• Fire Safety Expert Labels Illegal Hostel Potential Death Trap

    / By Armoured Cars / In London

    A fire safety expert has described an illegal hostel in east London as a "potential death trap" following a BBC London investigation.

    The hostel is in a former Victorian factory within the well-known artists' community at Cable Street Studios in Limehouse, east London.

    At least 20 sleep in a commercial unit that is "unfit for residential use".

    Serious health and safety concerns were raised over gas canisters for cooking and cramped conditions.

    The unit was mainly being used by migrants from Bangladesh who BBC London was told were paying up to £10 a night.

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  • Obasanjo and SADC say Zimbabwe's Poll was Free and Peaceful

    / By Armoured Cars / In Elections

    Zimbabwe's elections were free and peaceful, the two leading African observer groups have said.

    African Union mission head Olusegun Obasanjo dismissed complaints of fraud, while another observer urged all parties to "accept the hard facts".

    A local monitoring group said earlier the poll was "seriously compromised".

    President Robert Mugabe's party is claiming victory in the election, which has been dismissed by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai as a "huge farce".

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  • Unite Union Seek Legal Advice over Race Hatred Claims Against Home Office

    / By Armoured Cars / In Home Office

    The Unite union has said it is seeking legal advice about whether the Home Office "incited racial hatred" by sending vans around London encouraging illegal immigrants to "go home".

    Its leader, Len McCluskey, called the poster-covered vehicles "vans of hate".

    Nick Clegg has criticised the pilot scheme, but the Home Office has said the message was not racist.

    Meanwhile, new peer Doreen Lawrence has said police stop-and-check operations focus "mainly on people of colour".

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  • Ex Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi Angry At Sentence

    / By Armoured Cars / In Italy

    Italy's former PM Silvio Berlusconi has broadcast an angry video message after his prison sentence for tax fraud was upheld by the country's highest court.

    Berlusconi said he was the innocent victim of "an incredible series of accusations and trials that had nothing to do with reality".

    The court also ordered a further judicial review on whether he should be banned from holding public office.

    Berlusconi, 76, is unlikely to go to jail because of his age.

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  • Met Police in talks to agree Ian Tomlinson Compensation

    / By Armoured Cars / In police

    The Metropolitan Police are close to agreeing compensation with the family of Ian Tomlinson, who died after being pushed to the ground by a riot officer during the G20 protests of April 2009.

    The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime in London, Stephen Greenhalgh, has authorised the Met to settle the claim.

    It is thought an announcement could be made within the next few days.

    Mr Tomlinson's widow, Julia, and seven of his children and step-children have pursued the compensation claim

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  • Hoax device causes security alert in Antrim

    / By Armoured Cars / In security

    A suspicious object that sparked a bomb alert in Antrim was a "crude hoax", according to Army bomb disposal officers.

    They were called to examine the object after it was found at a pedestrian subway between Parkhall and the Stiles estate at about 18:15 BST.

    Six homes were evacuated during the operation.

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  • Arizona wildfire near Yarnell kills 19 firefighters

    / By Armoured Cars / In Fires

    At least 19 US firefighters have been killed battling a wildfire in central Arizona, local officials say.

    They died while fighting the blaze threatening the town of Yarnell, about 80 miles (130km) north-west of Phoenix.

    The fire was started by lightning on Friday and has spread rapidly to 2,000 acres (800 ha) amid high heat, low humidity and strong winds.

    Arizona and other parts of the western US - including California - had near-record temperatures over the weekend.

    It is the highest death toll for firefighters in a single incident since 9/11.

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  • Parties given 48 hours to resolve crisis by Egypt's Army

    / By Armoured Cars / In Egypt

    Egypt's army has given the country's rival parties 48 hours to resolve a deadly political crisis.

    The army would offer a "road map" for peace if Islamist President Mohammed Morsi and his opponents failed to heed "the will of the people", it said.

    It later issued a clarifying statement denying its warning amounted to a coup.

    Given the inability of politicians from all sides to agree until now, it seems unlikely Mr Morsi can survive in power, says the BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Cairo.

    On Sunday millions rallied in cities nationwide, urging the president to quit.

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  • The rise of the extreme house-sitter

    / By Armoured Cars / In security

    In the current tough economic climate, with rents rising, people are finding unusual ways to cut back on living costs while they save up for a deposit on a place of their own.

    To let: One 35-bedroom Victorian mansion in Helensburgh, picturesque location in the middle of the countryside, 50-minute train journey to Glasgow. Rent: £180 a month, including bills.

    It sounds too good to be true, but for 26-year-old call centre worker Sam Van Gelder, this estate is home. With these low living costs, he has already saved more than £3,000 to put towards a deposit on a home of his own.

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  • Bugging allegations threaten EU-US trade pact

    / By Armoured Cars / In France

    French President Francois Hollande has said allegations that the US bugged European embassies could threaten a huge planned EU-US trade deal.

    He said there could be no negotiations without guarantees that spying would stop "immediately".

    US Secretary of State John Kerry said he did not know the truth of the claims but sought to down play them.

    Meanwhile, Russian and US security agencies are reportedly discussing how to deal with the man behind the leaks.

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