Babak Belurs

Kamis, 18 Agustus 2022

A-level results: Grades set to fall from pandemic high - BBC

Abi, 18, from Birmingham, is waiting for her A-level results in History, Psychology and Biology. Her dream is to work in marketing for Formula 1. She’s been applying for degree-level apprenticeships and has been shortlisted for one.

“When everyone was talking about going to university I couldn’t really find a course that was for me,” she says.

“I was weighing it up and think [an apprenticeship] is just a better option for me.”

Abi, who is hoping for three As, says it was strange to be doing real exams at A-level after her GCSE exams were cancelled during the pandemic. But she was glad of the extra help offered to students this year, in response to the disruption caused.

“It was lucky that we had the advance information because of the content that we had missed. It was definitely beneficial for me.”

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2022-08-18 06:05:29Z
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Rabu, 17 Agustus 2022

Fresh transport strikes set to cause more travel chaos for rail, tube and bus passengers - Sky News

Rail, Tube and bus passengers are set to face four days of travel misery as tens of thousands of workers stage another round of strikes.

In recent months, several strikes have been carried out as part of a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and working conditions.

From Thursday, Network Rail, train companies, London Underground and buses in the capital will be hit by walkouts, causing disruption for workers, commuters, and fans going to events, including a cricket Test match at Lords.

The industrial action will affect services until the end of the weekend.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) and Unite will be involved after ongoing talks failed to break deadlocked rows.

When are the strikes?

RMT members at Network Rail and 14 train operators, TSSA members at seven companies and Unite members also at Network Rail will walk out on Thursday, causing a knock on effect for services on Friday morning.

Friday's services will also be rocked by strikes by members of the RMT and Unite on London Underground, as well as Unite members on London United bus routes.

On Saturday, the same groups of workers, excluding members on London Underground, will strike again.

Sunday morning train services will be affected as a result.

Rail services on Thursday and Saturday will be drastically reduced, with around just a fifth running and half of lines closed.

Trains will only operate between 7.30am and 6.30pm on both strike days, and picket lines will be mounted outside railway stations across the country.

People who are not able to travel on Thursday or Saturday are able to use their ticket either the day before or up until the 23 August, or claim a refund.

'Train operating companies haven't offered anything new'

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said his union's members are more determined than ever to protect their pensions, secure a decent pay rise, job security and good working conditions, and will not "tolerate being bullied or hoodwinked".

"Network Rail have not made any improvement on their previous pay offer and the train operating companies have not offered us anything new," he said.

He also claimed Tube bosses are having "secret negotiations" with the government about cutting jobs and Network Rail is threatening to "impose compulsory redundancies" if the strikes go ahead.

"RMT will continue to negotiate in good faith, but we cannot tolerate being bullied or hoodwinked into accepting a raw deal for our members," he added.

"The government need to stop their interference in these disputes, so the employers can come to a negotiated settlement with us."

'This cannot go on'

TSSA members taking action include staff working in ticket offices, stations, control rooms, engineering, as well as planning, timetabling and other support roles.

The union is seeking guarantees of no compulsory redundancies, a pay rise in line with the cost of living, and promises of no unilateral alterations to job terms and conditions.

"Our members in the rail industry are going into the third or fourth year of a pay freeze," said TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes.

"Meanwhile, food and fuel bills are spiralling, and the Tory cost of living crisis is making working people poorer. Enough is enough - this cannot go on.

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"For lots of our members, this is the first time they have ever taken industrial action - it is a last resort and not something any rail worker takes lightly."

He added that railway workers "put their lives at risk" during the COVID pandemic, but negotiations are now being hampered by the government, stopping employers from "making a reasonable offer" to those same employees.

"Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and the Department for Transport need to make a reasonable offer on pay and job security - either by coming to the table themselves or allowing employers to negotiate freely," he said.

"We will not back down until our members have won the pay, conditions and job security they deserve."

What does the transport secretary think?

Mr Shapps has described the industrial action as an example of unions being "hell-bent on causing as much misery as possible" to taxpayers, who "stumped up £600 per household to ensure not a single rail worker lost their job during the pandemic".

He tweeted: "It cannot be right for the country to be held to ransom by union bosses seeking to protect outdated work practices that have no place in the 21st century."

It comes as the Daily Mail reported details of Mr Shapp's 16-point plan to tackle strikes, with the paper saying that such a plan could include ending a ban on the government using emergency powers to stop strikes if they could create a "national emergency".

Many have reacted negatively to the strike announcement, with Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines saying it "saddens" him to see more disruption on the rail network.

Steve Montgomery, who chairs the Rail Delivery Group, also hit back, saying the action imposes "yet more uncertainty on passengers and businesses".

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2022-08-17 23:26:22Z
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UK weather: Storms and rain bring flash floods to southern England - BBC

A picture of flooding in Stoke Newington

Thunderstorms and flash floods have struck parts of southern England, causing flash flooding in large areas of central London.

Intense downpours begun in London and swept through the South East.

A yellow thunderstorm warning is in place until midnight for much of southern England, which means there is a risk of flooding, lighting strikes, travel disruption and power cuts.

It will continue to cover large areas of Kent until 08:00 BST.

The Environment Agency has issued 17 flood alerts across England, with up to 100mm of rain possibly falling in some areas.

Check the latest forecast where you are

The heavy rain in the capital affected swathes of central London, including Bloomsbury, St Pancras station, Victoria and Kentish Town.

Rain filled the north London high streets of Stoke Newington and Stamford Hill, with cars seen struggling to drive through the water.

General view of water on the field as rain delays play between England and South Africa at Lord's Cricket Ground

Heavy rainfall led to roads across England, Wales and Scotland becoming flooded on Tuesday, following weeks of extreme heat and tinder-dry conditions.

Worksop in Nottinghamshire experienced 93mm of rainfall between 17:00 and 20:00 BST on Tuesday - almost twice the average monthly rainfall of 54mm, according to BBC weather presenter Simon King.

And more heavy rainfall is expected in England and Wales, with the most intense rain likely to fall in the South East covering London, Kent, West Sussex, Essex and Suffolk.

Daytrippers shelter from a downpour at Brighton Pier on Wednesday

The warning issued by the Met Officesays: "Fast-flowing or deep floodwater is likely, causing danger to life."

Heavy overnight showers did lead to some localised flash-flooding in Lincolnshire.

BBC Weather's Louise Lear said: "We've got a Met Office amber weather warning out for the rest of the day across south-east England due to the intensity of some of the thunderstorms and showers which are running up from the Channel.

"It means there's a risk of some heavy, torrential downpours with some places seeing a couple of inches of rain falling in the space of perhaps an hour, while others may see as much as 100mm of rain falling in a short space of time.

"But showers are very hit and miss so some people won't see them at all while others will get quite a deluge."

She said the showers would ease overnight.

A car negotiates a flooded section of road as torrential rain hits London

A total of eight areas of England are officially in drought despite the downpours this week, with Thames Water becoming the latest water provider to announce a hosepipe ban, which will come into force later this month.

Pollution warnings are also in place for dozens of beaches in England and Wales after untreated sewage was discharged into the sea around the coast following the period of heavy rain.

Water companies faced criticism, including after untreated sewage had been released upstream of popular swimming spot Warleigh Weir, along the River Avon.

Southern Water, one of the companies responsible for the affected regions, said storm releases were made to "protect homes, schools and businesses from flooding", adding the release was "95-97% rainwater".

Some areas hit by flooding this week

Heavy downpours are unlikely to ease parched conditions seen across much of the UK, however, because rainwater struggles to permeate dry ground.

The conditions mean water will be more likely to run off the dehydrated surface, leading to flash-flooding in some areas.

Additional reporting by Rachel Russell.

How have you been affected by the storms and flash floods? Share your experiences and photos by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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TRANSFER TRAGEDY: What happened on board Emiliano Sala's fateful flight?
STORIES FROM BEHIND THE COUNTER: Angela Hui on growing up in her parents' Chinese takeaway in a small Welsh town

Selasa, 16 Agustus 2022

Greenford: Elderly man on mobility scooter stabbed to death - BBC

The victim's mobility scooter in the road

An elderly man has died after being stabbed while riding a mobility scooter in Ealing, west London.

Metropolitan Police said emergency services were called to Cayton Road, Greenford, just after 16:00 BST to reports of a man with stab injuries.

The force said despite the efforts of paramedics, the man, believed to be in his 80s, died at the scene.

Detectives are working to inform his next of kin. No arrests have yet been made.

A cordon is in place and the force is appealing for witnesses.

Paramedics, including the air ambulance, were dispatched to the scene, but crews were unable to save the man.

So far this year there have been 58 homicides in London including this stabbing, according to the PA Media news agency.

'Horrific crime'

Ch Supt Sean Wilson, lead for policing in Ealing, said: "This is an awful incident that will understandably cause considerable alarm to people locally and across London.

"Our thoughts are with the elderly victim.

"We are supporting our colleagues in Specialist Crime as they work to understand what has happened and identify who is responsible for this horrific crime."

Det Ch Insp Jim Eastwood, from the Met's Specialist Crime Command, asked for dash cam or cycle helmet footage and said: "My officers are working to understand what has happened to this man, and we need the public's assistance.

"I'm asking for anyone with dash cam or cycle helmet footage to contact us if they were using the Western Avenue A40 Eastbound in the proximity of Cayton Road and Welland Gardens between 15:15 and 16:15.

"The elderly victim, who was riding a mobility scooter, was in the area at the time.

"If you saw the victim, or captured anyone acting suspiciously in the area, it is imperative that you make contact."

Police at the scene near to Cayton Road, Greenford in west London, where an elderly man who had been riding a mobility scooter was stabbed to death. Picture date: Tuesday August 16, 2022. PA Photo. Metropolitan Police officers were called at 4.06pm on Tuesday to Cayton Road, Greenford, to reports of a man with stab injuries, and despite the efforts of paramedics he was declared dead at the scene. Police are working to inform the next of kin of the man, who is believed to have been in his 80s, and there have been no arrests. See PA story POLICE Greenford. Photo credit should read: Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was "devastated" at the news of the killing, adding he was in close contact with the Met - who have increased patrols in the area following the "horrific attack".

Simran Advani, 25, who lives near where the stabbing took place, described the area as "very quiet" and it was "scary for a man in his 80s to be killed here".

"Most people on this road are elderly, you never hear any noise and never see any young people", she added.

Another neighbour, who did not give his name, said: "It's not nice, it's normally quiet here. It's out of the way.

"I feel sorry for his family - I'm not entirely shocked with the amount of stabbing you hear on the news."

Handout photo taken with permission from the Twitter feed of @ronny000000000 of police officers near the scene of an incident at Cayton Road, Greenford, west London, where an elderly man who had been riding a mobility scooter was stabbed to death. Metropolitan Police officers were called at 4.06pm on Tuesday to Cayton Road, Greenford, to reports of a man with stab injuries, and despite the efforts of paramedics he was declared dead at the scene. Picture date: Tuesday August 16, 2022. PA Photo. See PA story POLICE Greenford. Photo credit should read: Ronaldo Butrus/PA Wire

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2022-08-16 23:57:27Z
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Rwanda asylum scheme: Warning over political killings before UK flight - BBC

A Boeing 767 aircraft at MoD Boscombe Down, near Salisbury, which is believed to be the plane set to take asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda

UK ministers who backed sending asylum seekers to Rwanda were warned by their own adviser that its government tortures and kills political opponents.

The warning came weeks before the British government tried to send asylum seekers to the African nation.

The adviser raised concerns about the tone and accuracy of an official note on Rwanda's human rights record.

There is an ongoing legal challenge against government attempts to keep more of the comments secret.

Migrants identified for the aborted flight, and three media organisations - BBC News, including BBC Two's Newsnight, the Times and the Guardian newspapers - are seeking disclosure of the material.

The first Rwanda flight was grounded in June after the European Court of Human Rights said the High Court in London must first fully examine whether the removals policy is lawful. A hearing is scheduled for next month.

On Tuesday, the government asked the High Court to rule that the case should not include 11 specific comments about Rwanda from an unnamed Foreign Office (FCDO) official, who had been asked for their view.

The court heard that FCDO bosses had asked the unnamed official, who had some expertise in African affairs, to look at a draft of the Rwanda "Country Policy and Information Note".

This is an official and public document on the country and its human rights record - and it was being updated while the Rwanda flights plan was being thrashed out.

In an email sent to colleagues on 26 April - two weeks after the plan became public - the reviewer questioned the tone of the report and whether it accurately reflected the situation in the country.

High Court judge Lord Justice Lewis was told the official had written in a covering email: "There are state control, security, surveillance structures from the national level down... political opposition is not tolerated and arbitrary detention, torture and even killings are accepted methods of enforcing control too".

Jude Bunting QC, appearing for the media organisations, told the court the withheld evidence from the reviewer was likely to be the most critical material about the Rwanda affair.

"The sensitivity of this policy cannot be understated," he said.

"The public needs to understand the material that was available to the [government] at the time the decisions under challenge were taken, the evidence that is said to weigh against, as well as to justify, this flagship policy, and the reasons why the [government] decided to proceed."

Lord Justice Lewis will rule in the coming days on whether any of the material should be kept secret.

Last month the High Court heard that Whitehall officials had initially excluded Rwanda on human rights grounds from the list of potential partners for asylum transfers.

The court was told that Dominic Raab, the then-foreign secretary, had been warned that a deal with Rwanda would force the UK to constrain what it said to the nation about its record.

The Home Office is claiming public interest immunity on parts of the independent reviewer's response, with Neil Sheldon QC telling the court there would be a "potential of very significant harm" to international relations and national security issues if the extracts were disclosed.

Labour said the adviser's warning was evidence the Home Office overruled advice about the scheme and accused the government of attempting to conceal the truth from the public.

The pilot scheme would see those who arrived in the UK by what the government considers "illegal, dangerous or unnecessary" routes - such as in small boats or hidden in lorries - flown to the African country, where they could then claim asylum.

An upfront payment of £120m to Rwanda would be followed by further payments as the country handled more cases, the Home Office has said.

The government has said the "world-leading scheme" would help prevent dangerous Channel crossings and when announcing it Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it would "save countless lives" by stopping "vile people smugglers".

More than 13,000 people have made the crossing from France so far this year, with around 8,000 arriving since the Rwanda policy was launched.

After the first flight to Rwanda was cancelled Home Secretary Priti Patel said she would not be deterred from "doing the right thing" and told MPs she believed the policy was "fully compliant" with the law.

Many groups have criticised the plans, with refugee organisations branding it cruel, while the Church of England and opposition MPs have also hit out at it.

The Rwandan government has said migrants would be "entitled to full protection under Rwandan law, equal access to employment, and enrolment in healthcare and social care services".

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2022-08-16 20:37:10Z
1533561134

Liz Truss said British workers needed 'more graft' and lacked skill of foreign rivals, leaked audio reveals - Sky News

A leaked audio recording has revealed Liz Truss said British workers needed "more graft" and lacked the "skill and application" of foreign rivals.

The Tory leadership frontrunner was chief secretary to the Treasury when the conversation with officials was recorded five years ago.

In the clip, leaked to The Guardian, Ms Truss said those outside London were less likely to be hard workers.

She said British workers as a whole also lacked the "skill and application" of foreign rivals, specifically those in China.

Ms Truss said it was "partly a mindset or attitude thing" and there seemed little desire to change the working culture so the UK could become more prosperous.

She also referenced a book she co-authored in 2012, Britannia Unchained, saying a passage from it was "mischaracterised".

The passage said British workers were among the "worst idlers in the world", but last month she claimed to have not written that chapter and blamed fellow author and current deputy prime minister Dominic Raab.

In response to the audio being leaked, a source from her team told Sky News: "These half-a-decade-old comments lack context but one thing that is as clear today as ever before is a need to boost productivity, which leads to higher wages and a better quality of life for workers right across the UK.

"As prime minister, Liz will deliver an economy that is high wage, high growth and low tax."

Ms Truss, asked about the leaked recording at a hustings in Scotland on Tuesday evening, avoided addressing her language but said "we need more productivity and more economic growth" and said she wants to "unleash those opportunities" that were voted for in 2019.

Her damning comments in the leaked audio about those outside London will draw particular ire after she was forced to make a U-turn earlier this month on plans to cut civil service pay outside the capital.

She claimed at the time there had been a "wilful misrepresentation" of her policy but ended up abandoning proposals for regional pay boards for civil servants or public sector workers.

This was despite her campaign publishing specific details.

The audio emerged just moments before she appeared at a hustings in Scotland alongside her rival, Rishi Sunak. She told the audience of Scottish Tory members she was a "child of the Union" as she tried to attract their votes.

In the leaked recording, she said: "If you look at productivity, it's very, very different in London from the rest of the country.

"But basically this has been a historical fact for decades.

"Essentially, it's partly a mindset and attitude thing, I think. It's working culture, basically. If you go to China it's quite different, I can assure you.

"There's a fundamental issue of British working culture. Essentially, if we're going to be a richer country and a more prosperous country, that needs to change.

"But I don't think people are that keen to change that.

"There's a slight thing in Britain about wanting the easy answers.

"That's my reflection on the election and what's gone before it, and the referendum - we say it's all Europe that's causing these huge problems, it's all these migrants causing these problems. But actually what needs to happen is more, more graft. It's not a popular message."

Labour's shadow work and pensions secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, said Ms Truss' comments were "grossly offensive".

"Earlier this month, Liz Truss suggested workers outside London should have their pay cut," he said.

"Now it's revealed she has been saying people outside London don't have the right culture or attitude.

"With wages shrinking thanks to Tory failure to bring inflation under control and years of lacklustre growth, it's grossly offensive for Liz Truss to effectively brand British workers lazy.

"I would have hoped she had moved on from the days of her 'Britannia Unchained' fiasco, but it seems that is the blueprint for her prospective government."

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2022-08-16 19:54:03Z
1537292011

Kamis, 18 Agustus 2022

Rabu, 17 Agustus 2022

More on Rail Strikes

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Some areas hit by flooding this week

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Selasa, 16 Agustus 2022

'Horrific crime'

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More on Liz Truss

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