Hillsborough Survivor Saved By 'Kiss Of Life'

Sturgeon Calls For Inquiry Into Govt Memo Leak

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 04 April 2015 | 20.14

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon wants an inquiry into how a controversial memo about a meeting with the French ambassador was leaked.

A Daily Telegraph report claims a leaked UK government memorandum - likely from the Foreign Office - sets out an account of a meeting between Ms Sturgeon and the French ambassador to the UK Sylvie Bermann.

It claims she told the ambassador she would rather see David Cameron than Ed Miliband as PM after the election, a claim she strongly denies.

She has now asked for Cabinet Secretary Jeremy Heywood to investigate how the memo was released.

She said: "The bigger question and one I am raising with the head of the civil service is who wrote this memo since the foreign office seem to be denying all knowledge of it.

:: For full coverage of General Election 2015 click here

"How did it come to contain such an inaccuracy and how did it get into the hands of the Tory-supporting Daily Telegraph?"

The memo was written by a British civil servant after a conversation with France's consul general in Edinburgh, Pierre-Alain Coffinier, who was present.

But speaking to Sky News on Saturday, Mr Coffinier said that no preference for Prime Minister was discussed at the meeting in February.

:: Six Questions About The Nicola Sturgeon Memo

"At no stage did anyone comment on their preference regarding the elections."

The memo reportedly said: "Discussion appears to have focused mainly on the political situation, with the (First Minister) stating that she wouldn't want a formal coalition with Labour; that the SNP would almost certainly have a large number of seats ... that she'd rather see David Cameron remain as PM."

It added that Ms Sturgeon said the Labour leader was not "prime minister material".

The final line of the memo, however, read: "I have to admit that I'm not sure that the FM's tongue would be quite so loose on that kind of thing in a meeting like that, so it might well be a case of something being lost in translation."

Mr Miliband said: "I think these are damning revelations.

"What it shows is that while in public the SNP are saying they don't want to see a Conservative government in private they're actually saying they do want a Conservative government.

"It shows that the answer at this General Election is that if you want the Conservatives out the only answer is to vote Labour for a Labour government."

Sky's political correspondent Anushka Asthana said: "The fact that Nicola Sturgeon has 'categorically' denied that she expressed a Prime Ministerial preference during a private conversation with the French ambassador will do little to stem the political fallout from this story.

"After all, the very suggestion of a conversation could be political gold-dust for Labour, whose national electoral hopes hinge on how well the SNP perform in Scotland."

Meanwhile, campaigning continues into Easter with Labour unveiling a plan to build 125,000 homes by creating a £5bn housebuilding fund.

The Tories, meanwhile, are unveiling a pledge to force pornography websites to use effective age-verification tools to keep out under-18s.

Ms Sturgeon is due to join the annual Scrap Trident group march in Glasgow, only a short distance from the Faslane home of nuclear-armed submarines.

The latest Survation/Mirror poll puts Mr Miliband ahead of Mr Cameron, with 33% and 31% of the vote respectively.

UKIP polled at 18%, the Liberal Democrats 9%, the SNP 5% and Greens 3%.

These results are markedly different from a YouGov/The Sun poll which was published on Thursday night.

It suggested that the Conservative Party had hit a three-year high - with 37% of those questioned stating they would vote Tory if the General Election was tomorrow.

Labour was on 35%, the Lib Dems on 7%, UKIP on 12% and the Greens on 5%.

More follows...

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Proton Beam Therapy Centres To Open In UK

The UK will get its first three proton beam therapy centres from next year in what experts say is a significant breakthrough for cancer treatment.

The first centre will be opened in Cardiff by local company Proton Partners International Ltd, with two others to follow in London and Northumberland by 2017.

The centres will be available for NHS patients from England, Scotland and Wales, as well as self-paying patients and those with private medical insurance.

Currently patients must head overseas for this type of treatment.

Life sciences entrepreneur Professor Sir Chris Evans says there are more than 150,000 people treated for cancer each year and that demand for treatment is growing.

Health insurer Bupa has estimated that by 2021 the UK's ageing population is likely to see a 20% rise in the number of new cancers and a 62% rise in the cost of treatment - to £15.3bn.

Proton beam therapy is a targeted type of radiotherapy that can treat hard-to-reach cancers, such as spinal tumours, with a lower risk of damaging the surrounding tissue or causing side effects.

The announcement comes just weeks after the parents of brain cancer survivor Ashya King told how the five-year-old made a "miracle" recovery after receiving proton beam therapy in Prague in the Czech Republic.

The treatment was not available for him on the NHS, although the health service later agreed to fund it.

Professor Gordon McVie, senior consultant at the European Institute of Oncology, who has been appointed chairman of Proton Partners International, says the development is "exciting and important".

He added: "As things stand, patients who can benefit from this treatment have to go abroad for treatment, often at great expense to the NHS.

"The creation of these centres will go a long way to ensuring the very best of treatment is available in the UK."

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Six Arrested In Dover In Syria Terror Probe

Six people are in police custody after being arrested in Dover on suspicion of Syria-related terrorism offences.

The five men and one woman were detained around 8am on Friday in the port's departure area.

West Midlands Police are searching a number of addresses in Birmingham and say it is part of an ongoing investigation.

Police said four of the men arrested are from Birmingham and in their 20s.

A 26-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman of no fixed address were also held.

They are being questioned at a police station in the West Midlands area.

The force tweeted: "The suspects, who are not a family group and were not accompanied by children, did not pose any immediate risk to public safety."

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Family Had Concerns Over 'Syria-Bound' Brit

There were reportedly concerns about the behaviour of a British man in the months before he was arrested for allegedly trying to cross illegally into Syria.

Waheed Ahmed, 21, was among nine members of the same family who were detained in Turkey on Wednesday and are set to be deported.

British police have been searching the home of his father Shakil Ahmed, who is a Labour councillor in Rochdale.

They have also searched four other properties - two in Heywood and two in Rochdale. Two of the searches are ongoing.

Mohammed Shafiq, who is a friend of Shakil Ahmed, said of Waheed: "There were concerns in the last six months to a year about a change in his behaviour.

"And a change in his attitude towards various different issues."

He also told Sky News: "That was causing concern for people in the community and his family."

Waheed Ahmed was with his aunt, two cousins and the wife of one of his cousins when they were stopped by authorities in southern Turkey, near the Syrian border. They had also taken four children with them.

The 21-year-old is due to be sent back to the UK along with Zareeda Bi, 47, Maboob Yasin, 22, Habib Yasin, 24, and Samia Bi, 22, and the youngsters aged one, three, eight and 11.

They are understood to have been kept in a police station in Turkey on Thursday night.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: "It remains the case that we are not aware of any time scale for the potential return of the nine individuals."

Most of the group flew from Manchester on 27 March and Waheed Ahmed joined them three days later on a flight from Birmingham.

Shakil Ahmed, who represents the Kingsway ward on Rochdale Borough Council, said the group were on holiday but he had thought his son was on a work placement in Birmingham.

"My son is a good Muslim and his loyalties belong to Britain, so I don't understand what he's doing there.

"If I thought for a second that he was in danger of being radicalised, I would have reported him to the authorities.

"I just want to speak to my son and get him home as soon as possible so I can find out what's going on."

Usman Nawaz, who went to the same school as Waheed Ahmed in Rochdale, said mosques and his school in Rochdale were not to blame for Waheed's actions.

The 25-year-old, a former member of the Young Muslims' Advisory Group and mentor to young Muslims through Rochdale's Youth Council, said: "For some it's an adventure but for some they think that they are doing something noble.

"The ideology which is peddled, this very hardcore understanding of the faith, one which is state sponsored by Saudi Arabia, that has to be challenged and it's quite difficult to challenge it in a coherent manner when the Saudi ideology has the backing of petrodollars."

A friend of Waheed Ahmed believes he could have travelled for humanitarian reasons.

Bassat Yussu said: "We used to talk about Palestine and Syria and what was going on around there and sometimes he used to collect charity money."

Neighbour Mohammed Sharif said he "never had suspicion about the family" and remembered Waheed as a "nice quiet young lad" who would "speak to you with respect".

Officers are trying to establish their reason for travelling to the Syrian border.

Assistant Chief Constable Ian Wiggett said: "What is obviously concerning is why a family were seemingly attempting to take very young and vulnerable children into a war zone.

"Such a volatile and dangerous environment is no place for them whatsoever."

The Metropolitan Police believe around 600 Britons have travelled to Syria and Iraq since the conflict began, while around half are thought to have returned to the UK.

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Man In Court Over Baby Girl's 'Murder'

An electrician has appeared in court, charged with murdering a five-month-old girl in Birmingham.

Tomas Driukas, from Perry Barr, was remanded in custody at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

The 25-year-old was arrested on Thursday following the death of the unnamed baby girl in Perry Barr.

Police were called to reports that a child was experiencing breathing difficulties at an address in Crantock Road shortly before 1am on Wednesday.

A 22-year-old woman arrested at the same time has been released on police bail.

A post-mortem examination revealed several injures to the girl.

West Midlands Police said further tests were being conducted to establish a cause of death.

Driukas will appear next at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday.

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Sturgeon Denies Handing Cameron Keys To No 10

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 03 April 2015 | 20.14

Nicola Sturgeon denied handing the keys to 10 Downing Street to David Cameron with her commanding performance during last night's leaders' debate.

The Scottish First Minister said that if the election delivered a landslide for the SNP and Labour made a deal with the nationalists then together they actually lock the Tories out of number 10.

Ms Sturgeon is widely considered the winner of the high-stakes, seven-way showdown, although snap polls gave no clear victor, particularly in Scotland where she is being praised for delivering a "Sturgeon surge".

Among her champions this morning was Tory Chief Whip Michael Gove who said she had given an "impressive" performance.

:: For full coverage of General Election 2015 click here.

:: For the General Election live blog click here.

Labour accused the Conservatives of "bigging up" Ms Sturgeon in an attempt to return Mr Cameron to power.

The SNP is forecast to deliver a significant blow to Labour in Scotland, all but wiping out the number of the party's MPs.

This could be crucial at a time when neither Labour nor the Conservatives are expected to win a majority on 7 May.

However, Ms Sturgeon said the SNP was not planning on delivering a victory to Mr Cameron and added: "If Labour and the SNP combined to have more seats than the Tories we can lock the Tories out of government.

"But crucially if SNP is a big force in Westminster we can make sure a Labour government does not sell out on its values like the last Labour government did."

Speaking in Manchester, where he was meeting people who had benefited from the Government's Help To Buy scheme, Mr Cameron issued a warning about a coalition including the small parties.

He said: "My impression of the debate is very much that there is one person, one leader, one party that is offering the competence of a long-term plan that is working and then there is a kind of coalition of chaos out there that wants more debt, spending and taxes."

His comments echoed those made by Mr Gove earlier in the day. He said: "If the country chooses to, it could vote for a patchwork coalition ... I prefer to say a lethal cocktail of different parties which all have different objectives - there would be an automatic instability."

Speaking shortly after the Labour campaign bus arrived in Blackpool, Ed Miliband said his position on ruling out a formal coalition with the SNP had not changed as a result of Ms Sturgeon's success in the debate.

Labour's Caroline Flint said: "There is not going to be a coalition with the SNP and there are not going to be any SNP ministers, I can assure you that and Alex Salmond certainly won't be Deputy Prime Minister.

"I think there is something pretty shallow about the processing discussions about coalitions and deals. You know we hear George Osborne and Michael Gove bigging up the SNP because they know that every vote for the SNP is more likely to secure David Cameron the keys to number 10 for another five years."

The Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said the debate had made it increasingly clear that another coalition would be the outcome of the vote in May.

He said: "The fact that there were seven there just shows that politics is becoming more fragmented. The only people who don't realise that are Ed Miliband and David Cameron - they think it's still a game of pass-the-parcel between the two old parties."

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Briton Held On Syria Border Is Councillor's Son

One of the nine Britons detained in Turkey for allegedly trying to cross into Syria is the son of a Labour councillor.

In a statement, Rochdale councillor Shakil Ahmed said he was "shocked, worried and extremely upset" to find out his 21-year-old son Waheed was one of those held by Turkish authorities.

Officers from Greater Manchester Police and North West Counter Terrorism are working with Rochdale Council, local partners and faith leaders to establish why the family were found at the border.

The five adults, aged 21, 22, 22, 24 and 47, as well as four children aged one, three, eight and 11, are believed to be related and currently live in Rochdale.

The Britons are expected to be deported from Turkey on Thursday.

Mr Ahmed, who represents the Kingsway ward on the council, said he thought his son was in Birmingham on a work placement.

He added: "My son is a good Muslim and his loyalties belong to Britain, so I don't understand what he's doing there.

"If I thought for a second that he was in danger of being radicalised I would have reported him to the authorities.

"He's studying a degree in politics and sociology at Manchester University and has a good future ahead of him."

The nine were held by Turkish officials at a military outpost at Ogulpinar, in the south of the country.

Footage released earlier showed them arriving at a police station in Southern Hatay province.

Assistant Chief Constable Ian Wiggett said: "What is obviously concerning is why a family were seemingly attempting to take very young and vulnerable children into a warzone; such a volatile and dangerous environment is no place for them whatsoever.

"We have commenced an investigation to try and establish their reasons for travel and as this is a live investigation - which is very much in its infancy - we are not in a position to comment further."

Police say they have found "no evidence whatsoever" of any imminent threat to the community in Rochdale or anywhere else in the UK.

Simon Danczuk, who is defending the Rochdale seat for Labour at the election, said: "I am in the process of trying to find out more information on this case from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, though I would like to thank the authorities for stopping this family entering what is effectively a war zone.

"I am particularly disturbed that children were involved.

"I have also been in touch with the father of one of the young men who was there and he is shocked and confused as to why his son would be trying to enter Syria."

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Bleach 'Linked To Child Infections' - Study

Families have been warned that using bleach to clean the home could be to blame for higher rates of infection in children.

A study led by the University of Leuven - KU Leuven - in Belgium found the chance of flu was 20% higher and recurrent tonsillitis 35% greater amongst children whose parents used bleach to clean their home.

Also, the risk of recurrent infection was 18% higher amongst children of regular bleach users.

The results were calculated by looking at the effects of bleach in the homes of more than 9,000 children aged between six and 12 in the Netherlands, Finland and Spain.

Parents were asked to complete a questionnaire on their bleach use and the number of times their children had tonsillitis, sinusitis, flu, bronchitis, otitis (ear infection) and pneumonia in the previous 12 months.

The results found that use of bleach was common in Spain - 72% of respondents - but rare in Finland where only 7% of people used it.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal, also noted that all Spanish schools were cleaned with bleach, while Finnish schools were not.

Researchers said after taking into account a number of influential factors, such as passive smoking at home, the presence of household mould, and whether bleach was used in the children's schools, the prevalence of infections was higher in children of bleach users.

The study said: "Domestic cleaning involves exposure to a large variety of irritants and sensitising chemicals that are used following certain cleaning patterns.

"Unfortunately, we did not have information on the use of other cleaning products and we cannot exclude the possibility that the observed results are due to the use of other irritants or to their combinations."

Researchers said "the high frequency of use of disinfecting cleaning products - caused by erroneous belief, reinforced by advertising, that our homes should be free of microbes - makes the modest effects reported in our study of public health concern".

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Man Charged With Murder Of Baby Girl

A man has been charged with murdering a five-month-old girl in Perry Barr, Birmingham.

Tomas Driukas, of Crantock Road, Perry Barr, was due to appear before Birmingham magistrates on Saturday.

The 25-year-old electrician was arrested on Thursday following the death of the baby girl.

A 22-year-old woman arrested at the same time has been released on police bail.

A post-mortem examination revealed several injures to the girl.

West Midlands Police said further tests were being conducted to establish a cause of death.

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Syria-Bound Brits To Be Deported Tomorrow

The nine Britons stopped by Turkish police for allegedly trying to cross the border into Syria are to be deported tomorrow, according to Sky News sources.

Waheed Ahmed, son of Rochdale Labour councillor Shakil Ahmed, arrived in Turkey on 30 March, three days after the rest of the group.

The 22-year-old will be sent back to the UK along with four other adults and four children also stopped in Turkey's Hatay province.

Police have been searching the house of Waheed's father Shakil, who represents the Kingsway ward on Rochdale Borough Council.

He said the group were on holiday but he had thought his son was on a work placement in Birmingham.

"My son is a good Muslim and his loyalties belong to Britain, so I don't understand what he's doing there. If I thought for a second that he was in danger of being radicalised, I would have reported him to the authorities.

"I just want to speak to my son and get him home as soon as possible so I can find out what's going on."

Neighbour Mohammed Sharif said he "never had suspicion about the family" and remembered Waheed as a "nice quiet young lad" who would "speak to you with respect".

Greater Manchester Police says the group includes two women aged 47 and 22, three men aged 24, 22 and 21, along with children aged one, three, eight and 11.

Officers are trying to establish their reason for travelling to the Syrian border.

Assistant Chief Constable Ian Wiggett said: "What is obviously concerning is why a family were seemingly attempting to take very young and vulnerable children into a war zone.

"Such a volatile and dangerous environment is no place for them whatsoever."

The group is understood to have been kept in a police station in Turkey on Thursday night and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was unable to confirm when they were expected back in the UK.

Usman Nawaz, who went to the same school as Waheed Ahmed in Rochdale, said mosques and his school in Rochdale were not to blame for Waheed's actions.

Mohammed Shafiq, chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation, said news of the group's actions was "deeply worrying", adding: "The idea you can take young children into a war zone is despicable and we condemn those adults who have done this."

The Metropolitan Police believe around 600 Britons have travelled to Syria and Iraq since the conflict began, while around half are believed to have returned to the UK.

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Rise In Teachers Abused Online By Parents

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 02 April 2015 | 20.14

The number of teachers being abused online by parents and children has risen sharply.

Some 40% of teachers say they have been attacked by parents on social media in the past year - up from 27% from the 2014 figures.

School staff are facing sexist, racist and homophobic comments, as well as offensive remarks about their appearance and competence, according to the NASUWT union.

The number of teachers who have suffered abuse from either pupils or teachers in the past 12 months is 60% - a huge rise from 21% last year.

One post about a teacher read: "I hope she gets cancer."

A heavily pregnant teacher was called an "ugly f*****g b***h", while others have had photos posted alongside words such as "b***h" and "t**t".

One teacher said they were harassed for nine months by children who sent sexually explicit messages and set up a fake social media account in their name.

In another example, a teacher was described as a "b***h" for making her child do PE without her inhaler.

The most common age of pupils dishing out abuse was 14-16 (57%). Five percent were aged 7-11.

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said: "It is deeply worrying to see that the abuse of teachers has risen by such a huge margin this year.

"Equally concerning is that it appears that more parents are the perpetrators of the abuse.

"The vile, insulting and personal comments are taking their toll on teachers' health and wellbeing and undermining their confidence to do their job.

"Many teachers tell us that they suspect they are being abused online but dare not look, for fear they could never walk into their school again to have to face their abusers.

"While there has been some improvement in action taken on reported abuse, there are still too many cases where no appropriate action is taken and teachers are being left devastated, humiliated and traumatised."

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Boy And Gran In Hospital After Dog Attack

A three-year-old boy and his grandmother suffered serious injuries when they were attacked by a dog.

The woman was bitten several times as she tried to protect the child from a French mastiff which had escaped from its pen on a farm.

The child was left with a broken leg and facial injuries during the attack at around 5pm on Wednesday.

Police and paramedics had to battle to bring the animal under control before both could be taken from the family farm in the Stone area of Staffordshire to hospitals in the Midlands.

The boy is said to be in a stable condition at Birmingham Children's Hospital where he had an operation.

The grandmother was taken to the Royal Stoke Hospital and has also undergone surgery.

A police spokesman said the dog has been destroyed and a man in his 60s arrested under the Dangerous Dogs Act and bailed.

Inspector Bob Champeau, from Staffordshire Police, said: "This was a very distressing incident for those involved to deal with.

"Police and ambulance crews attending had to work quickly with those at the farm to bring the dog under control before they were able to treat the two injured people.

"It's our role now to support those injured and their family whilst we establish the circumstances which led to the dog attacking them."

It is understood that both victims are expected to remain in hospital for several days.

Mr Champeau added that the incident occurred in a isolated location and no other members of the community were put at risk.

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Britons Held On Syria Border To Be Deported

Nine Britons arrested for trying to cross illegally from Turkey into Syria are expected to be deported today.

The Britons - including two women and four children - were held by Turkish officers at a military outpost at Ogulpinar in the south of the country.

Footage released this morning shows the Britons arriving at a police station in the Southern Hatay province.

Two children - a boy and a girl - could be seen inside the military vehicle. The Britons were then escorted inside the police station.

Turkish MP Mehmet Ali Ediboglu said late on Wednesday: "They are being held at a paramilitary outpost. Probably, they will be deported to their country tomorrow (Thursday)."

It was not clear why the nine Britons were trying to cross the border.

Thousands of foreigners have joined the ranks of Islamic State and other radical groups in Syria and Iraq, many of them crossing through Turkey.

UK security services alone estimate 600 Britons have gone to Syria or Iraq to join militant groups.

Turkey has faced criticism for not doing enough to control its southeastern borders.

The country has in turn accused European nations of failing to prevent would-be jihadists from travelling in the first place.

The planned deportation comes as a new UN report says more than 25,000 foreign fighters have travelled to join al Qaeda, IS and other splinter groups.

The fighters, from more than 100 countries, have travelled to areas including Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Libya and the Philippines.

The report said its analysis indicates that the number of foreign terrorist fighters worldwide increased by 71% between mid-2014 and March 2015.

It added that the increased flow of foreign fighters "is higher than it has ever been historically".

Fighters "pose an immediate and long-term threat" and are "an urgent global security problem" that needs to be tackled on many fronts, the UN insisted.

Among Britons who have previously travelled to Syria are thought to be three teenage girls from east London.

Bethnal Green Academy pupils Shamima Begum, Amira Abase and Kadiza Sultana are now thought to be in the Syrian city of Raqqa, an IS stronghold.

The girls were last seen on CCTV at a bus station in Istanbul on 17 February.

It is understood they were following another 15-year-old girl who travelled there in December.

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Man Who Mugged Disabled Pensioner Is Jailed

The man who mugged disabled pensioner Alan Barnes, sparking a charity campaign that raised £330,000, has been jailed.

Richard Gatiss was sentenced to four years in prison by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court.

The 25-year-old drug addict pushed Mr Barnes over as he put his bins out in Gateshead, breaking his collar bone.

He was trying to get money to buy legal highs when he carried out the mugging, but ran off empty handed.

Judge Paul Sloan QC said: "I have no doubt he was picked on by you because of his vulnerability.

"It was on any view a despicable offence."

Gatiss, from Gateshead, was caught after analysis of DNA evidence from the pocket of Mr Barnes's jacket.

Mr Barnes was too scared to return to his home in Low Fell, Gateshead, and has said he will buy a new house with the money raised online.

The fund was started by beautician Katie Cutler, 21, who initially set a target of £500 to buy new carpets and curtains.

Mr Barnes' disabilities were caused when his mother contracted German measles while she was pregnant.

After he was arrested, Gatiss denied being involved in the mugging, saying he had been brought up better than that, but then later claimed a knifeman made him do it.

When he was challenged, he confessed. Prosecutor Nick Dry said: "He said he wanted money to buy legal highs to which he had become addicted, then breaking down, he was distressed at what he had done."

Jamie Adams, defending, said that Gatiss had recently been diagnosed with epilepsy and that his medication when mixed with legal highs would have a "deleterious effect".

He added that publicity surrounding the case had made Gatiss "the subject of some pretty awful double-standard behaviour" from other inmates.

He said: "Life is not easy for him. He is going to be in the public glare for a long time to come and he knows that.

"There is a lot for him to deal with."

After the sentencing, Mr Barnes said he hoped Gatiss would "do some thinking" while he was in prison.

He said: "I'm pleased he's been sentenced and I think the sentence of four years is just about the right length.

"I hope while he's in prison he'll do some thinking and when he comes out he'll do something useful.

"Maybe he might decide to help people, which I think would be a good idea for him.

"It's sad that he was brought to the stage of doing something like this - not necessarily just me, it could have been anybody and they might not have got over the incident."

Mr Barnes added that his injuries have now virtually healed and he has found a new house in Low Fell that he hopes to buy.

In a letter to the judge, Gatiss' father Karl said he had disowned his son after the mugging, but said he had since decided he could not abandon him.

He wrote: "He started on the slippery slope of drug-taking. He latterly used legal highs and the likeable lad we had known slowly drifted away from us.

"Our family observed the deterioration of our formerly cheeky boy into a shadow of himself, obviously with whom we were unable to communicate.

"He recognises the gravity of what he has done and is disgusted with himself and is full of remorse."

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Man And Woman Held Over Baby Girl Murder

A man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of murdering a five-month-old girl in Perry Barr, Birmingham.

West Midlands Police said officers were called to an address in Perry Barr shortly before 1am on Wednesday after reports of a baby struggling to breathe.

The girl was taken to hospital but died that afternoon.

Police say her death is being treated as suspicious. A post-mortem examination was due to be carried out.

A man aged 25 and a 22-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of the girl's murder.

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Tories Continue To Chase Down Business Support

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 01 April 2015 | 20.14

A Labour government would threaten jobs, deter investment and put Britain's economic recovery at risk, according to a letter signed by more than 100 leading business figures.

Senior executives from some of Britain's best-known businesses hailed the Government's economic policies, which they claim show that "the UK is open for business".

The move was orchestrated by Conservative Party co-chairman Lord Feldman, who is continuing to email business leaders asking them to "consider adding your name as a signatory to this letter".

The top executives - including BP's CEO Bob Dudley and West Ham United vice-chairman, the Conservative Peer Baroness Brady - argue that keeping the Tories in power is the best way to ensure continued growth.

In an open letter to The Daily Telegraph, the signatories, who had been approached by the party to add their names to the letter, said the Conservatives' economic policies have supported investment and the creation of jobs.

:: For full coverage of General Election 2015 click here

The letter has been signed by at least five former Labour backers, including the chairman of Dixons Carphone and Talk Talk plc Sir Charles Dunstone, and former Dragons' Den star Duncan Bannatyne.

The business figures write: "We believe this Conservative-led Government has been good for business and has pursued policies which have supported investment and job creation.

"David Cameron and George Osborne's flagship policy of progressively lowering Corporation Tax to 20% has been very important in showing the UK is open for business. It has been a key part of their economic plan.

"The result is that Britain grew faster than any other major economy last year and businesses like ours have created over 1.85m new jobs.

"We believe a change in course will threaten jobs and deter investment. This would send a negative message about Britain and put the recovery at risk."

Mr Cameron was quick to welcome the letter tweeting: "Today's #businessletter in the @Telegraph shows job creators support our long term economic plan. Labour's taxes will cost jobs."

Mr Osborne told Sky News: "This is an unprecedented intervention in a British General Election. A hundred business people, employing over half a million people and leading some of Britain's best-known companies, from Primark to the Prudential and from BP to Britvic and Mothercare, have spoken out.

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Gallery: Which Former Labour Supporters Signed The Letter?

Duncan Bannatyne backed the Labour government under Blair and Brown, stating he would 'hate' to see David Cameron in power. He joined Gordon Brown on part of the campaign trail in 2010

However the founder of the Bannatyne group recently criticised Labour's mansion tax plan, saying he found it 'offensive'

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Windy Weather Batters Britain As Easter Looms

Winds of up to 70mph battered parts of England and Wales overnight, causing widespread travel disruption and flooding in some regions.

In the northwest, firefighters spent three hours removing a 20ft tree which had fallen onto a house in Leigh - ruining a family's plans to go on holiday.

And at an Esso refinery in Hampshire, a crewman was rescued from a sinking tug by a heroic employee who jumped into the water to save him.

Without hesitation, he swam to the capsized vessel and smashed a window to help the trapped crew member, who only had access to a small pocket of air inside.

All of the employees have been accounted for, according to the coastguard - although one person had to be treated for hypothermia following the incident.

Earlier, journeys on the West Coast Main Line between Warrington and the Lake District were delayed by up to an hour - while trees on the line caused considerable disruption between Exeter and Taunton, Salisbury and Romsey, and Aylesbury and London.

Several bridges on the motorways were closed as a precaution, including the Dartford Crossing on the M25, the Severn Bridge on the M48, and the Ouse Bridge on the M62.

There was also bad news for fans of the Thunderbirds, as an event to promote the new series on the River Thames was cancelled.

Although it will "gradually quieten down" as the Easter weekend approaches, the Met Office predicts the strongest winds are yet to be seen in northwest England.

And, even though it is the first day of April on Wednesday, wintry showers are expected over higher ground in Scotland, spreading into northern England and parts of north Wales.

Sky News weather producer Becky Yussuf said: "The unsettled, wet and windy weather will continue through until Good Friday.

"High pressure will build across the UK and Ireland over the Easter weekend, bringing largely dry and settled conditions.

"There is expected to be a lot of cloud around, and so brightness might be at a bit of a premium.

"Temperatures will be around average for the time of year, with highs of 14C (57F)."

20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hillsborough Survivor Saved By 'Kiss Of Life'

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By Nick Martin, North Of England Correspondent

Survivors of the Hillsborough tragedy have given moving accounts of what happened to them that day.

They were called as witnesses to the inquests into the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans who died at the semi-final on 15 April, 1989.

Ian McDermott, who paid £6 for his ticket to attend the match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, told the jury that he was one of the fans who entered the stadium through a side gate which had been opened by police to allow fans into the ground.

He told the inquest he went through a tunnel at the Lepping's Lane end and arrived at a crowded pen three.

"I just describe it was a swirl. It was completely rotating all the time, never stayed still," he said.

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Gallery: Hillsborough Report: Key Figures

Sir Norman Bettison was involved in the original internal inquiry for South Yorkshire Police and is now chief constable of the West Yorkshire force. Insists he has "nothing to hide"

David Duckenfield was chief supt of South Yorkshire Police and in charge of policing on the day of the disaster

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Former South Yorkshire Police superintendent Bernard Murray was Duckenfield's deputy at the game. Was acquitted of manslaughter charges brought in a private prosecution in 2000. Died in 2006

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Former South Yorkshire Police chief constable Peter Wright gave his backing to police version of events blaming fans. Died in 2011

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The former Police Federation spokesman Paul Middup was among those who sought to place blame on Liverpool fans and his version of events contributed to the now notorious Sun front page

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"I was completely compressed from all sides, I just couldn't move at all. I wasn't in control of my own movement.

"I knew instantly that there was a problem. The match was very quickly erased from my mind. I wasn't interested in anything that was happening on the pitch."

Shortly after kick-off Mr McDermott said he lost consciousness and woke up on the floor of the terraces.

He said: "There was a lot of people standing on my legs and there was someone holding my head. I could hear people shouting into my ear."

He told the inquest that he believed someone had given him "the kiss of life" and placed him face down on the pitch in the recovery position.

He told the inquest that in the days after the disaster he had suffered chest pains and panic attacks.

Gillian Edwards had attended the semi-final the year before with her friend Fiona and had stood in the same pen with a fence between them and the pitch, she told the inquest.

"We both said to ourselves we had to make sure we never had a barrier in front of us because we got crushed that year. It was uncomfortable which made us scared," she said.

She said on the day of the tragedy they had both returned to the stadium and also stood in pen three.

"It was fine. We were just having a laugh, banter with people I remember a beach ball going over head," the jury heard.

Shaking and tearful giving evidence, she said: "Two specific memories I have is one of the push forward and then another push, which scared me.

"I was used to football crowds and movement because of going to the various matches. That scared me but then it eased off. But then there was a second surge forward.

"There was no police. I knew there was something really wrong happening.

"I was making sure that I was breathing. I was making sure, just thinking 'What the hell is going on here?'.

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Gallery: Day Of Tragedy

This gallery contains images of the Hillsborough disaster, in which 96 people died. Here, people try to help those caught up in the crush

Policemen aid football fans at Hillsborough stadium

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"And there was a man who was shouting 'There's girls here, there's girls here. Get the girls out. Stop pushing!'.

"I could hear more panic in his voice, which was making me even more aware then how bad the situation really was."

Christina Lambert QC, on behalf of the coroner, asked: "You lost consciousness in the crowd that day?"

"Yes. I did yes," Ms Edwards replied.

The jury heard that Gillian Edwards suffered a "severe brain injury" during the crush and woke up in hospital having been in a coma for five days.

She was "totally blind" when she woke up and had since regained some sight since, the inquest heard.

John McCarthy told the inquest that his younger brother Ian was one of the 96 who died.

He recalled the crush and being told that his brother had died. He said he went to a gymnasium which had been set up as a temporary morgue.

"There was a pile of bodies on the floor, all over the place, laid out in lines. We had to step over them all to get to Ian because he was on the far side. Once we got there we wouldn't leave him alone.

"When we first got to Ian we knelt down beside him. He had his eyes open. I put him on my knee I said 'wake up'.

"I just couldn't believe he was gone. I sat there cradling him."

He told the inquest that several months ago police showed him video footage of the gymnasium and that he had identified his brother.

"The video zoomed in and I saw Ian. His face was covered and I couldn't work out what it was. Then I could see it was a bin liner. They put a bin liner over his face."

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Written By Unknown on Selasa, 31 Maret 2015 | 20.14

A frantic search is under way for a missing 10-year-old boy who suffers from a genetic condition which requires medication three times a day.

Police said they were "extremely concerned" for the welfare of Malakhi Chijiutomi-Ghosh, who is thought to have run away from his Croydon home in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Officers said it is vital he is found so he can receive his medicine.

Because he has received no medication today there is a "very real chance" Malakhi could have already fallen into a coma, police say.

Malakhi, from Thornton Heath, suffers from adrenal hyperplasia which causes swelling of the adrenal glands and in its most severe form can be life-threatening.

He is described as being a light skinned black male, 4ft 7ins tall, of slim build with short black curly hair.

He is thought to be wearing a dark blue coat with fur on the hood with black jeans and black trainers and a red/orange top with a picture of a meerkat playing the drums on it.

Malakhi has connections to the Thornton Heath, Victoria and Croydon areas and may be travelling on public transport.

The last sighting of him was at 7am and he does not have a phone, Oyster card or any money on him.

:: Anyone who has information on Malakhi's whereabouts should contact Croydon Police on 101.