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A bishop has defended the clergy’s role in helping asylum seekers with their claims after politicians linked their assistance to abuses in the asylum system, following the case of chemical attack suspect Abdul Ezedi.

Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani, said it was “saddening” to hear such comments, as religious leaders are “supporting people who are often deeply vulnerable and traumatised”.

A national manhunt for Ezedi began on Wednesday, after a corrosive liquid attack on a mother and two children in Clapham, southwest London.

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CCTV of suspected chemical attacker emerges

Following the attack, former immigration minister Robert Jenrick referred to “spurious” claims by people in the asylum system that they have converted to Christianity “aided and abetted by often well-meaning but naive vicars and priests”.

Former home secretary Suella Braverman, writing in the Sunday Telegraph, said during her time in office she “became aware of churches around the country facilitating industrial-scale bogus asylum claims”.

Ezedi, believed to be from Afghanistan, convinced officials to allow him to stay in the UK in 2020, understood in part thanks to a priest who vouched for his commitment to Christianity, following conversion.

Abdul Shokoor Ezedi. Pic: Met Police
Image:
Abdul Shokoor Ezedi. Pic: Met Police

He had twice been rejected for asylum by the Home Office, according to reports, once shortly after he came to the UK in 2016, and again in the wake of his prosecution in 2018.

Bishop Guli, who came to the UK aged just 13 in the wake of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, called the Clapham attack “shocking and brutal”.

She wrote in the Telegraph: “Because the alleged perpetrator has been reported as someone seeking asylum in the UK on grounds of conversion to Christianity, some, including senior politicians, have questioned the role of churches and other faiths in supporting those who seek our help and protection here.”

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How did Clapham chemical attack unfold?

Read more from Sky News:
New sighting of Ezedi as man arrested for hiding suspect

As it happened: Manhunt search

As a Christian leader, she said she makes “no apology for our involvement in supporting people who are often deeply vulnerable and traumatised.

“But churches have no power to circumvent the government’s duty to vet and approve applications – the responsibility for this rests with the Home Office.”

Religious ministers from all denominations occasionally provide statements of support to people seeking asylum, “but it is wrong to think of this as some sort of magic ticket”.

She added: “The notion that a person may be fast-tracked through the asylum system, aided and abetted by the Church is simply inaccurate.”

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British man among 14 killed in New Orleans attack

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British man among 14 killed in New Orleans attack

A British man is one of 14 people who were killed when an alleged Islamic State supporter drove a truck into crowds celebrating the New Year in New Orleans.

The city’s coroner said the preliminary cause of death for the British citizen was blunt force injuries.

Their identity has been temporarily withheld at the request of the family “pending finalisation of international arrangements”.

Dozens of people were also injured when 42-year-old army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar’s rented truck rammed into people in New Orleans’ famous Bourbon Street in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

A senior Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) official has said the attack was “premeditated” and an “evil” act of terrorism, and said Jabbar was “100% inspired by ISIS”, also known as Islamic State.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told Sky News: “We are supporting the family of a British national who has died in New Orleans and are in contact with local authorities.”

The coroner has also identified the majority of the victims in the attack.

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They are:

  • Andrew Dauphin, 26, from Montgomery, Alabama
  • Kareem Badawi, 23, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Brandon Taylor, 43, from Harvey, Louisiana
  • Hubert Gauthreaux, 21, from Gretna, Louisiana
  • Matthew Tenedorio, 25, from Picayune, Mississippi
  • Nikyra Dedeaux, 18, from Gulfport, Mississippi
  • Nicole Perez, 27, from Metairie, Louisiana
  • Reggie Hunter, 37, from Prairieville, Louisiana
  • Martin Bech, 27, from New York City, New York
  • Terrence Kennedy, 63, from New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Elliot Wilkinson, 40, from Slidell, Louisiana
  • William Dimaio, 25, from Holmdel, New Jersey

The identity of one other victim is unknown, with efforts to identity the person continuing.

The preliminary cause of death for all the victims is blunt force injuries, according to the New Orleans coroner.

The FBI has also revealed that before his attack, Jabbar set fire to a house he had rented in an effort to destroy evidence.

He had placed accelerants throughout the house in his effort to destroy it, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms.

But the fire, which was started in the hallway, had extinguished itself before spreading to other rooms.

Bomb-making materials were found both at the rented accommodation in New Orleans and Jabbar’s home in Houston, Texas.

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Luke Littler, 17, becomes youngest world darts champion after beating Michael van Gerwen

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Luke Littler, 17, becomes youngest world darts champion after beating Michael van Gerwen

Teenage sensation Luke Littler has won the World Darts Championship after beating Michael van Gerwen 7-3 in the final at Alexandra Palace.

The 17-year-old surged to a 4-0 lead and never looked in danger despite his Dutch rival staging a mini revival.

He was assured all night, repeatedly knocking in double 10 and double-top to heap pressure on the three-time champion.

Littler, who lost in the final last year, was the pre-tournament favourite after winning 10 trophies this season.

“I can’t believe it! Honestly, I can’t believe it,” Littler said.

Pic: Reuters
Image:
Pic: Reuters

Pic: Reuters
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Pic: Reuters

Pic: PA
Image:
Pic: PA

“Everyone dreams of lifting this trophy but you have to get through a tough field,” Littler added.

The match appeared too close to call beforehand, with both players thrashing their semi-final opponents 6-1.

But Littler became the youngest-ever world darts champion – winning a £500,000 prize – in front of a raucous London crowd.

“Every moment he got to hurt me, he did,” said van Gerwen.

“I sometimes say every 17 years a star gets born and he’s one of them.”

“At 2-0 up, I started getting nervous,” Littler admitted. “But I said to myself, ‘relax’. To get it over and done with is special.”

He averaged 102.73 against his opponent’s 100.69, hitting 56% of his doubles versus van Gerwen’s 37%.

There were 12 180s for the English player and 13 for the Dutchman.

Pic: Reuters
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The Dutch three-time champ was outclassed. Pic: Reuters

Fans were in high spirits for the big match. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Fans were in high spirits for the big match. Pic: Reuters

The prime minister was among the first to send congratulations, calling it an “inspirational performance”.

“You should be really proud of what you’ve achieved tonight, not just for yourself but for the sport of darts as a whole,” he posted.

Littler moved to tears in rare moment of vulnerability – by Will Rider, news editor, Alexandra Palace

It was the hottest ticket in town, with the two biggest names in darts going head-to-head for the Sid Waddell Trophy.

Luke Littler, the 17-year-old fan favourite, against the three-time world champion, Michael van Gerwen.

Fans young and old packed into the arena in their thousands, eager to watch a piece of sporting history.

A raucous crowd were fully behind Littler from the off, serenading him with his now trademark Walking In A Littler Wonderland chant.

And Littler delivered with a barnstorming start to blow van Gerwen out of the water.

From then on it was a coronation, with an awestruck crowd cheering the teenage sensation on to his first world title.

Littler, seemingly shell-shocked by what he had just accomplished, was moved to tears in a rare moment of vulnerability.

Darts has a new king. And he was crowned tonight at Alexandra Palace.

Littler – who’s from Warrington in Cheshire – shot to fame during last year’s championships when his run to the final captured the public imagination.

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Best outfits at the World Darts Championship final

He first picked up a dart at 18 months old and is credited with supercharging the game’s popularity.

Luke Humphries, the 2024 winner and top of the PDC rankings, suffered a surprise defeat early in the tournament.

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UK weather: Temperatures ‘plunge to minus 8C’ as snow and ice warnings in place over weekend

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UK weather: Temperatures 'plunge to minus 8C' as snow and ice warnings in place over weekend

Temperatures are expected to plunge to minus 8C as weather warnings for snow and ice are set to remain in place over the weekend.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued cold weather health alerts for all of England ahead of a week of low temperatures.

Amber alerts were issued from 12pm on Thursday until next Wednesday, meaning a rise in deaths is likely, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions.

Temperatures of between minus 4C and 5C were expected in parts of Wales and southern England on Thursday night, plunging to minus 8C in northern England and Scotland.

Dan Stroud, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “There’ll be widespread frost across the country from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

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“It will be comfortably below where we should be for this time of year and I would expect temperatures to hit minus 8C in parts of Scotland.”

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Mr Stroud confirmed conditions should become warmer by the end of this weekend before cold weather strikes again early next week.

He said: “The second half of the weekend should be in the high singles or low doubles.

“But temperatures will dive again next week, particularly on Monday and Tuesday.

“They should start to improve towards the latter end of the week. But there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge until then.”

Snow settled on the ground in the west end of Aberdeen on 2 January. Pic: PA
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Snow settled on the ground in the west end of Aberdeen on 2 January. Pic: PA

The NHS Black Country integrated care board has warned the public to “avoid going out early when the frost is thick or late at night when it’s dark”, adding people should keep their hands free and wear shoes with a good grip.

In Herefordshire, the Wye Valley NHS Trust told people to “have sufficient food and medicine and take measures to reduce draughts in your home”.

London councils activated an emergency accommodation protocol on Thursday for people sleeping rough in freezing conditions.

The emergency measures, which see extra beds made available, have been active for three nights so far this winter.

Meanwhile, several weather warnings have been issued by the Met Office ahead of a blast of snow over the weekend.

Friday's weather warnings. Pic: Met Office
Image:
Friday’s weather warnings. Pic: Met Office

The yellow warning indicates there could be icy surfaces in northern and western Scotland, the northwest of England and Northern Ireland.

It will remain in place until 10am on Friday morning, and could make for difficult travelling conditions, the forecaster warned.

A snow and ice warning is also in place covering parts of northern Scotland until 10am on Friday.

A yellow warning for snow and ice is in place from noon on Saturday until late on Sunday night and covers all regions of England, other than the South West, Wales and parts of southern Scotland.

Weather warning for snow and ice in place on Saturday. Pic: Met Office
Image:
Weather warning for snow and ice in place on Saturday. Pic: Met Office

About 5cm of snow is expected widely across the Midlands, Wales and northern England, with as much as 20cm to 30cm over high ground in Wales and the Pennines, the Met Office said.

Strong winds could lead to snow drifts in some areas, and freezing rain as temperatures creep up could add to the risk of ice.

Weather warnings in place on Sunday. Pic: Met Office
Image:
Weather warnings in place on Sunday. Pic: Met Office

A separate warning for snow is in place for most of Scotland from midnight on Sunday until 12pm on Monday.

The cold snap comes as a major incident was declared in Greater Manchester by police on Wednesday after flooding forced homes to be evacuated and closed train lines and roads following heavy rain.

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