National & International News Stories from 2019 to date

[boatbuilder]

Latest post of the previous page:

Maybe they should be renamed Royal Fail.

[muzzy]

Sir Terry Pratchett: Short stories to be published after being found by fans

A collection of 20 recently rediscovered short stories by late fantasy author Sir Terry Pratchett is to be published later this year. Sir Terry wrote the stories for a regional newspaper under the pseudonym Patrick Kearns in the 1970s and 80s. They had not previously been attributed to him, but have now been collected after a search by "a few dedicated fans", publishers Penguin said. Sir Terry, known for the best-selling Discworld series, died in 2015.

The Quest for the Keys, one of the longer stories in the new collection, had been framed for 40 years on the wall of Pratchett fan Chris Lawrence. He got in touch with the Pratchett estate about it, resulting in the others being found by fellow fans Pat and Jan Harkin after they raked through decades' worth of old newspapers. Mr Lawrence said: "The Quest for the Keys resonated with me as a 15-year-old, which is why I made the effort to collect each part. "I treasured and kept them safe for over 35 years. Having survived numerous house moves, little did I know of their importance. Following contact with [Pratchett's publisher] Colin Smythe, I realised just how significant they were."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64789059

[muzzy]

Woodbridge: River Deben bathing status bid turned down

A group campaigning for improved water quality said it was "shocked" that one of its bids to secure river monitoring was turned down. Save the Deben has called for two stretches of the river in Suffolk to be granted designated bathing status. It was told Woodbridge did not meet the criteria, but a public consultation is being held over Waldringfield. Environment minister Rebecca Pow said she "strongly encouraged" all residents and bathers to have their say. Waldringfield is among four sites in England - with two in Rutland and another in Plymouth - that are still being considered by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Once designated a bathing site, the Environment Agency regularly monitors water quality to give swimmers a clearer picture and to assess whether action is needed on pollution.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-64917758

[boatbuilder]

That's odd. I read the following on BBC timed (at the moment) 2-hours after your news article.

The government's rejection of all but one application for bathing water status for English rivers is "very disappointing", environmentalists say.

Part of the River Deben in Suffolk is still in the running but campaigners for clean water say proposals for eight other river sites were declined.

This is the link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-64919789

[muzzy]

Iwao Hakamada: Japan retrial for world's longest-serving death row inmate

A Japanese man who was on death row for nearly half a century has been granted a retrial. Iwao Hakamada, now 87, is the world's longest-serving death row inmate, according to Amnesty International. He was sentenced to death in 1968 for murdering his boss, the man's wife and their two children in 1966. The former professional boxer confessed after 20 days of interrogation during which he said he was beaten. He later retracted the confession in court. Rights groups have criticised Japan's reliance on confessions, which they say police often obtain by force. In the retrial, judges will rule on whether DNA from blood stains found on clothing alleged to have been worn by the killer matches Mr Hakamada's. His lawyers had argued that it did not and that the evidence was fabricated.

Iwao Hakamada was arrested and accused of robbing and killing his employer and his family at a miso or soybean processing factory in Shizuoka west of Tokyo in 1966. They were found stabbed to death after a fire. In 2014, Hakamada was released from jail and granted a retrial by a district court, which found investigators could have planted evidence. The decision was then overturned by Tokyo's high court. But, following an appeal, Supreme Court judges directed the high court to reconsider, leading to the ruling that a retrial should now go ahead.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-64938840

[boatbuilder]

It seems like a waste of money going through all that after all this time. The poor guy probably hasn't got that long left anyway.

[muzzy]

French bin strike: Paris holds its nose as waste piles up

The bins are overflowing in large areas of Paris a week into a strike by waste collectors, with thousands of tonnes of rubbish sitting abandoned on the streets of the French capital. "It's dirty, it attracts rats and cockroaches," one Parisian complained on French radio. The workers are striking over the Macron government's proposals to raise the pension age from 62 to 64. Other cities including Nantes, Rennes and Le Havre are also affected. Refuse collectors joined the pension strikes a week ago and the Paris authority says half of the city's districts, which are covered by council workers, have been hit by the action. Three waste treatment sites have been blockaded and a fourth partially closed. On Monday, the Paris authority said 5,600 tonnes of waste had yet to be collected.

One commentator on Europe1 radio described the situation as an all-you-can-eat buffet for the six million rats of Paris, double the human population. In the 10 districts covered by private companies the service was running almost normally, Paris council said. Some reports indicated activists were trying to prevent collections from going ahead. And one private company was also seen on Monday night by news channel BFMTV picking up waste in one of the big central districts, the sixth, which is normally covered by council workers. Similar bin collections were going on in two other districts on the western fringe of the city. Leading council official Emmanuel Grégoire said the situation was complicated but the authority was prioritising intervention for public safety, with a focus on clearing food markets, bin bags lying on the ground and ensuring pedestrian safety.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64950503

This story caught my eye, as this time last week I was actually in Paris, and in fact we were all rather concerned about the rail staff striking. Thankfully my own trains weren't cancelled, although 3 in 4 trains were, and the station at Gard de Nord was extremely busy with people trying to find out what was happening from staff. Posted below are two photos. The first one is from this news article, showing lots of rubbish piled high. The 2nd was taken by myself last Tuesday afternoon from near the same viewpoint - near Notre Dame cathedral - minus the rubbish.

[muzzy]

John Lewis considers plan to change staff-owned structure

John Lewis is considering a potential change to its employee-owned business structure, upending more than 70 years of tradition. The group, which also owns Waitrose, is currently fully owned by its staff, who receive a share in the profits. But in the face of tougher trading, the firm is said to be exploring the idea of selling a minority stake. The Sunday Times, which first reported the move, said the firm hoped to raise up to £2bn. It said the firm's chairwoman Dame Sharon White was considering a potential plan to dilute the famous partnership structure in order to invest in better technology, data analysis and Waitrose's supply chain. The BBC has been told the idea is at the "very, very early stages" of discussion and may not eventually happen. However, if it did it would not amount to removing the mutual ownership structure altogether and that staff would retain majority control.

It could still prove controversial among staff, however, who jointly own the whole of the business, benefiting from any profits. The profit-sharing model has occasionally resulted in big windfalls. In 2008 staff received a sum equivalent to about 10 weeks' pay as a bonus. However in the past three years the firm has had to steer through the choppy waters of the pandemic and a cost of living crisis. It made a loss of £234m in 2022-3 and paid no bonus to staff, for only the second time since 1953. It has also closed stores and cut staff numbers.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65006218

In my view this would be an extremely bad idea. The staff ownership model is admired throughout the industry, and a change to this would be a move away from the 'different'. Once you have outside shareholders, you have to cater your business towards their own wants and needs, in particular cutting costs in order to pay share dividends - to the detriment of the business usually. If they do this, I can see that within 10 years they will go into administration, simply because the way they do business will change and they will become just like every other retailer trying to survive, but with large overheads. I can see any new outside shareholder trying to force through the sale and leaseback of their stores and warehouses - one of the first things new owners of retailers do to try and cut costs and therefore increase dividends. This is often the death knell of the retailer in the long term.

[boatbuilder]

Multiple injuries after ship tips over at Edinburgh dockyard


Image source: @TOMAFC83

Twenty-five people have been injured after a ship tipped over at an Edinburgh dockyard.

The Scottish Ambulance Service said 15 people had been taken to hospital and 10 people were treated at the scene of the incident at Imperial Dock, Leith.

A major incident was declared after research vessel Petrel became dislodged from its holding on a dry dock.

People have been asked not to attend A&E at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary (ERI) unless it is an emergency.

Pictures posted on social media show the 3,000-tonne vessel leaning at a 45-degree angle.

Full report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-65038617

[muzzy]

Woodbridge: Funding secured for Dutch-style cycle networks

A town is to get two Dutch-style cycle networks after funding was secured from the government. In total £7.9m has been awarded to Suffolk County Council from the government's Active Travel Scheme for seven projects across the county, the authority said. Two "Mini-Holland" cycling systems will be built in Woodbridge, it said. Other traffic measures have been earmarked for Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds and Felixstowe.

Conservative councillor, Richard Smith, the cabinet member for economic development, transport strategy and waste, said the networks would "help people travel sustainably". "We welcome this funding and look forward to investing it in projects that will help protect and enhance our environment," he added. The largest slice of the cash - £4m - will be spent on a "Mini-Holland" scheme in the centre of Woodbridge, with an additional £1.1m for plans in the south of the town, the council said. More than £1m will also be spent on an active travel scheme between Ipswich Hospital and the University of Suffolk campus, with a further £105,149 going towards other traffic measures in Ipswich. An east-west route for Bury St Edmunds will also be given £105,149 and more than £1.3m has been earmarked for Grand Road in Felixstowe.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9xe5g0ljp4o

[muzzy]

School cycling proficiency scheme funding axed

Paying for children to be taught cycling proficiency at school is no longer affordable, the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has said. The department told BBC News NI that "budget constraints" meant it could not keep paying teachers or instructors to deliver the lessons. Schools will have to pay teachers themselves if they want to continue the scheme. The department, however, will continue to provide training.

The cycling proficiency scheme has been running in schools in Northern Ireland for more than 50 years, training more than half a million pupils during that time. It teaches children who can already ride a bike how to cycle safely, including what to wear, bicycle maintenance and the rules of the road. The scheme involves 12 weeks of lessons and is aimed at children in the senior years of primary school. Teachers who want to deliver cycling safety lessons have to register with the department and receive training. In 2021/22, more than 300 primary schools and about 5,600 primary pupils took part in cycling proficiency classes.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65091660

This may be Northern Ireland, but in my view it is a sign of things to come across the rest of the UK. Without the Cycling Proficiency test, kids will no longer either be encouraged to use a bicycle or know the rights and wrongs of how to cycle on the roads. It needs to continue, as part of the environmental policies.

[boatbuilder]

Isle of Wight cow 'faking sleep' attracts global sympathy


Full story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-65123453

[boatbuilder]

Thomas Cashman: 'Brave' ex-partner helped convict Olivia's killer

"Ruthless killer" Thomas Cashman was convicted of murdering nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in large part because of his "petrified" former partner's "incredible bravery" in coming forward, police said.

The 34-year-old fatally shot Olivia and injured her mother Cheryl Korbel at their Liverpool home during a botched "execution" of a convicted drug dealer following a chase on 22 August.

Cashman was widely feared in the Dovecot area of the city, where he made up to £5,000 per week as a "high level" cannabis dealer, using intimidation and violence to ensure payment.

Fear of reprisals meant police and prosecutors were concerned they would struggle to ever bring Olivia's masked killer to justice.

But the crucial breakthrough came when a woman, who Cashman went to on the night of the murder, approached police two days later.

............... (more in the link)..................

Det Supt Baker also said that while there had been a £200,000 reward offered to anybody providing evidence leading to the conviction of Olivia's killer, the witness had not made a claim.

"During the course of the trial... there was an allegation that she was financially driven," he said.

"She came to us on 24 August - two days after the murder - before any reward was even offered. She wasn't financially driven.

"She explained herself in open court what her motive was, and she's done it for all the right reasons.

"Because a line had been drawn in the sand in respect of the shooting of a nine-year-old girl in her own house."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-65097495

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-65129427



I have been following this tragic case closely in the Liverpool Echo ever since if happened last summer. In view of the comments at the end of the above report and the content of the above video, I think the woman who came forward should at least be offered that reward. I would imagine she will have to change (or maybe already has changed) her identity, in view of the details that have emerged.

[muzzy]

Digital map created of UK's underground pipes and cables

The government has announced the launch of a new digital map of the entire network of underground power cables, gas pipes, sewers and water mains across the country. The interactive map has been tested in the North East of England and will be rolled out throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland by 2025. In the UK, buried pipes and cables measure about four million kilometres. The government says mapping them could help avoid accidents and disruption. Damage caused by accidental strikes to this buried network costs the UK an estimated £2.4bn per year. The new map will give utility company workers access, almost instantly, to detailed plans of every piece of infrastructure buried at the site where they are digging.

There are currently about 60,000 cases a year of accidental damage to the network, when pipes or cables are struck during a dig. Those accidents can lead to floods or power cuts, but they also put lives at risk. According to one report by an industry body, an average of 70 people a year are seriously injured as a result of contact with underground electricity cables. That damage can also mean further disruption and road works, while utility companies make repairs. Over the last year, the new map - known as the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) - has been tested in the North East of England. By 2025, it will include all the underground infrastructure across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A similar system already exists in Scotland, and governments are working closely to make sure the whole UK map is compatible.

Currently, this crucial information is held by individual companies and can be complicated and unwieldy to access. Every time a utility company wants to dig up a site - for any repair, maintenance or upgrade - they have to ask each organisation for its plans. One utility company told BBC News that the information could take days to gather. Chris Chambers, deputy director of the government's Geospatial Commission, told the BBC: "There's enough pipe and cable buried in the UK to wrap around the planet about 35 times. We're trying to bring it all together, to make it really easily accessible for those people who carry out maintenance and repairs on pieces of critical infrastructure - so they can have [that information] at their fingertips." That involves collecting data from more than 700 organisations that own all those buried pipes and cables.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-65174512

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Forget a K9 unit, this police station has a bunny

Meet Officer Hops, the Yuba City Police Department's furry 'wellness officer'. The California police station added a bunny to the team in 2022. Watch to see how he hopped his way into these officers' hearts.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-65209664

[muzzy]

Junior doctors' strike: NHS braces for most disruptive walkout yet

A four-day junior doctors' strike across England is expected to be the most disruptive in the NHS's history. British Medical Association (BMA) members in planned and emergency care will walk out at 07:00 BST on Tuesday. More than a quarter of million of appointments and operations could be cancelled, and some hospitals say up to half of planned treatment is affected. The union said there were plans to pull doctors off picket lines if lives were in immediate danger. Under trade union laws, life-and-limb cover must be provided.

The junior doctors' approach contrasts with recent strikes by nurses and ambulance workers, which saw unions agree to exempt certain emergency services. But doctors say they are striking for patient safety as much as about pay, saying that current pay levels are affecting recruitment and leading to many doctors leaving the profession. Prof Sir Stephen Powis, the NHS's national medical director, said it would be "the most disruptive industrial action in NHS history". He said health leaders were concerned about the potential impact on patients and services, and cancer patients were among those whose treatment will be delayed. Mental health services and some GP surgeries are also expected to be impacted, while the NHS said it will prioritise keeping critical care, maternity, neonatal care, and trauma operations running.

Between 250,000 and 350,000 appointments and operations could be cancelled, according to estimates from senior NHS figures. An estimated 86,000 staff will strike, but the timing is as important as its scale - it immediately follows the bank holiday Easter weekend, a period when the NHS already faces increased demand and greater staff absence.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65204548