United Kingdom

[The great enlightment. And just 40 years after Thatcher.]

“Poll after poll has shown that the biggest reason for people not wanting to cycle is perceived danger. And anyone who has dared to ride a bike on unprotected roads will soon discover that a large part of this danger comes from pure illegality, not least the vast proportion of drivers who speed, especially on residential roads.

This neatly leads us to the other factor highlighted by the report, and its reaction to it: the howls of outrage if people politely suggest that people could perhaps be less of a danger to others when they drive.

Before the report’s launch, the only one of 10 recommendations highlighted in the media was the idea of removing the so-called tolerances in speeding offences, whereby you can currently go about 10% plus 2mph above a limit and not be penalised.”

The link to the parliamentary group report (.pdf file) is here.

Comedian Russell Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assaults and emotionally abusing four women during the height of his fame.

The alleged assaults occurred between 2006 and 2013, while he was a presenter for BBC Radio 2 and Channel 4, and include an assault on a 16-year-old girl.

He vehemently denied the “very serious criminal allegations” ahead of a Sunday Times article and an expected expose to be aired by Channel 4’s Dispatches programme tonight.

The allegations include crew members on his Big Brother spin-off being made to feel they were working as a “pimp” by approaching young women on his behalf, and that he raped a woman at his Los Angeles home.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/2784582

Archived version: https://archive.ph/n0ayv
Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20230915172423/https://www.euronews.com/2023/09/15/climate-armageddon-scientists-observe-sea-temperatures-rise-in-uk

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/8041065

Archived link:

https://archive.is/20230914181025/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/09/14/british-soldiers-ukraine-dead-missing-rivals-foreign-legion/

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/2785187

Archived version: https://archive.ph/rAMnO
Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20230915174553/https://www.reuters.com/world/uk-officially-proscribes-russias-wagner-terrorist-organisation-2023-09-15/

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/8048406

The Department for Work and Pensions [DWP] has confirmed that it will be making major changes to PIP, Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) assessments from 2024. They said sickness and disability benefits will be assessed by the same provider in any given area of the UK.

The new service will be rolled out nationally from 2029, reports Birmingham Live. It follows criticism of the current assessments for PIP during a debate triggered by a number of petitions. One petition called for a "complete overhaul" of PIP, and called the process "inhumane and degrading."

USPCA: "Adding these dogs to a failed law that has been in place for 30 years cannot not work because it is the owners who train and goad dogs into aggression that must be dealt with"