Londons metropolitan police have launched an investigation into allegations of Sexual Offences following the recent claims against Russell Brand. They are already looking into a possible offence back in 2003 police also describe these new claims as non recent. Brand has denied all the allegations against him, which include rape and sexual assault. I asked our Entertainment Correspondent, Colin Paterson what the met police has been saying. Without mentioning Russell Brand by name, the metropolitan police have said they have launched an investigation into allegations of Sexual Offences. This follows the channel 4 dispatches and sunday times joint investigation into Russell Brand, in which one woman accused him of rape and three women accused him of serious sexual assault, including one who was 16 at the time. Whats significant about this development in the last hour is its the first time the Met Police Have said they have launched an investigation. Last week when they put out a statement, it simply said they had received a report of an alleged incident in soho in 2003. No mention at that time of launching an investigation. And the metropolitan police have also said they received a number of allegations of Sexual Offences committed or allegations of elsewhere in the country and these will be investigated, adding that all the allegations are non recent. That is the phrase they use non recent and that there have been no arrests and that inquiries will continue. And ben, this was all about 4 16 uk time when this statement came out. 20 minutes later, Russell Brand took to his online channel and started a broadcast. It was on this Rumble Channel and he had said in advance over the weekend that he would be broadcasting on monday. This is often when he speaks about the thoughts or the issues of the day that are in his head and todays subjects, the Russell Brand spoke about 20 minutes after this metropolitan statement was, are we being silenced . The battle for free speech. And one of the things that Russell Brand said is, its hard for me to be objective given the events of the last week, but that is what we must try to do. 0ur Entertainment Correspondent there. If there are any further developments we will bring them to you right here. The army has been stood down from supporting the metropolitan police after enough Firearms Officers returned to work. Hundreds had stepped back from their duties after one of their colleagues was charged with murder following the shooting of 24 year old chris kaba in south london last year. Soldiers were initially put on standby and officers from other forces were draughted in to help. Tom symonds has the latest. Westminstertoday, no shortage of armed police. The met now says it has the numbers to cover the demands it might face with some help from other forces. But over the last week, the bbc has been told that up to 300 officers may have reconsidered whether they should carry a gun. A direct result of the Fatal Shooting of 24 year old chris kaba and the decision to charge the Police Officer who pulled the trigger, with murder. I cannot understand why there cant be an arm wrapped around that person and say, you are innocent until Proven Guilty. We will support you and your family throughout this process and let justice prevail. But at least they have shown support. At the moment they back off straightaway, they dont want to talk to the officers, they dont want to be seen with them. These armed police in training were among those refusing to carry weapons. At the weekend, the met had to ask the military to be on standby, but now says that is no longer needed. Counterterrorism specialist Firearms Officers of the most highly trained of the met� s armed units, but a large number decided to hand in their ticket. There were concerns among specialist Firearms Officers who carry out planned raids on criminals. And authorised Firearms Officers who often are seen Guarding Buildings in central london. They know they are legally and personally responsible for firing and carrying a gun. They have to show they have used force that is reasonable and proportionate. Either in self defence or to protect others. Such was the concern that Scotland Yard asked the government to review the way Police Shootings are investigated. When they are using these lethal powers it is important they do so with confidence and with legal clarity. That is why the Home Secretary has asked the department to review the guidance that we have that governs all of this, to ensure it commands the confidence of Police Officers and the wider public. But an inquiry into the culture of the met carried out by Baroness Casey raised concerns about attitudes in the types of police teams which carry weapons. She singled out armed officers and the elite squads of m0 19, as they are called as having an attitude that they were somehow above the law and they should be given special dispensation. This should be part of the task of the met police to tackle that. As the Police Officer who shot chris kaba in the street awaits trial, Firearms Officers will wait for the view into the Legal Process they might face should they pull the trigger. For some, their consent to bear arms is in the balance. Tom symonds, bbc news. Im joined now by dal babu a former Chief Superintendent in the metropolitan police. Thank you for being with us. There are two things that stood out to me in that report, the concept of innocence until Proven Guilty and also the idea of trapping an arm around the officer who was accused here. Do you think that happens . Wrapping. I here. Do you think that happens . Wra inc. ~ , here. Do you think that happens . Wrauina. ~ ,. , here. Do you think that happens . Wrauina. ~ ,. ,. , wrapping. I think there is a real, real issue wrapping. I think there is a real, real issue here wrapping. I think there is a real, real issue here around wrapping. I think there is a real, real issue here around how wrapping. I think there is a real, i real issue here around how officers feel. Police officers cannot strike, but what they have done effectively is, use their power, not to become Firearms Officers or deployed fires armed officers so by default, they had some type of industrial action here. That has been based on the fact that they dont feel, some of them, dont feel sufficiently supported in the typical situation. I think what we have to understand is that Police Officers very rarely shoot. In this country, for every 4000 operations, shots are fired twice. I used to be a commanderfor high risk operations and in the over 200 operations that i guided, shots were fired against by officers, two officers were shot but my officers never fired a shingle shot so we have to understand the Police Officers very rarely discharge firearms. What we have here is the officers feeling, not for the first time, that they have not been sufficiently supported and decided that they were going to hand in their tickets. The danger was, that this could spread across the country because mutual aid were Police Officers from other counties come in other areas come in, some of these officers have declined to do so. Quite frankly, officers do not get any additional money for being Firearms Officers. You get the same money for walking the beat as you do as being a firearm officer. There is no incentive. As being a firearm officer. There is no incentive no incentive. Lets talk about that because the no incentive. Lets talk about that because the army no incentive. Lets talk about that because the army now no incentive. Lets talk about that because the army now being because the army now being stood down, they are told not needed. I wonder now, with the army have the right to experience, given what you have done in the experience that you have, its notjust a simple as switching one for the other. Would they have the right experience carry out the work acquired . Know they have the right experience carry out the work acquired . Out the work acquired . Know they wouldnt and out the work acquired . Know they wouldnt and i out the work acquired . Know they wouldnt and i would out the work acquired . Know they wouldnt and i would have out the work acquired . Know they wouldnt and i would have had out the work acquired . Know they l wouldnt and i would have had great concern if the army were deployed to policing duties. I think it was a very, very last resort to utilise them. I think what we have to remember is our Police Officers, Firearm Officers are trained to an exceptionally high standard. Its not like america where we have shootings by Police Officers on a regular basis. As a said, 4000 Firearm Incidents where officers discharging offs weapons on two occasions. So what we need is people who understand communities and complexity and Vulnerable People and have an understanding of how they engage with communities went they are going into those communities to deal with a firearm incident. Frankly, the army dont have that kind of experience. So it would potentially have been counterintuitive to actually get the army involved. 0bviously that has been stood down. I did say earlier on that what was happening in more and more Firearm Officers planning to take on the role, that this was a huge operational challenge perhaps one of the biggest operational challenges. But we do seem not to have made some progress in so much that many of the officers who said they were not going to be deployed, agreed to be deployed in the army has been stood down. figs agreed to be deployed in the army has been stood down. Agreed to be deployed in the army has been stood down. As you said, it so rarely used. Has been stood down. As you said, it so rarely used, and has been stood down. As you said, it so rarely used, and so has been stood down. As you said, it so rarely used, and so has been stood down. As you said, it so rarely used, and so some so rarely used, and so some respects more of a determinant than actual need for it you talk about the experience of when an officer does discharge a firearm at the applications it has for them in their home and personal life deterrent. Also in the investigation that then will ensue. That then will ensue. Yes, if i could give that then will ensue. Yes, if i could give you that then will ensue. Yes, if i could give you just that then will ensue. Yes, if i could give you just one that then will ensue. Yes, if i could give you just one example. I managed officer who had been involved in a Fatal Shooting and he told me that eight years, a quarter of his entire police career, he was under investigation because he went from one process to another process, from one process to another process, from one process to another process, from one court to another process. Could you imagine being under investigation for eight years, not knowing if you are actually going to be charged with an offence or it may in fact lose yourjob will stop in my own experience, when i was commander and a couple of my officers had been shot, i worked 36 hours on the go. I remember cycling home after being absolutely daunted in my doctor was, nine years old, in the front room looking out the front window looking for i was and daughter. So it has not only an impact on the Firearm Officers, but also an impact on families. Who will be very concerned about their love ones when they take on the particular duty. Quite friendly, they take on the extra responsibility at everything that goes with that, they dont need to and i think this is what we have. You have to give credit to acting quickly and swiftly understanding how important it was to engage with the officers. I think we had some reports of potentially as many as 400 officers handing their tickets and. We have not had a situation where officers have returned to their arms to duties and they are being reassured that they will go through a proper and fair process. Thank you for your assessment of that today. Former Chief Superintendent and the greek. Metropolitan police there have been scenes of panic and confusion as a growing police and confusion as a growing number of Ethnic Armenian refugees try to leave nagorno karabakh. It follows azerbaijans seizure of this disputed region. Roads leading towards the armenian border, are jammed with traffic. People fear persecution and ethnic cleansing. Armenia says about 6,650 people have crossed the border since the area was captured by Azerbaijani Forces last week. The territory is at the heart of one of the worlds longest running conflicts. Nagorno karabakh lies in the mountainous South Caucasus region of Eastern Europe and asia between the black sea and the caspian sea. Its recognised internationally as part of azerbaijan, but has been controlled by Ethnic Armenians for three decades. 0ur europe correspondent nick beake has been working with our bbc verify team and has the latest. Were talking about one of the worlds longest running conflicts. Its not often in the headlines, but now, once again, attention is on nagorno karabakh, with warnings there could be ethnic cleansing. In other words, forcing out an ethnic group from an area. Now, have a look at this video from the past 24 hours. The people you can see here are the ones who have already left nagorno karabakh. Thousands have done this already. And the people you see here are Ethnic Armenians who have been living in the region. These pictures are from armenian television. Now, to understand why this is happening, letsjust step back and try and get our bearings, because were talking about the South Caucasus. Basically where Eastern Europe meets asia. Specifically the area between the black sea and the caspian sea. Here, armenia. Its a country which is predominantly christian, azerbaijan, mainly muslim. Theyre both parts of what used to be the soviet union. And if we zoom in, you can see the territory were talking about, nagorno karabakh. Its recognised internationally as being part of azerbaijan, but large areas of it have been controlled by Ethnic Armenians for three decades, and 120,000 Ethnic Armenians call it home. Now, what has happened in the past week was that azerbaijan launched a Military Offensive in response to what it called provocations and quickly made gains. The operation, though, was condemned by the european union. The internet has been heavily restricted in nagorno karabakh. But i want to show you one of the few videos that has emerged around the main city, stepanakert. Now you can see its not exactly close up, but there is smoke in the distance. Now, after this was taken, a peace deal was announced in which Ethnic Armenian forces would be disbanded and disarmed. But have a look at this image here. This is something that weve been taking a look at at bbc verify. And this is, again, actually within the city of stepanakert. And you can see the big plume of thick smoke. This was from yesterday, even though a peace deal is supposed to be in place and we verified this looking at the outline of the mountains and also the shape and the colour of some of the buildings in the city itself. Now, i want to show you this video here, because this is something that was taken showing people on the streets. You can see the traffic leaving nagorno karabakh. This was actually filmed by the peacekeepers in the region. Theyre not from the united nations, theyre from russia. And basically nagorno karabakh, the people there have been told that they will be safe. That is the promise from azerbaijan. But armenian leaders are saying that they fear there will be ethnic cleansing. Now we talk about peacekeepers, but actually its the responsibility, some would say, of lots of people within the International Community to protect the human rights and the lives of thousands of armenians, people who a week ago were living in their homes and now theyre set to be uprooted. And there is a pressing concern about what may happen next. I spoke earlier to politico journalist gabriel gavin, whos been on the border between armenia and azerbaijan. He says he witnessed thousands of armenians fleeing nagorno karabakh. Ive spent today on the border of azerbaijan and armenia seeing thousands of people coming in from nagorno karabakh. People have piled up their possessions, high in their cars, put whatever little they can get together in the back of vans, who are riding quite literally in the open backs of farmyard vehicles and construction vehicles, just doing whatever they can to get out. And once theyve arrived in armenia, theres been scenes of chaos. At