Six people have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and violent disorder after a teenage asylum seeker was beaten up and left unconscious.
The four men and two women, all aged between 20 and 24, were arrested on Saturday evening at several addresses in Croydon, southeast London, and taken into custody at a police station.
Detectives are continuing to appeal for information and witnesses to the attack, which is being treated as a suspected hate crime.
The 17-year-old asylum seeker, a Kurdish Iranian, was waiting at a bus stop with two friends at about 11.40pm on Friday when they were approached by a group of eight people.
After discovering he was an asylum seeker, they chased him and launched a "savage" attack including "repeated blows to the head", police said.
The teenager remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition with a fractured skull, a blood clot on his brain and facial injuries.
His two friends escaped with minor injuries.
DS Kris Blamires, from Croydon CID, said: "A number of people came to the aid of the victim as he lay unconscious and injured following the assault.
"The suspects are believed to have made off in the direction of the Goat Pub, Broom Road following the attack.
"I would encourage all those who came to his aid and those in the immediate area who witnessed the attack or saw the males leave the scene to get in touch.
"All communities stand together against hate and we would ask anyone with any information to come forward immediately."
The local community has been left shocked by the ferocity of the attack, and extra officers have been out and about to try to reassure people.
Tory minister Gavin Barwell, Croydon Central's MP, described the attackers as "scum".
"I think most people in Croydon will be as appalled as I am that what appears to have happened is a young man who came to this country seeking sanctuary has apparently been targeted because of his ethnic background," he said.
"It's an appalling crime and I hope the people responsible are caught quickly and receive the full force of British justice."
He said Croydon generally had "very good relations between people of different backgrounds".
"This is completely out of character but that is no comfort to the individual who is fighting for his life now," he added.
Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott suggested the Conservatives had failed to get to grips with hate crime.
She said: "Sadly this is not an isolated incident but part of a sustained increase in hate crimes that this Tory Government is yet to offer any effective response to.
"With right-wing politicians across the world scapegoating migrants, refugees and others for their economic problems, we are seeing a deeply worrying rise in the politics of hate.
"We must make clear that there is no place for anti-foreigner myths, racism and hate in our society."
:: Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Saturday, April 1, 2017
Fiery protests in Paraguay after controversial Congress vote
Violent protests have erupted in Paraguay after lawmakers secretly voted in favour of a constitutional amendment allowing the country's president to seek re-election.
Demonstrators stormed Congress and set fire to the building - and footage showed protesters smashing windows, burning tyres and clashing with police.
Riot officers used water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets to try and bring the unruly crowds under control.
Several politicians and journalists - as well as many police officers - have reportedly been injured in the unrest, with President Horacio Cartes calling for calm in a statement released on Twitter.
"Democracy is not conquered or defended with violence and you can be sure this government will continue to put its best effort into maintaining order in the republic," he wrote.
The landlocked South American country prohibits re-election, a measure introduced after a brutal dictatorship fell in 1989.
Opponents said allowing presidents to seek more than one five-year term would weaken Paraguay's democratic institutions, and described the vote as illegal.
The controversial proposal now goes from the Senate to the House, where it appears to have strong support from lawmakers.
Mr Cartes, a soft drink and tobacco mogul, was elected in 2013 and is due to leave office next year - but some of his backers want him to run again.
An opposition party has filed an appeal to the Supreme Court to try and get the congressional vote overturned.
Senator Desiree Masi, from the rival Progressive Democratic Party, said: "A coup has been carried out. We will resist and we invite the people to resist with us."
Demonstrators stormed Congress and set fire to the building - and footage showed protesters smashing windows, burning tyres and clashing with police.
Riot officers used water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets to try and bring the unruly crowds under control.
Several politicians and journalists - as well as many police officers - have reportedly been injured in the unrest, with President Horacio Cartes calling for calm in a statement released on Twitter.
"Democracy is not conquered or defended with violence and you can be sure this government will continue to put its best effort into maintaining order in the republic," he wrote.
The landlocked South American country prohibits re-election, a measure introduced after a brutal dictatorship fell in 1989.
Opponents said allowing presidents to seek more than one five-year term would weaken Paraguay's democratic institutions, and described the vote as illegal.
The controversial proposal now goes from the Senate to the House, where it appears to have strong support from lawmakers.
Mr Cartes, a soft drink and tobacco mogul, was elected in 2013 and is due to leave office next year - but some of his backers want him to run again.
An opposition party has filed an appeal to the Supreme Court to try and get the congressional vote overturned.
Senator Desiree Masi, from the rival Progressive Democratic Party, said: "A coup has been carried out. We will resist and we invite the people to resist with us."
'Barbaric' burglars flew to Dubai after torturing victims
A husband and wife were tied up by burglars who poured boiling water over their heads and threatened to chop off his ears and her fingers, a court has heard.
The "barbaric" criminals also said they were going to "dig her eyes out" and "get" their grandchildren, according to prosecutors.
Kacey Adams, 34, and Daniel Wallace, 33, made off with around £50,000 in the raid on a bungalow in Halstead, Kent in April 2016.
They were arrested as they flew back from Dubai the following month and their luggage was found to contain more than £18,000 of luxury goods.
Before the attack, victim Janis Buswell was knitting clothes for her expected great-grandchild and husband John was watching a boxing match on TV.
Adams and Wallace tied them up and tortured them for two hours, demanding to know the codes for their safes, Chelmsford Crown Court was told.
They tipped a kettle of boiling water over Mrs Buswell's head, which made her husband so angry he broke free from his cable ties, the court heard.
The men, wearing all black, threatened him with a knife, and he took them to a bathroom safe containing £3,000-£5,000.
Adams, who wore a mask, and Wallace, who had a hoodie drawn tight around his face, then tipped a second kettle of boiling water over Mrs Buswell, 64, and said they knew there was more money.
"She was screaming in terrible pain," said prosecutor Tracy Ayling QC
Mr Buswell, 66, took the men to a second safe, hidden under the floor, which contained around £40,000.
Their ordeal continued as the men tipped boiling water over his head, threatened to chop off his wife's fingers with a knife and his ears with scissors.
The men also told Mr Buswell they were going to "dig his wife's eye out then they would see where the fifties were", said Ms Ayling.
"They said they knew he changed £50 notes in the local pub," she said. "They said they knew where members of the family lived and said 'we're going to get your grandchildren'."
After the men fled with cash and jewellery, Mr Buswell was able to untie himself and raise the alarm.
His wife suffered burns to a fifth of her body, was placed in an induced coma and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. She said the criminals' behaviour was "barbaric".
Adams and Wallace have both admitted aggravated burglary and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
The two men smirked and chatted to each other throughout the sentencing hearing in Chelmsford and are set to hear their punishment on Monday.
A third burglar has never been caught, while a fourth man Drew Morris, 27, admitted to being the getaway driver but said he did not enter the house or know what was going to happen.
The "barbaric" criminals also said they were going to "dig her eyes out" and "get" their grandchildren, according to prosecutors.
Kacey Adams, 34, and Daniel Wallace, 33, made off with around £50,000 in the raid on a bungalow in Halstead, Kent in April 2016.
They were arrested as they flew back from Dubai the following month and their luggage was found to contain more than £18,000 of luxury goods.
Before the attack, victim Janis Buswell was knitting clothes for her expected great-grandchild and husband John was watching a boxing match on TV.
Adams and Wallace tied them up and tortured them for two hours, demanding to know the codes for their safes, Chelmsford Crown Court was told.
They tipped a kettle of boiling water over Mrs Buswell's head, which made her husband so angry he broke free from his cable ties, the court heard.
The men, wearing all black, threatened him with a knife, and he took them to a bathroom safe containing £3,000-£5,000.
Adams, who wore a mask, and Wallace, who had a hoodie drawn tight around his face, then tipped a second kettle of boiling water over Mrs Buswell, 64, and said they knew there was more money.
"She was screaming in terrible pain," said prosecutor Tracy Ayling QC
Mr Buswell, 66, took the men to a second safe, hidden under the floor, which contained around £40,000.
Their ordeal continued as the men tipped boiling water over his head, threatened to chop off his wife's fingers with a knife and his ears with scissors.
The men also told Mr Buswell they were going to "dig his wife's eye out then they would see where the fifties were", said Ms Ayling.
"They said they knew he changed £50 notes in the local pub," she said. "They said they knew where members of the family lived and said 'we're going to get your grandchildren'."
After the men fled with cash and jewellery, Mr Buswell was able to untie himself and raise the alarm.
His wife suffered burns to a fifth of her body, was placed in an induced coma and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. She said the criminals' behaviour was "barbaric".
Adams and Wallace have both admitted aggravated burglary and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
The two men smirked and chatted to each other throughout the sentencing hearing in Chelmsford and are set to hear their punishment on Monday.
A third burglar has never been caught, while a fourth man Drew Morris, 27, admitted to being the getaway driver but said he did not enter the house or know what was going to happen.
Donald Trump walks out of ceremony without signing executive orders
Donald Trump walked out of a televised executive order signing ceremony without approving the directives after being asked about a sacked aide.
The US President was speaking at a podium in the Oval Office, with a folder containing the official documents executive orders and a pen laid on the desk for his signature.
But when a reporter tackled him about his former national security advisor Michael Flynn, Mr Trump abruptly walked out, leaving his Vice President Mike Pence to collect the folder.
The White House said he later signed the two orders, which focused on reducing the trade deficit, out of view of cameras.
The first one gave the Commerce Department 90 days to compile a report on the factors behind the trade deficit, while the second aims to increase collection of duties on imports.
Mr Flynn has offered to testify on the Russian involvement in the US presidential election campaign in exchange for immunity from prosecution.
The US President was speaking at a podium in the Oval Office, with a folder containing the official documents executive orders and a pen laid on the desk for his signature.
But when a reporter tackled him about his former national security advisor Michael Flynn, Mr Trump abruptly walked out, leaving his Vice President Mike Pence to collect the folder.
The White House said he later signed the two orders, which focused on reducing the trade deficit, out of view of cameras.
The first one gave the Commerce Department 90 days to compile a report on the factors behind the trade deficit, while the second aims to increase collection of duties on imports.
Mr Flynn has offered to testify on the Russian involvement in the US presidential election campaign in exchange for immunity from prosecution.
Half UK rail journeys will be on foreign-owned services after franchise begins
The Government is facing fresh criticism over Britain's rail network after it was found that half of all passenger journeys will soon be on services owned by foreign countries.
The Press Association's analysis of industry data comes after the announcement earlier this week that Hong Kong company MTR will help run the South West Trains franchise for the next seven years from August.
It follows the recent awarding of the c2c franchise, which runs from the City of London to Essex, to Italian state operator Trenitalia.
The equivalent of 863 million such trips were made last year, which was 50% of total journeys, the figures show.
The breakdown of the annual journeys made on Britain's railways on services owned by foreign countries are:
:: Germany 391 million
:: Netherlands 197 million
:: France 143 million
:: Hong Kong 86 million
:: Italy 46 million
Labour's shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald called for the railways to be renationalised as he claimed it is "ludicrous" that foreign government-owned firms are invited to run UK services "in their own interests" but the British state "is banned from doing so".
He said: "With promised upgrades delayed or cancelled, punctuality at its worst for a decade and fares up 27% since 2010, it's becoming increasingly difficult for the Tories to justify allowing private and foreign state-owned companies to take money out of the system, which should be used to improve services or hold fares down.
"When in public hands, the East Coast Mainline returned over £1bn to the Treasury, kept fares down, had record passenger satisfaction and had excellent industrial relations. We should be building on that success."
Mick Cash, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said privatisation has failed passengers and left foreign state train operators "laughing all the way to the bank".
He added: "The case for public ownership of UK rail to end this racket is now overwhelming."
The number of journeys being made on Britain's railways has more than doubled over the past two decades, from 846 million in 1997/8 to 1.72 billion in 2015/16.
Recent analysis by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), representing train companies and Network Rail, found that 6,400 more train services will be running each week by 2021 due to the ongoing £50bn investment in the network.
RDG chief executive Paul Plummer said: "Passengers and taxpayers have benefited from franchising, where rail companies from around the world bring new ideas and innovation to Britain's railway, and railways across the world still want to learn from our successes.
"Rail companies have worked together to transform Britain's railway, doubling the number of passengers and creating one of the world's safest railways.
"Under franchising, the railway has gone from costing taxpayers £2bn a year in terms of day-to-day costs to contributing £200m, money which helps to fund major rail upgrades."
A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: "Rail franchises are awarded through fair and open competition to the bidder offering the best deal for passengers and the taxpayer. We look for expertise and knowledge to build a better railway."
The Government is delivering the biggest rail modernisation programme for over a century which will improve journeys by providing "more seats, more of the services people want and modern stations," she added.
The Press Association's analysis of industry data comes after the announcement earlier this week that Hong Kong company MTR will help run the South West Trains franchise for the next seven years from August.
It follows the recent awarding of the c2c franchise, which runs from the City of London to Essex, to Italian state operator Trenitalia.
The equivalent of 863 million such trips were made last year, which was 50% of total journeys, the figures show.
The breakdown of the annual journeys made on Britain's railways on services owned by foreign countries are:
:: Germany 391 million
:: Netherlands 197 million
:: France 143 million
:: Hong Kong 86 million
:: Italy 46 million
Labour's shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald called for the railways to be renationalised as he claimed it is "ludicrous" that foreign government-owned firms are invited to run UK services "in their own interests" but the British state "is banned from doing so".
He said: "With promised upgrades delayed or cancelled, punctuality at its worst for a decade and fares up 27% since 2010, it's becoming increasingly difficult for the Tories to justify allowing private and foreign state-owned companies to take money out of the system, which should be used to improve services or hold fares down.
"When in public hands, the East Coast Mainline returned over £1bn to the Treasury, kept fares down, had record passenger satisfaction and had excellent industrial relations. We should be building on that success."
Mick Cash, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said privatisation has failed passengers and left foreign state train operators "laughing all the way to the bank".
He added: "The case for public ownership of UK rail to end this racket is now overwhelming."
The number of journeys being made on Britain's railways has more than doubled over the past two decades, from 846 million in 1997/8 to 1.72 billion in 2015/16.
Recent analysis by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), representing train companies and Network Rail, found that 6,400 more train services will be running each week by 2021 due to the ongoing £50bn investment in the network.
RDG chief executive Paul Plummer said: "Passengers and taxpayers have benefited from franchising, where rail companies from around the world bring new ideas and innovation to Britain's railway, and railways across the world still want to learn from our successes.
"Rail companies have worked together to transform Britain's railway, doubling the number of passengers and creating one of the world's safest railways.
"Under franchising, the railway has gone from costing taxpayers £2bn a year in terms of day-to-day costs to contributing £200m, money which helps to fund major rail upgrades."
A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: "Rail franchises are awarded through fair and open competition to the bidder offering the best deal for passengers and the taxpayer. We look for expertise and knowledge to build a better railway."
The Government is delivering the biggest rail modernisation programme for over a century which will improve journeys by providing "more seats, more of the services people want and modern stations," she added.
Friday, March 31, 2017
'Data breach' as names and salaries of MPs' staff put online
A "serious data breach" is being investigated after the names and salaries of MPs' staff were published on the internet.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) wrote to MPs to inform them that a number of documents had been been available on the watchdog's "old website" for about four hours after an "error".
"These should not have been made public as they contained confidential personal information about MPs' staff names, salaries, rewards, working patterns and holiday entitlements," Marcial Boo, IPSA chiefe executive, said.
"I would like to reassure you that no information relating to the security of the individuals affected was made public - no addresses, no bank account details, no phone numbers, and no National Insurance numbers were disclosed.
"However, we recognise that this was still extremely sensitive personal information."
It is understood that the documents were viewed and downloaded while they were visible, but it is not immediately known how many people did so.
IPSA said the Information Commissioner had been informed about the breach.
"Our first priority was to remove the data from our website as soon as we were first notified and it was taken down from our website last night within an hour of becoming aware of the issue," Mr Boo said.
"We believe that the information was accessible for around four hours and we will keep you updated with further details as we carry out a full investigation."
IPSA launched a new website last year but the old website is still used, mainly by MPs and their staff.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) wrote to MPs to inform them that a number of documents had been been available on the watchdog's "old website" for about four hours after an "error".
"These should not have been made public as they contained confidential personal information about MPs' staff names, salaries, rewards, working patterns and holiday entitlements," Marcial Boo, IPSA chiefe executive, said.
"I would like to reassure you that no information relating to the security of the individuals affected was made public - no addresses, no bank account details, no phone numbers, and no National Insurance numbers were disclosed.
"However, we recognise that this was still extremely sensitive personal information."
It is understood that the documents were viewed and downloaded while they were visible, but it is not immediately known how many people did so.
IPSA said the Information Commissioner had been informed about the breach.
"Our first priority was to remove the data from our website as soon as we were first notified and it was taken down from our website last night within an hour of becoming aware of the issue," Mr Boo said.
"We believe that the information was accessible for around four hours and we will keep you updated with further details as we carry out a full investigation."
IPSA launched a new website last year but the old website is still used, mainly by MPs and their staff.
Trump to pay $25m settlement over university fraud claims
Donald Trump must pay $25m (£20m) to settle lawsuits over his Trump University, a US judge has ruled.
The legal action claimed students on property seminars at the now defunct university were defrauded.
They paid as much as $35,000 (£27,900) for the infomercial-like seminars, lured by what they described as "false promises" of Mr Trump's investing secrets from his "hand-picked" instructors.
Students said they had been constantly pressured to spend more money but that the university had failed to deliver on the promises.
The Trump University closed in 2010.
Mr Trump vowed to fight the fraud claims during his presidential campaign, but then agreed to settle the cases soon after his election win in November.
He said he was too busy for a trial, despite being adamant that he would have won.
Under the terms of the settlement, Mr Trump does not admit any wrongdoing.
Sky News US Correspondent Amanda Walker said: "It was a problem for him during his campaign, with hundreds of people coming forward saying that Trump University was not what it proclaimed to be, that it wasn't a university of any kind.
"Part of that settlement is actually $1m to the state of New York for those misleading claims that it was a university."
During his campaign, Mr Trump even criticised Gonzalo Curiel, who gave the settlement the final nod, implying the Indiana-born judge's Mexican heritage made him biased.
Judge Curiel said the settlement "provides significant and immediate recovery" and that only two of about 7,000 eligible class action members had objected to its terms.
Sky's Amanda Walker said: "The way (Trump's team) is shaping this is that Donald Trump needs to focus on running the country.
"If he hadn't paid up he would have had to testify, that would have become a distraction from his presidency, so now this is out of the way, he can focus on that.
"But for those people who were involved in this case and for those who have criticised his handling of what was called his university, this is an example of his fraudulent activity as a businessman and it's another criticism, certainly from people who didn't agree with him during his campaign, that he's not fit to be president."
The legal action claimed students on property seminars at the now defunct university were defrauded.
They paid as much as $35,000 (£27,900) for the infomercial-like seminars, lured by what they described as "false promises" of Mr Trump's investing secrets from his "hand-picked" instructors.
Students said they had been constantly pressured to spend more money but that the university had failed to deliver on the promises.
The Trump University closed in 2010.
Mr Trump vowed to fight the fraud claims during his presidential campaign, but then agreed to settle the cases soon after his election win in November.
He said he was too busy for a trial, despite being adamant that he would have won.
Under the terms of the settlement, Mr Trump does not admit any wrongdoing.
Sky News US Correspondent Amanda Walker said: "It was a problem for him during his campaign, with hundreds of people coming forward saying that Trump University was not what it proclaimed to be, that it wasn't a university of any kind.
"Part of that settlement is actually $1m to the state of New York for those misleading claims that it was a university."
During his campaign, Mr Trump even criticised Gonzalo Curiel, who gave the settlement the final nod, implying the Indiana-born judge's Mexican heritage made him biased.
Judge Curiel said the settlement "provides significant and immediate recovery" and that only two of about 7,000 eligible class action members had objected to its terms.
Sky's Amanda Walker said: "The way (Trump's team) is shaping this is that Donald Trump needs to focus on running the country.
"If he hadn't paid up he would have had to testify, that would have become a distraction from his presidency, so now this is out of the way, he can focus on that.
"But for those people who were involved in this case and for those who have criticised his handling of what was called his university, this is an example of his fraudulent activity as a businessman and it's another criticism, certainly from people who didn't agree with him during his campaign, that he's not fit to be president."
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