The Saudi takeover of Newcastle United is a symptom of England’s political failures | David Goldblatt

We shouldn’t single out football fans: the country has long since made its peace with the power of capital, whatever its originsFootball, no longer merely the national game, is England’s political theatre. The way in which the spasm of fan protest stop…

‘English football will sell itself to anyone’: human rights groups on Saudi-Newcastle deal

Condemnation of £300m takeover led by group founded by murdered journalist Jamal KhashoggiNewcastle United has sold its name and reputation to a brutal government run by a brutal ruler, the organisation founded by the murdered journalist Jamal Khashogg…

Calls for investigation after court finds Dubai ruler hacked ex-wife’s phone

MPs and human rights groups ask parliament to look into how Sheikh Mohammed deployed sophisticated spywareMPs and human rights groups have called on ministers and parliament to investigate how the ruler of Dubai was able deploy sophisticated spyware to…

Dubai ruler hacked ex-wife using NSO Pegasus spyware, high court judge finds

Sheikh Mohammed used spyware on Princess Haya and five associates in unlawful abuse of power, judge rules‘The walls are closing in on me’: the hacking of Princess HayaRuling in Princess Haya case raises fresh questions for Cherie Blair The ruler of Dub…

UK officials return to Afghanistan to meet Taliban for first time since takeover

Diplomats visit Kabul to raise issue of ‘safe passage’ for Britons leaving Afghanistan and rights of womenBritish officials have gone to Afghanistan for the first time since the country fell to the Taliban, meeting the group’s senior leaders in Kabul t…