14-year-old Boy Killed In London Sword Attack

Published

3 weeks ago

April 30, 2024

Editor

A 14-year-old boy died on Tuesday after a man wielding a sword stabbed the youth, two police officers and two other people, in a street attack in east London, police said.

The man used what appeared to be a Samurai-type sword in the Hainault district shortly before 7:00 am (0600 GMT).

Police said they arrested a 36-year-old man using Taser stun weapons and took him into custody. The incident is not believed to be terror-related, they said.

Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell, from London’s Metropolitan Police, said all five victims were taken to hospital.

The two police officers were awaiting surgery for “significant” injuries, he added. But they, and those sustained by the two members of the public, were not believed to be life-threatening.

“It’s with great sadness that one of those injured in this incident… has died from their injuries,” he told reporters at the scene.

“He was taken to hospital after being stabbed and sadly died a short while after.”

King Charles III called the stabbings “horrific” and paid tribute to the “courage” of the emergency services, Buckingham Palace said.

“His thoughts and prayers are with all those affected — in particular, the family of the young victim who has lost his life,” a spokesman said.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the stabbings “shocking”. “Such violence has no place on our streets,” he added in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

“I’d like to thank the emergency services for their ongoing response, and pay tribute to the extraordinary bravery shown by police on the scene.”

Video footage and photographs posted on social media appeared to show a man in a yellow jumper on the streets near houses with the weapon.

Emergency service vehicles, including police, fire and ambulances, were seen behind cordons, including near the town’s underground railway station.

Hiding

One resident, who asked not to be named, said she hid behind a window while the suspect was outside her home shouting at police that “do you believe in God?”

“We were very scared and trying to hide and not show ourselves through the window because he was standing right next to our house and he could have seen us if he looked up,” she added.

“We were very scared and we didn’t know what to do.”

Another witness said he saw two police chasing the man, shouting at him to put down the weapon.

Police in England, Scotland and Wales are not routinely armed but do carry Taser weapons to disable suspects.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was “absolutely devastated” by the incident and was in close contact with the city police commissioner.

“The police offices and emergency services showed the best of our city — running towards danger to protect others and I thank them from the bottom of my heart,” he said.

Last week, Sunak criticised the mayor’s record on knife crime in the British capital.

According to official statistics, knife crime increased in London by 20 percent in 2023, with 14,577 offences — one percent lower than pre-pandemic levels in the year to March 2020.

In England and Wales as a whole, there was a seven-percent increase in knife crime to 49,489 offences, with most (29 percent) in metropolitan areas, the Official for National Statistics said

AFP

Catholic Monk Comes Out As Transgender, Urges Church To Embrace Trans Members

Published

47 mins ago

May 21, 2024

Editor

A Catholic monk came out as transgender this month, saying the church has “to deal with” trans Catholics.

On May 17, Brother Christian Matson, a Catholic monk in Kentucky, told Religion News Service, “This Sunday, Pentecost 2024 (May 19), I’m planning to come out publicly as transgender.”

“You’ve got to deal with us, because God has called us into this church. It’s not your church to kick us out of—this is God’s church, and God has called us and engrafted us into it,” Matson, who holds a doctorate in religious studies, told the Church regarding transgender Catholics.

Matson transitioned during college and converted to Catholicism four years later. He hopes his coming out will spark meaningful discussions about the inclusion of transgender individuals within the Catholic community.

His announcement comes just a month after the Vatican released “Infinite Dignity,” a 20-page document that criticizes gender theory, abortion, and surrogacy as attacks on humanity’s connection with God.

Matson expressed disappointment that the Vatican’s stance on trans issues lacks scientific engagement. He has written multiple letters to the Vatican, urging leaders to interact more with transgender individuals.

Matson sought advice from a canon lawyer when he felt called to serve in the Church. The lawyer suggested the role of a diocesan hermit, which does not distinguish based on sex or gender.

Despite this, Matson faced rejections from several communities before finding acceptance in Kentucky.

“People who knew me said, ‘You clearly have a religious vocation,’ and these were all people who knew my medical history,” Matson said.

However, those responsible for decision-making within communities often refused to meet with him.

Bishop John Stowe, a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ individuals in the Catholic Church, received a letter from Matson in 2020 and oversaw his vows in 2022.

Catholic monk comes out as transgender, urges Church to embrace trans members
Bishop Stowe gave Matson permission to come out as transgender

“My willingness to be open to him is because it’s a sincere person seeking a way to serve the church. Hermits are a rarely used form of religious life … but they can be either male or female,” Stowe told the RNS.

Matson spent his initial year almost entirely in prayer or working at a local theater and renewed his vows in 2023.

“I don’t have a hidden agenda, I just want to serve the church,” Matson said. “People can believe that or not.”

Headline

JUST IN: One Dead, Many Injured As Deadly Turbulence Hit Singapore-bound Plane

Published

10 hours ago

May 21, 2024

Editor

One person died and multiple people were injured on a Singapore Airlines flight that experienced “severe turbulence” while heading from London to Singapore before it was diverted to Bangkok on Tuesday, the company said.

“We can confirm that there are injuries and one fatality on board the Boeing 777-300ER. There were a total of 211 passengers and 18 crew on board,” the airline said on Facebook.

The PUNCH reports that the airline also on its X account, #SingaporeAir, confirmed the incident.

It posted, “Singapore Airlines flight #SQ321, operating from London (Heathrow) to Singapore on 20 May 2024, encountered severe turbulence en-route.

“The aircraft diverted to Bangkok and landed at 1545hrs local time on 21 May 2024. We can confirm that there are injuries and one fatality on board the Boeing 777-300ER. Singapore Airlines offers its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased.

“Our priority is to provide all possible assistance to all passengers and crew on board the aircraft. More details at https://bit.ly/4bLqfCF. Regular updates will be provided on our Facebook and X accounts.”

The airline added that it was working with Thai authorities to provide medical assistance to passengers, and was sending a team to Bangkok to provide any additional assistance needed.

Turbulence during a flight refers to the irregular or unpredictable movement of air that causes the aircraft to experience sudden, erratic motions.

It is a common occurrence and can range from mild bumps to severe jolts.

Details later

Headline

Iran President Had ‘Lot Of Blood On His Hands’ – White House

Published

1 day ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

Iran President Ebrahim Raisi had a “lot of blood on his hands”, the White House said on Monday despite Washington offering condolences after his death in a helicopter crash.

“This was a man who had a lot of blood on his hands,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters, saying Raisi was responsible for “atrocious” rights abuses in Iran and had supported regional proxies including Hamas.

Kirby said, however, that “as in any other case, we certainly regret in general the loss of life and offered official condolences as appropriate.”

Earlier, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, announced on Monday five days of mourning for President Ebrahim Raisi who died in a helicopter crash.

“I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran,” said Khamenei in an official statement a day after the death of Raisi and other officials in the crash in East Azerbaijan province.