Larry the Downing Street cat gets 'Russian' rival

11 Sept 11:34 Key points summarised by AI

Larry the Cat, Downing Street's long-serving chief mouser, faces a challenge from a new "Russian" Siberian kitten brought in by Prime Minister Keir Starmer's family.
The Starmer family, who also brought their existing cat JoJo, negotiated for a kitten after initially wanting a dog, adding to the feline population at Number 10.
Larry, a 17-year-old media star with his own social media, has been top cat for 13 years and even has a detailed plan for his eventual passing, codenamed "Larry Bridges."
Integrating the new kitten presents unique challenges, including a bomb-proof door preventing a cat flap and the need for careful, slow introductions to JoJo and the older Larry, as advised by animal welfare experts.
Larry's official social media account humorously asserted his continued authority, declaring that the new kitten "will REPORT to Larry the Cat."

Macron condemns those who 'sought to bring down the Republic' after rioting mars nationwide protests

Today 12:56 Key points summarised by AI

President Macron condemned widespread rioting and looting during nationwide protests, blaming far-left activists and criminals for the "unrestrained violence" and vowing accountability for those who "sought to bring down the Republic."
Over 2,400 arrests were made as protests against rising living costs and poor school conditions escalated, causing extensive damage to public buildings and businesses in cities like Paris, Limoges (where City Hall burned), Marseille, and Lyon.
The unrest, which organizers hoped would revive the "yellow vest" movement, saw political leaders trade blame, with Macron instructing prefects to protect public buildings and potentially ban future protests to prevent further disorder.