LONDON: A British music teacher is walking the entire length of the London Underground route to raise money for victims of the Beirut explosion.
Harry Sargeant, 24, was horrified to see footage of the massive blast and decided to raise funds for the people of Beirut, the Evening Standard reported on Saturday.
The massive explosion at the Port of Beirut killed 181 people, wounded thousands and left hundreds of thousands homeless.
A new two-week lockdown in Lebanon that started on Friday morning to stem a string of record daily infection rates is adding further strain to the country’s ravaged economy.
“It was really shocking to see all the people who were injured, those whose homes were destroyed and now have nowhere to live,” Sargeant told the Evening Standard. “After seeing what happened I knew I wanted to do something to help.”
Funds raised by his walk will be donated to the British Red Cross, which is working with the Lebanese Red Cross to respond to the crisis.
Sargeant, who lives in southwest London, has been taking a selfie at each underground station he passes on his walks to prove that he has completed the full route, the newspaper reported.
It took the music teacher five and a half hours to complete walking the routes of the Circle and Victoria lines in the unusually hot weather experienced by London this month.
The UK witnessed its longest stretch of temperatures exceeding 34C this month since records began in the 1960s.
“Heat is definitely a challenge and navigating the routes. I’ve had some really nice people help me when I got lost,” said Sargeant, who will livestream his final walk, which will be the Waterloo & City line.
“Everyone has been very kind and it’s been wonderful to see friends of friends share the fundraiser.”
British music teacher to walk London Underground route to raise money for Beirut
https://arab.news/cnc6x
British music teacher to walk London Underground route to raise money for Beirut
- Sargeant has been taking a selfie at each underground station he passes on his walks
- Funds raised by his walk will be donated to the British Red Cross, which is working with the Lebanese Red Cross to respond to the crisis
Venezuelan activist Javier Tarazona released from prison as US diplomat assumes post
- Human rights activist Javier Tarazona was arrested in July 2021
- He was released shortly after the arrival in Caracas of US charge d’affaires
CARACAS: Venezuelan human rights activist Javier Tarazona, an ally of opposition leader María Corina Machado, was released from prison after the government promised to free political prisoners in an amnesty bill, rights organizations and family members said Sunday.
Tarazona, the director of the Venezuelan nonprofit human rights group FundaRedes, was arrested in July 2021, after reporting to authorities that he had been harassed by national intelligence officials. Two other activists of the group were also detained at the time.
Venezuela’s Foro Penal, a rights group that monitors the situations of political prisoners in the country, said Sunday that 317 people jailed for political reasons had been released as of noon local time Sunday, and 700 others were still waiting to be freed.
“After 1675 days, four years and seven months, this wishful day has arrived. My brother Javier Tarazona is free,” José Rafael Tarazona Sánchez wrote on X. “Freedom for one is hope for all.”
Tarazona was released shortly after the arrival in Caracas of US Charge d’Affaires Laura Dogu, who will reopen the American diplomatic mission after seven years of severed ties. It comes after US President Donald Trump ordered a military action that removed the South American country’s former President Nicolás Maduro from office and brought him to trial in the US
Dogu, who was previously ambassador in Nicaragua and Honduras, arrived in Venezuela one day after the country’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, announced an amnesty bill to release political prisoners. That move was one of the key demands of the Venezuelan opposition.
Venezuela’s government had accused Tarazona of terrorism, betraying the nation and hate speech, all frequent accusations it makes against real or potential opposition members. Tarazona was vocal against illegal armed groups on the country’s border with Colombia and their alleged connection to high-ranked members of the Maduro administration.
Amnesty International reported that Tarazona’s health has deteriorated due to lack of medical attention during his time in prison.
“All of Venezuela admires you and respects your bravery and your commitment,” Machado said on X. “You, better than anyone, know that there will be justice in Venezuela. Freedom for all political prisoners.”
Venezuela’s government denies it jails members of the opposition and accuses them of conspiring to bring it down.
