Topic: General UK news thread

[Andy @ Allerton!]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-60849142

Olympic Park: Major gas leak incident at London Aquatics Centre

A major incident has been declared and dozens of people are suffering breathing difficulties following a gas leak at the London Aquatics Centre.

About 200 people were evacuated from the centre at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford, after a large amount of chlorine gas was released.

The park said paramedics were treating "a number of casualties with breathing difficulties".

Residents in the area have been asked to close windows and doors.

The fire service said the gas leak had been caused by a chemical reaction, causing a "high quantity of chlorine gas" to be released.


"While we ventilate the premises we would ask those residents in the immediate vicinity to close doors and windows," said a London Fire Brigade spokeswoman.

The centre was one of the main venues for the London Olympic Games in 2012, and was used for swimming, diving and synchronised swimming. It opened to the public in 2014.

The pool is operated by Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL), which said the release of gas occurred when "the facilities management company that operates the plant room took delivery of pool chemicals".

"We are working to support all those affected," it said.

"We are awaiting guidance from the facilities management company, London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) and the emergency services on when the centre will be able to reopen."

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: "Please avoid the area which has been cordoned off and evacuated.

"I remain in close contact with our emergency services who are dealing with a gas-related incident at the London Aquatics Centre this morning," he added.

--------

At the scene

BBC News correspondent Greg McKenzie

It looks and feels like a major incident - emergency service resources are huge and there is a cordon in place.

There are lots of fire engines and ambulance personnel I can see, and it looks like they've created a makeshift centre to treat those with medical problems.

I am standing about 800m away from the Aquatics Centre, but I have been able to speak with one woman who was there this morning.

She was there for a morning swim and there was quite a few people there with children. They were told there was an issue with chlorine and they had to be evacuated quickly.

As they were leaving, she could see some people struggling to breathe, but she said the evacuation was efficient and emergency services were quick on scene to help.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/mar/23/people-suffer-breathing-difficulties-after-reported-release-of-gas-at-london-olympic-park

‘Major incident’ at London Olympic park after reported chemical leak

People are being treated for breathing difficulties at London’s Olympic park after reports of a chemical leak at the aquatics centre.

The London ambulance service said it was responding to a major incident alongside the police and the London fire service.

    We are responding to an incident at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and have a number of resources on scene. More updates to follow. Please only call 999 for genuine medical emergencies and use 111 online for any other urgent medical needs. pic.twitter.com/JW5cYEn23G
    — London Ambulance Service 💙 (@Ldn_Ambulance) March 23, 2022

The London fire brigade said it had dispatched 12 fire engines and about 80 firefighters to what it described as a chemical incident at the aquatics centre. It said the ambulance service was treating a number of patients.

The fire service later said a “high quantity of chlorine gas” had been released inside the aquatics centre due to a “chemical reaction”.

It tweeted: “Update Aquatic Centre in Stratford. Due to a chemical reaction a high quantity of chlorine gas was released inside the centre. While we ventilate the premises we would ask those residents in the immediate vicinity to close their doors and windows.”

    Update Aquatic Centre in #Stratford. Due to a chemical reaction a high quantity of chlorine gas was released inside the centre. While we ventilate the premises we would ask those residents in the immediate vicinity to close their doors and windows https://t.co/Jx8kHmRReO pic.twitter.com/YBuNiaAGmZ
    — London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) March 23, 2022

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, tweeted: “I remain in close contact with our emergency services who are dealing with a gas-related incident at the London Aquatics Centre this morning.

“A number of people are being treated by @Ldn_Ambulance. Please avoid the area which has been cordoned off and evacuated.”

[Commie Bobbie]

Saw a load of Ambulances up by the train station down here in Folkestone, makes me wonder whether they were concerned that some trains may have been caught up in it all.

[John C]

I've changed the topic to a general UK news thread as there doesn't seem to be one and not every event/incident needs it's own thread.


This is a typical news item that might not get discussed but is disturbing and sadenning, a woman has gone missing in Norwich.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-67708418

[Red-Soldier]

A festive warning for all you male Rawkites:

Risk of penile fractures rises at Christmas, doctors find

Researchers suspect euphoria and intimacy of season may be behind spike in cases

It may be the season of loving and giving, but doctors have warned against embracing this spirit too enthusiastically – at least where sexual relations are concerned. They have discovered that the Christmas period is associated with a significantly increased risk of penile fractures – a medical emergency in which the erection-producing regions of the penis snap, usually as a result of forceful bending during over-enthusiastic sexual intercourse.

“This injury tends to occur during wild sex – particularly in positions where you’re not in direct eye contact [with your partner], such as the reverse cowgirl,” said Dr Nikolaos Pyrgides, a urologist at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, who led the research.

The fractures are often heralded by an audible crack, followed by severe pain, rapid loss of erection and severe swelling and bruising. “When [patients] present to their doctor their penis often looks like an eggplant,” Pyrgides said.

Suspecting that the intimacy and euphoria of the festive season might be a risk factor for this type of injury, Pyrgides and his colleagues examined hospital data for 3,421 men who sustained penile fractures in Germany between 2005 and 2021.

The study – the first to explore seasonal patterns for this type of injury – found that such injuries were indeed more common over Christmas. In fact, “if every day was like Christmas, 43% more penile fractures would have occurred in Germany from 2005 on”, Pyrgides said.

The research, which was published in the British Journal of Urology International, also found the risk increased at weekends and over the summer holidays. However, New Year’s Eve was not associated with an increased incidence of penis injuries.

“It would be interesting to see data from other countries, but in Germany, Christmas week is widely celebrated, while New Year’s Eve tends to be a bit quieter,” Pyrgides said.

Hospital admissions for penile fractures remained relatively consistent during the Covid-19 pandemic, including during lockdown periods. The average age for sustaining such injuries was 42.

“Most penile fractures occur in unconventional scenarios, such as during extramarital affairs or when sex is performed in unusual locations,” said Pyrgides, adding that such scenarios were possibly more likely when men were approaching midlife.

He advised couples to be aware of the risk of injury, and exercise caution in the run-up to Christmas. “If it does happen, you should present to your doctor as an absolute emergency, because if you are not treated you could suffer long-term complications,” he said.

Elf and safety: Common Chris-haps

Penile fractures are not the only injuries associated with the festive season:

Christmas trees

The Christmas tree is one of the most common sources of accidents, with approximately 1,000 Britons sustaining tree-related injuries each year, according to a report by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and L’Oréal. Make sure chairs or ladders are stable before standing on them to reach the upper branches, and take care when retrieving Christmas decorations from storage: a survey of 2,000 Britons commissioned by the National Accident Helpline (NAH) found that one in 50 had fallen out of the loft while doing so.

Fairy lights

Each year about 350 Britons sustain burns, electric shocks or other injuries from fairy lights, the RoSPA said. Take particular care around water: between 1997 and 2010, 26 people were electrocuted while watering their Christmas tree with the lights switched on.

Turkey trauma

The NAH survey also found that nearly half of adults had injured themselves while preparing Christmas dinner. One in ten reported having spilled hot fat on themselves, while one in five claimed to have cut themselves while preparing vegetables.

Champagne corks

The carbon dioxide in a bottle of champagne is under two to three times the pressure of the air in your car’s tyres, and can shoot a cork out of the bottle at up to 50mph. If one hits you in the eye it could rupture an eyeball or detach a retina, the RoSPA warns.

Swallowed baubles

A US analysis of data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System – which collects emergency room admission data from a representative sample of US hospitals – found that between 1997 and 2015, 22,224 children attended hospital after swallowing Christmas objects, such as small baubles or toy parts.

Button batteries are a particular risk, according to the RoSPA, because saliva can react with them to produce caustic soda, which burns the throat or stomach.

Heart disease

Deaths from heart disease peak around Christmas and new year, with one US study identifying a third more cardiac deaths in Los Angeles County during December and January compared with the June-September period. Further research suggested deaths peaked on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day – possibly because of delays in seeking treatment.

Santa injuries

Though rare, a separate analysis of NEISS data found that between 2007 and 2016, three children reported to ER after “falling off Santa’s lap”, while another injured herself while running away from a Santa impersonator because she was scared. If extrapolated to the entire US population, this would equate to roughly 277 Santa-related injuries during the study period.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/dec/20/risk-of-penile-fractures-rises-at-christmas-doctors-find

[John C]

Wham with Last Christmas finally gets a Christmas Number 1 after 39 years.
I wish George was alive to witness it. If he was, it probably would have come earlier to be honest.

[Nobby Reserve]

Don't know there's a specific Scottish Politics/SNP thread (couldn't find one), but the puritans of the SNP are hiking the Minimum Unit Price of alcohol from 50p to 65p

 

It's the one thing I despise about holidaying in Scotland - the rip-off beer & wine prices in supermarkets

That would make a single can of, say, Budweiser £1.30

😧

What was annoying is that I assumed the more expensive but similar strength lagers like Estrella/Peroni/Corona/Mahou (amongst my favourites) would be the same as in the UK, so I could just buy those for the same price as a Budweiser. Doesn't work like that - the retail price gets hiked up (much higher profit for the brewer/supermarket...) to maintain the price differential.

[reddebs]

Don't know there's a specific Scottish Politics/SNP thread (couldn't find one), but the puritans of the SNP are hiking the Minimum Unit Price of alcohol from 50p to 65p

 

It's the one thing I despise about holidaying in Scotland - the rip-off beer & wine prices in supermarkets

That would make a single can of, say, Budweiser £1.30

😧

What was annoying is that I assumed the more expensive but similar strength lagers like Estrella/Peroni/Corona/Mahou (amongst my favourites) would be the same as in the UK, so I could just buy those for the same price as a Budweiser. Doesn't work like that - the retail price gets hiked up (much higher profit for the brewer/supermarket...) to maintain the price differential.

Take it with you next time mate.

I always stock up on alcohol when I'm in Yorkshire to avoid paying the extra Welsh duty although I probably shouldn't be admitting my tax avoidance schemes to you 😂

[Elmo!]

Don't know there's a specific Scottish Politics/SNP thread (couldn't find one), but the puritans of the SNP are hiking the Minimum Unit Price of alcohol from 50p to 65p

 

It's the one thing I despise about holidaying in Scotland - the rip-off beer & wine prices in supermarkets

That would make a single can of, say, Budweiser £1.30

😧

What was annoying is that I assumed the more expensive but similar strength lagers like Estrella/Peroni/Corona/Mahou (amongst my favourites) would be the same as in the UK, so I could just buy those for the same price as a Budweiser. Doesn't work like that - the retail price gets hiked up (much higher profit for the brewer/supermarket...) to maintain the price differential.

You only have to put up with it on your holidays! 

In truth it hasn't really affected me that much as the prices of things I buy haven't changed much. They will now though.

It's a big hike, much bigger than I expected, but it was introduced several years ago and never been increased since and there has been loads of inflation.

I would much prefer it if we could just put extra tax on it so the public benefits from the extra revenue but we don't have the powers to do it.

[Mumm-Ra]

Just read this, interested to hear RAWK's thoughts.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-68243228

A woman who caught police on CCTV watching Netflix at her home during an emergency search for her has said she was "disgusted by their behaviour".

Two officers were filmed on the sofa watching television and using dumbbells at Abbygail Lawton's Wigan home.
They were responding to a report the 21-year-old had gone missing during a mental health crisis.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the officers did not breach standards after she filed an official complaint.
But the force's Professional Standards Branch (PSD) said the pair "should reflect on and learn from the complaint".
Ms Lawton, who said she would request a review of the decision, said their actions had caused her "mental trauma and mistrust" of the police.

Police were called to her home on 3 January after concerns were raised about Ms Layton's welfare.
GMP said officers were required to remain at the property in case she returned as a safeguarding measure while a wider search was carried out.
But Ms Layton said during previous call-outs officers had checked her home and then waited for her in the car.
She said she was alerted to movement in her home by a CCTV app, and could see the two men watching television and using her weights after they arrived just before 22:00 GMT, leaving at 01:30 the next day.
Ms Layton said she was found by police at about 04:00, arrested for wasting police time and held in custody for twelve hours, but she said no further action was taken.
"You think they are there to help you but then they are sat doing that, it doesn't make any sense," she said.
"You expect police to be working hard and protecting people, it's not what you expect, not very professional."

A spokesman for GMP's professional standards body said it was "understandable" that publication of the CCTV images "without explanation could undermine public trust and confidence".
But the force added that officers were deployed to Ms Lawton's home to search the property and the surrounding area "as per the standard response to a call of this nature".
"They remained at the location primarily to safeguard the female should she return to the home address," GMP said.
"The officers have been spoken to and understand that, whilst the television had been left on and dumbbells left out, they should have refrained from watching it or using them whilst they were deployed to the location."

"Wigan woman disgusted" - Wigan woman can fk right off as far as I'm concerned, timewasting idiot

[Kenny's Jacket]

We dont know enough details of her mental health crisis to comment IMO

The police -  A tad unprofessional but not the end of the world

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68286945

[jambutty]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/the-taliban-vowed-to-change-kabul-the-city-may-be-starting-to-change-the-taliban/ar-BB1ivbRH?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=995f38a81d8d4bc68e10864805121d09&ei=56

[classycarra]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68286945

got to be a solid chance of this case coming back to court

https://twitter.com/thetimes/status/1757895422532559075
Deputy district judge Tan Ikram, who “decided not to punish” three women displaying parachute images at a protest, recently liked a social media post branding Israel a “terrorist”, which he said "was a genuine mistake.” https://t.co/MbjBE88hvt

Or, non-paywalled link
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/tan-ikram-judge-braverman-palestine-b2497265.html

[Henry Gale]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68286945

Unbelievable!! 

During their trial, prosecutor Brett Weaver told the court that the images displayed could have been viewed as "celebrating the use of the paragliders' tactic".

But Mr Ikram, delivering his verdict, said: "I want to be clear, there's no evidence that any of these defendants are supporters of Hamas, or were seeking to show support for them."

He said he had "decided not to punish" the defendants, and handed the trio each a 12-month conditional discharge.

[Nobby Reserve]

got to be a solid chance of this case coming back to court

https://twitter.com/thetimes/status/1757895422532559075
Deputy district judge Tan Ikram, who “decided not to punish” three women displaying parachute images at a protest, recently liked a social media post branding Israel a “terrorist”, which he said "was a genuine mistake.” https://t.co/MbjBE88hvt

Or, non-paywalled link
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/tan-ikram-judge-braverman-palestine-b2497265.html

Presumably you would like a retrial so as not to set a precedent for getting a criminal conviction for wearing a tiny and rather ambiguous symbol, given that such a conviction smacks of a large step towards being an oppressive police state?

[LuverlyRita]

Presumably you would like a retrial so as not to set a precedent for getting a criminal conviction for wearing a tiny and rather ambiguous symbol, given that such a conviction smacks of a large step towards being an oppressive police state?

Trying to avoid getting into THAT debate again, I believe that the justice system is suffering in the same way as all other aspects of life in the UK due to cuts so the last thing we need is the courts being jammed up with this sort of thing while genuinely serious offences are pending. What I don't understand is why some cases come to trial speedily while others get bumped down the list. Is it because they're easier to deal with re. evidence or is it because of some priority laid down by politicians? You could believe these days that protesting against the oil industry is the best way to get into court pronto and find yourself facing a custodial sentence.

[John C]

Think back to this time in April 2021.
If someone had said that in 2024, David Cameron (then regarded as a disgraced former politician) would travel as our Foreign Secretary to meet Donald Trump (then regarded a disgraced insurrectionist and a loser) who is still the primary GOP candidate to beg him to consider agreeing to give aid to an invaded European country we'd think they were fucking mad.

[west_london_red]

Think back to this time in April 2021.
If someone had said that in 2024, David Cameron (then regarded as a disgraced former politician) would travel as our Foreign Secretary to meet Donald Trump (then regarded a disgraced insurrectionist and a loser) who is still the primary GOP candidate to beg him to consider agreeing to give aid to an invaded European country we'd think they were fucking mad.

Agree on the first part about Cameron being back on the scene, the situation with Trump and the Republicans (I refuse to use the term GOP as there is nothing 'Grand' about them) was pretty predicable, his control of the party cult has been pretty absolute for a while and he was never just going to go away after he lost the election., he was always going to make a come back.

[Jiminy Cricket]

For those interested, Cameron is to be interviewed on Morning Joe after the break (sometime). Could be a few minutes, or could be later in the programme.

https://livenewschat.eu/politics/

[Jiminy Cricket]

For those interested, Cameron is to be interviewed on Morning Joe after the break (sometime). Could be a few minutes, or could be later in the programme.

https://livenewschat.eu/politics/

Heh. I missed it. So cannot tell you if there was anything of interest. But the programme is repeated now. So the interview appears towards the end of the show (same link), sometime between 2:30 and 3:00 PM UK.