Women hold almost 45% of seats on FTSE 100 boards, report says

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New high tempered by dip in number of female CEOs at 100 biggest listed firms to fewer than 10 last year

Women occupy more than two in five seats on the boards of Britain’s biggest listed companies after further progress was made last year, but the number of female FTSE 100 chief executives dipped for a time to fewer than 10, according to a report.

The proportion of board positions held by women at FTSE 350 companies rose to a new all-time high of 43.4% last year, up from 42.1% in 2023, according to the government-backed annual FTSE Women Leaders Review. Among the 100 biggest listed companies, the proportion of women in the boardroom was even higher, at 44.7% versus 42.6% in 2023.

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Norman Foster on shortlist to design Queen Elizabeth II memorial

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Architect who was once highly critical of King Charles is part of team that is one of five finalists for scheme

The shortlist of teams competing to design a national memorial to the late Queen Elizabeth II has been unveiled and includes an architect once highly critical of King Charles.

Five finalists are in the running for what has been described as one of the most significant design initiatives in modern British history, in tribute to the UK’s longest-serving monarch.

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Police to get new powers to find stolen phones in England and Wales

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Warrant will not be required where tracker shows an item is present, as part of raft of measures in crime and policing bill

Police will be able to search properties without a warrant for stolen phones or other electronically geotagged items under the government’s crime and policing bill.

The measure is among dozens in the bill, which will be put before parliament on Tuesday and would mostly apply to England and Wales. It has a particular focus on lower-level offences such as theft and wider antisocial behaviour.

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Sayeeda Warsi and Mishal Husain back new lobby group for British Muslims

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British Muslim Network aims to bring together experts to identify challenges the community faces to policymakers

Prominent British Muslims in politics, media, business and sport have come together to influence government policy on behalf of 4 million British Muslims.

The minister for faith Wajid Khan, the Tory MP and deputy speaker Nusrat Ghani, the former Conservative party chair Sayeeda Warsi, the broadcaster Mishal Husain, the ex-England cricketer Azeem Rafiq and the anti-racism group Hope Not Hate are backing the newly formed British Muslim Network (BMN).

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Missing fisherman was dragged overboard by shark entangled in fishing gear, Australian police say – CBS News

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  1. Missing fisherman was dragged overboard by shark entangled in fishing gear, Australian police say  CBS News
  2. Search for fisherman who fell overboard 'suspended,' Australian police say  USA TODAY
  3. Fisherman Missing After Hooking Mako Shark and Getting Dragged into the Ocean in ‘Tragic Accident’: Reports  PEOPLE
  4. ‘Tragic accident’: Sydney fisher tangled in line and dragged into ocean after hooking shark  Sydney Morning Herald
  5. Australian fisherman lost at sea after being pulled into ocean while reeling in shark, authorities say  Fox Weather
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Lester Holt to exit NBC Nightly News as MSNBC cuts Ayman Mohyeldin’s show

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Holt to step down as anchor as Katie Phang and Jonathan Capehart, whose shows also canceled, to remain at MSNBC

NBC’s Lester Holt is stepping down as anchor of its Nightly News show, and MSNBC’s Ayman Mohyeldin is stepping down from a similar role at his namesake weekend evening show as the networks’ owners continue a major programming shake-up on Monday.

Others at MSNBC affected by changes revealed on Monday include Katie Phang and Jonathan Capehart, the New York Post reported.

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Trump says Putin will accept European peacekeepers in Ukraine

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France’s Macron corrects US president’s claim that Europe has only loaned funds to Kyiv at White House meeting

Donald Trump has said the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, would accept European peacekeepers in Ukraine as part of a potential deal to end the three-year war.

The US president was speaking alongside the French president, Emmanuel Macron, at the White House on Monday as the leaders sought to smooth over a transatlantic rift to achieve peace.

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Pope shows ‘slight improvement’ amid special prayers at St. Peter’s – The Washington Post

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  1. Pope shows ‘slight improvement’ amid special prayers at St. Peter’s  The Washington Post
  2. Pope Francis shows slight improvement and resumes some work, while still critical, Vatican says  The Associated Press
  3. 'Slight improvement' in Pope's condition  Vatican News - English
  4. Pope Francis in critical condition with pneumonia and kidney issues, Vatican says  NBC News
  5. Pope Francis’ condition slightly improves  CBS Chicago
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Senior Hamas official: I wouldn’t have backed Oct. 7 if I’d known outcome for Gaza – The Times of Israel

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  1. Senior Hamas official: I wouldn’t have backed Oct. 7 if I’d known outcome for Gaza  The Times of Israel
  2. Hamas Official Expresses Reservations About Oct. 7 Attack on Israel  The New York Times
  3. Hamas official to NYT: Oct. 7 wouldn't have happened if consequences for Gaza were known  Haaretz
  4. Hamas official calls Oct. 7 massacre a mistake, after realizing consequences  Ynetnews
  5. Senior Hamas official admits he wouldn't have backed October 7 if he knew the outcome  The Jerusalem Post
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Retired surgeon admits to ‘hideous acts’ as France’s largest child sexual abuse trial gets underway – NBC News

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  1. Retired surgeon admits to 'hideous acts' as France's largest child sexual abuse trial gets underway  NBC News
  2. Trial of Former Surgeon Accused of Abusing Nearly 300 Opens in France  The New York Times
  3. France prepares for largest child abuse trial in its history  NBC News
  4. French surgeon accused of abusing 299 patients, mostly children, says he did ‘hideous things’  The Guardian
  5. A French surgeon is on trial accused of raping or abusing 299 people, mostly children  NPR
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ICC urged to investigate Biden for ‘aiding and abetting’ Gaza war crimes

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US-based nonprofit Dawn also accuses ex-secretary of state Antony Blinken and ex-Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin

A US-based nonprofit organization has urged the international criminal court to investigate former president Joe Biden and two of his cabinet members for complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

The request, submitted by the Democracy for the Arab World Now (Dawn) last month but made public by the group on Monday, urges the ICC to investigate Biden, as well as former secretary of state Antony Blinken and former defense secretary Lloyd Austin, for their “accessorial roles in aiding and abetting, as well as intentionally contributing to, Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza”.

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Ex-surgeon admits ‘despicable acts’ in France’s largest child abuse trial – BBC.com

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  1. Ex-surgeon admits 'despicable acts' in France's largest child abuse trial  BBC.com
  2. French surgeon accused of abusing 299 patients, mostly children, says he did ‘hideous things’  The Guardian
  3. France faces its largest child abuse trial, weeks after country was rocked by Pelicot case  CNN
  4. A French surgeon is on trial accused of raping or abusing 299 people, mostly children  NPR
  5. French Doctor Is Accused of Child Rapes  The New York Times
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