Armoured & Luxury
Chauffeur Driven Cars

Risks posed by right-wing extremists in the UK are to be included in the terror threat level system from now on.

Previously the system only assessed the threat from « international terrorism ».

Home Secretary Sajid Javid said the assessment will now cover all forms of terrorism « irrespective of the ideology that inspires them » – including right-wing, Northern Ireland, and Islamist. The changes do not affect the current threat level of « severe », meaning an attack is « highly likely ».

The threat from Northern Ireland-related terrorism in Northern Ireland is also currently « severe ». It remains separate from the national threat level. Both levels are determined independent of government ministers.

In a written statement announcing the changes, Mr Javid said the definition of some of the threat levels have also been simplified « to ensure clarity ».

Read More

Hong Kong has been left in shock after a night of violence on Sunday, which saw dozens of masked men storm a train station.

The men – dressed in white shirts and suspected to be triad gangsters – assaulted pro-democracy protesters and passers-by in the Yuen Long area.

This is the first time this kind of violence has been seen in the ongoing anti-extradition demonstrations. Several lawmakers questioned why police were slow to arrive at the scene.

Footage posted on social media showed dozens of men attacking people with wooden rods and metal sticks inside the station. Forty-five people were injured, with one person in critical condition.

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam told reporters the gang attacks were « shocking ». She also condemned protesters for defacing China’s main representative office in the city earlier on Sunday.

Pro-democracy protesters were set upon as they travelled back from a rally in the centre of Hong Kong, where riot police had fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters. The masked men stormed Yuen Long MTR station at about 22:30 local time (14:30 GMT).

Read More

The United States military has accused a Venezuelan fighter aircraft of endangering the crew of a US navy plane in international airspace.

The Venezuelan plane made an « unsafe approach » and « aggressively shadowed » the US reconnaissance aircraft over the Caribbean Sea, US Southern Command said on Sunday.

Venezuela said the US plane had entered Venezuelan airspace without permission. Relations between the two countries have been tense for years.

The incident happened on Friday, the same day the US treasury department imposed sanctions on four members of Venezuela’s military counterintelligence directorate (DGCIM) for their alleged role in the physical abuse and death of a Venezuelan navy captain, Rafael Acosta.

Capt Acosta’s death, which a leaked forensic report suggests occurred after he was severely beaten, asphyxiated and given electric shocks while in DGCIM custody, caused an international outcry earlier this month.

Read More

The French army is to create a « red team » of sci-fi writers to imagine possible future threats.

A new report by the Defence Innovation Agency (DIA) said the visionaries will « propose scenarios of disruption » that military strategists may not think of. The team’s highly confidential work will be important in the fight against « malicious elements », the report states.

It comes amid efforts by the French to innovate its approaches to defence.

An inventor piloted his jet-powered flyboard over crowds at Bastille Day military celebrations in Paris on Sunday. Tweeting after Franky Zapata stunned crowds, President Emmanuel Macron said: « Proud of our army, modern and innovative » with a video of the stunt.

Comprised of just four or five sci-fi writers, the group will be expected to think more creatively than more traditional elements of the army.

Through role play and other techniques, the team will attempt to imagine how terrorist organisations or foreign states could use advanced technology.

Read More

The proportion of crimes solved by police in England and Wales has fallen to the lowest level recorded, according to Home Office data.

In the 12 months to March, 7.8% of offences saw someone charged or summonsed, down from 9.1% a year ago. The data began to be compiled in 2015.

It comes after Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick acknowledged too many offences were being left unsolved, in a speech about the future of policing. She said sifting through vast amounts of phone and computer data was partly responsible and called for investment in resources, technology and expertise to drive up clear-up rates.

The Home Office said work to improve crime recording by police forces has « both increased the volume forces are dealing with and changed the crime mix to include more complex cases, such as sexual offences and domestic abuse, which can be more challenging to resolve ».

It added: « At the same time, while more crimes are now being recorded, in a growing proportion of cases the victim either doesn’t support further action or police are unable to contact them. »

Read More