Women in English prisons are being increasingly handcuffed, restrained or subjected to “pain-inducing techniques” by staff, including while pregnant or during hospital examinations, openDemocracy can reveal.

Prison guards’ use of force against women more than doubled in three years, rising from 3,268 incidents in 2021/22 to 6,932 in 2024/25, according to data we obtained from His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) under Freedom of Information laws. The government says such measures should be used only as “a last resort”.

Instances where a woman was physically restrained, which could include her being held face down to the floor, rose by 70% over that time period, while handcuff usage rose by 264%, from 502 occasions to 1,826.

“Use of force” against pregnant women also increased, with 11 cases in 2024/25. It is not clear from the data whether this includes non-contact interventions such as positive communication, and HMPPS refused to answer questions on this, although such techniques would usually fall under “de-escalation” rather than “use of force”. The rest of our data does not include non-contact interventions.

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Speaking to the Italian newspaper la Repubblica, the Mayor of London outlined a roadmap for closer ties, including returning to both the customs union and the single market.

Sir Sadiq, who played a leading role in resisting the UK’s departure from the EU, now believes there is a route back to membership.

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He highlighted Brexit's detrimental impact, stating: “I see on a daily basis the damage Brexit has done to not just London, but to Londoners, the damage economically, socially and culturally.” Sir Sadiq was unequivocal: “I’m quite clear in terms of what needs to happen, which is, we should join the European Union.”

The mayor cited the election of US President Donald Trump, growing global instability, and the passage of time as reasons to revisit the issue, arguing “the facts have changed” and “the evidence has changed”. He insisted: “We should, as a Labour Party, fight the next general election with a clear manifesto commitment, a vote for Labour means we would rejoin the European Union. I think it’s inevitable.”

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Web Archive link

EDIT: Scotland has also followed up shortly after by doing the same https://www.itv.com/news/border/2026-03-19/scotland-bans-greyhound-racing

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/44466528

He is injured but not dead

Pubs giant Greene King is considering selling 150 of its pubs and offloading dozens more to franchisees, as its managing director quits.

The pub operator, which has 2,500 premises in the UK, has said it will put around 300 of its managed pubs into a separate unit – with 150 of these intended for sale while the other half will be turned into leased, tenanted or franchise venues.

The UK government has backtracked on its position on copyright and AI, stating it must take time to "get this right".

Its original position - allowing AI companies to use copyrighted works to train their models with an opt-out option - received major backlash from the likes of Sir Elton John and Dua Lipa.

"We have listened," Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said on Wednesday, saying the government no longer favours that approach.

However, the government's position is now unclear, saying it "no longer has a preferred option" for what to do next.

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It is attempting to balance the interests of the two sectors by giving creatives control of how their work is used, while recognising AI models need to be trained on work such as writing, music and video.

In a report (open pdf) published on Wednesday, the government said there was "no consensus on how these objectives should be achieved".

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Mandy Hill, president of the Publishers Association, said the backtrack was a victory "over the self-interest of a handful of large corporations".

However, Hill said the government has not entirely ruled out allowing tech companies to use copyrighted content to train AI models without a license.

"The existing law is clear," she added. "Copyright material cannot be used for AI development and training without permission."

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GB News is facing a backlash after a commentator on one of its shows suggested there is “a genocide happening” against white people in England and that immigrants could “turn” on the white population.

Dog owners face unlimited fines and could see their pets taken away under new laws designed to better protect farm animals from attacks in England and Wales.

Nigel Farage's far-right Reform UK is the most supported party amongst gay and bisexual men in the UK, a new poll has found.

The Hong Kong democracy campaigner and British citizen was sentenced to 20 years in prison last month under a security law imposed by China.

[...]

In a video address to the Society of Editors conference on Tuesday, Mr Lai’s son Sebastien Lai said: “Recently, we have received some very distressing news about his health.

“The deterioration of his health over the last five years has been heart-breaking to watch.”

Sebastien Lai said his father has remained “stoic”, but said a 20-year sentence at 78 years old is a “death sentence”.

“When they announced this 20-year sentence, which to all intents and purposes is a life sentence, a death sentence,” he said.

“He (Jimmy Lai) was stoic, he was at peace, and he even managed to smile to the judges to tell them that though they have captured his body and they have shackled his body, they have not shackled his spirits.”

Jimmy Lai, who founded the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, which criticised the governments in Hong Kong and Beijing, was arrested in August 2020.

[...]

Sebastien Lai asked conference attendees to sign a letter calling for his father’s release.

“His story is a reminder of the responsibility that a journalist has to both his colleagues, but also to the people, that he tells the truth to,” the Hong Kong businessman’s son said.

[...]