A toxic culture of sexual assault, harassment, racism and bullying has been alleged by more than 100 current and recent UK staff at outlets of the fast-food chain McDonald’s.
The BBC was told that workers, some as young as 17, are being groped and harassed almost routinely. The UK equality watchdog said it was “concerned” by the BBC’s findings and is launching a new email hotline. McDonald’s said it had “fallen short” and it “deeply apologised”. It added that all employees deserved to work in a safe, respectful and inclusive workplace.
The BBC began investigating working conditions at McDonald’s in February, after the company signed a legally binding agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in which it pledged to protect its staff from sexual harassment.
At the time, McDonald’s insisted: “We already have a strong track record in this area.” But our investigation has revealed a very different picture. Over a five-month period, we reached out to McDonald’s workers to ask about their experiences of working there. Of the more than 100 allegations from employees we spoke to, 31 related to sexual assault, and 78 related to sexual harassment.
We also heard 18 allegations of racism, while six people made allegations of homophobia.
Several people in Kenya have been shot and injured as police battled opposition protesters in several parts of the county demonstrating against the rising cost of living and tax hikes.
Local media reported that five people were injured in Nakuru town in the Rift Valley region – with four sustaining gunshot wounds. Two others were shot and injured in Makueni in the east.
Earlier three people were reported to have been taken to hospital in in Migori in the west after they were injured during the protests.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga reportedly urged his supporters to end the protests at 17:00 local time and resume on Thursday.
Mr Odinga told the local Daily Nation newspaper website that the first day of a series of cost-of-living protests had been a success.
In Nairobi’s city centre and in other key towns, businesses remained shut and people stayed away for fear of getting caught in the protests.
Meanwhile, a number of people were shot and injured in different towns during the anti-government protests.
The opposition Azimio coalition says some of their leaders and close allies including some MPs and local area representatives had been arrested, with deputy leader Martha Karua condemning their “arrest without lawful justification”.
President William Ruto meanwhile said he was ready for talks but denounced the chaos and hooliganism during the protests, and urged the opposition to find amicable ways to address their concerns.
Any attempt to arrest Vladimir Putin when he visits South Africa would be a declaration of war against Russia, the country’s president says.
Cyril Ramaphosa made the warning with weeks to go before an international meeting happens in Johannesburg, to which the Russian president is invited. But if Mr Putin leaves Russian soil, he will be subject to an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant. South Africa is an ICC signatory and should therefore help in his arrest.
Yet it has refused to honour that obligation in the past – allowing safe passage in 2015 to Sudan’s then-President Omar al-Bashir who was wanted for war crimes against his own people.
Mr Putin has been invited to South Africa in August, when the country hosts a summit for members of the Brics countries – an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. This bloc of fast-growing economies is seen by some as an alternative to the G7 group of advanced economies.
South Africa’s biggest opposition party, Democratic Alliance, has gone to court to try to force the authorities to carry out an arrest on Mr Putin should he set foot in the country.
Court documents reveal that President Ramaphosa is firmly against any such move, stating that national security is at stake. “South Africa has obvious problems with executing a request to arrest and surrender President Putin,” he said in an affidavit.
“Russia has made it clear that arresting its sitting president would be a declaration of war. It would be inconsistent with our constitution to risk engaging in war with Russia.”
President Ramaphosa added that South Africa is one of several African nations holding talks with Russia and Ukraine “with a view of ending the war altogether”, and that attempting to arrest Mr Putin would be counter-productive. Last month saw a peace mission to the European nations, where African presidents hoped they could bring Ukraine and Russia to the table together but ultimately failed.
Much has been made of African nations’ reluctance to back UN general assembly resolutions condemning Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Correspondents say the reasons range depending on the nation – be it South Africa’s anti-apartheid ties to the Soviet Union, or Mali’s present-day reliance on Russian Wagner mercenaries to fight jihadists.
There are economic ties between Russia and African nations too, not least in South Africa. A sanctioned Russian oligarch, Viktor Vekselberg, is said to be one of the biggest donors to South Africa’s governing party – the African National Congress (ANC).
The US has previously prevented Israel from joining its Visa Waiver Program, citing its differential treatment of some US citizens.
Israel will allow all United States citizens, including Palestinian Americans living in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, to enter the country in a bid to get visa-free travel for Israelis to the US.
The change was introduced on Thursday, after US Ambassador Thomas Nides and Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who is currently visiting the US, signed a “reciprocity agreement” on the issue a day earlier, according to an Israeli statement.
“The full implementation of the program will apply to any US citizen, including those with dual citizenship, American residents of Judea and Samaria [the occupied West Bank] and American residents of the Gaza Strip,” the statement said.
The US has previously prevented Israel from joining its Visa Waiver Program (VWP), citing its differential treatment of some US citizens.
US officials will monitor the changes over a period of six weeks and make a decision about Israel’s entry into the VWP by September 30, according to US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.
During that period, they will also see whether Palestinian Americans and other Arab Americans are scrutinised disproportionately by Israeli security, as has often been the case, with Palestinians and Arabs often finding themselves facing extra checks and tight restrictions.
Sources told the Reuters news agency on the condition of anonymity last month that the changes will allow Palestinian Americans in the West Bank to fly in and out of Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, whereas in the past they had to go to neighbouring Jordan, cross into the occupied West Bank by land and be subjected to restrictions if they sought entry into Israel.
They will also be able to use new online Israeli forms to apply for entry into Israel at West Bank crossing points.
The Palestinian Americans making the journey will be able to stay in Israel for up to 90 days, a US official said.
Those participating in the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement that calls to boycott, divest from or sanction Israel, will not be restricted entry, a source told Reuters.
The Arab American Institute Foundation estimates that there are 122,500 to 220,000 Palestinian Americans, with a US official estimate that about 45,000 to 60,000 live in the West Bank.
US-Israel relations have been relatively tense in recent months, as Washington raises criticisms of Israeli abuses against Palestinians and expresses concern over the Israeli far-right government’s plan to overhaul the judiciary.
Football Ferns produce a scintillating second half performance to beat Norway 1-0 in the Women’s World Cup opener.
Co-hosts New Zealand produced a second-half footballing masterclass as they overcame a highly-rated Norway side in the tournament’s opening match to win their first-ever Women’s World Cup match in their fifth tournament.
The Norwegians had started brightly, threatening a resolute New Zealand defence with several fast-paced attacks at Eden Park, Auckland, on Thursday.
However, they lacked a clinical finish, with Ada Hegerberg scuffing a bicycle kick five minutes into the match and Frida Maanum blasting the ball over the bar after a well-worked Norwegian attack.
Then the game was turned on its head in the 48th minute when Jacqui Hand crossed an inch-perfect ball behind the Norwegian defensive line to Hannah Wilkinson after a lung-busting run down the right wing.
Wilkinson had enough time to turn her body towards the goal and curl the ball over Aurora Mikalsen, sending the home crowd into raptures.
From that moment on, all the momentum, and at times luck, went New Zealand’s way.
New Zealand’s Ria Percival and Katie Bowen in action with Norway’s Caroline Graham Hansen [David Rowland/Reuters]
Just a few minutes later, New Zealand thought they had won a penalty after a possible handball in the Norway box, but it was ruled to have deflected up off Mathilde Harviken’s leg.
The Norwegians appeared unable to cope with the fast-paced, dynamic New Zealand attacks but will count themselves unlucky not to have pulled a goal back in the 81st minute after Tuva Hansen struck the bar with an elegant long-range lobbed strike.
The match reached a fever pitch in the final minutes after referee Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan, with the help of VAR, deemed Hansen to have blocked CJ Bott’s shot in the box with her arm. To many people’s surprise, there was an in-stadium announcement from the referee explaining her decision over the tannoy system, a first for many seasoned football fans.
Midfielder Ria Percival stepped up to the spot and attempted an audacious penalty strike aimed at the top corner but struck the bar.
New Zealand captain Ali Riley reacts after winning the match [Saeed Khan/AFP]
There was a nail-biting 10 additional minutes of injury time to see out for the hosts as Norway picked up steam, with the usually prolific Hegerberg uncharacteristically failing to strike the ball cleanly after the ball fell invitingly to her in the box.
At the final whistle, a packed Eden Park erupted as New Zealand’s players celebrated a historic opening day win.
Nigeria and Canada, two talented teams who have underperformed at recent tournaments, will face each other on Friday.
When: Friday, July 21 Where: Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne, Australia Kickoff: 12:30pm local time (02:30 GMT)
Canada and Nigeria will both look to make a mark on the tournament in a hotly anticipated clash between two perennial World Cup underperformers.
Canada are reigning Olympic champions while Nigeria’s Super Falcons are experiencing a slump in form; they failed to win any medal at last year’s Africa Cup of Nations despite having won 11 of the 13 prior editions.
‘This team is full of rock stars’: Sinclair
Veteran Canada skipper Christine Sinclair stressed on Thursday that The Maple Leafs can beat anyone at the Women’s World Cup, saying: “This team is full of rock stars.”
Sinclair, who will be participating in her sixth World Cup, warned against underestimating her side.
“We were overlooked heading into the Tokyo Olympics and showed what we can do,” said the 40-year-old forward, whose incredible 190 goals in 323 appearances for her country has made her the all-time leading scorer in international football.
“We can beat any team in the world,” she said. “It’s contagious (winning), you want to do it again and it’s just motivated us to prove to the world what we can do again.”
Canada’s Christine Sinclair during the press conference at Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne, Australia – on July 20, 2023 [Hannah Mckay/Reuters]
Canada have qualified for every World Cup except the inaugural edition in 1991, with a fourth-placed finish in 2003 as the highlight. They were knocked out in the round of 16 in France four years ago.
Nigeria head into clash in fine form
Nigeria head into the clash with a poor record against the North American team, having only won one of their four previous matchups.
However, they enter the tournament on the back of three straight victories, including a three-nil rout of co-hosts New Zealand.
The Super Falcons also made it to the World Cup quarter-finals in 1999, losing a closely contested game with Brazil 4-3.
Chelsea midfielder Jessie Fleming is a doubt for the clash following concerns over her fitness.
Nigeria team news
Nigeria have no injury concerns.
Head to Head
The two teams have met on four occasions.
Canada have won two fixtures, and the latest match, a friendly held in April 2022, ended in a 2-2 draw. But Nigeria won their only World Cup matchup 1-0 at the 2011 edition.
Form and ranking
Canada sits at number 7 in FIFA’s world ranking, and Nigeria at number 40.
Nigeria: LLWWW
Canada: LLWLL
Players to watch
Asisat Oshoala has been nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or and won the African Women’s Player of the Year award four times. She is the undisputed star of the Super Falcons side.
Christine Sinclair, the all-time leading scorer in men’s or women’s international football with 190 goals, is the standout talent in The Maple Leaf’s team.
A million more people could be facing hunger in Burkina Faso in the next few months as the lack of security in parts of the country continues to have an impact, the NGO International Rescue Committee (IRC) has warned.
Currently an estimated 2.2 million people – one in 10 of the population – are experiencing hunger, but the IRC says that that figure could reach 3.3 million by September.
As a result of a militant Islamist insurgency parts of the country are almost entirely cut off – food supplies rarely get through and health facilities are closing.
The IRC has highlighted the plight of people in the northern town of Djibo, which hosts more than 200,000 people forced from their homes elsewhere in the region. The food market, once thriving, is nearly empty and more than four in five of the local health clinics have shut, the IRC said.
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