London fire: Queen reflects on 'sombre national mood'


The Queen has said it is "difficult to escape a very sombre national mood" following tragedies in London and Manchester in recent weeks.
The monarch said the UK had "witnessed a succession of terrible tragedies"
Her message comes as residents caught up in the Grenfell Tower fire which killed at least 30 people, condemned the "chaotic" relief effort.
Some say they no longer want Kensington and Chelsea council involved in any way.

'United in our sadness'

The statement from the Queen on her official birthday came after Prime Minister Theresa May pledged to "get to the bottom" of the west London tower block fire.
Mrs May was jeered when she visited the North Kensington estate on Friday, and is facing mounting criticism for her response to the disaster.
She now plans to meet victims, volunteers and community leaders in Downing Street later.
The Queen and Duke of Cambridge had earlier met volunteers, residents and community representatives during a visit to the Westway Sports Centre.
She also visited some of those injured in hospital following the bomb at Manchester Arena little under a month ago.
In an unprecedented statement, the Queen said she had been "profoundly struck by the immediate inclination of people throughout the country to offer comfort and support to those in desperate need".
"Put to the test, the United Kingdom has been resolute in the face of adversity," she said.
"United in our sadness, we are equally determined, without fear or favour, to support all those rebuilding lives so horribly affected by injury and loss."
A rallying cry for unity
By Peter Hunt, BBC royal correspondent
In a long reign, the Queen has issued countless statements. They can sometimes be formulaic and lack the ability to resonate.
This is not one of them.
After the attacks in Manchester and London, the Queen - and more importantly her senior advisers - have grasped quickly that the reaction to the Grenfell Tower fire has not just been one of shock and grief.
There's also intense anger. It has been focused on the divide between rich and poor and it has been directed at an establishment that includes the monarchy, though the institution itself has not been the subject of criticism.
In such circumstances, as Head of Nation - a focal point at times of tragedy - the Queen has decided she cannot remain silent.
She, and those around her, will be acutely aware of the potential for growing disquiet in the days ahead.
And so, a 91-year-old monarch with little concrete power but considerable patronage and status, has decided to act.
This is a regal rallying call for unity.
The fire broke out at the 24-storey block, which contained 120 one and two-bedroom flats, shortly before 01:00 BST on Wednesday.
It tore through all floors of the building and took more than 200 firefighters 24 hours to bring it under control.
Cladding installed on the tower during a refurbishment in 2015 had a polyethylene - or plastic - core instead of an even more fireproof alternative, the BBC's Newsnight understands.
The Department for Communities and Local Government said that cladding made up of aluminium panels over a polyethylene core "would be non-compliant with current Building Regulations guidance" and should not be used on buildings taller than 18m.
It said it could not comment on the type of cladding used on Grenfell Tower - that would be subject to investigations.
Protests were held in London on Friday as residents demanded more support for those affected by the fire.
Between 50 and 60 people stormed Kensington and Chelsea Town Hall, as members of the public said the homeless needed help "right now".
There were also angry scenes outside the Clement James Centre, in North Kensington.
Dozens of demonstrators surged towards the entrance and scuffles broke out outside as organisers appealed for calm.
The BBC's Matthew Price said locals had told him they wanted the prime minister to remove Kensington and Chelsea council from the relief effort.
He said senior members of the residents' association described an "absolute chaos" of "no organisation" from officials.
He added: "They do not believe they are capable of managing the response. Such is the total and utter lack of trust."
Reverend Mike Long, from Notting Hill Methodist Church, told BBC Radio 4's Today that people in the community were furious.
"People are incredibly angry, they're bewildered, they're confused, they have lots and lots of questions," he said.
"They feel they're not being listened to and what they have been saying has not been listened to, and they don't know how to be able to express those things at the moment."
Mrs May has faced criticism for not meeting survivors in the immediate aftermath, unlike Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
Mr Corbyn has called for empty local homes to be requisitioned if necessary.
The prime minister has committed £5m for clothes, food and emergency supplies but was heckled with chants of "coward" after meeting survivors of the fire on Friday.
First Secretary of State Damian Green has defended her, saying the criticism was "unfair" and she was "as distraught as all of us".
The £5m Grenfell Tower Residents' Discretionary Fund includes the aim to re-house residents within three weeks as close to where they lived before as possible, to pay for temporary housing in the meantime and to provide extra financial assistance.
On Friday night, hundreds of mourners stood arm in arm at a vigil and held a two-minute silence for victims of the fire.
Many wept openly as candles illuminated the road outside the Latymer Christian Centre, yards from the site of the blaze.
It came after emergency services spent a third day searching for bodies in the burnt-out tower in North Kensington.
In latest developments:
  • A minute's silence was observed by the Queen at the Trooping the Colour parade to remember the victims
  • Mrs May's new taskforce, made up of central government and Kensington and Chelsea council representatives, is due to meet
  • Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, is leading an adoration and mass in memory of the victims at St Pius X Church
  • The Hammersmith and City Tube line, which runs close to the tower, is partly suspended following a request from police and fire chiefs
The Confederation of Fire Protection Associations-International - a global body of fire protection organisations - said the speed at which the fire spread at Grenfell Tower was "eerily similar" to other high-rise fires in Australia and the United Arab Emirates.
It said it was "deeply concerned" that there were many high-rise buildings around the world with flammable materials installed.
So far in the investigation:
  • Six victims of the blaze have been provisionally identified by police
  • Three have been named so far, including Syrian refugee Mohammed Alhajali, 23., five-year-old Isaac Shawo, and artist Khadija Saye
  • Of those killed, one died in hospital
  • Fire chiefs say they do not expect to find more survivors
  • A total of 24 people remained in hospital - 12 in a critical condition
  • A criminal investigation has been launched
  • UK councils are carrying out urgent reviews of their tower blocks, according to the Local Government Association
  • The British Red Cross has launched an appeal to raise money for those affected
       The emergency number for people concerned about friends and family is 0800 0961 233
           BBC NEWS

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Paris Airshow: Boeing and Airbus under pressure

The Paris airport of Le Bourget was once a pretty glamorous place. It was here that aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh landed after his solo flight across the Atlantic in 1927, and it was a gateway to the French capital for Hollywood legends such as Audrey Hepburn for many years.
Those days are long gone.
Surrounded by drab suburbs and urban motorways it now caters mainly for private jets, whose passengers spend as little time as possible amid its rather bleak and windswept surroundings - although it does have a rather good aviation museum.
But for the next week Le Bourget will become the beating heart of the global aerospace industry.
Scores of politicians - including newly elected President Macron - generals and chief executives will be among the hundreds of thousands of visitors, braving horrendous traffic and negotiating tight security to attend the 52nd Paris Air Sho
So what will be the main talking points in the plush chalets and teeming exhibition halls this year?
Traditionally, the headlines are dominated by big order announcements from home favourite Airbus and the US aerospace giant Boeing, but the market is far less frothy than it used to be.
Global aircraft orders have declined by about half since their peak in 2014. Low oil prices mean that airlines are under less pressure to replace old aircraft with newer, more efficient models.
So we may see fewer announcements.
That isn't a huge problem in itself - both manufacturers already have bulging order books, and both have struggled with supply chain problems, causing delays on the production line. So a reduction in demand may be no bad thing.
However that doesn't apply across the board. The giant A380 superjumbo is the flagship of the Airbus fleet - and its appearance is usually a highlight of the air display. But it isn't selling well and last year the company halved its annual production.
It would doubtless love to announce further orders in Paris but that seems very unlikely. In fact, some are questioning whether the aircraft has a future at all.
In the circumstances, Airbus could well find itself upstaged by its American rival. Boeing is expected to set out details of a planned new mid-sized aircraft, a super-efficient model which will sit between the smallest 787 and the largest 737 in its range.
Meanwhile the latest in a series of heavily upgraded 737 models - the Max 10 - is likely to be formally launched at the show.
China's Comac and Russia's Irkut have both begun testing new airliners over the past few weeks. Neither the C-919 nor the MC-21 will be at the show - but they will certainly be talked about. The market for smaller jets is about to become a lot more crowded.
While most of the actual business at Le Bourget is done in the chalets and exhibition halls, the flying display allows companies to show off their latest multi-billion dollar technology.
Among the highlights this year will be the F-35 Lightning II, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter.
It is the product of the world's most expensive defence programme, an international effort led by the US contractor Lockheed Martin - and one which has been beset by delays and cost overruns. It badly needs some good PR, so it can be expected to put on a spectacular show.

Elsewhere, much of the talk will focus on new technology.
Outwardly, aircraft may have changed little over the past few decades. But the way in which they are designed, built, maintained and operated has been transformed. That trend is likely to accelerate.
Many of the exhibitors will be showing how virtual reality, augmented reality and 3D printing are already having a major impact on different parts of the industry - and suggesting how their potential could be exploited even further.
For some the future lies in Big Data; analysing huge reams of information to detect patterns, create models and to predict future performance.

The organisers of the show, Gifas, are also keen to show off their futuristic credentials. For that reason, they have set up an "Air Lab" dedicated to new technology and ideas, from both established companies and start-ups.
With a rather nice touch, they've put it inside Le Bourget's Concorde Hall - an area dominated by two models of the supersonic airliner that was once ahead of its time, is now obsolete, but still manages to look outrageously futuristic
BBC NEWS
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Officials warn 'hacktavists' could target 2019 election


Canadian intelligence officials are warning "hacktavists" might try to meddle in the next federal election.
Communications Security Establishment (CSE) officials say Canada is not immune to cyber threats that have targeted a growing number of elections worldwide.
The agency made the assessment in a report looking at Canada's vulnerability to similar threats.
But it predicts efforts will be primarily "low sophistication".
CSE chief Greta Bossenmaier said on Friday that there is a range of online actors at play, from nation-states, motivated by economic and geopolitical interests, to so-called "hacktivists", motivated primarily by ideological interests.
Ms Bossenmaier said that in 2017, 13% of countries holding federal elections have had their democratic process targeted.
The most prominent such incidents in recent years have been in Europe and the US, where Russia has been accused of meddling in the democratic process.
In the US, intelligence agencies have said they believe Russia tried to help Donald Trump win in November by damaging Hillary Clinton, something Russian President Vladimir Putin flatly denies.
In France, newly elected president Emmanuel Macron's incoming emails were hacked and leaked during the recent campaign.
Such activity in Canada represented a "small fraction" of what is going around the world. The CSE notes it has not observed any foreign influence targeting Canadian elections.
The (CSE) is Canada's secretive eavesdropping agency responsible for monitoring foreign signals intelligence and protecting online federal government information and communication networks.
For their report, compiled at the Trudeau government's request, the CSE looked at three potential targets: elections, political parties and politicians, and traditional and social media.
It examined cyber threat activity against the democratic process in Canada and around the world over the past decade.
Online adversaries can attempt to tamper with election results, suppress voter turnout, use information to manipulate or discredit politicians, and to spread disinformation and propaganda.
Ms Bossenmaier noted that the agency had monitored "low-sophistication cyber threat activity" from groups like Anonymous prior to the 2015 general election, but underscored nothing suggested it had any impact.
The agency report says nation-states are the "most capable adversaries" and "have undertaken the majority of the cyber activity against democratic processes worldwide".
It says that whether they target Canada in the general election scheduled for 2019 depends on how they perceive the country's domestic and foreign policies, like those related to natural resources.
Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould said that all federally registered political parties have been invited to a briefing on cyber threats this month.
The government is also reviewing existing measures in place to protect critical infrastructure from cyber-threats.
BBC NEWS
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Queen honours Westminster attack PC Keith Palmer for bravery

The police officer murdered in March's Westminster attack has been awarded a posthumous bravery medal by the Queen.
PC Keith Palmer's George Medal recognises actions that "saved lives".
Gallantry awards also go to pensioner Bernard Kenny, who went to the aid of murdered MP Jo Cox, and to two men who helped after the Tunisia beach attack.
The announcements coincide with the Queen's Birthday Honours list, in which comedian Billy Connolly is knighted and actress Julie Walters becomes a dame.
Glaswegian Sir Billy, 74, who was made a CBE in 2003, said he was "pleased and a little embarrassed" to become a knight for services to entertainment and charity.
TV star June Whitfield, mezzo soprano Sarah Connolly and 100-year-old Gone with the Wind actress Olivia de Havilland also join Dame Julie as new dames.
Meanwhile, author JK Rowling, musician Sir Paul McCartney, television cook Delia Smith and designer Sir Terence Conran are among nine new members of the prestigious Order of the Companion of Honour.
Harry Potter creator Rowling, who is being recognised for her work in literature and philanthropy, said she was "proud" to be part of the "distinguished and diversely talented" order of 65 members.

'Ultimate sacrifice'

Pc Palmer, 48, was stabbed to death by Khalid Masood on 22 March this year outside the gates of the Palace of Westminster
His award on the Civilian Gallantry List is for "confronting an armed terrorist to protect others and Parliament".
The citation says: "His actions provided time for other officers to react and shoot and stop the assailant.
"PC Palmer's bravery and professionalism unquestionably saved lives. PC Palmer did his duty...
"In doing so he made the ultimate sacrifice."
As well as the George Medal for Mr Kenny, 78, three other people are being given honours following the murder of Jo Cox outside her constituency surgery in Birstall, West Yorkshire, in June 2016.
PC Craig Nicholls and PC Jonathan Wright, who arrested the killer, Thomas Mair, are awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal, while Sandra Major, a constituency worker who witnessed Ms Cox being shot, becomes an MBE on the honours list for parliamentary services and service to the community.
Tourists Allen Pembroke and Paul Short both receive the Queen's Commendation for Bravery for helping the wounded after a gunman opened fire on a beach in Sousse, Tunisia in 2015, killing 38 holidaymakers, 30 of them British
The honours list is being hailed as the most diverse ever.
Of the 1,109 recipients, half are female, 6.5% have a disability, three-quarters undertake work in their communities, and 10% are from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background.
Among them are musician Chi-chi Nwanoku, who set up a foundation to help provide career opportunities for young BAME classical musicians (OBE), and Nitin Palan, who co-founded the annual Diwali On Trafalgar Square event, who is made an MBE for services to interfaith relations.

Birthday Honours 2017

1,109
people on list
  • 74% for outstanding work in their communities
  • 50% are woman
  • 18 men knighted
  • 14 women become dames
Cabinet Office

The honours system

Commonly awarded ranks:
  • Companion of Honour - Recipients wear the initials CH after their name. Limited to 65 people
  • Knight or Dame
  • CBE - Commander of the Order of the British Empire
  • OBE - Officer of the Order of the British Empire
  • MBE - Member of the Order of the British Empire
  • BEM - British Empire Medal
Former SAS soldier and best-selling novelist Andy McNab becomes a CBE for his work promoting adult literacy. The Bravo Two Zero author is a literacy ambassador for the Reading Agency and has written several of the charity's Quick Read titles for young adults.
Other CBEs include writer and illustrator Raymond Briggs, singer Sade and veteran Archers actress June Spencer.
From the entertainment world, there are also OBEs for comedian David Walliams, and actresses Sarah Lancashire and Patricia Hodge, while composer and conductor George Benjamin is knighted.
Broadcaster Gloria Hunniford, who lost her daughter Caron Keating to cancer, is made an OBE for services to cancer charities.
Another broadcaster, Natasha Kaplinsky, becomes an OBE for services to Holocaust commemoration. Kaplinsky, who lost relatives in the Slonim ghetto in present-day Belarus, has interviewed survivors as a member of the United Kingdom Holocaust Memorial Foundation advisory board.
Pop stars Ed Sheeran, Emeli Sande and 1960s singer Sandie Shaw are among the new MBEs.

 BBC NEWS
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German reunification architect Helmut Kohl dies at 87


Helmut Kohl, Germany's ex-chancellor and architect of reunification in 1990, has died at 87.
Kohl led Germany for 16 years (from 1982 to 1998). He is credited with bringing East and West Germany together after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Together with his French ally President Francois Mitterrand, he was responsible for the introduction of the euro.
European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker has ordered flags at EU institutions to be flown at half-mast.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Kohl's former protegee who later called for his resignation over a political funding scandal, said his death filled her with deep sadness.
"Helmut Kohl's efforts brought about the two greatest achievements in German politics of recent decades - German reunification and European unity," she said.
"Helmut Kohl understood that the two things were inseparable."
For his part, Mr Juncker said in a tweet: "Helmut's death hurts me deeply." "My mentor, my friend, the very essence of Europe, he will be greatly, greatly missed," he added.
Former US President George HW Bush paid tribute to the man he knew while in office from 1989 to 1993 as a "true friend of freedom" and "one of the greatest leaders in post-war Europe".

Thatcher's rival

Kohl suffered a bad fall in 2008 and had been using a wheelchair.
He died at his house in Ludwigshafen, in the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Bild newspaper reports.
Kohl, who led the centre-right Christian Democrats, was the longest-serving chancellor of the 20th Century.
A passionate believer in European integration, he persuaded Germans to give up their cherished deutschmark in favour of the European single currency
In the UK, he is remembered for his differences over the EU with the late UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
In France, he is the German leader who held hands with Mitterrand at a service at the Verdun war memorial in 1984 to mark the 70th anniversary of World War One.

But for Germans he is above all the man who reunified a country divided by the allied powers after World War Two, promising the people of the ex-communist East "flourishing landscapes", in unity with the richer West.

Obituary: Helmut Kohl

Helmut Josef Michael Kohl was born on 3 April 1930 into a conservative, Catholic family.
His political outlook was shaped by his experiences in his hometown of Ludwigshafen in the Rhineland during World War Two.
Because of its huge chemical works, the town was heavily bombed and, at the age of 12, the young Helmut found himself helping to recover the charred bodies of his neighbours from the rubble. What he once described as "the blessing of a late birth" freed him from any taints of Nazism.
Chancellor Merkel first entered government under Kohl's rule in 1991.
But she publicly denounced him and called for his resignation when it was revealed the party had received millions of dollars worth of illegal donations using secret bank accounts.
In 2011, in a series of interviews and statements, he spoke out against Mrs Merkel's policy of strict austerity to deal with the European debt crisis.
Kohl's later life was also marked by personal tragedy. His wife, Hannelore, killed herself in July 2001 after suffering from a rare skin condition and depression.
BBC NEWS
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Apple to scan iPhones for child sex abuse images

  Apple has announced details of a system to find child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on customers' devices. Before an image is stored on...