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Recap - A34 traffic updates today as crash near Oxford leaves dual carriageway closed

A car and a lorry were involved and a diversion was in place

• Updated 22:52, 8 AUG 2022

The A34 dual carriageway was closed following a crash today, Monday, August 8. The northbound carriageway was shut just north of Oxford between Botley Interchange and Peartree Roundabout.

A car and a lorry were reported to be involved and a traffic diversion was in place. The crash was first reported at around 12.50pm.

A National Highways spokesperson said: " The A34 in Oxfordshire is closed northbound between the A420 (Botley Interchange, near Oxford ) and the A44 (Peartree Roundabout) due to a collision involving a car and a lorry. Emergency services including Thames Valley Police are in attendance. National Highways Traffic Officers will also be providing assistance with traffic management on scene."

Read More: Two weeks of roadworks begin on busy Oxfordshire road

Lorry left A34 in crash near Oxford that left road shut to traffic for several hours

Inrix, the traffic data company, said: "A34 Northbound closed, queueing traffic due to accident, a car and a lorry involved from A420 (Botley Interchange, Botley) to A44 Woodstock Road (Wolvercote). Traffic is also slowing southbound due to onlookers. The lorry has reportedly gone into a ditch."

OxfordshireLive brought updates as they become available in our dedicated feed below.

Do you want the latest traffic news from across Oxfordshire as it comes in? Our traffic and travel Facebook group has the latest information for anyone on the road across the county every day. You can join here for the latest updates on incidents, collision and roadworks on the M40, A34 and other key roads across the county. You can also sign up for our free email newsletter here for the latest updates on what is going on across Oxfordshire.

• Diversion route 13:14
• Emergency services at scene 22:51
• Traffic cleared - Inrix 17:45
• All lanes have reopened 17:08
• A34 northbound closed again 16:05

Diversion route

Diverted traffic is advised to follow the solid diamond diversion symbol:.

• Exit the A34 northbound at Hinksey Hill Interchange (A423)
• Turn right and join the A423 (Oxford Southern Bypass
• Continue over the Kennington Roundabout and then turn left at the Heyford Hill roundabout, turn left onto the A4142 Eastern Bypass road
• Continue on the A4142 until the A40 Headington Roundabout
• Use the 2nd exit and join the A40 Northern Bypass road
• Continue until the A44 roundabout
• Use the 4th exit and join the A44
• Follow until the A34 Peartree Interchange
• Use the 3rd exit at the roundabout to re-join the A34 northbound

Emergency services at scene

Firefighters have released a number of images from the scene.

Traffic cleared - Inrix

Traffic returned to normal, accident cleared on A34 Northbound from A420 (Botley Interchange, Botley) to A44 Woodstock Road (Wolvercote). The lorry had gone into a ditch.

All lanes have reopened

Inrix is reporting that there are still queues:

Queueing traffic due to earlier accident, a car and a lorry involved on A34 Northbound from A420 (Botley Interchange, Botley) to A44 Woodstock Road (Wolvercote). All lanes have been re-opened.

Stagecoach announce delays

Stagecoach West has warned customers that all of its S6 services are delayed due to the A34 closure.

#Swindon . We are experiencing long delays on all of our S6 services due to the A34 being shut near oxford. We apologise for any delays to your journeys. — Stagecoach West (@Stagecoach_West) August 8, 2022

Severe delays on A34 and A420

Drivers are urged to follow the diversion route as there are now "severe" delays on the A34 and A420. Drivers should follow the solid diamond diversion symbol.

Four miles of congestion

National Highways say there are now delays of 30 minutes on the A34. There is around four miles of congestion.

A34 northbound closed again

The road has now been closed again after a temporary lifting of closures to alleviate traffic. The road is expected to reopen at 6pm.

Closure 'temporarily lifted'

The A34 closure has temporarily been lifted to alleviate traffic, according to TVP Roads Policing. A full closure will be put in place which is expected to last until 6pm.

They said: "A34 closure has temporarily been lifted to alleviate traffic. Full closure will shortly be put on to allow recovery work. Expected to be closed till approximately 1800 hours."

Delays on A420

The A34 closure is resulting in heavier than usual traffic on the A420 Botley Road. Travel news agency Inrix says: "Traffic heavier than normal on A420 Botley Road between the A34 and the centre of Oxford. Travel time is 15 minutes."

Closures 'will be lifted shortly'

In an update, TVP Roads Policing team said the A34 northbound closure "will be lifted shortly". They also provided an update on the collision, saying there were "minor injuries" sustained in the crash.

Wytham Village service stopped

The ST2 service that serves Wytham Village has been stopped due to the A34 closure. Thames Travel tweeted: "Due to the A34 being closed at Botley Interchange our ST2 will be unable to serve Wytham Village.

"We are unaware of how long this closure will be in place but we hope to resume normal service again soon. Sorry for any inconvenience caused during this time."

Hospital service disrupted

In a statement, Thames Travel said the 2.05pm ST2 service between the JR hospital and Oxford City Centre will not be operating.

"Due to the A34 congestion we are anticipating a severe delay of at least 30mins to the 13:00 ST2 from Wytham terminating at Broad Street. 14:05 ST2 will not operate between JR Hospital and Oxford City Centre. Customers are advised to allow extra time for their journey."

Traffic heavier than usual on surrounding routes

Traffic is heavier than usual on surrounding roads as drivers attempt to avoid the closure.

Bus companies expecting delays

Delays of around 30 minutes are expected on some bus routes

Lorry reportedly in ditch

The lorry is now reported to have ended up in a ditch.

Emergency services are at the scene and people are being urged to find alternative routes.

Latest from Inrix

Inrix, the traffic data company, said:

A34 Northbound closed, queueing traffic due to accident, a car and a lorry involved from A420 (Botley Interchange, Botley) to A44 Woodstock Road ( Wolvercote ). Traffic is also queuing southbound."

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Prepare to feel smug — this is the world’s cleverest city

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What makes a city clever? Is it the number of museums , the books people read on the underground, or their formal educational attainments ? And does it really matter?

New data has ranked the world’s cleverest cities , and Londoners, prepare to feel smug: our city is the smartest in the world.

It’s no secret that London is home to an array of hotpots that are relatively good indicators of human capital, from museums to universities.

In fact, the Big Smoke houses around 40 educational institutions in and around London, including the prestigious London School of Economics and Imperial College London, as well as more than 200 museums and 800 art galleries.

The data was produced by Oxford Economics , assessing global cities and their economic index and ranking on economics, human capital (AKA, cleverness), quality of life, environment and governance.

Meanwhile, Tokyo came in second place (92.3) and Riyadh third (91.4). But surprisingly, one US hotspot is further down the list than you might expect.

With a population of 6.4 million, Washington DC might be the political capital of the United States, but it only ranks as the seventh cleverest city in the world. However, there are two other US cities in the top 10, with New York City coming in fourth and Boston at number 10.

Bordering Maryland and Virginia, Washington DC is famous for the three iconic political buildings that house the federal government ’s branches: the Capitol, White House and Supreme Court.

It’s also home to the largest library in the world, as well as an impressive number of universities (17!), including George Washington, Georgetown and Howard – all factors which contribute to its human capital scoring, which takes into consideration educational attainment, universities, corporate headquarters, population growth, age profile and percentage of foreign-born population.

Likewise, when it comes to employment, there are a high number of well-paid government roles boosting levels of income per person, as well as numerous foreign diplomats that are stationed in the capital, all of which boost both the city’s educational attainment level, income and GDP, which per person works out at $110,300 or an overall figure of $706 billion.

Elsewhere, the research concluded that New York is the best city in the world purely based on ‘important economic contributions to the global economy,’ as well as being a ‘hub for education and business innovation, invest[ing] in the infrastructure necessary to maintain a high quality of life.’

On that front, our beloved London came in second place. And though it scored as 7 th in the world in terms of economics, it ranked 292 nd for quality of life, 197 th for environment and 72 nd for governance. Eek.

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So, the next time you’re on the tube, have a look around to see what everyone’s reading, because we’re the cleverest city in the world (at least, for now). Go forth and prosper, bookworms.

The cleverest cities in the world, according to Oxford Economics

• London, United Kingdom: 100.0
• Tokyo, Japan: 92.3
• Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: 91.4
• New York, United States: 89.4
• Seoul, South Korea: 86.7
• Paris, France: 85.9
• Washington DC, United States: 83.8
• Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: 83.4
• Sydney, Australia: 81.3
• Boston, United States: 81.2.

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Israel-Gaza latest: Hamas responds to ceasefire proposal - as Netanyahu casts doubt on deal

Joe Biden announced a surprise plan with three phases: the first would be a six-week ceasefire, the second the return of remaining hostages, and the third a reconstruction plan for Gaza. We'll be bringing you all the reaction to this throughout the day.

Sunday 2 June 2024 07:16, UK

• Israel-Hamas war

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• US President Joe Biden announces new ceasefire and hostage deal proposal
• Hamas views latest proposed deal 'positively'
• Israel's conditions for ending the war have not changed, Netanyahu's office says
• Chances of ceasefire 'not that realistic', expert says  
• Egypt making 'intensive efforts' to resume negotiations - report
• Israeli opposition leader urges Netanyahu to take deal - and says he will prop up government
• Explained: What is in Biden's three-phase plan?
• Analysis: Israel seemed blindsided by Biden announcement
• Live reporting by Emily Mee

We will be focusing on our general election coverage tomorrow, but we'll be back with more live updates on the Israel-Hamas war next week. 

Models Bella and Gigi Hadid are collectively donating one million dollars (£785,000) to support relief efforts, according to their agent. 

The money will go to Heal Palestine, Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF), World Central Kitchen (WCK), and United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

The sisters have frequently been vocal in their support for Gaza, and their father Mohamed Anwar Hadid is himself Palestinian. 

After Hamas's 7 October attack on Israel, Gigi, 29, offered her condolences to those affected.

"My thoughts are with all those affected by this unjustifiable tragedy, and every day that innocent lives are taken by this conflict - too many of which are children," she wrote on Instagram.

"I have deep empathy and heartbreak for the Palestinian struggle and life under occupation, it's a responsibility I hold daily."

She added: "While I have hopes and dreams for Palestinians, none of them include the harm of a Jewish person."

Bella, 27, said in May that she was "devastated at the loss of the Palestinian people and the lack of empathy coming from the government systems worldwide".

The United Nations food agency has said it is unable to feed most civilians in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. 

Only 27,000 people in Rafah are currently being reached by the World Food Programme (WFP), according to its local director Matthew Hollingworth. 

Roughly one million Palestinians are living in the area, many of them displaced from other parts of Gaza. 

"The sounds, the smells, the everyday life are horrific and apocalyptic," Mr Hollingworth told journalists. 

"People sleep to the sounds of bombing, they sleep to the sounds of drones, they sleep to the sounds of war, as now tanks roll into parts of central Rafah, which is only kilometers away. And they wake to the same sounds." 

A ceasefire proposal consisting of three phases has been outlined by Joe Biden. 

What do those phases entail, what have Israel and Hamas said about the plan and how does it compare to the last proposal?

Read more below...

The French president has backed the ceasefire proposal set out by Joe Biden last night. 

Emmanuel Macron said he supported the proposal for "a durable peace" and that the war "must end". 

France is also working with partners in the region on "peace and security for all", he said. 

A high-level official has said Egypt is undertaking "intensive efforts" to "resume negotiations" for a ceasefire and hostage deal, according to a report. 

The official, quoted by Al-Qahera TV, said this was "in light of the recent American proposition". 

Last night, Joe Biden detailed a ceasefire and hostage deal proposal that he said Israel had put to Hamas. 

However, Israeli officials have told our correspondents they were "blindsided" by the announcement. 

If it works, then this will be a smart and cunning diplomatic move.

If it doesn't then President Joe Biden will look foolish.

He knows the huge risk of once again being taken for a ride by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Few knew that he was due to make this announcement.

Read more from our US correspondent Mark Stone below...

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has said 33 of its employees have been killed in Gaza since the war began. 

Of those, it said 19 were killed "while performing their humanitarian duties". 

The organisation today buried Mohammed Jihad Abed, an employee in the disaster risk management department. 

He was killed in an Israeli attack on his home in Rafah last night. 

American, Egyptian and Israeli officials will be meeting tomorrow in Cairo to discuss the reopening of Gaza's Rafah crossing, according to a report. 

Egypt is insisting that Israel withdraw its forces from the crossing, a high-level source told Egypt's state-linked Al Qahera TV. 

Israel seized the Gaza side of the crossing last month during its offensive in the city of Rafah. 

Earlier this week, a member of Egypt's security forces was killed in a shooting incident near the Rafah crossing.

An Egyptian soldier stationed on a watchtower had reacted to seeing an armoured vehicle carrying Israeli troops cross a boundary line near the border while the soldiers pursued and killed several Palestinians, two Egyptian security sources told Reuters news agency. 

The soldier opened fire and Israeli forces fired back, killing him, the sources said, sparking an exchange of gunfire between the two sides. 

The British prime minister has praised the proposed ceasefire deal set out by Joe Biden, saying it is "welcome news". 

Rishi Sunak said he hopes Hamas "takes this opportunity to take this deal that is on the table, [and] that would ensure hostages can be released and be back with their families". 

He also expressed hopes to "flood Gaza with far more aid than has been getting in" and to "use that pause in the fighting to build a sustainable and lasting peace". 

Mr Sunak joins a growing group of world leaders expressing support for the deal, which will only put more pressure on Israel and Hamas. 

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Miami travel agency owner arrested amid claims of stealing thousands from vacationers

by Lauren Henry, KTUL Staff

MIAMI, Okla. — Miami Oklahoma Police said there have been hundreds of reports that Wiford Tour and Travel allegedly took thousands of dollars from vacationers, causing some to miss out on trips they had been planning for months.

Diahann Wiford was taken into custody at the Ottawa County Jail and faces a charge for passing bad checks.

However, police said she is also being investigated for allegedly stealing money through the travel agency Wiford Tour and Travel, a company that police believe she co-owns.

“We started taking reports Friday and we put a thing on Facebook that says hey if you’ve been a victim, please contact us and currently we’re a little over 500 nearing up to 600 people that have reported being victims of this alleged scam," said Thomas Anderson, Chief of the Miami Police Department.

• SEE ALSO: New lawsuit claims rampant abuse and oversight failures at Tulsa juvenile center

Customers reported they purchased vacations through the agency but never received their tickets.

Earlier this month, Discover Branson posted about the closing of the Wiford Tour and Travel agency, listing other names they were believed to be operating under.

In the post, they said, "We have not collected any money from their clients and have not been paid for many tickets purchased this week. The only company that has collected consumer money is Wiford Travel."

“I know there’s hundreds of thousands of dollars and there’s victims all over the region. We’ve been in touch with the Attorney General’s office, I believe they’re going to assume this investigation just because of the magnitude and it’s more in their wheelhouse for that," Anderson said.

Miami police ask that anyone with allegations regarding Wiford Tour and Travel fill out an online complaint form through the Attorney General Office's Consumer Protection Unit.

NewsChannel 8 spoke with Jarrett Hardwick, a Travel Advisor with Royal Treatment Travel, who shared tips for vacationers seeking a trusted travel agent or agency.

“People just need to be careful and be mindful of who they’re talking with. I highly advise if you know someone who’s in a travel agency, talk with them, and if you know them personally book with them and you can alleviate some of that concern. But again, just do your research before you book with anyone especially before you give out sensitive information," said Hardwick.

The investigation is still ongoing, and no charges have been pressed.

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