Four people have been arrested after a video showing a man with special needs being beaten and tortured was streamed live on Facebook.
Footage filmed in Chicago shows a woman laughing and smoking to camera as others use a knife to tear the victim's clothes and cut his hair until his scalp bleeds.
He is seen bound, gagged and slumped on the floor in a corner of a building during the ordeal.
At one point, one of the attackers kicks the helpless victim in the head.
Someone can be heard in the 30-minute video saying: "F*** Donald Trump n*****. F*** white people boy."
Police have described the attack as "sickening" and are questioning the suspects - two men and two females aged over 18.
The victim is believed to have been held hostage for between 24 to 48 hours.
He knew one of the suspects from school, according to police.
Officers were called to a property on the city's West Side on Tuesday night and discovered signs of a struggle and damaged property.
At around the same time, officers on patrol found the victim on a nearby street.
Superintendent Eddie Johnson said the man, who has "mental health challenges", was recovering.
He was taken to hospital, but has since been discharged.
Police have said it is too early to say whether the attack was racially or politically motivated.
A spokesman for Facebook said it had removed the video because it does "not allow people to celebrate or glorify crimes" on the site.
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
BBC stirs controversy with 'real ISIS housewives' skit
A BBC sketch satirising British women who have left to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group has attracted controversy and praise alike online.
The two-minute long skit titled "the Real Housewives of ISIS" features four British Muslim women who have left their homes in the UK to join the armed group in Syria.
First published online on Tuesday , the sketch has picked up millions of views on Facebook and has been shared widely on other social media platforms.
One scene portrays a woman undecided about what to wear to a beheading and another shows two of the women angry at each other for wearing the same suicide vest.
The segment is part of a comedy show called Revolting, which directs its humour at lampooning current affairs issues.
Muslim sketch creator Faraz Ali described the BBC skit as "poor taste".
"For the few documented events where young girls, often under 18, have left the UK, there is no doubt this has been a result of dangerous grooming and misguidance," he said.
"Making light of this situation feels inherently wrong, almost capitalising on the suffering of these young girls who acted without proper insight," he added.
Ali said that while there was merit in mocking ISIL, doing so "runs the risk of making light of the very real and significant problems ISIL leaves in its wake".
British Muslim comedian Ali Shahalom was one of the many who welcomed the segment, describing it as "very funny" in a Facebook post, adding he was not offended by the material.
"The sketch ridicules online grooming and draws attention to an important topic," he said.
"From what I've seen, it doesn't offend religion. Satire like this highlights the absurdity of those that recruit and get recruited for ISIS," he added.
Shahalom acknowledged the sensitivities of covering the topic but said it was one writers should not be afraid to approach.
Debate played out in the comment section underneath the video on Facebook, with many not as impressed with the skit as Shahalom.
"Bad taste, not funny at all," said commenter Anna Butcher.
"I'm sure those who have been effected by ISIS, or [have] been victims of them, or the relatives of those killed in terrorists attacks, won't be laughing?" she added, using an alternate acronym for ISIS.
Warwick University academic Sara Salem said that while such comedy set out to show how "ridiculous" Islamophobic ideas were, it ended up reinforcing such stereotypes instead.
"The trouble with this type of humour is that it ignores the broader context in which it will be revived, namely British society," Salem said.
"While it may challenge some people's conceptions of Muslim women by making light of tropes we hear of constantly, for many others it won't serve as anything more than comedy based on things they already believe in and will continue believing in.
"Not only is it not a challenge to these stereotypes, it is using them to make light of what is ultimately not a very funny situation."
Previous pranks
The creators of Revolting, Heydon Prowse and Jolyon Rubinstein, have previously drawn controversy for their satire and daring political pranks.
Pro-Israel groups reacted angrily when the pair pretended to be building contractors and visited shops in London to tell them their businesses would be confiscated to expand the nearby Israeli embassy.
The pair also put up posters at the International Criminal Court demanding the arrest of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and in another stunt tried to present a plaque to Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson for his purported talent for lying.
The two-minute long skit titled "the Real Housewives of ISIS" features four British Muslim women who have left their homes in the UK to join the armed group in Syria.
First published online on Tuesday , the sketch has picked up millions of views on Facebook and has been shared widely on other social media platforms.
One scene portrays a woman undecided about what to wear to a beheading and another shows two of the women angry at each other for wearing the same suicide vest.
The segment is part of a comedy show called Revolting, which directs its humour at lampooning current affairs issues.
Muslim sketch creator Faraz Ali described the BBC skit as "poor taste".
"For the few documented events where young girls, often under 18, have left the UK, there is no doubt this has been a result of dangerous grooming and misguidance," he said.
"Making light of this situation feels inherently wrong, almost capitalising on the suffering of these young girls who acted without proper insight," he added.
Ali said that while there was merit in mocking ISIL, doing so "runs the risk of making light of the very real and significant problems ISIL leaves in its wake".
British Muslim comedian Ali Shahalom was one of the many who welcomed the segment, describing it as "very funny" in a Facebook post, adding he was not offended by the material.
"The sketch ridicules online grooming and draws attention to an important topic," he said.
"From what I've seen, it doesn't offend religion. Satire like this highlights the absurdity of those that recruit and get recruited for ISIS," he added.
Shahalom acknowledged the sensitivities of covering the topic but said it was one writers should not be afraid to approach.
Debate played out in the comment section underneath the video on Facebook, with many not as impressed with the skit as Shahalom.
"Bad taste, not funny at all," said commenter Anna Butcher.
"I'm sure those who have been effected by ISIS, or [have] been victims of them, or the relatives of those killed in terrorists attacks, won't be laughing?" she added, using an alternate acronym for ISIS.
Warwick University academic Sara Salem said that while such comedy set out to show how "ridiculous" Islamophobic ideas were, it ended up reinforcing such stereotypes instead.
"The trouble with this type of humour is that it ignores the broader context in which it will be revived, namely British society," Salem said.
"While it may challenge some people's conceptions of Muslim women by making light of tropes we hear of constantly, for many others it won't serve as anything more than comedy based on things they already believe in and will continue believing in.
"Not only is it not a challenge to these stereotypes, it is using them to make light of what is ultimately not a very funny situation."
Previous pranks
The creators of Revolting, Heydon Prowse and Jolyon Rubinstein, have previously drawn controversy for their satire and daring political pranks.
Pro-Israel groups reacted angrily when the pair pretended to be building contractors and visited shops in London to tell them their businesses would be confiscated to expand the nearby Israeli embassy.
The pair also put up posters at the International Criminal Court demanding the arrest of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and in another stunt tried to present a plaque to Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson for his purported talent for lying.
'Immigrants should learn English before arriving - report
Immigrants to the UK should learn English before they arrive, or be enrolled in a compulsory language course when they get here, according to a parliamentary report.
The report by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on social integration also called on ministers to consider a radical overhaul which could see regions given the power to set their own immigration policy.
"Through the introduction of policies aimed at directing population flows to areas of the country which require higher levels of immigration or do not currently attract a great many immigrants, policymakers might minimise strain on public services and on community relations whilst bolstering regional economies," the report said.
Last month a report by Dame Louise Casey found areas of Britain are struggling to cope with the pace and scale of change as a result of immigration.
It said that schoolchildren should be taught "British values" of tolerance, democracy and respect to help keep communities together amid growing "ethnic segregation".
It also called for more English classes for isolated groups, greater mixing among young people through activities such as sport, and a new "oath of integration" enshrining British values for those who hold public office.
Labour MP Chuka Umunna, chair of the APPG, said: "The Government has a duty to address the lack of integration of immigrants if it is to address this. Failing to do so has left a vacuum for extremists and peddlers of hate to exploit."
Jon Yates, of social integration charity The Challenge, said: "It is no longer enough to focus solely on the numbers of immigrants arriving in the UK, while ignoring what happens to them and their host communities after arrival."
A Government spokesman said: "Our priority is to build an immigration system that works for everyone in the UK and delivers the control we need."
The APPG also called for:
:: A new national Government strategy for the integration of immigrants including issues such as access to the labour market and awareness of the UK's laws, traditions and culture.
:: Councils to set up local integration action plans and the immediate introduction of an Integration Impact Fund.
:: The Home Office to investigate whether new immigrants could be placed on pathways to citizenship automatically upon arrival.
The report by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on social integration also called on ministers to consider a radical overhaul which could see regions given the power to set their own immigration policy.
"Through the introduction of policies aimed at directing population flows to areas of the country which require higher levels of immigration or do not currently attract a great many immigrants, policymakers might minimise strain on public services and on community relations whilst bolstering regional economies," the report said.
Last month a report by Dame Louise Casey found areas of Britain are struggling to cope with the pace and scale of change as a result of immigration.
It said that schoolchildren should be taught "British values" of tolerance, democracy and respect to help keep communities together amid growing "ethnic segregation".
It also called for more English classes for isolated groups, greater mixing among young people through activities such as sport, and a new "oath of integration" enshrining British values for those who hold public office.
Labour MP Chuka Umunna, chair of the APPG, said: "The Government has a duty to address the lack of integration of immigrants if it is to address this. Failing to do so has left a vacuum for extremists and peddlers of hate to exploit."
Jon Yates, of social integration charity The Challenge, said: "It is no longer enough to focus solely on the numbers of immigrants arriving in the UK, while ignoring what happens to them and their host communities after arrival."
A Government spokesman said: "Our priority is to build an immigration system that works for everyone in the UK and delivers the control we need."
The APPG also called for:
:: A new national Government strategy for the integration of immigrants including issues such as access to the labour market and awareness of the UK's laws, traditions and culture.
:: Councils to set up local integration action plans and the immediate introduction of an Integration Impact Fund.
:: The Home Office to investigate whether new immigrants could be placed on pathways to citizenship automatically upon arrival.
Carrie Fisher and mother Debbie Reynolds 'to be together'
Carrie Fisher and her mother Debbie Reynolds will be laid to rest together at a private funeral service on Thursday.
Dying just one day apart in Los Angeles last month, the actresses will be buried side by side at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills, among an array of Golden Age cinema stars.
The small service, which will be limited to family and close friends, has been arranged by Debbie's son and Carrie's brother Todd Fisher, with the help of Billie Lourd, Carrie's daughter.
The Hollywood Reporter quoted a family source as confirming there would also be an event at the Beverly Hills compound where Reynolds and Fisher were neighbours.
"I'm not sure what they're calling it - a funeral or a wake - but it will be Thursday at the house," the source said.
"It will be exactly what they both wanted, to be together."
The family is understood to be discussing a public memorial, although plans are yet to be announced.
Talking about his mother last week before her death, Todd Fisher told Good Morning America: "She said she missed her daughter and wanted to see her again."
He added: "I think she wanted to be with her. I'm not joking when I say she left to be with her, and I'm happy about that. That's the only thing I'm happy about."
:: Carrie Fisher's daughter breaks silence
Other well known celebrities buried at Forest Lawn include Bette Davis, Reynolds' onscreen mother in 1956 film A Catered Affair, Reynolds' close friend Liberace and silent film star Buster Keaton.
Fisher, who had recently reprised her best loved role as rebel warrior Princess Leia in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, was travelling from London to Los Angeles on Christmas Eve when she suffered a heart attack shortly before landing.
The 60-year-old actress died three days later at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles after remaining in a critical condition.
Debbie Reynolds, whose Hollywood stardom was sealed when she starred alongside Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain, died a day later on Wednesday, 28 December.
The 84-year-old suffered a stroke at the Beverly Hills compound where she lived as she was making funeral arrangements for her daughter.
"She didn't die of a broken heart. She just left to be with Carrie," her son told ABC News.
Carrie's daughter, Billie Lourd - best known for her role in Scream Queens - has spoken about losing her mother and grandmother just a day apart.
She told her Instagram followers their prayers and kind words had given her strength "during a time I thought strength could not exist."
"There are no words to express how much I will miss my Abadaba and my one and only Momby. Your love and support means the world to me," the 24-year-old wrote.
Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, a documentary about Reynolds' at-times rocky relationship with her daughter, premiered at this year's Cannes Film Festival and is due to air earlier than originally planned on HBO on Saturday.
Dying just one day apart in Los Angeles last month, the actresses will be buried side by side at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills, among an array of Golden Age cinema stars.
The small service, which will be limited to family and close friends, has been arranged by Debbie's son and Carrie's brother Todd Fisher, with the help of Billie Lourd, Carrie's daughter.
The Hollywood Reporter quoted a family source as confirming there would also be an event at the Beverly Hills compound where Reynolds and Fisher were neighbours.
"I'm not sure what they're calling it - a funeral or a wake - but it will be Thursday at the house," the source said.
"It will be exactly what they both wanted, to be together."
The family is understood to be discussing a public memorial, although plans are yet to be announced.
Talking about his mother last week before her death, Todd Fisher told Good Morning America: "She said she missed her daughter and wanted to see her again."
He added: "I think she wanted to be with her. I'm not joking when I say she left to be with her, and I'm happy about that. That's the only thing I'm happy about."
:: Carrie Fisher's daughter breaks silence
Other well known celebrities buried at Forest Lawn include Bette Davis, Reynolds' onscreen mother in 1956 film A Catered Affair, Reynolds' close friend Liberace and silent film star Buster Keaton.
Fisher, who had recently reprised her best loved role as rebel warrior Princess Leia in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, was travelling from London to Los Angeles on Christmas Eve when she suffered a heart attack shortly before landing.
The 60-year-old actress died three days later at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles after remaining in a critical condition.
Debbie Reynolds, whose Hollywood stardom was sealed when she starred alongside Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain, died a day later on Wednesday, 28 December.
The 84-year-old suffered a stroke at the Beverly Hills compound where she lived as she was making funeral arrangements for her daughter.
"She didn't die of a broken heart. She just left to be with Carrie," her son told ABC News.
Carrie's daughter, Billie Lourd - best known for her role in Scream Queens - has spoken about losing her mother and grandmother just a day apart.
She told her Instagram followers their prayers and kind words had given her strength "during a time I thought strength could not exist."
"There are no words to express how much I will miss my Abadaba and my one and only Momby. Your love and support means the world to me," the 24-year-old wrote.
Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, a documentary about Reynolds' at-times rocky relationship with her daughter, premiered at this year's Cannes Film Festival and is due to air earlier than originally planned on HBO on Saturday.
Southern rail strike cut from six days to three by union ASLEF
A six-day strike on Southern rail next week has been cut to three days but there will be more walkouts later this month in the dispute over driver-only trains.
Drivers in the ASLEF union were due to walk out from Monday, which would have brought services to a halt for the whole week.
But the union has announced that strikes will now be held on 10, 11 and 13 January - not on other days next week.
There will be further strikes on 24, 25 and 27 January, said ASLEF.
General secretary Mick Whelan said the move not to have a full week of strikes next week did not mean the union was softening its stance on the dispute.
He said the union had reduced next week's action out of consideration for how long the dispute will last and due to concerns from the public about the effects of a week-long walkout.
Mr Whelan added that ASLEF members continued to have safety concerns about driver-only trains, claiming the union had raised issues which had been ignored.
He said: "We are taking a longer-term view of this trade dispute.
"The company has not been prepared to move - it is simply going through the motions, turning up at ACAS, as it did yesterday, and telling us that it intends to impose driver-only operation.
"We remain committed to a negotiated settlement, as was reached with ScotRail, but it is difficult to negotiate with people who are not prepared to be flexible.
"We still believe a deal can be done but we are, at the moment, a long way from that position.
"It is time for the company to come up with a genuine offer rather than carry on posturing."
Passengers using Southern have endured months of disruption because of the strikes, staff shortages and other problems.
An overtime ban by ASLEF members has led to services being cancelled or delayed every day.
As well as ASLEF, Southern is embroiled in a dispute with the Rail, Maritime and Transport union over changes to the role of conductors, which has also triggered a series of strikes.
Southern said none of its train services will run during next week's walkout.
It is putting in place a number of alternative measures to try to help commuters who have essential travel needs.
The company is organising 200 coaches or buses each day to provide road links for essential travel from nine Southern stations into nearby neighbouring networks where they can connect with other train services.
Responding to ASLEF's announcement to reduce strike days next week, the company accused the union of putting its members before passengers.
A spokesperson said: "This is a cynical ploy to minimise the impact on ASLEF's drivers' pay packets and maximises misery, disruption and hardship for passengers."
Drivers in the ASLEF union were due to walk out from Monday, which would have brought services to a halt for the whole week.
But the union has announced that strikes will now be held on 10, 11 and 13 January - not on other days next week.
There will be further strikes on 24, 25 and 27 January, said ASLEF.
General secretary Mick Whelan said the move not to have a full week of strikes next week did not mean the union was softening its stance on the dispute.
He said the union had reduced next week's action out of consideration for how long the dispute will last and due to concerns from the public about the effects of a week-long walkout.
Mr Whelan added that ASLEF members continued to have safety concerns about driver-only trains, claiming the union had raised issues which had been ignored.
He said: "We are taking a longer-term view of this trade dispute.
"The company has not been prepared to move - it is simply going through the motions, turning up at ACAS, as it did yesterday, and telling us that it intends to impose driver-only operation.
"We remain committed to a negotiated settlement, as was reached with ScotRail, but it is difficult to negotiate with people who are not prepared to be flexible.
"We still believe a deal can be done but we are, at the moment, a long way from that position.
"It is time for the company to come up with a genuine offer rather than carry on posturing."
Passengers using Southern have endured months of disruption because of the strikes, staff shortages and other problems.
An overtime ban by ASLEF members has led to services being cancelled or delayed every day.
As well as ASLEF, Southern is embroiled in a dispute with the Rail, Maritime and Transport union over changes to the role of conductors, which has also triggered a series of strikes.
Southern said none of its train services will run during next week's walkout.
It is putting in place a number of alternative measures to try to help commuters who have essential travel needs.
The company is organising 200 coaches or buses each day to provide road links for essential travel from nine Southern stations into nearby neighbouring networks where they can connect with other train services.
Responding to ASLEF's announcement to reduce strike days next week, the company accused the union of putting its members before passengers.
A spokesperson said: "This is a cynical ploy to minimise the impact on ASLEF's drivers' pay packets and maximises misery, disruption and hardship for passengers."
At least 37 injured after rush hour Brooklyn train derails
At least 37 people have been injured after a rush hour train derailed in Brooklyn, New York City, according to reports.
The Long Island Rail Road train came off its tracks as it pulled into Atlantic Terminal, officials say.
Approximately 600 people were on the train when the crash occurred.
Images from the terminal show the train tipped at an angle, with splintered wood, fire extinguishers and other debris on the floor.
One passenger said the scene was "total chaos".
"I was getting up from my seat, there was a loud impact and I flew forward and then flew backward," she told CBS News.
She added: "There was smoke on the train, and we were sitting there in shock."
Another commuter said the train "jumped the end of the line and went right over the embankment and into a station office".
The derailment comes four months after a train crash at a station in Hoboken, New Jersey, which killed a woman and injured 114 others.
The Long Island Rail Road train came off its tracks as it pulled into Atlantic Terminal, officials say.
Approximately 600 people were on the train when the crash occurred.
Images from the terminal show the train tipped at an angle, with splintered wood, fire extinguishers and other debris on the floor.
One passenger said the scene was "total chaos".
"I was getting up from my seat, there was a loud impact and I flew forward and then flew backward," she told CBS News.
She added: "There was smoke on the train, and we were sitting there in shock."
Another commuter said the train "jumped the end of the line and went right over the embankment and into a station office".
The derailment comes four months after a train crash at a station in Hoboken, New Jersey, which killed a woman and injured 114 others.
Faraday FF91: World's 'fastest electric car' unveiled
Faraday Future has unveiled what it claims is the fastest production electric car in the world.
The tech start-up company, backed by Chinese billionaire Jia Yueting, says its new FF91 model can accelerate from zero to 60mph in 2.39 seconds - quicker than the McLaren P1 or the Lamborghini Aventador.
That speed would also top the acceleration of Tesla's Model S - currently the world's fastest production electric car.
Image Caption:The FF91 is said to be 'the first of a new species'Unveiling the FF91 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Faraday Future executive vice president Nick Sampson said the model is "the first of a new species".
He said: "This is day one of a new era of mobility.
"We don't have to follow outdated practices or retrofit existing equipment…we have to flip the auto industry on its head."
Image Caption:Faraday Future's Richard Kim, Jia Yueting and Nick Sampson unveil the FF91Faraday Future did not reveal the price of the FF91, but said consumers could put down a $5,000 (£4,075) deposit for the car in 2018.
Mr Sampson said the vehicle will offer an estimated 378 miles (604 km) of range before it needs recharging, based on US testing standards.
However, based on European testing standards its range is 435 miles (700km), he said.
Faraday Future says the FF91 will come with a semi-autonomous mode for self-parking, as well as multiple modems to connect to the internet and an interface that will allow each driver and passenger to personalise their own settings.
Image Caption:The FF91 would allow passengers to personalise their own settingsIn recent weeks reports have suggested the tech firm is facing financial difficulties and has missed payments to suppliers.
It comes amid reported cutbacks at Jia Yueting's Chinese-based technology group LeEco, which is moving into the US market.
Appearing during the launch of the FF91, Mr Jia said he hopes Faraday Future's project will help the automotive industry become more environmentally friendly.
He said: "This car is very, very cool.
"Once you have this you can get rid of the other cars in the garage."
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