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Queen Elizabeth II (left) with the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, during the endurance phase at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, held in the grounds of Windsor Great Park in Berkshire, today
The big talking points ahead of this week’s action
HUMAN rights campaigners branded the Queen’s invitation for the Bahraini dictator to the annual Royal Windsor Horse Show a “moral disgrace” yesterday.
Bahrain’s absolute ruler King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa arrived into Britain on Thursday at the behest of the Queen to attend Britain’s largest outdoor horse show despite warnings that his regime has intensified its already brutal human rights abuses.
Director of the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (Bird) Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, who has family members jailed in the country for speaking out against the absolute monarchy, described the situation as shameful.
BEN COWLES samples the many sonic and social therapies of Manchester Punk Festival 2026, and is ready again to smash capitalism
As Saudi Arabia is hailed abroad for its ‘reforms,’ the reality for women inside the kingdom grows ever more repressive. On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, MARYAM ALDOSSARI argues it is time to stop applauding the illusion – and start listening to the women the state works hardest to silence
STEPHEN ARNELL wonders at the family resemblance between former prince Andrew and his great-uncle ‘Dickie’