22 killed in suspected suicide attack at Ariana Grande concert in Britain

Muslim historians claim Abdelkader saved 15,000 Christians, which may be a bit of an exaggeration. But here was a man for Muslims to emulate and Westerners to admire After the Manchester massacre… yes, and after Nice and Paris, Mosul and Abu Ghraib and 7/7 and the Haditha massacre – remember those 28 civilians, including children, killed by US Marines, four more than Manchester but no minute’s silence for them? And of course 9/11… Counterbalancing cruelty is no response, of course. Just a reminder. As long as we bomb the Middle East instead of seeking justice there, we too will be attacked. But what we must concentrate upon, according to the monstrous Trump, is terror, terror, terror, terror, terror. And fear. And security. Which we will not have while we are promoting death in the Muslim world and selling weapons to its dictators. Believe in “terror” and Isis wins. Believe in justice and Isis is defeated. So I suspect it’s time to raise the ghost of a man known as the Emir Abdelkader – Muslim, Sufi, sheikh, ferocious warrior, humanist, mystic, protector of his people against Western barbarism, protector of Christians against Muslim barbarism, so brave that the Algerian state insisted his bones were brought home from his beloved Damascus, so noble that Abe Lincoln sent him a pair of Colt pistols and the French gave him the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. He loved education, he admired the Greek philosophers, he forbade his fighters to destroy books, he worshipped a religion which believed – so he thought – in human rights. But hands up all readers who know the name of Abdelkader. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Share: Salman Abedi - what we know about the Manchester attacker Facebook Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Twitter Direct Link Embed Code Salman Abedi - what we know about the Manchester attacker We should think of him now more than ever. He was not a “moderate” because he fought back savagely against the French occupation of his land. He was not an extremist because, in his imprisonment at the Chateau d’Amboise, he talked of Christians and Muslims as brothers. He was supported by Victor Hugo and Lord Londonderry and earned the respect of Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte (later Napoleon III) and the French state paid him a pension of 100,000 francs. He deserved it. When the French invaded Algeria, Abdelkader Ibn Muhiedin al-Juzairi (Abdelkader, son of Muhiedin, the Algerian,1808-1883, for those who like obituaries) embarked on a successful guerrilla war against one of the best equipped armies in the Western world – and won. He set up his own state in western Algeria – Muslim but employing Christian and Jewish advisors – and created separate departments (defence, education, etc), which stretched as far as the Moroccan border. It even had its own currency, the “muhamediya”. He made peace with the French – a truce which the French broke by invading his lands yet again. Abdelkader demanded a priest to minister for his French prisoners, even giving them back their freedom when he had no food for them. The French sacked the Algerian towns they captured, a hundred Hadithas to suppress Abdelkader’s resistance. When at last he was defeated, he surrendered in honour – handing over his horse as a warrior – on the promise of exile in Alexandria or Acre. Again the French betrayed him, packing him off to prison in Toulon and then to the interior of France. Muslim man comforts elderly Jewish woman in symbol of Manchester unity 4 show all Yet in his French exile, he preached peace and brotherhood and studied French and spoke of the wisdom of Plato and Socrates, Aristotle and Ptolemy and Averoes and later wrote a book, Call to the Intelligent, which should be available on every social media platform. He also, by the way, wrote a book on horses which proves he was ever an Arab in the saddle. But his courage was demonstrated yet again in Damascus in 1860 where he lived as an honoured exile. The Christian-Druze civil war in Lebanon had spread to Damascus where the Christian population found themselves surrounded by the Muslim Druze who arrived with Isis-like cruelty, brandishing swords and knives to slaughter their adversaries. Abdelkader sent his Algerian Muslim guards – his personal militia – to bash their way through the mob and escort more than 10,000 Christians to his estate. And when the crowds with their knives arrived at his door, he greeted them with a speech which is still recited in the Middle East (though utterly ignored these days in the West). “You pitiful creatures!” he shouted. “Is this the way you honour the Prophet? God punish you! Shame on you, shame! The day will come when you will pay for this … I will not hand over a single Christian. They are my brothers. Get out of here or I’ll set my guards on you.” Muslim historians claim Abdelkader saved 15,000 Christians, which may be a bit of an exaggeration. But here was a man for Muslims to emulate and Westerners to admire. His fury was expressed in words which would surely have been used today against the cult-like caliphate executioners of Isis. Of course, the “Christian” West would honour him at the time (although, interestingly, he received a letter of praise from the Muslim leader of wildly independent Chechnya). He was an “interfaith dialogue” man to please Pope Francis. Abdelkader was invited to Paris. An American town was named after him – Elkader in Clayton County, Iowa, and it’s still there, population 1,273. Founded in the mid-19th century, it was natural to call your home after a man who was, was he not, honouring the Rights of Man of American Independence and the French Revolution? Abdelkader flirted with Freemasonry – most scholars believe he was not taken in – and loved science to such an extent that he accepted an invitation to the opening of the Suez Canal, which was surely an imperial rather than a primarily scientific project. Abdelkader met De Lesseps. He saw himself, one suspects, as Islam’s renaissance man, a man for all seasons, the Muslim for all people, an example rather than a saint, a philosopher rather than a priest. But of course, Abdelkader’s native Algeria is a neighbour of Libya from where Salman Abedi’s family came, and Abdelkader died in Syria, whose assault by US aircraft – according to Abedi’s sister – was the reason he slaughtered the innocent of Manchester. And so geography contracts and history fades, and Abedi’s crime is, for now, more important than all of Abdelkader’s life and teaching and example. So for Mancunians, whether they tattoo bees onto themselves or merely buy flowers, why not pop into Manchester’s central library in St Peter’s Square and ask for Elsa Marsten’s The Compassionate Warrior or John Kiser’s Commander of the Faithful or, published just a few months ago, Mustapha Sherif’s L’Emir Abdelkader: Apotre de la fraternite? They are no antidotes for sorrow or mourning. But they prove that Isis does not represent Islam and that a Muslim can earn the honour of the world. More about: Manchester attack Islam ================================ Thu May 25, 2017 | 5:18 AM EDT UK police stop sharing information on Manchester attack with U.S. after leaks ‹ 15/15 A woman holds flowers as she takes part in a vigil in central Manchester. Reuters/Darren Staples 1/15 A woman looks at flowers for the victims of the Manchester Arena attack, in central Manchester Britain. Reuters/Stefan Wermuth 2/15 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks outside 10 Downing Street in London. Reuters/Toby Melville 3/15 Mourners are reflected in balloons as they stand beside floral tributes near the Manchester Arena in central Manchester, Britain, May 24, 2017. Reuters/Jon Super 4/15 A Muslim woman wearing a Union Flag head scarf is seen near the Manchester Arena in central Manchester, Britain, May 24, 2017. Reuters/Jon Super 5/15 People take part in a vigil in central Manchester. Reuters/Peter Nicholls 6/15 Flowers and messages are left for the victims in central Manchester. Reuters/Stefan Wermuth 7/15 Women pay their respects following a vigil in central Manchester. Reuters/Peter Nicholls 8/15 People take part in a vigil in central Manchester. Reuters/Peter Nicholls 9/15 Flowers and messages for the victims of the Manchester Arena attack, in central Manchester. Reuters/Darren Staples 10/15 A young woman reacts as she holds a rose while looking at the messages and floral tributes left for the victims of the attack on Manchester Arena, in central Manchester. Reuters/Jon Super 11/15 Women wait to take part in a vigil in central Manchester. Reuters/Darren Staples 12/15 A message is left for the victims in central Manchester. Reuters/Stefan Wermuth 13/15 City council employees move flowers from the townhall in Albert Square to St Ann's Square in Manchester, Britain. Reuters/Peter Nicholls 14/15 Messages and floral tributes left for the victims of the attack on Manchester Arena lie around the statue in St Ann's Square in central Manchester. Reuters/Jon Super 15/15 A woman holds flowers as she takes part in a vigil in central Manchester. Reuters/Darren Staples 1/15 A woman looks at flowers for the victims of the Manchester Arena attack, in central Manchester Britain. Reuters/Stefan Wermuth › UK police stop sharing information on Manchester... By Andy Bruce and Kylie MacLellan | MANCHESTER/LONDON British police have stopped sharing information on the suicide bombing in Manchester with the United States, the BBC reported on Thursday, because of fears that leaks to the U.S. media could hinder a hunt for a possible bomb-maker still at large. The row came as police pressed a fast-paced investigation into Monday's bombing, which killed 22 people at a music venue packed with children and raised fears a further attack could be imminent. Troops have been deployed to guard key points and eight people have been arrested. Authorities have said the 22-year-old bomber, British-born Salman Abedi, was part of a network and had recently returned from Libya, where his parents were born. Police chiefs have made clear they are furious about the publication of confidential material in U.S. media, including bomb site photographs in the New York Times, saying such leaks undermined relationships with trusted security allies. "This damage is even greater when it involves unauthorized disclosure of potential evidence in the middle of a major counter-terrorism investigation," a National Counter Terrorism Policing spokesman said in a statement. British Prime Minister Theresa May will raise the issue with U.S. President Donald Trump when she meets him at a NATO summit in Brussels later on Thursday, a government source told Reuters. ADVERTISEMENT The pictures published by the New York Times included remains of the bomb and of the rucksack carried by the suicide bomber, and showed blood stains amid the wreckage. "I think it's pretty disgusting," said Scott Lightfoot, a Manchester resident, speaking outside a train station in the city. He criticized media for publishing such material. "Who's leaking it? Where's it coming from? This is British intelligence at the end of the day, people shouldn't be finding out about this." "BOMB-MAKING WORKSHOP" The Financial Times reported that such images are available across a restricted-access encrypted special international database used by government ordnance and explosives experts in about 20 countries allied with Britain. It said the database was built around a longstanding U.S.-British system. The BBC said Manchester Police hoped to resume normal intelligence relationships soon but was currently furious. The bombing, which took place at the Manchester Arena indoor venue just after the end of a concert by U.S. pop singer Ariana Grande, was the deadliest in Britain since July 2005, when 52 people were killed in attacks on London's transport network. Related Coverage UK PM May to chair emergency committee meeting at 0830 GMT: spokesman UK PM May to raise intelligence leaks with Trump: UK government source UK suicide bomber was in Germany days before Manchester attack: Sky UK stops sharing information on Manchester attack with United States after leaks: BBC The Manchester attack has caused revulsion across the world because it targeted children and teenagers, who make up the bulk of Grande's fan base. The victims ranged from an eight-year-old schoolgirl to parents who had come to pick up their children. U.S. channel ABC News reported that police had found a kind of bomb-making workshop in Abedi's home and he had apparently stockpiled enough chemicals to make additional bombs. British news website The Independent also reported bomb-making materials which could be primed for imminent attacks had been found in the raids following the Manchester bombing. The report said one suspect device was blown up in a controlled explosion. Britain views the United States as its closest ally, and the two countries also share intelligence as part of the "Five Eyes" network which also includes Australia, Canada and New Zealand. After Trump defended his decision to discuss intelligence with the Russians during a White House meeting, May said last week that Britain would continue to share intelligence with the United States. (Writing by Guy Faulconbridge and Estelle Shirbon; Editing by Ralph Boulton) ---------------------- Tue May 23, 2017 | 2:01 AM EDT 3h ago | 01:15 Blast kills at least 19 at concert; suicide bomber suspected Nineteen killed in suspected suicide attack at... X By Michael Holden and Andrew Yates | MANCHESTER, England At least 19 people were killed and 59 wounded in an explosion at the end of a concert by U.S. singer Ariana Grande in the English city of Manchester on Monday, in what two U.S. officials said was a suspected suicide bombing. Prime Minister Theresa May said the incident was being treated as a terrorist attack. If confirmed, it would be the deadliest militant assault in Britain since four British Muslims killed 52 people in suicide bombings on London's transport system in July 2005. Police responded to reports of an explosion shortly after 10:33 pm (2133 GMT) at Manchester Arena, which has the capacity to hold 21,000 people, where the U.S. singer had been performing to an audience that included many children. A witness who attended the concert said she felt a huge blast as she was leaving the arena, followed by screaming and a rush by thousands of people trying to escape the building. A video posted on Twitter showed fans, many of them young, screaming and running from the venue. Dozens of parents frantically searched for their children, posting photos and pleading for information on social media. "We were making our way out and when we were right by the door there was a massive explosion and everybody was screaming," concert-goer Catherine Macfarlane told Reuters. "It was a huge explosion - you could feel it in your chest. It was chaotic. Everybody was running and screaming and just trying to get out." Ariana Grande, 23, later said on Twitter: "broken. from the bottom of my heart, i am so so sorry. i don't have words." May, who faces an election in two-and-a-half weeks, said her thoughts were with the victims and their families. May and Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the opposition Labour Party, agreed to suspend campaigning ahead of the June 8 election. "We are working to establish the full details of what is being treated by the police as an appalling terrorist attack," May said in a statement. "All our thoughts are with the victims and the families of those who have been affected." May will hold a crisis response meeting on Tuesday. Manchester Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said police were treating the blast as a terrorist incident and were working with counter-terrorism police and intelligence agencies but gave no further details on their investigation. ADVERTISEMENT Related Coverage VIDEOBritish police treating deadly concert blast as 'terrorist incident' VIDEODeadly blast at Manchester Ariana Grande concert VIDEOVideo captures chaos at Manchester Arena VIDEOPeople flee Manchester Arena after deadly blast at Ariana Grande concert 'Pls help me...': Frantic parents hunt for missing kids after UK concert blast Chinese President Xi Jinping sent his condolences over the blast to Britain's Queen Elizabeth, Chinese state media reported. SUICIDE BOMBER? There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but U.S. officials drew parallels to the coordinated attacks in November 2015 by Islamist militants on the Bataclan concert hall and other sites in Paris, which claimed about 130 lives. Two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said initial signs indicated that a suicide bomber was responsible for the blast. "In the absence of conclusive evidence, the choice of venue, the timing and the mode of attack all suggest this was terrorism," said a U.S. counter terrorism official who also spoke on condition of anonymity. Islamic State supporters took to social media to celebrate the blast and some encouraged similar attacks elsewhere. [L8N1IP096] Britain is on its second-highest alert level of "severe", meaning an attack by militants is considered highly likely. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was monitoring the situation in Manchester closely but said it had no information to indicate a specific credible threat involving music venues in the United States. British counter-terrorism police have said they are making on average an arrest every day in connection with suspected terrorism. In March, a British-born convert to Islam ploughed a car into pedestrians on London's Westminster Bridge, killing four people before stabbing to death a police officer who was on the grounds of parliament. The man was shot dead at the scene. In 2015, Pakistani student Abid Naseer was convicted in a U.S. court of conspiring with al Qaeda to blow up the Arndale shopping center in the center of Manchester in April 2009. Related Coverage Islamic State supporters celebrate Manchester attack online, no official claim No indication of threat to U.S. music venues after Manchester blast: U.S. Ariana Grande says she is 'broken' in tweet after Manchester attack Britain suspends election campaign after suspected attack UK police say controlled explosion was precautionary PARENTS' ANGUISH Manchester Arena, the largest indoor arena in Europe, opened in 1995 and is a popular concert and sporting venue. Desperate parents and friends used social media to search for loved ones while the wounded were being treated at six hospitals across Manchester. "Everyone pls share this, my little sister Emma was at the Ari concert tonight in #Manchester and she isn't answering her phone, pls help me," said one message posted alongside a picture of a blonde girl with flowers in her hair. Paula Robinson, 48, from West Dalton about 40 miles east of Manchester, said she was at the train station next to the arena with her husband when she felt the explosion and saw dozens of teenage girls screaming and running away from arena. "We ran out," Robinson told Reuters. "It was literally seconds after the explosion. I got the teens to run with me." Robinson took dozens of teenage girls to the nearby Holiday Inn Express hotel and tweeted out her phone number to worried parents, telling them to meet her there. She said her phone had not stopped ringing since her tweet. "Parents were frantic running about trying to get to their children," she said. "There were lots of lots children at Holiday Inn." For a graphic showing where the blast hit, click: tmsnrt.rs/2rbQAay (Additional Reporting by Alistair Smout, Kate Holton and David Milliken in LONDON, Mark Hosenball in LOS ANGELES, John Walcott in WASHINGTON, D.C., Leela de Kretser in NEW YORK, Mostafa Hashem in CAIRO, and Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge and Nick Tattersall; Editing by Sandra Maler, Toni Reinhold and Paul Tait)

UK parliament attack

Thu Mar 23, 2017 | 5:13 AM EDT British police arrest seven in probe into attack on parliament 6h ago | 00:43 Video footage shows moment of London attack British police arrest seven in probe into attack... X By Costas Pitas and Estelle Shirbon | LONDON Police arrested seven people in the investigation into a lone-wolf attacker who killed three people and injured 40 before being shot dead by police near parliament in London, Britain's most senior counter-terrorism officer said on Thursday. Mark Rowley said there were four dead including the attacker and 29 people still being treated in hospital, seven of whom were in a critical condition. Police had said on Wednesday that the death toll was five in the worst such attack in Britain since 2005. The attacker sped across Westminster Bridge in a car, mowing down pedestrians along the way, then ran through the gates of the nearby parliament building and stabbed a policeman before being shot dead. Authorities have said they are working on the assumption that the attack was Islamist-related. Britons have been shocked by the fact that the attacker was able to cause such mayhem in the heart of the capital equipped with nothing more sophisticated than a hired car and a knife. "The police and agencies that we rely on for our security have forestalled a large number of these attacks in recent years, over a dozen last year," said defense minister Michael Fallon. "This kind of attack, this lone-wolf attack, using things from daily life, a vehicle, a knife, are much more difficult to forestall," he told the BBC. Police believe they know the identity of the attacker but have not named him. ADVERTISEMENT "We're dealing with an enemy, a terrorist enemy, that is not making demands or taking people hostage, but simply wants to kill as many people as possible. This is a new element to international terrorism," Fallon said. Rowley said police had searched six addresses in London, Birmingham and other parts of the country in their investigation. "It is still our belief ... that this attacker acted alone and was inspired by international terrorism. At this stage we have no specific information about further threats to the public," Rowley said. He said there was a mix of nationalities among the dead but gave no details. The victims were the policeman, Keith Palmer, who was stabbed and two members of the public, a woman in her mid-40s and a man in his mid-50s. The fourth dead was the assailant. VIGIL ‹ 16/16 Injured people are assisted after an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, March 22, 2017. Reuters/Toby Melville 1/16 Forensics investigators and police officers work at the site near Westminster Bridge the morning after an attack by a man driving a car and weilding a knife left five people dead and dozens injured, in London, Britain, March 23, 2017. Reuters/Darren Staples 2/16 Armed police officers patrol on Whitehall the morning after an attack by a man driving a car and weilding a knife left five people dead and dozens injured, in London, Britain, March 23, 2017. Reuters/Neil Hall 3/16 Police tape blocks access to Parliament Square the morning after an attack by a man driving a car and weilding a knife left five people dead and dozens injured, in London, Britain, March 23, 2017. Reuters/Neil Hall 4/16 Forensics investigators and police officers work at the site near Westminster Bridge the morning after an attack by a man driving a car and weilding a knife left five people dead and dozens injured, in London, Britain, March 23, 2017. Reuters/Darren Staples 5/16 A police vehicle is parked ouside a property in that was raided after an attack by a man driving a car and weilding a knife in Westminster left five people dead and dozens injured, in Birmingham, Britain, March 23, 2017. Reuters/Eddie Keogh 6/16 Police officers and forensics investigators and police officers work on Westminster Bridge the morning after an attack by a man driving a car and weilding a knife left five people dead and dozens injured, in London, Britain, March 23, 2017. Reuters/Darren Staples 7/16 Armed police officers patrol outside New Scotland Yard the morning after an attack by a man driving a car and weilding a knife left five people dead and dozens injured, in London, Britain, March 23, 2017. Reuters/Neil Hall 8/16 Police officers walk accross Westminster Bridge the morning after an attack by a man driving a car and weilding a knife left five people dead and dozens injured, in London, Britain, March 23, 2017. Reuters/Darren Staples 9/16 A police officer walks accross Westminster Bridge the morning after an attack by a man driving a car and weilding a knife left five people dead and dozens injured, in London, Britain, March 23, 2017. Reuters/Darren Staples 10/16 An armed police officer stands on Whitehall the morning after an attack by a man driving a car and weilding a knife left five people dead and dozens injured, in London, Britain, March 23, 2017. Reuters/Neil Hall 11/16 A woman assist an injured person after an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, March 22, 2017. Reuters/Toby Melville 12/16 Injured people are assisted after an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, Britain Britain March 22, 2017. Reuters/Toby Melville 13/16 An injured person is assisted after an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, Britain March 22, 2017. Reuters/Toby Melville 14/16 A police officer gestures outside Parliament during an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, Britain March 22, 2017. Reuters/Stefan Wermuth 15/16 Armed police respond outside Parliament during an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, Britain March 22, 2017. Reuters/Stefan Wermuth 16/16 Injured people are assisted after an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, March 22, 2017. Reuters/Toby Melville 1/16 Forensics investigators and police officers work at the site near Westminster Bridge the morning after an attack by a man driving a car and weilding a knife left five people dead and dozens injured, in London, Britain, March 23, 2017. Reuters/Darren Staples › Three French high-school students aged 15 or 16, who were on a school trip to London with fellow students from Brittany, were among the injured. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault was expected to arrive in London to visit them at hospital, French media reported. There were also five South Koreans among the injured, South Korea's foreign ministry said in Seoul. A minute of silence to honor the victims will be held at 0933 GMT in parliament, outside police headquarters at New Scotland Yard, and in the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh. Prime Minister Theresa May was due to make a statement to parliament on the attack at 1030 GMT. Related Coverage VIDEOLondon mayor Khan says "we won't be cowed by terrorists" VIDEOUK opposition leader Corbyn calls London terror attack "dreadful" Police checking whether others involved in London attack: Fallon Five South Koreans wounded in UK parliament attack: ministry London attack highlights importance of protecting borders, says France's Le Pen A vigil was planned in London's Trafalgar Square at 1800 GMT. Fallon said security arrangements at parliament would be reviewed. Westminster Bridge remained cordoned off with a strong police presence. The nearby Westminster underground rail station, normally a busy hub in the morning rush hour, was not accessible from the street as it was within the cordon. May said on Wednesday the location of the attack was not an accident. She said any assault on British values of liberty, democracy and freedom of speech was doomed to failure and Britons would not be divided by such acts. But anti-immigration groups were quick to make links between immigration and the attack. Leave.EU, a group that has campaigned for immigration to be severely restrained as part of Britain's exit from the European Union, accused mainstream politicians of facilitating acts of terror by failing to secure borders. "We are sick, tired but perhaps even more so we are angry that recent governments across Europe have enabled these attacks through grossly negligible policies that have left us vulnerable," the group said in a statement. In France, far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen also drew a link, saying that events in London highlighted the importance of protecting national borders and stepping up security measures. (Additional reporting by Kate Holton, William James and Elisabeth O'Leary, writing by Estelle Shirbon, editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Giles Elgood) ================================================= At least five people have been killed and 20 injured in a chaotic incident that spanned several locations near the British parliament. < Newest12Oldest > Five dead, around 40 injured in UK parliament 'terrorist' attack Five people were killed and about 40 injured in London on Wednesday after a car plowed into pedestrians and a suspected Islamist-inspired attacker stabbed a policeman close to Britain's parliament. by nigel.manuel 10:10 AM Share Make a comment Options Live Updating by nigel.manuel 10:33 AM BREAKING: UK police say death toll rises to 5 people after attack close to parliament building in London, attacker was inspired by international terrorism by nigel.manuel 10:11 AM Paris' Eiffel Tower goes dark in solidarity with London after deadly attack by nigel.manuel 9:35 AM by Maria Caspani 9:15 AM UK police say will not comment on identity of attacker at this point by nigel.manuel 8:30 AM UK police say Islamist-related terrorism is our assumption by nigel.manuel 8:30 AM UK PM May's thoughts are with killed, injured in 'appalling incident' Theresa May's thoughts are with those killed and injured in an attack close to parliament and the British prime minister is being kept updated with developments, her office said on Wednesday. by cassandra.garrison 8:07 AM   Vehicle attacks like London easy to organize, hard to prevent Militants are increasingly turning to vehicle-ramming attacks, like the one staged near Britain's parliament on Wednesday, because they are cheap, easy to organize and hard to prevent. by cassandra.garrison 8:00 AM Police officers work at the scene after an attack on Westminster Bridge. REUTERS/Hannah McKay by Canice Leung 7:57 AM British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks about the attack outside parliament in London. by natalie.armstrong 7:44 AM JUST IN: British PM May says we have seen a sick and depraved attack in London. by cassandra.garrison 7:25 AM by cassandra.garrison 7:18 AM White House Spokesman Sean Spicer says the U.S. government will support London in bringing justice to those responsible for Wednesday's attack outside Parliament. by cassandra.garrison 6:57 AM A major police operation is launched following an attack outside Britain's parliament that has left at least four people dead.  by cassandra.garrison 6:51 AM by Maria Caspani 6:36 AM NATO secretary general condemns London attack, says NATO allies stand in solidarity with the UK. by cassandra.garrison 6:25 AM by cassandra.garrison 6:04 AM by Maria Caspani 5:38 AM by Maria Caspani 5:21 AM by Maria Caspani 5:08 AM by Maria Caspani 5:07 AM UK investigators considering possibility that London attack was inspired by Islamic State propaganda - European government official by cassandra.garrison 4:57 AM London rail station Canning Town reopens after security alert - British Transport Police by cassandra.garrison 4:56 AM The sun sets behind the Houses of Parliament after an attack on Westminster Bridge in London, Britain March 22, 2017. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh by Corinne Perkins 4:55 AM UK's top counterterrorism officer gives an update on today's attacking, confirming four people were killed and 20 are injured. by cassandra.garrison 4:53 AM Forensics investigators work at the scene. REUTERS/Hannah McKay by Canice Leung 4:48 AM UK's top anti-terrorism officer says people of London will see extra police in coming days, may call on military support if needed. by cassandra.garrison 4:33 AM UK's top anti-terrorism officer says currently believes the only attacker is dead. by cassandra.garrison 4:32 AM UK's top anti-terrorism officer says at least 20 people have been injured. by cassandra.garrison 4:31 AM HAPPENING NOW: UK's top anti-terrorism officer says car was driven over Westminster Bridge, hitting members of public and police. by cassandra.garrison 4:30 AM London transport authority says Canning Town Hall rail station in east London shut due to security alert outside by cassandra.garrison 4:29 AM People are seen inside the pods on the London Eye after it was stopped following an attack on Westminster Bridge in London, Britain March 22, 2017. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh by david.lucas 4:25 AM Commander BJ Harrington of London's Metropolitan Police make a statement on the attack outside parliament, confirming there were several casualties. by Canice Leung 4:25 AM COMING UP: UK police counterterrorism head makes statement on London attack. Watch it live in the feed above. by cassandra.garrison 4:18 AM U.S. Department of Homeland Security says is in close contact with British counterparts, U.S. security posture unchanged. by cassandra.garrison 4:15 AM White House says Trump spoke to Britain's May about attack in London. by cassandra.garrison 4:12 AM NYPD tightened security at British-linked locations in the city after attack outside British parliament. by cassandra.garrison 4:11 AM by Maria Caspani 4:10 AM Police still seeking one assailant in London attack - report by cassandra.garrison 4:10 AM 4:07 AM - 23 Mar 2017 William James @WJames_Reuters Six armed police walk through the area calmly but with weapons in hand. British PM to convene emergency security committee after Westminster incident Reuters British Prime Minister Theresa May will chair a meeting of the government's emergency security committee on Wednesday after what the police described as a "terrorist incident" outside the parliament building. by elizabeth.culliford 4:03 AM BREAKING: BBC reports that police officer was killed in London attack. by cassandra.garrison 4:03 AM   William James @WJames_Reuters After that, police cordoned off the scene and I returned to our office. 5:27 PM - 22 Mar 2017 Reply Retweet Favorite by Reuters_LindaNoakes 4:01 AM   William James @WJames_Reuters One of those who walked away was minister Tobias Ellwood who had a smear of blood across his forehead. 5:25 PM - 22 Mar 2017 Reply Retweet Favorite by Reuters_LindaNoakes 4:01 AM   William James @WJames_Reuters Sadly the other injured person was covered in blankets and medics stepped away. Those involved clearly very distressed. 5:24 PM - 22 Mar 2017 Reply Retweet Favorite by Reuters_LindaNoakes 4:01 AM   William James @WJames_Reuters An air ambulance arrived and landed in parliament square. One injured person was moved to an ambulance. 5:23 PM - 22 Mar 2017 Reply Retweet Favorite by Reuters_LindaNoakes 4:01 AM   William James @WJames_Reuters Whilst phoning in what I could see to colleagues, the armed police moved inside the building and CPR was performed on both injured parties. 5:22 PM - 22 Mar 2017 Reply Retweet Favorite by Reuters_LindaNoakes 4:00 AM   William James @WJames_Reuters Armed police were present, and more arrived via the main gate, some in regular uniforms, others now. Some carrying shields. 5:21 PM - 22 Mar 2017 Reply Retweet Favorite by Reuters_LindaNoakes 4:00 AM   William James @WJames_Reuters I then headed to the nearest vantage point, which happened to be the toilet window. Saw medics working frantically on two people. 5:20 PM - 22 Mar 2017 Reply Retweet Favorite by Reuters_LindaNoakes 4:00 AM   William James @WJames_Reuters After we filed a news alert I left the office to find out more. The corridor was locked but met a palace official who said two people down. 5:19 PM - 22 Mar 2017 Reply Retweet Favorite by Reuters_LindaNoakes 4:00 AM Reply Permalink < Newest12Oldest > Three French schoolchildren hurt in London attack PARIS - Three French schoolchildren were hurt in the attack near London's parliament on Wednesday, French officials said. The three were students aged around 15 or 16 of the Concarneau Lycee in Brittany, western France, according to a report in Le Telegramme regional newspaper. Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve confirmed on Twitter that the three were schoolchildren. The report in Le Telegramme cited a fellow students who was at the scene of what British police have described as a terrorist incident, saying the three were hit by a car that was involved whilst walking on Westminister Bridge. (Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Leigh Thomas) by Amy Tennery (Reuters) 3:58 AM Permalink French Prime Minister confirms that students injured in London attack by megan.revell 3:50 AM by natalie.armstrong 3:48 AM UPDATE: Three French citizens injured in London attack - French diplomatic source by cassandra.garrison 3:45 AM by Maria Caspani 3:43 AM Witness describes seeing a car hit people outside British parliament. by cassandra.garrison via null 3:41 AM Three French upper school students injured in London attack - French media. by cassandra.garrison 3:34 AM UPDATE: British Prime Minister May to convene emergency security committee after Westminster incident - spokesman   by cassandra.garrison 3:33 AM A witness describes feeling 'sickened' by what he saw outside parliament. by cassandra.garrison via null 3:32 AM Two dead, others injured in UK parliament 'terrorist incident' An assailant stabbed a policeman and was shot by police just outside Britain's parliament building in London on Wednesday in what police described as a "terrorist incident". by cassandra.garrison 3:32 AM Members of the emergency services take an injured person away on a stretcher after an incident on Westminster Bridge. REUTERS/Hannah McKay by Canice Leung 3:30 AM BREAKING: Woman pulled alive from River Thames after London attack, has serious injuries - Port of London Authority by cassandra.garrison 3:29 AM London ambulance service says it has treated at least 10 patients on Westminster Bridge. by cassandra.garrison 3:24 AM British Prime Minister May to chair meeting of emergency security committee COBR on Wednesday after London attack - Sky News by megan.revell 3:24 AM Armed police respond outside Parliament during an incident on Westminster Bridge. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth by Canice Leung 3:23 AM by cassandra.garrison 3:19 AM MORE: British police say additional officers, armed and unarmed deployed across London. by cassandra.garrison 3:18 AM BREAKING: British police say number of casualties, including police in attack near parliament. British police request public to avoid area around parliament and nearby bridges. by cassandra.garrison 3:17 AM by Maria Caspani 3:16 AM UPDATE: Sky News reports two people dead in London attack. by cassandra.garrison 3:11 AM Mayor of London Sadiq Khan issues statement: by Maria Caspani 3:08 AM Sterling recovers after assailant shot near UK parliament Sterling recovered and government bond futures fell back on Wednesday, after an assailant was shot outside the UK parliament by police, loud bangs were heard and a Reuters photographer saw at least a dozen injured people. British police said they were treating the incident as a terrorist incident until they knew otherwise. Click here to read more by Amy Tennery (Reuters) 3:06 AM by Canice Leung 3:04 AM FindTheData | Graphiq by Eric Martyn 2:59 AM by Maria Caspani 2:50 AM Scottish parliament says to increase security with immediate effect after London attack, says  no intelligence to suggest specific threat to Scotland. by cassandra.garrison 2:46 AM by Maria Caspani 2:44 AM UPDATE: U.S State Department says closely following 'concerning situation' out of UK parliament. by cassandra.garrison 2:28 AM GALLERY: Latest photos from the incident outside UK parliament reut.rs by Corinne Perkins 2:27 AM by cassandra.garrison 2:16 AM Armed police respond outside Parliament during an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, Britain March 22, 2017. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth by david.lucas 2:14 AM Police believe there is a suspect vehicle outside parliament, people being evacuated from the area: BBC by Amy Tennery (Reuters) 2:07 AM Armed police respond outside Parliament during an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, Britain March 22, 2017. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth by Corinne Perkins 2:06 AM British police say they are treating situation near parliament as a terrorist incident until known otherwise. by cassandra.garrison 2:03 AM by natalie.armstrong 2:03 AM What we know so far: At least a dozen injured people on Westminster Bridge near British parliament: Reuters photographer UK House of Parliament suspended - deputy parliament speaker British police say incident on Westminster Bridge being treated as firearms incident, police on scene UK politician Grant Shapps says he heard four gunshots, police urged lawmakers to crawl to cover Alleged assailant was shot at UK parliament by armed police: Leader of the House of Commons Reuters photographs show two people lying on Westminster Bridge, bleeding heavily Leader of the House of Commons says policeman stabbed inside parliament perimeter Assailant shot, at least a dozen injured in incident at UK parliament More armed police enter UK parliament, some carrying shields - Reuters witness by Amy Tennery (Reuters) 2:02 AM British security source says motivation of attack outside parliament still unclear. by cassandra.garrison 2:01 AM A woman ducks under a police tape after an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, March 22, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melville by Corinne Perkins 1:57 AM President Trump says he just got an update on the situation in London. by cassandra.garrison 1:57 AM Assailant shot, at least a dozen injured in incident at UK parliament An assailant was shot outside the British parliament by armed police, the leader of the House of Commons said on Wednesday after loud bangs were heard and a Reuters photographer saw at least a dozen injured people on a nearby bridge. by cassandra.garrison 1:52 AM A woman lies injured after a shottingt incident on Westminster Bridge in London, March 22, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melville by Corinne Perkins 1:49 AM Video from the scene outside British parliament just moments ago. by cassandra.garrison 1:47 AM Assailant shot, at least a dozen injured in incident at UK parliament Reuters An assailant was shot outside the British parliament by armed police, the leader of the House of Commons said on Wednesday after loud bangs were heard and a Reuters photographer saw at least a dozen injured people on a nearby bridge. by cassandra.garrison 1:44 AM First images from the scene after loud bangs were heard outside British parliament. by natalie.armstrong 1:30 AM

London's inflated rental prices double those in rest of UK

Prices 'flat or falling' despite strong auction market DateOctober 1, 2014 - 12:29PM 150 reading now Stephen Nicholls National Domain Editor View more articles from Stephen Nicholls Follow Stephen on Twitter Email Stephen Hordes of buyers are competing at home auctions but new data suggests prices are flat. Photo: Photo: Janie Barrett. Property prices in Melbourne and Sydney are apparently flat as a tack, despite an exceptionally strong spring auction market. RP Data's head of research, Tim Lawless, said after Sydney dwelling prices grew 1.8 per cent in the last month of winter (with quarterly growth over winter of 5 per cent) they rose just 0.8 per cent during September, as auction clearance rates were a boom-like 80 per cent or more. And in Melbourne, after rising 0.8 per cent in August (and rallying during the three months of winter with an extraordinary 6.4 per cent growth), prices suddenly dropped 0.8 per cent in September, when clearance rates were averaging 77 per cent. "I was quite surprised at seeing a flat market coming into September," said RP Data's head of research, Tim Lawless. He said there was usually a strong correlation between auction clearance rates and rising prices. This was a point raised in a Reserve Bank report last week which said auctions were the best way of measuring property price growth: "We find evidence to suggest that average prices of dwelling sold at auction are informative for forecasting growth in average private treaty prices and average sales prices overall," the authors David Genesove and James Hansen said in the discussion paper 'Predicting Dwelling Prices with Consideration of the Sales Mechanism'. Mr Lawless said that rather than focusing on the monthly figures a better indicator of the property market were the quarterly figures showing 4.1 per cent growth for Sydney and 3.7 per cent growth for Melbourne. Or even the six monthly trend of 5.2 per cent growth for Sydney or 1.2 per cent for Melbourne. RP Data's year-on-year price price growth for Sydney had now dropped to 14.3 per cent, down from 16.2 per cent last month. And the annual figure for Melbourne was now 8.1 per cent, down from 11.7 per cent. "I'm not saying the monthly data isn't important, but you need to take it in context with the overall trend in the data," he said. RP Data says Brisbane prices grew 0.7 per cent over September and 0.6 per cent over the quarter; Adelaide prices were up 0.9 per cent over the month (up 3.1 per cent quarterly); Perth prices dropped 0.4 per cent (-0.6 per cent); Canberra -.5 per cent (1.4 per cent); Hobart -0.3 per cent (-1 per cent); Darwin -1 per cent (1.4 per cent) and for the combined capitals 0.1 per cent (2.9 per cent). ============ Renting drives U.S. homeownership to 19-year low Tue, Jul 29 12:53 PM EDT image By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Homeownership in the United States hit a 19-year low in the second quarter as tight finances continued to drive Americans toward renting, one of the lasting legacies of the recession. The seasonally adjusted homeownership rate fell to 64.8 percent, the lowest level since the second quarter of 1995, the Commerce Department said on Tuesday. That compared to 65.0 percent in the first three months of 2014 and 65.1 percent a year ago. Economists said homeownership, which peaked at 69.4 percent in 2004, could fall even further as banks maintain stringent lending practices and wage growth remains tepid, despite an acceleration in job creation. "We are becoming more of a rental society. It's becoming harder to own a home," said Patrick Newport, an economist at IHS Global Insight in Lexington, Massachusetts. "People who lost their homes to foreclosure are now renting and credit standards have tightened significantly." The 2007-2009 recession, sparked by the collapse of the U.S. housing market, has left the economy with deep scars that will take long to heal. Wage growth remains lackluster, even though the unemployment rate is at six-year lows and the economy has recouped all the jobs lost during the downturn. Weak wage gains have combined with higher mortgage rates and home prices to force many to give up on the American dream of home ownership, leading to a tightening of the rental market. In the second quarter, the residential rental vacancy rate dropped to 7.5 percent, the lowest level in more than 19 years. "That is not surprising, young adults are choosing to rent," said Yelena Shulyatyeva, an economist at BNP Paribas in New York. "The shock from the financial crisis is still here." The shift toward renting could further boost the construction of multi-family units and undermine the single-family segment, the biggest sector of the housing market. Multi-family starts have seen double digit growth over the last few years as developers scrambled to meet demand for rental units, while groundbreaking for single-family homes generally has been weak. This trend suggests the housing market recovery will remain sluggish for a while. In the second quarter, the number of occupied housing units - a gauge of household formation- increased 458,000 from a year ago. Economists said the increase was far below what would be needed to signal a strong housing recovery. "Historically that number has been over a million, it has to be over a million in order for the housing market to start growing significantly," said IHS Global Insight's Newport. "We are not seeing much growth in household formation, which means that young people graduating from college are moving in with their parents. That trend has not changed much and is the key reason why the housing recovery has been so weak." (Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Tom Brown) ======================= London's inflated rental prices double those in rest of UK Published time: July 28, 2014 19:03 Edited time: July 28, 2014 19:54 Get short URL London’s rental prices eclipse those in the rest of the UK by 100 per cent, according to newly published research. (Reuters/Suzanne Plunkett) Economy, Prices, Real Estate, UK London rental prices are double those throughout the UK for the first time in modern history, according to newly published research. Average rents across the nation increased by 6.3 percent over the past year, and are currently peaking at £862 (US$1,464) per month, according to the HomeLet Rental Index. HomeLet, a specialist insurer and tenancy referencing firm, provides comprehensive and current data on new tenancies throughout the UK. According to the company’s report, London-based tenants face rental prices of £1, 412 ($2,398) per month on average, in contrast to a much more affordable £694 ($1,178) outside the capital. Londoners have seen rental prices soar in the past year by approximately 11.2 percent, the index reveals. This stark rise eclipses what is considered affordable by experts, compounding widespread fear of a London-centered cost of living crisis. The UK’s North East and Scotland were the only UK regions to experience moderate decreases in rental prices – demonstrating yearly declines of 2.4 percent and 3.8 percent respectively. Monthly rental prices in Scotland average at £578 ($981), while the North East's tenants pay approximately £507 per calender month ($861). Martin Totty, the chief executive of HomeLet's parent company, emphasized that Britain’s private rental market continues to demonstrate “strong growth,” and is characterized by a state-wide trend of increased rental costs with very little exceptions. But while average incomes in the UK are rising, affordability with respect to private renting is becoming a problem for some, he admits. "As a rule of thumb, for a rental property to be affordable, a tenant's gross income must be at least two-and-a-half times his or her annual rent,” according to Totty. HomeLet’s “data shows that rents in London have pushed beyond that boundary, with the South East and South West of England close behind,” he cautioned. But the minister of state for housing and planning, Brandon Lewis, dismissed HomeLet’s research, claiming the firm’s data is misleading. "Contrary to this limited survey, figures from the Office for National Statistics clearly show private rents falling in real terms – while inflation currently stands at 1.9 per cent, nationally rents have risen by just 1 percent,” he argued. On the subject of tackling an over-inflated rental market in the UK, Lewis suggested “building more rented housing.” He added that “excessive red tape” will only drive rental costs upwards while reducing choice for prospective tenants. For this reason, the government is currently “investing £1 billion ($1.6 billion)” in a “Build to Rent fund, which is on track to have work started on 10,000 newly built homes specifically for private rent,” according to Lewis. Lewis announced an array of other planned measures designed to address the over-heated rental market in Britain. Among the proposed policies is a newly published, government-backed 'How to Rent' guide, which breaks down the complex realm of tenancy rights for those who wish to rent privately in the UK. But whether such policy prescriptions can adequately address the starkly inflated rental prices in Britain’s capital remains to be seen. Broadly accepted poverty indicators suggest that a household’s net income should be two-and-a-half times the figure allocated to housing costs. Yet according to HomeLet’s research, most tenants across Greater London channel over half their earnings into rent alone.