1. Fixed Easter date could be set within five years
A fixed date for Easter could be agreed within the next five to 10 years, the Archbishop of Canterbury has said. He wants to introduce a set date for the celebration, which currently falls on various dates between 22 March and 25 April. The UK has already passed a law to establish a fixed date for Easter, but ever since it was passed in 1928, it has never been put into effect.
2. Extremists should be welcomed, says Oxford chief
Extremists should not be banned from preaching at British universities, says Oxford’s new vice chancellor. Professor Louise Richardson argued: "We need to expose our students to ideas that make them uncomfortable so that they can think about why it is that they feel uncomfortable and what it is about those ideas that they object to.”
3. Market bedlam ‘the worst since 1928’
'Financial carnage' has wiped £113bn off the FTSE in ten days. An exacting cocktail of oil price turmoil, China’s controversial circuit breaker and fears of a prolonged global economic slowdown have culminated in a fearsome fortnight for the FTSE – its worst new year start in its 31-year history. David Buik, of Panmure Gordon, said the economic chaos was the “worst since 1928”.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
4. Hostages freed at Burkina Faso hotel
Around 60 hostages have been freed at a hotel attacked by suspected Islamists in Burkina Faso's capital but at least 20 people are feared dead. Security forces commandos launched a counter-assault more than five hours after the hotel was first targeted. Communications minister Remis Dandjinou said the security forces operation at the hotel was continuing.
5. David Bowie claims 25% of top 40 album chart
David Bowie albums make up 25% of the top 40, reports the BBC. Nineteen of the deceased star’s albums have entered the UK charts, with his new album, Blackstar, at number one. Hunky Dory was the most popular of the Bowie's backlist albums, charting at 14. Thirteen Bowie tracks have also swept into the top 100, led by Heroes at number 12.
6. Met Office warning as temperatures head to -10c
Weather forecasters are warning of disruption as temperatures are expected to reach -10c. The Met Office has issued "be aware" yellow ice warnings for the east coast of Scotland and England, parts of southwest England and the Midlands, Wales and Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, a Pembrokeshire village has endured 81 consecutive days of rain, the longest run in Britain for 92 years.
7. Welby apologises for LGBT ‘pain’
The Archbishop of Canterbury has apologised for the “hurt and pain” the Anglican church has inflicted on lesbian, gay and transgender people. Speaking in defence of the decision to restrict a liberal US branch of the Church for allowing same-sex marriage, Justin Welby said it was not for Anglican leaders to "divide the Church" and that union would be "painful as well as joyful".
8. Former army head relieved over abuse clearance
A former head of the British army has spoken of his relief that he will face no further action in connection with allegations of historical child abuse. Lord Bramall, 92, who has always denied the allegations, told the BBC he had received a letter from the Metropolitan Police clearing him. The Met confirmed on Friday it had told a man in his 90s that no further action would be taken against him.
9. German swimming pool bans asylum males
A German town has banned adult male asylum seekers from its public indoor swimming pool after complaints that some women were sexually harassed there. A social affairs spokesman in Bornheim said none of the complaints were criminal and the pool had agreed the ban would end once social workers confirmed the men had "got the message".
10. Can Man City make up ground on top two?
Manchester City host Crystal Palace today, hoping to make up ground on Leicester City and Arsenal. Fourth-placed Tottenham play Sunderland. The tie of the weekend is at Anfield, where Liverpool and Manchester United, who have 38 league titles between them, face one another. Defeat for United could be the final straw in Louis van Gaal’s troubled season.
