Continued decline in global peacefulness
JOHANNESBURG - The 2025 Global Peace Index released by the Institute for Economics and Peace, reveals an ongoing decline in global peace.
Rising conflicts, increasing geopolitical tensions and middle power assertiveness, are driving a fundamental reshaping of the global order.
And if it continues, with major power competition and mounting debt in fragile economies the prospect for further conflict is even higher.
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Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The Mancunian Way: ‘If they can say sorry, why can't you?'
Peter Tatchell wants an apology - and not the first time. In fact, the LGBT activist has been calling for Greater Manchester Police to apologise for past 'homophobic witch-hunts' for two years. In particular he says former chief constable James Anderton - nicknamed 'God's copper' - left an indelible mark on the force's reputation with gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people. READ MORE: Tesco shoppers shocked after spotting new £10 item on supermarket shelves READ MORE: Coronation Street's Maria Windass star declares love as she reveals link to co-star But current chief constable Stephen Watson says an apology could be seen as 'merely performative'. Anderton's views on homosexuality are well known. At the height of the AIDS crisis, the devout Christian denounced gay people as 'swirling in a human cesspit of their own making'. Tatchell says the force under Anderton 'became synonymous with open hostility towards the LGBT+ community' and claims he directed officers to 'illegally harass gay venues' - including a notorious raid by 23 police officers on Napoleon's bar in 1984. The human rights activist is calling for an apology for the 'abusive and often unlawful manner' in which now-repealed homophobic laws were enforced. This isn't ancient history. We're talking about police action less than 40 years ago. Many of those who felt the brunt of Anderton's words and actions are still alive today. Tatchell says a formal apology would be 'an important act of healing'. But Chief Constable Watson says that while he is 'of course sorry' that police bodies prior to the GMP's foundation in 1974 'didn't always perform to the standards deserved by those whom we serve', it would 'nevertheless be quite unjust for me as the current Chief Constable to cast some sort of sweeping assertion as to the general conduct of the force over a prolonged period of time'. In a letter to Tatchell dated in April, he says 'virtually no serving officer in the entire force can speak to the period with any personal knowledge' and an apology would make 'little or no difference'. It's a point our LGBT+ writer Adam Maidment simply can't accept. 'By not apologising, we're sort of at a cross-roads where progress in certain areas just can't, and won't, be made,' he says in this illuminating comment piece. 'With Mr Watson refusing to apologise and starting the efforts to firmly strike a line through past behaviour, the wound is still there - it's basically just being left to fester. 'How are we to feel like the police force is truly behind us as a community with that remaining?' In total, 21 police forces have apologised for similar past wrongs, including the Metropolitan Police, Police Scotland and Merseyside Police. Tatchell says apologies are 'acts of justice' which affirm that change has occurred. His ongoing question to Mr Watson is: 'If they can say sorry, why can't you?' Earlier this month reporter Nicole Wootton-Cane revealed that convicted paedophile Todros Grynhaus had been allowed to live opposite a children's play area. Nicole and reporter Stephen Topping have now discovered that Grynhaus owns the house next door, which was rented out on Airbnb and According to Land Registry documents the property is owned by a company called Heywood Investments Ltd with Grynhaus listed as a director of the company, alongside his wife, Leah Grynhaus, who is also listed as company secretary. There are no other listed directors for the company. Airbnb has since taken the listing down from its website and suspended an account which hosted the property. has also now removed the listing. You can read the full investigation here. The independent experts who Andy Burnham appointed to his local grooming gangs inquiry resigned after authorities 'lawyered up', a Parliamentary committee has heard. Baroness Louise Casey said authorities in Greater Manchester initially refused to share data with Mr Burnham's review. And she told MPs on Tuesday (June 17) that 'they were all lawyering up' to fight over what information would be shared and by whom. Jo Timan has the details here. Years of setbacks, billions of pounds splurged, and a devastating blow to the North announced in a former Manchester railway station. HS2 is a long way from the vision first proposed by the last Labour government 16 years ago. Now Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander says there is 'no reasonable way to deliver' the high-speed railway on schedule and within budget. Reporter Stephen Topping explains the background here. When What' s On editor Jenna Campbell bought a family-sized portion of lasagna off the internet, she suddenly feared she had been scammed. Something about the sign outside Miss Lasagna, on Gorton Road, made her pause. And ordering via WhatsApp also confused her. But her fears were assuaged on meeting Frederica, a Roman who told her all about her time feeding traditional Italian food to Mancunians. When Jenna took her lasagne home, it was eaten in absolute silence - 'a sign that the food is good'. You can read her full review here. Thursday: Get in the shade and don't forget your suncream, it's going to be sunny all day and 28C. Roads: A572 St Helens Road southbound, Leigh, closed due to roadworks from A578 Twist Lane to Bonnywell Road. Until June 30. A6 Chapel Street westbound, Salford, closed due to long-term roadworks from A6041 Blackfriars Road to A34 New Bailey Street. Until January 19. Hub: Wythenshawe Civic Centre's former Co-op department store is set to become the town's new Culture Hub. It will house food and drink spots at ground level; studio spaces for workshops, events, and artists on the first floor; and a 200-seater theatre on the second storey. More here. Extended: The Greater Manchester Housing Investment Loans Fund will continue despite a High Court battle. The fund, which loaned £1bn to property developers, closed to new applications earlier this year, as always planned. But on Tuesday (June 17), the government confirmed it will re-open and extend the fund 'to deliver thousands of new homes over the next ten years' as part of its push to build 1.5m properties. Details here. Dumped: Cars, fridges, and mattresses are among items being dumped next to a Stockport landmark hoping to get World Heritage status. Residents in Marple say three areas around the town's historic canal locks and the River Goyt have become dumping grounds for rubbish and larger items. More here. HMOs: Bolton council has agreed new rules to control the number of homes being converted into rental properties for multiple tenants. In 2021, the borough had 117 houses of multiple occupation (HMO), but by the end of last year there were 720. Details here. He's one of the best known voices in rock n' roll and one of the most famous faces in music - but Liam Gallagher is more than just a music icon. He is a thinker, a philosopher - a Descartes for our times. If you ever need sage counsel, you need only look to Liam. As we all prepare to see Oasis take to the stage again for the first time in years, I've been looking at some of Liam's wittiest one liners and best pieces of advice. You can read them all here.
Daily Mirror
15 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Amazon's cooling blanket is the 'best thing ever' for night sweats and 19% off
The Ailemei Direct Cooling Blanket is currently on sale at Amazon, with almost 20% slashed off the usual price tag and it's perfect for combatting night sweats during the heatwave Warm summer days may be delightful, but the hot and sticky nights are not. There's nothing worse than tossing and turning in bed, too hot to sleep - and those who already suffer from night sweats feel the heat even more. Moreover, for those who enjoy having a blanket over them at night, regular duvets simply don't suffice in the summer. That's why a cooling blanket could be an excellent solution, providing the comfort needed at night while keeping users pleasantly cool. Currently, Amazon is offering a deal on the Ailemei Direct Cooling Blanket for Night Sweats, now nearly 20% off at £21.94. The specialist blanket is crafted from mica nylon and Japanese cold fibre to help keep its users feeling fresh on hot nights, and it's nice and lightweight as well. Breathable and comfortable, the blanket wicks away heat and claims to lower internal temperature by about 2C. Plus, it's machine and hand washable, making it easy to maintain. If this cooling blanket isn't appealing to shoppers, they could try Dunelm's Fogarty Cooling Cotton Duvet Cover with their existing summer duvet. Ranging between £9.20 and £32 depending on bedding size, the simple plain duvet cover comes in colours including sage green, white and blush pink, reports the Daily Record. Alternatively, Debenhams offers the Slumberdown Cool Sleep Ultra Cool Nylon Summer Duvet/Blanket for between £46.50 and £78, depending on the size required. The duvet is designed to draw heat away and is said to be twice as cool to the touch as standard polyester blankets. The Ailemei Direct Cooling Blanket, however, has become a hit with buyers, boasting a 4.4-star average rating. One satisfied customer enthused: "Absolutely brilliant! You literally put it on and can feel the cooling straight away! It's very light and has two layers, it's a slippery type of fabric. I like having a blanket and get too hot under them, this is great to combat that!". Another described it as "the best thing ever", confessing: "I wish I'd bought it earlier, perfect for hot summer nights, lightweight, comfortable." Further praise came from a third buyer who exclaimed: "Absolutely blooming marvellous. Cooled me down on many a hot flush! Recommended." However, not all reviews are glowing, one shopper noted: "I didn't find this cooling, however it definitely stopped me sweating and therefore definitely had a more comfortable sleep. I like the way it is very thin but has a nice weight to it so it's easy to sleep under! Would recommend but not if your expecting it to actually be cool to the touch." But for those in search of relief during balmy evenings, the Ailemei Direct Cooling Blanket may offer an ideal reprieve from the heat.
New Statesman
16 minutes ago
- New Statesman
A perilous age
We go to print this week at a moment of deep peril, uncertainty and, it has to be said, shame. In the Middle East, Israel and Iran are engaged in an existential battle for supremacy which, at the time of writing, threatens to spiral out of control, causing unknown death and destruction. In Ukraine, Vladimir Putin's assault continues, and in Gaza, the suffering of millions intensifies even as their fate falls down the global agenda. We do not live in a world bending towards justice, but one being bent out of shape by those with power. While all this was happening, the leaders of what was once thought of as 'the West' looked on in Canada, paralysed in the face of the spectacle unfolding. Is there even such a thing as the G7 any more, you wonder? What we have, it seems, is an increasingly incongruous G6 – a gathering of half a dozen mid-sized powers, once loyal to the US, but now seemingly powerless to do much about anything. As the likes of Keir Starmer and Mark Carney put their names to another communiqué, the strongmen of the world did as they pleased. Naturally, much of this week's magazine is devoted to the unfolding crisis and the new world we now seem to have entered. Lawrence Freedman provides a masterly account of the grand strategy – and grand gamble – behind Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to attack Tehran, as well as the possible consequences in the days and weeks ahead. Freddie Hayward, our US correspondent, reports on the fractious world of Maga, where some of Trump's most ardent supporters are now watching with alarm as the one-time candidate of peace finds himself drawn ever closer to another foreign war. Katie Stallard reports from Washington and the strange spectacle of Trump's birthday parade, considering what it reveals about the uncertainty of the world now. In this world of strongmen, the personalities of those in power is crucial: what they believe and why. For this reason, we have delved into the personal history of Netanyahu, a pariah figure in much of the world today (justly) who, nevertheless, looks set to remake the Middle East to Israel's advantage through raw military power and violence. Ami Dror, who was the head of Netanyahu's secret service security detail between 1996 and 1999, provides a startling insider account of the prime minister who became a warlord. And Israeli-American journalist Joshua Leifer explains why Netanyahu has been waiting for this showdown with Iran for most of his adult life. At home, meanwhile, the government continues to flail, subcontracting its most difficult decisions to others. The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, recently completed the government's latest U-turn by announcing that there would be a national inquiry into the euphemistically named 'grooming gangs' scandal. As Hannah Barnes writes, it beggars belief that after months of obfuscation, the government has finally been forced into this position by the findings of Louise Casey. I have sat in meetings with some of the most senior Labour officials in this government who have spoken passionately about the moral stain of what happened in Rotherham and elsewhere, raging against the Labour councils which failed to act. And yet still nothing happened until someone else outside the government ordered them to change course. Voters – and, I suspect, New Statesman readers – want a government that knows what it stands for and is prepared to set it out in clear, unambiguous terms. From the protection of young girls in Britain to the rights of Palestinians in Gaza, Britain expects a government that leads, not one that follows. It's not all doom and gloom though. In the New Society, Tina Brown takes a look at Princess Diana's contested legacy, Zoë Huxford explores modern Britain through Alexander McQueen's most famous shows, and Kate Mossman meets a growling Brian Cox. Not a big fan of the prime minister, it seems. Enjoy the issue, and please do get in touch to let us know what you think. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe [See also: Kemi Badenoch sinks further into the mire] Related
