Russell Brand has been charged with two further offences including one count of rape, the Metropolitan Police has said. In a new statement, the police force said the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised an additional charge of rape and a charge of sexual assault relating to two further women. The broadcaster, comedian and actor previously pleaded not guilty to five charges including two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault in relation to four women. Mr Brand, 50, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 20 January 2026 in relation to the two new charges.

Heading down from Walla Crag to Keswick (Image: Workington Rambling Club)To the northeast, Great Mell Fell was just visible, poking through the cloud. Ribblehead Viaduct 01 Heading down from Walla Crag to Keswick 5 January 2025 (Image: Workington Rambling Club)Early autumn brought clear vistas over Coniston from the Old Man. Views on the way to Great Carrs (Image: Workington Rambling Club)Another outing from Bootle to Silecroft took place in thick mist. Workington Rambling Club offers a choice of low-level, medium, or more challenging hill walks. Clough Head summit (Image: Workington Rambling Club)Coach walks take place every other Sunday with pickups from High Harrington, Great Clifton, Cockermouth, and Workington.

Institute chairman Bill Anderson insists the club will continue to rise to every challenge moving forward after navigating a “strange year” both on and off the pitch for the north-west club. It has been a roller coaster year for the Brandywell-based club as, on the pitch, they finished seventh in the Playr-Fit Championship before losing manager Kevin Deery to Ruaidhri Higgins coaching staff after taking over at Coleraine.

Controversial non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs) are set to be scrapped under “common sense” proposals that will be presented to the Home Secretary next month. Following a review, the College of Policing and National Police Chiefs’ Council have concluded that recording “information about non-crime incidents on a crime system is not the right solution”. The new ‘PLANE’ guidelines instruct police officers to consider five keywords before only logging serious incidents as “intelligence” reports: Proportionate, Legal, Accountable, Necessary and Ethical. ‘Policing tweets’Chairman of the College of Policing, Lord Herbert of South Downs, told The Daily Telegraph: “NCHIs will go as a concept. That system will be scrapped and replaced with a completely different system.

Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement AdvertisementIn fall 2025, a rumor circulated that a city in Sweden was using trained crows to pick up cigarette butts as litter. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025.

In a historic moment for Indian literature, two books by Indian women authors claimed spots on The New York Times’ prestigious Top 10 Books of 2025 list—announced on December 2, 2025. Sunny is a struggling journalist in New York City attempting to flee his imperious mother and the violence of his warring clan. I cannot recommend it enough.”The simultaneous recognition of both Desai and Roy on The New York Times’ Top 10 list represents more than individual achievement—it marks a moment of global recognition for Indian women’s literary voices. Roy”According to New York Weekly Times, Roy and her brother came to call their mother “Mrs. According to Book Riot and Parade, The New York Times’ selection process was rigorous, with editors Gilbert Cruz and colleagues narrowing down from 100 notable books to these ten titles.

To show how innovation can help tackle this growing waste problem, Epson - which commissioned the report - collaborated with fashion designer and sustainability trailblazer Priya Ahluwalia to create Fashion Play. The doll-sized fashion collection was made from textile waste using Epson’s Dry Fibre Technology and printed with Epson’s water-saving Monna Lisa digital textile printer. And 35 per cent of parents admitting to chucking some in the bin because they didn’t have time to do anything else. Children are bought around nine items of clothing by friends and family during the Christmas period, three of which won’t ever be worn. Designer Priya Ahluwalia said: “Travelling to India and Nigeria, I witnessed the true scale of textile waste as a result of the Western second-hand clothing industry.

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy noticePresident Donald Trump accused the New York Times of “endangering national security”, calling the newspaper “a serious threat” in a late-night rant on his Truth Social platform. “The Failing New York Times, and their lies and purposeful misrepresentations, is a serious threat to the National Security of our Nation,” he wrote. open image in gallery Donald Trump has again lashed out at the New York Times ( Getty )It is not clear what particular article, if any, prompted the president’s rage. Another Times reporter was among a series of female journalists Trump has directly insulted in recent weeks.

The historical monarchs feature on giant, 20cm wide coins as well as more traditionally sized ones. Chocolatier Jen Lindsey-Clark was enlisted to create the festive coins using a total of 15kg of chocolate and more than 10g of metallic dust and spray. To accurately re-create each coin, 3D moulds were made and filled with hand poured chocolate ahead of being set and embellished. They were made to celebrate the opening of Cash Access UK’s 200th banking hub in Billericay, Essex. What’s more, 44 per cent save this festive money as part of their emergency fund – with Gen Z’s doing this the most (58 per cent).

Jamie Carragher has revealed why he excluded Moises Caicedo from his team of the season so farJamie Carragher has offered an apology to Chelsea fans after excluding Moises Caicedo from his team of the season thus far. On Monday Night Football, the former Liverpool defender revealed his standout XI of the campaign, with Caicedo being a conspicuous absence. Carragher selected Declan Rice, Granit Xhaka and Bruno Fernandes as his midfield trio. I've said I think Rice just has the edge on Caicedo. But I just felt the impact of Xhaka this season is the biggest impact of a signing or effect on a team.

Marcus Rashford stunned the football world by announcing his desire to leave UnitedA year has elapsed since Marcus Rashford sent shockwaves through the football community by revealing his intention to leave Manchester United. You're not going to have any negative comments from me about Manchester United. "If I know that a situation is already bad I'm not going to make it worse. After biding his time for the right opportunity, Rashford secured his dream transfer to Barcelona in July, joining the La Liga champions on loan until summer 2026. Rashford has made no secret of his wish to make his move to Barcelona permanent once his loan period concludes.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust has shared its coastal highlights of the year, showcasing successes in conservation, community engagement and wildlife protection. Record grey seal numbers at South WalneyA record 563 grey seals were counted at South Walney Nature Reserve near Barrow at the start of the year, using a drone. Marine Conservation Officers Amber Gould and Beth Churn have led the project, training volunteers to transplant seeds into areas where seagrass has been lost. Unusual marine wildlife sightingsBrittle stars and sunstar (Image: Dan Bolt)Several notable marine sightings were recorded in 2025. Cumbria Wildlife Trust advised that while barrel jellyfish are not usually harmful, they should not be handled as they can still sting when dead.

Here’s what’s leaving a lasting impression…We’ve got six top-notch drinks to bring to the dinner table at the end of your Christmas meal. Finish off your Christmas meal with a mince pie and a festive tipple. Picture: iStockLUXARDO AMARETTO DI SASCHIRA LIQUEURSinfully sweet, this almond-flavoured liqueur is a dream ticket with Christmas tiramisu, or poured over vanilla ice cream. Rich, sweet and nutty with hints of walnuts, dried fruits, caramel, spice and raisins, it’s made for winter sipping. Famed for its rich, concentrated aromas of tarte Tatin, enhanced by flavours of candied citrus, cinnamon and touches of nutmeg, it’s a hug in a glass.

The Trump administration on Monday escalated its battle against offshore wind by ordering a pause on all leases for large-scale wind projects under construction in the United States, this time citing national security threats. AdvertisementSome security experts described the justification as spurious and nonsensical and said offshore wind is key to ensuring grid reliability and meeting broader U.S. energy goals. The president has supported a national energy strategy based primarily on fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal. “Today’s action addresses emerging national security risks, including the rapid evolution of the relevant adversary technologies, and the vulnerabilities created by large-scale offshore wind projects with proximity near our east coast population centers. For example, officials might require certain turbines to be relocated or require additional radars to fill in gaps in coverage before signing off on an offshore wind project, Conger said.

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