Turnpike Lane Tube station: Bus driver hurt as shots fired

Staff reporter,London(wp/bbc):

A bus driver has been hurt following police reports of gunshots fired outside a London Tube station.

Armed officers and others from the Metropolitan Police were called to Turnpike Lane station in Wood Green, north London, at 00:24 GMT.

A bus driver, aged in his 50s, was found with minor forehead injuries from shattering glass, the Met said. He was taken to a north London hospital.

Police said evidence was found that a firearm had been used.

No-one has been arrested and officers remain at the scene.

Earlier road closures reported by Transport for London have since been lifted. The Piccadilly Line, which Turnpike Lane station is served by, was unaffected.

New Year Honours 2019: 'World's best teacher' appointed MBE

staff correspondent(wp/bbc):

A teacher at a north London secondary school who won a global competition to find the world's best teacher has been appointed MBE.

Andria Zafirakou, who teaches art and textiles at Alperton Community School in Brent, has been honoured for her services to education and young people.

Mrs Zafirakou said the appointment was a "wonderful surprise".

Mrs Zafirakou, 40, became the first UK winner of the Global Teacher Prize earlier this year.

She beat teachers nominated from more than 170 countries to win a prize worth $1m (£790,000).

Since Mrs Zafirakou joined Alperton in 2005, she has set up a boxing club, redesigned the curriculum to improve access for every student, and even conducted personal patrols outside the school to deter gang members from trying to recruit her pupils.

She has also visited students in their homes and learned basic phrases in languages such as Hindi, Tamil and Gujarati to engage with her pupils.

Mrs Zafirakou, who is an associate deputy at Alperton, said she felt "humbled, emotional and extremely proud" at receiving the honour.

Reflecting on her 13 years at the school, she said her most proud memories were "those wonderful individual stories of children who have succeeded against the odds because of your intervention".

However, she added: "I do not see this as an honour I have done all by myself. I see this as something I am receiving on behalf of my school community."

Mrs Zafirakou said she hoped to keep the news of her honour "low key" so it was "business as usual" for the children when they returned to school in January.

Cook, Thomas and Southgate honoured in UK New Year list

Sports  reporter(wp/reuters):
Britain has recognized its sporting stars in the Queen’s New Year’s honors list with a knighthood for cricketer Alastair Cook, and awards for Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas, England soccer boss Gareth Southgate and his captain Harry Kane.
Former England captain Cook, 34, who retired from international cricket this year, was his country’s most-capped test player and record test run scorer.

Welsh cyclist Thomas, 32, has won three world championships and two Olympic gold medals along with this year’s Tour de France, while the honors for Southgate and Kane follow England’s World Cup run in Russia this Summer in which the team finished fourth, their best result since victory in 1966.

The awards also include a damehood for model Lesley Lawson, better known as Twiggy, one of the defining faces of the swinging 1960s.

Two members of the team who rescued 12 junior footballers and their coach from a flooded cave in Thailand, Richard Stanton and John Volanthen, received the George Medal for gallantry.

A knighthood goes to writer Philip Pullman, whose books include the “His Dark Materials” trilogy, while “Gruffalo” children’s author Julia Donaldson, 70, is awarded a CBE.

CBEs also go to Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti, 31, and actress Sophie Okonedo, 50.

The New Year’s honors have been awarded since Queen Victoria’s reign in the 19th century and aim to recognize not just well-known figures but those who have contributed to national life through often selfless and unsung contributions over many years.

In that spirit, an OBE for fighting gun and knife crime goes to Mark Prince, 49, whose son Kiyan was fatally stabbed outside his school aged 15 in May 2006, while 28-year-old Stephen Addison who set up boxing classes to channel young people’s energy away from crime is awarded the BEM.

The biannual honors list is released on the Queen’s official birthday in June and at the end of each year. The list, along with a guide to the various awards, is published by the Cabinet Office and can be seen at www.gov.uk/honours/honours-lists.

Woman arrested on suspicion of murder after two children found dead in Margate

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A 37-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after two children were found dead in Margate, police said. 

Police said the children, who the force described only as young, were discovered at a property in the Kent coastal town of Margate in the early hours of Thursday.

Less than an hour before they were found and taken to hospital, the woman was involved in a car crash and taken to hospital.

A Kent Police spokesman said: "At around 3.35am on Thursday 27 December 2018 officers attended a property in Castle Drive, Margate, due to concerns for the welfare of the occupants.

"The South East Coast Ambulance Service also attended and two young children were taken to hospital, where they were later declared deceased.

"Police remain at the scene and a 37-year-old woman from Margate has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

"The woman had been involved in a road traffic collision on the A299 Thanet Way at around 2.50am and was taken to hospital with minor injuries. She has now been discharged and taken into custody at a police station."

Two uniformed police officers stood outside the terraced house in Castle Drive, which is on a new-build estate on the outskirts of Margate.

Forensics officers were earlier seen at the address.

It is believed they had not been living at the house very long, according to neighbours who said they did not know them.

Local priest Father John Taylor, who did not know those involved, said: "As a priest and as a parent, when I heard I was shocked, very disturbed and saddened."

He added: "I came down to see if I could help and will say a prayer for the children.

"Something like this affects the whole community - just imagine how the neighbours feel and the rest of the family."

teenage boy, 16, fighting for life after being knifed in north London

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A teenage boy was fighting for his life in hospital last night after being stabbed in Hendon.

Police and paramedics attended the scene in New Brent Street just after 6.10pm on Thursday.

The teenager, 16, was rushed to hospital where he remained in a critical condition, Scotland Yard said.

There have been no arrests.

A person who wished to be anonymous told the Standard that officers were still at the scene late on Thursday evening.

They said: “It’s never happened before. It’s a very family orientated estate.”

Any witnesses or anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting CAD 5088/dec27. To remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Man charged with killing woman, 19, who was found dead in Kent on Christmas Day

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A man has been charged with murder after a 19-year-old woman was found dead in Kent on Christmas Day.

Mohammad Qoraishi, 27, was arrested on Tuesday after emergency services were called to a property in London Road, Maidstone, shortly after 1pm.

South East Coast Ambulance Service also attended and the woman was declared dead at the scene.

The woman has not been named.

Qoraishi and the 19-year-old were known to each other, Kent Police said.

The suspect will appear via videolink at Medway Magistrates' Court on Friday.

Police and border force officials struggle to stop rise in gun smuggling to UK

Crime reporter(wp/es):

Police and border officials are struggling to stem the rise in illegal guns being smuggled into the UK, a leading police chief has warned.

Chief Constable Andy Cooke, the national police lead for serious and organised crime, said the rising supply of weapons - many coming in from eastern Europe - was expected to continue due to the scale of the problem.

The situation has become so serious that the National Crime Agency (NCA) has used its legal powers to direct every police force in England and Wales to step up its efforts in providing intelligence on the supply of guns, The Guardian reported.

Mr Cooke told the newspaper: "We in law enforcement expect the rise in new firearms to continue.

"We are doing all we can. We are not in a position to stop it anytime soon."

Mr Cooke said efforts to tackle the issue had been "hampered" by a fall in the number of police officers and the resulting reduction in proactive work to "keep these criminals on the back foot".

According to the NCA, many weapons are bought in eastern Europe where they are legal and unrestricted. They may then be transported to the Netherlands, where Dutch organised crime groups negotiate the sale to a British buyer.

The illicit cargo is then smuggled into the UK via ferry ports, train stations and postal hubs, often concealed inside vehicles or parcels.

Guns are also being bought on the dark web.

The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics for the year ending June 2018 showed a 5% decrease in offences involving firearms, to 6,362. Figures released earlier in the year showed an 11% increase to the end of December 2017.

Mr Cooke said he believed serious and organised crime was one of the two greatest threats to national security, alongside terrorism.

"Nationally, we need to ensure serious and organised crime gets the same funding as the terrorist threat," he added.