Latest news with #Cop26
Hindustan Times
21-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
King Charles pens personal note to Joe Biden following his cancer diagnosis; Here's what the monarch said
King Charles has written a personal letter to Joe Biden following the former US president's diagnosis of an aggressive form of prostate cancer, according to Buckingham Palace. A source informed the Mirror: 'Given the King's own battle, he wasted no time in offering his support. When Charles was first diagnosed, Biden was still in power and did not hesitate to reach out to the Palace to offer his support.' In July 2023, Charles welcomed the then-president Biden for tea and discussions at Windsor Castle, and they also met during the Cop26 summit in Glasgow in November 2021. The king is still receiving treatment for his own cancer diagnosis, but the details about the type of cancer has never been revealed. People reports that the contents of the message have been kept confidential. According to his personal office, the 82-year-old politician and his family are evaluating "treatment options with doctors' to fight his 'aggressive' cancer that includes 'bone metastases.' The illness 'seems to be hormone-sensitive, allowing for effective management,' the statement elaborates. Also Read: Is 'White genocide' really taking place in South Africa? Fact-checking Donald Trump's bombshell claim In September 2022, Biden participated in Queen Elizabeth II's funeral. He and his wife, Jill Biden, represented him at the King's Coronation. After the disclosure of his cancer diagnosis, Biden posted a heartfelt message on Instagram, along with a photo with his wife and their cat, Willow. 'Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support,' Biden wrote. Several political figures have rallied to extend their best wishes to Biden for a swift recovery. 'Joe is a fighter—and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership,' stated former Vice President, Kamala Harris, on X. Taking to X, former President Barack Obama mentioned that 'No one has done more than Joe to find innovative treatments for cancer in all its forms.' 'and I am certain he will meet this challenge with the determination and grace that characterize him,' he added. While Trump and First Lady Melania also wished Biden 'a speedy and successful recovery', the President expressed doubts over his disease, saying 'It takes a long time to get to stage 9,' confusing his cancer diagnosis. Joe Biden's cancer is a stage 4 condition with a Gleason score of 9, indicating a high level of aggressiveness.
Belfast Telegraph
09-05-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
Paramotors ‘came down very quickly' after crash, inquiry told
Dan Burton, 54, died after his paramotor crashed with one flown by colleague Ms Dench, known as 'the human swan', near Loch Na Gainmhich in Sutherland, the Highlands, on September 18, 2021, during a bid to break a world record and raise awareness of climate change ahead of Cop26. Ms Dench suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital in Inverness before being moved to Aberdeen. Witness Paul Nelson gave evidence to a fatal accident inquiry at Tain Sheriff Court on Friday. He said at around 4.20pm, he was returning from a walk and heard the sounds of motors overhead, and began taking photographs which were provided to police. He said: 'I took the camera out as soon as I saw them, just general interest, it was quite unusual.' Mr Nelson told the inquiry the weather was 'sunny, I think it was cloud-free, I don't think it was windy', and said 'they were flying towards me, I think they were following the road'. He said initially the photos showed the pilots 'one above the other' and he 'couldn't really tell how close they were, who was in front and who was behind', but he added: 'As I kept taking photos I noticed the person who was originally higher descend.' The inquiry heard that in a statement given to police, Mr Nelson said: 'As I kept taking photographs I noticed the person who was originally higher to descend and come below the person who was originally below them… as I continued to watch on I saw the higher glider then catch the para-sail of the glider who was below them and both of them dropped at quite fast pace.' The statement added: 'Both gliders then dropped quite fast and struck the ground.' Fiscal depute Jemma Eadie said: 'Did you have any concerns about the manner of flying?' Mr Nelson said: 'No.' Describing the crash, he said: 'I didn't really know what happened I just knew they crashed into each other and came down, I didn't really have an opinion of who crashed into who, it all happened very quickly. I saw it all through the lens of the camera.' Mr Nelson told the inquiry the two pilots 'came down very quickly'. Ms Eadie said: 'Do you have any views about what caused the accident?' Mr Nelson said: 'I do, yes. I think the top glider dropped in front of the other glider.' Cross-examined by Peter Littlefair, who is representing Mr Burton's widow Caroline Burton, Mr Nelson said he heard the pilots talking to each other. Mr Littlefair said: 'In terms of the pilots, you heard the engine noise, did you hear any communication?' Mr Nelson said: 'I think I heard them talking yes, there was no wind.' He added he could not hear the conversation but recalled 'the sound of voices', the inquiry heard. Questioned by Ms Dench's representative Simon Richards, Mr Nelson said he believed the black paraglider dropped into the path of the green paramotor. The witness said: 'I think they [the black paramotor] just came down at an angle, it wasn't a noticeable drop.' He told the inquiry he spent around 45 minutes with both casualties, and recalled Ms Dench asked 'Why did he clip me?'. Mr Nelson said: 'I approached Sacha first, I asked her name, if she was okay, if she had any pain, she said to me 'why did he clip me?' Mr Richards said: 'Did you respond?' Mr Nelson said: 'No I didn't.' Questioned by Ms Eadie, Mr Nelson said: 'I don't recollect change in engine noise. The inquiry before Sheriff Neil Wilson has now been adjourned until September.
STV News
08-05-2025
- General
- STV News
Inquiry hears claims ‘cameraman flew into back of activist' in fatal crash
The trustee of a charity founded by climate activist Sacha Dench claimed that a cameraman who died following a mid-air collision 'didn't communicate by Bluetooth' and flew into the back of her, an inquiry has heard. Dan Burton, 54, died after his paramotor was involved in a crash with one flown by colleague Ms Dench, known as 'the human swan', near Loch Na Gainmhich in Sutherland, Highlands, on September 18 2021, during a bid to break a world record and raise awareness of climate change ahead of Cop26. Ms Dench suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital in Inverness before being moved to Aberdeen, where she gave an account to a trustee of the charity she founded, Conservation Without Borders, a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) at Tain Sheriff Court heard. The charity's trustee Steven Holland gave evidence and said that he signed off a risk assessment which he believed was based on previous expeditions. He said that 'two or three days' before the fatal crash there had been an issue with an electric paramotor, and defended the risk assessment which he said was likely to have been 'adapted' from the previous Flight of the Swans expedition, the inquiry heard. Mr Holland said: 'About two or three days before the incident there was a failure of an electric powermotor. The electric powermotor had caused issues from the start, they have a shorter range and have issues with pushing boundaries of technology. It was deemed to be too unreliable.' He said Mr Burton and Ms Dench had worked together previously and the cameraman 'called the shots', and that the charity's priority after his death was assisting the two women acting as ground crew as they were 'quite young', the inquiry heard. Peter Littlefair, representing Mr Burton's widow Caroline, said that a payment of £800 had been agreed for Mr Burton for the remainder of the expedition, which Mr Holland described as a 'gift' during his evidence to the inquiry. Giving evidence, Mr Holland said Mr Burton 'didn't communicate by Bluetooth, she did not hear his voice at all, I think Bluetooth was live all the time so if someone was in range it would connect'. He added: 'If he was within range and had spoken she would have been able to hear.' Mr Holland said: 'I know it was good enough for normal functional conversations.' He also told the inquiry that Mr Burton made all the decisions around flying, but described Ms Dench as 'operational lead'. Mr Littlefair said: 'Do you think an external reviewer would have been more appropriate?' Mr Holland said: 'How he came to fly into the back of her and didn't communicate, I'm not sure what a risk assessment could do about that. Sacha was saying she was hit from behind.' Under questioning from fiscal depute Jemma Eadie, Mr Holland defended the risk assessment. Ms Eadie said: 'Asked if you made independent inquiries, you said you had made an assumption. You read this as a non-pilot, effectively signing the risk assessment off. 'You're saying 'on the face of this, this looks reasonable' without having pilot experience.' Mr Holland said: 'They both had experience flying in the UK and across Europe, I think it's a safe assumption on what they had done before and since Flight of the Swans.' Earlier the inquiry heard that Mr Burton had raised concerns about stress before the collision. Charlotte Harrison-Littlefield, formerly social media manager for Conservation Without Borders, told the inquiry: 'There were several occasions where Dan Burton expressed to me and others about frustrations with the working environment and general progress of (the) expedition. 'The expedition was chronically behind in terms of where we should be geographically and how many people we interviewed. The time the expedition was due to take – six weeks – was extended to be a lot more. 'It was quite a stressful working environment, we were asked to get a lot done and didn't have time.' During cross-examination by Peter Anderson, representing the insurers of the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, the inquiry heard that Mr Burton had been 'shaken' by a landing after a flight earlier the same day. Ms Harrison-Littlefield said: 'I remember that the landing from the morning flight was not ideal. I remember that Dan was quite shaken when I collected him, I picked him up in the car.' She told the inquiry that Ms Dench 'had the final say' over decisions around flying. Giving evidence during cross-examination by Ms Dench's representative, Simon Richards, she described Ms Dench as a 'celebrity' and said that Mr Burton would fly above her, in order to capture her in footage, the inquiry heard. The inquiry continues in front of Sheriff Neil Wilson. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
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Scotsman
08-05-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Cameraman killed in mid-air crash with 'human swan' had raised concerns about stress, inquiry told
Fatal Accident Inquiry into death of cameraman after collision in Highlands with Australian climate activist Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A cameraman who died following a mid-air paramotor crash with climate activist Sacha Dench while filming an attempt to beat a Guinness World Record had raised concerns about stress before the collision, a fatal accident inquiry has heard. Dan Burton, 54, died after his paramotor was involved in a collision with one flown by colleague Ms Dench in the Highlands on September 18, 2021. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ms Dench, an Australian biologist known as the 'human swan' for using a paramotor to follow swans migrating from Russia to the UK, was attempting to travel 3,000 miles around Britain by paramotor to highlight climate change ahead of the Cop26 conference. She survived but suffered serious injuries in the crash, which occurred near Loch Na Gainmhich in Sutherland, Caithness. Sacha Dench was attempting a world-first circumnavigation of mainland Britain to raise awareness about climate change when the crash happened, in which cameraman Dan Burton died | PA A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) at Tain Sheriff Court heard on Thursday that concerns had been raised about stress by those involved in the expedition including Mr Burton, due to a '24/7' workplace culture, and that the potential for a collision between pilots had been highlighted on a risk assessment form. 'Concerns' raised about stress Giving evidence, Charlotte Harrison-Littlefield, formerly social media manager for Conservation Without Borders, a charity founded by Ms Dench, told how she had been involved as a volunteer but was paid as it exceeded the planned timescale, and said she was 'concerned' about stress. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad She described the expedition as 'travelling around the coast of UK, a part of it was trying to break a world record', and said it also involved interviews and 'content' for Cop26″, the inquiry heard. She said on the day of the accident, the only two people left on the expedition apart from Ms Dench and Mr Burton were herself and another woman who acted as 'ground crew', and the pilots had flown past the agreed meeting point and waved as they passed, the inquiry heard. Ms Harrison-Littlefield gave a statement to police saying that one of the electric paramotors was out of use the day of the accident and so a petrol paramotor was used instead. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The statement said: 'Today she tried mixing 20 per cent butanol with 80 per cent petrol and did the first flight with no issues which was around 1.10mins… on the second flight which was just outside Dorness where the accident occurred she flew past Dorness past Scourie where we were supposed to meet.' She said the ground crew drove to Ullapool and attempted to contact the pilots but found that a tracking app 'hadn't updated in a while', and decided to drive the route where they had last been seen but came across emergency services, the inquiry heard. Ms Harrison-Littlefield said: 'We were advised that one of the flyers had passed away, after a period of time we were advised it was Dan Burton.' 'No formal training had been provided' in first aid, court told She said there had been a 'kind of away day' but 'no formal training had been provided', and she had a pre-existing St John Ambulance qualification in first aid. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad When asked by fiscal depute Jemma Eadie if one of her roles was to be a first aider, Ms Harrison-Littlefield said: 'Not in any official capacity.' Ms Eadie said: 'Does it come as a surprise to you that your name has been put down as first aider on risk assessment?' Ms Harrison-Littlefield said: 'Yes, to my knowledge I don't remember it being an official part of my capacity on the expedition.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Giving evidence, she said Mr Burton had raised concerns about stress, and there had been a 'heated' conversation between workers, volunteers and the two pilots, but Ms Dench was 'the boss in this scenario' and 'there was no hard outcome', the inquiry heard. She said that 'whilst on expedition we were essentially volunteering 24/7… it was seven days a week', and that she was 'concerned' about stress, with the group typically camping with people they interviewed, the inquiry heard. Ms Harrison-Littlefield said: 'There were several occasions where Dan Burton expressed to me and others about frustrations with the working environment and general progress of expedition. 'The expedition was chronically behind in terms of where we should be geographically and how many people we interviewed. The time the expedition was due to take – six weeks – was extended to be a lot more. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It was quite a stressful working environment, we were asked to get a lot done and didn't have time. Conversations about realistic ends were not always heard. 'There was at one point a big conversation about well-being, stress, and aims that I remember got quite heated, that I remember involved every member of expedition crew. 'I believe the outcome was just a general decision for us to try harder not to stress each other out, I don't believe there was a hard outcome.' She added: 'Work related stress came from Sacha Dench as she was essentially the boss in this scenario.'
ITV News
08-05-2025
- General
- ITV News
Devon cameraman killed in mid-air crash had raised concerns about stress, inquiry told
A cameraman who died following a mid-air paramotor crash with climate activist Sacha Dench had raised concerns about stress before the collision, a fatal accident inquiry has Burton, 54, died after colliding with Australian Biologist Sacha Dench in the Highlands on 18 September 2021. The crash occurred near Loch Na Gainmhich in Sutherland during an expedition attempting to travel 3,000 miles around Britain to highlight climate change ahead of Dench, known as the "human swan" for previously paramotoring alongside migrating swans, survived with serious injuries.A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) at Tain Sheriff Court heard on Thursday that concerns had been raised about stress by those involved in the expedition including Mr Burton, due to a '24/7' workplace culture, and that the potential for a collision between pilots had been highlighted on a risk assessment form. Giving evidence, Charlotte Harrison-Littlefield, formerly social media manager for Conservation Without Borders, a charity founded by Ms Dench, told how she had been involved as a volunteer but was paid as it exceeded the planned timescale, and said she was 'concerned' about stress. She described the expedition as 'travelling around the coast of UK, a part of it was trying to break a world record', and said it also involved interviews and 'content' for Cop26″, the inquiry heard. She said on the day of the accident, the only two people left on the expedition apart from Ms Dench and Mr Burton were herself and another woman who acted as 'ground crew', and the pilots had flown past the agreed meeting point and waved as they passed, the inquiry heard. Ms Harrison-Littlefield gave a statement to police saying that one of the electric paramotors was out of use the day of the accident and so a petrol paramotor was used instead. The statement said: 'Today she tried mixing 20% butanol with 80% petrol and did the first flight with no issues which was around 1.10mins… on the second flight which was just outside Dorness where the accident occurred she flew past Dorness past Scourie where we were supposed to meet.' She said the ground crew drove to Ullapool and attempted to contact the pilots but found that a tracking app 'hadn't updated in a while', and decided to drive the route where they had last been seen but came across emergency services, the inquiry heard. Ms Harrison-Littlefield said: 'We were advised that one of the flyers had passed away, after a period of time we were advised it was Dan Burton.' She said there had been a 'kind of away day' but 'no formal training had been provided', and she had a pre-existing St John Ambulance qualification in first aid. When asked by fiscal depute Jemma Eadie if one of her roles was to be a first aider, Ms Harrison-Littlefield said: 'Not in any official capacity.' Ms Eadie said: 'Does it come as a surprise to you that your name has been put down as first aider on risk assessment?' Ms Harrison-Littlefield said: 'Yes, to my knowledge I don't remember it being an official part of my capacity on the expedition.' Giving evidence, she said Mr Burton had raised concerns about stress, and there had been a 'heated' conversation between workers, volunteers and the two pilots, but Ms Dench was 'the boss in this scenario' and 'there was no hard outcome', the inquiry heard. She said that 'whilst on expedition we were essentially volunteering 24/7… it was seven days a week', and that she was 'concerned' about stress, with the group typically camping with people they interviewed, the inquiry heard. Ms Harrison-Littlefield said: 'There were several occasions where Dan Burton expressed to me and others about frustrations with the working environment and general progress of expedition. 'The expedition was chronically behind in terms of where we should be geographically and how many people we interviewed. The time the expedition was due to take – six weeks – was extended to be a lot more. 'It was quite a stressful working environment, we were asked to get a lot done and didn't have time. Conversations about realistic ends were not always heard. 'There was at one point a big conversation about well-being, stress, and aims that I remember got quite heated, that I remember involved every member of expedition crew. 'I believe the outcome was just a general decision for us to try harder not to stress each other out, I don't believe there was a hard outcome.' She added: 'Work related stress came from Sacha Dench as she was essentially the boss in this scenario.'
