27, August 2016
UK: Pedestrian bridge collapsed on M20 in Kent 0
A motorcyclist has been taken to hospital with suspected broken ribs after a pedestrian bridge collapsed on the M20 in Kent. It happened between junctions 3 and 4, on the London-bound carriageway northwest of Maidstone. The M20 is the main route to the Port of Dover and the Channel Tunnel. The stretch of road where the accident happened was initially expected to be closed until around midday on Sunday but this was later changed to closure of an “extended duration”.
Video footage shows the top of a lorry’s trailer sheared off, and debris littering the carriageway. Aerial pictures filmed by Sky News show one half of the bridge has completely collapsed. The exact cause has not been confirmed, but Highways England said it had fallen after being struck by a vehicle. Some witnesses suggested the bridge had crumbled to the ground after being hit by a large vehicle being carried on the back of a lorry.
Kalpana Fitzpatrick, who had been driving on the motorway, told Sky News: “What we can see is two trucks squashed by this bridge and emergency services are at the scene. “There are quite a lot of people just walking around the motorway not knowing what is going on. “The side I’m on, the bridge is still hanging, and obviously the traffic has been stopped. It’s quite shocking.”
Another witness, Andy Sunnucks, 24, said: “It looked like a lorry had jackknifed, and I could see half the bridge was missing. “The back end of the lorry was in pieces. “The motorcyclist was laying down underneath his bike.” The injured motorcyclist, who is in their 50s, was taken to hospital in Tunbridge Wells, South East Coast Ambulance Service said.
Kent Police said in a statement: “It is believed a lorry collided with a pedestrian bridge which has collapsed onto the carriageway below. “No people are believed to be trapped in the debris, however one person is believed to have suffered injuries, not reported to be life-threatening at this time.
“Police are treating this as a major incident and the M20 has been closed in both directions to allow this incident to be dealt with. Traffic will be heavier than usual.” Local media reported queues of about 4.5 miles on the London-bound M20, with the A20 also badly-affected as drivers tried to find other routes.
At the scene, Sky News reporter Richard Suchet said: “The traffic chaos, the knock-on effect for traffic, is huge. “It is choc-a-block on all the artery roads around here. “But, considering how busy the roads are this weekend, it’s a miracle that no more than one person was injured.”
SkyNews




















28, August 2016
Donald Trump comes under attack after he exploited the shooting of an African-American woman 0
US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has sparked a firestorm on social media after he exploited the shooting death of an African-American woman in Chicago.
Nykea Aldridge, the cousin of Dwyane Wade, a star player on the NBA’s Chicago Bulls, was caught in the crossfire and shot in the head and arm while pushing a baby stroller on Friday afternoon.
“My cousin was killed today in Chicago. Another act of senseless gun violence. 4 kids lost their mom for NO REASON. Unreal. #EnoughIsEnough,” Wade tweeted after the event. Instead of offering condolences, Trump took to Twitter on Saturday morning, looking ahead to Election Day.
The message stunned many on social media. “There’s nothing more horrifying than a presidential candidate patting himself on the back after someone is killed,” someone posted on Twitter. “I’m sure you are all Dwayne Wade’s family can even think about right now!!” read another post. “You’re a national disgrace. My god, man,” another user said.
Trump had initially misspelled Wade’s first name and later posted another tweet, correcting the spelling but leaving the rest of the message intact. Several hours after the initial tweet, however, the GOP nominee offered his condolences to Wade and his family.
The White House hopeful has been making appeals to black voters in recent weeks, trying to make the case why they should vote for him in November.
“You’re living in your poverty, your schools are no good, you have no jobs, 58 percent of your youth is unemployed,” he said at a rally in Michigan last week.
Trump’s characterization of African-American communities in that speech was widely criticized as offensive. Recent polls show as little as one or two percent of African Americans support the bombastic candidate.
Presstv