Latest news with #MeteCoban
BBC News
3 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
High pollution warning issued for London by City Hall
A high air pollution alert has been issued for London on Tuesday as temperatures are forecast to rise above Hall said strong sunshine and hot weather are expected to trigger high ozone levels, with airflow from mainland Europe likely to worsen the forecast, produced by Imperial College London, prompted the mayor's office to trigger the alert, which will be displayed on bus stop countdown boards, London Underground signs and sent to schools and borough Coban, the deputy mayor for environment and energy, said London's "toxic air" is linked to around 4,000 premature deaths in the capital each year. "We are urging Londoners to look after themselves in this pollution alert during the hot weather, stop their engines idling, and refrain from burning wood or garden waste – all of which contribute to high levels of pollution," he air pollution can particularly affect older people, young children, and those with existing heart and lung warning system was introduced by the mayor in 2016. It uses the government's Daily Air Quality Index to determine when alerts are triggered. The UK Health Security Agency, has issued heat health alerts, for all of England - beginning on Tuesday morning and lasting until is among the regions facing the hottest conditions with temperatures of up to 34C (93F) forecast, triggering an amber alert. An air quality report, external published last year said high pollution episodes were now a "rare occurrence" in said between 2018 and 2023, 19 high pollution alerts were issued and 217 moderate pollution alerts, "enabling Londoners to increase their awareness of high pollution episodes and take precautionary action on these days".
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
How Sadiq Khan's £148,000-a-year deputy faked top football career - claiming he was set to sign for Real Madrid 'after for years at Inter Milan'
Sadiq Khan 's deputy London Mayor faked a top footballing career by claiming he was set to sign for European side Real Madrid after 'spending years at Inter Milan'. Mete Coban MBE, 32, was last year appointed to the £148,000 role some ten years after becoming Labour's youngest councillor while still at university aged just 21. But the left-back Cypriot made his name off the back of an elaborate fairytale - that he had been a star of European football before dropping it all to found a charity and take on politics. In 2011, Mete Serdar Coban claimed to be such a skilled footballer that, after four years in Italy, he was set to transfer to Real Madrid in Spain, one of the top football teams in the world. He told a host of sports journalist that he had been scouted by the Istanbul side Galatasaray, before transferring to Inter Milan, the Times reports. Coban backed up the statements with social media posts and a grainy video claiming to show his highlights at the Italian side. But the truth was that the now-deputy mayor had come no closer to top flight football than a brief, failed trial at Madrid's Atletico aged 14. Turkish media originally bought the story after Coban told them he was 17 and had been personally invited to join Real Madrid by then-manager Jose Mourinho. He said he had been spotted thanks to youth performances in the Atalanta Cup. He shared pictures of himself signing autographs at Madrid's stadium on Facebook and was featured in Turkish - and even Spanish - newspapers. But it was a complete fabrication, and Coban even lied about his age - at the time, he was actually 19. And he had never played for Galatasaray, Real Madrid or Inter Milan. A source at Inter Milan later told Turkish reporters that Coban was 'a liar', adding: 'Such a person never played for Inter's youth academy and has never set foot in our facilities.' Football scout Javier Ribalta added in a tweet: 'He did trials with Atletico and was close to ridiculous.' And the video supposedly showing his career highlights was in fact made up of low quality footage of other players spliced together. Now having entered the UK's political arena and meeting with global leaders including Sir Keir Starmer, Gareth Southgate and the King himself, it can now be confirmed that Mete 'Serdar' Coban and the deputy mayor are one and the same. The story has echoes of that of Ali Dia, who was signed by Southampton boss Graeme Souness from Senegal after allegedly claiming - falsely - to be the cousin of footballing legend George Weah. He played for 53 minutes in the first team in 1996 before being subbed off, and later became known as a conman - something he strongly denies. It's not the first time that Coban's record has come under scrutiny. When he was appointed to his deputy mayor role in July last year, critics pointed out his huge CO2 footprint while in control of Hackney's environment and transport as a councillor from 2021. In just two years, he racked up 17 tonnes of CO2 emissions on flights alone, travelling to Istanbul, Guatemala, Miami, Washington DC, Malta and Dubai. Coban said at the time most of the travelling was related to his charity work. for young people, for which he received his MBE in 2021. Announcing his new role last summer, Mr Coban said: 'The mayor has introduced world-leading policies on climate action and I am hugely excited to bring my experience to this city-wide effort'. A spokeswoman for Sadiq Khan said: 'Mete has an excellent track record at delivering a range of environmental improvements in Hackney and the mayor looks forward to working with him as he continues to take world-leading action to tackle the climate crisis, clean up our air and rivers and grow the green economy.' A spokesperson for the Mayor told the Times: 'This happened more than a decade ago when Mete Coban was a teenager and represented by a football agent. He has said publicly before that it was a naive mistake which he has learnt from and moved on from. 'Mete now makes a huge contribution in supporting the mayor in cleaning up our air, improving our rivers and keeping London at the forefront of climate action across the world.'
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
High air pollution alert issued for London
A high air pollution alert has been issued for London. City Hall issued the warning for Thursday after Imperial College London forecasters detected an increase in air pollution from mainland Europe. Predicted light winds combined with local sources of pollution in London would contribute to high pollution levels, the scientists said. Londoners are advised to switch vehicle engines off when idling and to refrain from burning wood or garden waste. "This is particularly important in order to protect those who are most vulnerable," said Mete Coban, the deputy mayor of environment and energy. Coban said London's toxic air was "responsible for around 4,000 premature deaths in the capital each year". "Which is why the mayor has done everything in his power to tackle it," he added. He urged Londoners to "look after themselves" during the pollution alert. City Hall issues alerts to Londoners, schools and local boroughs when moderate, high or very high air pollution is forecast. High air pollution alerts are also displayed at all bus stop countdown signs, as well as on the Underground. An air quality report published last year said high pollution episodes were now a "rare occurrence" in London. It said between 2018 and 2023, 19 high pollution alerts were issued and 217 moderate pollution alerts, "enabling Londoners to increase their awareness of high pollution episodes and take precautionary action on these days". Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Campaigners fear mayor not prioritising clean air Pollution causes harm at all stages of life - report Do clean-air zones like London's Ulez work? Pollution alerts
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
High air pollution alert issued for London
A high air pollution alert has been issued for London. City Hall issued the warning for Thursday after Imperial College London forecasters detected an increase in air pollution from mainland Europe. Predicted light winds combined with local sources of pollution in London would contribute to high pollution levels, the scientists said. Londoners are advised to switch vehicle engines off when idling and to refrain from burning wood or garden waste. "This is particularly important in order to protect those who are most vulnerable," said Mete Coban, the deputy mayor of environment and energy. Coban said London's toxic air was "responsible for around 4,000 premature deaths in the capital each year". "Which is why the mayor has done everything in his power to tackle it," he added. He urged Londoners to "look after themselves" during the pollution alert. City Hall issues alerts to Londoners, schools and local boroughs when moderate, high or very high air pollution is forecast. High air pollution alerts are also displayed at all bus stop countdown signs, as well as on the Underground. An air quality report published last year said high pollution episodes were now a "rare occurrence" in London. It said between 2018 and 2023, 19 high pollution alerts were issued and 217 moderate pollution alerts, "enabling Londoners to increase their awareness of high pollution episodes and take precautionary action on these days". Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Campaigners fear mayor not prioritising clean air Pollution causes harm at all stages of life - report Do clean-air zones like London's Ulez work? Pollution alerts
BBC News
19-03-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
High pollution alert issued for London
A high air pollution alert has been issued for London. City Hall issued the warning for Thursday after Imperial College London forecasters detected an increase in air pollution from mainland light winds combined with local sources of pollution in London would contribute to high pollution levels, the scientists are advised to switch vehicle engines off when idling and to refrain from burning wood or garden waste. "This is particularly important in order to protect those who are most vulnerable," said Mete Coban, the deputy mayor of environment and energy. 'Rare occurrence' Coban said London's toxic air was "responsible for around 4,000 premature deaths in the capital each year". "Which is why the mayor has done everything in his power to tackle it," he urged Londoners to "look after themselves" during the pollution Hall issues alerts to Londoners, schools and local boroughs when moderate, high or very high air pollution is air pollution alerts are also displayed at all bus stop countdown signs, as well as on the air quality report published last year said high pollution episodes were now a "rare occurrence" in said between 2018 and 2023, 19 high pollution alerts were issued and 217 moderate pollution alerts, "enabling Londoners to increase their awareness of high pollution episodes and take precautionary action on these days".
