Sabtu, 28 Januari 2023

British army serviceman charged with terrorism offenses - CNN

CNN  — 

A British serviceman has been charged with terrorism and explosives offenses, the London Metropolitan Police said Friday.

Daniel Abed Khalife, 21, from Beaconside, Stafford, was charged after an investigation by the Met’s Terrorism Command, concerning two incidents in Staffordshire in August 2021 and earlier this month, police said.

Khalife was charged with eliciting or attempting to elicit “information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism,” in August 2021 and placing an article “with the intention of inducing in another a belief that the said article was likely to explode or ignite and thereby cause personal injury or damage to property” on or before January 2, according to the Met.

He is currently in police custody and “is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 28 January,” the Met said.

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2023-01-28 05:30:00Z
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Jumat, 27 Januari 2023

HS2 will run through to London Euston, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt says - BBC

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The HS2 rail line will go all the way to London Euston, the chancellor has said, following a report the scheme may no longer reach the capital's centre.

The Sun reported that rising inflation and construction costs mean trains may terminate in west London instead.

The paper said bosses were considering pushing back its Euston terminus to 2038, or scrapping it completely.

Jeremy Hunt said he did not "see any conceivable circumstances" why it would "not end up at Euston".

HS2, or High Speed 2, was originally intended to connect London with Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.

The leg to Leeds has since been scrapped.

The Sun had reported that the move would mean trains would run from a new hub at Old Oak Common, about five miles (8km) away, and commuters would have to use the Elizabeth Line or Tube to travel to central London.

When asked if he, and the government, were committed to HS2 going all the way to London Euston, Jeremy Hunt said: "Yes we are and I don't see any conceivable circumstances to why that will not end up at Euston."

Earlier, in a speech setting out his long-term vision for economic growth, the chancellor said HS2 was a "specific priority for me in the Autumn Statement".

He said the government was "absolutely committed to showing that we can deliver big important infrastructure projects".

"That is why in the Autumn Statement we protected key projects like HS2, East West Rail and core Northern Powerhouse Rail", he said.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the government was "committed to delivering on the plans it's announced with rail".

The Sun also reported that a two to five-year delay to the entire project is also being considered.

Speaking at Bloomberg's European HQ, in London, Mr Hunt said he was "incredibly proud that under a Conservative government for the first time we have shovels in the ground".

"But large infrastructure projects still take too long and if we are to deliver our ambitions we need to find a way to speed them up."

Martin McTague from the head of the Federation of Small Businesses said HS2 was an "enormous boost" for economic prospects in the Midlands.

"It's part of the levelling up process and I think if it falls short in west London then that defeats many of the objectives of the line," he told the BBC.

Site of Euston HS2 works
Getty Images

Work on the first phase of the project - between London and Birmingham - is well under way and that part of the line is due to open by 2033.

But the project has faced delays and mounting concerns over the exact route and its potential environmental impact.

The estimated cost of HS2 was between £72bn and £98bn at 2019 prices. A budget of £55.7bn for the whole of HS2 was set in 2015 - but this was made before the Leeds leg was cancelled.

A report published last October found it was unlikely that the £40.3bn target for the first section of the line would be met.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said HS2 was "experiencing high levels of inflation" and it was working with "suppliers actively to mitigate inflationary increases".

Map showing route of HS2 rail line

Research from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Office for National Statistics published in September showed that construction materials across the UK experienced inflation of 18% from August 2021 to August 2022.

Mr Harper said inflation was not affecting the "overall affordability of HS2 in real terms" but it was "creating pressures against its existing annual funding settlements".

Henri Murison, CEO of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said that if the HS2 rail link did not go to Euston, this would have "a number of significant disadvantages".

"Because actually people in the north of England, people in Birmingham, will want to get access to central London - that's what they currently have through the normal mainline network", he told the BBC.

However, Lord Tony Berkeley questioned whether more services to London were needed and said money would be better spent on local and regional services.

The Labour peer, who in 2019 was deputy chairman of a government review into HS2, said: "My view is that we should aim for the regions - the north and the Midlands - to have a commuter service as good as in the south-east."

The head of the National Infrastructure Commission, Sir John Armitt, told BBC News in November that cutting back on the HS2 rail route would be "silly".

"I think you've got massive investment, which has happened in Birmingham ahead of HS2 - it just shows what can happen.

"And Manchester of course equally is now seeing investment off the back of HS2. I think that would be a very strange decision," he said.

Pressure group Stop HS2 said it believed the project would increase carbon emissions and damage areas of natural beauty. Protesters, including veteran eco-protester Swampy, have built tunnels in an attempt to disrupt HS2 construction.

A senior figure at the Department for Transport warned last week that "quite tough decisions" could lie ahead for the scheme.

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2023-01-27 13:00:38Z
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HS2 will run through to London Euston, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt says - BBC

Site of Euston HS2 worksGetty Images

The HS2 rail line will go all the way to London Euston, the chancellor has said, following a report the scheme may no longer reach the capital's centre.

The Sun reported that rising inflation and construction costs mean trains may terminate in west London instead.

The paper said bosses were considering pushing back its Euston terminus to 2038, or scrapping it completely.

But Jeremy Hunt said he did not "see any conceivable circumstances" why it would "not end up at Euston".

HS2, or High Speed 2, was originally intended to connect London with Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.

The leg to Leeds has since been scrapped.

The Sun had reported that the move would mean trains would run from a new hub at Old Oak Common, about 8km (five miles) away, and commuters would have to use the Elizabeth Line or Tube to travel to central London.

However, when asked if he, and the government, were committed to HS2 going all the way to London Euston, Jeremy Hunt said: "Yes we are and I don't see any conceivable circumstances to why that will not end up at Euston."

Earlier, in a speech setting out his long-term vision for economic growth, the chancellor said HS2 was a "specific priority for me in the Autumn statement".

He said the government was "absolutely committed to showing that we can deliver big important infrastructure projects".

"That is why in the Autumn Statement we protected key projects like HS2, East West Rail and core Northern Powerhouse Rail", he said.

The Sun also reported that a two to five-year delay to the entire project is also being considered.

Speaking at Bloomberg's European HQ, in London, Mr Hunt said he was "incredibly proud that under a Conservative government for the first time we have shovels in the ground".

"But large infrastructure projects still take too long and if we are to deliver our ambitions we need to find a way to speed them up."

Work on the first phase of the project - between London and Birmingham - is well under way and that part of the line is due to open by 2033.

But the project has faced delays and mounting concerns over the exact route and its potential environmental impact.

Pressure group Stop HS2 said it believed the project would increase carbon emissions and damage areas of natural beauty. Protesters, including veteran eco-protester Swampy, have built tunnels in an attempt to disrupt HS2 construction.

The estimated cost of HS2 was between £72bn and £98bn at 2019 prices. A budget of £55.7bn for the whole of HS2 was set in 2015 - but this was made before the Leeds leg was cancelled.

A report published last October found it was unlikely that the £40.3bn target for the first section of the line would be met.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper has said HS2 was "experiencing high levels of inflation" and it was working with "suppliers actively to mitigate inflationary increases".

Research from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Office for National Statistics published in September showed that construction materials across the UK experienced inflation of 18% from August 2021 to August 2022.

Mr Harper said inflation was not affecting the "overall affordability of HS2 in real terms" but it was "creating pressures against its existing annual funding settlements".

Henri Murison, CEO of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership said that if the HS2 rail link did not go to Euston, this would have "a number of significant disadvantages".

"Because actually people in the north of England, people in Birmingham will want to get access to central London - that's what they currently have through the normal mainline network", he told the BBC.

However, Lord Tony Berkeley questioned whether more services to London were needed and said money would be better spent on local and regional services.

The Labour peer, who in 2019 was deputy chairman of a government review into HS2, said: "My view is that we should aim for the regions - the north and the midlands - to have a commuter service as good as in the south east."

The head of the National Infrastructure Commission told BBC News in November that cutting back on the HS2 rail route would be "silly".

"I think you've got massive investment, which has happened in Birmingham ahead of HS2 - it just shows what can happen. And Manchester of course equally is now seeing investment off the back of HS2. I think that would be a very strange decision," he said.

A senior figure at the Department for Transport warned last week that "quite tough decisions" could lie ahead for the scheme.

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2023-01-27 11:44:06Z
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St John's Wood: Historic church destroyed in large blaze - BBC

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A Grade II listed church in north-west London has been destroyed in a fire overnight.

London Fire Brigade (LFB) said 80 firefighters attended St Mark's church in Hamilton Terrace in St John's Wood after a call at 23:19 GMT on Thursday.

Videos on social media showed the entire two-storey building alight, with black plumes rising from the flames.

LFB said there were no reports of injuries and the cause of the fire, which is under control, is not known.

The National Churches Trust has described St Mark's as an "architectural and historical treasure".

The Victorian church, which is more than 150 years old, has links to author Lewis Carroll and Queen Victoria's son Prince Leopold and is situated near Abbey Road Studios and Lord's Cricket Ground.

Daytime picture of firefighters using a crane to inspect the collapsed roof of the church.
PA Media

Sophia Tennant, who witnessed the fire, said she was getting ready for bed when she looked out of the window and saw flames rising from inside a building which she later realised was the church.

After calling the fire brigade, she said she "came and watched and it was really flaming, most of the roof seemed to be on fire".

"You could see the fire inside the church going up what would have been the stained glass window at the east end, so it's pretty disastrous," she said.

Another resident said: "I got up and looked out my bedroom window and the road outside was full of fire engines.

"I just got my coat on, came outside the front door and just noticed the church next door was just ablaze.

"It's terrible, the whole church was on fire - smoke everywhere. It's extremely sad because it's a very old church and it's ruined now."

Sophie Tennant speaking from a road near the fire in St John's Wood.

A further witness described seeing "lots of flames" which became "much bigger before the roof caved in".

Households in the area have been advised to keep windows and doors closed, and police asked the public to avoid the area to allow emergency services to work.

Westminster City Council said there would be local road closures until late morning, but all residents were "safe and accounted for".

The top of the church is completely engulfed in flames
Mohamed Elmaazi

More than 10 fire engines were deployed to the scene, with crews from North Kensington, Paddington and West Hampstead working to put out the flames.

Firefighters used three ladders to spray water onto the building, including two 34m (111 ft) ladders and one 64m (209 ft) ladder that is the tallest of its kind in Europe.

LFB said investigators were working to discover the cause of the blaze.

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2023-01-27 08:20:59Z
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Kamis, 26 Januari 2023

Man charged with assaulting Matt Hancock on London Underground - Sky News

A 61-year-old man has been charged with assaulting former health secretary Matt Hancock on the London Underground.

Geza Tarjanyi, from Leyland, Lancashire, faces three counts - one of common assault and two public order offences, British Transport Police said.

He has been released on bail and will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 22 February.

Mr Hancock is understood to have been unhurt after the alleged attack on Tuesday which began at Westminster station before continuing on a Tube train.

The second public order offence relating to the MP for West Suffolk is alleged to have taken place on 19 January in nearby Parliament Street.

The 44-year-old was health secretary when the coronavirus pandemic struck - and was a key figure in the lockdown restrictions and vaccine rollout that followed.

He resigned from his cabinet post in June 2021 after pictures were leaked of him having an affair with his former aide in his office, breaking guidance about mixing with other households.

In November last year he appeared on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! and surpassed the expectations of many by reaching the final but finished in third place.

Mr Hancock was stripped of the Conservative whip over his appearance on the reality TV show, and has since said he will not contest his seat at the next election when he will step down.

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2023-01-26 11:35:30Z
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Leah Croucher murder suspect changed appearance - police - BBC

E-fit of Neil Maxwell depicting him with a slimmer face and dark beardThames Valley Police/PA

The man suspected of murdering a teenager whose body was found three years after she vanished is likely to have changed his appearance around the time of the offence, police said.

Leah Croucher's remains were found at a house in Loxbeare Drive, Milton Keynes in October.

Neil Maxwell, who was found dead in April 2019, remains the only suspect.

Police have released a new image of what Mr Maxwell could have looked like around the time of the murder.

Detectives said they believed Maxwell changed his appearance to evade arrest for another crime.

Ms Croucher, 19, was last seen walking to work on 15 February 2019. Her cause of death is "still under investigation", an inquest heard on Wednesday.

Leah Croucher
Thames Valley Police

At the time Ms Croucher went missing, Maxwell was on the run from police in connection with a sexual assault in Newport Pagnell in November 2018, and he had previous convictions for sexual offences against women and children.

Thames Valley Police said the 49-year-old, who worked as a maintenance man for the owner of the Loxbeare Drive home owner, who lives abroad, was the only person to have keys to the house.

Officers also found Ms Croucher's rucksack and other possessions in the loft of the house in Furzton in October.

'Complex investigation'

house being searched in Loxbeare Drive, Milton Keynes
Jo Black/BBC

Police said they believed Maxwell changed his appearance to evade arrest as no witnesses have placed him in Milton Keynes since December 2018.

The force released an e-fit image of what they believe Maxwell may have looked like between December 2018 and April 2019.

Det Ch Supt Ian Hunter said the "complex investigation" had "made steady progress" with hundreds of people interviewed and extensive forensic searches and examinations taking place, as well as CCTV reviews.

He said: "Despite the comprehensive media reporting along with the further inquiries with acquaintances, associates and employers and the new house to house and CCTV inquiries, we have still not identified anyone who saw Maxwell in or around Milton Keynes since early December 2018.

A map showing the various locations connected to Leah Croucher investigation

"More pertinently, we are yet to identify anyone who had seen Maxwell in Loxbeare Drive before, after, or at any time close to when Leah went missing on 15 February 2019."

Police said they believed he also used false names and stopped using his mobile phone and known vehicles.

Officers appealed for people to come forward with information about Maxwell's movements and identity based on the new image.

"He is likely to have known he was returning to prison if he was arrested and convicted," Det Ch Supt Hunter said.

"The investigation has now also established that Maxwell is likely to have changed his appearance to avoid being recognised. He had grown a beard and may have lost weight."

He said the force was "absolutely committed to establishing the truth" and Ms Croucher's family are "at the heart of everything we do".

Neil Maxwell
Thames Valley Police
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Leah Croucher: A timeline

Leah Croucher on CCTV footage
Thames Valley Police
  • 14 February 2019: Leah Croucher is last seen by her parents at the family home in Quantock Crescent, Milton Keynes at 22:00 GMT
  • 15 February 2019: CCTV footage shows her walking to work down Buzzacott Lane in Furzton at 08:16. She never arrived
  • April 2019: Thames Valley Police says three people had reported possible sightings of Ms Croucher near Furzton Lake between 09:30 and 11:15, on the day she went missing
  • October 2019: A two-week search by Thames Valley Police at the Blue Lagoon nature reserve in Bletchley finds nothing
  • 15 February 2021: On the second anniversary of her disappearance, police say there are "no significant leads" and the case is "bewildering and frustrating"
  • 12 October 2022: Police launch a murder investigation after human remains and a rucksack are found in the loft of a home on Loxbeare Drive in Furzton
  • 14 October 2022: Neil Maxwell, a deceased sex offender, is named main suspect in the case by police
  • 21 October 2022: Police confirm that the body found in Loxbeare Drive belongs to Leah Croucher, but cannot confirm the cause of death
  • 25 January 2023: Inquest opened and adjourned into Leah Croucher's death
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2023-01-26 06:55:25Z
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Rabu, 25 Januari 2023

PMQs latest: Rishi Sunak over Zahawi's tax affairs at PMQs - BBC

Copyright: PA Media

In an interview this morning, Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood would not be drawn on whether Nadhim Zahawi should stand down over the issues surrounding his tax affairs, joking: “Isn’t it time for the weather now?”

On BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Ellwood was asked if the current controversy was a distraction for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

“The fact you’re still asking these questions shows, yes, it is a distraction," he replied.

“We should be continuing our discussion on Ukraine and you’re asking me now about another issue to do with the Conservative Party."

The issue surrounding Zahawi’s tax affairs “should have perhaps been slid across to the ethics adviser much sooner”, he said.

“Nobody knows the full picture...apart from Nadhim Zahawi and of course the HMRC,” Ellwood added.

“Let's allow the [ethics advisor’s] report to land and then we’ll have to take things from there."

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2023-01-25 09:11:15Z
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