Babak Belurs

Sabtu, 04 Desember 2021

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Boris Johnson set to announce wide-ranging inquiry into murder of six-year-old - Sky News

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announced a wide-ranging inquiry into the murder of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes in an effort to avoid a repeat of the tragedy.

The investigation will involve police, schools, social services and probation watchdogs, and is intended to learn lessons from what happened, The Sunday Times reports.

The probe is likely to consider whether guidelines should be put in place to help protect at-risk youngsters in the event of future national lockdowns, the newspaper said.

Speaking on Friday during a campaign visit in Shropshire, the prime minister vowed to leave "absolutely no stone unturned" to establish what went wrong.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi is due to make a Commons statement on the case on Monday.

On Saturday, the Attorney General's Office confirmed the sentences of Arthur's killers are set to be reviewed "to determine whether they were too low".

The boy, from Solihull, West Midlands, was poisoned, starved and beaten by step-mother Emma Tustin, 32, and his father Thomas Hughes, 29, in a prolonged campaign of "evil abuse".

He was left with an unsurvivable brain injury in June last year, after being left in the care of his father's girlfriend, who was jailed for life with a minimum sentence of 29 years on Friday. Hughes was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 21 years in prison.

After the MP for Solihull, Julian Knight, said the sentences were too lenient and should be appealed to make them longer, the attorney general's office confirmed they would be reviewed.

"The Attorney General's thoughts are with those who loved Arthur," said a statement.

"I can confirm that the sentences given to Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes have been referred to the Attorney General for review to determine whether they were too low."

CCTV has been released by West Midlands Police of Tustin and Thomas Hughes eating ice cream in their home while Arthur starved just out of sight.

It came as Chelsea FC paid tribute to Arthur before their game against West Ham on Saturday.

More tributes were paid by Coventry City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Birmingham City - while Aston Villa will do the same during Sunday's clash with Leicester.

A child protection boss has also said the six-year-old should have been a top priority for social services but was "missed" during the coronavirus lockdown.

It emerged during the couple's trial that Arthur's grandmother had pictures of his bruises and asked social services to visit him, but staff said they had "no safeguarding concerns".

Wendy Thorogood, director of association of Child Protection Professionals, told Times Radio he "should" have been a priority for local services.

"You would have expected them to actually look at his history, but unfortunately they go on what they see at the moment in time," she said.

"I would have expected any assessment to really take account of the grandmother's photos, I would have expected joint conversations and real conversations [with Arthur]... and that appears to have been missed."

Arthur and his father moved in with Tustin at the start of the COVID lockdown in March last year, Coventry Crown Court was told.

He did not return to school when it reopened at the beginning of June.

Ms Thorogood added: "We have to remember this was under COVID, so he wasn't actually getting additional oversight from school and education.

"He wasn't on a child protection list, he wasn't one of the children that you would have considered to be a priority."

Former children's minister Tim Loughton told Sky News on Friday that we "urgently need to learn the lesson from this case".

"We still have a profession that is very stretched," he said. "But if you don't join up with other agencies and ask the awkward questions and keep at it, it's a false economy because tragedies like this will still happen.

"The question we have to ask is why the system didn't work to protect this child."

Solihull's Local Child Safeguarding Partnership has launched an independent review following the court revelations.

The social services visit in April 2020 was promoted after Arthur's paternal grandmother, Joanne Hughes, rang the out-of-hours emergency social services team to report bruising she had seen on the boy's back.

But despite social workers examining him and finding a "faint" yellow bruise, they agreed with Tustin and Hughes that it was a "happy household".

In her victim impact statement, which she read in court ahead of the sentencing, Ms Hughes said Arthur, as a "happy, contented, thriving seven-year-old" would "be alive today" had her son not met Tustin.

The secondary school teacher added: "It is also clear that Arthur was failed by the very authorities that we, as a society, are led to believe are there to ensure the safety of everyone."

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2021-12-05 02:48:45Z
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Covid Scotland: Pre-departure tests to be reintroduced for people heading for UK from Tuesday - The Scotsman

The reintroduction of pre-departure tests was announced around 6pm on Saturday. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

International travellers will have to provide a negative pre-departure test taken two days before travelling, the Scottish Government announced at 7pm.

They will also need a negative PCR test on or before day two after arrival, under measures agreed on a UK four-nation basis, a spokesperson said.

In addition, Nigeria has been added to the red list for international travel from 4am on Monday, with all travellers returning to Scotland from Nigeria required to quarantine in managed accommodation for ten days.

It will join ten African countries on the red list: Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “It is essential we take steps now to keep people safe, protect the roll out of the booster programme and reduce the chances of unsustainable pressure being placed on the NHS over the winter.

“We have always said it may be necessary to quickly implement fresh measures to protect public health in Scotland, particularly with regards to international travel, and these restrictions are proportionate and necessary to that aim.

“We fully understand the impact the changes will have on staff and businesses in the travel and aviation sectors, particularly as the new variant came at a time when we were beginning to see some signs of recovery. We will not keep the restrictions in place any longer than is necessary.”

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tweeted: “As the scientists work to understand new Omicron variant, we need to apply additional caution until picture is clearer.

"We appreciate this will be difficult for the travel sector as we prioritise public health and protect the progress of our world-leading vax & booster programme.”

The latest tightening of travel restrictions follows pressure from Labour and scientists following the introduction this week of PCR tests, but only within two days of arrival.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper welcomed the move but said ministers should have moved sooner.

She said: "We badly need them to learn the lessons on the importance of acting quickly on Covid border measures rather than each time having to be put under huge pressure to finally act."

The BBC reported that the UK Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) decided on Monday that pre-departure testing would be "valuable".

The UK Health and Security Agency (HSA) said today a further 26 cases of the Omicron variant have been reported across the UK - 25 of them in England.

It takes the total number of confirmed cases of the variant in the UK to 160, including 30 in Scotland.

A risk assessment by the HSA rated the Omicron variant as "red" for severity of infection and "amber" for transmissibility between humans.

It said the variant was likely to reduce the protection from both naturally or vaccine-acquired immunity.

However it acknowledged there was so far "insufficient data" to reach firm conclusions and the assessment was presented with "low confidence".

HSA chief executive Dr Jenny Harries said: "We are working as fast as possible to gather more evidence about any impact the new variant may have on severity of disease or vaccine effectiveness.

"Until we have this evidence, we must exercise the highest level of caution in drawing conclusions about any significant risks to people's health.”

Covid Scotland: 14 deaths in a day while Omicron continues to spread

The Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association (SPAA), which said it represented “truly battle weary” travel agents and firms, described the new tests as a “crushing blow”.

President Joanne Dooey said: “The confidence which was returning to international travel will be stamped out following this announcement.

“It leaves everyone currently overseas who has a scheduled return to the UK from 4am this Tuesday scrambling to find testing which meets the Scottish Government regulations.

“We expect that travel agents’ phones will be ringing off the hook with customers who wish to cancel or postpone their holidays, business trips and Christmas visits to families overseas.

"The reintroduction of pre-departure testing and the fact that countries can be placed on the ‘red list’ with less than 48 hours’ notice will plunge agents back into a chaotic world of client repatriations.

"We’re asking that the Scottish Government recognises our members need sector-specific support urgently.”

The Airport Operators Association said it would have a “devastating” impact on tourism and aviation.

Chief executive Karen Dee said: “Pre-departure tests acts as a major deterrent to travel and most of the limited remaining demand following the reintroduction of self-isolation will now fall away, just as airports were hoping for a small uplift over the Christmas holiday.

“Travel and aviation are the only sectors hit with any operating restrictions in response to the Omicron variant.”

Rory Boland, Which? Travel Editor, said: "Travellers will understand the need for government to introduce public health measures, however constantly changing rules at the last minute leaves passengers footing the bill.

"In some destinations, it will be difficult for people to secure tests at such short notice.

"For those who do test positive abroad, they should first and foremost follow local health guidelines.

"This will likely require quarantining in your existing hotel or at government accommodation.

"In some countries, travellers will have to pay for quarantine, and some travel insurance providers can help with this.

"Travellers should also check the flexible booking policy of their airline to rearrange flights."

British Airways chairman and chief executive Sean Doyle said: "The blanket re-introduction of testing to enter the UK, on top of the current regime of isolation and PCR testing on arrival, is completely out of step with the rest of the world, with every other country taking a measured approach based on the science.

"Our customers will now be faced with uncertainty and chaos and yet again this a devastating blow for everyone who works in the travel industry."

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2021-12-04 21:29:47Z
1170462616

Storm Arwen: Snow, rain, and wind set to hit homes still without power - BBC News

Snow, rain, and wind have been forecast to sweep across areas still affected by power outages from Storm Arwen.

Thousands in northern England and Scotland remain without power after the storm more than a week ago.

The Met Office issued snow and rain warnings for these areas overnight on Saturday, with poor weather also expected into next week.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he "remains concerned" so many properties are still without power.

Around 4,700 homes across northern England and Scotland are still without electricity after the storm hit on 26 November, industry body the Energy Networks Association confirmed.

The Met Office predicts low temperatures of between 4C (39F) and 6C (43F), as well as some gale-force winds over the coming days.

The forecaster expects to see snow in the Cairngorms and northern Pennines overnight on Saturday, with drier and less windy conditions on Sunday.

However, on Monday and Tuesday the UK is set to see more wind, rain, and snow - with strong winds expected on Wednesday too.

Northern Powergrid previously said many of the affected homes could be without power until Wednesday, which will be 12 days after the storm's 98mph gusts tore down electricity lines.

'Slow down reconnection'

In a tweet, the prime minister said he has spoken with those leading the response to the storm, including the military commander on the ground and local community leaders in Northumbria, Durham and Darlington.

Mr Johnson wrote: "I am grateful for the tireless efforts of the emergency teams and volunteers on the ground but remain concerned that more than 4,700 households are still without power.

"I reiterated to those I spoke to that the government is ready to further support their work in any way we can."

Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge said: "In terms of the process of reconnecting power supplies and getting to remote areas, it's not helpful - probably tomorrow being the best day and probably the first half of Tuesday as well, some decent conditions.

"Other than that, a fair bit of rain, some hill snow, and some reasonably strong winds - certainly aiding to slow down the process of reconnecting supplies and getting to the more remote locations to clear trees and so forth."

Energy regulator Ofgem has warned it will take enforcement action against power companies which failed to restore supply quickly enough following the storm.

It has also agreed with firms to lift the £700 cap on compensation which could be given to customers, allowing those affected to claim £70 for each 12-hour period they are without power, on top of the £70 owed for the first 48 hours of disruption.

Chief executive Jonathan Brearley told the BBC the regulator was "deeply concerned" about customers left without power for more than week.

He said: "We have clear expectations of how fast they should get people back on the system.

"We do recognise the challenging circumstances those companies are in. But what we expect from the network companies is to be relentless in connecting people, but also to be putting support in place."

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2021-12-04 21:14:39Z
1193760787

Travellers arriving in UK must provide negative Covid test before departure - ITV News

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2021-12-04 18:31:45Z
1170462616

Covid: Doctors' leaders back postponed health checks - BBC News

Doctors' leaders have welcomed plans to allow GPs in England to defer some services to deliver Covid booster jabs instead.

Practices can postpone minor surgery and routine health checks for over-75s and new patients until 31 March.

All adults in England are expected to be offered boosters by the end of January in response to the emergence of the Omicron variant.

A further 75 Omicron cases were confirmed in England on Friday.

Those cases took the total for England to 104. Since then, Scotland has recorded one further case on Saturday, taking the total for the UK as a whole to 135 - including one confirmed case in Wales.

On Saturday the UK reported a further 42,848 cases of coronavirus and 127 deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test while 372,557 booster jabs were administered on Friday.

Dr Farah Jameel, the GP committee chair of the British Medical Association, said the new measures would release GPs from "filling out paperwork" and chasing unnecessary and often undeliverable targets.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We have been struggling with significant prevailing workforce pressures - backlog pressures, winter pressures, pandemic pressures.

"Whilst these changes make a difference and start to create some time, I think every single practice will have to look at just how much time it does release."

Dr Jameel said the measures would allow staff to prioritise the most vulnerable patients and support the "national priority" to vaccinate people as quickly as possible.

She insisted patients who were unwell or had worrying symptoms would continue to receive care from their GPs.

The plans would see GPs asked to defer treatment for the over-75s where it was clinically appropriate to do so.

Dr Gary Howsam, vice chair of the Royal College of GPs, said "capacity needs to expand" in order to meet the target of offering all eligible people a booster jab by the end of January.

"These are sensible, temporary measures that will address some of the bureaucratic demands on practices and have minimal impact on the care patients receive in general practice, allowing GPs and our teams to focus their efforts where currently most clinically necessary," Dr Howsam said.

However, Dennis Reed, director of Silver Voices, a campaign group for older people, said NHS England's proposals were a "blatant case of age discrimination" that suggested "once you reach the age of 75 your health is of less importance than the rest of the population".

He said deferring checks for the early warning signs of illnesses such as strokes, cancers and diabetes was "counter-productive" as it would see patients "pushed out of primary care" and being treated in hospitals, which he said would not help with the burden on the NHS.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's announcement of an expansion of boosters on Tuesday followed a series of recommendations made by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

As well as recommending that all over-18s in the UK should be offered top-up vaccines, the JCVI said the minimum gap between the second dose and boosters should be cut from six to three months.

In a letter released on Friday, NHS England acknowledged services were already under pressure but said there was a new "national mission" to increase vaccine capacity.

It also said the NHS's booking service for vaccinations in England would be updated "no later" than 13 December to allow all adults to book their top-up jabs and to reflect the change in guidance from the JCVI.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said in England Omicron cases had been identified in the East Midlands, East of England, London, North East, North West, South East, South West and West Midlands.

UKHSA chief executive Dr Jenny Harries said: "We are continuing to monitor the data closely. Teams nationally and locally are working at pace to identify and trace all close contacts of every Omicron case.

"We have started to see cases where there are no links to travel, suggesting that we have a small amount of community transmission."

First Welsh Omicron case

Until the rollout was expanded, boosters had been restricted to those aged 40 and over, front-line health or social workers, and those with health issues.

Priority for boosters would still be given to those at the greatest risk, with jabs being given in descending age groups and to the most at-risk groups first, NHS England's letter says.

More than 19 million booster or third doses have been given in the UK so far, according to government statistics.

The rush to expand the vaccination programme has come as more cases of the Omicron variant, first identified in South Africa where it is driving a surge in infections, are found.

Scientists have raised concerns the heavily mutated variant may be able to escape immunity from vaccines.

The first case of the variant has been found in Wales, while 30 cases have been identified in Scotland - with six of these being linked to a Steps concert.

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2021-12-04 16:13:34Z
1063257555

COVID-19: UK reports another 42,848 coronavirus cases and 127 deaths in daily figures - Sky News

Another 42,848 COVID-19 cases and 127 coronavirus-related deaths have been recorded in the latest 24-hour period.

That compares to 50,584 infections on Friday and 143 deaths.

A week ago, daily infections stood at 39,567 and fatalities at 131.

The number of booster vaccinations - or third doses - administered has risen to 19,809,442 (34.4% of the population aged 12 and over).

The latest number of people in hospital with COVID is 7,373 - a drop of almost 2,300 since the start of November.

In other news, a marked rise has been seen in the number of children admitted to hospital in South Africa - the epicentre of the new Omicron variant - but cases are "mild", a public health expert has said.

The increase has sparked concerns that the latest COVID-19 strain, which has spread rapidly around the world, could pose a greater risk to youngsters.

But the authorities in South Africa said the surge should trigger vigilance, not panic.

The UK Health Security Agency said on Friday that another 75 cases of Omicron had been found in England.

It also issued a risk assessment, in which it expressed concerns about the variant's potential ability to bypass both naturally-acquired and vaccine-acquired immunity.

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2021-12-04 16:16:10Z
956232753

MP calls for jail sentences over death of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, 6, to be increased - Sky News

The sentences for the killers of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes are too lenient and should be appealed to make them longer, an MP has said.

The boy, from Solihull, was poisoned, starved and beaten by step-mother Emma Tustin, 32, and his father Thomas Hughes, 29, in a prolonged campaign of "evil abuse".

Julian Knight, MP for Solihull, said: "I think anyone reflecting on those sentences yesterday thinks that they were too lenient and my intention is to try to refer this to the unduly lenient sentencing scheme as soon as possible."

He added: "There's a palpable sense of real loss and tragedy over this and a sense of anger and questions over how this was allowed to happen and how these monsters were allowed to inflict this horrible torture on this defenceless young boy."