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BBC News
10 minutes ago
- BBC News
Church abuse victim stages quiet protest at General Synod
Jenny Read says she was abused as a little girl at a church in the north-east of England. Last week she protested outside a meeting of the Church of England's parliament as it signed off on a compensation scheme for abuse victims, which she says is too little, too late. It is 07:30 BST on a grey, humid July morning in city is hosting General Synod - the Church of England's parliament - which is about to approve the landmark compensation Read, who travelled from her north-east of England home because she "had to be here", has already set up says, as a child, she was "sadistically" abused over a number of years at her local church by her own father, and also by a male curate and a female church adulthood, she and her sisters, who also say they were abused as children by the same people, reported the allegations to the Church of England three times, but it never launched a formal investigation. Ms Read is at General Synod to protest. But she is not blocking traffic, nor is she chanting or shouting into a megaphone. She is sitting peacefully in a camping chair opposite Central Hall, where the event is being held, drinking a cup of tea and eating a is quiet, but she no longer feels silenced and her presence is her stands a banner she has made. In big red, black and green letters it reads: "Three sisters sadistically abused at a NE church still waiting for justice." Ms Read's appearance in the shadow of the chamber housing the most powerful figures in the Church of England is the day members of the public, bishops, clergymen and clergywomen approach her to ask what her story is. Some take over food and Read says she is here to tell Church leaders that there is an "urgent need" to treat people who report abuse allegations with kindness because "that hasn't been our experience".Her fight for answers has been re-traumatising, she says, but she has waived her right to anonymity in order to share her may have passed but the mental anguish caused by the abuse and the alleged "fobbing off" from Church leaders has not, she a face-to-face meeting with her in May, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, the interim leader of the Church, offered an "unequivocal apology" for the abuse she had experienced and "recognised that it will have affected her life in many ways".Last month, following a BBC investigation which revealed the Read sisters' story, the Church of England also said it was "truly sorry" for the response they received when they made their initial reports. 'Survivor focused' compensation The Church has put aside £150m for what it is calling the Redress Scheme, to which any victim of Church-related abuse can apply. It was agreed by General Synod, but still needs to be officially signed off by the Church says the scheme is "survivor focused" and "offers more than money".As well as financial compensation, which can range from £5,000 to £660,000, survivors and victims can also receive "a formal apology, acknowledgment, therapeutic support, and other forms of bespoke redress", it can be made via a designated website and "independently assessed by trained assessors" who will consider the type of abuse, aggravating factors and the impact on the victim, it will then decide the level of compensation and support given."This is about the Church facing its past failures with honesty and humility," it says. The Right Reverend Philip Mounstephen, who chairs the Church's Redress Board, says it is "a matter of great shame" that the scheme is needed. He has previously said it was unclear how many people would apply."I am confident the scheme will provide much needed redress to survivors," he says, adding it will be "bespoke" for each scheme has already been delayed by several years and, for Ms Read, it is too has already "spent so many hours and months" in therapy and does not want to "spend any more of my remaining years trekking to therapists", she says."Even if I got the highest award possible, that doesn't compensate for my trauma."Ms Read has been diagnosed with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder linked to her childhood abuse which has, at times, plagued her adult relationships have been affected and she has only ever been able to work part has panic attacks in religious buildings which make her feel "terrorised" to the point she "has to scream" and get out. Episodes of feeling suicidal mean she "has struggled to survive" on occasions. "Redress sounds good but, from past experience, I can't quite believe it," Ms Read says."It's really urgent to highlight the need for the Church to get safeguarding right, not just on paper but in actions."Her silent protest brought some closure and, after decades of her feeling dismissed, people have eventually listened, she says."I feel like my voice has finally been heard. I can now move on with the rest of my life." Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
The Guardian
10 minutes ago
- The Guardian
China calls for global AI cooperation days after Trump administration unveils low-regulation strategy
Chinese premier Li Qiang has proposed establishing an organisation to foster global cooperation on artificial intelligence, calling on countries to coordinate on the development and security of the fast-evolving technology, days after the US unveiled plans to deregulate the industry. Speaking at the annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, Li called AI a new engine for growth, adding that governance is fragmented and emphasising the need for more coordination between countries to form a globally recognised framework for AI. Li warned Saturday that artificial intelligence development must be weighed against the security risks, saying global consensus was urgently needed. His remarks came just days after US president Donald Trump unveiled an aggressive low-regulation strategy aimed at cementing US dominance in the fast-moving field. One executive order targeted what the White House described as 'woke' artificial intelligence models. Opening the World AI Conference, Li emphasised the need for governance and open-source development. 'The risks and challenges brought by artificial intelligence have drawn widespread attention … How to find a balance between development and security urgently requires further consensus from the entire society,' the premier said. Li said China would 'actively promote' the development of open-source AI, adding Beijing was willing to share advances with other countries, particularly developing ones in the global south. The three-day event brings together industry leaders and policymakers at a time of escalating technological competition between China and the United States – the world's two largest economies – with AI emerging as a key battleground. Washington has imposed export restrictions on advanced technology to China, including the most high-end AI chips made by companies such as Nvidia and chipmaking equipment, citing concerns that the technology could enhance China's military capabilities. Li did not name the United States in his speech, but he warned that AI could become an 'exclusive game' for a few countries and companies, and said challenges included an insufficient supply of AI chips and restrictions on talent exchange. At a time when AI is being integrated across virtually all industries, its uses have raised major ethical questions, from the spread of misinformation to its impact on employment, or the potential loss of technological control. Earlier this week, news companies were warned of a 'devastating impact' on online audiences as search results are replaced by AI summaries, after a new study claimed it caused up to 80% fewer clickthroughs. The World AI Conference is an annual government-sponsored event in Shanghai that typically attracts major industry players, government officials, researchers and investors. Saturday's speakers included Anne Bouverot, the French president's special envoy for AI, computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton, known as 'the godfather of AI', and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has in past years regularly appeared at the opening ceremony both in-person and via video, did not speak this year. The exhibition features predominantly Chinese companies, including tech companies Huawei and Alibaba and startups such as humanoid robot maker Unitree. Western participants include Tesla, Alphabet and Amazon. With Reuters and Agence France-Presse
Scotsman
33 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Trump visit will stretch Police Scotland resources to the limit
When Donald Trump visited his Turnberry resort midway through his first term in office, there was a heavy Police Scotland presence. Picture:Maybe it's pre-Fringe stress but we seem to have entered some bizarre parallel universe. On Wednesday morning I actually found myself agreeing with The Daily Mail. That's never happened before. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Don't worry, I didn't actually buy a copy. I've not gone totally unhinged. I just happened to glance at its front page headline in my local newsagent It was leading with a story about the scandalous waste of public money being spent this weekend by Police Scotland, who are mounting a massive security operation during Donald Trump's visit. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Around 6000 cops are going to be involved in making sure the giant orange jelly baby comes to no harm when he pops into his golf resorts in Turnberry and Aberdeenshire. 'Hear, hear' I thought. 'This is a national disgrace.' And it is. Shouldn't the polis be doing their day job of catching paedophiles, fraudsters and other criminals? Instead they are providing a protective blue line around one particular criminal, because he happens to be the President of the United States. Police Scotland have themselves admitted that their resources will be tested to the limit this weekend, so if someone stole your bike last night don't expect a bobby to come calling round any time before Tuesday or Wednesday when the human pumpkin flies back home. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad How many other offenders get the attention of a whole nation's police force? Unless, of course, the Old Bill are coming out in force to protect the Scottish public from Trump's wandering hands. Of course, Trump is not your average offender. He's also the head of state of a nation with whom the UK enjoys a 'special relationship', but he's not visiting Scotland in that capacity. He's over here to on a golfing holiday. There are a number of reason for this huge police deployment, mainly the numerous demonstrations being held in protest at his visit. At midday today, there will be rallies across Scotland, organised by the Stop Trump Coalition. Huge crowds are expected at the demo here at the American Consulate in Edinburgh, as well as Aberdeen and Dumfries. The fact that Trump is not visiting any of these cities should not stop the public from voicing their anger. Hopefully, if road closures don't keep them out, there will be a huge presence at Turnberry, scene of that famous 2016 protest by the late Janey Godley. Hopefully, many thousands will pay homage by waving banners bearing the slogan 'Trump is a c***'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Humour is an essential weapon against Trump. It's the one thing he can't handle, as can be seen by his attempts to silence American satirists like Jon Stewart and Jimmy Kimmell. CBS announced this week that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will be cancelled when its series ends next May. Catch it online over the next ten months. Many allege this is due to political pressure from the White House. Trump has already tweeted his glee, accusing the host of lacking talent. To which Colbert's response was 'Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism? Go f*** yourself.' Those last three words well be on many banners today, I'm sure.
