Latest news with #Darroch
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Wedding bid blocked at 'dignified' coastal venue
A landmark described as "seemly and dignified" by planning inspectors has been denied permission to host weddings. Fort Perch Rock, a coastal defence in New Brighton which dates back to just after the Napoleonic wars, is home to a cafe bar, function rooms and exhibitions. Its owners wanted to use it to hold marriage ceremonies, but a lack of disabled access to its upper floors meant its bid was denied by Wirral Council. Owner Douglas Darroch told planners on Friday he "could have turned [it] into a casino or a strip club but that is disrespectful to the building", adding: "We are trying to find ways to generate cash to take the building forward." Mr Darroch added that people had asked in the past about using the venue for weddings. He said: "It's part of our business plan to bring life to the building which we are trying to do now... with the escape room, cafe, and the museum opening next year." Councillors raised concerns about the walkway into the fort, disability access and fire risk management. The building, which is 32 ft (9m) high, was completed in 1829 and is due to celebrate the 200th anniversary of its foundation stone being laid next year. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. Wirral Council
Hamilton Spectator
12-05-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Teen in $1,000 tracksuit who shot at group of strangers near Lime Ridge Mall convicted
In a matter of nine minutes, a 15-year-old Hamilton boy drew a loaded gun three times, including firing at a group of strangers who were trying to record his behaviour near Lime Ridge Mall last year. In court Friday, Ontario Court Justice Stephen Darroch rejected the teen's testimony that he acted in self-defence, instead finding him guilty of all charges, including discharging a gun with intent to harm and assault with a weapon. The teen's story during the recent trial was 'simply too far-fetched, too nonsensical, too internally inconsistent and too inconsistent with video,' Darroch said. Court heard that on Sept. 1, 2024, the then 15-year-old, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was shopping at Lime Ridge Mall with his brother where they both bought $1,000 tracksuits. The teen, who bought his with cash that he claimed to have earned doing chores around the house, changed into the tracksuit and left the mall. Throughout, he carried a loaded handgun concealed in a small satchel strung over his shoulder. Darroch noted that he didn't believe the teen's testimony that he bought the gun for $300 in cash a week and a half before, when someone he didn't know randomly offered to sell it to him while playing basketball at a park. The team claimed that he happened to have the $300 in cash on him, also earned by doing chores. The teen's story about why he had so much cash and how he came to buy the gun 'stretches credulity beyond the breaking point,' the judge said. The teen said he had been robbed before and didn't feel safe in the neighbourhood. That day, almost immediately after exiting the mall, the brothers encountered a group in the parking lot. The teen said someone in the group asked him what was in his bag and showed him what he thought was a gun, so the teen flashed his gun, and the group left him alone. Video shows the brief encounter, including the other group running away, but was not close enough to capture any weapons, Darroch said. Then the brothers walked across the street, where they encountered a different group of people in the Dollarama parking lot, court heard. There was a verbal exchange, and the 15-year-old again pulled out his gun. This time he racked it, ejecting a full cartridge onto the sidewalk. The brothers walked around the back of the building, near the loading area and through a chain-link fence, into a field behind the store. The other group followed, slowly and at a distance with phones out. Darroch said the victim was about two car lengths away, separated by the fence, with five other youths in the group, another couple car-lengths away, when the 15-year-old fired three shots. No one was hurt. The teen testified that as he and his brother walked past the second group, one of the young men asked what they were looking at and then said to give him 'that hoodie.' He told the court he was chased, but video shows the group moving at a 'leisurely pace.' The judge also noted that the teen admitted that as he walked away, he turned back and told the group to 'go f—k themselves' — a provocative statement that doesn't support self-defence. He also wore a ski mask. Ultimately, Darroch found the teen's story failed on all three elements of the legal self-defence argument: catalyst, motive and reasonable response. Moreover, he found the teen fired the gun intentionally and that he was not aiming at the ground, as the teen claimed in court. Given the number of convictions, the Crown stayed one firearm possession charge. In total, the teen will be sentenced for five offences, including possession of a loaded prohibited firearm without authorization, possession of a loaded prohibited firearm while prohibited, breach of probation, discharging a firearm with intent to endanger life and assault with a weapon. The case returns for a sentencing hearing June 24.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump edition: ‘This is Trump unleashed and without filters'
Lord Kim Darroch, former UK ambassador to the US, joins Venetia Rainey to talk Trump 1.0 vs 2.0, trade wars and Tehran's nuclear Telegraph revealed this week that the US could finalise a trade deal with the UK within three weeks. That comes on the back of comments from JD Vance about how much Trump loves the UK and that a deal is highly likely. So what could that deal look like? And what would the potential costs be for the he was ambassador to the US between 2016 and 2019, Lord Darroch also had direct experience of Trump's first trade war with China. He talks about how this one might go and what it would mean for Lord Darroch shares his insights on why we need a new Iran nuclear deal, how Nato can survive the US' shift away from Europe, and why Trump loves Churchill - even if members of his circle increasingly don't. Battle Lines, a podcast from The Telegraph, combines on-the-ground reporting with analytical expertise to help the listener to better understand the course of world politics, wars and tensions, as fault lines grind and slip in an increasingly dangerous and confusing multipolar world. Listen to Battle Lines using the audio player in this article or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favourite podcast app. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ex-British ambassador to US who criticized Trump urges Starmer not to concede on retaliatory tariffs
Former United Kingdom Ambassador to the United States Kim Darroch urged British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to take a robust stance against President Trump's threats of retaliatory tariffs, saying the U.K. should avoid giving Trump 'wins.' Darroch — who famously called Trump 'inept' and 'dysfunctional' as ambassador during Trump's first term — warned that conceding to Trump will signal weakness and might invite additional threats of tariffs down the line. 'It's understandable that, faced with deeply damaging U.S. tariffs on British cars, steel and aluminium, the government should think about concessions like reducing digital tax,' Darroch said in an interview with The Observer, according to a Guardian report published Saturday. 'But they need to be wary of giving Trump wins,' Darroch added. 'Tariffs are his all-purpose forcing mechanism, and he'll use them again and again if he sees them working.' Darroch encouraged Starmer to model his approach after that of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has pledged to retaliate with tariffs of his own. His tough response to Trump in Canada has rallied support for his party and appears to have had a softening effect on Trump. 'They should note the dramatic turnaround in Canadian politics, where on the back of a robust and defiant response to U.S. tariff threats, Mark Carney's Liberals have gone from 14 points behind the Canadian Conservative Party at the end of January to 8 points ahead last week,' Darroch said. The White House is expected to announce reciprocal tariffs on April 2 for a range of nations after months of unexpected new international trade policies. Ahead of what Trump has called 'liberation day' on Wednesday, foreign leaders have been working to persuade Washington to stand down on additional tariffs, fearing the U.S. president could trigger a global trade war. He has already announced 25 percent tariffs on imports of cars, steel and aluminum. Trump has proposed giving certain nations exemptions from levies but has waited to reveal more about his encroaching policies until the actual deadline. 'I may give a lot of countries breaks. It's reciprocal, but we might be even nicer than that. You know, we've been very nice to a lot of countries for a long time,' Trump told reporters Monday at the White House. 'We may take less than what they're charging, because they've charged us so much I don't think they could take it. But it will be substantial.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
30-03-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Ex-British Ambassador to US who criticized Trump urges Starmer not to concede on retaliatory tariffs
Former United Kingdom ambassador to the United States, Kim Darroch, urged British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to take a robust stance against President Trump's threats of retaliatory tariffs, saying the UK should avoid giving Trump 'wins.' Darroch — who famously called Trump 'inept' and 'dysfunctional' as ambassador during Trump's first term — warned that conceding to Trump will signal weakness and might invite additional threats of tariffs down the line. 'It's understandable that, faced with deeply damaging US tariffs on British cars, steel and aluminium, the government should think about concessions like reducing digital tax,' Darroch said in an interview with the Observer, according to a Guardian report published Saturday. 'But they need to be wary of giving Trump wins,' Darroch added. 'Tariffs are his all-purpose forcing mechanism, and he'll use them again and again if he sees them working.' Darroch encouraged Starmer to model his approach after that of Canadian prime minister Mark Carney, who has pledged to retaliate with tariffs of his own. His tough response to Trump in Canada has rallied support for his party and appears to have had a softening effect on Trump. 'They should note the dramatic turnaround in Canadian politics, where on the back of a robust and defiant response to US tariff threats, Mark Carney's Liberals have gone from 14 points behind the Canadian Conservative party at the end of January to eight points ahead last week,' Darroch said. The White House is expected to announce reciprocal tariffs on April 2 for a range of nations after months of unexpected new international trade policies. Ahead of what Trump has called 'liberation day' on Wednesday, foreign leaders have been working to persuade Washington to stand down on additional tariffs, fearing the US president could trigger a global trade war. He has already announced 25 percent tariffs on imports of cars, steel and aluminum. Trump has proposed giving certain nations exemptions from levies but has waited to reveal more about his encroaching policies until the actual deadline. 'I may give a lot of countries breaks. It's reciprocal, but we might be even nicer than that. You know, we've been very nice to a lot of countries for a long time,' Trump told reporters Monday at the White House. 'We may take less than what they're charging, because they've charged us so much I don't think they could take it. But it will be substantial.'
