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Fireworks Warehouse Blaze: Police Name Victims

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 01 November 2014 | 20.14

Police investigating a fatal blaze at a fireworks warehouse have released the names of the two people they believe were killed in the explosion.

Simon Hillier, 41, and Stewart Staples, 57, are understood to have died in the fire at SP Plastics on 30 October, Staffordshire Police has said.

Although it could take some weeks to formally identify the victims, evidence found at the site has placed both men at the warehouse.

Supt Ian Coxhead said: "Our sympathies remain with the families involved and we're doing everything we can to help them at this distressing time. It is believed Simon was working at the premises while it's thought Stewart was a customer.

"We anticipate this will be a lengthy and complex investigation. Our work to establish the cause of the fire is going to take considerable time."

Video: Five Hurt In Fireworks Factory Fire

A man in his 40s remains in a critical condition at Birmingham Hospital after Thursday's explosion, and is suffering from serious burns. Another victim has been discharged and is recuperating at home.

Police have said the warehouse is completely destroyed, and described the building as a "dangerous scene".

The unit, based on an industrial estate, had been used to store "a significant volume of fireworks" for four years, and Staffordshire County Council has confirmed that "no safety issues" had been reported with the company.

It took hours for dozens of firefighters to bring the blaze under control. One witness described the "deafening and constant noise" as fireworks detonated in the heat.

Police have released a 53-year-old man who had been arrested in connection with the explosion, and he is now being treated as a witness.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Search Begins For New Child Abuse Inquiry Chair

The search is under way for a new head of the inquiry into historical child sex abuse after Fiona Woolf became the second chairwoman to quit.

Mrs Woolf stepped down on Friday after victims' groups told Home Office officials they were "unanimous" in the view that she should go.

They had raised concerns over Mrs Woolf's social links with former Home Secretary Lord Brittan, who is likely to be called to give evidence to the inquiry.

Her predecessor, Lady Butler-Sloss, resigned in July after similar questions were raised over her ties to prominent figures associated with the investigation.

The race is now on to find a suitable replacement as Home Secretary Theresa May faces criticism over the two failed appointments.

Video: Woolf Quits Child Abuse Inquiry

Chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, Keith Vaz, told Sky News: "This has been a chaotic process.

"One would have expected the Government to have learnt from the first resignation of Lady Butler-Sloss, (and) to have consulted widely, to have done their due diligence and then to have presented to parliament and the public the name of the new chair.

"All they've succeeded in doing is delay the start of this inquiry, and frankly embarrass Fiona Woolf, who has had to resign because of the whole process that has been involved in her appointment."

Mrs May is expected to face some tough questions from MPs when she makes a statement to Parliament on Monday outlining the next steps in the process.

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  1. Gallery: The Redrafted Letter At Centre Of Woolf Row

    A letter from Fiona Woolf to the Home Secretary referring to her links to Leon Brittan went through several drafts.

  2. Chair of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee Keith Vaz criticised Mrs Woolf, saying the final version showed a more "detached" relationship with the Brittans than the first one. For example, it stressed there were a number of other people present at dinner parties.

  3. Mr Vaz had said Mrs Woolf's appointment had been "chaotic" and she should decide whether she wishes to remain as chair of the inquiry. It was confirmed on Friday afternoon that she would be stepping down

Labour leader Ed Miliband said Mrs May needs to explain why simple background checks were not done ahead of Mrs Woolf's appointment.

"It seems inexplicable, given what happened to the first head of the inquiry, that some basic questions were not asked of Fiona Woolf, before she was appointed, about her connections," he said.

"Theresa May has some explaining to do. To lose one chair is a misfortune but to lose two is total carelessness on her part."

Mrs Woolf came under increasing criticism following claims a letter setting out her contacts with the Lord and Lady Britton was redrafted seven times, with guidance from Home Office officials, before being sent to the Home Secretary.

Video: Woolf Resignation: 'Very Damaging'

Announcing her resignation she said: "Ever since the issues first arose, I've been worrying about the negative perceptions and there's been a lot of negative comment and innuendo and that has been getting in the way as well.

"I was determined that the inquiry got to the bottom of the issues for them and if I don't command their confidence to run the panel fairly and impartially then I need to get out of the way."

Mrs Woolf was appointed in September to chair the inquiry, which was launched earlier this year to examine whether alleged abuse by politicians and other powerful figures between the 1970s and 1990s was swept under the carpet.

She replaced Lady Butler-Sloss, who stepped down after her suitability was called into question, due to the fact her late brother, Lord Havers, was attorney general during the period when many of the alleged offences are said to have taken place.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Terror Warning: Brits Not Safe Anywhere In World

A worldwide travel warning has been issued by the Foreign Office, amid fears that Britons flying abroad could be targeted in terrorist attacks.

The Government has updated its travel advice for 225 countries and territories to reflect a "generalised threat" that extremists will seek revenge for Britain's involvement in airstrikes against Islamic State.

On Friday night, the Foreign Office warned: "There is considered to be a heightened threat of terrorist attacks globally against UK interests and British nationals from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria. You should be vigilant at this time."

However, it stressed that the updated advice was not in response to a specific attack.

In August, Home Secretary Theresa May announced that the UK's terror threat level was to be raised to "severe", which means that acts of terrorism are "highly likely".

Video: Aug: Terror Threat Level 'Severe'

At present, the Foreign Office is advising against all travel to five provinces in Iraq – including Anbar and Kirkuk. It has urged Britons to travel to other regions in the country only if it is absolutely necessary.

The FCO is also compelling British nationals to avoid Syria in its entirety, while urging anyone currently there to "leave now by any practical means".

In Turkey, visitors are recommended to stay at least 10km away from its border with Syria, as IS militants and Kurdish troops continue to battle for control of Kobani.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tower Poppy Memorial Proves Too Popular

People have been asked to delay visiting a First World War memorial at the Tower of London because it has proved so popular.

Tens of thousands of people made the trip to view the sea of red ceramic poppies in the former moat of the landmark on Friday, leading to problems of overcrowding as the country basked in unseasonably warm temperatures.

London Underground was forced to temporarily close nearby Tower Hill Tube station due to the number of visitors.

The public is being advised to postpone visits, or to go earlier or later in the day.

A spokesman for Historic Royal Palaces, which manages the site, said: "Please note that the Tower of London and the surrounding area is currently very busy due to half-term and interest in the poppies installation.

Video: Poppy Appeal: Harry Hops On A Bus

"We're advising people to postpone their visit to the Tower until after half-term if possible, or to visit earlier in the day, before 10am, or later in the day, after 6pm."

The poppy memorial, Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, was created by ceramic artist Paul Cummins.

By Armistice Day on November 11 there will be 888,246 ceramic poppies planted, one for each British and Colonial death during the conflict which began 100 years ago.

Video: Singer Joins Poppy Appeal
Video: Joss' Official Poppy Appeal Song

20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

RAF Fighter Jets Intercept Russian Bombers

Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled to intercept Russian military 'Bear' bombers for the second time in a week, it has emerged.

The Typhoons were sent up from RAF Lossiemouth on Friday to escort the Soviet-era Tupolev Tu-95 aircraft, just two days after UK jets intercepted another two Russian bombers over the North Sea.

It comes amid what NATO described as an "unusual" increase in activity from Russian military jets over European airspace ranging from the Black Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.

An RAF spokeswoman said the Russian aircraft has been picked up by the RAF Control and Reporting Centre at Boulmer in Northumberland, which scrambled the Typhoons.

She said: "Following a similar incident on Wednesday 29 October, the RAF Typhoon pilots visually identified the Russian aircraft and escorted them through the UK flight information region."

Air Vice-Marshal Gary Waterfall, who is in charge of UK air defence, said: "The Royal Air Force was formed to secure the skies over the UK, and it remains our main task.

"This week's news has shown yet again that the RAF's quick reaction alert is an essential element of our nation's security."

More follows...


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

UK Begins Paying Back First World War Debt

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 31 Oktober 2014 | 20.14

The Government has announced it will pay off part of the UK's First World War debt - the first such payment for 67 years.

The Treasury will repay £218m of the £2bn still owed from the 1914 to 1918 war, as part of a redemption of bonds stretching as far back as the 18th century.

The payment, to be made on 1 February next year, will be the first repayment of National War Bonds by a Chancellor since 1947.

The 4% consolidated loans were first issued by Chancellor Winston Churchill in 1927, partly to refinance National War Bonds from the Great War.

Britain has paid £1.26bn in interest on them since then, according to the Debt Management Office.

Chancellor George Osborne said he had decided to redeem some of them now because interest rates are lower than the 4% it is currently paying.

He said he could save taxpayers money by refinancing the debts at a lower rate.

"We are only able to take this action today thanks to the difficult decisions that this Government has taken to get a grip on the public finances," he said.

Video: First World War Records Released

"The fact that we will no longer have to pay the high rate of interest on these gilts means that most important of all, today's decision represents great value for money for the taxpayer."

The Government first issued National War Bonds in 1917 to help finance the crippling cost of the First World War, which saw the deaths of more than 700,000 British soldiers.

They paid out an attractive rate of 5% interest, with huge publicity campaigns urging the public to make a patriotic investment.

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  1. Gallery: Ghost Images Put WW1 Back In Focus

    Ahead of the centenary of the First World War, a series of digital composite images have been created by the picture agency Getty Images, comparing scenes from the time and how the locations look today. Here, Serbian soldiers march in the Lord Mayor's show in 1918 with the Royal Courts of Justice in the background

  2. Wounded soldiers play football outside Blenheim Palace around 1916 in Woodstock, England, blended with a modern day photo of the area

  3. Australian soldiers outside Egypt House in New Broad Street, London, where The Australian Bank is located, in June 1917, and how the street looks today

  4. Injured Indian soldiers from the British Army at the Brighton Pavilion in 1915, which was converted into a military hospital, combined with an image of the building today

  5. Wounded soldiers and cadets at the Albert Hall on Empire Day in May 1918, with a modern day shot of the London landmark seen behind them

  6. German prisoners of war on their way to Southend Pier in 1914 accompanied by guards and watched by locals, combined with a picture of the seafront taken this month

  7. A 'male' MKIV tank at the Lord Mayor's show in November 1917, blended with a modern day photo of the street outside the Bank of England

  8. British soldiers inspecting a captured German plane in the Horseguards' Parade, the modern day skyline now includes the London Eye

The bonds are held by 11,200 registered holders, with 92% owning less than £10,000 each.

Some of the repayment relates to bonds dating back more than 300 years.

In 1853, the Government consolidated the capital stock of the South Sea Company, which collapsed in the South Sea Bubble financial crisis of 1720.

Video: First World War Anniversary Held

And in 1888, Chancellor George Goschen converted bonds first issued in 1752 to finance the Napoleonic and Crimean Wars, the Slavery Abolition Act (1835) and the Irish Distress Loan (1847).

:: For each day of the four-year war, Sky News will post an update describing developments in the conflict through the special Twitter account, @skynewsWW1


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

New Navigation System Amid Fears Of GPS Outage

An array of ground-based radio stations designed to help ships stay on track in the event of a GPS outage have been activated in Britain.

The seven stations overlook the sea from Aberdeen in the north to Dover on the south coast, and can beam low-frequency pulses at vessels to help them avoid collisions.

Vessels usually rely on the GPS satellite system to determine their locations, but temporary outages can be caused by solar storms and people using jamming devices.

The system is a variation of the Long Range Navigation technology used by trans-Atlantic convoys during the Second World War.

Several other countries are considering whether to set up their own versions of the system, including South Korea, which was jammed by its northern neighbour in 2012.

The signal from one of the ground radio stations is one million times stronger than a signal from a satellite.

The system is likely to be extended to the west coast and Ireland within six years.

The system is owned and operated by the General Lighthouse Authorities, which said in a statement: "Signals are vulnerable to interference and both deliberate and accidental jamming, which is causing increasing concern because of the wide availability of GPS jammers online."

Jammers can be purchased for as little as £30.

It added: "With this network we'll be able to guarantee the seamless operating of shipping even if GPS goes down."


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Firefighters Poised For Bonfire Period Strike

Firefighters in England will start a four-day strike on Friday evening, as a bitter row over pensions intensifies.

Opponents to the walkout, orchestrated by the Fire Brigades Union, have branded the industrial action as "regrettable and unnecessary" - with emergency services already under strain as weekend bonfires and firework displays commence.

Even though the Government has a contingency plan, with hundreds of contract workers expected to cross picket lines, the public has been warned to remain vigilant and stay safe.

Fire stations in London have warned that they may be unable to attend to minor fires, or help people trapped in lifts.

Although the Government has insisted that firefighters enjoy one of the best pension packages in the public sector, the claims have been rubbished by the FBU's general-secretary.

Matt Wreck said: "We have a Government of millionaires who are wrecking the pensions of firefighters, while the real scandal is that their own pensions are by far the most generous anywhere in the public sector.

"How can it be remotely fair that the Prime Minister, already a millionaire, enjoys a far greater subsidy from his employer in absolute and proportional terms than a firefighter who is earning less than £30,000 a year? It is sickening hypocrisy."

The FBU's industrial action is due to begin at 6pm on Friday, but a strike in Wales has been averted after its assembly made a "significant" change of direction by offering an improved proposal.

Westminster has been pushing to reform firefighters' pensions amid fears that a £600m black hole in the scheme's finances will emerge by 2019 - with a Government spokesman warning that "taxpayers cannot be expected to meet all of these costs".

Fire Minister Penny Mordaunt said: "The Government recognises the role that firefighters play in keeping the public safe, and has worked hard to give them one of the most generous pensions in the public sector.

"A firefighter who earns £29,000 will still be able to retire after a full career aged 60 and get a £19,000-a-year pension, rising to £26,000 with the state pension.

"An equivalent private pension pot would be worth over £500,000 and require firefighters to contribute twice as much."


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Man Held After Body Parts Found On Island

A man has been arrested after a 33-year-old woman's body parts were found by ramblers on an island in Essex.

Angela Millington's remains were discovered in a salt marsh area on Foulness Island on 21 June.

Hikers initially found a collection of bones. Police were called and more body parts were found.

Police have arrested a 51-year-old man, from Westcliff-on-Sea, on suspicion of murder.

He has been taken to Southend Police Station for questioning.

Ms Millington was identified after forensic and DNA tests and, while it is not known how long the bones had been there, police believe she was murdered.

She was last seen alive when she visited a housing officer in Westcliff on 21 November last year.

She took money out of her bank account that day and her mobile phone has not been used since the end of that month.

Essex Police said Ms Millington had no fixed address and was known to mix with street drinkers and homeless people.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Man Arrested Over Fireworks Warehouse Blaze

A man has been arrested over a blaze at a fireworks warehouse in Staffordshire where two people remain unaccounted for.

An investigation has been launched into what caused the explosion at the SP Plastics building at an industrial unit in Stafford at around 5.15pm on Thursday.

Two men were taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, one in his 60s suffering from a back injury and another, in his 40s, with serious burns.

Two women, one in her 40s and the other in her 50s, were assessed for smoke inhalation but discharged at the scene, police said.

Police said a 53-year-old man had now been arrested as part of the investigation.

Video: Witness Tells Of Fireworks Blast

Police Superintendent Ian Coxhead said: "We have a great deal of sensitive and challenging work to complete in order to allow us to establish the cause of the explosion and the following fire."

A "significant volume of fireworks" was being stored on site, and the unit had been all but destroyed in the ensuing blaze, he added.

A search is due to get under way for the missing people, once the premises are considered safe.

Video: 'I Saw A Plume Of Black Smoke'

The blaze took three hours to bring under control - 50 firefighters, eight engines and four specialist appliances were on the scene at its height.

Thick plumes of smoke and bursts of fireworks could be seen exploding in all directions from the factory in a scene which an eyewitness described as "horrendous".

Resident Brian Little told Sky News: "It was horrendous. You would not be surprised if there was one or two injuries. The flames were sky-high."

Video: Stafford Fireworks Factory Ablaze
Video: Five Hurt In Fireworks Factory Fire

20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Barclays Sets Aside £500m Over For-Ex Probe

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 30 Oktober 2014 | 20.14

Barclays has confirmed a £500m provision for fines relating to allegations foreign exchange markets were manipulated by banks.

The London-listed lender announced the figure in its third-quarter results statement which also contained further costs associated with the historic payment protection insurance (PPI) mis-selling scandal.

It set aside an additional £170m for PPI but said it was also releasing a charge of £160m related to the sale of interest rate hedging products.

The group made a statutory profit before tax of £3.7bn over its first nine-months - a rise of 28% on the same period last year.

The performance was driven by stronger performances from its Personal and Corporate and separate Barclaycard arms, though investment bank profits tumbled 38% to £1.3bn as its group contribution continued to shrink under chief executive Antony Jenkins.

He said the results reflected further progress towards key goals under its Transform programme - aimed at making Barclays the "go-to" bank - and demonstrated greater resilience through its rebalancing from the "casino banking" days.

"In aggregate, this is a good performance from the group, our strategy is working, and we expect to see continued progress as we go forward," he added.

Sky News reported on Wednesday that Barclays, HSBC and RBS were poised to set aside roughly £1bn for settlements with regulators following probes into the abuse of critical foreign exchange benchmarks.

It is understood that settlements between UK banks and the Financial Conduct Authority could be announced as soon as next month.

The additional provision for costs associated with PPI means Barclays has now set aside more than £5bn.

Lloyds confirmed earlier this week its PPI bill had topped £11bn.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tough Drug Laws Have No Impact On Use - Report

By Tadhg Enright, Sky News Correspondent

A Liberal Democrat minister has accused Downing Street of "backpedalling" over a Home Office report suggesting heavy penalties for illegal drug use make no difference.

The report, which is based on international evidence, found "no apparent correlation between the 'toughness' of a country's approach and the prevalence of adult drugs use".

It has led to another split in the coalition, with Lib Dems supporting its proposed reforms and the Conservatives opposing them.

Crime prevention minister Norman Baker reacted angrily to suggestions his party were going soft on drugs.

"Nothing in the report talks about letting off drug dealers Scott free and that's not Lib Dem policy," he told Sky News.

Video: 'Tory MPs Don't Like Drug Evidence'

"I fear this is Number 10 backpedalling because they have got inconvenient facts.

"The facts are we've got an independent study conducted by civil servants and some of my Conservative colleagues apparently don't like some of the evidence that has come out.

"But if you look at a tree, it's a tree."

Earlier Mr Baker told Sky: "What we need to do is ... stop criminalising people unfairly and to make sure that we don't lock people up, but rather deal with (drugs) as a health issue."

Video: Inside A UK Cannabis Factory

He was backed by Danny Kushlick, founder of Transform Drug Policy Foundation, who called the report a "historic moment".

"For the first time in over 40 years the Home Office has admitted that enforcing tough drug laws doesn't necessarily reduce levels of drug use," he said.

However, a Home Office spokesperson said: "This Government has absolutely no intention of decriminalising drugs.

"Our drugs strategy is working and there is a long-term downward trend in drug misuse in the UK."

Video: Mourning Mum In Legalise Drugs Call

Although completed several months ago, the report has been kept under wraps to be released alongside another study which recommends so-called legal highs be criminalised.

On this the coalition parties are agreed. Both support a ban on their sale, which has been welcomed by campaigners including Maryon Stewart, whose daughter, Hester, died in 2009 after taking a lethal cocktail of alcohol and the legal substance GBL.

She told Sky News: "In that time, there've been as many crime prevention ministers as there have years, and it's been a really difficult journey.

"I think everyone agrees that there needs to be change, what's happening right now isn't working."

Video: 2012: Brand Speaks Out Over Drugs

An opinion poll in The Sun suggests for the first time, most Britons believe the war on drugs can never be won.

A total of 71% of those surveyed said the war had failed, while 51% said it will always be doomed. The survey found 65% supported a review of drugs policy.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Father Of Murdered Schoolgirl Sarah Payne Dies

Tributes have been paid to Michael Payne, father of the murdered schoolgirl Sarah, after he died at the age of 45.

Mr Payne, who developed a drinking problem after his daughter was abducted and killed near her grandparents' home in West Sussex, was found dead at his home in Maidstone, Kent, on Monday.

His daughter, Charlotte, posted a picture of her father on Facebook alongside a message saying she was "heartbroken".

"No matter what happened and how many mistakes we all made. You will always be my daddy," she wrote.

She later added: "I'm sorry I couldn't save you dad. I hope you have finally found your peace and happiness."

Her brother, Lee, wrote: "Dad, you had your demons and troubles but you had a good heart and was a decent man!

"I hope now you have found peace at last! RIP, you will be missed. We are all heartbroken."

A Kent Police spokesman said: "Police attended an address in Brishing Lane in Maidstone on the evening of 27 October and found the occupant, a 45 year-old man, had died at the property.

"The death is not being treated as suspicious. A report will be prepared for the coroner."

Mr Payne split from his wife Sara in 2003 after 18 years together, blaming the difficulties of coping with the loss of their daughter in 2000.

Speaking at the time, Mrs Payne told the News of the World: "We know we're not the same people we once were - and everyone knows the awful reason why."

Mr Payne told the newspaper he felt guilty for being unable to protect his daughter and this had put strain on his marriage.

Mrs Payne became a child protection campaigner after her daughter's death.

Sarah's Law, which allows parents to check whether people with access to their children are sex offenders, was introduced in 2011.

That same year Mr Payne was jailed after pleading guilty to glassing his brother Stephen following a heavy drinking session during which both men drank around three litres of cider each and a bottle of vodka.

Sentencing him, Judge Jeremy Carey said he had the "deepest sympathy" for his loss, but the offence warranted a jail sentence.

Convicted paedophile Roy Whiting is serving a life sentence for the eight-year-old's murder.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Child Grooming 'Normal' In Parts Of Manchester

By Nick Martin, North of England Correspondent

Child sexual exploitation is a "real and ongoing problem" that has become "normal" in some parts of Greater Manchester, according to a new report.

It suggests that youngsters are exposed to an increasing amount of explicit music and pornography which it is claimed is fuelling the problem. 

The independent report by Ann Coffey, Labour MP for Stockport, was commissioned by Tony Lloyd, the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner, in response to a number of high-profile child exploitation cases.

Home Secretary Theresa May described its findings as "shocking".

In 2012, nine Asian men were jailed for grooming girls with alcohol, drugs and gifts before forcing them to have sex with multiple men.

Video: 'I Was Scared And Terrified'

The case led to claims the authorities had ignored the problem for reasons of "political correctness".

Ms Coffey said: "My observations will make painful reading for those who hoped that Rochdale was an isolated case. This is a real and ongoing problem.

"I have been concerned about the number of people who have told me that in some neighbourhoods child sexual exploitation had become the new social norm.

"This social norm has perhaps been fuelled by the increased sexualisation of children and young people and an explosion of explicit music videos and the normalisation of quasi-pornographic images.

"Sexting, selfies, Instagram and the like have given rise to new social norms and changed expectations of sexual entitlement, and with it a confused understanding of what constitutes consent."

Video: 'We're Not Looked At To Be Objects'

Some schoolgirls told her they were regularly approached by older men in the street and urged to get into cars on their way home from school.

The problem will not be tackled unless there is a "sea change" in public attitudes away from a culture of blaming children and young people for bringing about their own sexual exploitation, the report claimed.

Nicola Pomfrey first became the victim of exploitation from the age of 14. She said the man she was with controlled every aspect of her life. 

She told Sky News: "It felt like we were friends at first, he kept buying me food and cigarettes. Then it turned into a relationship.

"But as time went on I felt like I was trapped, there was no-one I could turn to and I became isolated from friends and family.

Video: Dec 2013: MP Criticises Police

"I was vulnerable, I needed the attention and I got it from the wrong place.

"At the time I didn't feel like telling the police, or a social worker or a teacher would do any good. I suppose I didn't think they would believe that I was a victim."

Home Secretary Theresa May said a public consultation would be held on whether teachers, doctors and other officials should have a duty to report any suspicions - or face the law.

"This is yet another disturbing report which highlights unacceptable failings by authorities at a local level to ensure the protection of children," said Mrs May.

"The report's findings about the scale of child sexual exploitation and attitudes towards it are particularly alarming."

Video: Sep 2012: Handling Of Abuse Slammed

Hayley Harewood, chief executive of Oldham-based charity Keep Our Girls Safe, which helps around 200 young girls at risk of sexual exploitation, agreed with the report's findings.

"It is true that in some areas child sexual exploitation is normal. It is often the first experience many girls have in terms of a relationship," she said.

"On most occasions the girls don't realise what's happening to them until it is too late and they are trapped."

The 148-page report, titled Real Voices - Child Sexual Exploitation In Greater Manchester, recommends a radical new approach to tackling the problem led by young people, which recognises that the police, justice system and children's services alone cannot succeed in protecting children.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Jean McConville Murder: Police Arrest Man

Detectives investigating the 1972 abduction and murder of mother-of-10 Jean McConville have arrested a 73-year-old man.

Detective Inspector Neil McGuiness said the man from the Dunmurray area had been taken to Antrim police station for questioning.

No one has ever been charged with the murder of the 37-year-old widow, who was dragged away screaming from her children at their West Belfast home at gun point by up to 12 men and women.

Mrs McConville was abducted, interrogated and murdered by the IRA after being falsely accused of passing information to the security forces.

She was shot in the back of the head and secretly buried in a shallow grave on a beach near Dundalk, County Louth, 50 miles from her home.

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  1. Gallery: Northern Ireland's 'Disappeared'

    A list of Northern Ireland's "Disappeared", the 16 people abducted and killed by Republican paramilitaries during the Troubles. Here, Robert Nairac talks to some children

Her remains lay undiscovered until 2003 when they were found by a member of the public.

The abduction and killing of Mrs McConville is still one of the most notorious crimes from the time of the Northern Ireland Troubles.

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams was questioned over the killing for four days by police in May.

He vehemently denied allegations made by former republican colleagues of involvement.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Devastating Impact' Of NHS Mistakes Revealed

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 29 Oktober 2014 | 20.14

NHS hospitals are making mistakes which cause patients to suffer needless harm or die prematurely, according to a damning report.

Dame Julie Mellor, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, has uncovered dozens of cases with several complaints regarding incorrect discharges and cancer being misdiagnosed.

Some of the worst cases included: 

:: A one-day-old baby suffered permanent brain damage after "serious mistakes" were made during a blood transfusion at Barts Health NHS Trust.

:: A man died following a liver biopsy that was performed without his consent. Further investigation revealed he was on the wrong medication, and that Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust had lost his clinical records.

:: Another patient who went to A&E complaining of prolonged constipation and vomiting was inappropriately discharged, even though he had suffered complete loss of blood supply to his small intestine. The mistake, at Bedford Hospital NHS Trust, was only discovered when he was re-admitted the following day for surgery.

:: Errors were also made with a woman who had been told she was suffering from stomach and bowel cancer. No tests were arranged, and a surgical consultant insisted she did not have the disease. Five weeks later, the same consultant at Wirral University Hospital NHS Trust broke the news that she did have cancer after all.

:: A man suffered a fatal heart attack and stroke while on holiday abroad. Before he travelled, he had visited Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to report chest pains, but staff failed to tell him that he was at risk of death if he flew. The Trust provides "specialist cardiac services" to patients in the North West.

Dame Julie said: "We are increasingly concerned about patients being discharged unsafely from hospital.

"Unplanned admissions and re-admissions are a massive cost to the NHS."

She added that the investigations showed the "devastating impact" failures in the NHS could have on the lives of patients and their families.

The government body investigated 161 complaints between April and June - and is urging other Britons who have had poor service within the NHS to come forward.

Jamie Reed, shadow health minister, said: "This catalogue of poor care shows an NHS heading in the wrong direction.

"Hospitals are full to bursting - struggling to admit or discharge patients - and these reports make clear there isn't enough staff to cope."

But in a statement, the Department of Health said: "The NHS is the most transparent it has ever been, and we're focusing on confronting poor care like never before." 

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman is the final step for complaints about unfair treatment or poor service for the NHS in England.

The service investigated 2,199 cases in 2013-2014, compared to 384 for the previous year.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Asylum: 29,000 Cases Unresolved Since 2007

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

Failings in the UK's asylum system have led to an "extremely concerning" backlog of cases - with the Home Office accused of being in chaos over immigration.

Some 11,000 asylum seekers have been waiting since 2007 to be told whether they can stay in the country.

In total there are 29,000 cases waiting to be resolved, according to a damning report.

Margaret Hodge MP, chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said: "To make matters worse, the department is also failing to meet its targets for dealing with newer claims, so it is now creating another backlog for itself.

"The number of claims awaiting an initial decision was up 70% to 16,273 in the first three months of 2014 compared to the same period last year.

Video: Asylum Process System In Chaos

"It is deeply worrying that the Home Office is not tracking those people whose applications have been rejected to ensure that they are removed from the UK."

The report said there are 175,000 people whose applications to stay in the UK have been rejected and are still awaiting removal.

The Government scrapped the UK Border Agency last year as part of major reforms. 

One asylum seeker has told Sky News she feels mentally "tortured" after being left in limbo.

Her case has been repeatedly delayed and nine months after applying for asylum the Ugandan woman still has not been given a proper interview about her request.

Fearing further delays to her claim, she asked only to be known as "Namusoke" and explained to Sky News: "I feel tortured here in the UK, I feel depressed, stressed and traumatised, so I really feel bad because I can't help nothing for myself.

"I'm a beggar, which I was not born to do."

The woman is fleeing persecution in her homeland due to the fact she is a lesbian - homosexuality is deemed illegal in Uganda.

Immigration and Security Minister James Brokenshire said: "The immigration system we inherited was totally dysfunctional.

"Turning around years of mismanagement has taken time, but it is now well under way.

"We have reformed visa routes to make them more resistant to fraud and cancelled failing contracts; and we are addressing the backlogs we inherited."

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "This report lays bare how Theresa May and David Cameron are presiding over one failure after another in our immigration system."

The Refugee Council's head of advocacy, Lisa Doyle, said: "It's extremely concerning that so many people are still waiting for a decision on their asylum claim, years after first applying."

On Tuesday the mayor of Calais said Britain's benefits system had become a magnet for asylum seekers making their way across the English Channel from France - and that many are "prepared to die" to make the journey.


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Breeder Found Guilty Of Puppy Farm Murders

An elderly dog breeder has been found guilty of murdering his partner and her daughter at his puppy farm near Farnham in Surrey.

John Lowe, 82, blasted 66-year-old Christine Lee and her daughter Lucy Lee, 40, with a shotgun he normally used for killing rats.

Christine's daughter, Stacy Banner, said: "The shotgun was one of seven that had been returned to him by the police only months before he used it to kill."

She added: "John Lowe pulled the trigger but it was the Surrey Police who put the gun in his hands."

Surrey Police apologised to the family after Lowe's shotguns were returned to him in July last year following their confiscation the previous March.

The force said two reports indicated the decision was "flawed" and vowed to "co-operate fully" with an Independent Police Complaints Commission investigation.

Lowe told his trial at Guildford Crown Court that the women's deaths in February were "a terrible accident" after a struggle over the gun as he went to destroy some dogs.

But the jury of six men and six women convicted him of their murders after hearing that, following his arrest, he told the police he had "put down" the women because they had been "giving me s*** for weeks".

They also heard that Lucy made a "desperate" 999 call to police saying that Lowe had killed her mother and telling the operator she was going back to confront him.

She was then shot twice, with Lowe reloading the .410 calibre double-barrelled weapon between shots.

Lowe, who listened to proceedings through a hearing loop, showed no emotion as the verdicts were given.

Speaking outside court, Mrs Banner said Lowe "brutally and deliberately murdered my mum and my sister by shooting each of them at close range with a shotgun - they did not stand a chance".

She added: "My life stopped when their lives ended on 23rd February this year. It will never be the same for me or my children who have lost their aunt and Nanny Burger King."

She also called for the way gun licencing decisions are made to be changed.

"(It) cannot be left entirely up to the police. There needs to be thorough and regular multi-agency assessments for would be gun-holders. And the cost of a shotgun licence needs to be significantly increased."

Christine Lee's sister, Julia James, said: "Christine had a heart of gold and was full of life. Lucy believed in protecting life and being kind to others.

"I witnessed on numerous occasions how caring Christine and Lucy had been towards Lowe. It has been heart-breaking listening to his lies."

Surrey Police said three of its employees are being investigated for gross misconduct over the decision to return Lowe's guns before the shooting.

It is also reviewing all cases where guns have been removed and then returned to people in the last three years.


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Tech And Staff Failures Behind Case Backlog

The failure of two major IT projects and "ill-judged" staffing decisions have led to the loss of more than 50,000 people who cannot be found in Britain, according to a report by MPs.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report reveals the Home Office is unable to track tens of thousands of people whose applications to stay in the UK have been rejected.

Some 175,000 people whose applications were unsuccessful have been placed in a "migration refusal pool" to await removal from Britain.

While some applicants may have left voluntarily, the department does not know how many remain because it lacks "a system to check departures from the UK".

In 2012, the department employed Capita to confirm the records and whereabouts of those refused permission to stay.

Video: We Need A 'Whole New System'

Capita was unable to find more than 50,000 people, with the department in some cases failing to retain even basic information such as addresses and postcodes.

The failure has been blamed in part upon a "botched" attempt by the now-defunct UK Border Agency to downgrade its caseworkers.

The report found the move led to 120 experienced caseworkers leaving the agency, adding that new staff with the "right skills" will be needed to clear the backlog.

Failures in large-scale IT projects have exacerbated the problem, leaving the department to operate with out-dated technology.

The Home Office has cancelled both the Immigration Case Work (ICW) IT programme and the ill-fated e-Borders system, which cost almost £1bn.

The report says: ""The Department had expected large-scale IT projects... to transform its processes and allow it to produce better information and substantial financial savings."

But the failure of the programmes left the department without a "comprehensive, system-wide IT strategy" to deal with people seeking to remain in the UK.

"IT limitations mean the department cannot track people through the immigration system, or ensure people with no legal right to remain are removed from the UK," the report says.

Video: Asylum Seeker Has To Beg To Survive

"As a matter of priority, the department should identify the future IT capabilities it requires so it can develop a comprehensive, system-wide IT strategy that will deliver the required capabilities."

On Tuesday, the mayor of Calais said Britain's benefits system had become a magnet for asylum seekers making their way across the English Channel from France.

Skills Minister Nick Boles warned that Britain has lost control over immigration, and may not be able to stem movement from within the EU.

"We may never be able to control it entirely because it's a fundamental principle of the EU," Mr Boles told Total Politics.

"It will be very hard for the British people to accept that... we're going to be the net recipient of a very large amount of immigration every year," he added.

Labour's shadow immigration minister David Hanson said the Government's immigration policy is in "tatters".

He said: "The Skills Minister has admitted that the Government's grand promises have increased rather than decreased public concern.

"Yet they have still deterred the top skills and talent the economy needs. It is the worst of all worlds."


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Tesco Faces Criminal Probe Over Profits Crisis

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is poised to launch a formal criminal probe into the accounting crisis at Tesco that led the UK's biggest retailer to overstate profits by £263m.

Sky News has learnt that the agency could confirm as soon as this week that it is opening an inquiry, adding to separate investigations by the City regulator and the accounting watchdog.

The SFO is understood to have notified Tesco of its intention to formally investigate the issue in recent days, and is expected to trigger a stock exchange announcement by the supermarket giant.

The move is not entirely unexpected, but the news that the SFO is to undertake a formal probe will add to the sense of crisis at Tesco.

The company, which has lost more than half its value during the last year, has been hit by unprecedented boardroom turmoil, with the chairman, Sir Richard Broadbent, planning to quit next year.

Eight executives, including the UK managing director Chris Bush, have been asked to stand aside pending the outcome of the investigations into the accounting mis-statement, which relates to payments from major suppliers.

Deloitte, the accountancy firm, and Freshfields, Tesco's legal adviser, undertook a preliminary probe, which was handed to the retailer's board last week.

That report has been handed to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), with which Tesco said earlier this month it is co-operating.

Dave Lewis, the new Tesco chief executive, last week unveiled a fall in half-year profits of more than 90% as the company battles to recapture market share lost to discounters such as Aldi and Lidl.

Tesco has also been deserted by some of its leading shareholders, including the US-based Harris Associates and Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, amid concern over its strategy and the state of its balance sheet.

The turmoil has forced Tesco to shore up its financial position by turning to five banks to lend the company £1bn each in order to head off the prospect of lenders calling in existing loans.

The Daily Telegraph reported on Wednesday that major consumer goods companies which supply Tesco have asked auditors to scrutinise their dealings with the retailer.

The SFO, which has powers to prosecute companies as well as individuals, has been pursuing high-profile cases against Barclays, GlaxoSmithKline and Rolls-Royce, among others.

The SFO and Tesco both refused to comment.


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Huge Supercomputer To Boost Weather Forecasts

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 28 Oktober 2014 | 20.14

A 140-ton supercomputer that can perform more than 16,000 trillion calculations per second is set to give the UK its most accurate weather forecasts ever.

The £97m machine will be fired up at the Met Office next year and will crunch data at a blistering rate using the memory equivalent to 120,000 top-end smartphones.

It will be 13 times more powerful than the current system, making it one of the world's fastest high performance computers (HPCs).

Met Office's chief executive Rob Varley said the machine would be a "step change", allowing hourly updates and highly detailed forecasts for areas as small as 300m.

For example, it will allow airports to pinpoint the timing and extent of fog disruption far more effectively.

The Cray XC40 system will weigh the same as 11 double decker buses and is expected to be split between Met Office Headquarters in Exeter and a new purpose-built building at the city's Science Park.

Video: Sky News UK Weather Update

Some £2bn of benefits are expected, according to forecasters, because it will allow the public and businesses to better plan for extreme weather, such as this year's floods in the south of England.

"The new supercomputer, together with improved observations, science and modelling, will deliver better forecasts and advice to support UK business, the public and government, " said Mr Varley.

"It will help to make the UK more resilient to high impact weather and other environmental risks."

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "The higher resolution will make it easier to map our orography and topography, but we still need the data coverage to match these improvements. It is an excellent step in the right  direction, though, towards the perfect forecast.

"There will be great research benefits especially regarding climate change and forecasting severe weather.

"It is exciting - all we need now is for it to make the weather we want."

The boss of supercomputer company Cray, Peter Ungaro, said he was "truly honoured" to get the contract - the biggest international deal in its history.

The first phase of the system will be operational in September 2015 and it will reach full capacity in 2017.


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How Weather Forecasting Has Changed In 20 Years

September 1991 is when I started life as a weather forecaster at the London Weather Centre in Holborn.

It was much more of a hands-on experience then, with paper charts to analyse and hand draw the fronts, highs and lows.

It felt as if the human forecaster was almost more important and reliable than the computer models – many people had been in the Met Office for decades with a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Their "gut feeling" about certain weather set ups often brought a more accurate forecast than the models.

Back then, the Cray computer calculated 10 Gflops a second and had a local resolution of 17km.

The computer modelled 19 vertical levels through the atmosphere. It was all about interpretation and judgement – comparing the models with real information from radar and satellite.

Video: Met Office To Get Supercomputer

It has often been said that today's four-day forecasts are as accurate as the old one-day forecast. So, obviously, some dramatic changes in technology have taken place through my meteorological career.

By 2009, when I had moved to Sky Weather, the Met Office had continued to invest and upgrade its computers to the IBM Power6 which brought 140 Tflops of calculations a second with a local resolution of 1.5km through 70 vertical levels of the atmosphere.

It is a faster computer with good resolution and coverage and, in comparison to 1991, the models are reliable and accurate.

I do still make comparisons with real data and see how the model is fairing but it is often very good and the consistency gives confidence too.

The new supercomputer is even faster and over an amazingly high local resolution of 300m.

This will map our orography and topography accurately but we still need the data coverage to match these improvements. It is an excellent step in the right direction, though, towards the perfect forecast.

The development will excite all those involved in studying the weather, and those who receive our forecasts will hopefully notice changes in our confidence with the models and our accuracy.

In this day and age when it's all about information, I think it will give the customer more of what they want. It would be nice if we could actually make the weather too!


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UKIP Hits New Poll High After £1.7bn EU Bill

Support for UKIP has hit a new high according to a new survey carried out in the wake of the £1.7bn EU surcharge demand.

The ComRes poll, carried out for The Independent newspaper, showed support for the Labour Party has fallen by five points to 30% since last month - its lowest rating under leader Ed Miliband.

The Conservatives were up one percentage point, also putting them at 30%.

But UKIP has climbed four points to 19%, beating their highest previous rating - achieved in June - by 1%.

The poll revealed the Liberal Democrats were down one point on 9%, the Greens remain unchanged on 4% and support for other parties was also unchanged on 7%

Video: PM: EU Demand 'Not Acceptable'

ComRes interviewed 1,002 adults between 24 October and 26 October for the survey.

On Monday, Prime Minister David Cameron told the House of Commons the EU charge was "not acceptable".

He said: "It cannot just be nodded through by the EU bureaucracy - it is British taxpayers' money.

Video: EC Chief: £1.7bn UK Surcharge Fair

"We will be challenging this in every way possible. We want to check on the way the statistics were arrived at, the methodology that was used. We will crawl through this in exhaustive detail."

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has insisted Brussels is only following procedures created by members states to balance the EU's books.


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Charity Warning Over Rise In UK Child Poverty

By Afua Hirsch, Social Affairs Editor

Child poverty in the UK increased significantly during the recession, according to a new report which criticises wealthy countries for failing to protect the most vulnerable from the effects of the economic downturn.

Data collected by UN organisation Unicef ranks the UK 25th out of 41 countries in taking measures to cushion the impact of the economy on children and families.

Chile, Poland and Slovakia all outperformed the UK, experiencing a reduction in child poverty.

"Here in the UK we have seen rates of severe material deprivation for children get worse," said David Bull, executive director of Unicef UK.

"There are only six countries in the 41 country study that have seen that material deprivation worsening at a greater rate than the UK."

For one single mother, the effect of the recession squeezing the family budget is a daily reality.

"The quality of our food intake has definitely gone down because of the financial struggles," said Alicia Gomes, 23, who lives on a council estate in south London with her three-year-old daughter Destiny.

"I think the Government should give more help to lone parents. We do eat normal cooked meals, but it's easier to live off frozen food because we get more offers."

"What I find quite upsetting is that we struggle so much and then there's people out there getting free meals in prison and clean bedding, and we are struggling so much to do that ourselves.

"The people doing wrong seem to get more support than the people doing the right things in life."

Ms Gomes says most of her income is taken up by food shopping, council tax, and pay as you go electricity which is often on the emergency setting.

Sally Plumb, Strategic Partnership Manager for two children's centres in the London borough of Lambeth, said some families were in an extreme situation.

"I do think that we should be shocked about the levels of poverty in the western world. It is almost like a third world country around here. A lot of children around here don't have beds, they are not eating properly," she said.

But the Government disputed the Unicef findings.

The Department for Work and Pensions said: "Unicef is drawing distorted comparisons with this data.

"UK official national statistics show that under this Government, around 300,000 fewer children are in poverty or growing up in workless families. Our reforms are improving the lives of some of the poorest families by promoting work and helping people to lift themselves out of poverty."

Unicef said that although its figures were not the most recent available, they provided a comparative context on the UK's performance up to 2013.

"Our report shows that particularly in the UK child poverty has worsened. It also shows that isn't inevitable," said Mr Bull.

"Other countries like Austria have had bonus payments and tax payments that have been very progressive in terms of impact they have had on poorest children."

"There's a lot that we should do to make the right choices."


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Energy Crunch: Plan To Keep The Lights On

National Grid has warned the UK may be forced to resort to emergency measures to keep the lights on if bad weather strikes this winter, with households picking up the bill.

Its annual Winter Outlook report looking at the capacity margin - the gap between total electricity generating capacity and peak demand - was compiled as the country misses output from five key power stations following fires or safety checks.

The network operator put the figure at just 4.1% - its narrowest since 2006/7 - and said that margin of spare capacity could fall further to just 2.8% if weather conditions took a turn for the worse.

Such a scenario would mean the grid failing to meet its "basic reserve requirement" of spare capacity needed to run the system, forcing it to adopt contingencies such as paying factories to shut down and supplying reserves from mothballed power stations.

National Grid said it was finalising contracts with three sites, Littlebrook in Kent, Rye House in Hertfordshire and Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, to provide reserve capacity that would widen the margin by 2%.

Having to use these power stations would add £1 to the average family bill, the operator confirmed, as it would cost £25m.

1/5

  1. Gallery: Blackout Britain: 1970s Power Cuts

    Paul Caldecott, six, was forced to stay at school because his parents couldn't pick him up

  2. Four women work in a Slumberdown office in Bond Street, London, during a miners' strike in 1973

  3. A woman breastfeeding her baby during a blackout at St Andrews Hospital, Dollis Hill, northwest London

  4. Working for Slumberdown had its advantages, as these women could wrap themselves in quilts to keep warm during a blackout

  5. Customers and staff at an HMV shop in Oxford Street, London, during a power cut in December 1973

The prospect of an electricity crunch has risen since the summer, when a key measure of risk, called Loss of Load Expectation (Lole) was forecast at 0.5 hours for the coming winter.

Since then the Lole risk measure has risen to 1.6 hours, factoring in the fires that have caused the permanent shutdown of Ironbridge in Shropshire and the temporary closure of Ferrybridge in West Yorkshire.

A power station in Barking will also close, while a planned return to service for four EDF nuclear reactors at Heysham in Morecambe, Lancashire, and at Hartlepool, will see them return at only 75% capacity.

A fire earlier this month put half of operations out of action at Didcot B power station in Oxfordshire - which has capacity to supply a million homes.

The part of the site affected by the blaze is expected to return to around 50% service this week.

The Grid report said gas supplies were well ahead of expected peak demand but warned of the uncertain impact of tensions over Ukraine, which could strangle availability from the continent.

Video: Warning Expected Over Blackout Risk

The report warned that in the "extreme scenario" of cold winter conditions and Russia cutting off supplies, the UK may have to arrange factory shutdowns as well and rely on expensive imports from markets further afield such as Asia and South America.

Cordi O'Hara, director of market operation, said: "The electricity margin has decreased compared to recent years, but the outlook remains manageable and well within the reliability standard set by Government.

"As system operator, we have taken the sensible precaution to secure additional tools to bolster our response to tighter margins."

Energy Minister Matt Hancock said lights would stay on across the country.

He told BBC Radio 4: "There will be secure energy supplies this winter. There will be no power cuts to householders."


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'HS3' Northern Rail Link: Commuters Fear Cost

Written By Unknown on Senin, 27 Oktober 2014 | 20.14

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

As bleary eyed passengers boarded the 06.57 train to Leeds at Manchester Piccadilly this morning, most had already heard about plans that could halve their commute between the two northern cities.

It's a popular commuter route and the trains are regular at peak times. In fact, there are no fewer than 12 trains between Manchester and Leeds that reach their destination before nine o'clock in the morning.

Despite that, the 06.57 was less than half full as it pulled away from Manchester on time to begin its scenic route across the Pennines, which currently takes 49 minutes.

On board, Ian Bennett, 45, and from Manchester, described himself as a reluctant commuter. Despite making the journey every day, he is dubious about plans for new investment, dubbed High Speed 3 (HS3), to cut the journey time to less than half an hour.

He told Sky News: "It's under an hour anyway and I think a faster train will cost more than we pay now.

Video: Rail Plans For Northern England

"I already pay nearly £3,000 a year. I wouldn't use it if it was more, definitely not."

Sitting next to him was Kendall Isaac, 44, from Leeds. He travels between Manchester and Leeds about three times a week and said: "I would definitely like faster trains. I'd even be willing to pay a bit more but it would depend how much."

On the seat behind them passenger Frank Taff agreed.

"I'd certainly use it, but it all revolves around how much it costs," he said.

Video: Rail Boost In North Of England

He added that he is happy with the current journey time between Manchester and Leeds, but he would prefer it if his journey on to York was quicker.

As the train pulled in to Leeds (on time at 07:46) passengers quipped that they would be retired by the time HS3 was ready anyway.

But the Government will hope the plan is attractive enough to northern commuters to win some votes in next year's general election.


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British Doctor 'Unlawfully Killed' In Syria

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

The family of a British doctor who claim he was murdered in Syria say they feel "vindicated" by an inquest verdict.

A jury at London's Royal Courts of Justice concluded Abbas Khan, who died in a Damascus prison, was "unlawfully killed".

But Syrian officials say he committed suicide by hanging himself in a cell after 13 months in custody.

The married father-of-two, from south-west London, had travelled from Turkey to the rebel-held city of Aleppo to treat injured civilians.

He was arrested in November 2012 whilst volunteering in a hospital.

His family campaigned for his release for months before he was found dead on 16 December 2013.

Speaking outside court, Dr Khan's brother Afroze said: "We have always maintained he was an innocent man who travelled to Syria for no other reason than to help civilians in the Syrian conflict.

"We have always maintained he was mistreated, maltreated and tortured by the Syrian authorities, and maintained he was murdered by the Syrians.

"Today our position has been vindicated."

Another of Dr Khan's brothers Shah told Sky News that the family's appeals for help from the UK government "fell on deaf ears".

Video: Jan, 2014: Mum Confronts Delegates

He said the help was "tantamount to one letter in 13 months after 10 months painstakingly pushing them".

He added the Khans had "opened up avenues for the government to pursue with difference countries" and the family got together a group of MPs that could have got him out two months before he died.

When he died, the 32-year-old orthopaedic surgeon was on the verge of being released from prison and being allowed home for Christmas.

During the inquest, the jury heard evidence from Dr Khan's mother Fatima who, the chief coroner Judge Peter Thornton said, had been "extraordinarily persistent" in trying to locate and free her son.

In evidence she explained how she travelled to the capital Damascus alone when she found out her son was being detained on terror charges.

She trawled embassies and prisons with a picture of her son who was working as a surgeon when he was arrested.

When she eventually tracked him down she described how he had a fingernail missing and that his feet were badly burnt.

Outside court, said she was grateful to the jury and described him as "angelic".

She told reporters: "I regret I couldn't save my son. Everybody lied to me there (Syria). There was no justice system there."

The family's lawyer Michael Mansfield QC said it was an important case which laid down a marker and should now go forward to the International Criminal Court.

He said: "What this jury has done is uncover the truth - that it was never suicide."

The jury said the medical cause of death was "unascertained".

During the two-week hearing, it heard there was no evidence Dr Khan had gone to Syria to fight.

Judge Thornton said: "It is clear that he wanted to use his medical skills to help others, and that included helping others in conflict-torn Syria."


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Three Dead In Sea Tragedy: Man's Rescue Bid

An off-duty lifeguard has told Sky News how he tried to save a man's life during a sea tragedy in Cornwall that left three surfers dead.

The victims, along with four children, had got into difficulty after they were reportedly caught up in a rip current off Mawgan Porth beach, Newquay, on Sunday.

Brendan Prince, who is a trained lifeguard nearby in Torbay, said he and a friend dragged the man out of the water.

He then performed CPR on him and until a rescue helicopter arrived around 15 minutes later.

The victims - believed to be a 52-year-old man from Leeds, a man aged 44 from St Austell and a 42-year-old woman also from St Austell - had been found unconscious in the sea.

The trio, who have not been named, were taken to Treliske hospital but were later pronounced dead.

The youngsters were all boys. Two are aged 18 while the others were 16 and 15. They were all found safe on shore but were taken to hospital as a precaution.

Sea rescue services said a risk assessment will be carried out to determine whether lifeguard cover should be extended at the beach.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) said lifeguards man Mawgan Porth beach from March to September and confirmed there would have been none patrolling there on Sunday.

Video: Three Surfers Die In Cornwall

But it explained there would have been "clear signs" indicating the lack of lifeguard cover for beachgoers.

Mr Prince told Sky News: "It was obvious it wasn't a good surfer day. It was too messy, foamy.

"A lady came over and said 'could you lend a hand, there's something going on at the other end of the beach'.

"My friend and I responded fairly quickly. We saw that two people were in the water face down trying to be assisted and there were two others trying to get in.

"I grabbed one who was waist deep in water and others grabbed the lady who was behind. I started CPR on the man and a doctor came along and started CPR on the lady."

He added: "The two boys came in of their own accord and were clearly distressed by the situation."

He went on: "Beaches are changeable. At low tide on Sunday the conditions are a certain type. When the water starts to come in it acts as a bay and those conditions change.

"They were over the right hand side where if there's going to be a rip it's going to be dragging that way. 

"They were probably playing in a bit of up to the waist surf but in the conditions it can suddenly be 6ft as opposed to what you think is 3ft."

Gareth Horner, lifeboat operations manager, said: "Mawgan Porth is a dangerous beach. We don't know the exact circumstances or the ability of the people that were rescued today.

"My understanding is that they were in two groups and that one of the casualties actually entered the sea to assist other people who were in trouble."


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'HS3' Northern Rail Link To Cut Journey Times

The Government has welcomed plans to extend high speed rail travel to northern England, potentially cutting the journey time between Leeds and Manchester by up to half.

The project, dubbed High Speed 3 (HS3), would cover an east-west section of northern England - across the Pennines - and would be in addition to the north-of-Birmingham phase two of HS2 which will see a Y-shaped route going to Manchester and Leeds.

Train services running between Liverpool and Hull will also be upgraded under the new plans, while journeys between Leeds and Birmingham, Leeds and Sheffield Meadowhall, York and Birmingham, and Nottingham to Birmingham could also be slashed by half or more.

HS2 Ltd chairman Sir David Higgins, who has put forward the plans in a report to ministers, said the northern connectivity would be "as important to the north of England as Crossrail is for London".

But Sir David told Sky News that the plans were in the early stages and there was no estimate as to how much the new link would cost. The budget for HS2 has been set at £50bn.   

He said: "We have not put a figure on the east-west link because it's got to be part of a much broader transport strategy."

He added: "It isn't anything like the budget of HS2 because the link is some 40 miles long, (and) the link would be a combination of existing track and some new tunnels to speed up the journey time from one hour to half an hour and to double capacity."

Phase one of HS2 involves a new high-speed line from Euston in London passing through the Chilterns to Birmingham, with an expected completion date of 2026.

Phase two was originally due to be completed in 2032/33, although Sir David is keen for this date to be brought forward.

Video: Early Days on HS3 Rail Link

The project is strongly supported by the Government but is bitterly opposed by some councils and residents along the phase one route.

Prime Minister David Cameron said he welcomed Sir David's new report which will "create a northern powerhouse and ensure that HS2 delivers the maximum economic benefits".

Chancellor George Osborne added that the plans were "another big step forward in delivering both the HS2 links from north to south and the HS3 link across the Pennines."

Video: Cameron: I Know HS2 Is Unpopular

But Stop HS2 campaign manager Joe Rukin said the report "showed that the original plans for HS2 weren't thought through properly".

He added: "Changing the mess that is phase two doesn't change the fact that phase one is still a complete mess, as is the entire concept of HS2."

Sir David's four main proposals in his report are:

Video: Church Opposition To HS2 Route

::  Need to take forward both legs of the proposed HS2 Y-network - the alternatives will not bring the same capacity, connectivity and economic benefits.

:: Improve the rail services between east and west - sharply reducing journey times between Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Hull will stimulate local economies.

:: Northern cities should speak with one voice - local authorities from five key cities should join together to form a new body.

Video: China's High Speed Rail Revolution

:: Set out a timetable to develop a new transport strategy to decide on an approach for improving rail and road connectivity across and within the region north of Birmingham.


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Shereka Marsh: Boy Locked Up Over Gun Death

A 15-year-old boy who shot his girlfriend dead on his birthday has been sentenced to nine years' detention for her manslaughter.

Shereka Fab-Ann Marsh, 15, was hit in the neck by a single bullet from a counterfeit 1930s Italian Beretta pistol in the bedroom of a house in Hackney, east London, in March.

Last month, the teenage boy, who cannot be named, was cleared by an Old Bailey jury of her murder but found guilty of manslaughter and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Sentencing him for both offences, judge Charles Wide said it was plain from the evidence that he had been pointing the gun at Shereka in order to "frighten" her.

And the circumstances that he had the gun and ammunition in the first place were in the context of "violent gang confrontation".

The judge told the teenager: "Having come into possession of the gun and ammunition plainly in the context of being asked to look after it ... you then got it out, and I have no doubt at all you pointed it at Shereka and pulled the trigger to frighten her and you shot her dead."

During the trial, the boy insisted that he loved his girlfriend and had no reason to hurt her.

After the gun went off he phoned 999 but she was pronounced dead later that afternoon.

On his arrest at the house, the boy told officers it was "an accident" and exclaimed: "Am I going to hell?" and: "My girl died on my birthday."

Police later found two pictures of him posing with handguns on his mobile phone, one of which was pointing at the person who took the photograph.

And at the time of the shooting, he said they had both been holding the gun to feel the weight of it, sitting side by side on the bed.

But he changed his story and admitted in court that he had been standing in front of her, waving it around with both hands, not thinking it was loaded.

The defendant also initially claimed to have found the gun on Hackney Marshes but later said he had been given it to hide for a man in his 20s whom he refused to name.

Today, Judge Wide told the boy that he observed he had behaved with "quite remarkable coolness" while describing in court how he shot his girlfriend.

He also took account of his previous violent behaviour - two convictions for robbery, one armed with a screwdriver.

The court heard that the boy had been excluded from school three times, twice for violence. And a text message referring to "shanks" showed he had been involved in a violence incident in the past, the judge said.


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Liam Gallagher's Band Beady Eye Splits Up

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 26 Oktober 2014 | 20.14

Former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher has announced the split of his band Beady Eye - the project he started after leaving the group he founded with his brother Noel.

The rock star posted the news on Twitter, but did not explain the reason.

Gallagher formed Beady Eye in 2009 with former Oasis members Gem Archer, Andy Bell and Chris Sharrock.

He left his previous band after a series of fallouts with Noel, who then went on to have a successful solo career with his band High Flying Birds.

Gallagher tweeted: "Beady Eye are no longer. Thanks for all your support. LGx"

Video: Noel Gallagher in Kiev

Bell wrote on Twitter: "Thanks to all the Beady Eye fans. I had a blast. See you on the other side. Big Love Andy B X"

The split is likely to prompt speculation that Liam and Noel might be able to bury the hatchet and consider reforming.

Beady Eye released a debut album in 2011 called Different Gear, Still Speeding, which reached number three on the UK album chart.

A second release, BE, made number two in 2013.

One of the band's high points was playing at the London Olympics in 2012, in a celebration of British music.

But, despite the relatively high chart positions of the albums, most of the singles failed to make the Top 40 and the second album sold less than a third of the copies of its predecessor.

In February the band cancelled an appearance at the Coachella festival in California and later that month announced they had parted with manager Scott Rodger.

The band has posted no news on its website since February this year.

Several posters reacting to the news on Twitter said they hoped the news would mean Oasis would reunite.

The band were one of the most successful rock acts of the last 20 years, selling millions of albums and seen by millions of fans live.

Q magazine reported in its December issue that the brothers were talking to each other again after their estrangement, with Noel saying: "We're on good terms, as good as we can be."

But he has given no impression a reunion is likely, and has several live performances lined up in the coming six months.


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'Thief' Sparks Major Manhunt In Edinburgh

A suspected motorbike thief hiding out on a roof in the centre of Edinburgh led to a major manhunt involving dozens of police officers and fire crews.

Several streets were cordoned off while the operation got under way in the Old Town area of the city at around 10pm on Saturday.

Rumours of a shooting circulated on social media, but Police Scotland denied there were any firearms involved.

The force said a man has been detained and the cordon has been lifted.

A spokesman said: "It was never a firearms incident.

"Police in Edinburgh were in attendance on the Royal Mile on Saturday evening in connection with an earlier incident of a stolen motorbike and the man was reported to be on the roof of a building in the Cockburn Street area.

"A cordon was put in place so there was no risk to the public and no armed police were involved. Inquiries are ongoing to locate the man."

He added: "A man has been detained and he is helping police with inquiries."

According to reports, more than 50 officers in riot gear were deployed to Cockburn Street, with a police helicopter circling overhead.


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Fourth Man From Portsmouth Dies In Syria

A 19-year-old has become the fourth man from the same British city to be killed after reportedly joining Islamic State (IS) fighters in Syria.

Mehdi Hassan, from Portsmouth, Hampshire, travelled to the conflict-hit country with a group of four other men from the city in October last year.

A photo of his body emerged on Twitter on Friday.

Abdul Jalil, chairman of the Portsmouth Jami Mosque, told Sky News his family have confirmed his death.

Sky's Ashish Joshi, in Portsmouth, said it is understood Hassan died in fighting in the Syrian town of Kobani, where Kurdish forces are battling IS militants.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of reports of the death of a British national in Syria.

"The UK has advised for some time against all travel to Syria, where all UK consular services are suspended.

"As we do not have any representation in Syria, it is extremely difficult to get any confirmation of deaths or injuries."

Hassan is reported to have attended an independent Catholic school and had a place reserved at Surrey University.

On Tuesday it emerged that Manunur Roshid, 24, from Portsmouth, died after reportedly joining up with IS.

Ifthekar Jaman, 23, and Muhammad Humidur Rahman, 25, were also killed, it is believed.

Rahman is believed to have worked in a Primark store in Portsmouth.


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Doctors Recruited In Battle To Keep Young Safe

By Lisa Dowd, Sky News Correspondent

Family doctors are being urged to look out for signs of radicalisation, child trafficking and cyber-bullying in their younger patients.

GPs are being sent a 'toolkit' of information by children's charity the NSPCC and the Royal College of General Practitioners to help them make informed and confident decisions about safeguarding youngsters.

"I would like to say we never see cases of abuse but we have seen cases in the surgery recently - some have involved cyber-bullying," said Dr Trish Wildbore, from the Hazelwood Surgery in Coleshill, north Warwickshire.

"What we've found over time is the way people insult or abuse others changes with technology.

"On a recent course of lectures I went on I was horrified to find there's a child trafficking hotspot just a couple of miles from the surgery. Obviously that's quite alarming."

Further north, in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, the scale of child sexual exploitation was missed or ignored by healthcare professionals and others.

A report found at least 1,400 youngsters had been abused over a 16-year period.

Video: 'Lawless Jungle' Of Online Abuse

While the search for victims and perpetrators has widened to other areas, so too has the definition of abuse to include forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

The long list of ailments GPs deal with is being extended to reflect other problems in a changing society.

RCGP chair Maureen Baker said: "Children and young people, today, are facing unprecedented pressures from all angles at a younger and younger age.

"The arrival of the internet and social media has opened up so many opportunities but has also brought many threats, including cyber-bullying, sexting, and revenge porn.

Video: 'I Had No Idea I Was In England'

"Because of the anonymity offered by the internet, many children and young people run a higher risk of being harmed or exploited.

"A consultation with a GP may be the only time that young people can be alone with a trusted adult and we have a number of roles to play in providing understanding, compassion and support."

But patients have mixed views.

"I think doctors generally are already quite busy and it's already hard to try and get appointments," said Brian Griffiths, from Coleshill.

Video: Brits 'At Forefront' Of IS Conflict

"And I'm not sure they're the right people to do this. Cyber-bullying? I'm not sure how a doctor's going to pick that up really."

But Helen Brownsword disagreed. She said: "I think it's a good thing.

"Doctors have got a heavy workload anyway but in the society we live and the things, particularly at a young age, children are into - the internet, that sort of thing - I think the more awareness we make in schools, the doctors, the better."


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Lords Consider Drone Laws Over Privacy Fears

By Tom Cheshire, Technology Correspondent

A House of Lords committee will hear from drone safety experts on Monday about whether legislation needs updating.

The committee is investigating the civil use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and is expected to report its findings in 2015.

The popularity of drones has surged as the technology has improved, leading to a consumer boom in cheaper, simpler models.

Among the questions the committee will seek answers to are the implications of drones for air traffic control, and whether drones will be affected by current data protection legislation.

Earlier this week, a report led by the former head of GCHQ and conducted by the University of Birmingham's Institute for Conflict, Cooperation and Security said that UAVs pose "significant safety, security and privacy concerns".

Video: Debate Over Paparazzi Tactics

It warned they could also be exploited by burglars, train robbers, poachers and the paparazzi.

But the report also said drones could bring "significant benefits". The commercial drone market is estimated to be worth £7.5bn over the next decade.

Jennifer Gibson, a legal expert on UAVs, told Sky News: "Parliament needs to step up. They need to make sure that outdated laws - which historically were used for things like CCTV cameras or manned aircraft - are updated to address this unmanned threat that is coming and can be used by the average person on the street, or by police forces.

Video: Dubai To Get Drone Deliveries

"There need to be codes of conduct, we need to have discussions about what privacy means in this new world where you can fly something up to someone's window.

"We need to have decisions around how to protect ourselves from the potential use of this in a threatening way."

This week also saw the first UAV conference held in London.


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