed into the school.
But it also said there was no evidence she had ever suffered a similar seizure before and she had not been diagnosed with such a medical condition.
Speaking about the continuing police investigation, Nuria’s father, Sajjad Butt, said: “While we welcome this renewed focus on the case, we will continue to champion the pursuit of complete clarity on the events of that devastating day.
A family of 10 were excited about their trip to Orlando, Florida, but were left stunned when they walked into their ‘luxury villa’ and were met with something that resembled ‘Satan’s guest house’
When a family turned up at their “luxury” villa, they were stunned by what was lurking inside (Image: Getty Images/Stock Photo)
When it comes to booking accommodation for a holiday, whether that’s a villa or a hotel, it can be hard to narrow down the best option. One family thought they had found the perfect “luxury villa”, but they were stunned when they discovered what was lurking inside.
In a post on Reddit about “bad holidays”, the traveller revealed that when they arrived at their villa in Orlando, they were met with “tobacco coloured walls” and “dead cockroaches”. With the trip booked for 10 people, it quickly turned into a holiday from hell.
They shared: “My father-in-law took us to Orlando in 2015. He paid for 10 people, a luxury villa and hired cars as he’s a generous guy. We get to our villa about maybe 9pm, and I’ve already clocked that it’s not in the nicest of areas.
“We unpack and go in to meet the rest of the family. The ‘luxury’ villa was a s**thole. It was all brown and green decor with tobacco coloured walls. We then realised that it was a f**king disgrace.
The family were forced to find alternative accommodation (Image: Getty Images/Stock Photo)
“The games room was full of dead cockroaches, the kitchen had only enough stuff for 4 people and had broken glasses in the kitchen, we couldn’t open one of the doors to the pool as it was screwed shut, all the doors were mismatched, the smoke and fire alarms were all painted over, the chandelier was holding on by a thread, two chairs collapsed and the air conditioning only put out hot air.
“My eldest son called it ‘Satan’s guest house’. After wasting half of the first day, we got a replacement, but it was such a bl**dy palaver to even stay there overnight.”
The post was met with comments from concerned travellers, with some reflecting on their own experience in Florida. One holidaymaker said: “I went to Florida when I was 10 to do the Disney thing as a family.
“I remember my mum saying she’d never felt more unsafe than downtown Orlando. Fast forward 15 years and I live in the USA and finally understand what she meant! That place is f**king sketchy.”
This is just one of the many disaster holiday stories shared online. Another detailed how when they were a teenager, they were left in “misery” after their parents surprised them with a family trip to Butlins – and it wasn’t the location or weather that ruined the getaway.
The traveller shared on Reddit: “When I was 14, my mum and stepdad packed us all into the car for a surprise holiday at Butlins (we didn’t find out until we were there).
“One small detail they also forgot to mention was that they also didn’t pay for me to actually go into the resort, so I had to get into the boot of our car at the closest petrol station, sleep on the floor of the chalet, and couldn’t use any of the facilities.”
They added: “It was just a week of misery, getting to watch my siblings have fun, whilst I couldn’t even bring a stack of books, because I didn’t know we were going away for a week in the first place.”
Football clubs should pay towards the £70 million cost of policing their matches in the UK, the head of the Metropolitan Police has told the BBC.
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, the country’s most senior police officer, asked why organisers of events that require policing to support their security do not pay for it, and said there should be “more of a polluter pays approach”.
Sir Mark’s comments came as he called for the creation of 12 to 15 bigger police forces as part of his plans for radical police reforms.
He told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme the current model of 43 forces across England and Wales needed to be reduced to cope with increased demand and overstretched funding.
Sir Mark said reforms would help police forces, including the Met, “make the best use of the money we’ve got”.
As part of funding concerns, the commissioner also cited the £70 million cost of policing football in the UK, most of which is spent on Premier League matches in England.
“Why isn’t the organiser paying for that, rather than local communities who lose their resources to go to football matches?” he said.
A move to make football clubs pay was previously suggested to the Times by the head of the UK’s football policing unit and later criticised by sports bodies who said it could threaten events and lead to increased ticket prices.
Writing in the Sunday Times, Sir Mark suggested the number of police forces needed to be reduced by two-thirds and said bigger forces would be better able to utilise modern technology.
He added the 43-force model designed in the 1960s had not been “fit for purpose” for at least two decades and hindered “the effective confrontation of today’s threats”.
Speaking to the BBC, the commissioner referred to an “invisible spaghetti” behind police forces that was responsible for “sucking resources and costs”.
“Lots of the smaller forces can’t actually do all the services locally and they’re having to club together and run complicated collaborations,” he said, adding that with “bigger local forces and one national body” they could “cut away” with a lot of that cost and waste.
The commissioner was questioned by Kuenssberg on the likelihood of the reform going ahead, referencing similar Labour plans in 2006 which were dropped following significant opposition.
Sir Mark said reform was “essential”, adding that spending on policing and public safety has dropped substantially over the last decade or more.
“I don’t see that changing dramatically. We’ve got to make the best use of every pound the government can give to us,” he added.
Put to him that he had warned he would have to de-prioritise some crimes, and asked what the force will not investigate, Sir Mark said: “So I don’t want policing activity to fall off the list, and I know that the mayor and the home secretary have pushed hard for the most police funding that we can get.
“We are determined to improve day in and day out experiences of Londoners on the streets. We can only do that if we focus ruthlessly on police work.”
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