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The King pledged to “strengthen the connections” between the UK and Germany at a state banquet in Berlin.

The state dinner took place at Schloss Bellevue, the official residence of the German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is hosting the event.

In the first state banquet speech of his reign, Charles paid tribute to the “enduring value” of the two countries’ relationship and stressed he was “utterly convinced” the bond between them “will grow ever stronger”.

His Majesty addressed guests in both English and German praising the two countries’ shared values of “promoting global health, net zero and protecting our shared democratic values”.

He paid tribute to Germany’s “extraordinary generosity” in hosting over a million Ukrainian refugees.

The King even got a laugh at the white-tie event when he referenced a British comedy sketch called “Dinner For One” which is hugely popular in Germany.

In it an elderly aristocrat dines alone while her waiter gets progressively more drunk as he consumes alcohol poured for her non-existent guests.

It has become a tradition to watch the 18 minute sketch on New Year’s Eve in Germany.

King Charles with Angela Merkel. Pic: AP
Image:
King Charles with Angela Merkel. Pic: AP

President Steinmeier in his speech noted that Britain began the process of leaving the EU on 29 March 2017.

“For me personally, this was a sad day,” he said. “Today, exactly six years later, we open a new chapter.”

Mr Steinmeier paid tribute to Charles’ mother Elizabeth, stressing how much she had done to foster German-British ties.

“Your family stands for continuity, for stability, particularly in times of change,” he said, noting that Charles, too, had visited Germany more than 40 times as a prince.

Former chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Secretary James Cleverly also attended the event, taking place in the Tiergarten district of the German capital.

Britain's King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, attend a state banquet with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Buedenbender at Bellevue Palace, in Berlin,
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King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Budenbender
The King with German President Steinmeier
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The King with German President Steinmeier
The Queen Consort with the president's wife, Elke Buedenbender
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The Queen Consort with the president’s wife, Elke Budenbender

The Queen Consort was wearing a tiara and bracelet that belonged to her mother-in-law Queen Elizabeth for the event.

It was rumoured that some of the King’s German cousins were invited to the event, including Prince Donatus of Hesse, who dined with the late Queen when she visited Frankfurt during a 2015 state visit with the Duke of Edinburgh.

Others tipped to attend included Prince Baden Bernhard, who attended Prince Philip’s funeral in 2021, and his father Prince Ludwig of Baden.

Former chancellor Angela Merkel attended the event
Image:
Former chancellor Angela Merkel attended the event

Earlier President Steinmeier praised the King’s green “convictions” and thanked him for choosing to visit Germany for his first state visit as monarch.

In a speech he said: “I am grateful that King Charles III began to champion healthy nutrition, sustainability and climate action very early on. We are all benefiting today from Your Majesty’s convictions.”

He added: “This visit, Your Majesty’s very first trip abroad as the new King, is a tremendous personal gesture – and for that I would like to express my heartfelt thanks.

“I am looking forward to the coming days and to the many opportunities we will have to exchange views.”

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and his wife Susannah also attended
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The Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and his wife Susannah also attended

The couple began their trip by arriving at Berlin’s Brandenburg Airport at about 1pm UK time, and visited the Brandenburg Gate, the first time the landmark has been used to welcome any visiting head of state.

The King took time to greet individuals who were waiting at the gate and spoke to a group of girls who had recently visited London, and a schoolchild who he asked: “No school today?”

During the visit, the King will head to the Presidential Palace, where he will learn what Germany is doing to highlight causes such as sustainability, hear about the support Germany are providing to Ukraine, and address the German parliament, speaking in both English and German.

Pic:AP
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Charles and Camilla, with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Budenbender at Brandenburg Gate. Pic:AP
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier shakes hands with Britain's King Charles
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President Steinmeier shakes hands with the King
King Charles. Pic: AP
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Pic: AP

The royal couple were due to travel to Germany from France for a state visit but French President Emmanuel Macron asked for the trip to be postponed following a night of violent protests after his pension reforms.

Fly-past of fighter jets as King and Queen Consort say trip is ‘great joy’

As the ministerial plane Voyager approached the airport, it was escorted by two Typhoon jets, a mark of respect to the King.

Britain's King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort arrive at Berlin Brandenburg Airport 'Willy Brandt' in Berlin, Germany, March 29, 2023. REUTERS/Michele Tantussi
Voyager plane
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Voyager plane

They were then greeted by a 21-gun salute and a fly-past of two fighter jets after pausing at the top of the plane’s steps. At the bottom, the royals were greeted by a line of dignitaries including the British ambassador to Germany, Jill Gallard, and the state secretary Dorte Dinger.

A visit full of firsts for a head of state

Touching down in Berlin there was little doubt this is a significant visit.

A 21-gun salute and flypast greeted the King and Queen Consort as they stepped off the plane.

And then at the Brandenburg Gate a full ceremonial welcome.

No other head of state has been given this honour.

The monument, once a place of German division, is now a symbol of unity.

Which very much represents the diplomatic message underpinning the trip.

This is the King’s 29th official visit to Germany, but the first state visit of his reign.

The fact a close European neighbour was chosen says a lot.

It is a chance to put aside the turbulent frictions of Brexit, and renew relationships.

An opportunity to focus on common Anglo-German interests, such as the war in Ukraine and the climate crisis, both issues close to the King.

Of course, the State Visit wasn’t supposed to start in Berlin, but political protests in France mean Germany is now playing host.

The country is pulling out the stops during the three day visit. The King and Queen Consort are guests of honour at a white tie State Banquet.

And another first for the King will be when he addresses the German Parliament, something no other British monarch has done.

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In a joint statement posted to Twitter, the King and Queen Consort said it was a “great joy” to be able to develop the “longstanding friendship” between the two nations.

King Charles. Pic: AP
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The King signs the guest book with Queen Consort. Pic: AP

“Ahead of our first state visit to Germany, we are very much looking forward to meeting all of those who make this country so special,” the statement read.

People line up in front of Brandenburg Gate
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People wait to greet the King and Queen Consort at the Brandenburg Gate

They will leave Berlin and travel to Hamburg on Friday.

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Zhenhao Zou: More than 20 new potential victims come forward after ‘prolific’ rapist jailed for assaulting 10 women

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Zhenhao Zou: More than 20 new potential victims come forward after 'prolific' rapist jailed for assaulting 10 women

Another 23 female potential victims have reported that they may have been raped by Zhenhao Zou – the Chinese PhD student detectives believe may be one of the country’s most prolific sex offenders.

The Metropolitan Police launched an international appeal after Zou, 28, was convicted of drugging and raping 10 women following a trial at the Inner London Crown Court last month.

Detectives have not confirmed whether the 23 people who have come forward add to their estimates that more than 50 other women worldwide may have been targeted by the University College London student.

Metropolitan Police commander Kevin Southworth said: “We have victims reaching out to us from different parts of the globe.

“At the moment, the primary places where we believe offending may have occurred at this time appears to be both in England, here in London, and over in China.”

Metropolitan Police commander Kevin Southworth
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Metropolitan Police commander Kevin Southworth

Zou lived in a student flat in Woburn Place, near Russell Square in central London, and later in a flat in the Uncle building in Churchyard Row in Elephant and Castle, south London.

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He had also been a student at Queen’s University Belfast, where he studied mechanical engineering from 2017 until 2019. Police say they have not had any reports from Belfast but added they were “open-minded about that”.

“Given how active and prolific Zou appears to have been with his awful offending, there is every prospect that he could have offended anywhere in the world,” Mr Southworth said.

“We wouldn’t want anyone to write off the fact they may have been a victim of his behaviour simply by virtue of the fact that you are from a certain place.

“The bottom line is, if you think you may have been affected by Zhenhao Zou or someone you know may have been, please don’t hold back. Please make contact with us.”

***ONLY USE IF HE IS CONVICTED OF AT LEAST TWO RAPES***It is feared Zou may have carried out dozens more sex crimes. Pic: Met Police
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Pic: Met Police

Zou used hidden or handheld cameras to record his attacks, and kept the footage and often the women’s belongings as souvenirs.

He targeted young, Chinese women, inviting them to his flat for drinks or to study, before drugging and assaulting them.

Zou was convicted of 11 counts of rape, with two of the offences relating to one victim, as well as three counts of voyeurism, 10 counts of possession of an extreme pornographic image, one count of false imprisonment and three counts of possession of a controlled drug with intent to commit a sexual offence, namely butanediol.

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Moment police arrest rapist student

Mr Southworth said: “Of those 10 victims, several were not identified so as we could be sure exactly where in the world they were, but their cases, nevertheless, were sufficient to see convictions at court.

“There were also, at the time, 50 videos that were identified of further potential female victims of Zhenhao Zou’s awful crimes.

“We are still working to identify all of those women in those videos.

“We have now, thankfully, had 23 victim survivors come forward through the appeal that we’ve conducted, some of whom may be identical with some of the females that we saw in those videos, some of whom may even turn out to be from the original indicted cases.”

Mr Southworth added: “Ultimately, now it’s the investigation team’s job to professionally pick our way through those individual pieces of evidence, those individual victims’ stories, to see if we can identify who may have been a victim, when and where, so then we can bring Zou to justice for the full extent of his crimes.”

Mr Southworth said more resources will be put into the investigation, and that detectives are looking to understand “what may have happened without wishing to revisit the trauma, but in a way that enables [the potential victims] to give evidence in the best possible way.”

The Metropolitan Police is appealing to anyone who thinks they may have been targeted by Zou to contact the force either by emailing survivors@met.police.uk, or via the major incident public portal on the force’s website.

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Girl, 11, who went missing after entering River Thames named

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Girl, 11, who went missing after entering River Thames named

An 11-year-old girl who went missing after entering the River Thames has been named as Kaliyah Coa.

An “extensive search” has been carried out after the incident in east London at around 1.30pm on Monday.

Police said the child had been playing during a school inset day and entered the water near Barge House Causeway, North Woolwich.

A recovery mission is now said to be under way to find Kaliyah along the Thames, with the Metropolitan Police carrying out an extensive examination of the area.

Location of Barge House Causeway, North Woolwich, where 11-year-old girl Kaliyah Coa went into the River Thames on 31/03
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Barge House Causeway is a concrete slope in North Woolwich leading into the Thames

Chief Superintendent Dan Card thanked members of the public and emergency teams who responded to “carry out a large-scale search during a highly pressurised and distressing time”.

He also confirmed drone technology and boats were being used to “conduct a thorough search over a wide area”.

He added: “Our specialist officers are supporting Kaliyah’s family through this deeply upsetting time and our thoughts go out to all those impacted by what has happened.”

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“Equally we appreciate this has affected the wider community who have been extremely supportive. You will see extra officers in the area during the coming days.”

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On Monday, Kerry Benadjaoud, a 62-year-old resident from the area, said she heard of the incident from her next-door neighbour, who “was outside doing her garden and there was two little kids running, and they said ‘my friend’s in the water'”.

When she arrived at the scene with a life ring, a man told her he had called the police, “but he said at the time he could see her hands going down”.

Barge House Causeway is a concrete slope that goes directly into the River Thames and is used to transport boats.

Residents pointed out that it appeared to be covered in moss and was slippery.

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Planning reforms to ‘rewire the system’ and get Britain building – all while protecting wildlife

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Planning reforms to 'rewire the system' and get Britain building - all while protecting wildlife

Major developers will only deal with one regulator under planning reforms which ministers say will “rewire the system” to get Britain building – all while protecting the environment. 

A review by former Labour adviser Dan Corry into Britain’s sluggish system of green regulation has concluded that existing environmental regulators should remain in place, while rejecting a “bonfire of regulations”.

But Mr Corry suggested there might be circumstances in which the government look at changing the wildlife and habit rules inherited from the EU, which protect individual species.

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The government has now explicitly ruled out any such change in this parliament.

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Campaigners have questioned whether the changes go far enough and will make a major difference to the rate and scale of building in the UK.

Speaking to Sky News, Environment Secretary Steve Reed insisted that accepting nine of the recommendations from the Corry review would amount to wholesale reform.

The minister said: “We can get a win-win for economic growth and for nature. And that is why we are moving ahead with proposals such as appointing a lead regulator for major developments so that the developers don’t have to navigate the architecture of multiple regulators.

“They just work for a single regulator who manages all the others on their behalf. Simplifying the online planning portal.

“These are huge changes that will save developers billions of pounds and speed up decisions doing damage to the environment.”

Mr Reed insisted that there would be “no more bat tunnels” built, even though the Corry review suggests that more work needs to be done to look again at the relevant guidance.

It says: “Rapidly reviewing the existing catalogue of compliance guidance, including on protecting bats, will identify opportunities to remove duplication, ambiguity or inconsistency.

“Natural England has already agreed to review and update their advice to Local Planning Authorities on bats to ensure there is clear, proportionate and accessible advice available.”

The review will mean:

• Appointing one lead regulator for every major infrastructure project, like Heathrow expansion

• A review on how nature rules are implemented – but not the rules themselves

• Insisting regulators focus more on government priorities, particularly growth

Economist and former charity leader Mr Corry, who led the review, said it shows that “simply scrapping regulations isn’t the answer”.

“Instead we need modern, streamlined regulation that is easier for everyone to use. While short-term trade-offs may be needed, these reforms will ultimately deliver a win-win for both nature and economic growth in the longer run.”

However, Sam Richards from Britain Remade, a thinktank trying to get Britain growing, said that while the steps are welcome, the number of regulators that report to the environment department would remain the same before and after the review. He questioned whether this would have the impact ministers claimed.

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