Oxford University set to open first overseas campus in Paris because of Brexit

Pic:Oxford University may open its first foreign campus because of Brexit
Educational reporter(wp/es):

Oxford University may open its first ever campus overseas because of Brexit.

French officials have held talks with Oxford University about opening a sister campus in Paris, a move which could guarantee the university European funding after Brexit, The Telegraph reported.  

Oxford and other British universities, including Warwick, have been told that any campus they open in France would enjoy French legal status and could therefore continue to receive European funding.

Opening these satellite campuses would mean relocating degree courses and establishing joint study programmes.  

British universities have warned MPs that Brexit could mean “disaster” for higher education if European funding is withdrawn.

A spokesman for Oxford University told The Telegraph a decision had not yet been made but said: “Oxford has been an international university throughout its history and it is determined to remain open to the world whatever the future political landscape looks like.”

Jean-Michel Blanquer, a former director-general of the French ministry of education, confirmed to the paper that discussions between British universities and the French government were taking place. 

If a decision is made to push ahead with the plans, construction of the campus could reportedly begin as early as next year.

Barnet murder victim stabbed in the neck after mass brawl near Brent Cross named by police

Crime reporter(wp/es):

The man murdered after a mass fight in north-west London has been named as 21-year-old Joseph Olopo. 

Police have confirmed Mr Olopo died after being stabbed in the neck on a residential road on Friday evening.

Homicide detectives are investigating the killing, which took place just metres away from Brent Cross Tube station.

Police and paramedics rushed to the scene on Heathfield Gardens at around 7:15pm on Friday following reports of a group of males fighting.

Mr Olopo was found with stab wounds neck and was rushed to hospital, but pronounced dead shortly after.

His family have been informed and a post mortem confirmed the cause of his death was the stab wound to the neck.

A 20-year-old man was arrested close to the scene on suspicion of affray and has been bailed to return on a date in early March.

Police also arrested an 17-year-old boy but he was released with no further action.

London’s air was the ‘silent killer’ of my daughter, claims mother

Pic:Ella, dead aged nine, with Rosamund Kissi-Debrah, who wants a new inquest
Staff reporter(wp/es):

The mother of a young girl who died after repeated asthma attacks today called London’s filthy air a “silent killer” as she vowed to fight for answers.

Lewisham schoolgirl Ella Kissi-Debrah, nine, died in February 2013 after suffering years of coughing fits and seizures her mother Rosamund believes were triggered by the capital’s smog.

An inquest into the “healthy” Holbeach primary pupil’s death found she had died from acute respiratory failure but did not establish the cause of her asthma. 

Speaking after the fourth anniversary of her death, Ms Kissi-Debrah said “the public need to know” about the dangers of air pollution. She is now calling for a second inquest to be held in the light of more recent information about the capital’s pollution levels. 

Ms Kissie-Debrah said: “We believe it is in the public interest. When she passed away four years ago, there was none of the publicity around pollution levels that there is now. So much has happened since then.

“We want a new inquest. The pollution levels were never brought up in the original inquest, and so we want a new one to prove if it had an effect.

“It’s a silent killer, and the public need to know about it.”

Ms Kissi-Debrah, who lives near the South Circular in Hither Green, is now seeking medical experts to examine samples of Ella’s remains held at Great Ormond Street Hospital that may prove the link between her death and the capital’s air.

She is being helped by human rights lawyer Joceyln Cockburn, who represented the family of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence.

Last week Mayor Sadiq Khan announced a £10 levy on heavy-polluting diesel vehicles driving in the capital, in a bid to tackle London’s filthy air.

In January areas of the city were put on alert after levels of dangerous particulate matter, which can cause heart and lung disease, were found to be higher than Beijing. 

More than 9,000 Londoners are believed to suffer an early death due to air pollution.

Ms Kissi-Debrah, who has postponed plans to sue the Mayor of London’s office over Ella’s death in the hope of a second inquest, said: “No one knows who these 9,000 people are. But people can put a face to my daughter.

“When she was alive, we never thought about pollution levels then. This is a test case — if we get a new inquest, and if we prove it, that will open the floodgates.”

“It’s massive, if we prove that it was the pollution levels. On the day she died, the pollution levels were incredibly high. That’s one thing we do know.”

£3.5bn scheme for 7,500 homes in Wood Green

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Wood Green could have a radical makeover as part of a £3.5 billion proposal to build thousands of homes and transform the north London area into a major shopping destination.

Haringey council has launched a consultation into the plans for land in and around the high street between Wood Green and Turnpike Lane Tube stations.

The plans include 7,700 homes, a new town centre with shops, and more than one million square feet of new employment space, including offices and workshops. 

A new green pedestrian route linking Wood Green with the grounds of Alexandra Palace is also being looked at for the area which could get a Crossrail 2 station. Some council-owned buildings would be redeveloped with services relocated.

Councillor Joe Goldberg, Haringey’s cabinet member for economic development, social inclusion and sustainability, said: “We want to make Wood Green one of the best places to work, shop, eat and drink in London.

“It is important that people have their say and we are calling on anyone living and working in the area to tell us what they like about Wood Green and what they would like to see improved.”

The consultation follows an initial one in 2015 when businesses and residents were presented with four options for redeveloping Wood Green. 

The council said the majority “overwhelmingly preferred” the latest plan. 

Ken Ford, executive director at Capital & Regional, which owns the Wood Green shopping centre, told the Standard: “As long- term investors in Wood Green, we are supportive of plans to establish the town as a major leisure and shopping destination.

“Since 2015, we have successfully introduced a range of leisure uses at The Mall Wood Green, such as a new Travelodge and gym, and seen strong demand from national retailers, including recent commitments from H&M and Pret a Manger.

“This underscores the potential of the area, which could be transformed by the arrival of Crossrail 2. 

“We will continue to work with Haringey council to help shape the future of Wood Green town centre.”

Natalie King, Cineworld Wood Green general manager, said: “In Wood Green we have witnessed a thriving community and we are excited to be part of such a vibrant area. 

“We welcome all regeneration efforts, which will give us the opportunity to extend our entertainment offering to a wider audience.” 

Comments on the new vision are invited before the consultation closes on March 31.

London 'among top ten worst cities in the world for traffic congestion'

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London is among the worst cities in the world for congestion, a new study found.

The capital has been named the seventh worst city for traffic jams in an analysis of 1,000 across the globe.

Last year, Londoners spent, on average, 73 hours-a-year waiting in queues during rush hour, traffic information company Inrix revealed.

But that compares to 104 hours lost in Los Angeles, and 91 in Moscow.

Drivers across the UK spend 32 hours-a-year waiting in queues of traffic during rush hour.

Researchers calculated that the direct and indirect costs of hold-ups hit £31 billion last year, at an average of £968 per driver. In London though, it is £1,911.

After London, Manchester is the second most congested British city, followed by Aberdeen, Birmingham and Edinburgh.

Those in Manchester spent an average of 39 hours-a-year at a standstill, while those in Aberdeen wasted 35 hours stuck in traffic. 

Inrix chief economist Graham Cookson said: "The cost of this congestion is staggering, stripping the economy of billions, impacting businesses and costing consumers dearly.

"To tackle this problem, we must consider bold options such as remote working, wider use of road user charging and investment in big data to create more effective and intelligent transportation systems." 

Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said: "Road congestion is a high price to pay for having a successful economy, and the risk is that gridlock starts to strangle growth.

"That is why we don't just need sustained investment, to add capacity and install better traffic management systems, we need intelligent investment planned to minimise disruption during construction, minimise maintenance requirements, and provide more flexibility for the future."

Russia is the most congested country in Europe, followed by Turkey and the UK.

Recent Department for Transport (DfT) figures show there was a record 320.5 billion vehicle miles travelled in 2016, up 1.2 per cent on the previous year.

A DfT spokesman said: "We are making the most extensive improvements to roads since the 1970s, investing a record £23 billion to keep our country moving and make journeys faster, better and more reliable for everyone.

"As announced in the 2016 Autumn Statement, we are also spending a further £1.3 billion over the course of this Parliament to relieve congestion and provide important upgrades to ensure our roads are fit for the future."