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 a red cross Evacuation Point on the border, the power went out earlier today in a heavy storm. The ground turned to mud and effectively people have been more or less left with nothing. And the people i speak to absolutely have no certainty about what comes next. The only thing they do consistently tell me is they fear they will never return home. And theyve left notjust their houses and their apartments and their flats, but theyve left often their livelihoods behind farms, factories, machinery, things that they know that theyll never be able to get back. Gabriel, we will come on to some of the politics in just a second, but you touch there on some of the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding. What is your assessment from what youve seen there about what is most needed, what help is needed for people who are fleeing . Well, i think the icrc has done an incrediblejob meeting with people, ensuring that theyre getting the support they need in terms of food, blankets. The armenian government is providing them with hotel rooms. People, ordinary people, ordinary armenians are just pitching in to pick people up, take them in taxis, drop them at wherever they need to go. Sharing sofas and lifts and whatever else they can do. But the real question is, in a country like this, a country that seems to be just a hair away from an all out conflict once again with azerbaijan, how are they going to rehouse these people in the long term . What jobs are they going to give people . What Education Opportunities are going to be able theyre going to be able to offer for their children and in particular, people whove lived through three wars effectively in the space, in a very short space of time, how are they going to have their Mental Health needs met . And as a result, you see people just Milling Around in the center of the city with no one seemingly there to help them. I mean, some of the scenes that weve had from the hotels here are just horrific, people sitting with their head in their hands. I met this afternoon an elderly deaf couple who just simply couldnt comprehend what was going on. Theyd left the place theyd called home for their entire lives and found themselves somewhere completely new and a picture of absolute chaos. This is a country that for decades has built a real ethnic animus against its Ethnic Armenian population. And weve seen in 2020 and 2016 numbers a large number of atrocities, beheadings, executions, and that looms large in the minds of people. They simply do not believe that they will be safe if they stay in their homes. Political reporter and speaking to me theyre a little earlier. Just an update on offence, the latest developments because authorities they are saying there were multiple victims and injuries at a fuel depot in the region. We dont know at this stage, how many, but we will stay right across that for you. At that line saying that there are several deaths and injuries at an explosion at a petrol depot very close by. So we will follow these developments and bring you a little more as we get it. Around the world and across the uk. This is bbc news. Lets look at some other stories making the headlines. The Nhs In England has passed a grim milestone with more than a million Hospital Appointments cancelled because of strikes. The industrial action began in december and last week saw the first strike by Junior Doctors and consultants at the same time. You can see from the figures that actually its when Doctor Strike that the biggest impact is on patients. Many patients weve spoken to have had multiple cancellations of their treatments and behind that, more thani million of their treatments and behind that, more than i million cancelled appointments. Appointments never even scheduled because of the threat of industrial action. So many thousands of people have not had the appointments they were expecting to have. Hospital chiefs and other nhs leaders have appealed to both sides, the government and nhs staff to come to get resolve this. But there is no end in sight. The two sides have not spokenin end in sight. The two sides have not spoken in 100 days. In fact, there is further industrial action next week whenJunior Doctors is further industrial action next week when Junior Doctors and consultants come back together for co ordinate action for three days. The strike which has brought hollywood to a stand still may be about to come to an end. The Writers Guild says its come to an agreement albeit a tentative one. The strike began back in may and has cost the californian economy billions of dollars. But theres no sign of a resolution yet of the dispute with actors which has brought a large part of the british Film Industry to a halt. Heres david sillito. Lets now speak to rizwan wadan, a film maker tech innovator. Thank you for being with us. What effect does that strike in hollywood have on you . fire effect does that strike in hollywood have on you . Have on you . Are technologies are mainly used have on you . Are technologies are mainly used for have on you . Are technologies are mainly used for hd have on you . Are technologies are mainly used for hd tv have on you . Are technologies are mainly used for hd tv drama have on you . Are technologies are l mainly used for hd tv drama as you can see me behind that is an arri camera used on a Lot Of Hollywood Productions of the productions are not turning up the equipment and not using in the industry so our claimant is using the Camera Department and crips so for directors of photography as groups and Camera Operators of the industries not working they are not being employed so the cannot take our technologies and has an impact on the line. Like other freelancers not the companies, the hollywood strike has affected the whole infrastructure and businesses that support it. It infrastructure and businesses that su ort it. , infrastructure and businesses that suort it. ,. , infrastructure and businesses that suortit. ,. ,. , support it. It gives you a sense of ust how support it. It gives you a sense of just how far support it. It gives you a sense of just how far and support it. It gives you a sense of just how far and wide support it. It gives you a sense of just how far and wide this support it. It gives you a sense of just how far and wide this has support it. It gives you a sense of just how far and wide this has an | just how far and wide this has an impact. In particularfor people like freelancers who dont have other sources of income. What does that mean, day to day . To have to start coming back on things that you can do . ,. , can do . Indefinitely. Covid we saw, was a massive can do . Indefinitely. Covid we saw, was a massive issue can do . Indefinitely. Covid we saw, was a massive issue for can do . Indefinitely. Covid we saw, was a massive issue for freelancers and we did not have Money Support for the government. In terms of that this is a kind of another lockdown for freelancers. This is a kind of another lockdown forfreelancers. I know we have a tax and delay scheme we need to learn from this. The industry being the fourth largest contributor to the fourth largest contributor to the economy. So we need a better system for the government and the industry to support freelancers. Because this is breaking a lot of people that i know. It has a very heavy impact on us. However, we pivoted to our company to train the next generation as well. So we did pivot towards another aspect of the industry. So behind as you can see some of these individuals and they are future trainees in freelancers who will be going out for technicians for technologies. So we need to have a better kind of system to protect those that are keeping the industry, the backbone of the industry, the freelancers. We know that these things industry, the freelancers. We know that these things take industry, the freelancers. We know that these things take time industry, the freelancers. We know that these things take time to that these things take time to filter through so even if the strike was cancelled tomorrow, that has a long lead time because of so many moving parts in making any sort of tv or movie. We know increasingly, hollywood is making stuff in the uk. We know studios are growing in size and a number of people applied. But it feels like there are quite a few months before things start to pick up months before things start to pick up even if the strike was cancelled tomorrow. Up even if the strike was cancelled tomorrovv tomorrow. The bottleneck of production tomorrow. The bottleneck of Production Due tomorrow. The bottleneck of Production Due to tomorrow. The bottleneck of Production Due to covid tomorrow. The bottleneck of Production Due to covid we. Tomorrow. The bottleneck ofl Production Due to covid we saw tomorrow. The bottleneck of Production Due to covid we saw the impact that it had and it was a boom in the industry and no one anticipated it, i did not anticipated it, i did not anticipated and for our own business we thought we would launch his ear and how are technologies going out some of our technicians. That is basically not going to happen. That peak period of summer, the kind of. For a lot of the productions take place, will not happen. So this will move to next year. Yes, this is something that has a lot of moving parts and those moving parts are basically various companies and other freelance members of the different departments that keep the industry moving forward. I think there is one thing, there is hope. Most of once they come to resolutions there will be another boom so if we can remain resilient and we can see this through i think it will be another very busy. For the Freelance Community and the industry in the uk. Just the Freelance Community and the industry in the uk. The Freelance Community and the industry in the uk. Just in a couple of sentences. Industry in the uk. Just in a couple of sentences, how industry in the uk. Just in a couple of sentences, how confident industry in the uk. Just in a couple of sentences, how confident are i of sentences, how confident are you that things will bounce back . I think we are in a historic. At the moment using ai with what happening now is a very, something that will change the industry forever. I think that there is massive hope for the industry to pick up again. Relative to have you industry to pick up again. Relative to have you with industry to pick up again. Relative to have you with us industry to pick up again. Relative to have you with us on industry to pick up again. Relative to have you with us on the industry to pick up again. Relative to have you with us on the programme and good luck with that new initiative there. Really good. Stay with us, headlines up next. Hello there. It was a fine day today, many places stayed dry, a good deal of sunshine around. However, as we move deeper into this week, things will start to turn more unsettled. And by mid week, we could see a stormy spell of weather with rain and gales. Tonight, most places will be dry, but well start to see some showers pushing into southern areas courtesy of this Weather Front and across western areas, thanks to this Weather Front. So, many places dry this evening and overnight, variable cloud, more of a breeze out west. By the end of the night, some showers start to push into southern england. Some rain getting in towards Western Parts of northern ireland, but nowhere particularly cold. Pretty mild with double figure values across the board. Now we have more isobars on the charts tomorrow, so there will be more of a breeze and well have these Weather Fronts in the mix as well. These Weather Fronts across the south will bring a scattering of showers through the morning for england and wales. Some of these could be heavy and thundery as they push northwards. And this front will bring outbreaks of rain to northern ireland. Thats spreading across scotland into the afternoon. But therell still be some good spells of sunshine around for the afternoon, pushing temperatures again up to around 23 degrees in the south east. Otherwise, its the mid to high teens further north. The showers eventually peter out across the northern half of the country through tuesday night. It turns clearer with lighter winds, so a cooler night to come across the northern half of the uk, whereas further south, the winds start to pick up again with increasing cloud, so itll start to turn milder once again. The reason for it is this storm agnes, named by the met office. Thats going to impact our shores on wednesday to bring a swathe of rain and gales, particularly across western areas. Now, the storm will continue to move northwards, affecting the western half of the country during the course of wednesday. And eventually itll bring some windy weather to scotland later in the day. But were looking at 60 70 mile an hour winds around some irish sea coasts, maybe more than that in exposed headlands, and then 50 to 60 across the north. In addition to that, Heavy Rain Will Spill Northwards across northern ireland, south west england, wales, isle of man, then pushing up in towards scotland. But it could be the eastern side of the country, although itll stay windy and cloudy, it could stay dry altogether. Top temperatures around 21 degrees here. Otherwise, its the mid teens further west with rain and gales. The rain slowly pulls away on thursday, increasing amounts of sunshine as we head into friday and the weekend at this stage doesnt look too bad. See you later. This is bbc news. These are the headlines former nurse lucy letby will face a retrial on an outstanding allegation that she attempted to murder a baby girl. Lego cancels plans to manufacture its famous bricks from recycled plastic bottles, claiming the move would have led to an increase in overall emissions in the products lifetime. Rishi sunak refuses to confirm or deny plans he will scrap the hs2 project in the north of england our lets return to that story. News that the nurse lucy letby is to face a retrial on an outstanding allegation that she attempted to murder a baby girl. Letby was sentenced to a whole life order last month, after she was convicted of the murders of seven
vimarsana.com © 2020. All Rights Reserved.