Man Charged With ‘Common Assault’ Of Top UK Medical Officer
July 2, 2021, 9:09 am

Man Charged With ‘Common Assault’ Of Top UK Medical Officer

Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England

AP reported that police in London said a man charged with common assault after England’s chief medical officer was harassed in a park in central London will appear in court on Friday. Medical Officer

The Metropolitan Police said Lewis Hughes, 23, was charged on Thursday evening.

An investigation was launched after Prof. Chris Whitty, one of the most high-profile scientists during the coronavirus pandemic, was accosted by two men in St. James’s Park on Sunday evening.

The incident, which was captured in video footage and shared on social media, showed Whitty struggling to get away from the pair, who appeared to be manhandling him while trying to take a selfie. Medical Officer

The incident was widely condemned, including by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson who described the pair as “thugs.”

It is not the first time Whitty has been forced to endure public harassment during the pandemic.

Whitty has had a leading role in devising lockdown restrictions and has regularly appeared alongside Johnson and the government’s chief scientific adviser, Patrick Vallance, in coronavirus-related press briefings.

While he has undoubtedly become one of the most trusted voices, he has faced the fury of lockdown skeptics.

Last month, he was confronted in a street in Oxford by a man accusing him of lying to the public about the virus, while in February a man accosted him near Parliament. Both incidents were filmed on mobile phones.

Worries about his security has led to calls for Whitty, and others, to receive police protection. Medical Officer

levant

Source: AP

Image source: AP

Indian Horticulturist Plants 121 Varieties Of Mango Branches On A Single Mango Tree As A Result Of Heatwave, Wildfires Fuelled By Lightning Strikes Engulf Western Canada

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”