Babak Belurs

Minggu, 15 Januari 2023

O2 Academy in Brixton staying shut for three months after fatal crush - Sky News

The O2 Academy in Brixton will remain shut for three more months after two people were killed in a crowd crush.

Owners Academy Music Group (AMG) said it had "reflected deeply" on the incident and had decided to stay closed regardless of an impending licensing decision by the local council.

Security guard Gaby Hutchinson, 23, and Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, were fatally injured when ticketless fans tried to enter Nigerian artist Asake's show at the south London venue on 15 December.

Lambeth Council ordered the site to shut shortly afterwards, pending a hearing by a subcommittee on Monday.

Metropolitan Police had sought a longer licence suspension "to allow time to work with the venue to facilitate a safe reopening and to ensure appropriate safeguards, aimed at improving public safety, are in place".

AMG has now taken the matter into its own hands, saying it "recognises the gravity" of what happened and offered "sincere condolences to the families of those who died".

The three-month closure will give time for investigations into the incident to take place, AMG said, adding it was "committed to understanding what happened" and "providing full co-operation to the police".

"The company's decision to close for this period will be the case whether or not the licence is suspended, but AMG agrees to the suspension as an enforceable measure," a statement continued.

An online portal set up by the Met for people to submit details, photos, and videos of the incident remains open.

Some 4,000 people are thought to have witnessed the crush, which left eight attendees needing hospital treatment.

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2023-01-15 03:53:06Z
1740211279

Sabtu, 14 Januari 2023

Nurses' strike: Union says next one will be twice as big - BBC

By Thomas Mackintosh

BBC News

More nurses will be asked to strike next month in a bid to raise pressure on the government, union leaders warn.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) says if progress is not made in negotiations by the end of January the next set of strikes will include all eligible members in England for the first time.

It comes as ministers push for new laws on strike days.

Nursing staff from more than 70 NHS trusts in England are set to take industrial action this week.

The RCN has said nurses should receive a pay increase of 5% above inflation this year, which at the peak rate of inflation would have equated to a 19% rise, although reports have suggested it would accept 10%.

The government says the demands are unaffordable and pay rises were decided by independent pay review bodies.

General secretary Pat Cullen described Rishi Sunak's position in their negotiation deadlock as "baffling, reckless and politically ill-considered".

She said: "The prime minister gave nursing staff a little optimism that he was beginning to move, but seven days later he appears entirely uninterested in finding a way to stop this.

"Nursing staff just wanted to be valued and recognised.

"Without, they will keep leaving in record numbers with consequences for patients that Robert Francis documented in painful detail."

A Department for Health and Social Care spokesman said: "We have accepted the recommendations of the independent NHS Pay Review Body in full and have given over one million NHS workers a pay rise of at least £1,400 this year.

"This is on top of a 3% pay increase last year when public sector pay was frozen and wider government support with the cost of living."

On Friday, Mr Sunak said he hopes to "find a way through" the deadlock with unions to avert further industrial action.

The government also wants to bring in controversial legislation that would impose a legal duty of minimum service levels on strike days for workers in health, education, transport and several other sectors.

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2023-01-15 02:02:30Z
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Euston shooting: Girl, 7, and five others injured near church - BBC

Forensic officers have worked at the crime scene following the shooting

A seven-year-old girl has suffered life-threatening injuries in a shooting close to a central London church.

Police responded at 13:31 GMT to reports shots were fired from a moving vehicle, as a remembrance service took place at St Aloysius Church in Euston.

The Met Police said another girl, aged 12, and four women, aged 21, 41, 48 and 54, were also injured.

The 48-year-old may have life-changing injuries while the 21-year-old's condition is not life-threatening.

A police representative said the other two women were not in a life-threatening condition and that the 12-year-old girl had been treated for a minor leg injury.

Multiple emergency vehicles ay the scene of the shooting

The girl was taken to a central London hospital at about 14:05 and "remains in hospital in a life-threatening condition".

In a statement, the force said an "urgent investigation" was under way and details of the incident were "still emerging".

"At this early stage, there have been no arrests," it said.

London Ambulance Service and an air ambulance were also called to the scene in Phoenix Road.

Detectives have urged anyone with video footage or CCTV to contact the force.

Transport for London (TfL) say road closures remain in place while police investigate at the scene and some buses are on diversion.

Supt Ed Wells said any shooting incident was "unacceptable, but for multiple people, including two children, to be injured in a shooting in the middle of a Saturday afternoon is shocking".

"Our thoughts are with all the victims, but in particular with the seven-year-old girl.

"An investigation into this dreadful attack is already well under way.

"I can assure the communities of Camden and beyond that we will do everything we possibly can to identify and bring to justice those who were responsible."

He added that there would be "an increased visible police presence in the area through the weekend and into the days ahead".

Photographer Simon Lamrock said when he first arrived at the Catholic church, people had been evacuated through a side entrance.

"It's a very busy area. All the local residents had come out to find out what was going on," Mr Lamrock said.

"There was shock and surprise. That was the mood of people trying to work out what had happened.

"Police and emergency services were on scene very, very fast."

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan described the shooting as "deeply distressing".

He said a police investigation was "now under way".

Mr Khan added: "I am in close contact with the Met Police to determine what happened."

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'Tortured for 3,500 hours'

In Mr Akbari's audio message he said that he was living abroad a few years ago when he was invited to visit Iran at the request of a top Iranian diplomat who was involved in nuclear talks with world powers.

Once there, he adds, he was accused of obtaining top secret intelligence from the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, "in exchange for a bottle of perfume and a shirt".

Mr Akbari alleged that he was "interrogated and tortured" by intelligence agents "for more than 3,500 hours".

"By using physiological and psychological methods, they broke my will, drove me to madness and forced me to do whatever they wanted," he said. "By the force of gun and death threats they made me confess to false and corrupt claims."

He also accused Iran of seeking "to take revenge on the UK by executing me".

Hours after the audio message was broadcast, the Mizan news agency confirmed for the first time that Mr Akbari had been found guilty of espionage, and that the Supreme Court had rejected his appeal.

Ties between the UK and Iran have deteriorated in recent months since the UK imposed sanctions on Iran's morality police and other top security figures, in response to the country's violent crackdown on anti-government protesters.

Iran has arrested dozens of Iranians with dual nationality or foreign permanent residency in recent years, mostly on spying and national security charges.

British-Iranian citizens Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori were released and allowed to leave Iran last year after the UK settled a longstanding debt owed to Iran.

However, at least two other British-Iranians remain in detention, including Morad Tahbaz, who also holds US citizenship.

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2023-01-14 07:59:07Z
1736954224

Woman mauled to death in Surrey was 'attacked by multiple dogs' and screamed 'turn back' to passers-by, witness says - Sky News

A woman mauled to death at a Surrey beauty spot was attacked by "multiple dogs" and screamed at passers-by to "turn back", a witness has said.

Paramedics were unable to save the 28-year-old victim after she was attacked at Gravelly Hill, Caterham, on Thursday.

A second woman who received treatment for dog bites has since left hospital.

An eyewitness told Sky News she was riding on horseback with her friend when they saw the woman who was killed on the floor "being attacked by multiple dogs".

Sue Dove said: "She screamed at us to turn back and with that, two of the loose dogs ran towards us and the horses... my horse spun round and bolted and I eventually fell."

The witness said she had been left feeling "lots of different emotions".

She added: "(I feel) sadness that a woman has lost her life, but frustrated people are able to walk so many dogs.

"This lady was clearly out of control for whatever reason, had fallen to the ground, being attacked.

"Because of those consequences and two of the dogs running towards us, my horse bolted and I fell from my horse, landing on my right side, on my ribs and hip.

"Fortunately, my horse eventually stopped and my friend was able to get to him. Otherwise, as flight animals, this could have been another horrific accident if he kept going."

Area popular with dog walkers

Surrey Police detained a total of eight dogs and detectives are keeping their owners up to date with the investigation.

No arrests have been made.

Richard Bream, who runs the nearby Mardens Kennels, said he had never heard of a dog attack in the area before.

He said: "That particular area, View Point, is an area where professional dog walkers will turn up in their van and take the dogs out and walk them.

"I've always felt you see some of these dog walkers have five or six, and they shouldn't be able to do that."

A man at an address near the scene, who asked not to be named, said: "The dogs dispersed into different areas of the woods and the police helicopter was out looking for them."

'Tragic incident'

A woman walking a border collie in the area, who asked not to be named, said she was shocked by the incident.

"It's a nice circular woodland walk and we've never had any issues before. It is so shocking, normal dogs surely wouldn't do that," she said.

A post-mortem examination will be conducted by the Surrey coroner.

In an update on Friday, Inspector Lyndsey Whatley, borough commander for Tandridge, said: "This is a tragic incident where a young woman has sadly lost her life and our thoughts are with her family and friends.

"I know that yesterday's events will be of real concern to the local community and I would like to reassure residents that we are confident all the dogs involved are in the custody of police whilst we investigate the circumstances of what has happened.

"Officers will remain in the area of Gravelly Hill today whilst enquiries continue and if you have any information but have not yet spoken to police then please contact us."

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2023-01-14 08:24:34Z
1738944619

Alireza Akbari: British-Iranian national accused of being UK spy executed in Iran - Sky News

A British-Iranian national has been executed in Iran after being accused of spying for the UK.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was "appalled" by the execution of Alireza Akbari, saying: "This was a callous and cowardly act, carried out by a barbaric regime with no respect for the human rights of their own people.

"My thoughts are with Alireza's friends and family."

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly added: "Iran has executed a British national.

"This barbaric act deserves condemnation in the strongest possible terms.

"This will not stand unchallenged."

Iran's charge d'affaires in London has been summoned to the Foreign Office to make clear the Government's "disgust", he said.

The Iranian judiciary claimed Mr Akbari, who was deputy defence minister under former president Mohammad Khatami until 2001, was a "key spy" for the British government, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

It said Iranian intelligence unmasked the alleged MI6 spy by feeding him false information and described him as "one of the most important infiltrators of the country's sensitive and strategic centres".

Mr Akbari claimed he was tortured and given mind-altering drugs and forced to confess to crimes he did not commit.

Iran's Mizan news agency, associated with the country's judiciary, tweeted that Mr Akbari had been hanged. It did not say when or where it took place amid rumours he had been executed days ago.

Sky News Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall said reports of the execution appeared "credible and accurate".

He said Mr Akbari was arrested in 2019 and charged with spying after he was accused of receiving "hundreds of thousands of pounds" for providing intelligence to Britain - claims he denied.

"His family in Tehran were called to his prison on Wednesday for what was described as a 'final visit'," Bunkall said.

He added that Mr Akbari's family members had reported he had been moved to solitary confinement during his time in prison.

'A barbaric regime'

Mr Cleverly had appealed for Mr Akbari's release when reports of his planned execution emerged.

Earlier this week, Mr Cleverly tweeted: "Iran must halt the execution of British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari and immediately release him.

"This is a politically motivated act by a barbaric regime that has total disregard for human life."

Iran ignored efforts to stop execution - so how will the UK respond?

Because the reports of Alireza Akbari’s hanging have come from the Mizen News Agency, a state-run outlet closely linked to the Iranian Judiciary, we must assume them to be accurate. The reports don’t say when the execution happened.

Iran has recently executed a number of political prisoners for their involvement in ongoing anti-government protests. Although the execution of Mr Akbari isn't directly linked to those demonstrations, relations between Britain and Iran have worsened as a result of British government criticism of the Iranian regime during the protests.

Mr Akbari held British-Iranian citizenship, but Tehran doesn't recognise dual-nationals, which made it hard for the British government to get consular access to him whilst he was in prison. His family was reportedly called to the prison on Wednesday for a 'final visit'.

Increasingly desperate attempts by the British government and US State Department to avoid his execution were ignored by Iran so now focus will be on a British response – perhaps further sanctions, although they don't appear to be having much effect.

Commons Foreign Affairs Committee chair Alicia Kearns had also condemned the planned execution, accusing the regime in Tehran of reacting because it felt "cornered" as a result of international sanctions and anti-government protests.

"It is another horrifying example of the Iranian regime, because they feel they are cornered, because there is such significant pressure from sanctions, weaponising British nationals and industrialising hostage-taking," she told the BBC Radio 4 PM programme.

'Politically motivated'

On Friday, US State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said: "The charges against Alireza Akbari and his sentencing to execution were politically motivated. His execution would be unconscionable.

"We are greatly disturbed by the reports that Mr Akbari was drugged, tortured while in custody, interrogated for thousands of hours, and forced to make false confessions."

She added: "More broadly, Iran's practices of arbitrary and unjust detentions, forced confessions, and politically motivated executions are completely unacceptable and must end."

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2023-01-14 07:52:30Z
1736954224

UK weather: More flood warnings ahead of colder spell - BBC

By Oliver Slow & Jasmine Andersson

BBC News

People across the UK are being urged to prepare for more heavy rain, flooding and cold weather in the coming days.

The Environment Agency has issued 85 flood warnings - mainly in west and southwest England - and 167 flood alerts.

An alert for severe cold weather has also been issued for England from Sunday evening as temperatures drop.

Yellow Met Office rain warnings are also already in place across most of western England and Wales.

The latest warnings follow flooding across the UK earlier this week, which caused travel disruption and hundreds of homes losing power.

The Met Office has also issued a level two cold weather alert for much of England from Sunday evening until Thursday morning, ahead of colder conditions moving in across the UK.

Forecasters are warning that bus and train services will probably be affected, while spray and flooding on roads is set to make journey times longer.

"This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services," it said, saying there was a 70% chance of severely cold weather, icy conditions and heavy snow.

The Met Office's Helen Caughey said: "After a spell of wet and mild weather to start 2023, a brief cold spell will change the feel of our weather across the UK for a few days next week."

She said it will "certainly feel cold in all regions too, with the northerly winds creating a notable wind chill" - although the colder spell is expected to be short-lived.

The flood warnings - meaning flooding is expected - include those for groundwater flooding, as well as for areas close to rivers such as the Avon, Severn and Wye. In the West Midlands, which has already been hit by flooding, people are braced for peak river levels at the weekend.

Some flood warnings and alerts are also in place further north, including in Keswick in the Lake District, Yorkshire, as well as in Wales.

Devon has been one of the areas already hit by flooding, including near Tiverton, where several roads were flooded after the River Exe burst its banks. Some properties were left cut off.

Darren Ninnis, manager of the Anchor Inn in Exebridge, Devon, was stuck as water rose inside and outside his pub on Thursday.

"[It's] loss of business, as always, and just more work and hassle. With more rain forecast, we're just worried next week we'll do the same again," Mr Ninnis told the BBC.

Flooding also caused a partial closure on the railway line between Totnes and Plymouth - although services were reportedly "returning to normal" on Friday afternoon - while near Withypool in Somerset a section of an ancient footbridge over the River Barle washed away after heavy rain.

The bad weather has also caused travel disruption across much of Wales, with people having to be rescued from cars trapped in water and homes damaged and left without power.

A golf driving range near Cowbridge, west of Cardiff, flooded after the River Ely burst its banks.

"If we had more rain yesterday lunchtime I think we'd have been underwater," manager and pro golfer Aled Griffiths told BBC Radio Wales.

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Natural Resources Wales has issued a flood warning near the River Wye at Monmouth, where a Met Office yellow rain warning is in place across much of Wales until Saturday.

There are also two flood warnings in place in Scotland for Callander to Stirling.

Meanwhile, the Met Office has issued a yellow rain and wind warning for Northern Ireland on Saturday and Sunday.

And a yellow weather warning for rain also covers part of the south-west of England and north-west England until 12:00 on Saturday.

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2023-01-14 07:00:14Z
1724371151

Babak Belurs

Minggu, 15 Januari 2023

O2 Academy in Brixton staying shut for three months after fatal crush - Sky News

Sabtu, 14 Januari 2023

Nurses' strike: Union says next one will be twice as big - BBC

Euston shooting: Girl, 7, and five others injured near church - BBC

Related Internet Links

Alireza Akbari: Iran executes British-Iranian dual national - BBC

'Tortured for 3,500 hours'

Woman mauled to death in Surrey was 'attacked by multiple dogs' and screamed 'turn back' to passers-by, witness says - Sky News

Alireza Akbari: British-Iranian national accused of being UK spy executed in Iran - Sky News

Iran ignored efforts to stop execution - so how will the UK respond?

UK weather: More flood warnings ahead of colder spell - BBC

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'Tortured for 3,500 hours'

Iran ignored efforts to stop execution - so how will the UK respond?

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