Is it wrong to throw a birthday party for my dog? | Frances Ryan

Is it wrong to throw a birthday party for my dog? | Frances Ryan

A whopping 64% of pet owners in the UK now celebrate their animal companions’ birthdays … even though it’s not entirely clear who the celebrations are for I’ve been telling Mabel she’ll be four soon for about a month. I bought her present similarly early, though I am unsure whether to wrap it. When the Amazon guy delivers a gift from my sister on the day, he wishes Mabel “happy birthday” through the gate. As I sing the opening bars, the build-up has clearly worked: she jumps up with excitement and licks my knees. I should clarify at this point that Mabel is not my child – she’s a cocker spaniel. If this sounds unhinged, I’d like to stress it’s statistically very normal, actually. “Pet birthdays” are a booming market , with the UK industry alone now worth an estimated £1.7bn. A recent survey by Moonpig found 64% of pet owners in the UK celebrate their pets’ birthdays, with as many as 83% of gen Z embracing gourmet treats or even themed parties. Continue reading...

Second woman accuses ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan of sexual misconduct

Second woman accuses ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan of sexual misconduct

Exclusive: New accuser tells the Guardian she was subjected to a ‘constant onslaught’ of advances by Khan. He denies any wrongdoing A second woman has come forward to an inquiry investigating sexual abuse allegations against Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the international criminal court (ICC), the Guardian has learned. The woman has alleged that while working for the prominent British lawyer earlier in his career, he behaved inappropriately, subjecting her to unwanted sexual advances, abused his authority over her, and repeatedly sought to pressure her into sexual activity. Continue reading...