Irish rap group Kneecap set to play at Glastonbury despite criticism from politicians
Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, has been charged under the Terrorism Act with support a proscribed organization for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert in London in November. He is on unconditional bail ahead of a further court hearing in August.
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Even Costa has left St Peter's Street. It is a 'flashing red warning sign'
One of the UK's biggest high street brands has made the decision to leave one of Derby's busiest shopping streets - something which a councillor says should serve as a "flashing red warning light". Costa Coffee confirmed it would be leaving its unit on the corner of East Street and St Peter's Street last month after more than 13 years in the building. St Peter's Street has suffered a very difficult year so far. On May 6, Derby business owner Gurvinder Singh Johal died after a stabbing inside Lloyds Bank and, on July 14, three masked men carried out a brazen robbery at Ramsdens Pawnbrokers, as crowds gathered and watched on helplessly. Costa lies just a few yards from where the dramatic incidents unfolded. It has now left the street for good. A spokesperson said: 'We can confirm that our St Peter's Street, Derby, Costa Coffee store has closed for trade. READ MORE: Derby Royal Mail sorting offices could be demolished under major redevelopment plans READ MORE: Rural pub in picturesque town to reopen after four-year-closure with £240k facelift "All team members have relocated to nearby stores. Customers can continue to enjoy their favourite Costa coffee at nearby stores at the Derbion shopping centre.' It also comes after a recent survey in which eight out of ten Derbyshire Live readers said they felt unsafe in the city centre - with 39 per cent blaming the police and 27 per cent the council. We asked Costa Coffee if the recent trouble and incidents in St Peter's Street played any part in the closure - and if not, a reason why - but it refused to answer the question directly. Derby Conservatives leader Steve Hassall says the closure of such a huge brand on such a busy street "should serve as a flashing red warning light to the council and police". He said: "When a national brand like Costa pulls out of what is supposed to be Derby's main shopping street, it's not just about footfall, it's about fear, frustration and a complete lack of confidence in the authorities to get a grip. "This closure reflects what many of us already know: people no longer feel safe in the city centre. Businesses are suffering. Residents are anxious. And the response from those in charge has been weak, inconsistent and laced with mixed messages. "From claiming our city centre is safe one week, to writing to the Home Secretary in a panic the next, it's clear this council is out of its depth. We don't need knife amnesty bins in civic buildings (a position I presume that has been quietly dropped), we need a zero-tolerance approach, robust enforcement and a serious plan to restore public confidence." Labour city council leader Nadine Peatfield sent a letter to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper earlier this month in response to the recent incidents, after telling a full council meeting that she was going to request more police officers to serve the city. Ms Cooper made a special visit to Derby where she said funding is in place to give Derbyshire Constabulary an extra 35 officers to combat anti-social behaviour. But in her her letter, Cllr Peatfield wrote: 'Recently you announced Derbyshire would receive 35 new police officers, for which we are very grateful. However, once they are spread across the county, I am concerned that Derby city centre won't see the impact of this increase. 'Too often our small but highly dedicated SNT (Safer Neighbourhood Team) city centre officers are pulled away from patrols to deal with emergency calls because we don't have enough officers to cover the entire city, let alone the high street. PCSOs are scarce because so many have been recruited to step up to policing.' A lack of footfall and, in turn, money not hitting the pockets of local businesses are the immediate repercussions of such violence and anti-social behaviour - but businesses themselves are also being forced to make changes for their own safety. Hannah Lancashire, who works at Jon Paul Menswear in Babington Lane, said business owners are frightened for the safety of staff in the city - adding that measures must be taken to increase security. Speaking on the closure of Costa, which opened in the city back in 2012, Hannah said: "It doesn't surprise me at all. It's absolutely awful around there. The council has made it impossible for businesses to stay open, they've upped the rates, and it's just a terrible time to own a business in the city. "The homeless situation is dangerous. Staff are often here by themselves and we need to make sure the doors are locked whenever that is the case. Every day we see homeless people gathering on the street, and the drug problem is just awful. "We see drug deals across the road all the time. In fact, I've had police sitting in my shop watching and waiting for drug deals. It's that much of a problem. All the council seem to do is make it impossible for people to park and they've carried out unnecessary roadworks that have disrupted business. "I know people who live between Derby and Burton, and I know for a fact that they would rather shop in Burton most of the time, mostly because it's so easy to park. But the crime is the main issue that needs fixing." Satnan Shanan owns The Sandwich Shop in St Peter's Churchyard, just a stone's throw from the troubled part of the city. He says he "doesn't blame Costa" for getting rid of the store, adding that, from a business's perspective, the "area is dead". "There are so many problems faced by businesses in the city centre, whether it be footfall or violence, or just an environment that's hard to navigate around," said Satnan. "For example, we unload goods often on the street, and almost every time we have a ticket from traffic wardens. "There are so many problems. Crime is also bad, particularly the area next to Costa, which is just full of drunks and the homeless. We've been at the same spot since 1994, and we sell confectionery, cigarettes and sandwiches. "But the problem is that, in those 30 years, we've had dozens of new shops that sell the same - mini markets - open up all over the city centre. Our business is now struggling as a result, and the whole town centre is just dead." Following the closure of the St Peter's Street Costa, the closest branches can now be found inside Derbion and at Derby railway station. It comes after another Derby Costa site, at the Meteor Centre in Mansfield Road, recently applied to stay open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in a notice published in the Derby Telegraph. A Derby City Council spokesman said: "Of course we are disappointed to see any business close, but while Costa have taken the decision to stop trading from the St Peter's Street site, this does not mean they have left the city altogether. 'The easy thing to do would be to attribute such closures to a single issue like crime, but that ignores the complex reality of the retail and hospitality sector, which is seeing trends such as rising costs and increased competition. 'Despite these challenges, Derby's coffee scene remains vibrant and competitive, with a strong mix of thriving independent establishments and large chains. Our city continues to be a bustling hub, attracting visitors daily for events, shopping, and social gatherings. 'We are committed to working in collaboration with our partners to manage the city centre and keep it safe for all."
Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Bloomberg
Putin-Zelenskiy Possible Meet, UK Yield Tops Truss High, Desert Ski Resort Woes
Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes. On today's podcast: (1) US President Donald Trump called Vladimir Putin and urged the Russian leader to begin making plans for a summit with Volodymyr Zelenskiy, after meeting the Ukrainian president and European leaders at the White House on Monday. (2) The Trump administration is in discussions to take a stake of about 10% in Intel Corp., according to a White House official and other people familiar with the matter, a move that could see the US become the beleaguered chipmaker's largest shareholder. (3) The yield on long-dated inflation-linked bonds surpassed the highs seen during the gilt-market meltdown three years ago, the latest unwanted market milestone for the UK government. (4) The Treasury is examining the possibility of replacing stamp duty and introducing a new tax on the sale of UK homes worth more than £500,000 ($676,000), according to the Guardian. (5) Apple will no longer be forced to provide a so-called backdoor to American users' data to the UK government, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said in a post on X on Monday. (6) In 2022, Saudi Arabia announced one of its most ambitious endeavours to date: a sprawling ski resort in the heart of the dry Middle Eastern desert. It's becoming one of the most difficult tests yet of the kingdom's ability to pull off Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's grand ambitions
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
I stood up to shoplifters in Tesco. It ruined my life
When Emilie Martin reported a gang of shoplifters at a Tesco in Hackney for stealing, she had no idea she would be dealing with the fallout for the next decade. Ms Martin, then 29, noticed a group of teenagers stealing sandwiches and, seeing there was no security guard, she approached the store manager and informed them of the theft. The staff member said there was nothing they could do and admitted the gang raided the east London store on a near-daily basis. What Ms Martin did not know was that the gang had overheard her. Walking outside, Ms Martin, an event manager, was surrounded by the teenagers, sprayed with a drink, and when she threatened to call the police, she was punched in the face. Last week, Matthew Barber, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, called for the public's help in tackling shoplifters. After seeing his comments, Ms Martin, now 39, felt she had to speak up and let the public know what the realities of standing up to criminals could be like. Ms Martin, who was assaulted in 2015, said she has been left with ongoing health issues and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and was constantly re-traumatised during her four-year fight to receive a small amount of compensation. Ms Martin's attackers have never been caught. She claims the Metropolitan Police showed 'little concern' and that Tesco claimed CCTV footage of the incident had been 'lost in a technical error'. She said: 'The punch left me with permanent scarring, breathing problems, and the need for two operations on my eye and nose, plus another still pending after 18 months on an NHS waiting list. 'The physical injuries were only the start. I was diagnosed with PTSD, yet NHS mental health support has been a mirage: goalposts moved, waiting lists closed, and promises broken.' Ms Martin sought compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) in 2017, but her claim was initially rejected, forcing her to go through two tribunal hearings. Six years after the assault, in June 2021, she was finally awarded £3,480. She said: 'Ten years on, I have been failed by every system meant to protect and support victims: the police, the justice system, the CICA, the NHS, and Tesco. On the night of the attack, I wasn't even offered an ice pack, let alone an apology.' Ms Martin said she understood the point Mr Barber was trying to make, and agreed that the public had a role to play in fighting the shoplifting epidemic. She said: 'The thing is, I agree with the principle of what Mr Barber is saying. I do think that apathy from society towards shoplifters is dangerous and unhealthy. 'But I also think that when people do stand up, a safety net for the victims, for those who do the right thing, has to be there and has to work.' Addressing Mr Barber in an open letter, she said: 'So, when you tell the public to intervene in shoplifting, I have to ask: do you understand what you are asking of us? 'Do you believe that, had you experienced what I have, you would still stand by those remarks? 'Where is the protection, the justice, the support for those who pay the price for acting as you suggest? 'I am not writing this to say 'don't stand up to crime.' I am writing to say: if you truly want the public to take that risk, then you must first guarantee that the police, the justice system, and victim support structures will not abandon them. 'Right now, I would not, because I know exactly what 'standing up' can cost, and I have paid that bill in full.' Mr Barber said the 'experience that Emilie suffered in London 10 years ago is horrific and has understandably lived with her ever since'. He said: 'It highlights why we need to do everything we can to reduce crime, particularly crimes such as shoplifting, which are not victimless as people sometimes think. 'Sadly, in Emilie's case, it appears that people just looked the other way and didn't try to help. A situation that I don't think anyone would want to be in.' Mr Barber added: 'It is for the police to cut crime and catch criminals, but it is for all of us to make sure we don't live in a society where people just look the other way and don't help those in distress.' 'Let down trying to do the right thing' Ms Martin said that, given her experience, she would not confront shoplifters again. She said she now suffers from chronic sinusitis as a result of the attack and has been waiting 18 months for an operation. Her PTSD, Ms Martin said, left her constantly on high alert and extremely anxious in certain situations. She said that reading reports about violent shoplifting gangs on an almost daily basis was also triggering. 'Tesco and Hackney Central are a bit of a no-go for me any more. If I see a group of teenage boys, I can't help it, I have to cross the road and get away from them. I am very nervous in supermarkets. 'If I was attacked, I don't feel as though I would be taken seriously or anything would happen.' This is only the second time Ms Martin has spoken publicly about her ordeal since it happened and she said she wanted other people who might be in similar situations to know that they were not alone. 'That is what worries me. Who knows how many people have had similar experiences and have been let down after trying to do the right thing.' A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'This was investigated thoroughly at the time and regrettably, we were unable to identify a suspect. 'The Met Police is working to support shopkeepers and tackle theft in the capital, this year solving 163 per cent more shoplifting cases than in the same period last year. 'If you see criminal activity taking place please call the police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.' Ms Martin said she wanted her case to lead to changes in the way the CICA deals with victims and for mandatory CCTV retention from large retailers like Tesco, or penalty fines, in cases involving violence. Analysis by The Telegraph has revealed that more chronic shoplifters and thieves are walking free than ever before. Almost six in 10 prolific thieves – defined as having at least 15 previous convictions – avoided prison last year, the highest proportion since Ministry of Justice records began more than a decade ago. Just 41.3 per cent received a custodial sentence, down from 46.4 per cent the previous year. Last week, Katy Bourne, the national lead for shoplifting at the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, warned that there was no point in arresting shoplifters if courts keep setting them free without preventing offenders from carrying out further crimes. Sir Keir Starmer has made tackling shoplifting a priority for his Government, pledging to introduce laws that require police to investigate even if the goods stolen are worth less than £200. Ms Bourne's intervention came after police in North Wales provoked a huge public backlash when a shop owner was spoken to for putting up a sign calling shoplifters 'scumbags'. The Prime Minister later said that he personally would not refer to shoplifters using the term. A Government spokesman said: 'We understand the devastating impact of shop theft on retailers. Since Ms Martin applied for compensation in 2017, we have improved how victims apply for compensation with a better online system and improved training for staff so the process is more straight-forward. 'Our landmark Crime and Policing Bill will also end the effective immunity for theft of goods under £200 and bring in a specific offence for assaulting retail workers, while the Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy is gathering data to better target and respond to perpetrators.' Tesco has been approached for comment. Solve the daily Crossword
