British police announced on Saturday the arrest of a former soldier who escaped from a London prison earlier this week, triggering a manhunt across the country.
Police said in a tweet: “Metropolitan Police officers have arrested Daniel Khalifa. Officers arrested him before 11am today in the Chiswick area and he is currently in custody.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, currently in India to attend the G20 summit, told British media he was “very pleased with the news.”
He added: “I send my thanks to the police officers for their wonderful work over the last two days.”
The 21-year-old former soldier escaped from Wandsworth prison in south London on Wednesday morning, possibly by hanging on to the bottom of a delivery van.
His disappearance sparked a major manhunt, with additional security inspections at ports and airports amid fears he might try to flee the country. Authorities also awarded £20,000 to anyone providing information about his whereabouts.
But after being spotted in south-west London, he was arrested in Chiswick on Saturday.
He last appeared in a London court on January 28 and was remanded in custody in connection with two incidents at the nearby Royal Air Force base in Stafford, central England. from the military barracks where he resided.
Khalifa was charged with “attempting to obtain information potentially useful to a person committing or preparing a terrorist act” in August 2021.
He was also accused of being behind a bomb hoax, planting a suspicious device at an RAF base on January 2.
He was due to appear at Woolwich Crown Court, Belmarsh Prison, on November 13.
The Guardian: talks about an American state that wants to secede from the United States
The British newspaper “The Guardian” said that the wildfires that hit Hawaii last August exacerbated the state’s situation and increased its residents’ desire for independence from the United States.
The article added: “The Native Hawaiian people’s fight for sovereignty gained intensity and strength after the August wildfires scorched West Maui. Native activists emphasize that Hawaii’s independence and return as a self-sufficient island is the only way to preserve it for children and grandchildren. “.
The article states that the fires destroyed many homes and displaced more than ten thousand Hawaii residents, while the average housing value in Hawaii exceeds one million US dollars.
The newspaper quoted West Maui County Council member Tamara Baltin as saying that Hawaii lawmakers have little ability to alleviate the housing crisis that is hitting Native people hard.
“If the occupation ends, Hawaii will be able to govern itself like other countries,” added Tamara Baltin.
The wildfire broke out on August 9 on the island of Maui, in the US state of Hawaii. Due to high winds, the fire quickly spread to the tourist town of Lahaina, which burned to the ground. At least 4.5 thousand people were left without housing. There are 114 known deaths. More than a thousand people are missing.
Moscow: Russia sends 20 tonnes of humanitarian aid to flood victims in Burma
The Russian Foreign Ministry reported in a statement on Saturday that Russia had sent more than 20 tons of humanitarian aid to Myanmar to help residents affected by the floods.
The ministry said in its statement: “In accordance with the instructions of the Russian government, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, provided humanitarian assistance to residents of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar who suffered from the crisis. consequences of the tropical cyclone and recent floods. On September 9, a Russian Il-76 aircraft transported more than 20 tons of cargo to Yangon, including food, daily necessities and tents, as well as equipment for rescue and restoration operations.
The ministry said the payment aims to help normalize the humanitarian situation and eliminate the consequences of the natural disaster in Myanmar.
