Diberdayakan oleh Blogger.

Popular Posts Today

First-Time Buyers 'Get 20% Discount On Homes'

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 28 Februari 2015 | 20.14

First-time buyers aged under-40 will be given the chance to buy a starter home at a 20% discount under a new Government scheme.

Planning rules for under-used brownfield sites will be relaxed from Monday in return for developers using the land to build properties to sell at 80% of the market value.

The scheme could save potential buyers tens of thousands of pounds, as the average cost of a first home is currently £218,000.

The Prime Minister said the discount "could be a real game-changer for many aspiring home-owners".

About 45 developers have so far expressed an interest in taking advantage of the move, that would save them around £15,000 per home in obligations.

Suggested designs for the new homes have been compiled by a panel including leading architects Sir Terry Farrell and Sir Quinlan Terry based on the best from around the country.

They highlighted "attractive properties that can meet the demands of modern life".

Potential buyers can express interest online now and the discount will apply for five years to prevent anyone seeking to make a quick profit.

Mr Cameron said: "We want to help people who work hard and want to get on in life but have been priced out of the housing market.

"A 20% discount off the price could be a real game-changer for many aspiring home-owners. My message is clear: we are on your side and we will help you fulfil your dream of buying your first home."

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: "The number of first-time buyers is already at a seven-year high and these starter homes... will help even more people realise their dream of home ownership.

"This will also form part of our wider efforts to get the country building again, which have already led to 700,000 new homes being delivered since the end of 2009."

But shadow housing minister Emma Reynolds said it remained unclear how the policy would deliver.

She said: "Warm words from David Cameron about home ownership will ring hollow for those young people and families who have been priced out of home ownership over the past five years.

"This Government has presided over the lowest levels of house building in peacetime since the 1920s and home ownership is at its lowest level for 30 years.

"There is also a record number of young people living at home with their parents in to their twenties and thirties.

"Labour will get at least 200,000 homes built a year by 2020, including badly needed affordable homes, and we will give first-time buyers first call on homes built in local areas of housing growth."


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Emwazi's Old Schoolmate: 'He Was Like Any Of Us'

A classmate of Mohammed Emwazi - the Londoner unmasked as "Jihadi John" - has told Sky News that "nothing in his high school could have left him radicalised".

The fellow pupil of the Quintin Kynaston academy, who was two years older than Emwazi and does not wish to be named, believes the IS militant's education beyond high school may be responsible for his transformation into a cold-blooded killer.

"It wasn't like university where you'd have speakers coming over from certain societies to give talks," he said. "I suppose there was potential for him to be groomed, that is a possibility. But at the time, at secondary school, he was like any of us."

Emwazi went on to study at the University of Westminster between 2006 and 2009 - finishing his computer programming degree in the same year he was reportedly questioned by an MI5 officer in Amsterdam, accused of attempting to travel to Somalia to join a terror group.

According to the classmate, there was nothing to suggest Emwazi was religious during his teenage years. He was quiet, rarely made eye contact, and always wore a baseball cap - but was known to get into the occasional fight.

"He wasn't someone who was loud, talkative and provocative," the ex-pupil added. "There were more violent people than him."

There has been widespread shock at Emwazi's old high school following his apparent involvement in a series of Islamic State videos which show the gruesome beheadings of Western aid workers and journalists.

1/5

  1. Gallery: Jihadi John's University Academic Record

    Mohammed Emwazi, aka Jihadi John, studied a computing course at university. Sky News has exclusively obtained his student record

His file shows mostly middling academic grades for his course modules. He graduated with a lower second (2.2) degree

]]>
20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Anti-Islamisation Protest In Newcastle

Demonstrators have taken to the streets of Newcastle to protest "against the Islamisation of Europe" in the first British demonstration organised by the PEGIDA group.

The movement was formed in Germany last year and holds regular marches in the country calling for a restriction in Muslim immigration and the preservation of German culture.

On its Facebook page the group said: "We would like to remind everyone that this will be a peaceful rally where people from all walks of life will gather together to unite against extreme Islam, nothing else.

"We all have one main aim and that is to protect our British values and our culture."

MP George Galloway, who was at the rally to protest against it, branded PEGIDA supporters "right-wing nutters".

Demonstrators gave speeches from a podium in the city centre while the song "There Will Always Be An England" played from large speakers.

One supporter said: "This is about the problems that are going on in this nation. Muslims are not integrating into our society; they want their own laws but we don't want that."

Another supporter was seen carrying the flag of the Greek Golden Dawn party which has also campaigned against Muslim immigration into southern Greece and Athens.

A few hundred yards away several hundred counter protesters carrying banners declaring opposition to facism, Islamaphobia and racism shouted insults behind lines of police.

Mr Galloway said: "It is absolutely extraordinary that a German organisation sets up in the UK - it's not as if there is a lack of right-wing nutter organisations here.

"They have got to be opposed, wherever they are."

Northumbria Police has planned a major operation to keep the busy city centre safe for everyone including football fans ahead of Newcastle United's game against Aston Villa.

But fears of widespread trouble have not materialised and there have only been minor scuffles as police try to keep both sides apart.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Boy, 15, Stabbed To Death While Cycling

A 15-year-old boy has died after suffering a single stab wound while cycling in north London.

Police were called just after 7.30pm on Friday to reports of a male collapsed in Caledonian Road, near the junction with Twyford Street, Islington.

Officers and paramedics from the London Ambulance Service attended but the boy was pronounced dead at the scene.

The youngster is yet to be formally identified but next of kin have been informed.

Police said it is believed that the boy was riding north on Caledonian Road with friends before the incident happened.

The group was attacked close to the junction with Copenhagen Street by three males who had been walking south.

The victim suffered a stab wound but managed to continue cycling further up Caledonian Road before collapsing.

Two other members of the group had their bicycles stolen.

The suspects left the scene, making off south down Caledonian Road. No other injuries were reported.

Detectives say they are keeping an open mind as to the motive for the attack.

Investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Chris Jones appealed for anyone who saw anything to get in touch.

He said: "Caledonian Road would have been very busy at the time of the incident and I would appeal to anyone who witnessed this attack, or may have any information as to who is responsible, to come forward and speak to police."


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rebecca Watts: Friends And Family Join Hunt

More than 100 friends and family of a missing 16-year-old girl are spending the day searching for her in the city where she was last seen.

Rebecca Watts was last seen at her house in Crown Hill, in the St George area of Bristol, more than a week ago.

She left home on 19 February with her phone, laptop and tablet computer but did not tell her friends or family where she was going, or take extra clothes.

The teenager, described as shy, was reported missing by her family at 4pm on February 20.

John Galsworthy, Becky's paternal grandfather, said the family were trying to remain strong as the search intensifies.

Mr Galsworthy said: "We are broadening the search. There are groups separate to ours who are going out using their own initiative, going wherever necessary to try and find her.

"We are continuing in the hope there may be something discovered today. We want everyone to keep their eyes and ears open."

Police divers have searched a lake in St George's Park, close to the youngster's home.

Dogs and mounted officers have been involved in the hunt and officers from neighbouring force areas have also been drafted in to help.

Family and friends were due to meet in the Fishponds area of Bristol on Saturday in an effort to shed light on her whereabouts.

The detective leading the hunt has said Rebecca's disappearance was "totally out of character".

Detective Inspector Richard Ocone said: "She has not taken anything that would suggest she was going to stay away for a long period of time."

Her father, Darren Galsworthy, has suggested on his Facebook page he fears his daughter may have been attacked.

He appealed to any wives or girlfriends who have washed any blood from their loved ones' clothes that cannot be explained to get in touch with police.

Police previously said there was "nothing to suggest" that Becky had come to harm, despite the fears of the girl's father.

A social media campaign using the hashtag #FindBecky has also gathered momentum.

Becky is described as 5ft 4in and slim, with long, bright red hair and was wearing a dark navy blue Puffa jacket with fabric sleeves.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Avon and Somerset Police on 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Miliband Unveils Plans To Cut Tuition Fees

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 27 Februari 2015 | 20.14

Ed Miliband has unveiled a Labour election pledge to cut student tuition fees by a third - funded by a reduction in pension tax relief for higher earners.

Under the party's plans, the cap on undergraduate fees would be reduced from £9,000 to £6,000 per year from September 2016.

Mr Miliband told an audience of students in Leeds that the current funding system was landing graduates with debts running into tens of thousands of pounds.

He said the coalition Government's student fees policy was "one of the most expensive broken promises in the history of British politics".

Labour's funding cut would be paid for by cuts in pensions tax relief, Mr Miliband said.

He also said maintenance grants will be increased by £400 a year, saying that Labour is "determined" to help students with their living costs.

"Let's be a country that believes in its young people," he said.

Mr Miliband said: "We all know that under David Cameron and Nick Clegg, the fee cap for full-time undergraduates was trebled to £9,000 per year.

"With most universities charging close to the maximum, graduates now leave university with more than £44,000 debt on average.

"My generation would never have imagined beginning our adult life with that amount of debt. But this Government expects it of this generation."

He added: "The Government has designed a system which is burdening students with debt today, and set to weigh down the taxpayer with more debt tomorrow. Much of this money will never be paid back," he said.

"By the late 2040s, student loan write-offs will be hitting £21bn a year - almost double the entire cost of police services in England and Wales. It must go down as one of the most expensive broken promises in history."

But Business Secretary Vince Cable told Sky News: "It's an absolutely terrible idea that will do great harm to universities.

"Its completely unnecessary because we have got a good system now where universities are properly funded, students who go there don't pay any cash, they pay back later in life in relation to their income.

1/12

  1. Gallery: Thousands Of Students Join March

    Demonstrators chant slogans during a student rally in central London

The demonstration march was organised by the National Union of Students and was the first national student protest since a series of violent protests against tuition fees two years ago

]]>
20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Gary Glitter Jailed For 16 Years Over Sex Attacks

Former glam rocker Gary Glitter has been jailed for 16 years after being found guilty of a string of historical sex attacks on three schoolgirls.

The 70-year-old, whose real name is Paul Gadd, was convicted of one count of attempted rape, one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13, and four counts of indecent assault.

One of his victims included a girl who was less than 10 years old when he crept into her bed and tried to rape her in 1975.

Glitter, who denied all the charges, also attacked two girls, aged 12 and 13, after inviting them backstage to his dressing room, and isolating them from their mothers.

Sky's Enda Brady, at London's Southwark Crown Court, said Glitter showed no reaction as his sentence was handed down and he was led from the dock.

As he arrived at the court earlier, he waved at two friends in the public gallery.

The former chart topper was at the height of his fame when he preyed on the youngsters.

Glitter's lawyer told the court their client is "a very different man now".

However, Judge Alistair McCreath, who remanded the disgraced star in custody after the verdicts last month, told him his offences were "truly appalling".

1/17

  1. Gallery: Gary Glitter Through The Years

    British singer Paul Gadd, who later found fame as the glam rock star Gary Glitter, performing in an earlier incarnation as Paul Raven with the Twilights at the Black Cat Club in Woolwich in 1964

Gary Glitter in London in January 1973

]]>
20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

PM Defends MI5 After 'Jihadi John' Named

David Cameron says Britain will do "everything we can" to bring terrorists to justice after Londoner Mohammed Emwazi was identified as the Islamic State militant known as "Jihadi John".

The Prime Minister also expressed his support for Britain's security services as questions were raised about whether appropriate actions were taken to stop Emwazi from travelling to Syria.

Speaking at an event in Cardiff, Mr Cameron defended MI5 and praised the service for its "dedicated and courageous" work protecting Britain.

"They are having to make incredibly difficult judgements, and I think basically they make very good judgements on our behalf," he said.

"I think while we are in the middle of this vast effort to make sure British citizens are safe, the most important thing is to get behind them."

The security agency has been criticised for its handling of Emwazi's case. The 27-year-old travelled to Syria in 2013, several years after MI5's first contact with the militant. 

In 2009 he was reportedly questioned by an MI5 officer in Amsterdam who accused him of attempting to travel to Somalia to join a terror group.

Asim Qureshi, a director of the CAGE campaign group, has claimed Emwazi was harassed by the security agency over the following years as agents tried to recruit him as an informant.

Sir Menzies Campbell, a member of the Intelligence and Security Committee, has indicated that the parliamentary committee is likely to seek answers from MI5 over what information they held on "Jihadi John".

The families of Western hostages killed by Islamic State have expressed mixed reactions to the identification of Emwazi

A spokesman for relatives of Steven Sotloff, the US journalist beheaded in an Islamic State video, says they have "full faith" that Emwazi will eventually face justice. 

While refusing to address specific cases, Mr Cameron said the security services and the police would do "everything" to bring those who commit "appalling and heinous crimes" to justice.

He described Britain's security services as "incredibly impressive, hard-working and dedicated".

"I'm satisfied we have in place the right ways of scrutinising the work that these extraordinary men and women do on our behalf," Mr Cameron said.

"Even in the last few months their dedication and work has saved us from plots on the streets of the United Kingdom that could have done immense damage.

"So I think it is a moment to stand up and thank them for the work they do on our behalf."

More follows...


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Royal Mail To Raise Stamp Costs From 30 March

Royal Mail is to increase the costs of both first and second class stamps from 30 March.

The news was contained in an announcement about wider pricing of letters and parcels.

It said the prices for first and second class stamps would rise 1p to 63p and 54p respectively, insisting the cost remained among the best in terms of value offered across Europe.

Sending a large letter would increase by 2p to 95p for first class and by 1p to 74p for second class, Royal Mail said.

Royal Mail also announced that it was simplifying and cutting the price of sending a second-class medium parcel, and will maintain prices for second-class small parcels which was introduced as a Christmas promotion.

It meant parcels weighing up to 2kg would be priced at £4.89, which Royal Mail said represented a saving of up to £3.11.

The postal group said it had thought "carefully" about the impact on its customers before deciding to raise letter prices, adding that it recognised how the recent tough economic conditions had made it difficult for consumers and businesses.

Royal Mail has long complained about the costs of its Universal Service Obligation, which forces it to deliver to every UK home for the price of a stamp.

It has accused rivals of "cherry-picking" - concentrating their operations in urban areas - though the industry regulator has said it sees no reason to re-examine the USO under Royal Mail's complaint it has uneconomic.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Prince Harry To Leave Armed Forces

Prince Harry To Leave Armed Forces

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

Prince Harry is expected to leave the military later this year, according to Sky sources.

The move comes as a surprise as the 30-year-old Prince is a passionate member of the armed forces, who appeared to be focused on a long career serving as an Army officer. 

An Army spokesperson said: "We would not comment on the future careers of any of our soldiers and officers."

Kensington Palace would not comment on the news.

It said in a statement: "Prince Harry is currently focused on his work supporting the Ministry of Defence's recovery capability programme to ensure those who are wounded, injured or sick have appropriate recovery plans and the necessary support they require."

1/31

  1. Gallery: Life In Afghanistan For Pilot Prince

    Prince Harry has given the media unprecedented access to his second tour in Afghanistan. Click through the gallery to see pictures of the pilot prince in Helmand...

]]>
]]>
]]>
]]>
Prince Harry To Leave Armed Forces

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

Prince Harry is expected to leave the military later this year, according to Sky sources.

The move comes as a surprise as the 30-year-old Prince is a passionate member of the armed forces, who appeared to be focused on a long career serving as an Army officer. 

An Army spokesperson said: "We would not comment on the future careers of any of our soldiers and officers."

Kensington Palace would not comment on the news.

It said in a statement: "Prince Harry is currently focused on his work supporting the Ministry of Defence's recovery capability programme to ensure those who are wounded, injured or sick have appropriate recovery plans and the necessary support they require."

1/31

  1. Gallery: Life In Afghanistan For Pilot Prince

    Prince Harry has given the media unprecedented access to his second tour in Afghanistan. Click through the gallery to see pictures of the pilot prince in Helmand...

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Reports Identify IS Militant 'Jihadi John'

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 26 Februari 2015 | 20.14

The Islamic State militant known as "Jihadi John" has been identified as a Londoner called Mohammed Emwazi, it has been reported.

According to a US newspaper, Emwazi was born in Kuwait and comes from a well-to-do family.

He grew up in West London and graduated from the University of Westminster with a degree in computer programming.

In his mid-twenties, he is believed to have travelled to Syria in 2012 and to have joined Islamic State later.

A close friend of Emwazi told the Washington Post: "I have no doubt that Mohammed is Jihadi John. He was like a brother to me... I am sure it is him."

A representative of a British human rights group who had been in contact with Emwazi before he left for Syria also said he believed he was "Jihadi John".

"There was an extremely strong resemblance," Asim Qureshi, research director at the rights group, CAGE, said after watching a video of him beheading a hostage.

Apparently, Emwazi was identified by US authorities in September, a month after he rose to notoriety in a video killing American journalist James Foley.

Since then he has appeared in a series of videos documenting the gruesome murders of other hostages, including British aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines.

In each, he taunts audiences and is dressed in all black, with a balaclava covering his face. He wears a holster under his left arm.

The Washington Post claims Emwazi started to radicalise after a planned safari in Tanzania following his graduation was brought to an abrupt end when he was detained on arrival in Dar es Salaam and deported.

He is said to have told friends he was flown to Amsterdam where an officer from MI5 accused him of trying to reach Somalia, where the militant group al Shabab operates.

Downing Street declined to confirm or deny if Emwazi's name was known to the intelligence and security services.

Asked if David Cameron was concerned about him being identified, a spokeswoman said: "The Prime Minister would be concerned about information being put into the public domain at any time that might jeopardise ongoing police or security investigations or the safety of British citizens.

"There is an ongoing investigation. It is absolutely right that we allow the police and security agencies to do all they can to bring those responsible to justice and to help keep British people safe."

A statement from the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King's College London said: "We believe that the identity and name published by the Washington Post and now in the public realm to be accurate and correct."

The statement added: "This demonstrates what we have long said about radicalisation, that it is not something driven by poverty or social deprivation. Ideology clearly plays a big role in motivating some men to participate in jihadist causes."


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Campaigner: 'Hospitals Are Petri Dishes For Abuse'

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

Children in NHS hospitals are still at risk from abusers like Savile unless the law is changed, a pressure group has said.

Tom Perry, a survivor of abuse himself and founder of the group Mandate Now, has explained to Sky News why laws compelling staff to report concerns of abuse must be introduced.

He believes Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire was no different to other institutions around the UK where Savile abused vulnerable children - the thing they all had in common was that staff never had the proper legal backing to speak out.

Mr Perry said: "He operated up and down the country, just look at the number of allegations.

"These places are petri dishes for abuse, they are petri dishes, you have got a target rich environment, kids who sometimes can't move because of illness ... this is a nirvana for someone like Savile.

"It couldn't have been stopped in my opinion, the culture is not there.

"The first rule in life is self preservation, why would anybody speak? Staff always have a choice but it is an incredibly challenging choice.

"They have to go off piste, they have to become rogue to report, by definition in law they are whistleblowers without any protection."

Home Secretary Theresa May has previously confirmed that the Government is examining the case for possible changes in the law, but also warned that it is "a complex issue".

Mr Perry believes the fundamental change should be simple.

He said: "We want a law that requires staff to report allegations to their line manager, these can be concerns, which is otherwise known as early intervention.

"We want them to be legally supported to do that, so in other words that is law.

"If you fail to do it there will be consequences because that cuts away many of the things that stop reports being made.

"It puts the management of the institution and the staff on the same side of the fence and what that will do is introduce culture change, it is a little bit like drink driving or seat belts. 

"For decades the Government was advertising saying 'wear seat belts' but nobody took any notice, it was a value judgement. This is a value judgement, once they introduced seat belts guess what happened?"

Mr Perry accepts that attitudes to safeguarding of children have now been transformed but the lack of mandatory reporting, in his view, still means children are at a greater risk than they need to be.

He added: "No law has been introduced, everything is done on a whim, everything is done on a whim and on discretionary reporting.

"You should report, that is as strong as it gets."


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

CCTV: Shopkeeper Scares Off Armed Robbers

Police have released footage of a shopkeeper in Birmingham putting two armed robbers to flight.

The masked men enter the Vardon Supermarket in Kings Norton and the footage shows one threaten the shopkeeper with what appears to be a handgun.

They demand money but after opening the till the storekeeper activates the alarm and grabs a baseball bat.

He threatens the robbers who make off with nothing more than a crate of beer and a mobile phone.

Both men are described as white, in their 20s, around 5ft 10 to 6ft tall and thinly built.

One was wearing a blue jacket, a hooded top and tracksuit bottoms. The other wore a black jacket and black tracksuit bottoms.

Investigating officer DC Katie Morris said: "This was a violent and frightening robbery by two men who had no regard for the safety of the shopkeeper or his customers.

"The shopkeeper acted bravely to defend his livelihood and in this case it paid off, but the reality is this could have ended in tragedy.

"We would not recommend acts of heroism when confronted by a potentially loaded gun."

The robbery happened just after 7.30pm on Tuesday 6 January.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact West Midlands Police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Savile: Hospital Staff Knew Of 10 Allegations

Health staff would be obliged by law to report abuse claims under proposals put forward after a series of damning reports into the depraved sex attacks carried out by predator Jimmy Savile.

The inquiries revealed the disgraced entertainer preyed on children as young as five and that many of his victims were seriously ill.

There were even reports Savile had sex with dead bodies in a hospital mortuary, in a chilling echo of previous allegations against him.

And it has been warned many aspects of the Savile scandal could be repeated in the future.

One report found the access given to Savile to hospital's across the country gave him the "opportunity to commit sexual abuses on a grand scale for nearly 50 years."

And its author, Kate Lampard told Sky News: "There are still risks and weaknesses in the arrangements in hospitals for keeping people safe."

His status was "enhanced by the endorsement and encouragement he received from politicians, senior civil servants and NHS managers".

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has apologised to the victims, and also criticised government ministers at the time who he said failed to ask "hard questions" about Savile.

He told MPs: Never again must the power of money or celebrity blind us to repeated clear signals that some extremely vulnerable people were being abused.

"People were either too dazzled or too intimidated by the nation's favourite celebrity to confront the evil predator we now know he was."

He said there should have been a stronger incentive on staff to report abuse claims, and announced a consultation on proposals to introduce a mandatory duty on NHS workers to act.

A separate report into how Savile abused at least 60 people connected with Stoke Mandeville Hospital over more than 20 years, including patients, staff and visitors.

The offences ranged from groping and molesting through to rape.

Of he victims, 20 were vulnerable patients, including an eight-year-old child.

The Stoke Mandeville report also revealed staff knew of 10 allegations against Savile but failed to act.

The investigation team found if a formal complaint against Savile back in 1977 had been properly handled, the celebrity DJ probably would have been caught at the time.

The report found there was evidence to suggest Savile had unsupervised access to the mortuary at Stoke Mandeville.

One report said: "Two witnesses gave evidence to the investigation that they had heard Savile was having sex with dead bodies in the mortuary."

While the inquiry found no evidence of this, it said it was not possible to investigate the allegations further.

But Savile had admitted spending a lot of time in the mortuary to a hospital electrician, telling him: "Actually, I often come here for a crafty smoke."

Those staff who complained about Savile's behaviour, were "severely reprimanded".

Dr Androulla Johnstone, who wrote the Stoke Mandeville report, told a press conference Savile was an "opportunistic predator who on occasion could also show a high degree of premeditation" when planning attacks.

She said: "The individuals to whom these incidents were reported failed in their duty to protect.

"Consequentially, no intelligence about Savile's behaviour was gathered over the years and no action was taken.

"Whilst witnesses told us it was an open secret within the hospital that Savile was a lecher and general nuisance, none stated that they knew about his sexual abuse activities."

Lawyer Liz Dux, who represents many of the Stoke Mandeville victims, said it "beggars belief" the report found no evidence of senior staff being aware of the abuse.

But Dr Johnstone rejected claims of a "cover-up" by staff, and said Savile's behaviour went unchallenged due to a "general disbelief".

Savile, who received a knighthood in 1990, died in 2011 and so never faced justice for his crimes.

Sam Brown was one of scores of youngsters abused by Savile at Stoke Mandeville.

Aged 11 she was indecently assaulted by the star in a room adjacent to a chapel at the hospital where mass was being held.

She told Sky News: "He used to put his hand over my face as well quite a lot and sometimes his fingers into my mouth.

"That wasn't to keep me quiet, I know what that meant, that was to reinforce his power 100% over me, I get that.

"He knew he had the back-up from the hospital, I feel, he knew there that they were lenient on anything he had done."


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

PM Misses Target As Net Migration Rises

New figures show net migration to the UK has increased by almost 90,000, meaning the Government has failed deliver on its pledge to slash it by "tens of thousands".

Prime Minister David Cameron and Home Secretary Theresa May had vowed to reduce net migration - the difference between people coming to the UK and those leaving - to below 100,000 by this May.

But the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show that in the year to September 2014 alone net migration has risen by nearly as much as 100,000 - from 210,000 to 298,000 - leaving that pledge in tatters.

When the coalition came to power in 2010 the figure was 244,000. Net migration peaked in 2005 at 320,000.

A spokesman for number 10 said Mr Cameron was "disappointed" with the figures and added: "He had said previously that we have not made as much progress as he would like but he had also said that he doesn't regret making this commitment because he thinks it is in the interests of our country, that we will have a better, stronger country, if we have lower net migration."

Downing Street said the rise was driven by a jobs rise - Britain's economic growth has been stronger than it's Eurozone neighbours.

The release of the data by the ONS is significant because it is the last set of quarterly net migration figures ahead of the General Election.

Speaking on his weekly LBC radio show, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the Tories would have to "suffer the embarrassment of having ... failed spectacularly to deliver".

"I said to David Cameron he shouldn't make the commitment because it was inevitable he was going to break it because you can't control the net figure," Mr Clegg said.

However, Immigration Minister James Brokenshire said: "As we have said for some time, we have been blown off course by net migration from within the EU, which has more than doubled since 2010.

"That's why we need to continue to crack down on the abuse of EU free movement and continue our reforms to make our welfare system fairer and less open to abuse."

The ONS figures for the year ending September 2014 showed:

:: The number of foreign people coming to live in the UK increased significantly from 530,000 to 624,000 in a year

:: The number people from outside the EU moving to the UK increased by 49,000 to 292,000

:: The number of people from the EU coming to the UK rose by 43,000 to 251,000

:: 37,000 Romanian and Bulgarians immigrated to the UK in the year ending September 2014, up from 24,000. Of those, 27,000 came for work. 

:: The number of foreign people coming to the UK to study increased from 175,000 to 192,000

Sunder Katwala, director of the British Future think-tank, said: "The ONS statistics have become a quarterly reminder to the public of why they don't trust politicians on immigration, thanks to the net migration target.

"If the Prime Minister remains in denial about the broken target, he is setting himself up for five more years of failure. It is already clear there is next to no chance of meeting the same target in the next parliament either."

However, Migrants' Rights Network director Don Flynn cautioned: "The latest migration figures reflect Britain's growing economy and should not be used by the political parties as a launch-pad for their negative political campaigns shifting the blame for wider problems on to migrants."

Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, said: "UK job growth is likely to be a key factor behind the recent increases."


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Red Arrows Reveal Historic Tail Fin Redesign

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 25 Februari 2015 | 20.14

By Emma Birchley, Sky News Correspondent

The Red Arrows aerobatic team has revealed the first livery change in its history, after unveiling a newly redesigned tail fin.

Sky News was given exclusive access to film the team's nine pilots at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire as they headed into the skies with their new-look Hawk T1s, featuring elements from the Union Flag.

It replaces a one-off tailfin design brought in for 2014 to mark the Red Arrows' 50th display year.

Squadron Leader David Montenegro, known as Red 1, said: "This year we have put a new tailfin on which really signifies the next 50 years of the team, continuing to represent all of the RAF personnel that protect and defend the United Kingdom."

As the new team leader, it is his job to choreograph the display that will be performed around 80 times between May and September.

"It is a huge task but we do it by a building-block approach.

"Really for me it's visualising how I want the display to be for 2015, putting it on paper and the great bit about doing the job is taking it off the paper and putting it in the air over a five-to-six-month process."

The Red Arrows fly as many as five training sorties a day to get the display absolutely precise and every flight ends with a thorough debrief.

There may only be nine pilots but the whole team, including engineers and essential support staff, totals 120.

Corporal Drew Paxton is one of the so-called circus engineers, selected to travel to displays in the seat directly behind the pilot and carry out vital last-minute checks.

"It's a massive privilege and huge honour to be picked to be a circus engineer as not many people in the Air Force get to do it," he said.

"There are about 80 or 90 engineers ... and if we didn't have them, they are the lifeblood of the squadron, and this squadron simply would not work."

Everything must be checked meticulously, including the potentially life-saving kit worn by the pilots - such as their "anti-G trousers".

Flight Lieutenant Tom Bould, who flies as Red 5, said. "The G-trousers ... once I start pulling G ... will start to inflate.

"When they inflate, my muscles have to tense against them and when they tense against it the blood doesn't pool in my legs.

"It will stay in my torso and that will make it easier to keep the blood pumping to my head because I now have a supply to it from my torso."

But the danger always remains, as was shown in 2011 when flight lieutenants Jon Egging and Sean Cunningham died in separate incidents.

So far, two of the nine planes have received their new tailfin design. The rest will be completed by mid-to-late March, when the Red Arrows head overseas for their spring training.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Schoolgirls Believed To Have Crossed Into Syria

Three British schoolgirls feared to be planning to join Islamic State are now believed by police to have crossed the Turkish border into Syria.

Scotland Yard said counter-terrorism officers leading the investigation "now have reason to believe that they are no longer in Turkey and have crossed into Syria".

A spokesman added: "Officers continue to work closely with the Turkish authorities on this investigation."

Shamima Begum, 15, Kadiza Sultana, 16, and 15-year-old Amira Abase, from east London, flew to Istanbul from Gatwick Airport last Tuesday. 

The girls' relatives have made emotional pleas for them to come home amid concerns they may have been recruited by jihadists who communicated with them online.

1/7

  1. Gallery: Three Schoolgirls From East London Go Missing

    These pictures were taken from Kadiza Sultana (l) and Shamima Begum's (r) Twitter accounts

Kadiza and Shamima are feared to be on their way to Syria with a third girl, 15-year-old Amira Abase

]]>
20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Claudia Lawrence: Police Search Alleyway

Detectives investigating the disappearance and suspected murder of cook Claudia Lawrence are carrying out fresh searches close to her home in York.

The focus will be the alleyway to the rear of her flat in Heworth Road.

North Yorkshire Police's Major Crime Unit will also be carrying out house-to-house inquiries in the area as well as contacting former residents.

It comes as Miss Lawrence's family prepare to mark her 41st birthday on Friday.

Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, who is leading the investigation, said:  "The team are currently working on a lead that may indicate the alleyway at the rear of Claudia's house is significant.

"We still don't know if Claudia left for work on the morning of Thursday 19 March 2009 or whether something happened overnight within her house.

"If the latter is the case the person or persons responsible, in my view, would have used the rear alleyway as the front door leads onto a busy main road. This is why this specific piece of information needs to be fully investigated.

"Officers will be conducting house-to-house enquiries in the vicinity to jog people's memories about any vehicular access to the alleyway and how frequently this was used by neighbours or other pedestrians.

"We are also checking again that no CCTV recording equipment in the neighbourhood has been overlooked."

Det Supt Malyn added: "This remains one of several active enquiries at present that will be developed over the coming weeks and months.

"Together with Claudia's family, we remain absolutely determined to solve this case and bring those responsible for her disappearance and suspected murder to justice."

Miss Lawrence worked in a kitchen at York University and was 35 when she went missing.

She was last seen at around 3pm on 18 March 2009 as she made her way home from her shift and was reported missing by her father two days later.

Last May a 59-year-old local man was arrested on suspicion of killing Miss Lawrence but was later released without charge.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

SUBC: Speaker Takes Some Blame For Rowdy PMQs

By Sophy Ridge, Political Correspondent

The Speaker of the House of Commons has admitted he is partly responsible for the bad behaviour at Prime Minister's Questions.

In an exclusive interview with Sky News Stand Up Be Counted members, John Bercow MP said: "Do I accept some share of the responsibility for putting it right? I do."

He also gave his views on the "cash for access" scandal telling MPs Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Jack Straw they will "cop it" if it is proven they have broken the rules over claims they offered to trade their influence in return for money.

Four young people challenged the Speaker on how he runs Parliament as part of Sky News' campaign to give a voice to 18-24 year olds.

Chris Robertson, 24, from Lincoln, said he finds MPs' conduct at PMQs "horrible".

He said: "I'm a student union president and if I acted like that around my members I'd have been sacked by now.

"You've been speaking out for six years. Do you not think it should've been curtailed by now? Does it mean that you have failed in your job as leader of the house and Speaker?"

Mr Bercow replied: "Do I accept that the unreformed Prime Minister's Questions is a problem? I do. Do I accept some share of responsibility for putting it right? I do.

"Would I accept that it's all down to the Speaker? No I wouldn't. What I can't do, what no Speaker can do is make people behave decently if they don't want to behave decently.

"Members have got to take responsibility for their own conduct in the chamber.

"And I think my point would be to ask members who shout regularly - would you be content for your constituents to see and hear you if you if you were caught on camera?

"And if the answer is they would be content, there is something wrong, and if the answer is that they wouldn't be content then they should change the way they behave."

The Stand Up Be Counted contributors were given rare access to the Speaker in the Palace of Westminster as part of attempts to engage young people in politics.

Less than half of 18-24 year olds voted at the last election, with young women the least likely to vote by some margin.

Eighteen-year-old Ellie James, from Grimsby, challenged the Speaker about the lack of female MPs.

He criticised the main parties for not doing enough, saying: "I think the parties talked the talk and have made some progress but I don't think they anything like as effectively walked the walk, so I would look to the parties to do more there."

He also revealed that he seeks to make sure women are called to speak in the Chamber, adding: "I don't like calling lots of men in a row. I always have in mind what female colleagues I have called today. And if I may say so, and this isn't meant in a patronising sense at all, but the simple fact is women on the whole are better behaved in parliament than the men.

"They're just as tough, they're just as capable, they can withstand parliamentary life just as much as men can. They don't sit there like shrinking violets but on the whole they're better behaved and don't shout as much as men do."

Jaspreet Kaur, 18, from Birmingham, told Mr Bercow that when she looks at Parliament, all she sees is "grandeur and confusion" and that it can be difficult to understand.

1/13

  1. Gallery: Stand Up Be Counted Poll Results

]]>
20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police Release Photos After Racist Chants

Police have released photographs of seven men they wish to identify following alleged racist chanting at London's St Pancras International last week.

British Transport Police (BTP) say the images were captured at 8pm last Wednesday, one day after Chelsea's Champions league match in Paris.

Officers believe the men had returned to London following the match against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

A member of the public reported being "disgusted" by the men's chanting and reported their behaviour to police.

Detective Sergeant Steven Graysmark said: "I want anyone who knows the men in the photographs to come forward.

"I believe the seven, thought to be Chelsea fans, can help us with the investigation.

"Do you know any of the men in the images? If so, please contact BTP."

A similar incident was reported on the Paris Metro shortly before the Chelsea match on 17 February.

On Friday the club suspended three supporters after video emerged of a commuter being pushed on the Paris Metro.

The commuter, Sylla Souleymane, appeared to be stopped from getting on an underground train by fans.

The fans were also heard in the video chanting "we're racist and that's the way we like it".

The club said the fans had been suspended from its Stamford Bridge ground and that they would be banned for life if there was "sufficient evidence of their involvement".

Mr Souleymane said last week that he thinks those who abused him in Paris should be jailed for their actions.

The 33-year-old told Le Parisien newspaper: "These people, these English fans, must be found, punished and must be locked up.

"What happened should not go unpunished."

He said he thought Chelsea and PSG should face sanctions because it was "also their fault".

:: Anyone with information can contact British Transport Police on 0800 405040. Information can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cash For Access: Rifkind Steps Down As MP

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 24 Februari 2015 | 20.14

Sir Malcolm Rifkind has announced he is to step down at the General Election after cash for access revelations.

The Tory MP has also resigned from his role of chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee after pressure over the lobbying scandal intensified.

In a statement Sir Malcolm, who became an MP in 1974, said it was unfair to friends and colleagues in Kensington for him to continue to remain the candidate for the General Election but added the allegations against him were "contemptible".

He said: "This is entirely my personal decision.  I have had no such requests from my constituency association but I believe that it is the right and proper action to take.

"As regards the allegations of Channel 4 and the Daily Telegraph I find them contemptible and will not comment further at this time.

"Although I will retire from Parliament I shall continue my public and political life and am much looking forward to doing so over the years to come."

The MP for Kensington had been due at the regular ISC meeting this morning but admitted that the committee could be "distracted or affected by controversy" and that it would be better for him to step down.

Moments before he announced his resignation, Sir Malcolm was involved in a testy exchange with a Sky News reporter during which he told him to "mind his own business" and accused him of being "childish".

Sir Malcolm tried to laugh off the episode in an exchange with a woman on the other side of the road who shouted back: "You won't be doing that again will you."

His position at the helm of the influential committee had become increasingly untenable after former chairman Kim Howells said it would be "very difficult" for him to stay.

1/15

  1. Gallery: Rifkind's 40-Year Politics Career

    Sir Malcolm Rifkind's political career has spanned 40 years. He became and MP in 1974 and was prominent in both Margaret Thatcher and John Major's Governments.

October 1986: Malcolm Rifkind, at the Conservative Conference at Blackpool

]]>
20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Alan Barnes' Attacker Told 'Jail Is Likely'

A man has pleaded guilty to assault with intent to rob Alan Barnes, the disabled pensioner who received £330,000 in donations after being left too scared to return home after the attack.

Richard Gatiss was using legal highs at the time of the incident - and was refused bail at a previous hearing for his own safety.

The 25-year-old told Mr Barnes, who is visually impaired and weighs less than six stone, to "hand over your money" - but the victim said he had none. Gatiss ran from the scene when the 67-year-old shouted for help.

Mr Barnes, who has disabilities from birth after his mother contracted German measles when she was pregnant, broke his collarbone when he was pushed over by Gatiss while putting out his wheelie bin on 25 January.

At Newcastle Crown Court, Jamie Adams, defending, said: "He wishes me to say at this stage that he is shocked, horrified and deeply ashamed of what he did. He has not stopped thinking about Mr Barnes since this awful deed.

"Necessarily, he is segregated in prison because of the way people feel about him."

Gatiss was warned by Judge Paul Sloan QC that a prison term is likely when he is sentenced at a later date.

Following the attack, an online fundraising page was set up by Katie Cutler, a beautician who was left upset after reading about the mugging in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear.

Her campaign went viral, and more than £330,000 was pledged to Mr Barnes in a matter of days.

On the page, she wrote: "I was so upset that anyone could target a disabled pensioner and be so cruel.

"We can't take away what has happened but with a little donation we can make the future a prettier one and help towards the cost of his new home. Thank you all."

Mr Barnes is a well-known figure in his local area and is renowned for being able to quickly calculate how many days old someone is from their date of birth.

After receiving the cheque, he said: "It is just absolutely like a fairy story. You might read about it in a book, but it has come true. It is hard to find the words really - it was just a total, total surprise."


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

UK Oil Industry Suffers Worst Year Since '70s

The UK's offshore oil and gas industry needs Government support if its future is to be secured following its most costly year since the 1970s, a report says.

The study, conducted by the industry pressure group Oil & Gas UK, was said to have found "striking evidence" of how rising costs, taxes and "inadequate regulation" had taken their toll on international competitiveness.

The body's 2015 activity survey of exploration and production companies, operating mainly in the North Sea, found that revenues declined to just over £24bn last year, the lowest since 1998.

That, combined with rising costs, resulted in a negative cash flow of £5.3bn - the worst since the 1970s.

Investment in new projects over the next three years was last year forecast at £8.5bn, but this year's survey estimates it at around £3.5bn.

It can be partly put down to the collapse in world oil prices - falling by 60% at their weakest, below $50-per barrel - while raw gas costs are 30% down on 12 months ago.

Companies have reacted by scaling back exploration plans and cutting jobs and pay, particularly among sub-contractors.

Chancellor George Osborne has promised measures in next month's Budget to support the industry.

The report demanded urgent action to secure new investment and address a "collapse" in exploration that saw only 14 out of the expected 25 new wells drilled.

Oil & Gas UK's chief executive Malcolm Webb said: "This year's activity survey paints a bleak picture but also identifies this region's potential, emphasising the importance of government and industry now putting the right measures in place to secure its long-term future.

"This is crucial, not only for the energy security that domestic oil and gas production provides, but also for the hundreds of thousands of highly skilled jobs, advanced technology and billions of pounds of exports which the industry underpins.

"Without sustained investment in new and existing fields, critical infrastructure will disappear, taking with it important North Sea hubs, effectively sterilising areas of the basin and leaving oil and gas in the ground."

"Even at $110-per-barrel the ability of the industry to realise the full potential of the UK's oil and gas resource was hamstrung by escalating costs, an unsustainably heavy tax burden and inappropriate regulation.

"At current oil prices, we now see the consequences only too clearly.

"The industry recognises that its cost base is unsustainable. Cost and efficiency improvements of up to 40% are required to give this basin a viable future. This adjustment is now under way, but cost control alone is not the answer."

A Government spokesman said: "The Oil & Gas UK report underlines the need for a concerted and joined-up approach between the Government, the Oil and Gas Authority and industry to ensure investment and exploration in the UK North Sea continues and is able to get through this difficult period.

"The UK Government recognises how important the North Sea is, both in terms of the thousands jobs it supports and the benefit it brings to the UK economy.

"The package of fiscal changes and initiatives announced by the Treasury in early December shows the Government understands the challenges and is on the front foot in dealing with them."


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

UK Hits Back At Turkey Over Missing Girls

UK police have denied a claim from Turkey that it took three days to tell authorities there about three missing schoolgirls.

Scotland Yard issued a statement after criticism from Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc.

They claim Turkish authorities were told within 24 hours of east London teenagers Shamima Begum, Kadiza Sultana and Amira Abase going missing last Tuesday.

"Once we established that the girls had travelled to Turkey, police made contact with the foreign liaison officer at the Turkish Embassy in London on Wednesday, 18 February," the statement said.

"Since then we have been working closely with the Turkish authorities who are providing great assistance and support to our investigation."

Mr Arinc had said he hoped the girls would be found, but added that if they were not, Britain would be to blame.

He said: "It is a condemnable act for Britain to let three girls... come to Istanbul and then let us know three days later... They haven't taken the necessary measures.

"The search is ongoing. It would be great if we can find them. But if we can't, it is not us who will be responsible, but the British."

1/7

  1. Gallery: Three Schoolgirls From East London Go Missing

    These pictures were taken from Kadiza Sultana (l) and Shamima Begum's (r) Twitter accounts

Kadiza and Shamima are feared to be on their way to Syria with a third girl, 15-year-old Amira Abase

]]>
20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Green Leader Gives 'Excruciating' Interview

Green Leader Gives 'Excruciating' Interview

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

The leader of the Green Party has conceded that a radio interview to launch her election campaign was "excruciating".

Natalie Bennett told Sky News' Deputy Political Editor Joey Jones she suffered a "mind blank" during an LBC interview that soon had her trending on Twitter.

Interviewer Nick Ferrari described his one-on-one with Ms Bennett as "one of the worst interviews ever by a political leader".

The broadcast was peppered with awkward pauses and stuttering.

The Australian-born politician struggled to answer basic questions about how her party would fund the building of 500,000 new council houses.

She said: "Right, well, that's, erm... you've got a total cost... erm... that we're... that will be spelt out in our manifesto."

Mr Ferrari replied: "So you don't know?"

"No. Well... er."

At one point Ms Bennett blamed the difficulties she was having on a "huge cold".

Many people responded to the interview on Twitter.

Political commentator Owen Jones wrote: "Unbearably awful interview. Green supporters will be exasperated that a great political opportunity has been trashed."

The Daily Mirror's Kevin Maguire added: "Greens should abandon TV debates after this @natalieben solar collapse with @NickFerrariLBC. Painful."

1/6

  1. Gallery: Social Media Response To 'Excruciating' Interview by Natalie Bennettt

    Sky News' Deputy Political Editor Joey Jones

LBC host and interviewer Nick Ferrari

]]>

Daily Telegraph sketch writer Michael Deacon

]]>

Political commentator Owen Jones

]]>

The Daily Mirror's Kevin Maguire

]]>
Green Leader Gives 'Excruciating' Interview

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

The leader of the Green Party has conceded that a radio interview to launch her election campaign was "excruciating".

Natalie Bennett told Sky News' Deputy Political Editor Joey Jones she suffered a "mind blank" during an LBC interview that soon had her trending on Twitter.

Interviewer Nick Ferrari described his one-on-one with Ms Bennett as "one of the worst interviews ever by a political leader".

The broadcast was peppered with awkward pauses and stuttering.

The Australian-born politician struggled to answer basic questions about how her party would fund the building of 500,000 new council houses.

She said: "Right, well, that's, erm... you've got a total cost... erm... that we're... that will be spelt out in our manifesto."

Mr Ferrari replied: "So you don't know?"

"No. Well... er."

At one point Ms Bennett blamed the difficulties she was having on a "huge cold".

Many people responded to the interview on Twitter.

Political commentator Owen Jones wrote: "Unbearably awful interview. Green supporters will be exasperated that a great political opportunity has been trashed."

The Daily Mirror's Kevin Maguire added: "Greens should abandon TV debates after this @natalieben solar collapse with @NickFerrariLBC. Painful."

1/6

  1. Gallery: Social Media Response To 'Excruciating' Interview by Natalie Bennettt

    Sky News' Deputy Political Editor Joey Jones

LBC host and interviewer Nick Ferrari

]]>

Daily Telegraph sketch writer Michael Deacon

]]>

Political commentator Owen Jones

]]>

The Daily Mirror's Kevin Maguire

]]>

20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More
techieblogger.com Techie Blogger Techie Blogger