LONDON: From the Westminster and London Bridge terror attacks to acid-wielding gangs, the city’s usual summer cheer is tinged with fear. Londoners are under siege.
On a balmy Sunday morning in July, Hyde Park in the center of the UK capital is in bloom and bustling with tourists enjoying the sunshine.
But in the boroughs beyond is a city deeply divided — by money, politics and religion.
The diversity, tolerance and good humor that once defined the UK capital are being shouted down.
At Speakers’ Corner, where public speakers have gathered since 1872, the shouting is being done by rival preachers of Christian and Muslim faiths.
They trade insults for the entertainment of the crowd — like boxers trash-talking before a bout.
Among the audience is Londoner Mercyn Botayi, who sees fear and inequality in many aspects of his home city — from the social deprivation revealed by the Grenfell Tower fire to the backlash against Muslims in the wake of a string of terror attacks in the capital.
“Islamophobia has become really real,” said the 18-year-old student, who is not himself a Muslim. “There is a typification of Muslims and I don’t understand where it comes from. People see Muslims and they think terrorists.”
Police figures point to a rise in hate crimes as well as those specifically targeting Muslims this summer.
The Metropolitan Police has increased its number of specialist investigators dealing with hate crimes by 30 percent over the last two years, with 900 members of staff now dedicated to this type of offense.
The Mayor of London’s office last month released figures that showed a sharp increase in hate crimes and Islamaphobic incidents in the aftermath of the London Bridge terror attack on June 3. Racist incidents leapt by as much as 40 percent.
Some have contrasted how the media covered the London Bridge attack to coverage of other incidents, such as the van attack on Muslims near Finsbury Park Mosque in June.
“The Finsbury Park attack was (allegedly) done by a white guy but they didn’t call him a terrorist. Had he been an Asian he would have been called a terrorist,” said Botayi.
His friend Simeon Mitchell, an 18-year-old student, agrees that the media has played a part in stoking such divisions and helping to tribalize a city world-famous for its tolerance.
Some commentators trace London’s changing temperament to last summer when Britain voted narrowly to leave the EU.
The vitriolic political language unleashed by Brexit is not just finding its voice in the city’s underclass estates or atop the angry soap boxes of Speakers’ Corner, but also among the highest rungs of society — as the jailing of aristocrat Rhodri Philipps this month highlighted.
The polo-playing viscount received a 12-week sentence for a string of menacing social media posts. One of them offered £5,000 for someone to “accidentally” run over anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller.
“If this is what we should expect from immigrants send them back to their stinking jungles,” he wrote in a post that he later claimed was “just satire.”
Mike Ainsworth, a director at Stop Hate UK, sees a clear link between the rise of hate crimes and the EU membership referendum.
He said that while there was nothing intrinsic in Brexit that should have encouraged more hate crimes, the rhetoric used by politicians and reported by a media that deliberately sought comment from individuals known for their extreme views, produced the same practical result.
“The relationship between hate speech and hate crime is absolute,” he said.The efficiency of social media in framing the narrative after a terror incident means that political leaders need to be equally swift in delivering messages that do not stoke up the potential for further hate crimes.
“We also tend to interact with people on social media who agree with us,” said Ainsworth. “The perpetrators of hate crime often say they never heard of the counter narrative until they were arrested.”
Rising wealth disparity in the capital could also be fueling tension.
The gulf between the city’s rich and poor — so vividly revealed by the Grenfell Tower fire in June, in which at least 80 people perished — is getting wider.
Grenfell Tower, which was home to many immigrants working on or below the poverty line, is located in a borough where the average terraced house sells for almost £4.3 million ($5.6 million), according to the Rightmove property listings website.”If you look at Grenfell, you can see the division in society,” says Botayi. “In a middle-class area there would never be a tower block with that cladding.”
Squalor and splendor have long lived cheek by jowl in London, back to the best and worst of Dickensian times.
But a rampant housing boom that is only now cooling has extended and distended that inequality by sucking a disproportionately large proportion of many people’s wages into paying rent — while many others fortunate enough to own their homes have become paper millionaires.
In a city where the average price of a home is now more than £630,000, some 27 percent of Londoners live in poverty after housing costs are taken into account, according to the New Policy Institute.
Almost 700,000 jobs in London (18 percent) pay below the London living wage. This number has increased for five consecutive years, particularly among men working full-time.
And there are more people in poverty in private rented housing than there are in social rented or owner-occupied homes. A decade ago it was the least common tenure among those in poverty.
A report released by the Resolution Foundation think tank this month reveals sharply rising inequality in the capital, driven by housing costs.
It estimates that the number of children living in poverty has more than doubled in a decade.
The number of eviction notices in London is currently almost double the rest of the country.
Stop Hate UK’s Ainsworth sees a clear link between poverty and hate crimes — such as when unemployment is blamed on immigration.
“Making that link has had an impact on hate crime,” he said.
Violence, whether motivated by hate, crime or a combination of both, has dominated the media.
Some 27 young people have been stabbed to death in London since the start of the year with police registering more than 12,000 knife attacks between April last year and March 2017, the highest figure in five years.
Acid attacks have also surged with 454 incidents recorded in London last year, compared to 261 in 2015. That number rose again earlier this month when five acid attacks took place within 90 minutes by young assailants on mopeds.
Such moped gang attacks were part of the biggest increase in police-recorded crimes across England and Wales in 10 years in the year to March 2017, according to official statistics.
At Speakers’ Corner the preachers are still shouting. There are no counter narratives here — or at least none that can be easily heard.
But as if to show that London’s spirit of tolerance has not been fully browbeaten into submission by fear and loathing, a lady emerges from the crowd dressed in a little mermaid outfit to tell everyone they need to start listening more.
“Every day go on to social media and find one thing you really disagree with,” she said. “Instead of trolling the person with whose opinion you so vehemently disagree, try to understand them.”
For a moment at least, the applause drowns out the shouting.
London’s long summer of hate: UK capital becoming divided along fault lines of religion, race, money and politics
London’s long summer of hate: UK capital becoming divided along fault lines of religion, race, money and politics
FBI thwarts Iranian murder-for-hire plan targeting Donald Trump
The plot reflects what federal officials have described as ongoing efforts by Iran to target US government officials
WASHINGTON: The Justice Department unsealed criminal charges Friday in a thwarted Iranian plot to kill President-elect Donald Trump before this week’s presidential election.
A criminal complaint filed in federal court in Manhattan alleges that an unnamed official in Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard instructed a contact this past September to put together a plan to surveil and ultimately kill Trump.
If the man, identified as Farjad Shakeri, was unable to create a plan by then, the complaint said, the official told him Iran would pause its plan until after the presidential election because the official believed Trump would lose and it would be easier to assassinate him then, the complaint said.
Shakeri told the FBI he didn’t plan to propose a plan to murder Trump within the seven days the official had requested, according to the complaint.
The plot, with the charges unsealed just days after Trump’s defeat of Democrat Kamala Harris, reflects what federal officials have described as ongoing efforts by Iran to target US government officials, including Trump, on US soil.
Russia says summoned Canadian diplomat to reject Western sabotage accusations
- Moscow said the Canadian diplomat “was told that these speculations” were being spread in a “coordinated manner, in the context of the hybrid war” being waged against Russia
- Russia blasted the allegations as “false,” “unacceptable” and part of a “provocation” being led by the US
MOSCOW: Moscow summoned a Canadian diplomat on Friday to rebut Western allegations that Russia’s secret services had orchestrated a campaign to mail explosive packages to addresses in NATO countries, including Canada.
After a series of fires at DHL depots in Britain and Germany this summer, Russia was accused of being behind a brazen plot to ship explosive parcels via commercial airliners.
Ottawa expressed its concern earlier this week to Russian officials after Poland and Lithuania announced several arrests as a result of a probe into attempts to send parcels packaged with explosives on cargo flights to the United States and Canada.
“The deputy head of the Canadian diplomatic mission in Moscow was summoned and handed an official note in connection with the false accusations of alleged planned ‘Russian sabotage’ against NATO countries,” Russia’s foreign ministry said.
Moscow said the Canadian diplomat “was told that these speculations” were being spread in a “coordinated manner, in the context of the hybrid war” being waged against Russia by the West.
Russia blasted the allegations as “false,” “unacceptable” and part of a “provocation” being led by the United States.
Canada’s public safety ministry said Ottawa is “aware of and deeply concerned with Russia’s intensifying campaign, from cyber incidents and disinformation operations to sabotage activities.”
It confirmed the Canadian government had “expressed this concern directly to Russian officials and unequivocally stated that any threat to the safety and security of Canadians is unacceptable.”
The ministry added there was “no imminent threat” to the public but said Canada “will continue to monitor the situation very closely.”
Canada’s Transport Minister Anita Anand told reporters on Wednesday that she required “more information” on the alleged plot but said she would taking “additional steps” to ensure the safety of passengers and packages, without providing details.
The reported plot, involving civilian airlines, comes amid growing concern in the West at what it sees as Russia’s increasingly reckless espionage and sabotage operations inside NATO countries.
“Russian intelligence services have gone a bit feral, frankly,” Richard Moore, head of Britain’s MI6 secret intelligence service said in September in rare public remarks.
Governor Koike discusses areas of cooperation with Egyptian Prime Minister Madbouly
- Dr. Mostafa Madbouly congratulated Koike on her re-election as Governor of Tokyo
- The Prime Minister also lauded Japan’s contribution to implementing the Japanese Tokkatsu educational system
TOKYO: Governor of Tokyo, Koike Yuriko, who is visiting Cairo, met Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly on Friday at the government headquarters in the New Administrative Capital and discussed several cooperation initiatives, Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) officials told Arab News Japan.
The officials said Dr. Amr Talaat, Egypt’s Minister of Communications, and Information Technology; Ambassador Ahmed Shahin, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Asian Affairs; Mr. Katsunobu Takada, Chargé d’Affaires at the Japanese Embassy in Cairo, and Governor Koike’s accompanying delegation attended the meeting.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Prime Minister warmly welcomed Governor Koike and her delegation. He underscored the strategic and historical relations between Egypt and Japan, a testament to the enduring bond that continues to flourish in various fields.
Dr. Mostafa Madbouly congratulated Koike on her re-election as Governor of Tokyo in July for the third consecutive term and expressed his hopes for continued close coordination on various areas of bilateral cooperation.
The Prime Minister also expressed his fervent hope that Japan’s Prime Minister, alongside Governor Koike, will grace the official opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum once the project is finalized. He also extended his gratitude for Japan’s substantial contributions to major development projects in Egypt, including the museum.
Dr. Madbouly highlighted the Grand Egyptian Museum project as one of the foremost examples of cooperation between Cairo and Tokyo, along with the Egyptian Japanese educational partnership, exemplified by the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology and Japanese Egyptian schools.
The Prime Minister also lauded Japan’s contribution to implementing the Japanese Tokkatsu educational system, affirming that Egypt is planning to expand this system. He attributed this decision to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s directive, acknowledging the system’s remarkable success and high quality.
Dr. Madbouly also highlighted the ongoing cooperation between the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and TMG through the “SUSHI Tech Tokyo” initiative, a platform for promoting technological innovation, and the “Tokyo Innovation Base” platform, a hub for fostering entrepreneurial activities and technological advancements.
In turn, Governor Koike praised the bilateral cooperation between Egypt and Japan, expressing her happiness to visit Egypt, where she has unforgettable memories, having studied at Cairo University.
Koike also commended the well-organized 12th World Urban Forum, a global platform for discussing urban issues and solutions, which attracted a wide global audience.
In the meeting, Tokyo Governor Koike invited the Prime Minister, the Minister of Communications, and other Egyptian entities to participate in the upcoming “SUSHI Tech Tokyo” forum, scheduled for the first half of 2025. She noted that Japan has worked over the years to establish itself as a hub for startups and a welcoming environment for entrepreneurs.
Dr. Amr Talaat discussed several collaborative programs with Koike in information and communication technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and entrepreneurship. They explored the potential for experience exchange in business incubators for small projects across various sectors, including financial services, health care, and education.
Talaat highlighted that one of the main areas of cooperation with Tokyo’s government is in the startup and entrepreneurship sectors.
Governor Koike is in Egypt on the first leg of a tour of the region that includes Abu Dhabi of the UAE.
Germany brushes off Musk calling Scholz a ‘fool’
- Government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann took a playful dig at the US tycoon, saying that “on X, you have Narrenfreiheit,” which translates to the freedom to act like a fool
- A tight-lipped Scholz simply called it “not very friendly“
BERLIN: German officials on Friday brushed off tech billionaire Elon Musk labelling Olaf Scholz a “fool” on his social media platform X after the dramatic collapse of the chancellor’s coalition government.
In a comment Thursday above a post about the implosion of Scholz’s long-troubled coalition, the world’s richest man tweeted in German: “Olaf ist ein Narr” — “Olaf is a fool.”
Asked about Musk’s comment, government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann took a playful dig at the US tycoon, saying that “on X, you have Narrenfreiheit,” which translates to the freedom to act like a fool.
The word refers to revellers during Germany’s traditional carnival season, which starts next week, having the freedom to act without inhibitions.
Historically, the term echoes the notion of the “jester’s privilege” — the right of a court jester to mock those in power without being punished by the king.
Asked later about the comment, a tight-lipped Scholz simply called it “not very friendly,” adding that Internet companies are “not organs of state so I did not even pay it any attention.”
Musk strongly supported US election winner Donald Trump, and is now positioned to take up a role in his administration as a deputy tasked with restructuring government operations.
It is not the first time the Tesla boss has had run-ins with German officials online.
Last year he said Berlin-funded migrant rescue operations in the Mediterranean could be seen as an “invasion” of Italy, sparking a terse response from the German foreign ministry.
He has also expressed sympathy for some of the positions of Germany’s far-right AfD party, which has notched up a string of recent electoral successes and is riding high in the opinion polls.
First flight with Israelis evacuated from Amsterdam lands in Tel Aviv
- The plane that arrived in Tel Aviv had passengers evacuated from Amsterdam
TEL AVIV: The first flight carrying Israelis evacuated from Amsterdam after violent clashes following a football match there landed on Friday at Ben Gurion International Airport, the Israel Airports Authority said.
“The plane that arrived in Tel Aviv now has passengers evacuated from Amsterdam,” Liza Dvir, spokeswoman for the airport authority told AFP.