News 10/11/26

David Walliams has denied abusing his power as a celebrity in relationships with women, though he admitted he realised he had behaved thoughtlessly.

In a statement, the comedian expressed regret for not taking feelings into account during past casual relationships, while insisting he never abused his power or broke the law, adding he was devastated that women met years ago expressed hurt.

Israel’s new parliament will be sworn in today as opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot attempts to replace caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The former army chief has been tasked with forming a government after securing backing from sixty-seven MPs. However, Eisenkot faces an uphill struggle to build a governing coalition within twenty-eight days, as neither main political bloc secured an absolute majority in last month’s election.

Artificial intelligence firm Anthropic is planning to raise up to $64m when it floats on New York’s Nasdaq stock exchange.

The Claude chatbot creator expects to launch its initial public offering this month, valuing the loss-making company at up to one-point-three trillion dollars. The float comes during a volatile period for technology stocks following US midterm election results.

A celebrity who lost his legal bid for an injunction to prevent the publication of allegations against him has been named as David Walliams.

The High Court judge previously ruled that Walliams could be named unless he successfully appealed, but he missed a deadline on Monday to take the case to the Court of Appeal. The claims brought against media organisations involve allegations that he used his power and status to contact young women for inappropriate sexual activities.

The Metropolitan Police has said it was contacted by several people regarding possible criminal allegations against Russell Brand during and after his trial.

Detectives are currently assessing the information provided. It follows revelations last week that two further rape allegations against Brand are under investigation. Following his sentencing, police made a direct appeal to anyone who has been a victim of sexual offences to come forward regardless of how long ago it occurred.

Sales of essential items including bottled water and canned food surged in the ten days following the launch of the government’s Be Ready campaign on the 22nd October.

Research indicates hand sanitiser sales rose eighty-three per cent and bottled water climbed sixty-seven per cent. The public awareness initiative urged households to prepare for potential disruptions caused by severe weather or cyber-attacks, though analysts noted that people were stockpiling rather than panic buying.

Manchester United look increasingly likely to sack head coach Michael Carrick.

The club opted to stick with Carrick after a three-nil home defeat by Bournemouth in October, intending to reassess during the international break. Although no final decision has been made, there is a growing expectation that chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox will recommend to the board that Carrick be dismissed.

American aircraft have been moved from an airbase in Suffolk following a reported threat from Iran.

Flight tracking data reveals nine Boeing refueling tankers and three Osprey aircraft departed RAF Mildenhall on Monday. The Wall Street Journal reports that US officials are currently discussing the exact nature of the threat. Most of the aircraft have been relocated to bases in Germany and Spain, while one tanker landed at RAF Prestwick.

Around 650 offenders will be released from prisons in England and Wales today under the third phase of the government’s scheme to ease overcrowding.

The measures apply to individuals serving sentences up to three years and two months, allowing them to leave after serving just one-third of their term rather than half. At least 1,350 prisoners have already been released early since the start of October.

United States President Donald Trump has declared that Iran is militarily effectively over, claiming positive momentum surrounds negotiations to end the Middle East conflict.

Speaking at the White House, Mr Trump stated that renewed military strikes against Iran remain highly unlikely, though the US stays locked and loaded if conditions alter. However, officials in Tehran have repeatedly voiced skepticism regarding the American president’s assessment of resolving the crisis.