Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has apologised on Monday after a video showing him kissing a child on the lips triggered criticism.
A statement posted on his official website said the 87-year-old leader regretted the incident and wished to “apologise to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused”.
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The incident occurred at a public gathering in February at the Tsuglakhang temple in Dharamsala, where the exiled leader lives. He was taking questions from the audience when the boy asked if he could hug him.
The Dalai Lama invited the boy up toward the platform he was seated on. In the video, he gestured to his cheek, after which the child kissed him before giving him a hug.
The Dalai Lama then asked the boy to kiss him on the lips and stuck out his tongue. “And suck my tongue,” the Dalai Lama can be heard saying as the boy sticks out his own tongue and leans in, prompting laughter from the audience.
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The footage triggered a backlash online with social media users condemning his behavior as inappropriate and disturbing.
“His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras,” the statement from the Dalai Lama read.
The Dalai Lama has made the hillside town of Dharmsala his headquarters since fleeing from Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. India considers Tibet to be part of China, though it hosts Tibetan exiles.
The initial ad, which accused the prime minister of not wanting child sex abusers to go to prison, caused unease among the shadow cabinet with shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell declining to endorse it.
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On Monday, Abbott, who was shadow home secretary under Jeremy Corbyn, responded to a tweet from Shabana Mahmood, the party’s national campaign coordinator who defended the aggressive ads.
Mahmood wrote: “People don’t want more excuses from politicians – they want answers. Labour is the party of law and order.”
In response, Abbott said: “But do people want a party that posts pictures of an Indian-heritage PM claiming he does not want sex offenders put in prison?”
She said in an earlier tweet: “Starmer stands by his ad. Does he also stand by suggesting Indian-heritage PM won’t put sex abusers in prison, when right wing says most sex abusers are from Indian sub-continent?”
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Abbott has recently criticised home secretary Suella Braverman for rhetoric claiming most child sex abusers are Pakistani.
Others on the Labour left have expressed their unease with the tactics. Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell said Labour is “better than this” and Corbyn – who has been suspended from the parliamentary party – has hit out at “dog-whistle politics”.
Starmer stands by his ad. Does he also stand by suggesting Indian heritage PM won’t put sex abusers in prison, when right wing says most sex abusers are from Indian sub-continent? https://t.co/RHqEI1wPEO
Sunak is responsible for lots of things. But sentencing is the responsibility of the judiciary. You would think a former DPP would know that. Horrible ad. https://t.co/zEgRZxYWtE
Starmer has dismissed criticism of the advert, saying he made “absolutely zero apologies” for the campaign regardless of how “squeamish” it made people feel.
Writing in the Daily Mail, the Labour leader said he refused “to just stand by or avoid calling this what it is”.
Senior party figures including former home secretary Lord David Blunkett called for the ad to be withdrawn, arguing that Labour is better than the “gutter” politics.
Further adverts scheduled to drop ahead of the May local elections are to include one suggesting Sunak thinks it is right that the public is paying for the “Conservatives crashing the economy” through higher housing costs.
<img class="img-sized__img landscape" loading="lazy" alt="Labour’s two attack adverts following the same format.” width=”720″ height=”478″ src=”https://www.wellnessmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/diane-abbott-questions-labour-attacking-indian-heritage-pm-in-controversial-ads-2.jpg”>
Labour’s two attack adverts following the same format.
Labour Party
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The row centres on a tweet in which Labour highlighted analysis of official data and said that under the Tories “4,500 adults convicted of sexually assaulting children under-16 served no prison time”.
Alongside a photo of the prime minister, it read: “Do you think adults convicted of sexually assaulting children should go to prison? Rishi Sunak doesn’t.”
Judges and magistrates, rather than the prime minister of the day, are responsible for handing out sentences.
The figures Labour highlighted cover the period since 2010, five years before Sunak entered parliament. He did not become prime minister until October last year.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A shooting Monday at a bank building in downtown Louisville killed five people and wounded at least six others, police said. The suspected shooter was also dead, police said.
Louisville Metro Police Department deputy chief Paul Humphrey told reporters officers who arrived on the scene “encountered active gunshots still being fired inside the location at that time.”
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“The shooter was confirmed to be dead on the scene,” Humphrey said. “We do not know exactly the circumstances of his death at this time.”
Humphrey said at least six wounded people, including one police officer, were taken to a hospital but he had no details on their conditions.
Witnesses who left the building told Louisville station WHAS-TV they heard gunfire inside the building and television footage showed numerous police vehicles in the area.
In a tweet, Kentucky governor Andy Beshear said he was heading to the scene.
“Please pray for all of the families impacted and for the city of Louisville,” Beshear said.
The FBI said its agents were also responding to the shooting.
The shooting happened in a building on East Main Street that houses the Old National Bank not far from the Louisville Slugger Field and Waterfront Park.
The leader of the Scottish Tories has been slapped down by party bosses at Westminster after he suggested voters back Labour to beat the SNP.
Douglas Ross said people should “do what’s best for the country” when deciding who to vote for at the next election.
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But a spokesman for the Tories at Westminster insisted tactical voting was “emphatically not the view of the Conservative Party”.
Speaking to the Telegraph, Ross said voters in Scotland opposed to the SNP should back the party most likely to beat them in their area.
He said: “The public know how to tactically vote in Scotland.
“I will always encourage Scottish Conservative voters to vote Scottish Conservative, but I think generally the public can see and they want the parties to accept that where there is a strongest candidate to beat the SNP you get behind that candidate.
“If parties maybe look beyond their own narrow party agenda and do what’s best for the country and for me as Scottish Conservative leader what would be best is if we see this grip that the SNP have on Scotland at the moment is loosened.”
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But a UK Tory spokesman said: “This is emphatically not the view of the Conservative Party.
“We want people to vote for Conservative candidates wherever they are standing as that’s the best way to keep Labour and the SNP out.”
Ross’s remarks come at a time of crisis for the SNP in the wake of Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation as first minister and party leader.
Her husband, former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, was arrested in the investigation into the spending of around £600,000 that was earmarked for an independence campaign.
“I haven’t, but I will fully cooperate with the police as and when they request that, if indeed they do,” she told reporters outside her Glasgow home, when taking questions after giving a brief statement.
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SNP president Mike Russell told The Herald newspaper the party was in the “most challenging crisis we’ve ever faced” during his 50 years as a member.
Jamie and Jools Oliver have shared a series of stunning pictures after renewing their wedding vows in the Maldives.
Thee TV chef and the former model were joined by their five children at the “special, funny and romantic ceremony”, 23 years after they first tied the knot.
“Morning all, Me & @joolsoliver got married again!” Jamie captioned the snaps.
Jools and Jamie Oliver.
Jeff Spicer via Getty Images
“Yep After 23 years together, we thought it would be a special moment to celebrate renewing our wedding vows before the kids all start leaving the nest.
“It was really special, funny and romantic with the words in the ceremony making more sense having come this far together.
“It seems like a blink since the first wedding which we kept very private apart from the paparazzi at the village church we thought it would be a happy and joyful moment to share with you all this Easter.
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“We’ve always dreamed of going to the Maldives and it was just as you would have dreamed, simply amazing !
“A massive thank you to all the team at @discoversoneva for blowing our minds and making this moment so special and memorable big love guys Jamie xxxxxxxxx”
Jamie and Jools Oliver and their family pictured in 2016.
Ian Lawrence via Getty Images
The images show the couple and their five children – Poppy, Daisy, Petal, Buddy and River – dressed in white and pale blue outfits on a tiny sandy island in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
This Morning has come under fire over comments made by presenter Alison Hammond and guest Vanessa Feltz about singing along at musicals, which were branded “incredibly stupid”.
On Friday’s programme, Alison and co-host Dermot O’Leary were joined by guest Vanessa Feltz where they discussed the banning of singing at the Manchester production of The Bodyguard musical.
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Ahead of each performance at the Palace Theatre, staff carry signs asking the audience to ‘refrain from singing’.
Reading off a script during Friday’s show, Alison said that staff were taking the new rules “very, very seriously” and are “regularly walking up and down the aisles.”
As Dermot burst into laughter, Alison said: “I can’t believe it. I’d be devastated. I’m not even going to go to that show now.”
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Vanessa then added: “Isn’t the whole point of going to a musical that you know that you sing along to all the bits you know and when you don’t know the words you just make them up.
“Isn’t that what everybody does? And very, very loudly while eating an ice cream.”
Many viewers and performers have shared their outrage over the comments made on This Morning, with theatre actor Alice Fearn, who stars in the musical Wicked, describing them as “so incredibly stupid”.
“Who the hell do they think you are?! I am incredibly disappointed with all of the presenters here,” Alice tweeted.
“To actually think you have the RIGHT to sing along to a professional production is mind-blowing to me. If you want that… go to karaoke. I’m totally furious.”
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To actually think you have the RIGHT to sing along to a professional production is mind blowing to me. If you want that… go to karaoke. I’m totally furious 🤬
Oh no @AlisonHammond not this! So disrespectful to the training and dedication that goes into singing and acting a show 8 times a week, let alone to the person sat next to you that has paid to see that trained and dedicated person. Please think before you speak. 🙈#itsnotkaraokehttps://t.co/bUhgeEvGQD
2nd tweet goes to @VanessaOnAir. Please please please do not eat or sing loudly over someone trying to do their job. The amount of training and discipline that goes into singing 8 shows a week is something that deserves respect. Go to karaoke if you want to sing along. https://t.co/bUhgeEvGQD
Also, most members of the audience have paid good money to hear the professional cast sing the songs, not hear you wailing along and making up the lyrics. If you want to do that, go to a karaoke or stay at home and sing along to the film.
ABSOLUTELY! Don’t belittle the performers by thinking you are anywhere near their level of professionalism and don’t disrespect the other audience members who have paid to see the performers sing, not the audience. Have some class!
I 100% agree with you. When I go to the theatre, I go because I want to see and hear the trained, professional performers. I don’t pay good money for a ticket to have it ruined by fellow theatre goers singing along or talking in loud voices.
— Lisathebooklover18 📚💙 (@lisalovesbooks6) April 8, 2023
Absolutely. So presumably @AlisonHammond would enjoy sitting through a play while the person next to her speaks the lines out loud. What happened to basic courtesy to performers and other audience members?
Former Pussycat Dolls member Melody Thornton, who plays the lead role, spoke out after the last 10 minutes of the musical at the Palace Theatre was cut after some members of the audience refused to remain seated and refrain from loudly singing.
Speaking in a video posted to her Instagram story on Friday evening, Melody said: “I respect that you paid your money and I am so grateful to everyone who respects the people on stage who want to give you a beautiful show. For everything that happened tonight, I don’t have all of the details, I just am very, very sorry that we couldn’t finish the show. I fought really hard. It feels awful, and I just hope that we see you again.”
Theatre pulled the show at the end tonight because of disgusting behaviour. We wanted to carry on but it had become a major incident. I’m really sorry to what was 99.9% a brilliant audience that a few badly behaved individuals ruined it. https://t.co/quemi5Jmt5
Labour has stepped up its attacks on Rishi Sunak by claiming he does not want thieves to be punished.
The latest move comes despite fierce criticism of an earlier ad accusing the prime minister of not wanting child sex offenders to be jailed.
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And it follows a second tweet which said Sunak did not want to imprison adults convicted of gun possession.
The latest online graphic, which again features a picture of the PM alongside his signature, says: “Do you think thieves should be punished? Rishi Sunak doesn’t.”
It adds: “Under the Tories, only 180 of the 4,500 thefts a day will see someone charged this year.”
HuffPost UK revealed yesterday that Labour was planning to step up its personal attacks on Sunak despite widespread condemnation of the tweet about child sexual assault.
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In an unusual move, Twitter has added a “context” note making clear the Tories do not want to end the jailing of child sex offenders.
Critics of the campaign included former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who said Labour is “better than this”.
But appearing on Radio Four’s Any Questions programme last night, shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry said: “I heard a lot of people criticising it, and a lot of people who I like and respect criticising it and saying they felt very uncomfortable about it. Some people said that they thought it was racist.
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“I have to say, I think they’re wrong. I just disagree with that. I think the truth is we do need to have a debate in this country, and Rishi Sunak is the Prime Minister and he is responsible for a broken justice system.”
Asked if she genuinely thinks Sunak held these views, Thornberry said: “If he believes that everyone responsible for child abuse should get a custodial sentence, why are so many not getting a custodial sentence?”
Nicola Sturgeon has said she will “fully co-operate” with the police if they want to quiz her in their investigation into the SNP’s finances.
In her first public comments since the arrest of her husband, Peter Murrell, the former first minister also asked for “privacy” as she tries to “get on with life”.
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She was speaking outside the home the couple share on the outskirts of Glasgow.
Detectives swooped on the house earlier this week, taking Murrell into custody and erecting a large incident tent in the front garden as they carried out a thorough search of the property.
He was later released without charge after being quizzed for 11 hours.
Asked if she had also been interviewed by the police, Sturgeon said: “I haven’t but I will fully cooperate with the police … if they do.”
The probe are centres around the whereabouts of around £660,000 which was earmarked for Scottish independence campaigning.
The investigation, called Operation Branchform, was launched following allegations that the money, which was meant to be in a ring-fenced fund, had been misappropriated. The party has denied any wrongdoing.
Speaking this afternoon, she said: “I’m also entitled to a little bit of privacy in my own home, and my neighbours I think are also entitled to a wee bit of privacy as well.
“Over the years, as a result of living next door to me, they’ve been subjected to more than their fair share of disruption and inconvenience.
“And that has obviously been particularly the case over the last couple of years.
“So as all of you do your jobs, I hope and I know you’ll get some respect to that. So that’s really all I needed to say.”
She added: “So that’s all really I’m able to say just now, other than I intend to get on with life and my job as you would expect.”
The SNP has been plunged into crisis following Sturgeon’s shock resignation in February.
Humza Yousaf was narrowly elected her successor as SNP leader following a bruising leadership election, during which it also emerged that the party has lost 30,000 members in recent months.
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Party officials had initially denied the story when it was reported by the Sunday Mail, but eventually confirmed it was true.
That led to the resignation of the SNP’s head of press, Murray Foote, followed by Peter Murrell quitting as the party’s chief executive.
He said: “Responsibility for the SNP’s responses to media queries about our membership number lies with me as chief executive.
“While there was no intent to mislead, I accept that this has been the outcome.
“I have therefore decided to confirm my intention to step down as chief executive with immediate effect.”
The two leads in the Manchester production of The Bodyguard musical have apologised to fans after Friday’s performance of the show was forced to end early because of two disruptive audience members.
Former Pussycat Dolls member Melody Thornton, who plays the lead role, spoke out after the last 10 minutes of the musical at the Palace Theatre was cut after some members of the audience refused to remain seated and refrain from loudly singing.
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Speaking in a video posted to her Instagram story on Friday evening, Meody said: “I wanted to send a really special message to people in Manchester who came to the show tonight to say thank you so much.
“I respect that you paid your money and I am so grateful to everyone who respects the people on stage who want to give you a beautiful show. For everything that happened tonight, I don’t have all of the details, I just am very, very sorry that we couldn’t finish the show. I fought really hard. It feels awful, and I just hope that we see you again.
“The Bodyguard is a great show. It’s a wonderful story and love story. And I know people were out to see just a really beautiful show. I thank everyone who was respectful of the performers, and I’m very sorry for those who weren’t. I hope that we see you soon. That’s it. Thank you love you.”
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Her co-star, former Emmerdale and Hollyoaks actor Ayden Callaghan, tweeted that a “few badly behaved individuals ruined it”.
He said there had been “disgusting behaviour” and though the cast “wanted to carry on”, they were unable to because “it had become a major incident”.
He added that he was “really sorry to what was 99.9% a brilliant audience”.
Theatre pulled the show at the end tonight because of disgusting behaviour. We wanted to carry on but it had become a major incident. I’m really sorry to what was 99.9% a brilliant audience that a few badly behaved individuals ruined it. https://t.co/quemi5Jmt5
Greater Manchester Police said: “Officers were called to the Palace Theatre last night (April 7 2023) after staff reported a number of people in the audience causing a disturbance.
“Two people removed by security staff were spoken to by police and a decision about any further action will be made once the evidence has been reviewed.”
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I’m new to the world of theatre. But sad and disappointed tonight at the state of some peoples arrogance and disrespect while at a show.
Cannot believe what I’ve just witnessed at the palace theatre watching the Bodyguard. A mini riot after the show was stopped because audience members were trying to sing over the cast. Police riot vans been called in. Chaos. pic.twitter.com/E7dzQZlxcb
Went to The Palace Theatre in Manchester to watch The Bodyguard and a bunch of entitled pricks starting singing over the lead during the final song. A riot broke out, the show was cancelled and the police were called. pic.twitter.com/vw9Y4K7ITU
Tash Kenyon, a 27-year-old payroll clerk from the Wirral, told the PA news agency that she and her mother Jan Kenyon, a nurse, had gone to see the show for Jan’s 65th birthday.
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Tash said: “Before the performance the stewards were walking up and down the aisles with signs saying ‘please refrain from singing along’ – they were incredibly hard to miss. Two announcements were made as well saying ‘please don’t sing’ and that the audience would have a chance to join in in the finale.
“The show was halted about 20 minutes in as some guests were singing. The guests were removed, and the show continued. The show had about 10 minutes left when the lead started performing I Will Always Love You.
“Someone shouted ‘Does this mean we can start singing now?’ Which set the audience off laughing, and that’s when the singing started over the top of the lead’s vocals.
“The show stopped a minute later, the lights went on, and I couldn’t see from my seat but I could hear the commotion from the 2nd tier of seats, and people were looking up shocked.
“I’m pretty sure some women were being forcibly removed. There was already a police van outside.
A 60-year-old audience member told PA that following the shouts of ‘can we sing now’ “security intervened and a scuffle broke out and police were called – one police van and two police cars”.
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Ayden Callaghan
Karwai Tang via Getty Images
A spokesperson for The Palace Theatre confirmed that despite the disruption on Friday, scheduled performances of the show will take place as normal.
A statement said: “The performance of The Bodyguard at The Palace Theatre, Manchester, was stopped at 9.40pm last night and not continued.
“We are disappointed that the last 10 minutes of the show needed to be cancelled due to disruptive customers refusing to stay seated and spoiling the performance for others.
“We are grateful to our venue teams for dealing with these difficult circumstances in a professional and calm way, and to Greater Manchester Police for their assistance.
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“Future performances will continue as planned and we ask that customers are considerate towards the cast, fellow audience members and theatre team so that everyone can enjoy the wonderful entertainment on stage.”
Melody plays Rachel Marron in the touring theatre production, which follows Secret Service agent-turned-bodyguard Frank Farmer, played by Ayden, as he is hired to protect superstar Rachel from an unknown stalker.
Buckingham Palace has said that King Charles takes a new research project looking into the British royal family’s connection to slavery “profoundly seriously” in a significant new statement on Thursday.
The palace issued a statement after it was contacted by The Guardian, following the news organisation’s discovery of a document from the Royal African Company, which at one point held a monopoly in the British slave trade, showing a transfer to King William III in 1689.
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“This is an issue that His Majesty takes profoundly seriously,” the palace said before citing the king’s speech at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda last year.
In the speech, Charles spoke of “the depths of my personal sorrow at the suffering of so many as I continue to deepen my own understanding of slavery’s enduring impact”.
The palace said that Charles’ “process has continued with vigour and determination since His Majesty’s accession” before mentioning how the institution is aiding the research project investigating “the links between the British monarchy and the transatlantic slave trade during the late 17th and 18th centuries”.
The statement concluded: “As part of that drive, the royal household is supporting this research through access to the royal collection and the royal archives.”
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The PhD project in question comes from historian Camilla de Koning, co-sponsored by the Historic Royal Palaces charity. The research is expected to conclude in 2026.
The royals have increasingly faced calls to apologize for their role in the slave trade, as some groups have also called for reparations.
Prince William condemned slavery as “abhorrent” during the then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s controversial tour of the Caribbean last year.
“I strongly agree with my father, the Prince of Wales, who said in Barbados last year that the appalling atrocity of slavery forever stains our history,” William said during a speech in Jamaica in March 2022. “I want to express my profound sorrow. Slavery was abhorrent. And it should never have happened.”
