London City Airport shut as WW2 bomb found in Thames

BA planes
Image captionPlanes are grounded at the airport following the discovery of the device
London City Airport has been closed after a 500kg World War Two bomb was found nearby in the River Thames.
The airport will be shut all day and all flights cancelled, affecting up to 16,000 passengers, a spokeswoman said.
The bomb was found at George V Dock on Sunday during pre-planned work at the east London airport, police said.
Families in the area have been evacuated with the exclusion zone set to be widened when specialists begin removing the device.
The airport was shut at 22:00 GMT on Sunday. The Met Police said it was working with the Royal Navy to remove the bomb.
Airport
Image captionThe device was discovered during planned works at the airport
According to the airport’s website, a total of 261 arrivals and departures had been scheduled for Monday.
“All flights today are cancelled but some airlines have moved their flights to other airports – CityJet to Southend and Alitalia to Stansted”, the airport said.
Passengers have been told not to travel to the airport as the terminal is closed and to contact their airline.
People with luggageImage copyrightPA
Image captionPassengers were turned away from the airport and all flights were stopped
The device is a German 500kg bomb according to specialist officers and the Royal Navy, Newham Council said.
Robert Sinclair, CEO of the airport, apologised and said: “I recognise this is causing inconvenience for our passengers, and in particular some of our local residents.
“The airport is cooperating fully with the Met Police and Royal Navy and working hard to safely remove the device and resolve the situation as quickly as possible.”
Members of airport staff are on Hartmann Road, the main route to the airport, to help redirect people.
Police near London City Airport
Search boats
Image captionSearch teams investigate the WW2 bomb near the Thames
Airlines using London City Airport include British Airways, Flybe, CityJet, KLM and Lufthansa, with flights to domestic and European city destinations.
Police said a 214-metre exclusion zone had been set up and properties inside were evacuated.
A rest centre has been opened by Newham Council to provide bedding and refreshments for families who have been affected.
One passenger arriving at the airport had been hoping to board a flight to Milan.
“We don’t know what to do”, the passenger told OP’S NEWS  London.
“We’re going back to the city to get more information as there’s nobody here to help. We’ll have to call our airline and hopefully we’ll arrive back in Milan soon.”
Streets affected include Holt Road, Leonard Street, Lord Street, Newland Street, Tate Road, Muir Street and Kennard Street.
When work begins to lift and remove the device, the exclusion zone will be extended to 250m and more properties will need to be evacuated, the council said.
“While we endeavour to progress the operation as quickly as possible and minimise disruption, it is important that all of the necessary steps and precautions are taken to ensure it is dealt with safely,” the Met said.
Police said a number of road cordons were in place and advised motorists to avoid the area.
Docklands Light Railway services between the airport and Woolwich Arsenal have also been suspended.
Passengers have used social media to express confusion and frustration following the closure.
Twitter user Richard Macey talked about his Dublin flight being cancelled.
Another user said they were attempting to book a new flight to Aberdeen.

At the scene: OP’S NEWS,  LONDON 

Newland Street
Image captionA police cordon is in place around houses in Silvertown, Newham
People have been arriving at London City Airport DLR station – many with suitcases and some unsure about what is happening.
I’ve managed to get into a tower block in Silvertown – directly opposite the airport where 15-20 police vans are blocking each entrance to the estate.
From the tenth floor I can see the runway – which is empty.
On a usual Monday you’d expect a plane landing every 20 minutes.
I saw about 10 British Airways planes grounded at the airport.
Last year, more than 4.5 million passengers used London City Airport.
A £400m expansion was given the go-ahead by ministers in July 2016, which includes extending the terminal.
London City AirportImage copyrightPA
Image captionThe airport will undergo a £400m expansion

Australia given mixed score on indigenous ‘gap’

White handprints on the back of an Aboriginal Australian performerImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image captionAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up about 3% of Australia’s population
Australia has made some progress in improving the lives of its indigenous people but not in four of seven key areas, an annual report card has found.
The government’s Closing The Gap report tracks targets aimed at reducing inequality between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the latest report showed improvement, but not in some areas – such as bridging a gap in life expectancy.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, who comprise about 3% of Australia’s population, continue to experience high levels of disadvantage.
“The last decade has given us a richer understanding about what works and what does not,” Mr Turnbull told parliament on Monday.
“Three of the seven targets are on track this year, giving us the most promising result since 2011.”
Those targets are reducing infant mortality, enrolling more children in early childhood education, and improving high school completion rates.
Among measures of continuing inequality, indigenous Australians can expect to live about 10 years less than non-indigenous Australians.
Four of the targets expire this year. The government said the policy would be revised with new goals later in 2018.

Which targets are on track?

  • Halve the gap in child mortality by 2018
  • Enrol 95% of four-year-old children in early education by 2025
  • Halve the gap in students graduating high school by 2020

Which targets are not?

  • Close the life expectancy gap by 2031
  • Halve the gap in employment outcomes by 2018
  • Halve the gap in literacy and numeracy by 2018
  • Close the gap in school attendance by the end of 2018

Australia royal commission inquiry into banking begins

Composite image of customers using deposit machines from Australia's major banksImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image captionAustralia’s banks have faced a series of misconduct scandals since the 2008 financial crisis
A landmark inquiry into wrongdoing among Australia’s banks and financial services has begun.
The royal commission – the country’s top form of public inquiry – will investigate alleged and established misconduct in the sector.
Australia’s banks, which are among the most profitable in the world, have been accused of customer exploitation and corporate fraud among other scandals.
The inquiry held its first hearing in Melbourne on Monday.
Commissioner Kenneth Hayne said the inquiry would examine misleading and deceptive behaviour in the industry and conduct which fell “below community standards and expectations”.
He said while Australia had “one of the strongest and most stable” financial service sectors in the world, there had been many established examples of misconduct, raising questions about cultural and governance practices.
Along with banking, the inquiry will look at superannuation – or pension contributions – insurance and wealth management industries.
However the focus is expected to be on the major lenders, which have been accused of putting profits ahead of customers.
The first round of public hearings, to begin next month, will focus on inappropriate lending practices across mortgages, credit cards and car loans.
The inquiry will have the power to examine documents and compel witnesses to appear before hearings. It also has the ability to recommend criminal prosecutions and legislative changes.
Last year the Australian government said the royal commission was a “regrettable but necessary” action to restore public trust in the system.
“The only way we can give all Australians a greater degree of assurance is a royal commission into misconduct into the financial services industry,” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said.
The financial services sector is the largest contributor to the Australian economy, accounting for 9% of its value.

Britons killed in Grand Canyon helicopter crash named

Crash siteImage copyrightTEDDY FUJIMOTO
Image captionThe helicopter came down at about 17:20 local time (00:20 GMT)
Three British tourists killed in a helicopter crash in the Grand Canyon have been named by US police.
Becky Dobson, 27, Jason Hill, 32, and Stuart Hill, 30, died in Saturday’s crash, the Hualapai Police said.
Three other Britons and the pilot were injured when the helicopter, on a tour of the canyon, came down at about 17:20 local time (00:20 GMT) in Arizona.
It is not clear what caused the crash and witnesses say rescue efforts have been hampered by high winds.
Images have emerged showing flames and thick smoke rising from the boulder-strewn crash site.
Police said Britons Ellie Milward, 29, Jonathan Udall, 32, and Jennifer Barham, 39, were injured in the crash, along with pilot Scott Booth, 42.
Becky Dobson
Image captionBecky Dobson, a veterinary receptionist from Worthing, has been named as one of the victims
They were rescued at 02:00 local time on Sunday and flown to University Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, a statement said.
Witnesses told local reporters they had seen survivors running away from the crash site and shouting.
The youngest of the victims, Ms Dobson, worked as a veterinary receptionist for Vets 4 Pets in Worthing, West Sussex.
In her profile on the practice’s website, she described her love for animals, as well as her dream of becoming a veterinary nurse.
“I also love to travel the world and explore what is out there beyond good old Worthing,” she said.
Map: Location of the helicopter crash near the Grand Canyon
Gabby Hart, a local news reporter for the station KSNV, said it had taken more than eight hours for the survivors to be removed from the site because of the terrain and high winds.
She told BBC Radio 5 Live: “We are told by witnesses and also by rescuers that people trying to help once they saw this accident happen, they couldn’t get down to the helicopter quick enough.
“They [the survivors] had to receive care there on site until emergency crews were able to remove them from the scene.”
The chief of the local Hualapai Police, Francis Bradley, called the incident “very tragic”.
He added: “Yesterday, we were hampered by severe weather conditions [and] we had gusts up to 50mph [80kmph].”
He said the terrain around the crash site was also “extremely rugged”.
Emergency services' helicopterImage copyrightTEDDY FUJIMOTO
Image captionHigh winds delayed emergency services from getting the injured to hospital
In a statement, Brenda Halvorson, the chief executive of the helicopter company involved – Papillon Airways – said the company extended its heartfelt sympathy to the families of the dead and injured.
On its website, Papillon calls itself “the world’s largest aerial sightseeing company” and says it flies more than 600,000 people a year.
The Grand Canyon, which is more than 1.6km (one mile) deep, is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the US.
A UK Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are providing support to the families of six British visitors involved in a helicopter accident at the Grand Canyon on 10 February, and we are in close contact with the US emergency services.”

Indian woman killed by ‘celebratory gunshots’ at wedding party

Map
Indian police have arrested a man who allegedly shot dead his neighbour by mistake at a pre-wedding party.
Ashok Khosla fired shots into the air on Saturday to celebrate his daughter’s upcoming wedding, police say.
Neighbour Sakshi Arora, 22, was on her terrace when a bullet hit her in the forehead, killing her on the spot, Punjab police told the BBC.
Several people have been killed by “celebratory gunfire” at weddings in northern India in recent years.
Police have arrested Mr Khosla, the father of the bride, and say the bullet came from his revolver during the party in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur.
They have also lodged a case against his friend Ashok Sethi, who allegedly fired a rifle.
“The accused were not professional shooters and they should have known it [the bullet] can hit anyone,” a police spokesman said
This is not the first time someone has been killed accidentally in so-called “celebratory firings” during weddings in Indian states such as Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
While several such incidents occur each year, it is unclear how many people have been killed or injured because of them.
Sadhvi Deva Thakur (left)Image copyrightMANOJ DHAKA
Image captionSadhvi Deva Thakur (left) allegedly fired celebratory shots at a wedding in November 2016, killing one guest
In November 2016, one wedding guest died and three others were critically injured when a woman started shooting while she was on the dance floor.
In December 2016, a 25-year-old dancer was allegedly shot dead by a drunk man while she was performing at a wedding. Several guests were reportedly firing into the air that evening.
In November 2017, an eight-year-old boy was killed by alleged celebratory shots at a wedding function.
Celebratory gunfire – a show of machismo and status – is not confined to India. It’s also common in Afghanistan and parts of the Middle East, Balkans and elsewhere.

Mo Ibrahim prize: Liberia’s Sirleaf wins African leadership prize

Liberia's former president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, arrives at the swearing-in ceremony of the country's president-elect, 22 January 2018Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image captionMrs Sirleaf is the first woman Ibrahim Laureate
Liberia’s ex-president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has won the $5m (£3.6m) Mo Ibrahim prize for African Leadership.
Mrs Sirleaf, who stepped down last month, became Africa’s first elected female president in 2006.
The prize committee admitted that while Ms Sirleaf was accused of tolerating corruption, she had shown exceptional leadership in difficult circumstances.
It added that Liberia was the only country out of 54 to improve in every category and sub-category of the Ibrahim Index of African Governance.
Mrs Sirleaf served two terms as president, but could not run again in recent polls, which were won by former footballer George Weah.
Her own party has expelled her, alleging she had campaigned for Mr Weah rather than her party’s candidate.
She is the fifth recipient of the prize since 2007, which celebrates African leaders who governed well, raised living standards and then left office.
The $5m prize is spread over 10 years and is followed by $200,000 a year for life.
But it is not always awarded. On six occasions, no leader was considered worthy of it.

Mo Ibrahim prize timeline:

  • 2007: Mozambique’s former President Joaquim Chissano
  • 2008: Botswana’s former President Festus Mogae
  • 2009: No award given
  • 2010: No award given
  • 2011: Cape Verde’s former President Pedro Verona Pires
  • 2012: No award given
  • 2013: No award given
  • 2014: Namibia’s former President Hifikipunye Pohamba
  • 2015: No award given
  • 2016: No award given

Winter Olympics: N Korean cheerleaders in ‘Kim Il-sung mask’ row

North Korean cheerleaders wearing masks during the ice hockey matchImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES
North Korea’s famed cheerleading squad had found itself in the middle of a controversy over masks they put on during a women’s ice hockey match at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
Some local reports have said the masks resembled Kim Il-sung, the country’s first leader and the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un.
Conservative groups in South Korea said this was an attempt by North Korea to use the Games for propaganda.
South Korea’s Unification Ministry has sought to play down the incident, saying the photo was just a “good-looking” man.
Kim Il-sung in 1950Image copyrightAFP
Image captionSouth Korea says the images were not meant to resemble Kim Il-sung, seen here in his youth
The cheerleaders, part of North Korea’s official delegation to the Games, were performing at the joint Korean women’s ice hockey team’s match against Switzerland on Saturday.
The game – which saw the Koreans beaten 8-0 by Switzerland – was attended by several high-profile guests.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach, the North Korean leader’s sister Kim Yo-jong and its ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-nam were seen sitting together in the stalls.
South Korean media outlet, Nocutnews said that the women – the so-called “army of beauties” – were cheering for Kim Il-sung and that the masks were his face.
The article has since then been deleted but a cached version is available.

‘No such meaning’

Concerns that the North might hijack the Games to promote its agenda and improve its international image have been a recurring theme in South Korea in the run-up to the Games.
High-profile guests watched the unified Korean team's match against SwitzerlandImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image captionHigh-profile guests watched the unified Korean team’s match against Switzerland
So South Korea’s Unification Ministry was quick to deny the latest reports.
“After checking with a North Korean official at the scene, it has been confirmed that there was no such meaning whatsoever, as assumed in the report,” it said in a statement on Saturday night.
Officials said the image was of a generic “good-looking man”, which the cheerleaders wore while singing the man’s part of a North Korean love song.
North Korean cheerleaders have been the centre of attraction at the Pyeongchang OlympicsImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image captionNorth Korean cheerleaders have been the centre of attraction at the Pyeongchang Olympics
Others said it was highly unlikely that North Koreans would use an image of Kim Il-sung – a deeply revered figure for North Koreans – in such a light-hearted manner.
“Considering the North Korean system and culture, it is impossible to use Kim Il-sung’s face – which is held in the highest dignity – for cheering for their team,” said Back Hye-ryun, a spokesperson for the ruling Democratic Party.

‘Lie Olympics’

Despite the denials, conservative groups in South Korea have sharply criticised the masks.
Ha Tae-kyung of the opposition Bareun Party, said: “Will they [the ministry] say it’s not Kim even after seeing the picture of the younger Kim? Even the hair is identical.”
“Do you have to lie when it is clear that it is a Kim Il-sung mask? Do you want to make Pyeongchang Olympics a ‘lie Olympics’?” he asked.
Conservative groups in South Korea have protested against the masksImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image captionConservative groups in South Korea have protested against the masks
Many people in South Korea have filed online petitions in protest.
“I would like to know what President Moon thinks about the cheer gear featuring the image of Kim Il-sung,” an internet user wrote on a petition on South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s website.
The controversy has also dominated social media, with the keyword “Kim Il-sung mask” trending on Sunday on South Korea’s largest internet portal, Naver.
One Naver user “wogn**” posted: “A mask of handsome guy? LOL. The South Korean government treats its citizens as if they are as stupid as pigs and dogs. How come it can make lies like that without any shame? Is Ministry of Unification a spokesperson for the North Korean government? How does this ministry know if this is Kim Il-sung or not? Pyongyang should explain. What a joke.”
Commenting on the Unification Ministry’s statement, influential Facebook user Carl F Lee wrote: “The statement is so ridiculous that it makes me wonder the ministry did this on purpose as a joke.”

Cambodia deports seven tourists accused of producing pornography

A handout photo by Cambodia's police that shows the 10 arrested foreignersImage copyrightPA
Image captionCambodian police had published picture of the 10 foreigners
Cambodia has deported seven of the ten foreign tourists charged with producing pornography.
The group was arrested in January after images emerged of people appearing to imitate sex acts at a party in Siem Reap in the country’s north-west.
Seven of them, from the UK, New Zealand and Canada, were granted bail last week and have now left the country.
Three others – from the UK, Norway and the Netherlands – will face trial for allegedly organising the party.
All 10 deny the allegations against them, saying they had not been nude and did not produce any pornographic material.
The seven people that have been deported were ordered to leave Cambodia as part of the bail decision and not return, although the charges against them have not been dropped, reports said.
A police handout picture of people appearing to imitate sex acts at a partyImage copyrightWWW.POLICE.GOV.KH
Image captionA police handout picture of people appearing to imitate sex acts at a party
Images of the event posted on an expat-run website showed several couples clothed or in swim wear on the floor of a villa, apparently acting out sexual positions.
The town of Siem Reap is the gateway to the ruins of Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s main tourist attraction.
Popular with backpackers, the city’s nightlife scene has rapidly grown over the past few years and sometimes placed tourists at odds with Cambodia’s socially conservative culture.

ANC leaders expected to ask President Jacob Zuma to resign

Supporters of ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa chant slogans outside party headquarter in Johannesburg, on February 5, 2018Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image captionMany in the ANC hope that removing Mr Zuma will boost the party’s chances in the 2019 elections
Leaders of South Africa’s governing ANC party are due to meet to decide the future of President Jacob Zuma.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) is likely to ask him to step down, says OP’S NEWS  Africa correspondent Andrew Harding.
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged on Sunday that the issue was causing “disunity and discord”.
Mr Zuma, 75, faces a number of corruption charges after nine years in power.

What did Mr Ramaphosa say?

“We know you want closure,” Mr Ramaphosa told a crowd, which had gathered to mark 100 years since the birth of the country’s first black president, Nelson Mandela.
“As you have all heard, the National Executive Committee of the ANC will be meeting tomorrow… and because our people want this matter to be finalised, the NEC will be doing precisely that,” Mr Ramaphosa told the rally in Cape Town on Sunday.
He acknowledged the ANC was suffering “a period of difficulty, disunity and discord”, and said he wanted to replace it with “a new beginning”.
He pledged to tackle the corruption that has marred Mr Zuma’s time in office.
Mr Ramaphosa urged South Africans to restore the values that Mr Mandela – also known as Madiba – stood for, and said those who had stolen state assets would be brought to justice.
“We must work together as Madiba taught us to push back the frontiers of poverty, unemployment and inequality,” he said.

What preceded these remarks?

An NEC meeting was called off last week following direct talks between Mr Zuma and Mr Ramaphosa, who is the deputy president as well as the new leader of the party.
Mr Zuma has resisted increasing pressure to quit since December, when Mr Ramaphosa replaced him as leader of the ANC (African National Congress).

What has Mr Zuma done wrong?

Mr Zuma’s presidency has been overshadowed by allegations of corruption.
In recent years his links to the wealthy India-born Gupta family, who are alleged to have influenced the government, have caused his popularity to plummet.
Both Mr Zuma and the Guptas deny the allegations.

What are the specific allegations against Mr Zuma?

  • 2005: Charged with corruption over multi-billion dollar 1999 arms deal – charges dropped shortly before he becomes president in 2009
  • 2016: Court orders he should be charged with 18 counts of corruption over the deal
  • 2016: Court rules he breached his oath of office by using government money to upgrade private home in Nkandla – he has repaid the money
  • 2017: South Africa’s public protector said he should appoint judge-led inquiry into allegations he profiteered from relationship with wealthy Gupta family – he denies allegations, as have the Guptas
  • 2018: Zuma approves an inquiry

  • Why hasn’t the ANC sacked him before?

  • By OP’S NEWS 
  • It is worth noting that Mr Zuma has not actually been found guilty of any of the accusations against him.
    The allegations that there is a corrupt relationship between Mr Zuma and the Gupta family are just that, allegations. And the 18 corruption charges stemming from the 1990s arms deal have not been reinstated.
    On top of this, Mr Zuma is still very popular, particularly in rural areas and his home region of KwaZulu-Natal.
    Mr Ramaphosa may want to make sure Mr Zuma’s supporters do not feel he has been treated badly – especially as an election is coming up.

    What happens next?

    Correspondents say that if the NEC agrees to recall Mr Zuma, it would be very difficult for him to resist.
    But he is not legally obliged to step down if they ask him to.
    So, if he so wishes, Mr Zuma can carry on as president of South Africa even if the NEC asks him to step down.

Peter Rabbit film producers apologise over allergy scene

Peter Rabbit, voiced by James CordenImage copyrightCOLUMBIA/SONY PICTURES/KOBAL/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK
Image captionThe scene in the new Peter Rabbit film involving blackberries led to calls for a boycott
The makers of the new film Peter Rabbit have apologised after facing a backlash over their depiction of a character’s allergy.
A scene in the film shows a character who suffers a blackberry allergy being pelted with them by a gang of bunnies.
In a joint statement, Sony Pictures and the filmmakers said they “should not have made light” of the issue.
Campaigners condemned the scene and some Twitter users adopted the hashtag #boycottpeterrabbit.
A petition calling on Sony Pictures to apologisealso attracted thousands of signatures.
Peter Rabbit Film - 2018Image copyrightCOLUMBIA/SONY PICTURES/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK
Image captionCharacters Cottontail, Flopsy and Mopsy use catapults to fire fruit and vegetables in one scene
The offending scene is shown in a film adaptation of the Beatrix Potter book Peter Rabbit, which was released in US cinemas this weekend.
The human character Tom McGregor, who has an allergy to the berries, is attacked by Peter and his friends who shower him with the fruit, even shooting one into his mouth, until he is forced to use an EpiPen to treat his reaction.
On Sunday, Sony Pictures said in a statement that it was wrong for the filmmakers to include the segment, “even in a cartoonish, slapstick way”.
“We sincerely regret not being more aware and sensitive to this issue, and we truly apologise,” the statement said.

Food allergies

  • You can be allergic to any food but reactions to eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat and soy make up about 90% of all food allergies
  • Symptoms can include hives, vomiting, swelling in the mouth and throat and a shortness of breath
  • The most serious reaction is anaphylaxis, which can occur within minutes of exposure to a food and can be fatal if untreated – symptoms include breathing difficulties and feeling lightheaded
Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started