Babak Belurs

Selasa, 07 Mei 2019

British soldier dies in Malawi during anti-poaching operation - BBC News

A British soldier has died in Malawi during counter-poaching operations, the Ministry of Defence has said.

Mathew Talbot, 22, of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, was on a patrol on 5 May when he was killed by an elephant.

His commanding officer, Lt Col Ed Launders, described Guardsman Talbot as "determined and big-hearted".

Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt said he served with "great courage and professionalism" and was carrying out "vital" counter-poaching work.

She added: "This tragic incident is a reminder of the danger our military faces as they protect some of the world's most endangered species from those who seek to profit from the criminal slaughter of wildlife."

Gdsm Talbot, who was from the West Midlands, was serving in his first operational deployment, the MoD said.

He was killed in Liwonde National Park, in the south of Malawi.

He leaves behind his father Steven, his mother Michelle, his sisters Aimee and Isabel, and his girlfriend, Olivia.

In a statement, the MoD said Gdsm Talbot "was not unfamiliar" with Africa and had volunteered to support counter-poaching in Malawi.

"With his keen interest in military history he was proud to have joined a regiment with such a rich and long lineage," it added.

British troops have been deployed in Africa to boost the fight against wildlife poaching.

Their role is to train rangers in tracking, infantry, bushcraft and information analysis skills.

The former defence secretary, Gavin Williamson, announced the expansion of the UK's counter-poaching training at two parks in Malawi - doubling the number of rangers mentored by soldiers to 120 - in 2018.

Gdsm Talbot's company commander, Maj Richard Wright, said that while he had only known the soldier for a short time, "he never failed to make me smile".

Lt Col Launders added: "Mathew was loved by his brothers in arms in the Coldstream Guards. We will sorely miss his humour, selflessness and unbeatable spirit."

Shadow defence secretary Nia Griffith described the death as "tragic news".

She added: "It underlines the dedication and selflessness of our armed forces personnel serving across the world.

"My thoughts are with his family at this difficult time."

A British soldier on fighting poachers in Malawi

The appearance of two British Army 4x4s in Malawi's Majete Wildlife Reserve turns heads as they leave the villages and make their way into the bush.

L/Cpl Chad Spalding is one of the British soldiers on board, trying to help stop poaching.

He is about to spend the next few days with local rangers Boston Phiri, who is pretty new to the job, and Retief Chomali, who has 10 years' experience.

"Most of the time you're concentrating on the environment itself," he says. "You're constantly looking, watching dangerous game, anything that might sneak up on you."

Lionsgate Takes UK Rights To Liam Neeson Starrer ‘Made In Italy’, Lindsay Duncan & Valeria Bilello Join — Cannes - Deadline

Lionsgate has picked up UK rights to Liam Neeson-starrer Made In Italy, which is now underway in the UK and Italy.

Lindsay Duncan (Le Week-End), Valeria Bilello (Sense8) and Neeson’s son Micheál Richardson (Vox Lux) also star in the feature debut from actor James D’Arcy (Cloud Atlas). HanWay handles sales.

Set in Tuscany, the comedy follows bohemian London artist Robert (Neeson), who returns to Italy with his estranged son Jack (Richardson) to make a quick sale of the house they inherited from his late wife. Neither expects to find the once beautiful villa in such a state of disrepair.

The film was developed by London based CrossDay productions, and is produced by film and TV veteran Pippa Cross (Chalet Girl,) and Sam Tipper-Hale (Starfish), with HanWay’s MD Gabrielle Stewart and CrossDay’s Janette Day as executive producers. Co-producers for Indiana Production in Italy are Daniel Campos Pavoncelli and Alessandro Mascheroni. The film is funded by Ingenious Media with Peter Touche and Anders Erden executive producing.

D’Arcy, who is directing and wrote the screenplay, is known for his acting in films such as Dunkirk and Cloud Atlas. Heads of department include cinematographer Mike Eley (The White Crow) and editor Anthony Boys (Veep).

Zygi Kamasa commented, “James has written a beautiful and relatable story about a father and son who mend their relationship in the most unexpected of ways. Poignant, funny and heart warming, this project reflects Lionsgate’s continued desire to make the best of British films, with the best of British talent. This is a perfect film to add to our slate for next year.”

Duncan is represented by Dalzell and Beresford and Bilello by Emanuela Volpe at TNA. Neeson is represented by CAA and ARG Talent, Richardson by Gersh, and D’Arcy by Alex Irwin at Markham Froggatt and Irwin.

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https://deadline.com/2019/05/liam-neeson-made-in-italy-lionsgate-lindsay-duncan-valeria-bilello-uk-1202608720/

2019-05-07 10:14:00Z
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Ash dieback: Killer tree disease set to cost UK £15bn - BBC News

The outbreak of ash dieback disease is set to cost the UK in the region of £15bn, it has been estimated.

Scientists expressed shock at the "staggering" financial burden on taxpayers.

The authors warn that the cost of tackling the fallout from ash dieback far exceeds the income from importing nursery trees.

It was an imported nursery tree that initially brought the deadly disease to these shores.

They added that it was the first time the total cost of the outbreak had been estimated.

"We estimate that the total may be £15bn," explained lead author Dr Louise Hill, a researcher at Plant Sciences at the University of Oxford.

"That's a third more than the reported cost of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in 2001.

"The consequences of tree disease for people really haven't been fully appreciated before now."

The disease, also known as chalara dieback of ash, was first reported in the UK in a nursery in 2012, and was recorded in the wider environment for the first time in 2013.

Since then it has spread to most parts of the UK.

The Forestry Commission says it has the "potential to cause significant damage to the UK's ash population, with implications for woodland biodiversity and ecology, and for the hardwood industries".

In Europe, the pathogen has caused widespread damage and has killed and infected millions of ash trees.

'Huge impact'

As well as estimating the loss from losing an economically important species, the £15bn figure takes in account the loss of "ecosystem services", such as water purification and carbon sequestration.

Report co-author Dr Nick Atkinson, senior adviser at the Woodland Trust, said: "What we were drawing attention to is that there is this huge financial and economic impact of a tree disease epidemic."

The authors, writing in the Current Biology journal, estimated that the total cost of ash dieback would be 50 times greater than the annual value of trade in live plants to and from Britain.

"What you have to look at is, essentially, the risk we are taking by trading across borders against the benefits, which is the financial gains coming from that market," he told BBC News.

"The £15bn cost that we are now facing is the direct outcome of a trade that was worth a few million pounds."

The researchers said that the majority of the cost will be shouldered by local authorities.

"As we know, local authorities are not well funded and they are certainly not funded enough to deal with an epidemic of this magnitude," observed Dr Atkinson.

"There is this hole in the policy of responding to events like this."

And it is something that is very likely to happen again in the near future, they warn, as there are 47 other known tree pests and diseases that could arrive in Britain and cause more than a billion pounds (or more) worth of damage.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-48155222

2019-05-07 05:57:26Z
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Senin, 06 Mei 2019

British woman describes Australia road-trip kidnap - BBC News

A British backpacker has spoken for the first time about being kidnapped and raped by a man in Australia.

Elisha Greer, 24, was held captive by Marcus Martin during a 1,000 mile road trip in 2017 - during which she was beaten and had a gun held to her head.

Ms Greer, originally from Liverpool, told Australia's Channel 7 he "seemed like a nice guy" when they had met at a party in Queensland two months earlier.

Martin, 24, pleaded guilty to rape and deprivation of liberty in October.

He is due to be sentenced on 28 May.

Ms Greer moved to Australia in 2015, aged 21. She told the Sunday Night programme she met Martin in Cairns in January 2017, and after swapping numbers, Martin moved into her hotel room.

He began asking her for money, and, according to Ms Greer, it was not long before he became abusive.

She said he bought a gun for "protection" and she was "forced to drive the car with the gun to my head" while he robbed a drug dealer.

After he had taken drugs, Martin hit, raped and choked Ms Greer until she passed out.

"He turned around and he just started to hit me, hit me, hit me," she said of one attack.

Ms Greer said Martin would "cuddle her" and be apologetic after the assaults - but his violent and controlling behaviour continued.

She said he threw her contraceptive away because "maybe he thought that he could control me more if I was with his child".

Eventually, Ms Greer said Martin was receiving threatening text messages and he became "determined to leave town before someone else found him".

Ms Greer went on to describe the 1,000-mile road trip, where Martin's abusive behaviour intensified.

In one incident she said her face turned purple after he shoved her onto the floor, between the car door and seats - breaking her nose.

"I think he scared himself sometimes because of how much damage he was doing, but then I think he also felt power," said Ms Greer.

She said she contemplated killing Martin so she could escape, but feared it would make matters worse, if her attempt failed.

During a stop she left a plea for help in a visitor's book - which was unanswered. Finally, after five days of driving the pair stopped for petrol at a service station.

Ms Greer, who was being forced to drive, said she left without paying - in the hope staff would call the police.

An attendant called the authorities and Ms Greer was rescued by police in Queensland after they stopped the 4x4 she was driving

Describing the injuries she suffered, Ms Greer said: "He broke my nose, split my eyebrow open, I had various amounts of bite marks all up and down my arms.

"I had bite marks on my face, he had stabbed me in the neck with the key, I had two black eyes, hand prints all over my body from bruises. So many bruises."

She was taken to hospital but said she only felt safe days later, when she saw her mum.

Martin, 24, of Cairns, pleaded guilty to three counts of rape and one count of deprivation of liberty in October 2018, and will be sentenced on May 28.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-48172851

2019-05-06 10:00:22Z
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Minggu, 05 Mei 2019

Theresa May urges Jeremy Corbyn to do a Brexit deal - BBC News

Labour's shadow chancellor says he does not trust Theresa May after details from cross-party talks on Brexit were leaked to the press.

The PM has called on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to "put their differences aside" and agree a Brexit deal.

But John McDonnell said she had "blown the confidentially" of the talks and "jeopardised the negotiations".

The UK was due to leave the EU on 29 March, but it was delayed to 31 October after MPs failed to agree a deal.

Mrs May put the plan she had negotiated with the EU to Parliament three times, but it did not have the support of the Commons.

'Uncomfortable' decision

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Mrs May said Mr Corbyn should "listen to what voters said" in Thursday's local elections - which saw the Conservatives lose 1,334 councillors and Labour fail to make expected gains, instead losing 82 seats.

The Liberal Democrats benefited from Tory losses, gaining 703 seats, with the Greens and independents also making gains.

The prime minister blamed the Brexit impasse for the losses - but said the elections gave "fresh urgency" to find a way to "break the deadlock".

Mrs May also said she hoped to find a "unified, cross-party position" with Labour - despite admitting that her colleagues "find this decision uncomfortable" and that "frankly, it is not what I wanted either".

Mr McDonnell agreed that the message from the polls was to "get on with it" and come to an agreement over Brexit quickly.

But while he said the talks between the two parties would continue on Tuesday, he said they had been undermined after an article in the Sunday Times, detailing where Mrs May was willing to compromise - namely on customs, goods alignment and workers' rights.

The paper also said the PM could put forward plans for a comprehensive, but temporary, customs arrangement with the EU that would last until the next general election.

Mr McDonnell told the BBC's Andrew Marr show: "We have maintained confidentiality as that is what we were asked to do. We haven't briefed the media.

"So it is disappointing the prime minister has broken that, and I think it is an act of bad faith.

"I fully understand now why she couldn't negotiate a decent deal with our European partners if she behaves in this way."

Asked if he trusted the prime minister, the shadow chancellor said: "No. Sorry. Not after this weekend when she has blown the confidentiality we had, and I actually think she has jeopardised the negotiation for her own personal protection."

'Success isn't guaranteed'

By Nick Eardley, BBC political correspondent

Clearly both sides think there is fresh impetus to get a deal after the local elections.

The government seems prepared to move towards Labour's position, but it's far from clear that it will be enough.

There's a real fear on the Labour side that if this isn't a permanent arrangement, a new Tory leader - perhaps Boris Johnson or Dominic Raab - could come along and try to change it.

So success isn't guaranteed when the two sides get back around the table on Tuesday, and both sides need to know they can take a big chunk of their parties with them.

If Theresa May faces losing dozens of Tories opposed to a customs union, or Jeremy Corbyn faces losing dozens of labour MPs who want another referendum, they might not have the numbers to get this through the Commons.

And in that case, a compromise is useless.

Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee of Tory backbenchers, told the Daily Telegraph that staying in a customs union could lead to a "catastrophic split" in the Conservative Party.

And Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage told Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme that millions of people would give up on Labour and the Conservatives if they agreed a deal, adding it would be the "final betrayal".

But the new International Development Secretary Rory Stewart told BBC Radio 5 live's Pienaar's Politics the Tories might have to "take some short-term pain" to finish the job.

The leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson, also said her party needed to "start walking ourselves back" from the extremes of the argument to find a compromise, telling the BBC's Andrew Marr "there is a deal to be done" with Labour.

'Cobbled together'

Meanwhile, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson said it was "absolutely right" for the talks to continue, but told Pienaar's Politics: "I don't think we should be in any doubt that the Labour Party membership and vast numbers of my colleagues in Parliament don't want us to just sign off on a Tory Brexit.

"They don't want us to bail the prime minister out of the problem of her own making and a very large number of our members think the people should decide on what that deal looks like."

The comments come after the People's Vote campaign - which wants a referendum on a final Brexit deal - published a letter signed by more than 100 opposition MPs saying any new, agreed deal should be put to the public for a vote.

Labour MP Bridget Phillipson, who backs the campaign, told Sky's Sophy Ridge: "I think we have reached a stage now that whatever deal is agreed... it has to go back to the British people.

"Something stitched up, cobbled together in Westminster will not be sustainable in the long run. I want to check it is what people want now."

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-48165373

2019-05-05 11:39:49Z
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Theresa May urges Jeremy Corbyn to do a Brexit deal - BBC News

Labour's shadow chancellor says he does not trust Theresa May after details from cross-party talks on Brexit were leaked to the press.

The PM has called on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to "put their differences aside" and agree a Brexit deal.

But John McDonnell said she had "blown the confidentially" of the talks and "jeopardised the negotiations".

The UK was due to leave the EU on 29 March, but it was delayed to 31 October after MPs failed to agree a deal.

Mrs May put the plan she had negotiated with the EU to Parliament three times, but it did not have the support of the Commons.

'Uncomfortable' decision

The Liberal Democrats benefited from Tory losses, gaining 703 seats, with the Greens and independents also making gains.

The prime minister blamed the Brexit impasse for the losses - but said the elections gave "fresh urgency" to find a way to "break the deadlock".

Mr McDonnell agreed that the message from the polls was to "get on with it" and come to an agreement over Brexit quickly.

The paper also said the PM could put forward plans for a comprehensive, but temporary, customs arrangement with the EU that would last until the next general election.

Mr McDonnell told the BBC's Andrew Marr show: "We have maintained confidentiality as that is what we were asked to do. We haven't briefed the media.

"So it is disappointing the prime minister has broken that, and I think it is an act of bad faith.

"I fully understand now why she couldn't negotiate a decent deal with our European partners if she behaves in this way."

He criticised other senior Tories who were "threatening to tear up any deal we do" once the party has a new leader, adding: "It is like trying to enter into a contract with a company going into administration."

'Deeply divisive deal'

The BBC's political correspondent Chris Mason said reaching a deal was "fraught with risk" for both Mrs May and Mr Corbyn.

"A deal on a customs union would be deeply divisive for the Conservatives," he said. "Accepting there'd be no new referendum would split Labour."

Reuters

The public is fed up with the failure of both of the two main parties to find a way to honour the result of the referendum [and] take the UK out of the EU

Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee of Tory backbenchers, told the Daily Telegraph that staying in a customs union could lead to a "catastrophic split" in the Conservative Party.

And, in the same paper, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said: "If the Tories do a deal with Labour on the customs union they will be going into coalition with the opposition against the people."

He told Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme that millions of people would give up on Labour and the Conservatives if they agreed a deal, adding it would be the "final betrayal".

But the new International Development Secretary Rory Stewart said the Tories might have to "take some short-term pain" to finish the job.

He told BBC Radio 5 live's Pienaar's Politics: "We may have to make the very unpopular decision of getting a Brexit deal done, appreciating that everybody in the country has a hundred different views about what type of Brexit they want...

"Take that pain and then [we can] move on to talk about things like the environment, which people really care about."

Westminster 'stitch-up'

Meanwhile, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson said it was "absolutely right" for the talks to continue.

But he told Pienaar's Politics: "I don't think we should be in any doubt that the Labour Party membership and vast numbers of my colleagues in Parliament don't want us to just sign off on a Tory Brexit.

"They don't want us to bail the prime minister out of the problem of her own making and a very large number of our members think the people should decide on what that deal looks like."

"The very worst thing we could do at this time is a Westminster stitch-up, whether over the PM's deal or another deal," the letter read.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-48165373

2019-05-05 11:37:30Z
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Theresa May urges Jeremy Corbyn to do a Brexit deal - BBC News

Labour's shadow chancellor says he does not trust Theresa May after details from cross-party talks on Brexit were leaked to the press.

The PM has called on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to "put their differences aside" and agree a Brexit deal.

But John McDonnell said she had "blown the confidentially" of the talks and "jeopardised the negotiations".

The UK was due to leave the EU on 29 March, but it was delayed to 31 October after MPs failed to agree a deal.

Mrs May put the plan she had negotiated with the EU to Parliament three times, but it did not have the support of the Commons.

'Uncomfortable' decision

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, she said Mr Corbyn should "listen to what voters said" in Thursday's local elections - which saw the Conservatives lose 1,334 councillors and Labour fail to make expected gains, instead losing 82 seats.

The Liberal Democrats benefited from Tory losses, gaining 703 seats, with the Greens and independents also making gains.

The prime minister blamed the Brexit impasse for the losses - but said the elections gave "fresh urgency" to find a way to "break the deadlock".

Mr McDonnell agreed that the message from the polls was to "get on with it" and come to an agreement over Brexit quickly.

The paper also said the PM could put forward plans for a comprehensive, but temporary, customs arrangement with the EU that would last until the next general election.

Mr McDonnell told the BBC's Andrew Marr show: "We have maintained confidentiality as that is what we were asked to do. We haven't briefed the media.

"So it is disappointing the prime minister has broken that and I think it is an act of bad faith.

"I fully understand now why she couldn't negotiate a decent deal with our European partners if she behaves in this way."

He criticised other senior Tories who were "threatening to tear up any deal we do" once the party has a new leader, adding: "It is like trying to enter into contract with a company going into administration."

'Deeply divisive deal'

The BBC's political correspondent Chris Mason said reaching a deal was "fraught with risk" for both Mrs May and Mr Corbyn.

"A deal on a customs union would be deeply divisive for the Conservatives," he said. "Accepting there'd be no new referendum would split Labour."

Reuters

The public is fed up with the failure of both of the two main parties to find a way to honour the result of the referendum [and] take the UK out of the EU

Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee of Tory backbenchers, told the Daily Telegraph that staying in a customs union could lead to a "catastrophic split" in the Conservative Party.

And, in the same paper, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said: "If the Tories do a deal with Labour on the customs union they will be going into coalition with the opposition against the people."

He told Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme that millions of people would give up on Labour and the Conservatives if they agreed a deal, adding it would be the "final betrayal".

But the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson, said her party needed to "start walking ourselves back" from the extremes of the argument to find a compromise, telling the BBC's Andrew Marr show "there is a deal to be done" with Labour.

Meanwhile, the People's Vote campaign - which wants a referendum on a final Brexit deal - has published a letter signed by more than 100 opposition MPs saying any new, agreed deal should be put to the public for a vote.

"The very worst thing we could do at this time is a Westminster stitch-up, whether over the PM's deal or another deal," the letter read.

On Saturday, former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith said a deal with Labour would not be legitimate.

"As a result of the devastating [local] election result, the PM has in effect become a caretaker," he told the BBC.

"As such, she is not empowered to make any deal with the Labour Party which itself suffered a very similar result. Two discredited administrations making a discredited deal is not the answer to the electorate."

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-48165373

2019-05-05 11:03:45Z
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