Minggu, 15 Agustus 2021

Afghanistan: UK has abandoned Afghan people, says senior MP - BBC News

The withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan is Britain's biggest foreign policy disaster since the Suez crisis of 1956, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee has said.

Tory MP Tom Tugendhat said the UK had "abandoned the Afghan people".

The Taliban have reached the outskirts of the capital Kabul after taking almost every other major city.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called a meeting of the emergency Cobra committee on Sunday afternoon.

Parliament will be recalled on Wednesday for one day to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he had shared his "deep concerns about the future for Afghanistan" with Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

He said they agreed "it is critical that the international community is united in telling the Taliban that the violence must end and human rights must be protected".

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: "The government has been silent as Afghanistan collapses, which will have ramifications in the UK."

He said it was a "very sad day" and "our thoughts are with the Afghan people". The government's priority "must be to evacuate British personnel and support staff", he added.

The British ambassador remains in Kabul, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said, but the UK has reduced its diplomatic presence.

"UK government staff continue to work to provide assistance to British nationals and to our Afghan staff," said a spokesperson.

"We are doing all we can to enable remaining British nationals, who want to leave Afghanistan, to do so."

Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel Peace Prize winner who found refuge in the UK after being shot in the head by Taliban militants in 2012, said global and regional powers must call for an immediate ceasefire, provide humanitarian aid and protect refugees.

"We watch in complete shock as Taliban takes control of Afghanistan. I am deeply worried about women, minorities and human rights advocates," she said.

Mr Tugendhat compared the Afghanistan withdrawal to the UK's failed invasion of Egypt in 1956, intended to regain control of the Suez canal, which is seen by many historians as marking the end of Britain's role as a major world power.

Speaking ahead of Mr Raab's comments on Sunday, he also said: "We haven't heard from the foreign secretary in about a week, despite this being the biggest single foreign policy disaster since Suez, so I don't know what the Foreign Office is thinking."

He said the pull-out in Afghanistan showed a lack of "strategic patience", stripped the Afghan army of their logistics and air support and "convinced them there was no tomorrow".

That emboldened Taliban militants, allowing them to sweep through many major cities, he suggested.

The Foreign Office has advised more than 4,000 British citizens thought to be in Afghanistan to leave and on Thursday said it would send 600 troops to help with the departure of Britons, Afghan staff and interpreters.

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Why is there a war in Afghanistan?

After 20 years of war, foreign forces are pulling out of Afghanistan following a deal between the US and the Taliban militants they removed from power back in 2001.

The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions.

The Taliban has pledged not to allow Afghanistan to become a base for terrorists who could threaten the West.

But the country's hardline former rulers have quickly gained territory in recent weeks from Afghan army soldiers, who are now being left to protect a fragile government.

The Taliban also made a pledge for national peace talks, but many fear a worsening civil war remains a far more likely outcome.

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Mr Tugendhat, who served in Afghanistan before becoming an MP, said it was "shameful" of Nato not to evacuate all the Afghan people who served alongside British forces.

Interpreters and guards, Afghans trained as special forces, people who set up schools for girls and helped NGOs are "all at risk now", he said.

He said: "The danger is that we're going to see every female MP murdered, we're going to see ministers strung up on streetlamps and this is the decision I'm afraid that has been taken."

But Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told the BBC "there will be no revenge on anyone".

He said militants had been ordered to wait on the outskirts of Kabul for a peaceful transfer of power.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called on the UK to offer "as much refuge for vulnerable Afghans as possible". She said the Scottish government is "willing to play our full part and do all we can to help those in peril as a result of the horrifying situation currently unfolding".

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Analysis

By Tony Bonsignore, BBC political correspondent

Wednesday could be a very uncomfortable day for the government, as MPs return to the Commons to debate the UK's response to the deepening crisis in Afghanistan.

The government will have to answer questions about why it so badly miscalculated the strength of the Taliban, and its decision to withdraw its forces in the face of impending disaster.

In what will be an emotive debate, many MPs - including senior Conservatives like Tom Tugendhat - will stress the sacrifices already made over the past 20 years, and the obligation they believe this country owes to the people of Afghanistan.

They are likely to push the government to do much more, in a bid to avert a humanitarian catastrophe, despite the claim by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace that it would be impossible for the UK to act alone.

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The Home Office said 3,300 Afghan staff who worked for the UK had already been resettled with their families.

"Home Office officials are right now working to protect British nationals and help former UK staff and other eligible people travel to the UK," a spokesperson said.

Map showing how much of the country is controlled by the Taliban compared to last month

But 35 Afghans due to start scholarships at UK universities within weeks have been told their places have been suspended because their visas cannot be arranged in time.

Naimatullah Zafary, who lives in Kabul, told the BBC: "My daughter was asking me yesterday, are the Taliban coming and are they killing her? I said, no, they are not killing her. She is six-and-a-half years old, can you imagine?"

Chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, Tobias Ellwood, said the UK should have the courage to "stand up and say 'this is the wrong call' and lead a coalition, or attempt to lead a coalition" to address the crisis.

"This is a humiliating strategic defeat for the West that we will regret," he told the BBC.

"We have a very messy and unpredictable number of months and years ahead - unless we recognise what a gargantuan mistake it has been to withdraw our troops."

Children from displaced families taking shelter in a park in Kabul
EPA
Former British interpreters protesting in Kabul
Getty Images

But Defence Secretary Ben Wallace wrote in the Sunday Telegraph that it was "arrogant" to think the UK could resolve the situation acting alone.

He said he had approached other allies about taking the place of US forces, but none was willing to do so.

"A unilateral force would very quickly be viewed as an occupying force and, no matter how powerful the country that sends it, history shows us what happens to them in Afghanistan," he said.

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2021-08-15 15:07:20Z
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Glammed-up travellers dress to impress at Appleby horse fair - Daily Mail

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  1. Glammed-up travellers dress to impress at Appleby horse fair  Daily Mail
  2. Moment travellers brawl at Appleby Horse Fair as police send armed officers to tackle 'violence'  Daily Mail
  3. Our Yorkshire Farm's Amanda Owen splits fans after taking family to controversial Appleby Horse Fair  Yorkshire Live
  4. Urgent measures as police fear Appleby fairgoers 'intent on serious violence'  Daily Star
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2021-08-15 14:31:09Z
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Plymouth cops return guns over fears of being SUED by owners, claims ex-firearms officer - Daily Mail

Plymouth cops return guns to their owners over fears of being SUED, claims ex-firearms officer after incel massacre - as police face calls to trawl social media of those applying for licence

  • EXCLUSIVE: The ex-official said 'nothing was ever done' about security concerns
  • They said police solicitor was worried about being sued over licence revocation
  • It comes as questions are asked of police over why Jake Davison had gun licence
  • Devon and Cornwall Police admitted last night it had not done web check on him

Guns seized by Devon and Cornwall Police are returned to the owners amid fears of being sued, an ex-firearms licensing officer has claimed after the Plymouth shooting.

The ex-official, who asked not to be named, said 'nothing was ever done' about security concerns with armed residents.

They claimed the police solicitor was worried about being sued over a licence revocation - which meant weapons were passed back to the holder.

It comes as urgent questions are being asked of the force over why incel shooter Jake Davison had a gun licence and was given it back following an alleged assault.

Devon and Cornwall Police admitted last night it did not do any web checks on the 22-year-old - who killed five people on Thursday - before handing back his shotgun.

Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer said officers feared invading his privacy if they looked at his social media.

But a former Met Police chief blasted the idea, saying police should trawl through people's posts so 'guns do not fall into the hands of dangerous people'.

Former commissioner Lord Stevens said Davison's disturbing videos on YouTube 'should have been taken into account when he applied for a shotgun licence'.

The ex-official claimed 'nothing was ever done' about security concerns with armed residents. Pictured: Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer talks with locals yesterday

The ex-official claimed 'nothing was ever done' about security concerns with armed residents. Pictured: Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer talks with locals yesterday

It comes as urgent questions are being asked of the force over why incel shooter Jake Davison (pictured) had a gun licence and was given it back following an alleged assault

It comes as urgent questions are being asked of the force over why incel shooter Jake Davison (pictured) had a gun licence and was given it back following an alleged assault

Davison shot his mother Maxine Davison, 51, before he went into the street and shot dead Sophie Martyn, three, and her father Lee Martyn, 43.

In the 12-minute attack, Davison then killed Stephen Washington, 59, in a nearby park before shooting 66-year-old Kate Shepherd, who later died at Derriford Hospital.

Davison also shot locals Ben Parsonage, 33, and his mother Michelle, 53, but both are expected to make a full recovery.

Since the attack urgent questions have been raised as to why Davison - who had autism, OCD, anger issues and depression - was allowed a shotgun licence.

The former firearms licensing officer claimed Devon and Cornwall Police returned weapons to their owners because the force's solicitor feared being sued.

They told MailOnline: 'Every gun I seized was eventually returned as the force solicitor feared being sued over a licence revocation.

'I used to do at least five home visits everyday to check on security and raised concerns about lack of action regarding licensing breaches. Nothing was ever done.'

Last night the force's Chief Constable Sawyer admitted police did not go through Davison's social media before returning his weapon.

Luke Pollard (pictured with Priti Patel yesterday), Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said there was a 'sense of anger' among local residents at how the events of the atrocity unfolded

Luke Pollard (pictured with Priti Patel yesterday), Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said there was a 'sense of anger' among local residents at how the events of the atrocity unfolded

A teacher who knew Plymouth killer Jake Davison expressed his fury and disbelief last night that his former pupil was allowed to own a shotgun ¿ and revealed that he had been obsessed with firearms from a young age

A teacher who knew Plymouth killer Jake Davison expressed his fury and disbelief last night that his former pupil was allowed to own a shotgun – and revealed that he had been obsessed with firearms from a young age

In rambling and unsettling films made in the weeks before his rampage, he described an obsession with The Terminator and repeatedly mentions to 'incel' movement linked to mass shootings in the US
In rambling and unsettling films made in the weeks before his rampage, he described an obsession with The Terminator and repeatedly mentions to 'incel' movement linked to mass shootings in the US

In rambling and unsettling films made in the weeks before his rampage, he described an obsession with The Terminator and repeatedly mentions to 'incel' movement linked to mass shootings in the US

Mr Sawyer claimed officers feared doing so would be an invasion of the killer's privacy.

He told the Sun: 'We take and return firearms on a not irregular basis when people have emotional crises or we receive reports from family members, then they can be returned.

'What we don't do, because firearms licensing is a lawful thing, is trawl the internet looking at people's lives. That's an invasion of privacy.'

Davison was given his shotgun back last month after having it taken from him in December following an alleged assault in September.

He used the weapon to kill the five people and himself on Thursday afternoon in a quiet road in Plymouth.

Despite Mr Sawyer's claims, former Met Police chief Lord Stevens said social media accounts should be checked before handing out gun licences.

He said that it would be to ensure 'guns do not fall into the hands of dangerous people'.

He told Telegraph that Davison was 'clearly a dangerous man', adding: 'The videos he made should have been taken into account when he applied for a shotgun licence.

'There needs to be a trawling of online content for an in-depth assessment of who these people are and what they think.'

Despite Mr Sawyer's claims, former Met Police chief Lord Stevens (pictured) said social media accounts should be checked before handing out gun licences

Despite Mr Sawyer's claims, former Met Police chief Lord Stevens (pictured) said social media accounts should be checked before handing out gun licences

Social media posts and interactions offered insight into the mind of a man who was interested in guns and America, while his social media usage suggests an obsession with the 'incel' culture, meaning 'involuntary celibate'.

Special prayers are being said in Plymouth today as the city mourns the five people killed in the shooting spree.

Tributes poured in for those shot dead by Davison, including his mother and a three-year-old girl, with flowers, cuddly toys and candles left near the scene in Keyham.

Churches across Devon, including St Thomas' Church in Keyham, will use Sunday services to remember the victims, with a special prayer by the Bishop of Exeter.

Father David Way, the vicar of St Thomas', told BBC Breakfast: 'Most importantly we will be praying for those who were killed.

'But something which has been taxing my mind all the way through is I also have to pray for mercy for Jake on his soul.

'As Christians, we have to love our enemies, and look with love on people who cause us harm.

'So yes, the community is in my heart, the people who died innocently are in my heart and in my prayers, but also everybody involved in this situation, I have to make sure we keep in our prayers.'

Devon and Cornwall Police has been approached for comment.

Parish Priest David Way during a service at St Thomas Church in Plymouth, Devon, on Sunday

Parish Priest David Way during a service at St Thomas Church in Plymouth, Devon, on Sunday

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2021-08-15 11:24:00Z
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Dead police officer and child in Kidderminster were father and son - BBC News

Harrison and David Louden
Family photograph

A police officer found dead with a three-year-old child were father and son, his West Mercia force colleagues have confirmed.

Police named the pair, discovered at a property in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, on Friday, as David Louden, 39, and his boy Harrison.

In a statement from Mr Louden's family, the officer was described as "a kind, loving, considerate, amazing" father.

The deaths are being treated as unexplained, police said.

An investigation into the circumstances is under way.

On Saturday, the area's police and crime commissioner, John Campion, said there was not a "wider concern to the public".

The statement issued by police and attributed to Mr Louden's wife and wider family said: "David was a kind, loving, considerate, amazing father, husband, son, brother, uncle, friend and colleague.

"Harrison was a happy, well-loved little boy.

"They will both be forever missed and loved."

The West Mercia force did not state Mr Louden's rank.

Their bodies were discovered at a house on Cairndhu Drive, Kidderminster, on Friday morning.

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2021-08-15 08:09:25Z
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COVID-19: Ambitious deadline set for offering all 16 and 17-year-olds in England their first vaccine - Sky News

All 16 and 17-year-olds in England will be offered their first coronavirus vaccine by 23 August so they can build maximum immunity before returning to school, the health secretary has said.

Sajid Javid said the target date will allow the teenagers to get "vital protection" before returning to sixth form or college two weeks later in September.

Those aged 16 and 17 will be able to get vaccinated at one of more than 800 GP-led vaccination sites, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said.

Thousands will be invited, including by text and letter, to book their appointments through GPs or via walk-in centres.

Mr Javid said: "It is brilliant to see tens of thousands of young people have already received their vaccine - thank you for helping to further build our wall of defence against COVID-19 across the country.

"I have asked the NHS in England to ensure they offer a first dose of the vaccine to everyone aged 16 and 17 by next Monday 23 August. This will make sure everybody has the opportunity to get vital protection before returning to college or sixth form.

"Please don't delay - get your jabs as soon as you can so we can continue to safely live with this virus and enjoy our freedoms by giving yourself, your family and your community the protection they need."

More on Covid-19

Children aged 12 to 15 who are clinically vulnerable to COVID-19 or who live with adults who are at increased risk of serious illness from the virus are also being contacted by the NHS and invited for their vaccine by 23 August.

The DHSC said that some 100,000 text messages are also being sent to teenagers within three months of turning 18, inviting them to book their vaccine appointment online through the National Booking Service or by calling 119.

The latest stage of the vaccine drive comes as the government said a further 93 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for COVID-19 as of Saturday, bringing the UK total to 130,894.

Separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics show there have been 155,000 deaths registered in the UK where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

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As of 9am on Saturday, there had been a further 29,520 lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in the UK, the government added.

Experts have warned that high levels of coronavirus infection and rising case rates mean the UK is "running hot" when it comes to managing the spread of the disease.

Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, on Friday said while vaccines are reducing the number of hospital admissions and deaths, high case numbers "still place an unnecessary burden on the NHS".

The rate of new cases of the virus is currently rising in all four nations, suggesting the sharp fall in COVID-19 cases that had been under way since mid-July has now come to an end.

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2021-08-15 02:39:34Z
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Sabtu, 14 Agustus 2021

Plymouth shootings: Man who comforted victim describes coming face to face with gunman Jake Davison - Sky News

A man who comforted one of the Plymouth shooting victims in the final minutes of her life has spoken of the moment he came face to face with the gunman.

Bert Pinkerton was seen on car dashcam footage helping Kate Shepherd after she was gunned down on Henderson Place in the city on Thursday.

Speaking to Sky correspondent Ashna Hurynag, Mr Pinkerton said he saw her killer Jake Davison with a "blank expression" after the shooting, and wishes he had been able to tackle the gunman.

Bert Pinkerton saw gunman Jake Davison 'walking like he was on patrol' after shooting five people
Image: Bert Pinkerton saw gunman Jake Davison 'walking like he was on patrol' after shooting five people

He said: "(Davison) was staring through you basically. He was dressed in black - black T-shirt, big black beard, black curly hair, and walking like was on patrol, like a soldier with a gun."

Mr Pinkerton believes he would have been the next person to be shot if the 22-year-old had more bullets.

He added: "He knew he had to have one for himself and that's what he had left, because just after that, that's when he shot himself.

"I'm not as fit as I used to be, but if that was back in the day I would have jumped him, even at his size."

More on Jake Davison

Dashcam footage shows Mr Pinkerton with Kate Shepherd in the moments after she was shot
Image: Dashcam footage shows Mr Pinkerton with Kate Shepherd in the moments after she was shot

Mr Pinkerton said he acted instinctively when he rushed to Ms Shepherd's aid and used the corner of her jacket to put pressure on one of her wounds.

He added: "I was speaking to her all the time - saying 'help is on it's way, help is on it's way, you're alright I'm here with you'.

"She had her eyes closed, she was trying to breathe."

Kate Shepherd died in hospital after she was gunned down by Davison
Image: Kate Shepherd died in hospital after she was gunned down by Davison

Mr Pinkerton kept Ms Shepherd conscious until paramedics arrived, but the 66-year-old later died in hospital.

Davison first shot his 51-year-old mother Maxine Davison, also known as Maxine Chapman, at a house in Biddick Drive in the Keyham area of Plymouth.

He then went outside on to the street and shot dead Sophie Martyn, three, and her father Lee Martyn, 43, in an attack witnessed by horrified onlookers.

Lee and Sophie Martyn died in the shooting
Image: Lee Martyn and his three-year-old daughter Sophie died in the shooting

He then killed Stephen Washington, 59, in a nearby park, before shooting Ms Shepherd.

Davison then turned the gun on himself.

The police watchdog will investigate Devon and Cornwall Police over Davison's possession of a shotgun and shotgun certificate.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has said it is looking into how he acquired the weapon and licence, after they were removed from him by officers last December following an allegation of assault in September.

Special prayers are set to be said in Plymouth later today as the city mourns the five victims.

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Plymouth gunman speaks of 'frustrations'

Churches across Devon, including St Thomas' Church in Keyham, are expected to use their Sunday services to remember the victims, with a special prayer written by the Bishop of Exeter, Robert Atwell.

It comes as a former Metropolitan Police chief said officers should trawl through social media accounts of people applying for firearms licences to ensure that "guns do not fall into the hands of dangerous people".

Former commissioner Lord Stevens told The Sunday Telegraph that Davison was "clearly a dangerous man", adding: "The videos he made should have been taken into account when he applied for a shotgun licence.

"There needs to be a trawling of online content for an in-depth assessment of who these people are and what they think."

Devon and Cornwall Police are encouraging people to come forward with information, and have set up an online platform to do so at mipp.police.uk/operation/50DC21E73-PO1.

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Covid: 16 and 17-year-olds in England to be offered jab by 23 August - BBC News

A teenager is vaccinated
PA Media

All 16 and 17-year-olds in England are to be offered their first coronavirus vaccine dose or the chance to book one by 23 August, the government has said.

The health secretary said offering vaccines by this date would allow teenagers to get some protection before starting school or college next month.

A walk-in site finder is being launched online by NHS England to help people locate their nearest vaccine centre.

Young people in this age group were first offered a jab earlier this month.

But unlike older age groups, no second dose is being scheduled.

They will be invited, by text or letter, to get vaccinated either by making an appointment through GPs or by going to a walk-in centre, the Department of Health said.

Invites are also being sent out in Wales, while in Northern Ireland, walk-in centres are now open to older teenagers, and in Scotland they can register their interest online.

Tens of thousands of people aged 16 and 17 have already have a first vaccine. Having it done by 23 August will mean there is two weeks for them to build immunity before the new term gets under way.

Those aged 12 to 15 who are clinically vulnerable or live with others at increased risk of getting seriously ill with coronavirus are also being invited for their vaccine by that date. However, some parents have told the BBC of their struggles in securing vaccines for children in this group.

Teenagers who are within three months of turning 18 can book an appointment online through the National Booking Service or calling 119.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid urged people not to delay, adding: "Get your jabs as soon as you can so we can continue to safely live with this virus and enjoy our freedoms by giving yourself, your family and your community the protection they need."

Graph showing vaccine doses given in UK

Experts have warned that high levels of coronavirus infection and rising case rates mean the UK is "running hot" when it comes to managing the spread of the disease.

Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, said on Friday that while vaccines are reducing the number of hospital admissions and deaths, high case numbers "still place an unnecessary burden on the NHS".

The rate of new cases of the virus is currently rising in all four nations, suggesting the sharp fall in Covid-19 cases that had been under way since mid-July has now come to an end.

The National Education Union said the vaccinations of 16 and 17-year-olds would help minimise disruption to education in the next academic year, but said additional safety measures needed to continue in schools.

The union's joint general secretary, Kevin Courtney, said: "With the autumn and winter terms coming up, the issue of crowded schools with no social distancing and inadequate ventilation remains a problem."

A graph showing the number of vaccine doses given in the UK so far

The government says vaccines have saved about 84,600 lives as well as preventing 23.4 million infections and 66,900 hospital admissions by 6 August.

Saturday's data showed that 47,254,399 first doses had now been given in the UK, and 40,372,981 second doses.

There were 29,520 new cases announced and 93 deaths, where the person had tested positive within the previous 28 days.

Dr Nikki Kanani, NHS medical director of primary care and deputy lead for the vaccination programme in England, said more than a quarter of a million under-18s had had a first jab so far.

"Now as teenagers prepare to head back to school or college or into their first full-time jobs, once again NHS staff are doing everything they can to offer young people the lifesaving vaccine as quickly as possible to protect themselves and others," she said.

The latest data showed that 70% of people aged 18 to 29 in England had received a first dose of vaccine up to 11 August.

Those aged 16 and above do not need parental consent to get a vaccine as they are considered capable of making their own medical treatment decisions.

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2021-08-14 23:20:21Z
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