Acting President Delcy Rodriguez demanded Wednesday that the Bank of England return Venezuela’s gold, calling the metal a Central Bank reserve that belongs to the Venezuelan people and declaring that no excuse remains.

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Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodriguez delivered the demand during a working meeting with the Council of Ministers and regional authorities held at Miraflores Palace. She insisted the gold constitutes a reserve of the Central Bank and belongs to the nation.

Rodriguez recalled that the National Assembly, including the 2015 legislature, had produced an agreement in which political sectors of Venezuela called for the gold’s return, framing the demand as a settled matter of national will.

RELATED: Venezuela Oil Production Hits 1.25 Million Barrels Daily in Major Recovery

The Acting President added that an irrational legal action that opposition figures had attempted was dropped by those same actors. That withdrawal, she argued, removed any remaining justification for the Bank of England to hold the metal.

“There is no excuse. That is the only thing I have to tell the Bank of England. They must return Venezuela’s gold, which belongs to Venezuelan men and women”, she stated.

The language was direct. Rodriguez offered no room for negotiation, framing the gold as a sovereign asset held outside the country against the will of Venezuelan institutions.

#28Oct | La presidenta encargada de Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, solicitó a la Cancillería de la República y a la Procuraduría General que inicien las gestiones correspondientes para recuperar el oro venezolano que se encuentra en el Banco de Inglaterra.

“No voy a dejar de exigir… pic.twitter.com/0c91WycZcn

— El Diario (@eldiario) October 28, 2026

Text reads: “The Acting President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Attorney General to initiate the appropriate steps to recover the Venezuelan gold that is at the Bank of England. “I will not stop demanding the Bank of England to return our gold. Enough excuses. There was an agreement”, said Rodriguez, referring to the agreement to recover international reserve assets reached last August during the first cycle of dialogue between the delegations of the elected National Assembly in 2015 and the government (…)”

Mining Push Grows

The same working session included a live link with Mining Minister Hector Silva from the Choco plant in Bolivar state. Silva confirmed the arrival of 41 surface machines, part of a total of 544 pieces of equipment purchased by the state.

Those machines are meant to boost gold and coal production. The government tied the mining drive to strengthening the country’s reserves and generating income for social projects, health care, and worker welfare.

The equipment delivery anchors the government’s broader argument. Venezuela insists it does not need foreign permission to manage its resources, whether gold underground or gold stored abroad.

The Bolivarian government also pledged a productive revival across the country to energize the engines of the economy and support organized local development. The gold demand sits at the center of that agenda. Every program announced, from ham production to health brigades, depends on revenue the government says its reserves should generate.

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Venezuela has long argued that the Bank of England’s refusal to release the gold violates its sovereignty. Acting President Rodriguez renewed that claim in the sharpest terms, insisting the metal funds the welfare of a people, not the accounts of a foreign institution.

No response from the Bank of England appears in the official record. The demand now stands public, delivered from the presidential palace and addressed directly to London.

Jury at Winchester crown court sees video evidence by Joanne Young in trial of four men accused of sexual assault

A woman who was allegedly sexually assaulted by men invited by her ex-husband into their family home described how she would wake in the middle of the night restrained and blindfolded and feeling “hazy”.

Joanne Young said that on one occasion she managed to remove her blindfold and was shocked to glimpse a stranger in her bedroom whom her then husband, Philip Young, had allegedly arranged to have sex with her.

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© Composite: PA

© Composite: PA

© Composite: PA

At the heart of the mass immigration debate is the question: can English culture survive without ancestral continuity of the population? Clive Pinder says ancestry is important, but ultimately England is not a DNA test.

The post England is a Glorious Idea, Not a DNA Test appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

Exclusive: Health secretary to extend role of watchdog, which backers say helps hold service in England to account

Yvette Cooper has abandoned plans to abolish the NHS’s independent patient champion after an outcry from MPs across the political spectrum.

The health secretary has decided to keep and extend the role of Healthwatch England, which was due to be axed as part of the government’s reorganisation of the health service in England.

axe the Health Services Safety Investigations Body.

end councils’ automatic representation on the boards of ICBs.

remove the requirement for a nurse on every NHS foundation trust board.

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© Photograph: SolStock/Getty Images

© Photograph: SolStock/Getty Images

© Photograph: SolStock/Getty Images

Mark Tyrrell, who was in same unit as Sarah Everard’s killer, also guilty on three counts of sexual assault

A former Metropolitan police officer who served in the same unit as Sarah Everard’s killer, Wayne Couzens, has been found guilty of sexual offences against a woman he met through his work as an officer.

A court heard that Mark Tyrrell raped the woman – who cannot be identified for legal reasons – by having sex with her after she repeatedly said no.

Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html

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© Photograph: PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Live News.

© Photograph: PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Live News.

© Photograph: PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Live News.

Digital taper system for benefit expected in budget, but those already hit with overpayments will still have to pay

“On the surface it sounds really positive – and I really hope that it is,” says unpaid carer Guy Shahar of the government’s decision to abolish the notorious carer’s allowance cliff edge.

But Shahar is angry that most carers hit with unjust overpayments in the past will still have to repay them, for all the promise of a different future. And he notes that the cliff edge remains in place for four more years, potentially catching out more carers.

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© Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian

© Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian

© Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian

England’s cerebral palsy footballers have captured the IFCPF Men’s World Cup with a dramatic comeback against the United States, delivering a magnificent sporting achievement and a moment of national pride.

England are world champions, and they earned their moment through nerve, quality and an unshakeable refusal to accept defeat. Against tournament hosts the United States, the Para Lions overturned a late deficit to win 2–1 after extra time, bringing a glorious conclusion to their campaign in Georgia.

For head coach Jack Rutter and his players, this was the reward for years of ambition, preparation and persistence. England’s first World Cup title in cerebral palsy football belongs to a squad whose performances deserve a prominent place in the nation’s sporting celebrations.

The final supplied the drama. After a goalless first half, the Americans broke through from a corner in the 56th minute. With regulation time almost exhausted, England faced the prospect of seeing their dream disappear within touching distance of the trophy.

Sam Dewhirst supplied the answer, equalising in stoppage time to force an additional period. Then came David Porcher’s decisive intervention: after Dewhirst’s effort was pushed away, Porcher converted the rebound. England protected their advantage and completed a turnaround worthy of a World Cup final.

Rutter’s assessment captured both the emotion and the work behind the achievement.

“It feels unbelievable,” he said, before praising the sacrifices made by players and staff. Appointed in January, the former England player had guided the team to the summit in his first major tournament as head coach.

His experience gave the occasion particular resonance. Having represented the Para Lions between 2013 and 2018, Rutter understood the long pursuit of international success. He also highlighted goalkeeper Giles Moore’s contribution against the Americans, praising the saves that helped keep England in contention.

England had already demonstrated their credentials throughout the competition. Victories over Japan, Indonesia and the Republic of Ireland brought a perfect group record. The knockout rounds demanded different qualities, with an extra-time victory over the Netherlands followed by a controlled semi-final win against Brazil.

That combination of attacking confidence and competitive resilience made England compelling champions. They could impose themselves when opportunities opened, but also withstand the pressure of matches in which a single moment could settle everything.

The achievement adds a memorable chapter to a sport with deep international roots. The first international cerebral palsy football competition took place in Edinburgh in 1978, during the third Cerebral Palsy International Games. The first World Championships followed in Denmark in 1982.

The International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football, known as IFCPF, became the sport’s independent governing body in January 2015. Governance transferred from the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association, which had overseen its development for 37 years.

The modern World Cup continues that earlier championship tradition, providing a global stage for elite national teams. England hosted the senior IFCPF World Championships in 2015, while the women’s game reached an important milestone with its inaugural World Cup in 2022, won by the United States.

Men’s CP football features seven players per side, smaller pitches and goals, and two halves of 30 minutes. There is no offside, while players may roll the ball into play instead of using a conventional throw-in. Eligible athletes include players with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury and stroke-related impairments.

Those adaptations produce an absorbing contest demanding technique, tactical intelligence and teamwork. England’s triumph offers an excellent invitation for new supporters to discover it.

The opportunity now is to turn celebration into lasting attention: fuller coverage, stronger support for development and more chances for young players to find their way into the game.

For children watching these champions, an England shirt can become a tangible ambition. Dewhirst, Porcher, Moore and their teammates have given that ambition faces, names and unforgettable moments.

Above all, this was a victory to savour on its sporting merits. England met pressure with composure and disappointment with determination. When the final demanded something extraordinary, the Para Lions found it—and brought the World Cup home.

A new report calling on the Church of England to stop wasting money on "extravagant" Net Zero and reparations projects and refocus on parishes echoes what front-line clergy have been saying for years, says Julian Mann.

The post The Church of England Must Stop Wasting Money appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

The Church of England is "heading for financial disaster" because of its Net Zero targets and the £100 million slavery reparations fund, a damning report has warned.

The post Church of England is Facing “Financial Disaster” Because of Net Zero Targets and its Plan to Spend £100 Million on Slavery Reparations, Report Warns appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

Bumblebees, puffins, barn owls and hedgehogs will feature on the Bank of England's next series of banknotes, replacing Winston Churchill and other British historic figures after they were deemed "elitist and divisive".

The post Bees, Puffins and Owls to Replace Churchill on New Banknotes appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

When CofE bishops in London read in a Left-wing rag that anti-small boat activists were attending church, they immediately released a statement. Where are all the statements about Left-wing activists, wonders Julian Mann.

The post Are People Who Are Concerned About Illegal Immigration Welcome in the Church of England? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

On 26 August 1346, English and French armies met at one of the most important battles of the Hundred Years’ War: Crécy. Edward III’s English army crushed the French army of Philip VI. The defeat was so complete that it allowed Edward to lay siege to Calais and tilt the whole war in his favour. […]

In this story for Dispatch, Lotte Brundle reports on a surprising trend: young women in the UK are pursuing careers in the death care industry. In a time of high unemployment, funeral home apprenticeships offer an alternative to university, where students accumulate significant debt. While the pay is low and the industry needs to do a better job building awareness that the trajectory exists, the young women who speak to Brundle find the work meaningful and rewarding.

Her inspiration to become an undertaker arrived, as many teenage epiphanies now do, via TikTok. Emily was 15 and had been considering becoming a teacher or journalist when she came across an American woman documenting life inside her own funeral home. “I’d never considered it as a career,” she says. “I didn’t know anyone who was an undertaker, but I just thought how interesting it was.”

Two hours later, she was still scrolling through the woman’s profile, engrossed. Running her own funeral home became Emily’s dream.

During the early 1860s, reports of violent robberies known as garrottings filled British newspapers. Victims were said to be attacked from behind, choked into unconsciousness, and robbed before their assailants vanished into the darkness. As sensational accounts multiplied, fear spread far beyond the actual crime scenes. Respectable citizens grew afraid to walk alone at night, politicians demanded action, and newspapers warned that London was facing a new and terrifying criminal menace.

It is clear that ethnic differences, like religious ones, have been the origin of countless conflicts throughout the world from Antiquity to the present day. It is not surprising, then, that this also occurred when the Old and New Worlds established definitive contact after Columbus’s arrival in 1492. These differences manifested in Spanish America through […]

More than a century before Albert Einstein revolutionized physics with his theory of general relativity, and nearly two centuries before astronomers accepted the existence of black holes, an English clergyman and scientist named John Michell proposed a startling idea. In 1783, Michell suggested that some stars might possess such immense gravity that even light could not escape from them. These invisible objects, which he called "dark stars," bear a remarkable resemblance to what we now know as black holes.

Visualisation of a black hole. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Jeremy Schnittman

Azan Awais top-scored for Pakistan with 46 runs, while Saud Shakeel made 16.

The post Pakistan all out for 110, England take command at Lord’s Test appeared first on BOL News.

For Pakistan, Mohammad Abbas was the standout bowler, taking four wickets.

The post England’s first innings ends at 290 as Pakistan begin batting appeared first on BOL News.

Nearly two centuries ago, a strange hill rose above the flat landscape of London's East End. It stood high enough to appear on maps, serve as a landmark for travellers, and offer sweeping views across the city. Unlike most hills, Whitechapel Mount, as this hill was called, was almost certainly man-made. Yet, nobody is entirely sure how it came to be.

Was it a giant rubbish heap? A burial mound from one of London's deadly plague outbreaks? A remnant of Civil War fortifications? Or was it created from debris left behind by the Great Fire of London?

The answers remain uncertain, making Whitechapel Mount one of the most curious lost landmarks in the history of London.

Illustration of the Whitechapel Mount as it appeared on Illustrated London News, 28 April 1862. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

In 1905, a little-known journalist named Edgar Wallace was determined to make his first novel impossible to ignore. The book was The Four Just Men, a thriller about a group of vigilantes who take justice into their own hands when the law proves inadequate. The novel would eventually become one of Wallace's most famous works and launch a long-running series. Yet its initial publication is remembered less for its literary success than for one of the most spectacular marketing disasters in publishing history.

Credit: ZVAB