Officials say there were no casualties in incident involving Chinook, which Taliban claims to have shot down A Nato helicopter has made a “hard landing” in east Afghanistan on Monday but there were no apparent casualties, officials said. The incident occurred in the volatile Paktia province, and comes days after a Chinook helicopter crashed on Friday killed 38 troops – the largest single loss for foreign forces in 10 years. International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) spokesman Lieutenant Colonel David Doherty confirmed there were no casualties in Monday’s incident. An investigation was under way but it appeared there was no enemy activity in the area at the time. However, a Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed in a text message to Reuters that the group had shot down the helicopter, also a Chinook, in the Zurmat district of Paktia, and that 33 American soldiers had died. The Taliban often exaggerates, although it correctly identified the number killed in Friday’s Chinook crash in Wardak. The surge of military deaths is being matched by record casualties among civilians, who continue to bear the brunt of a war that started almost 10 years ago. On Monday, 300 Afghans took to the streets in Ghazni province carrying the bodies of two people they claimed had been killed during a raid by ISAF troops. The provincial deputy police chief, Mohammad Hussain, said the bodies have not yet been identified. Civilian deaths caused by fighting between foreign troops and insurgents have been a major source of friction between the government in Kabul and its western backers for some time. UN figures show those casualties hit record levels in the first six months of 2011, although it blamed 80% of them on insurgents. Another ISAF spokesman, Captain Pietro D’Angelo, said two insurgents had been killed after a patrol came under attack. “There are no reports of civilians harmed during this operation,” he added. Nato officials are still investigating the cause of a helicopter crash on Friday that killed 38 people , including 30 US soldiers, seven Afghans and an interpreter. The majority of those killed were from Navy Seal Team 6, the unit that killed Osama bin Laden, but are not the same personnel. The Taliban claim to have shot down that troop-carrying CH-47 Chinook in Maidan, Wardak province, and a US official in Washington, who asked not to be identified, also said the helicopter was believed to have been shot down. “We’re still not aware of the cause of the incident, this is a very vital part of the investigation,” Brigadier General Carsten Jacobsen, senior spokesman of the Nato-led ISAF, told a news conference. “The area in which the helicopter was operating was known to be not free of insurgents.” Meanwhile, at least another seven ISAF troops were killed over the weekend, four of whom in two separate attacks on Sunday, including two French legionnaires. The spike in casualties – at least 383 foreign troops have been killed so far this year, almost 50 of them in the first week of August – comes at a time of growing unease about the increasingly unpopular and costly war. US and Nato officials issued statements vowing to “stay the course” in Afghanistan after Friday’s Chinook, but the recent death toll will raise questions about how much longer foreign troops should stay in Afghanistan. The deaths came barely two weeks after foreign troops began the first phase of a gradual process to hand security responsibility over to Afghan soldiers and police. That process is due to end with the last foreign combat troops leaving at the end of 2014, but some US lawmakers are already questioning whether that timetable is fast enough. Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, issued a statement on Sunday saying that enemies of Afghanistan, such as the Taliban and other insurgents, wanted to disrupt the transition process. UN figures show that 1,462 Afghan civilians were killed in conflict-related incidents during the first six months of 2011, the deadliest period for civilians since the Taliban were toppled by US-backed Afghan forces in late 2001. Foreign military deaths also hit record levels in 2010 with 711 killed. Afghanistan Taliban Nato Hamid Karzai United States guardian.co.uk
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Suspect in Fulwood case is believed to be grandson of one victim and nephew of the other A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his grandmother and one of his aunts, whose bodies were found in a burning bungalow shortly after 2am on Monday. Officers were called to the address in Fulwood, near Preston, in the early hours. A spokeswoman for Lancashire constabulary said: “On arrival the house was found to be on fire and inside were the bodies of two women. “A 21-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and is currently in custody.” The man being questioned is understood to be the grandson of one of the victims, who was named locally as Maureen Allen. Neighbours said she used a wheelchair and was often seen looking after her garden in the quiet close of seven similar properties. Stephanie McDougall said that her mother, who lives next door to the burned-out bungalow, rang her in distress just before 2am. “My mother thought the house was on fire and someone had stabbed somebody. “I didn’t know them myself but they were nice people. It’s very upsetting. It’s shocking that something like this could happen here.” The other dead woman is understood to be the arrested man’s aunt. Police have sealed off the semi-detached property while it is searched by forensic officers and fire service specialists. The close was also sealed off, with only residents and visitors allowed in. One woman allowed through said it was her mother’s house. She spoke briefly to officers at the scene before driving away with a police escort. Lancashire constabulary said more details would be released later. Crime Martin Wainwright guardian.co.uk
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Unrest and looting spreads across London following the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan in Tottenham – 10.32am: My colleague Jasmine Coleman has this dispatch from Brixton: The pavements all along Brixton road are closed as police officers and shopkeepers try to deal with what happened last night. Shops windows have been smashed — especially those of fast food restaurants such as McDonalds, KFC and Nandos. One shop, which I’m told was once a JD Sports, has been torched. Shakir Alam, 21, arrived at work at McDonalds on the corner of Acre Lane and Brixton Road this morning only be sent away again. He said: It just doesn’t feel right. Look at this street, it’s all smashed up. “I think the reason is the same as in Tottenham where that guy was killed.” Sam Gafre, 16, heard the violence at around midnight last night from his home nearby: I heard lots of smashing glass and lots of sirens. But I didn’t know how badly it was up until now. “I came here to shop but it’s all closed. “From what I’m hearing it is just because of what happened in Tottenham, people are just using it as an excuse to rob stuff.” 10.26am: Over in Wood Green, one bookshop owner is very, very angry about the weekend’s events . Here’s some of what he wrote last night: We are not at all happy about this. The people who did this are not representative of how Wood Green (and Tottenham) feel … They have used a controversial and tragic incident and turned it into an excuse to steal things and smash things and ruin things. They have no interest in anything other than what they can gain from this situation and I am furious. I had a text message at 5.30am from one of our most wonderful and precious customers. She lives above a shop on the High Road. She texted me to tell me about how horrible things were and to give me a warning in case I didn’t know. Now here’s the thing. She is pregnant, and was due to give birth yesterday. The high road has been cordoned off. All the police and ambulances are in Tottenham. Not a good situation when the looting and rioting in Wood Green has been going on for 2-3 hours without any police intervention (they are all still in Tottenham) and the likelihood of a taxi to take you to a hospital is zero. This is just one example of the short sighted, ignorant, self indulgent and greedy nature of the actions in Wood Green and Tottenham. There are many many more.” 10.21am: Huge thanks to the people of Brixton, who are helping us build up a pretty thorough picture of what happened there last night. Latest snapshot comes courtesy of Rahul Verma, a freelance journalist who’s live in Brixton for 12 years: It seems remarkable that big businesses and chains including KFC, McDonalds, WH Smith, Currys and JD Sports were targeted while the Ritzy cinema a venue that’s visible, has lots of windows and is in the heart the trouble is untouched.” 10.16am: A dispatch from a Brixton bus last night (thanks to Matthew Turner for this): I was on the No 3 bus last night going through Brixton right on midnight. We were 100m from the tube station when the road was blocked of by rioters using the newspaper recycling bins as blockades. Fires were being started in phone booths about 10m from where the bus was stationed. The bus was stationary for about 10 minutes before the driver decided to smash through the recycling bins. I was very surprised by the lack of police given that Brixton police station is only 100m down the road. I called the police to alert them to the situation but didn’t see any police in the space of 10 minutes. Footlocker was being looted and bricks were flying everywhere. 10.09am: Laura Kudrna has just sent in this saga from Brixton: I’ve just woken up on my friend’s sofa this morning which is not where I expected to be. Around midnight last night I tried to get to my door on Coldhabour Lane after my friend drove me back from Telford where I had attended a wedding. She dropped me off at the top of Coldhabour Lane near the Ritzy because there was traffic and I quickly saw why, as police were blocking my road. I assumed there had been a stabbing and I would receive an escort to be my door as has happened in the past. Instead, when requesting to get to my door, I was shouted at by a female police officer and told to leave the area. Upon asking why, she told me five people had been stabbed and someone was running around with an axe so I needed to go the police station. This was all I was told and had no idea what was going on. I saw my friend, a local shop owner, and he told me to wait for the police to calm down and it was just some youths causing trouble. I started to head to the police station after requesting numerous times to get to my door and being blocked from going through. I tried walking down Electric Lane and Electric Avenue to get to the high street and first saw broken glass all over the high road, then saw a woman screaming and running top speed after a man headed towards the KFC. I turned my head to look right towards the station, and saw a huge crowd moving my way. I turned around and started running down Electric Avenue (full sari and heels and suitcase!) unable to call anyone because my phone was out of battery. I was truly terrified. Fortunately I have a friend on the street and rang his bell until he answered. He let me in and we could see a fire burning from his roof – we thought it was the Marks and Spencer but I guess it was Foot Locker. I could see riot police and hear shouting and breaking glass. I can understand the frustration of the people looting and rioting – our political and economic climate is pretty bad and it sounds like the police should have engaged in more open communication with Mark Duggan’s family. I am disappointed this will contribute to stereotypes about Brixton being a dangerous place to live because it’s really not, I love living here and it has a wonderful, normally very safe community. 10.04am: The home secretary, Theresa May, is thought to be in her way back to the country today to talk to police and take charge of the situation 10.02am: My colleague Jasmine Coleman, who’s just arrived in Brixton, sends this: Brixton tube station is still closed due to ‘a police investigation’. There was a handful of officers at Stockwell station but no sign of unrest so far. 9.42am: We’ve got a team of reporters in — or heading down — to last night’s hotspots. If you’ve got any information on what happened in your area, do get in touch on the thread below or by emailing sam.jones@guardian.co.uk 9.38am: Interesting technological observations here from the Urban Mashup Blog: In recent public disturbances such as the Student protests, commentary has focused on the role that social networks such as Twitter and Facebook have played in the planning of demonstrations and coordination of protesters. By contrast in this riot it appears the social network of choice is one provided by none other than BlackBerry. Blackberry’s have been produced by Research In Motion (RIM) since 1999. They were originally associated with busy office executives who needed to access their emails on the move, but in recent years they have become increasingly popular within youth and urban cultures. I have to admit that I found this puzzling. It took my far cooler 17 year old nephew to explain that the main reason for their popularity is due to BBM – BlackBerry Messenger. BBM as it is known, is an instant messenger system that has become popular for three main reasons: it’s fast (naturally), it’s virtually free, and unlike Twitter or Facebook, it’s private. So what has all this got to do with the riots in Tottenham? Well, it appears that BBM messages have been circulating since Thursday’s shooting of Duggan by the police. These have fuelled the anger of the youths that have taken to the streets. BBM was also the channel used to spread the word that the riot had started, and from what I can tell on Twitter, it appears to be the means by which communications continue to be shared. 9.33am: Amid the chaos, PA brings some cheer: In front of the KFC on the corner of Coldharbour Lane in Brixton, which also had its windows smashed, the proprietor of a local bakery was giving out free cupcakes. The owner, who would only give her name as Ms Cupcake, said: “Brixton is about love. Who cares if people didn’t show love last night? We wanted to show there is kindness in Brixton.” 9.26am: Malthouse has also denied that the resignations last month of Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and Assistant Commissioner John Yates in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal had contributed to gaps in decision-making at the top of the force. He defended the Met against allegations that too few officers were sent to tackle the rioters, adding: We can’t just maintain a standing army sitting in vans all over the place just in case something might kick off. “We have to employ those officers as efficiently as possible.” 9.24am: The deputy mayor for policing in London, Kit Malthouse, has told Sky News that the capital is one of the “safest big cities on earth”. He’s also suggested that some people are using the shooting of Mark Duggan as an excuse to steal “a new set of trainers or whatever it is”. He added: I think it is worth stressing that this is quite a small group of people within our community in London who have decided to perpetrate violence and who, frankly, are looking for stuff to nick. “They’re picking particular kinds of stores, whether it is because they want a new set of trainers or whatever it is. “What we have to be careful to do, in the media and in politics, is not create some kind of atmosphere of excuse for their behaviour.” Malthouse said police would be “unrelenting” in pursuing people who took part in criminal activity over the weekend, adding that they would be “hoovered up” by police in the next few weeks. He defended Boris Johnson’s decision to stay on holiday during the crisis in the capital, saying: “Should he be reacting to these criminal provocateurs in that way by coming back? I think that is kind of rewarding them. “Modern communications mean he can stay in touch and participate in meetings from around the globe.” 9.19am: This comment from @simonlondontown is worth a read: I was in Tottenham on Saturday, the police had petrol bombs and bricks and concrete thrown at them all night however they were still really polite with people who weren’t involved. They were chiefly concerned with trying to protect the fire brigade who were rescuing families from flats that were on fire in the High Road. This has nothing to do with a local gang member criminal who was shot while shooting at police, this is sadly just the typical sort of excuse adopted to try and add some shred of credibility to the actions of the unemployed lawless criminal low-lifes who, when they’re not stealing — and now apparently looting — are swindling honest hard working people out of their taxes through the benefits system. Until we make people work for their benefits in this country this type of lawlessness will continue. Let’s stop criticising the police — who the media and particularly the BBC now blame for everything — and start facing up to dealing with the real problem. What have you seen and heard where you live or work? Post below or drop me an email: sam.jones@guardian.co.uk 9.11am: Elsewhere, we’re getting reports that the Bike Shack shop in Leyton has been looted and that the windows at Currys Leyton Mills have been smashed. And thanks to pjlayer (on the thread below) for this: Peacocks in Harringay Arena Shopping centre got looted last night. Possibly sports direct too, judging by the number of their hangers strewn across the car park this morning. Meanwhile, here’s what JD Sports in Streatham looks like today 9.04am: More info on the affected areas from colleagues. One, who lives in south London, writes: Been told by a couple of neighbours that T Mobile & JD Sports in Streatham were broken into last night, possibly rammed Another, who lives in Walthamstow, writes: I was woken up at just before 12.30am to the sound of cars speeding, loud banging and lots of people talking. I looked out my window and a crowd of about 40 youths had gathered at the top end of the High Street and were just milling around, with their attention focused down the High Street towards where the shops are, including BHS and Argos. At just gone 12.30am, three police vans pulled into the top end of the High Street, and the youths began to be questioned by officers, but it seemed reasonably calm so I went back to bed. The sirens continued in the area into the early hours of the morning. 8.44am: Nick Clegg has a busy day ahead of him and is expected to phone and meet top police officers and ministers to talk about the weekend’s violence. It also appears that the Met’s Tottenham borough commander, Chief Superintendent Sandra Looby, is cutting short her US holiday to fly back to the UK and address the situation in her area. Looby has been criticised for jetting off to Florida in the runup to Saturday night’s violence. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Steve Kavanagh told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: The local chief superintendent, when she went away, actually handed over to a senior officer … and had two superintendents working on the borough constantly. “She’s now coming back because she is very committed to that borough.” He admitted there were too few officers in Tottenham on Saturday night, but blamed Twitter for fuelling looting and violence, saying: “Social media and other methods have been used to organise these levels of greed and criminality.” Kavanagh pledged that more officers would be on London’s streets tonight to prevent or tackle further outbreaks. He added: “There will be even more officers out, even more committed and brave then they have been thus far, to make sure London stays as safe as possible.” 8.36am: More on the trouble in east London last night, courtesy of Twitter and Stella Creasy, MP for Walthamstow: for clarity areas affected locally – walthamstow high st, green man tescos, leyton tescos, chingford mount & leyton mills. Police aware. Ok update as at 8.30 – in waltham forest 51 arrests made, 5 active crime scenes ( may be more as people go to their shops etc) … 3 officers injured- 2 run over by looters- and there was a stabbing in early morning. Person went 2 hospital & injuries not life threatening 8.23am: There appears to be some confusion over what happened in Islington last night. Despite reports on Twitter that a police officer was dragged from his car and beaten — and that Islington police station was surrounded by dozens of angry youths — the Met have just told me they’re not aware of anything other than the broken police car windscreen and the group causing a disturbance. 8.14am: Here’s a little more on events last night in the north London borough of Islington — which seem to have lacked the fury and violence of those elsewhere. According to the Met: In Islington there were reports of a group causing a disturbance and a police vehicle windscreen was smashed.” 8.09am: Brixton residents are waking up to an ugly Monday morning and what one police officer has described as “a mini-Tottenham”. Here’s PA’s report on the situation in south London: Several shops along the High Street, including WH Smith and McDonald’s, had their windows smashed, and the Tube station was closed as officers diverted commuters during the morning rush-hour. Firefighters were inspecting the burned-out remains of Foot Locker, next to the station. Inside, the blackened building looked to have been completely destroyed, with only charred remains visible from he street. Police officers on the edge of a cordon in Brixton Road were directing hundreds of commuters to a nearby bus stop amid chaotic scenes. One local, Mark Bray, 38, an IT consultant, said: “Police should have seen this coming. There was a festival here yesterday, it is no surprise with Brixton and all its history that the mood has turned sour. “The looting is pretty pathetic, to be honest – it doesn’t do anyone any favours.” The cordon prevented hundreds of commuters from getting to the overground station, which remained open. 8.07am: This is what the home secretary, Theresa May, has to say about the latest violence: Last night, police officers again put themselves in harm’s way to protect Londoners and their property. “Those responsible for the violence and looting will be made to face the consequences of their actions. Many have been arrested and further arrests will be made. “Londoners have made clear that there are no excuses for violence, and I call on all members of local communities to work constructively with the police to help them bring these criminals to justice.” 8.05am: Four months ago, my colleague Peter Walker marked the 30th anniversary of the Brixton riots with this piece . It makes fascinating reading after the weekend’s events: Just after 6pm on a mild Friday evening almost exactly 30 years ago, a young police constable inadvertently set in motion a wave of violent unrest that would, over the next three months, sweep through England’s inner cities. The catalyst for the riot that would reshape national attitudes towards deprivation, race and policing was innocuous enough: on a busy street in Brixton, south London, PC Steve Margiotta tried to stop a frightened young black man who was bleeding profusely from a stab wound; he called for help when the youth ran away. Community relations were at an all-time low amid an aggressive police crackdown that had seen 943 people searched on the street in a few days, and a rumour spread that Margiotta had prevented the youth getting treatment and – also incorrectly – that he had died. Within half an hour an angry crowd was pelting Margiotta and his colleagues with bricks and bottles. Before the weekend was over, more than 350 police officers had been injured and about two dozen buildings were gutted by fires. By the end of 1981′s summer of urban discontent, fuelled by mass unemployment and simmering resentment at oppressive, sometimes openly racist policing, similar scenes ravaged parts of Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham. More here … 7.59am: While we’re on the subject of leadership, my former colleague Kevin Maguire has tweeted this: Move along please. Nothing to see here. Crises over. Leadership restored. Clogg’s back in Britain. I’m guessing Clogg’s deliberate … 7.55am: The Labour MP and phone-hacking campaigner Tom Watson is at a loss to understand who’s minding the shop as violence erupts in the capital. He’s just tweeted this: Whatever happened to rotas? It’s remarkable the PM, DPM, Chancellor, Home Secretary and London Mayor are out of the country. 7.40am: Scotland Yard has just released this statement: Officers responding to sporadic disorder in a number of boroughs made more than 100 arrests throughout last night and early this morning. This is in addition to the 61 arrests made on Saturday night and Sunday morning.” According to the statement, there have been 16 charges over offences including burglary, points and blades, theft and violent disorder. Seventeen people have been bailed and one has been cautioned. One person has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, 11 are awaiting CPS advice and 15 are ongoing inquiries. The statement concluded: Officers are shocked at the outrageous level of violence directed against them. At least nine officers were injured overnight in addition to the 26 injured on Saturday night. We will not tolerate this disgraceful violence. The investigation continues to bring these criminals to justice. 7.37am: Good morning, and welcome to the Guardian’s live reaction to London disturbances. A second night of rioting broke out across London last night, with violence erupting in several of the capital’s boroughs, from Brixton in the south to Enfield and Islington in the north and Walthamstow in the east. The fresh unrest – some of which appears to have been part of an orchestrated plan – has so far resulted in 100 arrests. The latest rioting followed disturbances on Saturday night in Tottenham, north London, which came after the shooting by police of Mark Duggan, 29, on Thursday. London Metropolitan police Protest Sam Jones guardian.co.uk
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If successful, 61-year-old Diana Nyad will become the first person to cross 100-mile strait without protection of shark cage An American endurance swimmer has attempted to become the first person to swim from Havana to Key West in Florida without the aid of a shark cage. Diana Nyad is hoping to accomplish at 61 years old what she failed to do at 28, and if successful, would become the first person to traverse the 100-mile Florida strait without a cage. She will instead rely on technology and divers to fend off predators. Tanned and freckled from long hours training in the open seas of the Caribbean, Nyad expressed confidence before starting off just before sunset Sunday. She said the still air and calm water were perfect conditions for her attempt to make the 103-mile (166km) swim. “The adrenaline’s flowing now. This is what I dreamed – a silver platter.” She gave a kiss on the cheek to the commodore of the Hemingway Marina in Havana, who helped arrange the logistics of the trip. Then she changed into a black swimsuit and blue swim cap and goggles, which were light blue – for better night vision – and smoky charcoal-tinted to protect her eyes from the blinding daytime sun. After an assistant greased her shoulders and armpits to prevent chafing in the salty water, Nyad played Reveille on a bugle, thanked several dozen wellwishers who came to see her, then jumped feet first into the sea. Nyad said it has been a lifelong dream and she hopes her feat, if successful, will inspire people to live vigorously during their golden years. “Thirty-three years ago I stood on a beach close by here and looked out at a giant sea … Now I’m almost 62 years old and I’m standing here at the prime of my life,” she said. “I think this is my day.” Nyad first had a go at this crossing back in 1978, when she swam inside a steel shark cage for about 42 hours before sea currents hammering her off course put an end to the attempt. The following year she set a world record for open-water swimming without a shark cage, charting 102.5 miles (165km) from the Bahamas to Florida, then retired from competitive endurance swimming. Nyad said the aborted Cuba attempt had stuck with her all these years and upon turning 60, she started thinking about a comeback. “What if I went back and tried to chase that elusive dream of Cuba?” she said. “I started training and found it was in my heart and it was in my body … It seems almost like a dream to me, but now it’s real.” In preparation, she has made eight- to 15-hour swims over the past two years off the Caribbean island of St Martin. Australian swimmer Susie Maroney successfully swam the shark-filled waters from Cuba through the Florida Straits and to the Keys in 1997, although she used a cage. Nyad’s team is deploying an electronic boom to surround her with a current that is imperceptible to humans but is strong enough to keep most sharks at bay. Whitetip sharks are not deterred by the field, so divers will be standing by to gently discourage the creatures without harming them. For the record to be considered valid, Nyad will have to make the swim without a wetsuit. Her crew will navigate, monitor her health and provide nourishment. But she is not allowed to touch the boat, nor can her helpers hold her, until she’s fully emerged fully on to dry land. Five support vessels carried 45 navigators, nutritionists, doctors, shark wranglers and a film crew that has been documenting her story. She plans to stop every 45 minutes for 20-second hydration breaks of water, juice and sports drinks. Every 90 minutes she will rest for two minutes and nibble on bread or a spoonful of peanutbutter. By day two she’ll begin drinking heated water and hot chocolate to ward off hypothermia, which is a genuine threat after so many hours at sea, even though water temperatures are expected to be 30-31C (86-88F). Nyad embarked on a north-west course, aiming to arrive at a point in the keys slightly east of due north, compensating for sea currents. She called the attempt a “symbolic moment” for increasing understanding between the US and Cuba, two nations torn by five decades of animosity and mistrust. “I’m under no delusion that my swim is going to make any new political ramifications,” Nyad added. “But it is a human moment between the two countries.” Swimming World records Cuba United States guardian.co.uk
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Violence, vandalism and looting spread beyond Tottenham and Enfield to reach Brixton, leaving 35 police injured There has been a second night of rioting across London, with violence erupting in several of the capital’s boroughs, from Brixton in the south to Enfield and Islington in the north and Walthamstow to the east. What police are calling “copycat criminal activity” – some of it apparently part of an orchestrated plan – has so far resulted in 100 arrests. Sunday night’s rioting followed disturbances on Saturday night in Tottenham , which came after the fatal shooting by police of Mark Duggan, 29, on Thursday. In a statement on Monday morning, the Metropolitan police said they were shocked at the levels of “disgraceful violence” that had left 35 officers injured. “Officers responding to sporadic disorder in a number of boroughs made more than 100 arrests throughout last night and early this morning. “This is in addition to the 61 arrests made on Saturday night and Sunday morning … Officers are shocked at the outrageous level of violence directed against them. At least nine officers were injured overnight in addition to the 26 injured on Saturday night. “We will not tolerate this disgraceful violence. The investigation continues to bring these criminals to justice.” Shops in Enfield Town and the A10 retail park were vandalised and looted, and there were reports of two vehicles set on fire. Mounted police were seen chasing groups of masked youths, some carrying sticks, away from stores, while lines of riot police readied themselves for trouble. At 9.30pm on Sunday Met police and reinforcements from Kent began turning the whole of Enfield into a “sterile area”. Hundreds of riot police arrived with vans and police dogs, charging at groups of teenagers who disappeared into sidestreets, smashing cars and shop windows as they ran. A large crowd of youths moved off westwards, with some teenagers saying the plan was to go to nearby Ponders End. A retail park and shops were attacked, among them a closed Tesco Extra store. Workers inside described hearing windows smashing as dozens of youths poured into the store. “They left carrying TVs, alcohol – they were stuffing trolleys,” said one shop assistant. Unlike the previous night’s disturbances, this time riot police appeared on the scene in large numbers. Their stance was also more aggressive, with baton charges and dogs used to disperse crowds. Three officers were taken to hospital after being hit by a fast-moving vehicle at 12.45am, a Metropolitan police spokesman said, while a fight broke out when rival gangs went to King’s College Hospital in Denmark Hill, south London, after two victims of minor stabbings were admitted. The hospital brought in extra security for the rest of the night and officers remained on scene dealing with the initial stabbings. Six fire engines were dispatched to deal with a blaze at a Foot Locker shop in Brixton, south London, and witnesses saw riot police clash with looters at a Currys store nearby. The looting across London was carried out by “small and mobile” groups, the police spokesman said. As violence spread, about 50 youths gathered in Oxford Circus, central London, and damaged property. Elsewhere, more than 30 youths, many in masks, vandalised and looted shops in Walthamstow Central, including BHS. Meanwhile, the family of Mark Duggan’s said it was “not condoning” the riots and looting that had rocked their local area. Duggan’s brother Shaun Hall told Sky News: “It seems to be the press who are generally saying that it is linked to my brother. OK, some questions were supposed to have been answered, they weren’t answered, therefore there was a domino effect from that, we don’t condone that at all. “I know people are frustrated, they’re angry out there at the moment, but I would say please try and hold it down. Please don’t make this about my brother’s life. He was a good man.” Hall said the family was “devastated” by his death and dismissed as “utter rubbish” the allegation that he had shot at police. The Guardian has reported that initial tests suggest a bullet found lodged in a police radio after Duggan’s death was police issue. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which has launched an inquiry into the shooting, said it would not comment until all ballistics and forensic tests were complete. A major investigation codenamed Operation Withern has been launched followed the unrest in Tottenham. London Crime Metropolitan police Police Sam Jones Paul Lewis Matthew Taylor Ben Quinn guardian.co.uk
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Report led by Carol Vorderman says most pupils need to focus on learning everyday skills for finance and business GCSE maths should be split in two, offering deeper study for students with an aptitude for the subject while allowing other pupils to become fully numerate in a smaller area of the curriculum, according to a taskforce headed by the TV presenter Carol Vorderman. In a report commissioned by the Conservatives, Vorderman proposes adopting the model of English language and literature to split maths into twin GCSEs, so that some candidates can achieve a higher standard of maths in an area which includes topics such as personal finance, rather than receiving a “trickled down” version of the subject for more advanced students. Vorderman said: “In my view, it is pointless for most 14-year-olds starting their GCSE courses to be force-fed mathematical topics which they will never use, when what they desperately need is to become more comfortable with numbers including percentages and fractions used in the world of finance.” The report notes that while young people’s employment prospects are highly dependent on their level of maths knowledge, nearly half of all students fail to get a C grade or higher at GCSE maths, effectively failing the subject. Only 15% take maths in some form beyond GCSE. The report says: “Unless major alterations in our mathematics education are made and quickly, we are risking our future economic prosperity.” Roger Porkess, a former maths teacher and education specialist who is lead author of the report, said: “Future generations may well see this report as a turning point, the moment when it ceased to be acceptable for the education system to turn out large numbers of young people who are too frightened of maths to be able to use it at work and in everyday life.” Vorderman’s team recommends that all students should study maths until they are 18. This would not mean a compulsory A-level but a range of options for different needs and abilities. The report says maths should no longer be confined to a daily lesson but encouraged in other areas of pupils’ daily routine so that like English it is practised throughout the school day. The report warns that many primary school teachers are not adequately grounded in the subject to teach maths. Almost all recently qualified primary school teachers gave up maths themselves at age 16 after taking GCSE. Around a quarter of children in secondary schools are not taught by specialist maths teachers. It says that a child’s mathematical destiny is fixed at 11. Nine-tenths of those who fail to achieve the Sat target at 11 will go on to get below a C grade at GCSE. By contrast, 94% of those who surpass the Sat target will get a good GCSE pass. The report says almost all secondary schools ignore the results of the Sat and immediately retest children, even though around two school terms have been spent preparing for the Sat. The independent report owas commissioned by David Cameron and Michael Gove, now the education secretary, in 2009 and carried out by a task force assembled and led by Vorderman. Gove said: “As Carol and her team point out so powerfully, we are falling behind our competitors when it comes to mathematics education. British 15-year-olds’ mathematics skills are now more than two whole academic years behind 15-year-olds in Shanghai and the last decade has seen us plummet down the international league tables in both maths and science. “This comprehensive report, looking at all the important areas, will be of great help as the government continues its drive to equip our children with the skills that they need to compete with their global contemporaries and thrive in the 21st century.” In a speech to the Royal Society in June, Gove said he believed the “vast majority” of pupils should study maths to the age of 18. He said this should be a “new goal for the education system”. The education secretary suggested that calculus and statistics should play a part in the secondary curriculum. He said: “There are a vast array of issues that people are confronted with in daily life – from health scares to claims about the effect of drugs to financial news – which require statistical understanding. But studies have repeatedly shown how poor our collective understanding of such issues is.” Commenting on the report, Professor Dame Julia Higgins, chair of the independent Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education, said: “Carol’s work taps into one of the biggest concerns of not only the mathematics community but also of higher education and business, that too few people study mathematics up to the age of 18. “We need a broad set of mathematics qualifications that are designed to meet everyone’s needs – A-level mathematics alone can’t provide this. We hope that the government will act on this recommendation, as it is a key step to ensuring that future generations are suitably prepared for the challenges of a highly competitive and technologically dependent world. “At present, some students aren’t even studying mathematics up to 16 – early entry to GCSE mathematics is increasing dramatically and, with league tables in mind, some schools interpret achieving a grade C at the age of 14 as permission to drop the subject and focus their attention elsewhere. “The government needs to act now to clarify this situation and send the message that mathematics isn’t something you can just ‘get out of the way’ if you want to compete in the modern world.” Mathematics GCSEs Schools Jeevan Vasagar guardian.co.uk
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Practice of flights being displayed at low prices before further charges are added is to be looked at by European commission The European commission has launched an inquiry into airlines’ controversial “add-on” charges that allow them to offer low prices bearing little resemblance to what ticket buyers end up having to pay. Siim Kallas, a European commission vice-president, who is also the organisation’s transport commissioner, said he was concerned about the growing practice of airlines offering attractive, affordable, “headline prices” for flights that are then subject to baggage charges, credit and debit card fees, and airport check-in fees. The practice, already criticised by UK consumer groups , has been under the spotlight for being used, as a matter of course, by budget airlines such as Ryanair. But it is also a feature of scheduled carriers as well as train firms and rail websites. Amid growing concern that airlines exploit passengers by expanding the list of additional charges – which, at one stage, were routinely included in the basic fare – Kallas revealed that the commission shared his concerns about the confusing practices and admitted that spiralling consumer complaints were difficult to address within current laws. He has launched a study into whether EU rules need to be amended, which will report this autumn with legislative action expected next year. The inquiry follows pressure from the Labour MEP Brian Simpson, who is chair of the European parliament transport committee. He believes an investigation is long overdue. In a letter to Kallas, he said the “marked trend” of adding charges for basic services was “giving rise to serious concern”. He added: “Passengers have a right to receive basic services for … their air tickets. It is necessary to ensure price transparency.” He said the situation was similar to what happened with package holiday contracts; in that case, basic rules governing pricing of such holidays were set out in an EU directive. Simpson said he wanted to see airlines starting with a top price then deducting charges according to passenger choice, rather than starting with rock-bottom prices and adding on. Some carriers, he said, were advertising fares as low as €6 (£5.23). “It is impossible to fly for that. We need clarity,” he said. Simpson said the list of additional charges was growing. Ryanair had introduced an ” EU 261 levy “, which charges customers a fee to cover any compensation that might have to be paid under EU passenger rights legislation. “It doesn’t seem fair or appropriate to ask passengers to help cover the business risks of Ryanair.” The situation has been compounded by the ease of buying tickets online, where people may decline to cancel a transaction at a late stage as the extra charges kick in. Consumers have to agree with carriers’ terms and conditions to proceed with the transaction. In a letter to Simpson in July, Kallas announced the inquiry and said: “According to EU regulation 1008/2008 the final price of air fares should be indicated at all times, including taxes, charges and surcharges and fees, which are unavoidable or foreseeable. Commercial practice has, little by little, segregated specific services that may be avoidable (check-in at the counter, excess baggage weight, checked baggage), but which up to now have formed part of the basic fare. Such a pricing practice that could be defined as price unbundling or ‘a la carte’ may increase consumer choice but can also create confusion: the final price at the time of payment increasingly differs from the announced price, rendering price comparison impracticable and leading to frustration, and consumer mistrust.” Monique Goyens, director general of the European Consumers’ Organisation , said: “It’s high time the commission looks into this issue. More and more airlines charge their clients unnecessary high costs for paying by credit or debit card, inflating the price tag of flights advertised as low cost. Accepting card payments to buy a ticket is not a service delivered by a company. Passengers should not be charged for exaggerated and unjustifiable card fees. “The promotion of e-commerce is a top priority for Europe but consumers will not have trust in online commerce when they feel ripped-off when making a card payment on the internet.”Ryanair has not replied to the Guardian. An easyJet spokesman commented: “As we don’t charge for check-in or printing boarding cards, we feel it would be more appropriate for the airlines that do charge for these things to comment instead.” In June the UK’s Office of Fair Trading said it would be tackling “rip-off” surcharges levied on debit and credit card transactions by travel companies, particularly airlines, which it said raked in £300m by these means in 2009. Case study Nick Murton of Kent recently flew by easyJet from Gatwick to Edinburgh, expecting to pay £121 for two return seats. “My initial anger was that when booking the flight, at the very last second before confirming and clicking ‘payment’[the website] came up with a disgusting choice of ‘charges’ when paying: £8 for a debit card and £12.95 for a credit card. “Now, I am aware that there has been a lot of recent media debate on this subject and rightly so. It is appalling. Charging customers to pay for their tickets? I think it costs about 30p to process a card payment. I have been in business and have never charged a customer to pay me. “My anger was then compounded when checking in at 7am in the morning I was told I would have to pay £25 for my baggage. It was only a trolley on wheels – granted too big to take on board – but nonetheless, another outrageous last minute surprise. I then enquired about coming back and lo-and-behold was informed it would be a further £25 to bring my clothes home again. Do airlines honestly expect all their customers to travel away for three to four days and stay in the same set of clothes? “So, here I am finding myself with an extra £58 cost on top of my ticket price. Of course the chap at Gatwick explained that it would have been explained on their website, but their pricing structure and website bookings are so complicated and not transparent whatsoever. It was probably very small print, and one would expect to be able to take one case in the hold. “I feel totally and utterly ripped off and fleeced by this experience. And now I find it impossible to complain as there is no email address I can see to complain to, only an 0871 telephone number charging 10p per minute – another easyjet rip-off.” Airline industry European commission Easyjet Ryanair Regulators Consumer affairs Rebecca Smithers Mark King guardian.co.uk
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FTSE is expected to fall by more than 100 points as traders react to S&P’s downgrading of the US AAA credit rating, and the latest efforts to hold the Eurozone together 7.44am: Japan’s stock market has now closed after a pretty nervy session, but one where we didn’t see a full-blown panic. The Nikkei ended 2.18% lower at 9,097.56, down 202.32 points, having been as low as 9,057.29 at one stage. “The three main concerns are S&P’s downgrade of the U.S. debt rating, the ongoing European debt problems and inflation worries in China,” Masanaga Kono, chief strategist at Amundi Japan, told Reuters. Most Asian markets are still trading, and they are all suffering losses . China’s Shanghai Composite is down by over 4%. We’ll do a full round-up of the Asian markets once they’ve closed – they’ve already helped to set the mood in Europe…. 7.25am: The ECB’s pledge to start buying government bonds to prevent the crisis spreading further appears to be having an effect. My colleague Alex Hawkes has more details: Both Italy and Spain’s borrowing costs have dropped this morning, following indications from the European Central Bank that it would start buying the countries’ bonds to settle the markets. Yields on ten-year Italian bonds are down by almost half a percentage point to 5.6%, while Spanish bond yields have fallen 0.3 percentage points, to 5.7%. Traders suggested the move could be temporary, but any suggestion that Eurozone debts could be more manageable will help to limit the panic when the markets open at 8am. 7.18am: The Russian stock market has opened, and the main index promptly fell 3.5%. The 61 point fall to 1736 points pushed the RTS index to its lowest level for the year. More evidence that the shockwaves from the loss of America’s AAA credit rating (with S&P, anyway) are being felt worldwide. 7.12am: The dash for safety has sent gold racing to yet another record high – with the cost of an ounce of bullion leaping by over $50 this morning to $1,715. That’s a 3% increase. Tellingly, gold has hit a record high on 11 of the last 19 trading days, according to data from Reuters. Back in late January, an ounce was changing hands for just over $1,300. While some analysts argue that gold is a bubble ripe for popping, goldbugs insisted that the precious metal is only moving in one direction. Next stop – $2000 per ounce, argues Dominic Schnider , executive director for wealth management research at UBS. What people are realizing is that dollar and euro currencies have real problems and I think that’s manifesting in the gold price. I would say the way things evolve right now I really could even imagine $2,000 being in the cards. 6.51am: Stock markets across Asia were the first to react to the situation, and in many countries the verdict was stark. In South Korea, some trading was suspended after the main index – the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) – plunged by 7.4%. Japan’s Nikkei hit a five-month low and is down over 2% in late trading, led by banks and exporters. The losses were across-the-board: the New Zealand and Australian stock markets also slid by at least 2%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index lost 4% at one stage, with the Shanghai Composite Index down by 3.7%. 6.45am: Europe’s major stock markets open at 8am BST. IG index is calling the FTSE 100 index down 117 at 5130 – a fall of around 2.2%. Losses on other markets may be less dramatic. The German DAX is being called down 55 at 6181 and the French CAC down 34 at 3244. Here’s more from IG’s Cameron Peacock : Despite US Treasury attempts to discredit the S&P downgrade that was served up on Friday night as a bitter finish to a disastrous week for equity markets, the bears are set to attack once again as Europe’s trade gets underway. Add this to the mounting sense of panic over the eurozone debt crisis with emergency talks being held amongst finance ministers over the weekend and there’s little reason to be cheerful. As a result, Asian markets are struggling already but despite the shadow this is casting over sentiment, the fact remains that equities are now generally trading at such a discount that even if there’s more downside to come, this stage of the sell-off must soon be set to run out of steam. 6.30am: “There’s a crisis of confidence across the financial world”. That’s the message from Bloomberg TV this morning as traders arrive at City trading floors for the first time since Standard & Poor’s downgraded America’s credit rating . Investors are also gripped by the latest developments in Europe’s debt crisis. Late on Sunday night the European Central Bank pledged ‘decisive action’ to save the euro – and is expected to start buying Spanish and Italian government bonds today. Asian markets have already fallen sharply, amid fears of a new global recession. Traders are predicting that the FTSE will fall by more than one hundred points when trading begins – adding to last week’s heavy losses. We’ll bring you the latest action from the City and beyond, as the financial crisis threatens to enter a new phase. Market turmoil Financial crisis Stock markets Economics Europe European Central Bank Euro Economic policy US economy Graeme Wearden guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Kim Kardashian’s wedding is sure to be epic (heck, E! is airing a two-part special about it ). In honor of the blessed event, W magazine rounds up the 10 “most outrageously expensive—or just plain outrageous—celebrity nuptials.” Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise : Their $2 million wedding included $900,…
Continue reading …A family argument in Ohio ended in the shooting deaths of eight people in two places, including an 11-year-old, authorities said today. Two others were wounded. The shootings happened in a wooded, residential neighborhood of older homes outside Akron, and police shot the gunman to death, Copley Township officers said….
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