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Daffodil extract fed to cows could be ‘game changer’ in reducing methane production | Science & Tech News

Daffodils could provide the key to more sustainable livestock farming, according to scientists who say lab tests have proven promising.

Adding an extract from the flowers to livestock feed reduced methane in artificial cow stomachs by 96%.

A team of researchers at Scotland’s Rural College hope that when trialled in real cows, it could reduce methane emissions by at least 30%.

A four-year programme of trials is now beginning at farms around the UK.

On his farm in Powys, Kevin Stephens breeds cattle and grows daffodils.

Farmer Kevin Stephens
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Farmer Kevin Stephens said it could make a ‘huge difference’ to the livestock industry

He has been part of the team developing the science behind the new animal feed.

“We started growing daffodils originally to produce an Alzheimer’s drug, but we discovered that the daffodils also produce a compound that prevents ruminants from producing methane,” he said.

“So the chance to combine the two things was too good an opportunity to miss.”

Read more:
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For farmers like him, finding a way to farm more sustainably could be a game changer.

“This could make a huge difference to the livestock industry,” he said.

Daffodil
Image:
Extracts from daffodils reduced methane in artificial cow stomachs by 96%

“There are governments across the world currently trying to meet net-zero by either taxing livestock farmers or putting quotas on the number of livestock you can have because of this methane by product.

“This gives us a very real opportunity to change that story.”

It is estimated that half of the country’s methane emissions come from cows.

And globally, livestock produce around 14% of the world’s greenhouse gasses.

Professor C. Jamie Newbold
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Professor Jamie Newbold hopes the project will be part of a solution to methane emissions

Professor Jamie Newbold, professor of animal science at Scotland’s Rural College, said: “Our new project has three main stages.

“First developing a supply chain of daffodils and extracting the chemicals from daffodils. Secondly, testing that the additive is safe to both animals and humans, and finally, working with our farmer partners across England and Wales to prove the additive is effective in reducing methane production and feed costs for dairy cattle.

“This is vital because greenhouse gases and global warming is a major global challenge, and we hope our project will be part of the solution of reducing the role of ruminants in methane production.”

BBC suspends presenter accused of paying teen for sexually explicit photos | UK News

The BBC has suspended the unnamed presenter accused of paying a teenager thousands of pounds for sexually explicit photos.

In a statement, the broadcaster said: “The BBC takes any allegations seriously and we have robust internal processes in place to proactively deal with such allegations.

“This is a complex and fast moving set of circumstances and the BBC is working as quickly as possible to establish the facts in order to properly inform appropriate next steps.

“It is important that these matters are handled fairly and with care.

“We have been clear that if – at any point – new information comes to light or is provided to us, this will be acted upon appropriately and actively followed up.

“The BBC first became aware of a complaint in May. New allegations were put to us on Thursday of a different nature and in addition to our own enquiries we have also been in touch with external authorities, in line with our protocols.

“We can also confirm a male member of staff has been suspended.

“We expect to be in a position to provide a further update in the coming days as the process continues. The BBC Board will continue to be kept up to date.”

Mystery over woman who threw confetti at George Osborne’s wedding | UK News

The motivations of a mystery woman who threw orange confetti over former chancellor George Osborne and his wife Thea Rogers at their wedding remain unknown.

She was initially believed to be a protester from Just Stop Oil – the campaign group known for attention-grabbing stunts involving orange paint or powder.

But the organisation has said it “will not confirm or deny whether the woman is a supporter of our campaign”.

A woman throws orange confetti over former chancellor George Osborne and his wife and former adviser, Thea Rogers
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A woman throws orange confetti over ex-chancellor George Osborne and his wife Thea Rogers

In a statement, the group also shared its criticism that Mr Osborne “carries a heavy responsibility” for the climate crisis.

“As a Conservative politician and prominent news editor, George Osborne carries a heavy responsibility for the inability of successive governments to address the climate crisis,” it said.

“Unless fossil fuel licences are halted immediately, we’re all going to pay a heavy price for the failings of men like Osborne.

“People no longer have faith in politicians. It’s time for those that want to take a stand against the forces prioritising profit over life to come together in civil resistance.”

In a separate Tweet, Just Stop Oil said: “You look good in orange @George_Osborne – congratulations to the newlyweds.”

Wimbledon, the second Ashes Test at Lord’s, the Premiership rugby final at Twickenham and the World Snooker Championship have already been targeted by Just Stop Oil protesters.

On Saturday, the couple looked confused when the smartly-dressed older woman approached them as they left St Mary’s Church in the Somerset town of Bruton with a bag filled with confetti.

Aides stepped towards the woman who then moved away from the couple.

A spokesperson for Mr Osborne said they didn’t believe it was a protest and added that the individual didn’t say anything.

George Osborne and his wife Thea Rogers
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George Osborne and his wife Thea Rogers

Several MPs have hit out at the alleged stunt, with former home secretary Priti Patel saying: “JSO [Just Stop Oil] are shameful, attention seeking, disrespectful low life [sic].”

The confetti incident comes as Mr Osborne called in police to investigate alleged online harassment after a “poison pen” email was sent to wedding guests, politicians and journalists on Thursday.

Friends say the email is part of a “long-term campaign” of abuse in which an individual has “made up rumours” and engaged in “cyber bullying”.

It is understood the couple believes they know the identity of the person behind the email.

Former prime minister David Cameron and wife Samantha
Image:
Former prime minister David Cameron and wife Samantha

The individual is not thought to be directly connected to Mr Osborne, and their specific motivation is also unclear.

A string of well-known politicians and public figures gathered in Bruton on Saturday afternoon, including former prime minister David Cameron, ex-BBC correspondent Jon Sopel and former health secretary Matt Hancock.

Jon Sopel (centre) and Sajid Javid (right) arrive at St Mary's Church in Brunton
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Jon Sopel (centre) and Sajid Javid (right) arrive at St Mary’s Church in Brunton

Former health secretary Matt Hancock
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Former health secretary Matt Hancock

Ms Rogers, 40, was a Treasury adviser to Mr Osborne, 52, when he was chancellor.

He served in David Cameron’s cabinet between 2010 and 2016, when the former prime minister resigned after the Brexit result.

Mr Osborne went on to be the editor of the Evening Standard and now serves as chairman of the British Museum.

BBC presenter accused over explicit photos ‘stripped to underpants during video call with youth’ | UK News

A “household name” BBC presenter accused of paying a teenager for explicit photos is facing fresh allegations that he stripped to his underpants during a video call with the youth.

The young person’s mother said she was “shocked” after her offspring showed her a screenshot of the video chat, in which the unnamed star was sitting in his boxer shorts on a sofa at his home.

She told The Sun that the man appeared to be “leaning forward, getting ready for my child to perform for him.”

“My child told me, ‘I have shown things’ and this was a picture from some kind of video call,” she added.

The newspaper did not say when the alleged incident happened.

The mother also alleged that earlier this year she was shocked after overhearing the presenter “on the phone saying to my child: ‘I told you not to f***ing ring me’.”

It comes after The Sun previously claimed that the well-known presenter had paid a total of more than £35,000 to the youth in return for “sexual pictures”.

The man is said to have first requested images when the teenager was 17 back in 2020, and has made a series of payments since then.

No one involved has been named, but The Sun said the presenter has not been suspended and is thought to still being paid his six-figure salary in full.

It said the family made a complaint on 19 May but came forward to the media after becoming frustrated that the man was still on air a month later.

The mother said her offspring told her they had also received a payment of £1,000 in June over PayPal which suggested that the “BBC hadn’t spoken to this man” in the weeks after the initial complaint.

Going public ‘the only way to stop it’

The presenter is now off-air and the BBC has reportedly launched an investigation, although the corporation has not confirmed this.

The youth, who is now aged 20, used the money to fund a crack cocaine habit which “destroyed” their life, the mother has also claimed.

She told the newspaper: “If it goes on then my child is going to wind up dead. Putting this out to the public is the only way to stop it.”

The claims have prompted frenzied speculation on social media over the identity of the presenter and led to a string of BBC stars, including Jeremy Vine and Gary Lineker, to public speak out to deny they are the mystery figure.

Read more:
Everything we know about claims a BBC presenter paid teen for explicit photos

Wealthier should pay more for BBC, says ex-chairman
BBC objects to Twitter’s ‘government-funded media’ label

Earlier on the BBC’s News at Ten programme, the broadcaster’s special correspondent Lucy Manning described the situation as “very serious for the BBC” and warned it could “severely dent the BBC’s reputation”.

She added: “The understanding is the presenter isn’t due on air in the near future, but we haven’t been told – and we have asked…. whether there has or hasn’t been a formal suspension.

“The BBC will need to answer if the investigation should have happened sooner, if it should have been more thorough, and if it’s fair to other presenters, unconnected to this, that their names are now sort of in the headlines.”

A BBC spokesperson said: “We treat any allegations very seriously and we have processes in place to proactively deal with them.

“As part of that, if we receive information that requires further investigation or examination we will take steps to do this. That includes actively attempting to speak to those who have contacted us in order to seek further detail and understanding of the situation.”

They added: “If we get no reply to our attempts or receive no further contact that can limit our ability to progress things but it does not mean our enquiries stop.

“If, at any point, new information comes to light or is provided – including via newspapers – this will be acted upon appropriately, in line with internal processes.”

England win European Under-21 Championship with 1-0 victory over Spain | UK News

England have won the European Under-21 Championship for the first time since 1984 with a 1-0 victory over Spain in the final.

The win came thanks to a goal from Curtis Jones four minutes into first-half stoppage time, when Cole Palmer’s free kick was deflected off his back and into the net.

Spain’s Abel Ruiz thought he had equalised with a header from a free kick, but VAR ruled he was offside.

Five minutes into stoppage time, Spain were awarded a penalty after Levi Colwill tackled Ruiz inside the box – but keeper James Trafford became the hero when he saved Ruiz’s shot.

The England side did not concede a single goal at the tournament in Georgia.

Trafford revealed after the game that he predicted he would make a penalty save.

“I told everyone this morning I was going to save a pen,” he said. “When they got a penalty, I knew I was going to save it.”

More on England Football Team

England's goalkeeper James Trafford makes a save during the Euro 2023 U21 final. Pic: AP
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England’s goalkeeper James Trafford makes a save. Pic: AP

Tempers flared on and off the pitch Saturday night, with a total of 30 fouls, 11 yellow cards and four reds handed to players and coaches on the bench.

England coach Ashley Cole and his Spain counterpart were dismissed from the dugout in an eventful conclusion to the first half of the match.

FA chief executive Mark Bullingham shared his congratulations, saying completing the tournament without conceding a goal was “simply remarkable”.

“The manner in which this England squad has progressed through the tournament has been hugely impressive,” he said.

“Everybody connected with the group should feel a great sense of pride for the part they’ve played in leading this age group to the trophy for the first time since 1984.”

‘Everyone affected’ by Wimbledon school crash, say shocked parents | UK News

Parents paying their respects at the scene of the Wimbledon crash have said “everyone is affected” by the tragedy.

The local community has been left reeling after eight-year-old Selena Lau was killed by a Land Rover that crashed into an end-of-term tea party at The Study Preparatory School on Camp Road in Wimbledon on Thursday.

Selena Lau
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Selena Lau

A second eight-year-old was in a “life-threatening” condition in hospital on Friday night, while a woman in her 40s remains in a critical condition.

A total of 16 people were treated at the scene and 12 – including a seven-month-old girl – were taken to hospital and their conditions have been assessed as not life-threatening, the Metropolitan Police said.

The injured adults were parents or carers and not staff at the school, they added.

The car crashed through the fence and into a building at the school in southwest London on Thursday morning.

The driver, a 46-year-old woman from Wimbledon, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and has been bailed pending further inquiries to a date later this month.

She was taken to hospital and her condition was assessed as not life-threatening.

A Land Rover Defender is seen inside the grounds of The Study Preparatory School in Camp Road, Wimbledon
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A Land Rover Defender is seen inside the grounds of The Study Preparatory School in Camp Road, Wimbledon

‘Everyone’s affected by it’

One parent who brought their young child to the scene on Saturday said: “Everyone’s affected by it, everyone is questioning how it could’ve happened.

“I’m just feeling really sorry for the families of those affected and the kids who survived.

“It’s a quiet road, I’m wondering how can a car build up such speed in a short space of time, it’s crazy.”

Flowers left at the scene by Ian Hewitt, chairman of the All England Lawn Tennis club
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Flowers left at the scene by Ian Hewitt, chairman of the All England Lawn Tennis club

Tribute

Amelia, 19, a Wimbledon local, used to attend the school in 2015. She and her brother laid flowers on Saturday afternoon to pay their respects.

She said: “I think The Study is a tightly-knit community, it’s quite a small school so even after people left, we are all together. We came to pay our respects became it’s not just a school, it’s a community as well.

“I think it’s quite sad because the school is far out of the way, it’s not on a main road, it’s not in the centre of Wimbledon, so it’s shocking that this happened.

“The only reason you’re coming down these roads is to go to the school or the golf clubs.”

Tributes left at the scene
Wimbledon school crash tribute

Cards and flowers with moving tributes to the young girl were laid at the scene throughout Friday and Saturday.

Serena’s family said she was an “intelligent” and “cheeky” girl, “adored and loved by everyone”.

BT Group chief executive Jansen to step down next year | Business News

BT Group has kicked off a formal search for a successor to Philip Jansen, its chief executive, as he weighs a number of job opportunities in the US.

Sky News has learnt that BT is working with the search firm Spencer Stuart on a process to identify a successor to Mr Jansen, who took on the role in 2019.

City sources said this weekend that Mr Jansen had signalled to BT’s board that he was likely to step down at some point in 2024.

An announcement about the succession process could be made within weeks and potentially as early as next week, when BT holds its annual general meeting, they added.

Mr Jansen is understood to be undecided about whether to continue his executive career or pursue chairmanship roles.

In recent days, there has been speculation that he could return to Worldpay – the payments group he ran prior to his appointment at BT – after its $18.5bn (£14.4bn) purchase by the private equity firm GTCR.

One source said Mr Jansen had also recently turned down an offer of a CEO role at a major US technology company.

Investors’ attention will turn to the likely candidates to succeed Mr Jansen, with BT’s board said to have been engaged.

A number of external figures are already said to have been approached by Spencer Stuart, while frontrunners are expected to include Marc Allera, who runs BT’s consumer business, and Alison Kirkby, the boss of Swedish telecoms group Telia Company.

Ms Kirkby is already a non-executive director on the board of BT.

BT Group logo. Pic: BT Group
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An announcement about the succession process could be made within weeks. Pic: BT Group

Mr Jansen’s departure will come roughly five tumultuous years after he took up the post, replacing Gavin Patterson.

The BT chief is said by people close to the company to be disappointed at the performance of its shares during his tenure, with the stock closing on Friday at 122.5p, giving it a market capitalisation of just over £12bn.

There has been growing speculation about a takeover bid for BT, prompting the board – led by chairman Adam Crozier – to hire defence advisers.

Patrick Drahi, the French-Israeli billionaire, controls roughly 25% of BT, having built the stake through his vehicle Altice UK during the last two years.

The government would carefully scrutinise any foreign bid for the company, given its critical role in Britain’s national infrastructure.

Deutsche Telekom, the German telecoms giant, also holds a 12% stake in BT, and has indicated its interest in a future deal of some kind.

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Mr Jansen has engineered a reshaping of the company, announcing that its workforce would shrink by as many as 55,000 people by the end of the decade amid a boom in artificial intelligence and as its full-fibre broadband rollout comes to an end.

He has sanctioned an acceleration of its investment in high-speed broadband, setting a target of connecting 25 million homes by the end of 2026.

He has also crunched its underperforming Global and Enterprise units together to form a single division, BT Business.

Last month, Sky News revealed that Mr Jansen’s £1.1m salary would be frozen until he retired from the company.

The decision was subsequently confirmed in its annual report.

He was paid about £3m last year.

BT has been contacted for comment.

Ruth Perry: School run by teacher who took own life after Ofsted inspection upgraded to ‘good’ | UK News

A school run by a headteacher who took her own life after it was downgraded by Ofsted has now been rated as good.

Ruth Perry died in January after Caversham Primary School in Berkshire went from outstanding – the highest rating – to inadequate due to safeguarding concerns.

Her family believes stress associated with the inspection was a major factor in her death.

The tragedy prompted many teachers to call for changes to the inspection system and the end of the one-word grading system.

The school was reinspected on 21 and 22 June and assessed as good in all categories, the second-best rating.

A copy of the report says work “to address previous weaknesses has been swift, thorough and effective”.

“Straight after the last inspection, useful advice was sought from beyond the school,” it adds.

“In particular, this helped leaders to understand fully the extent of the weaknesses in safeguarding arrangements and prioritise what needed to be done.

“Ongoing and determined work has ensured that the improvements made have gone beyond the essential changes that were needed.”

Caversham Primary School
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Caversham Primary School has made swift improvements, says Ofsted

The report mentions Ms Perry – and her sister said it shows how Ruth and school staff had quickly turned things around since the November inspection.

Professor Julia Waters added schools “should be given the opportunity to correct any technical weaknesses before the final report is published”.

“An inspection should be about helping schools with independent scrutiny, not catching them out and publicly shaming them,” said Ms Perry’s sister.

“Ofsted’s use of safeguarding as a ‘limiting judgement’, overriding all other strengths and complexities of a school, puts headteachers in that position of constant jeopardy.”

Ofsted boss Amanda Spielman has said the current one-word system should stay, but MPs will look into it as part of an upcoming inquiry into the inspections system.

Ms Spielman also said staff who produced the initial Caversham report were “professional and humane” in their work.

However, it has announced changes – such as giving schools more information on when inspections will happen and a consultation on reforms to the complaints system.

Schools where safeguarding concerns prompt an overall ‘inadequate’ rating, but where other measures are rated good or better, will also now be revisited within three months.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK

Tony Blair: Impact of AI on par with Industrial Revolution | Politics News

When it comes to the topic of artificial intelligence, Sir Tony Blair is clear on the technology’s potential to change the way we live.

“I think it is on a par with the 19th-century Industrial Revolution,” he says.

“I think it [technology] already was, but generative AI has given it a further push forward.”

The former prime minister’s eponymous institute is writing papers on AI, while he has given talks and penned newspaper opinion pieces on the technology.

Sir Tony wants us to understand the risk as well as the reward.

“It is a technology that is, simultaneously, very good but potentially very bad,” he tells me.

“The advantages are massive. It can transform the way we live and work, it can do enormous things in healthcare and education; in the way government configures itself.

“It is going to change business work – it should increase productivity dramatically.

“On the other hand, you can get disinformation deepfakes, people using it for example to create bio-terror weapons.

“How does government need to approach it? It needs to understand it, master it and harness it. Access the opportunities, mitigate the risks.”

The question that prompts that answer was written by the AI chatbot, ChatGPT.

FILE PHOTO: The logo of OpenAI is displayed near a response by its AI chatbot ChatGPT on its website, in this illustration picture taken February 9, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Illustration/File Photo
Image:
ChatGPT. File pic

It asks Sir Tony for his views on the potential benefits and risks of AI, and how governments and societies should deal with such a rapidly advancing technology.

“Well, that’s a pretty obvious question,” he replies.

Nevertheless, he answers.

I ask him to describe the moment we find ourselves in.

“This is akin to the industrial revolution,” he says. “Just as that moment changed humanity, changed the state, this moment and generative AI will do that too.”

And are we ready for it? Here, he is more careful in his response.

When asked if politicians in the UK have been naïve, he says no, but says there has been ignorance of the power and use of the technology.

“Part of the problem is you’ve got the changemakers in one room and the policymakers in the other,” he says.

The US, China, and the private sector have stolen a march – and Sir Tony says countries such as Singapore are catching up with the UK too.

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Could AI replace news organisations?

“China is a leader in the AI field. The 21st century is going to be shaped by the competition between the two [China and US].”

But Sir Tony says the competing superpowers will have to find a way to work together – particularly on climate change and global health.

“Is it possible to do that in technology? I don’t know.”

And what about the UK, can it still be a leader?

“We are strong at life science, we are strong in climate, we are strong in AI itself,” he tells me.

“We need to keep our universities strong, we need to invest heavily in the infrastructure, build our computing capacity.

“There is a lot to do, and it has to be driven from the top.”

One positive, Sir Tony says, is the UK’s hosting of a major AI conference this autumn.

“One of the reasons I think it is a good idea is to explore all the different possibilities in regulation and try to get the leading countries together,” he says.

“At the very least, Europe and America should be trying to work together on this.”

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Could AI have done Sir Tony Blair’s job?

As a final question, I asked if AI could have done his job as prime minister.

“No. It couldn’t have,” he says with a smile.

But there are parts of his job where AI would have been an aide, he says.

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“It could make decision-making much more efficient. It could replace some of the processes in government.

“Already around the world, for example, you have people using AI to do planning, you have one country in Europe now using it to do small claims, rather than going through an expensive court process.

“In the end, it is maybe best to look at it as an aide to the people making a decision.

“But in the end you have to keep the decision-making capability for the human, but it will be much better informed by the technology.”

As he leaves, Sir Tony tells me about how his kids have asked AI to make a rap song using the text of one of his speeches.

Was it any good? He doesn’t say…

Tiree Music Festival cancelled and fans stranded in ferry terminal during ‘extreme weather’ | Ents & Arts News

More than 100 people had to shelter overnight in a ferry terminal after a music festival was cancelled during severe weather.

The MV Clansman ferry was around 30 minutes away from the island of Tiree, in the Inner Hebrides, on Thursday evening when the Tiree Music Festival was axed due to strong winds and rain.

Bands including Wet Wet Wet, Tidelines and Skerryvore were set to play at the event, due to run from Friday until Sunday.

The CalMac vessel was unable to berth on the island due to the severe weather and instead returned to Oban on the mainland, arriving at around 10.30pm.

More than 100 of the 455 passengers on board were left stranded, with no onward public transport options available.

They were offered shelter in the CalMac ferry terminal while port staff arranged for the Royal Hotel Oban to bring duvets and pillows.

Robert Morrison, operations director of CalMac, said: “As soon as we were aware of the situation, the CalMac port team in Oban opened up the terminal building and staffed it throughout the night to ensure all those who were in need of shelter were provided with a safe, warm and dry place to spend the night, as no public transport options were available at that time of night.”

Mr Morrison estimated between 110 and 120 people needed to stay at the Oban terminal building overnight.

Bottled water was provided by CalMac throughout the night and refreshments and snacks were supplied from a local store.

CalMac said police were also on hand to provide support.

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Tiree Music Festival organisers said it was “hugely disappointing” to have to cancel the event, adding they did not take the decision lightly.

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Hundreds of fish die after hot weather

In a statement on Thursday evening it said “the safety of everyone on site is our number one priority” and the decision was made based on advice following the “extreme weather conditions we are facing”.

“We are working extremely hard to make sure this process is safe and all-encompassing and to ensure every single person on site is relocated to safety and escorted to begin a safe journey home,” it added.