London, We Want To See You At Our Pitch-Off+Meetup On Monday

In preparation for TechCrunch Disrupt Europe I've been running around the Continent for more than a month, hitting the Balkans for a huge tour and Warsaw for an amazing meet-up. Now I'm back for a meet up+pitch-off with our own Mike Butcher and the rest of the UK team. Tickets are free so grab yours now.

There will be great networking opportunities, and a battle to the death to see which entrepreneurs can dazzle and excite in under 60 seconds.

PitchOff details:

LONDON INFO HERE

• Participants interested in competing in the pitch-off will have 60 seconds to explain why their startup is awesome. These products must currently be in stealth or private beta.Application form for London is here or simply enter below.
  
  
  
  

  ONLY FILL OUT **ONE** APPLICATION.

  
  
  

  
  

Office hours details

• Office Hours are for companies selected for the Pitch-off, these 15 minute 1 on 1 talks will be held on the day of the event. We'll hear about your company, give feedback, and talk about the best pitch strategy for the 60-second rapid-fire competition. More information on Office Hours will follow in a post on TechCrunch.

Pitch-off winners

• We will have 3 judges who will decide on the winners of the PitchOff. First place will receive a table in Startup Alley at the upcoming TechCrunch Disrupt Europe in Berlin. Second Place will receive 2 tickets to the upcoming TechCrunch Disrupt. Third Place will receive 1 ticket to the upcoming TechCrunch Disrupt.

Venue in London

• Ground Floor - CAMPUS LONDON, 4-5 Bonhill Street, London EC2A 4BX
• Event runs from 3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. on Monday July 29th, 2013
• We will de-camp to a local bar afterwards, sponsors welcome to support (email sponsors@techcrunch.com)

Remember we are holding our Berlin meetup later this week so if you don't want to wing your way North we'll come to you. Application form for Berlin is here.

Questions about the events? Please contact: events@techcrunch.com.

How To Become A Sponsor

• For more information on sponsorship packages and to discuss becoming a sponsor, please contact sponsors@techcrunch.com.

And whether you're an investor, entrepreneur, dreamer or tech enthusiast, we want to see you at the event, so we can give you free beer and hear your thoughts. Come one, come all.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini set to debut on June 20th.

It seems Samsung has invited key members of the press to a special gala on June 20th in London. On tap for eyeballing will be many different Samsung products and rumors are allegedly confirmed the Galaxy S4 Mini will show up.

The miniature version of the mega-selling S4 is expected to run a 1.6 dual core processor, Android 4.2.2, an 8 megapixel rear camera and a 4.3″ qHD display. All of this will of course be coated with the latest TouchWiz interface. No pricing has been spoken but expect $199 with two year contract as always.

Iranians protest at US embassy in London over Camp Liberty killings

Demonstrators enraged by rocket attack at refugee facility in Iraq demand transfer of Iranian dissidents to larger camp

Demonstrators protested outside the US embassy in London on Saturday after attackers fired rockets at a refugee camp for an Iranian exile group in Iraq, killing six people and wounding more than 40.

The attack was at a former American military base near Baghdad, known as Camp Liberty, which houses opponents of the regime in Iran.

Members of the Iranian community in Britain gathered outside the US embassy, calling on the US government to facilitate the transfer of the 3,100 Iranian dissidents in the camp back to another camp in Iraq, Camp Ashraf, where they were before.

Lord Carlile QC, spoke on behalf of the British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom, a 120-strong cross-party group of MPs and peers which supports the Iranian opposition.

He said: "We should demand that the UK government takes immediate action to bring this matter to the UN security council and takes steps to ensure that the residents of Camp Liberty are given humanitarian aid and returned to Camp Ashraf.

"It is time for weakness to cease in the diplomatic approach to Camp Liberty. The Iraqi ambassador should be summoned to the Foreign Office immediately."

Camp Ashraf was home to Iranian dissidents in Iraq for 26 years and is said to be 80 times bigger than Camp Liberty.

Scotland Yard said the protest at the embassy was peaceful.

Amnesty International said the attack was "a despicable crime", and authorities in Iraq should urgently investigate it and ensure all those wounded receive appropriate medical care.

The investigation should also look into the conduct of Iraqi security forces before and during the attack and whether they failed to prevent it, a spokesman said.

"The attack against Camp Liberty is a despicable crime," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, deputy director of the organisation's Middle East and North Africa programme.

"Authorities in Iraq must ensure not only that those responsible for this attack are brought to justice but that those living in the camp are protected."

The UN high commissioner for refugees, Antonio Guterres, expressed his shock at what had happened.

"I strongly condemn this attack," he said, noting that the residents of Camp Liberty are asylum seekers undergoing the refugee status determination process and thus entitled to international protection.

He added: "This is a despicable act of violence. I call on the Iraqi government to do everything it can to guarantee security to the residents. The perpetrators must be found and brought to justice without delay."