Latest news with #King Charles
Reuters
2 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Britain tries to tackle youth knife crime crisis
HINDHEAD, England, July 29 (Reuters) - A year after one of Britain's most harrowing knife attacks, the government is urging young people to drop off bladed weapons at "amnesty" bins or mobile vans in a month-long campaign - part of efforts to control knife-related violence, particularly when it involves youths. On July 29, 2024, teenager Axel Rudakubana, who was obsessed with violence and genocide, attacked a Taylor Swift-themed children's dance event in the northern English town of Southport, killing three girls and stabbing 10 other people. Since then, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government has pledged tougher age checks for knife buyers, warned social media firms they could face fines for failing to curb sales and promotion of weapons, and banned zombie-style knives and ninja swords. Starmer launched a coalition in September last year aimed at tackling youth knife crime. Actor and anti-knife campaigner Idris Elba joined the conversation at a meeting this month, alongside King Charles. Charities and experts interviewed by Reuters call the government's efforts a step forward but say they largely fail to address the root causes. Some charities involved in classes and workshops aimed at young people are urging the government to make such education part of the national curriculum. Overall, knife crime in England and Wales has risen 87% over the past decade, with 54,587 offences last year alone, a 2% rise from 2023 and among the highest rates in Europe, figures from Britain's interior ministry show. It did not provide a breakdown of knife crime offences by age group. But data from the justice ministry showed that in the year to March 2024 there were just over 3,200 knife or offensive weapon offences committed by children (aged 10-17) resulting in a caution or sentence. Of the 262 people killed with a knife or sharp object in the 12 months to March 2024, 57 were under 25. Kitchen knives were the most commonly used weapons. A public inquiry into the Southport murders that opened this month will begin by looking into the specifics of Rudakubana's case before a second phase examines the wider issue of children being drawn into violence, an increasing concern for British authorities. Amanda Marlow, from the youth charity Safety Centre, which runs knife crime awareness workshops in schools, says young people carry knives for a range of reasons. These include seeing it as a "quick fix" to make money when growing up in poverty, trying to gain status among peers, or being drawn into the wrong crowd, such as gangs, where they are often exploited. Some police forces have launched dedicated knife crime units. In the West Midlands, one of the country's worst-hit areas, the Guardian Taskforce focuses on reducing knife crime among under-25s. In June alone, officers patrolled for over 3,000 hours, carried out 366 stop-and-searches, and seized 57 knives or offensive weapons. "Every knife seized is a life saved," Inspector Kate Jeffries of the taskforce said in a statement. After surviving the Southport stabbings, Leanne Lucas launched the "Let's Be Blunt" campaign, calling for safer, rounded-tip kitchen knives instead of pointed ones. Jade Levell, a researcher at the University of Bristol who studies masculinity, vulnerability and violence, said anti-knife crime efforts should focus on early intervention, such as mental health care, rather than short-term fixes like amnesty bins. "Some boys see their only option is to be afraid or to make others afraid of them," Levell said, referring to those growing up with violence, poverty or discrimination. Some 4.5 million children are growing up in poverty in the UK, according to charities. In 2023, about 1 in 5 children and young people aged 8 to 25 years had a probable mental disorder, according to the National Health Service. The government announced funding this month for hubs offering mental health and career support for young people at risk of gang involvement, violence or knife crime. The scheme, focused on high-risk areas, is starting with eight such centres and aims to have 50 open in the next four years. The violent death of his son two years ago prompted Martin Cosser to found a charity dedicated to educating young people about knife crime, one of several such initiatives around the country. Charlie's Promise, named after 17-year-old Charlie who was stabbed multiple times in the chest by another teenager at a packed end-of-term party, has spoken to 41,000 young people in schools and elsewhere. "Nothing brings my little boy home," said Cosser, adding that far more must be done to stop the knife crime crisis spiralling out of control. "We need to understand the emotional drivers behind why people pick up knives." Charity Safety Centre delivers workshops in schools, specifically designed for children aged 9 to 12. At a recent session in a school in the southern English town of Milton Keynes, staff from the charity explained what knife crime is and the dangers it poses, encouraging active participation through questions and games. Safety Centre and Charlie's Promise are among several groups calling for such education to become a mandatory part of the national school curriculum. Amani Simpson, who survived being stabbed in 2011 and now shares his story as a youth coach, believes societal pressures and some forms of entertainment such as violent video games also play a role in spawning knife crime. "Young people feel displaced and disengaged ... those things need to be uprooted," Simpson said after a talk at TCES North West London, a special education school, emphasising the importance of helping them believe in their own potential so they make better choices. "Hope for me is the missing piece," he said.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
How Trump's love of pomp and pageantry and a long-awaited meeting with the King could sweeten UK trade deal... as major price hikes for cars and beef loom
Donald Trump has been brandishing his brass knuckle tactics by posting country-by-country tariff hikes online to squeeze counterparts into submission – but in the case of the UK, his fixation on the royal family is playing to his host country's benefit. This week's trip to Scotland is just a prelude to Trump's September official state visit where he will meet King Charles. The president is set to hammer out details of a huge trade deal with the UK during talks in between rounds of golf at his Scottish course Monday – with prices for cars, digital clicks, and U.S.-raised chicken and beef all on the line. 'Trump wants a successful state visit in September with no problems, and so he is not going to hit the UK hard on anything until after that,' one plugged-in source who works with the White House told the Daily Mail. This fall, Trump is seeking a royal welcome with pomp and pageantry that will top his first term visit with Queen Elizabeth. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was among the first world leaders to successfully woo Trump by presenting him with a letter from the King at the White House. Now, the two are set to meet at Trump's Turnberry golf course, with aides saying leader-to-leader trade talks with be critical. 'This is a pretty broad framework still, so it would be hashing out the more specifics there' at the 'leader-to-leader' level, a White House official told the Daily Mail. The products at stake run the gamut of the industrial and agricultural economies of the two nations. Trump went out of his way to applaud Starmer as he began his trip to Scotland – signaling he is going for the soft sell, at least publicly. 'He's a good man. He got a trade deal done,' Trump said. Instead of focusing on the fine points, he said the two would be celebrating the agreement, which sets a 10 percent baseline tariff for imports of UK products. 'It's a great deal for both,' he added. That came as he put the chance of reaching a trade deal with the European Union only at 'fifty-fifty,' in advance of a planned meeting with EU Commission Chair Ursula von der Leyen, amid reports that it could end with the EU accepting a 15 percent U.S. 'baselline' tariff. One question facing the US side is how much relief to grant Britain on steel and aluminum tariffs, a White House official told the Daily Mail. Trump imposed a 50 so-called Section 232 tariff on steel and aluminum worldwide last month, with a 25 hit on the UK amid trade talks. The U.S. exempted British jet engines from special Section 232 tariffs. But there is still discussion on British pharmaceutical imports 'where we could have some willingness to give them special consideration on that,' said the official. That trade authority allows Trump to impose tariffs on national security grounds. One high-impact clash is the UK's Digital Services Tax, which brought in more than $1B last year and rising. American negotiators have long compared the tax to a tariff on US tech giants. The so-called 'Google tax' hits top U.S. tech companies that provide a platform for online purchasing. Trump managed to press Canada to nix its Digital Services late last month after threatening to terminate 'all discussions on trade with Canada.' 'Trump forced Canada to get of their digital services tax, and the UK and the EU are next,' said the insider. Trump wants the UK to get rid of its digital services tax – a matter that wasn't settled by the May deal Trump and Starmer met at the G7 summit in Canada in June and again at NATO. Now, they will meet on Trump's turf at his Turnberry course The details are what matter in any trade negotiation, and the one between the U.S. and Britain is no different, despite the longstanding 'special relationship.' For example, the May 8 deal set a 100,000 quota for UK auto imports like Jaguars, Land Rovers and Mini Coopers that get a 10 percent tariff rather than the larger 25 percent one. A UK 10 percent tariff on U.S. cars remains in effect. But the deal announced an unspecificed 'accompanying arrangement for attendant auto parts' for such autos. 'That's something that may need to be hashed out,' said the White House official. The two countries agreed to work 'constructively' on enhancing market access for agricultural products. That means the U.S. poultry that European and British trading partners sometimes refer to derisively as 'chlorinated chicken' will find a new market. But the text announced by Trump merely states that products 'must comply with the importing country's sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards and other mutually agreed standards.' The various types are spelled out in a Harmonized Tariff Schedule published by the office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Categories of chicken alone include chicken thighs, frozen chicken, ground chicken, chicken breast, chicken meal, and even chicken paste. 'They agreed to take their chicken, but what exactly is that? Are they taking full chickens, or taking live chickens?' asked the official. 'Are they taking frozen chicken meat? Are they taking prepared chicken meals with air-tight containers?' asked the official. Amid the compex multi-faceted negotiations, there is something else that Trump wants. The meeting with Starmer takes place at Turnberry, a celebrated course that has not hosted the British Open since Trump bought it. Trump and the Trump Organization – Trump has maintained his business empire as president – have long wanted to land the tour. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who came along for Trump's first round of golf in Scotland Saturday, said back in Washington that Trump and Starmer will meet 'to refine the historic U.S.-U.K. trade deal' announced in May. She touted recent trade deals with Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines, and said of Trump: 'He came in as the closer in all three of those.' As of mid-week Trump had fired off 25 trade letters, with a new baseline emerging of a 15 percent baseline tariff on products coming into the U.S. The risks to a range of sectors are real – as UK tariffs on American spirits in the land where fine Scotch was born have revealed. Between 1997 and 2018, when there weren't any tariffs on distilled spirits between the two countries, bilateral trade spiked 212 percent – hitting $1.4 billion, according to figures the Distilled Spirits Council provided to the Daily Mail. But 'devastating' tariffs on Single Malt Scotch and American Whiskey led to a 35 percent decrease in trade. A UK 25 percent retaliatory tariff on U.S. Whiskeys in 2018 and 2021 caused a 41 percent drop in exports there. When it came off, it shot back up to $137 million in 2024. Chris Swonger, CEO of the Council is meeting his Scotch Whisky Association counterpart this weekend to urge bringing tariffs down to zero.
Fox News
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Prince William's absence at King Charles and Prince Harry's 'peace summit' could be a 'warning shot': expert
Prince Harry and King Charles' private aides reportedly held a secret "peace summit" in an effort to restore the broken relationship between father and son. However, several royal experts insisted to Fox News Digital there's one senior royal who will likely never forgive or forget. "The important issue is that Prince William and his representatives were not invited," royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital. "I feel that this was a warning shot across William's bows that Charles is king – not him. … It may also be a stark warning that Charles will decide what happens during his reign, not William." According to the Mail on Sunday, Meredith Maines, the Duke of Sussex's chief of staff and communications director, flew from California to London recently to meet with the king's communications secretary, Tobyn Andreae. Liam Maguire, who oversees U.K. press for Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, was also present. The informal meeting was reportedly held at the Royal Over-Seas League, a private club located a short walk from Clarence House, the king's London residence. Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and Archewell, which handles the offices of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, for comment. "It is a sign from King Charles that he wants peace with Harry and Meghan and to meet his grandchildren," Turner claimed. Fox News Digital learned that Maines was in London to meet with the U.K.-based communications team, media, stakeholders and senior figures connected to Harry's patronages. It's understood that the visit was routine and part of ongoing planning and engagement. A source told the Mail Sunday that the meeting was only the "first step towards reconciliation between Harry and his father, but at least it is a step in the right direction." WATCH: PRINCE HARRY, PRINCE WILLIAM NEED AN INTERVENTION TO END FEUD: EXPERT "Everyone just wants to move on and move forward now. It was finally the right time for the two sides to talk," the source added. Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams claimed to Fox News Digital that William, heir to the British throne, likely knew of the meeting but chose not to get his aides involved. Experts previously told Fox News Digital William and Harry are not on speaking terms. "The king is still battling cancer and is in his late 70s," said Fitzwilliams. "He wants a relationship with his grandchildren, whom he has hardly met. He is also temperamentally more accommodating than William. But [William] cannot trust the Sussexes. They must know it. The prospect of seeing the Sussexes at royal events would enrage the monarchy's loyal supporters. … Of course, reconciliation is desirable [for the king]. It would, however, come at a price." The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals and moved to California in 2020, citing unbearable intrusions of the British press and a lack of support from the palace. After their exit, the couple aired grievances in interviews, documentaries and in Harry's 2023 memoir, "Spare." In his book, Harry, 40, appears to be tormented by his status as a royal "spare" behind William, 43. He recounts a long-standing sibling rivalry that worsened after Harry began a relationship with Meghan, 43, whom he married in 2018. "From a positive private family stance, some personal healing between father and son would be good," British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital. "King Charles will always love his son, and, in light of the king's ongoing cancer treatment, it could help tidy up the messy fractured relationship. "King Charles is living with cancer, which makes his family situation very sad," Chard noted. "I'm sure he is thinking about his mortality and reevaluating his life. He would not want a family feud tarnishing his positive contributions and memory. I'm sure he will also want to clear up unresolved issues or surprises that could lead to further resentment and conflict between his two sons. "Life is too short for battles," Chard continued. "However, without Prince William's inclusion in the rapprochement, I can't see a positive outcome. It could also cause a wedge between Charles and William despite the king most certainly consulting with William." But not everyone feels that way. "It was a good first step," an insider told People magazine. "There's optimism that it can be taken forward." According to the outlet, it's not known whether Harry and Charles, 76, have spoken recently. In May, Harry told the BBC he wanted reconciliation but that his father wouldn't speak to him. Sources previously told People the king wouldn't respond to Harry's letters or phone calls. "I would love reconciliation with my family," said Harry. "There's no point in continuing to fight anymore." But British royals expert Hilary Fordwich said she wasn't buying the so-called peace summit. "My instincts say that Harry is desperate," Fordwich claimed. "And King Charles loves his son and wants to have a restored relationship. However, this tentative step in any fragile peace process was marred by the leak of the meeting's details and photos. How on Earth was the media there?. … Both sides [have] expressed frustration regarding how such a leak jeopardizes the process, with now suspicions and distrust being resurrected. "Prince William is likely viewing this leak as being true to form for the Sussexes," Fordwich claimed. "It further reinforces his stance that any reconciliation or indeed dialogue with the Sussexes will become public." Chard also wondered how the details of what was supposed to be a private meeting became public so quickly. "The trust line seems to have been overstepped yet again," Chard claimed. "The story broke as the Prince and Princess of Wales received glowing media attention at Wimbledon. This was promptly overshadowed by the leaked reconciliation story. … The PR machine is seemingly in full play. It wouldn't surprise me if everything was filmed and will soon be featured in a new Netflix show. "But … wouldn't it be great if a fairytale reconciliation was in the cards or even a diplomatic agreement to disagree and move on?" Fitzwilliams previously told Fox News Digital William and Harry, once seemingly inseparable siblings, have "less in common than we imagined." "'Spare' made this pretty clear," said Fitzwilliams. "Harry resented the way he was treated as a bit of a joker and the royal wild child. He was also traumatized by the death of his mother, and resentment about security issues stems directly from this. This was very clear in his angry interview recently on the BBC. "William undoubtedly and rightly feels betrayed by Harry as [the interviews and memoir] were so damaging. At the heart of this is the fact that he feels he cannot trust his brother or Meghan ever again."
The Independent
22-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Charles ‘working on' producing a contender for the Derby
The King has said he is working on producing a runner for one of the greatest spectacles in the racing calendar – the Derby. Charles's comment came when he and the Queen visited the Jockey Club Rooms in Newmarket, the heart of the horse racing industry, after touring the nearby National Stud. The couple went on a meet and greet with the public after more than a 1,000 people flocked to the Suffolk town's centre and the King, who is receiving ongoing cancer treatment, spoke about his health. Lee Harman, 54, from Bury St Edmunds, said: 'I asked him how he was, and he said he was feeling a lot better now and that it was 'just one of those things'.' After telling Charles about his own cancer issues, Mr Harman said: 'He asked me how I was and I said 'I'm all good', I got the all clear from cancer last year.' Thoroughbreds owned by the late Queen won four out of the five flat racing classics – the 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, the Oaks twice and the St Leger – with only the Derby eluding her. Now it appears the King, who took on Elizabeth II's stable of horses with his wife, is aiming to have a thoroughbred ready. As he toured the Jockey Club Rooms, a retreat for members and the public, he chatted to his racing manager John Warren, Jockey Club staff and members, and some of the chairs of racecourses run by the club, the official governing body for horseracing in Britain. Brian Finch, chairman of Epsom Downs Racecourse, home to the world-famous Derby, said after speaking to the King: 'We were talking about him getting a Derby runner and he said 'we're working on it'. 'Everybody is hoping the royal family will have a Derby winner soon.'
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Charles ‘working on' producing a contender for the Derby
The King has said he is working on producing a runner for one of the greatest spectacles in the racing calendar – the Derby. Charles's comment came when he and the Queen visited the Jockey Club Rooms in Newmarket, the heart of the horse racing industry, after touring the nearby National Stud. The couple went on a meet and greet with the public after more than a 1,000 people flocked to the Suffolk town's centre and the King, who is receiving ongoing cancer treatment, spoke about his health. Lee Harman, 54, from Bury St Edmunds, said: 'I asked him how he was, and he said he was feeling a lot better now and that it was 'just one of those things'.' After telling Charles about his own cancer issues, Mr Harman said: 'He asked me how I was and I said 'I'm all good', I got the all clear from cancer last year.' Thoroughbreds owned by the late Queen won four out of the five flat racing classics – the 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, the Oaks twice and the St Leger – with only the Derby eluding her. Now it appears the King, who took on Elizabeth II's stable of horses with his wife, is aiming to have a thoroughbred ready. As he toured the Jockey Club Rooms, a retreat for members and the public, he chatted to his racing manager John Warren, Jockey Club staff and members, and some of the chairs of racecourses run by the club, the official governing body for horseracing in Britain. Brian Finch, chairman of Epsom Downs Racecourse, home to the world-famous Derby, said after speaking to the King: 'We were talking about him getting a Derby runner and he said 'we're working on it'. 'Everybody is hoping the royal family will have a Derby winner soon.'
