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M25 protests to be halted by Just Stop Oil
Just Stop Oil (JSO) has said it is halting what it calls its campaign of civil resistance on the M25. Over the last four days, environmental activists have climbed gantries above the motorway, forcing it to close in several places. In a statement the group said the move was to give the government time to consider their responsibilities.
A police officer was injured during Wednesday’s protests. Essex Police said there was a collision involving the police motorcyclist and two lorries during a rolling roadblock. Chief
Constable BJ Harrington warned it is “only a matter of time” before someone is killed during a JSO protest.
JSO staged 32 days of disruption from the end of September and throughout October, which the Metropolitan Police said resulted in 677 arrests with 111 people charged. PA
Pressure on Sunak after ex-minister’s ‘racial slur’ sparks row
Rishi Sunak’s first overseas summit with other world leaders risks being undermined by a diplomatic row over a “crass racial slur” used by a former Tory minister. The Independent can reveal that the Japanese government complained about the comments, made in the House of Commons by ex-armed forces minister Mark Francois, and demanded a correction.
On Monday Mr Francois asked defence secretary Ben Wallace about delays to the Type 26 frigate, adding: “Why does it take BAE Systems 11 years to build a ship the J*** can build in four?” Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy has now called on Mr Sunak to apologise on behalf of his party before next week’s G20, where he is expected to come face-to-face with the Japanese prime minister.
Snow on way as wintry conditions to see temperatures plunge
Snow could begin falling in parts of northern England and Scotland toward the end of next week, according to forecasts. According to the Met Office, the first sightings of snow this winter could start in the Scottish Highlands before wintery conditions spread further south at the end of the month. The Met Office’s Annie Shuttleworth said current mild conditions are expected to last for at least another five days.
Next week will see temperatures begin to fall, with single-digit lows of around 7C. She added that wintery conditions will begin to pick up in the UK toward the end of the month. “For the end of November, it generally looks like we’ll see high pressure and lots of dry and settled weather,” Ms Shuttleworth said. “That
could bring some colder nights. There are no major signals for snow but we can see frost and fog becoming a little more likely.”
US servicewoman charged over biker’s death ‘on duty at time’
A US servicewoman was still on duty as she drove home from work at a Suffolk military base and allegedly killed a motorcyclist, her lawyer has told a court. Father-of-one Matthew Day, 33, died of his injuries after a red Honda Accord car collided with the Yamaha motorbike he was riding in the village of Southery, Norfolk, on 26 August.
Airman first class Mikayla Hayes, 24, who is based at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, is charged with causing Mr Day’s death by careless driving. Deputy senior district judge Tan Ikram is considering the issue of jurisdiction in the case, amid arguments over whether she should be dealt with by a UK court or US military court. PA
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