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Two charged with religiously aggravated threatening behaviour
Two men will also appear at Thames Magistrates Court today charged with religiously aggravated threatening behaviour over an incident in an east London fast food restaurant on Thursday.
Labourer Toni Latcal, 32, and plasterer Eugen-Aurelian Eugen-Beredei, 34, both from London, were arrested following the incident at 9.15pm on Thursday.
Latcal was charged with religiously aggravated threatening behaviour and causing criminal damage, while Eugen-Beredei was charged with religiously aggravated threatening behaviour.
Two arrested for alleged offensive Woolwich comments on Twitter
Two men have been arrested and released on bail for making alleged offensive comments on Twitter about the death of Lee Rigby in Woolwich.
Complaints were made to Avon and Somerset Police about remarks that appeared on the social networking, which were allegedly of a racist or anti-religious nature.
A 23 year old and a 22 year old from Bristol were held under the Public Order Act on suspicion of inciting racial or religious hatred.
Detective Inspector Ed Yaxley of Avon and Somerset Police said: "These comments were directed against a section of our community. Comments such as these are completely unacceptable and only cause more harm to our community in Bristol."
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Co-operative may shut down bank over capital hole
The Co-operative is considering selling or shutting down its struggling bank business while it looks for for ways to fill a black hole in capital, reports the Daily Telegraph.
The Co-op needs to raise up to £1.8bn to balance its bank’s balance sheet.
Key government projects 'at risk of failure'
Over 30 of the government's flagship projects are at serious risk of failure with some classed as unachievable, Whitehall documents have revealed.
High-profile schemes including High Speed 2, the benefit cap, a pilot scheme introducing payment by results for companies aiming to reform offenders and broadband roll-out, have all had warnings raised against them.
Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office, said: "Major projects need scrutiny and support if we are to succeed in the global race. Publishing this report will transform the management of expensive, important projects and will help hold Whitehall to account.
"I was staggered when I came into Government and found a relaxed approach to managing projects worth hundreds of billions of pounds.
"Problems were swept under the carpet where they festered at the taxpayers' expense. In many places the Civil Service lacked project management skills and had a lamentable record of project delivery."
Civil liberties group criticises university extremism plans
A civil liberties group has criticised new plans by the Home Office to place counter-terrorism officials on university campuses, reports the Times.
Corinna Ferguson, legal officer at Liberty, commented that the new roles, part of the "Prevent" strategy of counter-terrorism operations, sent the wrong signal to vulnerable students.
– Corinna Ferguson, Liberty legal officerPrevent has proved to be an intrusive, discriminatory and often counterproductive approach to tackling extremism.
Universities are communities based on trust and knowledge but this latest initiative risks tainting campuses with suspicion and stigmatising young people. It’s not at all clear what BIS ‘coordinators’ have to do with genuine counter-terrorism prevention.
Metropolitan Police officer charged with assault
A Metropolitan Police officer has been charged with assaulting someone at a police station.
Pc Rohan Scarlett, 46, is said to have committed the alleged offence on February 20 this year.
The officer will appear in court on Tuesday.
Scotland Yard said in a statement: "Pc Rohan Scarlett, a serving Met officer based in Lewisham borough, has been charged with the offence of assault by beating on 20 February 2013 in the rear yard of Islington police station, Tolpuddle Street, N1.
"He has been bailed to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on Tuesday 28 May 2013.
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Thousands to run final mile of Boston Marathon
Thousands of people will run the final mile of the Boston Marathon later today as part of a free, non competitive run.
"One Run" will take place at 10 am local time - and has garnered over 2,500 RSVPs on its Facebook page.
Jon Ritter-Roderick, one of the organisers of One Run, told Metro.us: “We are not concerned about who finishes first, or who finishes last,” he said. “Just the show of completing something that was interrupted will be a huge step in the right direction for Boston.”
University crackdown on radical preachers
Universities UK, which represents higher education institutions in the UK, has launched a campaign to prevent radicalisation of students on campus, reports the Guardian.
Institutions will be asked to compile guidelines on how to deal with preachers who have a record of inciting hatred.
Report: Friend of Woolwich suspect arrested
A friend of Michael Adebolajo has been arrested after alleging on television that Adebolajo was tortured in Kenya and harassed by MI5 agents, reports the Guardian.
Abu Nusaybah told BBC's Newsnight that Adebolajo was arrested by Kenyan authorities while studying in the country last year.
Weapon recovered after Manchester arrests
Officers were called to Salford Royal Hospital in Greater Manchester at 9.20pm yesterday, after a man made threats towards staff, police said.
A weapon was recovered and the man was detained on suspicion of possessing a firearm and false imprisonment. A woman was also arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm. Both remain in custody.
Greater Manchester Police said no one was injured during the incident, and inquiries were continuing.
