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Tory MP Julian Knight has been cleared by the police after an allegation of serious sexual assault.

Mr Knight, who had been the chair of the Commons’ Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee before the allegation came to light, said it had been “a single, false and malicious” claim.

He also attacked his party whips for publicly naming him when the story broke, saying their actions meant his name was “dragged through the mud and my good reputation immeasurably damaged”.

But Mr Knight will not be welcomed back into the Tory ranks yet, with a spokesperson for the chief whip, Simon Hart, saying “further complaints” had been made against him.

Politics live: Raab gets Paul O’Grady’s name wrong at PMQs

The spokesperson said: “Following further complaints made to the Whips Office, we will not be restoring the whip to Julian Knight.

“These complaints, if appropriate, will be referred to the relevant police force, or appropriate bodies.”

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Allegations against Mr Knight were first reported in December last year and confirmed by a spokesperson for Mr Hart, who said he had removed the whip from the MP “with immediate effect” – leaving him sitting as an independent.

Mr Knight said at the time that he was “entirely innocent of any wrongdoing whatsoever”, and claimed no one from the whips office, the police or parliament’s internal grievance service had spoken to him before his name was announced.

Releasing a statement after the investigation into him was dropped, Mr Knight said: “The fact is that there was never anything for the police to investigate.

“This was a single, false and malicious allegation initially brought to them by third parties, each of whom had their own clear motives for doing so.”

He added: “In publicly naming me in connection with the allegation, the Conservative Whips’ Office acted disgracefully and in breach of natural justice by removing my anonymity.

“Their actions meant my name was dragged through the mud and my good reputation immeasurably damaged.”

‘False and scandalous’

Mr Knight also criticised the police for their conduct in the investigation, saying: “Had the police taken the simple step at the outset of interviewing me under caution, they would have seen that the allegation was false and scandalous.

“Instead, they waited four months, without ever talking to me, before deciding there was nothing for them to investigate.”

He said it was his intention to “use every legal route available to pursue those inside and outside parliament involved in having this allegation brought against me”.

The MP, who had recused himself from parliament while the investigation took place, said he was looking forward to the “immediate return” of the party whip.

Asked about Mr Knight’s case, the Metropolitan Police said they would not confirm the name of anyone who was subject of an investigation.

But the force released a statement, saying: “On 28 October 2022, police received allegations of serious sexual assault against un-named victims reported to have taken place on unknown dates at undisclosed locations.

“On 7 December 2022, a further referral relating to the incident[s] was made and an investigation was launched.

“Police are no longer proceeding with an investigation.”

The Conservative Party has been contacted for a response.

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Russian earthquake triggers tsunami warnings across the Pacific – what we know so far

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Russian earthquake triggers tsunami warnings across the Pacific - what we know so far

An earthquake off the Russian peninsula of Kamchatka has triggered tsunami warnings in Japan, China, Hawaii, the US and central and Latin America.

The 8.8 magnitude earthquake occurred 12 miles below the surface of the water and around 80 miles southeast of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, northeastern Russia on Wednesday, according to the US Geological Survey.

First five waves hit Hawaii; Tsunami warnings latest

So far, it’s the most powerful on record since the 9.1 Japanese earthquake of 2011, which left more than 15,000 people dead, and the sixth strongest since records began.

Tsunamis have started to reach land in Japan and Hawaii, with urgent warnings being issued across the Pacific – from Asia to the US and Canada. Here’s what we know so far.

How did it start?

The earthquake struck at shallow depth 80 miles southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky – a city of 165,000 people along the coast of Russia’s Avacha Bay, at around midday on Wednesday, local time (1am UK).

A map shows the epicentre of the tsunami off the coast of Kamchatka Peninsula
Image:
A map shows the epicentre of the tsunami off the coast of Kamchatka Peninsula

Waves were recorded of up to 4m (13ft) in Severo-Kurilsk on the Kuril Islands where a state of emergency has been declared.

Russia’s Tass news agency reported people running out into the streets, with balconies shaking, furniture and glass broken inside homes, and cars swaying on the street. Around 2,700 people were evacuated.

Electricity cuts were also reported across the peninsula.

Several people were injured and had to seek medical assistance, according to regional health minister Oleg Melnikov.

“Unfortunately, there are some people injured during the seismic event. Some were hurt while running outside, and one patient jumped out of a window. A woman was also injured inside the new airport terminal,” he said.

Pic: Russian Academy of Sciences/Reuters
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Severo-Kurilsk, Russia. Pic: Russian Academy of Sciences/Reuters

A powerful wave washes past a building located near the shore, after a powerful earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula, in Severo-Kur
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Powerful waves engulf coastal buildings in Severo-Kurilsk. Pic: Reuters

Where else have tsunamis hit so far?

Injuries have been reported in several countries, but there are no known deaths so far.

Beyond Russia, waves have started to reach Japan, Hawaii, and the US West Coast.

The Pacific coast of Japan after the warning was issued. Pic: AP
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Tsunami waves off the coast of Japan. Pic: AP

Two million people have been evacuated along the country’s Pacific coast, with evacuation advisories in place in more than 220 municipalities, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Nuclear power plants have also paused activity.

One caused waves of 60cm (2ft) on the island of Hokkaido and another reached 50cm (1.6ft) at Ishinomaki port in the north of the country. In northern Iwate, 40cm (1.3ft) waves were registered at Kuji port.

The tsunami alert has been lowered for south of Fukushima but is still in place in the north.

Pic: Kyodo/AP
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People evacuated to the rooftop of a fire department building in Mukawa, Hokkaido. Pic: Kyodo/AP

Pic: Yomiuri Shimbun/AP
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A tsunami warning in Japan. Pic: Yomiuri Shimbun/AP

In Hawaii, people rushed to seek higher ground after waves measured 1.82m (6ft).

Earthquake sirens blared in the streets, with beaches closed and coastal areas evacuated. Maui airport was also closed, Hawaii Governor Josh Green added.

Evacuation orders were later lifted, with the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) saying it was safe to return to coastal areas.

In Alaska, 30cm (1ft) waves were observed in the communities of Amchitka and Adak, according to Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator.

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Vacationers stand on balconies at the Aston Waikiki Circle Hotel looking towards Waikiki Beach after authorities warned of the possibility o
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A hotel overlooking Waikiki Beach in Hawaii on Wednesday. Pic: Reuters

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Tsunami warning for Pacific region

Where are the other warnings in place?

In China, the country’s tsunami warning centre has issued alerts for eastern coastal areas – particularly Shanghai and Zhejiang, which was already under alert from Typhoon CoMay, due to land on Wednesday.

States along the US West Coast have issued tsunami advisories, including Oregon, Washington State, and California, where waves have already hit.

Oregon’s Department of Emergency Management cautioned: “This is not a major tsunami, but dangerous currents and strong waves may pose a risk to those near the water.”

President Donald Trump posted on X: “A Tsunami Watch is in effect for Alaska and the Pacific Coast of the United States. Japan is also in the way. Please visit tsunami.gov/ for the latest information. STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!”

The Mexican Navy said that tsunami waves were due to hit Mexico’s northern coast at Ensenada near California, and could progress to Chiapas.

In New Zealand, the country’s disaster management agency issued warnings for coastal areas, which are likely to see “strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at shore”.

There is currently no need for official evacuation orders, it added, but people are being told to stay away from the coast.

The Pacific Island nations of Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Micronesia, and the Solomon Islands have all issued warnings, as their low-lying topography puts them at particular risk.

The Philippines had a tsunami advisory in place but cancelled it after “no significant sea level disturbances or destructive tsunami waves” were reported after 7.25am local time (12.25am UK) on Wednesday.

The five most powerful earthquakes on record

The ‘Great Chilean’ earthquake in Biobio, central Chile in 1960 is the most powerful on record, at a magnitude of 9.5. More than 1,600 people died and thousands more were injured.

An earthquake in Alaska in 1964 reached a magnitude of 9.2, triggering landslides, deadly waves, and severe flooding. Aftershocks continued for weeks and 130 people died.

The Boxing Day tsunami of 2004 happened off Sumatra, Indonesia, killing 167,000 people there and 230,000 in total across southeast and southern Asia, as well as reaching parts of east Africa.

The Japanese earthquake of 2011 triggered a tsunami that hit the Fukushima nuclear power plant, blacking out its power system and causing the meltdown of three reactors. More than 18,000 people died.

Kamchatka had another powerful earthquake in 1952, registering 9.0 in magnitude and causing a tsunami that hit Hawaii with 9m (30ft waves). Miraculously, no one died.

What happens during a tsunami – and why are they so dangerous?

Tsunamis are a series of very long waves usually caused by an earthquake beneath the ocean’s surface. Although rare, they can also be triggered by landslides, volcanic activity, and sometimes by extreme weather above the ocean.

Unlike normal waves, which are driven by wind, tsunamis move through the entire ocean column – from the sea floor to the surface.

This means they can be incredibly powerful and fast – reaching plane-like speeds of around 500mph in the deepest parts of the ocean.

Their force means they can stretch across an entire ocean basin, impacting multiple countries. The 2004 Boxing Day tsunami caused damage in 17 nations.

Tsunamis become most dangerous when they reach land. The shallowness of the water sees the length of the waves decrease – but their height increase.

Tall waves can be very dangerous. It only requires six inches of water to knock someone off their feet and double that to sweep away a car.

Tsunami waves are also dangerous when they go back out to sea, carrying heavy debris with them.

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Lesotho: In the country that Trump claims ‘nobody has ever heard of’, his name evokes fear and panic

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Lesotho: In the country that Trump claims 'nobody has ever heard of', his name evokes fear and panic

A blanket of thick fog covers Lesotho’s capital, Maseru.

Winter in the southern African country feels colder than ever.

Thousands of garment workers have lost their jobs as the threat of US tariffs brings the textile industry to the edge.

Hundreds of thousands have been cut off from critical healthcare after the USAID withdrawal. Unemployed women stand outside the locked gates of factories asking for work.

HIV-positive mothers travel long distances to clinics for a limited supply of life-saving medicine, holding their babies wrapped in blankets.

Lives and livelihoods in Lesotho have been devastated by US President Donald Trump – a country he has said “nobody has ever heard of”.

A worker in a government-sponsored warehouse in Maputosoe, Lesotho - 5km away from South Africa - where women make clothes

The Basotho have certainly heard of President Trump. His name now evokes fear, worry and panic among many in the small nation his policies have targeted.

“People are scared of him, too much. When he says he will do something then he must do it,” says Maplape Makhele, a 32-year-old garment worker and mother of two.

“I have seen what he has done in South Africa and China. He doesn’t want to work with other countries.”

A worker in a government-sponsored warehouse in Maputosoe, Lesotho - 5km away from South Africa - where women make clothes PORTRAIT

We spoke to Mpalape at her work station in the Afri-Expo Textiles factory while she sewed denim. This work was steady while Lesotho held the title of the “denim capital of Africa”.

Today, she is terrified of losing her job as the breadwinner of her family. More than 200 of her colleagues have already been laid off from the factory.

“We are close to only half operational,” says her boss Teboho Kobeli, the managing director of Afri-Expo Textiles Factories. He has cut around 500 jobs across three factories.

“We had been doing some US orders but now we have had to re-adjust ourselves,” he says. “There are a lot of job losses and I can see more jobs lost as of next month.”

A government-sponsored warehouse in Maputosoe, Lesotho - 5km away from South Africa - where women make clothes

Lesotho has declared a state of national disaster over high youth unemployment and job losses linked to US tariffs and aid cuts that will last until June 2027.

President Trump is expected to finalise tariffs on several countries including Lesotho and South Africa on August 1. In Lesotho, people are hoping for tariffs on the lower end at 10% but are preparing for a hit as high as 50%.

Any export duties will have an impact on industry here which has benefitted from 25 years of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) duty-free trade agreement with the US.

“That is multilateralism – to trade with one another and leverage on each other’s strengths,” Lesotho’s minister of trade and industry Mokhethi Shelile tells us.

“We did not think an economy so advanced, the pioneer of multilateralism, to renege and turn back on that very principle that has made it so big.

“We are done talking [with the US]. We are waiting for a response, for a final solution from them. We are told it will come soon but we don’t know how soon.”

Lesotho's Minister of Trade and Industry Mokheti Shelile speaking to Yousra Elbagir
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Mokhethi Shelile says ‘we are done talking’ with the US

We interviewed the minister at a celebration launching a government-sponsored factory expansion in Lesotho’s second city Maputsoe.

The factory is only 5km from the border gate into South Africa, its main export destination. Unemployed garment workers are huddled around the locked gates hoping to appeal to the trade minister for jobs.

Inside the warehouse, women furiously produced clothing for the South African market. Minister Shelile tells us that this regional trade is part of Lesotho’s solution but economists believe it is another dead end.

“I don’t think South Africa is an option for us given the problems that South Africa is going through itself,” says economist and former minister of mining Lebohang Thotanyana.

“South Africa has been hit by tariffs and is going to lose around half a million jobs as a result of the Trump effect.

“Some of those jobs on the citrus farms and automobile industry in South Africa were held by Basotho so it means they will be directly affected there as well.”

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Trade unionists in Lesotho’s capital Maseru have been speaking to laid off workers to explain the context of the devastating job cuts.

“It’s really hard for them because what the people want is the job,” says Ts’epang Nyaka-Nyaka, general secretary of the Economic Freedom Trade Union.

He is expecting his own wife to potentially lose her job at a factory exporting to American denim brand Levis. The two-thousand-member union is rapidly shrinking as more lay-offs are announced.

“They want the job – not the politics,” he says.

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Earthquake off Russia’s Far East one of the strongest ever – what are the others?

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Earthquake off Russia's Far East one of the strongest ever - what are the others?

An enormous 8.8 magnitude earthquake has hit off the far east of Russia – potentially the sixth largest on record.

The quake has triggered waves of up to 4m (13ft) in the Kamchatka Peninsula, where buildings were damaged and several people injured, officials said.

It has also led to tsunami fears across the Pacific, with warnings and alerts in place across Japan, parts of the US including Hawaii, California and Alaska, and the Philippines.

Follow live updates as widespread tsunami warnings issued

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake was shallow at a depth of 19.3km (12 miles), and was centred about 125km (80 miles) east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of 165,000 along the coast of Avacha Bay.

A powerful wave washes past a building located near the shore, after a powerful earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula, in Severo-Kur
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A powerful wave washes past a building located near the shore off the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. Pic: Reuters

Here we look at how it compares to some of the highest magnitude quakes recorded by the USGS.

Biobio, Chile (1960)

A 9.5 magnitude earthquake – known as the Valdivia earthquake or Great Chilean earthquake – struck in a central region of Chile in 1960.

It is the largest ever recorded earthquake, and resulted in more than 1,600 deaths in the country and beyond, most of which were caused by the resulting large tsunami.

Thousands of others were injured.

Alaska (1964)

A 9.2 magnitude earthquake hit Alaska’s Prince William Sound in 1964, lasting for almost five minutes and becoming the largest recorded earthquake in the US.

There were huge landslides and towering waves which caused severe flooding, and the event was followed by thousands of aftershocks for weeks.

More than 130 people were killed.

Sumatra, Indonesia

An area hit by both the huge earthquake and subsequent tsunamis in Indonesia. Pic: AP
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An area hit by both the huge earthquake and subsequent tsunamis in Indonesia. Pic: AP

A 9.1 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami devastated Southeast and South Asia and East Africa in 2004.

It was the most disastrous earthquake in terms of fatalities, killing 230,000 people, including 167,000 in Indonesia, where entire communities were wiped out.

Tohoku, Japan

Another 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of northeastern Japan in 2011, triggering a towering tsunami that smashed into the Fukushima nuclear plant.

This led to power and cooling systems being knocked out, and triggered meltdowns in three reactors.

More than 18,000 people were killed in the quake and tsunami. Some bodies have never been recovered.

Read more:
Quake and tsunami warnings: What we know so far
Powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake causes tsunami

Helicopter view of tsunami engulfing costal region in Northeastern Japan on 11 March 2011. Pic: Kyodo/AP
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A tsunami engulfs a coastal region of northeastern Japan on 11 March 2011. Pic: Kyodo/AP

Kamchatka, Russia

A 9.0 magnitude quake resulted in a tsunami with 9.1m (30ft) waves hitting Hawaii in 1952, causing significant damage but no fatalities.

Biobio, Chile (2010)

A man clears rubble after earthquake hits Chile on 27 February 2010. Pic: Reuters
Image:
A man clears rubble after earthquake hits Chile on 27 February 2010. Pic: Reuters

Central Chile was hit by a 8.8 magnitude earthquake in 2010, lasting for 90 seconds and setting off a tsunami.

More than 500 people were killed in the disaster.

Esmeraldas, Ecuador

An 8.8 magnitude earthquake resulted in a tsunami that killed about 1,500 people in Ecuador in 1906.

Its effects were felt for miles along the Central American coast and as far as San Francisco and Japan.

Alaska (1965)

A magnitude 8.7 quake struck Alaska’s Rat Islands in 1965, causing an 11m (35ft) high tsunami. It only resulted in relatively minor damage, including cracks in buildings and an asphalt runway.

Tibet

At least 780 people were killed when a magnitude 8.6 earthquake struck in 1950, destroying dozens of villages, including at least one that slid into a river.

Major landslides jammed the Subansiri River in India, and a deadly 7m (23ft) wave was created when the water eventually broke through.

Sumatra, Indonesia

A guard walks on the ruins of prison wall which collapsed in Indonesian city of Banda Aceh in 2012 quake. Pic: Reuters
Image:
A guard walks on the ruins of prison wall which collapsed in Indonesian city of Banda Aceh in 2012 quake. Pic: Reuters

An 8.6 magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of northern Sumatra in Indonesia in 2012.

The quake caused little damage, but it did increase pressure on a fault that had been the source of the devastating 2004 tsunami.

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