Monday briefing: What’s at stake for Prince Harry as he gives evidence in a major phone hacking trial
In today’s newsletter: The Duke of Sussex is a part of a hundred-strong lawsuit against the Mirror Group over allegations of hacking – but his participation is unprecedented for a royal
Good morning. This week, Prince Harry will make another unprecedented move for a senior royal, as he gives evidence in a phone hacking court case against Mirror Group Newspapers, the owner of the Daily Mirror, the Sunday Mirror and the Sunday People. The lawsuit alleges that the company unlawfully gathered information on the prince between 1996 and 2011 that was published in its papers, and that senior executives and editors were aware of this activity. This lawsuit is one of three entirely separate but concurrent phone hacking claims that Prince Harry is making: the other two are against Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers, and the Mail newspapers.
While he is one of the most high profile players in the lawsuit, Harry is not the only claimant. More than 100 other people are suing the Mirror Group, including ex-footballer and TV presenter Ian Wright, Girls Aloud star Cheryl Cole, and the estate of the late singer George Michael. (The Mirror Group has steadfastly denied the allegations, adding that the claimants have waited too long to sue them.)
Brazil | Police have charged the alleged leader of a “transnational criminal organisation” with being the mastermind of the murders of Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira in the Amazon one year ago. A supposed subordinate was also charged.
Coronavirus | The Trades Union Congress has claimed that years of austerity administered by David Cameron and George Osborne left Britain “hugely unprepared” for Covid, with consequences that were “painful and tragic”.
Afghanistan | A local education official has said that nearly 80 girls were poisoned and hospitalised in two separate attacks at their primary schools in northern Afghanistan. He added that the person who orchestrated the poisoning is believed to have had a personal grudge but did not elaborate further.
Society | For the first time, a universal basic income of £1,600 a month will be trialled in central Jarrow, in north-east England, and East Finchley, in north London. The pilot programme will include thirty people who will be paid a lump sum without conditions each month for two years, and will be observed to understand the effects on their lives.
UK news | A 17-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl who died after getting into difficulty in the water off Bournemouth beach last week have been named as Joe Abbess and Sunnah Khan. Abbess was described by his family as “kind and generous, loving and caring, hardworking and funny”, while more than 200 people attended Khan’s funeral at the Central Mosque in High Wycombe.
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