Adam Pickup: Body Found In Missing Teen Search

Police searching for teenager Adam Pickup have found a body they believe to be the missing student.

The 17-year-old had not been seen since the early hours of Saturday morning, when he got separated from his friends during a night out in Manchester city centre.

But officers searching for Adam - whose disappearance prompted a nationwide appeal - have discovered a body in an area near Deansgate Train Station.

Police say there do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.

Chief Superintendent Nick Adderley, from Greater Manchester Police, said: "While formal identification has not taken place we believe this is the body of missing Adam Pickup. His family has been informed.

Adam left Fab Cafe in Portland Street and was seen later in Oxford Street

"This is a heart-breaking time for Adam's family and our thoughts are with them.

"Our initial indication is that that there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, however speculation as to what may have happened will not give the answers Adam's family is looking for.

"We will now carry out a thorough investigation which includes a post-mortem examination.

"We would like to thank the media and the wider public for all their support during this appeal, including on social media."

Two men who were earlier arrested have been released without charge.

Adam was known to have left Fab Cafe on Portland Street at around 3.20am on Saturday morning.

Police had earlier released CCTV footage showing Adam walking down nearby Oxford Street along with an unidentified man and woman, who officers had urged to come forward.

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10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Weather: Navy Chopper In Flooded Farm Rescue

Seven people and two dogs have been airlifted to safety by a Royal Navy helicopter after a farm was flooded during ongoing bad weather in Scotland.

The group - which included four children - were rescued from a farm in Closeburn, near Thornhill, by a helicopter team working with night vision goggles.

"We winched Petty Officer (Taff) Ashman down to the ground about 50 yards from a barn," said Lieutenant Commander Rob Suckling from the helicopter crew.

"We then moved away to find a good landing spot while PO Ashman made his way to the farm.

"No one was hurt and all seemed to be in pretty good spirits ... Apart from some low cloud on our way down to Dumfriesshire, conditions were benign and we managed to get the job done quickly."

The rescue came as Britain prepares for further storms. The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for rain on New Year's Day in southern England and western Scotland.

There are fears of localised flooding in the southwest and southeast of England as a storm blows in from the Atlantic today.

Flood warnings have been issued by the Environment Agency (EA) as areas yet to recover from Christmas storms are expected to struggle to cope with further rain.

A person struggles with an umbrella in Tonbridge, Kent

Met Office spokesman Dan Williams said: "It won't be on a par with the winds we've seen in some of the recent storms, but exposed areas of the western coast and some of the south coast will see speeds of 50 to 60mph.

"There could be a fair amount of rain in the south and south west of England, with 10-20mm falling fairly widely, and up to 40mm in coast areas."

Some 1,300 properties have been flooded during poor weather across England. EA flood defences have protected more than 80,000 other properties from damage.

The Local Government Association has urged people to look on council websites to keep updated with information.

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NHS: Migrants To Be Charged For A&E Care

By Darren McCaffrey, Sky Political Reporter

Visitors and migrants who use NHS accident and emergency services in England are to be charged, ministers have announced.

The move is part of an extension of the NHS charging strategy intended to deter so-called "health tourists" while trying to recoup up to £500m a year.

Critics have accused the Government of trying to grab headlines rather than helping the NHS.

Ministers say no-one will be turned away in an emergency, but there will be a bill to pay afterwards for those from overseas.

Health Minister Lord Howe said: "Having a universal health service free at the point of use rightly makes us the envy of the world, but we must make sure the system is fair to the hard-working British taxpayers who fund it.

"We know that we need to make changes across the NHS to better identify and charge visitors and migrants. Introducing charging at primary care is the first step to achieving this.

"We are already looking at taking action and next year we will set out our detailed plans to clamp down on the abuse of our NHS."

Doctors' leaders warned the proposed changes could cost more to administer than they would actually raise for the NHS while deterring some people desperately in need of treatment from seeking care.

Dr Mark Porter, chair of the British Medical Association (BMA) council, said: "This could mean the system of administering the new charging system will end up actually costing more to run than it collects in revenue."

The announcement has been timed less than 48 hours before restrictions on migrants from Bulgaria and Romania end.

A major influx of immigrants could put additional strain on the NHS and other public services.

Labour argue ministers are putting spin before substance.

Lord Hunt said: "Labour is in favour of improving the recovery of costs from people with no entitlement to NHS treatment. Rather than more grand-standing, the Government needs to deliver practical, thought-through changes to make that happen.

"Instead this out-of-touch government is left asking doctors and nurses to act as surrogate immigration officials."

Also under the proposed changes, migrants and overseas visitors will have to pay for primary care services such as minor surgery carried out by GPs, while prescription charges will be extended.

There will also be higher charges for services which are subsidised for patients entitled to free NHS treatment, such as optical and dental care.

But consultations with GPs and nurses will remain free of charge, to ensure initial access remains to prevent public health risks such as TB, HIV and sexually-transmitted infections.

Details of the scheme are still being worked out and ministers won't have a full plan until March.

But the Government will be hopping its crackdown down on health tourism will resonate home and abroad.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Northern Ireland Talks Resume As Deadline Looms

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

Northern Ireland's main political parties are making one final push to resolve three contentious issues which have long hampered the peace process.

The talks chairman, US diplomat Richard Haass, has set a deadline of noon on Monday for agreement on flags, parades and the legacy of the past.

He and his vice chair Meghan O'Sullivan - America's former deputy national security advisor on Iraq and Afghanistan - returned to Belfast on Saturday.

The talks were suspended in the early hours of Christmas Eve, but Dr Haass says the proposals on the table are "extraordinarily close" to gaining support.

He said: "At some point we have got to fish or cut bait, that time has come."

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Theresa Villiers said: "I'm sure all of us here in Northern Ireland wish the parties well in the final hours of the Haass process. I hope all sides will be able to show flexibility to make an agreement possible on these divisive issues.

"From my many conversations on this over recent days, I am encouraged about the prospects for agreement, although some key issues are yet to be resolved, particularly on the past."

Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness invited Dr Haass after weeks of unrest over flags and marches.

There were serious disturbances last December and January when Belfast City Council voted to limit the number of days the Union flag is flown on City Hall.

Theresa Villiers says she is 'encouraged' by the talks

Rioting flared during the summer marching season too when the Parades Commission prohibited an Orange Order return march at Ardoyne in north Belfast.

Agreement on when flags should be flown has proven most elusive and the parties may decide to defer that issue to another process after the next election.

They are said to be close to consensus on a new body for adjudicating where and when the loyal orders and republican groups are permitted to hold marches.

There is speculation that the bereaved and injured from The Troubles may be given a choice between continuing to pursue convictions or obtaining more information.

Some victims are concerned that the choice to obtain more information may come with some degree of immunity for those who provide details about their case.

The marathon session of talks will end six months of effort. Drs Haass and O'Sullivan have other projects and cannot return in January.

Fifteen years after The Good Friday Agreement, they are hopeful parties will find enough common ground to write the final chapter and turn peace on paper into peace in practice.

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10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ferry Rescue: Passenger Detained After Fire

A passenger suspected of starting a fire on board a ferry in the North Sea sparking an emergency evacuation has been detained by ship staff.

Inspector Andrew Dixon said: "It is unknown if the fire was started deliberately or accidentally.

"As a result of this incident the person suspected of causing the fire, or the person from the cabin where the fire occurred, be it deliberate or accidental, has been detained by ship staff ..."

Six people were winched to safety after suffering smoke inhalation.

The blaze began in the accommodation area of the MS King Seaways ferry soon after 10pm on Saturday.

Two RAF helicopters were scrambled to help injured passengers on the ferry, which was located about 30 miles east of Flamborough Head, near Scarborough.

The ferrry changed its course towards land (Pic: www.marinetraffic.com)

RAF Squadron Leader Dave Webster said 946 passengers and 127 crew were aboard the vessel when the blaze broke out.

"Thankfully the weather in the area is good. We haven't got any problems out in the North Sea with weather tonight - it's all been co-operative," he told Sky News.

"Winching from any large vessel is always demanding ... But we train for this every day, so thankfully it's almost second nature to the crews to be out doing this kind of activity."

The injured passengers were taken to Scarborough Hospital. The fire has been brought under control.

Two lifeboats from Bridlington and Filey have also been launched to assist the rescue, the RNLI said.

The rescue operation has been coordinated by the Humber Coastguard.

Bev Allen, Watch Manager at Humber Coastguard, said: "We have been in close contact with the MS King Seaways ... and sent resources to assist in the evacuation of those passengers and crew that were showing signs of smoke inhalation."

The ferry is operated by DFDS between North Shields and Ijmuiden in the Netherlands.

According to the DFDS Seaways website, the 26-year-old vessel has room for over 1,500 passengers and 600 cars.

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Anti-Smoking Campaign: New Ad Targets Addicts

By Gerard Tubb, Sky News Correspondent

Smokers are being targeted by a new TV advertising campaign which aims to scare them into giving up.

Graphic images of polluted blood flowing through the body of a smoker and damaging cells in his brain are used to reinforce the message that smoking increases the risk of dementia and strokes.

The campaign, funded by Public Health England, was launched by the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies.

"We know about the serious effect smoking has on the heart and lungs but smokers need to be aware of how much potential damage is being done to the brain and other vital organs through toxins in cigarettes entering the blood," she said.

"Smoking is the major cause of premature death, with one in two smokers dying prematurely from smoking related diseases, and it is extremely worrying that people still underestimate the health harms associated with it."

Government figures show more than one in five adults in the UK admits to smoking, at an estimated cost to the economy of £5bn per year in health costs, sick leave and lost productivity.

More than one in five adults in the UK admit to smoking

The TV advert, to be shown in England from tomorrow, along with a billboard advertising showing clotted blood dripping from a cigarette, has been welcomed by Joe Korner from The Stroke Association.

"It is well known that smoking harms our health but the link between smoking and stroke is less well known," he said.

"Stroke is a major cause of death and adult disability in the UK and you are twice as likely to have a stroke if you smoke. The more you smoke, the more your risk increases."

Smokers outside the Sant' Angelo restaurant in Wetherby in West Yorkshire who watched a preview of the advert said it encouraged them to consider giving up, or smoking less.

Jo Maltby, 40, has smoked for 20 years and says she tried to give up many times before.

"That probably would give me a bit more of an inclination to (give up) because I have children," she said.

"Obviously the more damage I do to myself the less chance they've got of me being around."

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10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Footballer Needs Face Surgery After Attack

An amateur footballer's face will have to be rebuilt after he was knocked unconscious and beaten during a night out.

Richie Robins is understood to have been set upon by up to half a dozen men as he apparently stepped in to protect a woman.

The 21-year-old, who is first team goalkeeper for non-league Wivenhoe Town FC and a former Colchester United youth team player, was knocked out and fell to the ground at the start of the attack.

Essex Police said the beating continued while the student was lying on the floor unconscious.

Detective Constable Seff Manesh appealed for witnesses to the attack, which happened outside a Subway shop in Queen Street, Colchester, at 3.30am on December 21, to come forward.

He said: "This young man had been out with his friends after returning home from university for the Christmas holiday.

"We are aware of a disturbance involving a large number of young men and are examining CCTV to establish what happened and who was involved.

"This student has sustained some very nasty-looking injuries which will affect him for the foreseeable future.

"We're looking to speak with those bystanders who saw what happened and what started the melee."

A spokesman for Wivenhoe FC, who play in the Eastern Counties League Premier Division, said Mr Robins suffered "severe" injuries including fractures to his eye socket and cheek bones.

He added: "Naturally, everyone at Wivenhoe Town FC sends Richie their best wishes for a speedy recovery and hope that the people responsible for attacking him are quickly brought to justice."

Mo Osman, chairman and manager at Wivenhoe Town, told the Colchester Gazette Mr Robins had gone to the aid of a woman who was being harassed. He said he had not been drinking as he had a match the next day.

After the incident, Mr Robins was taken to Colchester General Hospital by paramedics and was due to see a specialist surgeon this week.

Essex Police said there were about six attackers who were described as black and in their late teens and early 20s.

Officers have arrested a 19-year-old man from Colchester in connection with the incident. He has been released on police bail.

Witnesses have been asked to contact detectives at Colchester police station on 101.

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Greenpeace Activists Arrive Home From Russia

Five Britons detained in Russia as part of the so-called "Arctic 30" have arrived home in the UK.

The five were arrested amid claims of hooliganism following a protest about oil drilling, and held in jail for two months.

They have since been granted amnesty under a new Russian law.

Greenpeace member Anthony Perrett, 32, of Newport, South Wales, arrived in London with fellow activists Alex Harris and Phil Ball, crew member Iain Rogers and freelance videographer Kieron Bryan.

They left St Petersburg earlier today and arrived in Paris this afternoon before travelling to London's St Pancras station on Eurostar to be met by their families.

Ms Harris said being imprisoned had been "terrifying" but that she took comfort from knowing she was one of 29 other people in the same situation.

And she told Sky News she would not give up on the Arctic: "I've gone through a lot for this campaign, I'm not going to stop now."

The activists were onboard the Arctic Sunrise

Mr Perrett told reporters: "It has been a strange few months, but it is over now and it is good to be back. We're
very relieved to be home, it's good to be back and speaking English, which has been sorely missed."

Asked whether it had been worth it, he said: "Well, look at the media that's here today. We're trying to spread the word to save the Arctic and I think we have done that job fairly well."

Ms Harris said she thought the Russian government let the Arctic 30 go to avoid global criticism in the lead up to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

A sixth Briton, activist Frank Hewetson, has also been released and is travelling to another country.

The Arctic 30 - 28 activists and two freelance journalists - were arrested after Russian authorities boarded their ship, the Arctic Sunrise, during an anti-drilling demonstration in September.

The group were detained for protesting against an Arctic offshore oil rig owned by the Russian company Gazprom.

They were initially charged with piracy, but the charge was later changed to hooliganism.

They had their passports returned to them after being freed on bail by courts in St Petersburg, but initially did not have visas to leave Russia.

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Bargain Hunters Flock To Boxing Day Sales

Bargain hunters flock to the high streets in their thousands as shops open for the Boxing Day sales.

Keen shoppers started queuing before dawn to ensure they were first in line when the shops opened.

Harrods provided mugs of hot chocolate, smoked salmon canapes and blankets to keep people warm in the queue, while other stores provided entertainment for the eagerly-awaiting shoppers.

Hundreds of people crowded outside Selfridges on London's Oxford Street, with queues snaking around the block. 

There were separate queues for different brands and a large security presence to help manage the crowd before the doors opened at 9am.

A spokeswoman for Selfridges said 3,500 were lined up outside the store, with the first people arriving before midnight last night. 

Shopping habits are changing, according to analysts

Sue West, retail director at Selfridges, said Boxing Day was a "a very big day" as the store only had two sales per year. 

Department store Liberty offered designer goods at a fraction of their usual price, while both Next and Marks & Spencer boasted discounts of up to 50% on sale items.

Early figures show those venturing out for the sales was up 8 percent on last year. 

In the hours leading up to 10.00am, footfall to UK high streets increased by 3.4 per cent year on year, to retail parks by 5.7 per cent and shopping centres by 22 per cent, according to retail data experts Springboard.

However, online sales started early this year, on Christmas Eve, and were predicted to steal away some of the crowds. 

House of Fraser, Harvey Nichols, Debenhams and John Lewis were among those to launch their sales ahead of Boxing Day.

A survey by Barclaycard found that almost a third (31%) of shoppers had planned to scour the web for bargains on Christmas Day, but only 27% are expected to make the trip to the stores on Boxing Day.

Consumer expert Jasmine Birtles, from Moneymagpie.com, said it's an act of "desperation" that large brands are clamouring for Boxing Day sales.

She said: "I think it's a mark of desperation that even the big names are going, 'look, we're on sale now, come and spend your money with us before you spend it anywhere else'.

"Because I think the shops are very aware that people have limited budgets now and they want a piece of that budget before anyone else does." 

Some 117 million visits to retail websites were estimated to have been made on Wednesday in the UK, with Boxing Day's figure set to rise to over 118 million.

Experian predicts that between December 24 and 26, some 45 million hours would be spent shopping online.

By the end of December, it is estimated there will have been three billion visits to retail websites in the UK, which will set a new single-month record.

Today's online sales alone are expected to bring in around £472.5 million.

Robert Goodman, Bluewater's general manager, said the shopping centre had prepared for a "bumper Boxing Day" this year.

"With the strongest retail offer to date, and with 50 new brands launching with us this year, we are expecting visitor numbers to be on a par with Boxing Day last year.

"This will begin what is likely to be our busiest six days of the year."

James Murray, digital insight manager at Experian, said: "Christmas 2013 has consistently outperformed 2012 on virtually every single shopping day this December, with online visits from Christmas Eve through to Boxing Day up from last year, a record-breaking Cyber Monday and the emergence of the even busier Middle Cyber Monday.

"Shopping habits are changing, with Christmas Day becoming a significant shopping day during the period.

"As a result, we anticipate a more sustained shopping pattern during this period, moving away from the traditional peaks and troughs usually evident during holiday season."

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Lorry Collides With British Legion Club

A lorry has collided with a Royal British Legion club in the West Midlands, killing the driver.

West Midlands Police said there were no other reported injuries.

Emergency services were called to the scene in Wednesbury at around 8pm.

The lorry - delivering milk - collided with the side of the social club at the junction of High Bullen and Church Hill.

Customers were evacuated from inside the building "as a precaution", a police spokeswoman said.

The roads around the scene remained closed as emergency services made sure the building was safe.

The force spokeswoman said officers are in the process of trying to identify the lorry driver and inform his next of kin.

Police are keen to hear from any witnesses and asked them to contact West Midlands Police on 101.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Stafford: Motorist Arrested After Road Death

A 22-year-old motorist has been arrested after the body of an elderly man was found in the road in the early hours of Christmas Day.

The discovery was made at the junction of Shakespeare Road and Wordsworth Avenue on Stafford's Highfields estate at around 12.50am.

Specially-trained police officers were sent out to support the family of the elderly man, who has not been named.

The 22-year-old is being held on suspicion of being unfit to drive through either drink or drugs in connection with the death.

He is now being questioned as investigations are carried out at the scene.

The victim was found dead on Stafford's Highfields estate

Police want anyone who spotted a white van in the area, or saw or heard anything suspicious, to contact them.

A spokesman said: "The family of the elderly local man who died as a result of this tragic incident ... are being supported and kept informed about the progress of the investigation.

"We would ask that no names of the man who died are posted on to social media until the formal identification has been released so that the family affected can ensure all relatives and loved ones are informed first.

"We want to thank everyone affected by the road closures for their understanding and support at this difficult time."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Fox Hunts To Ride Out For Boxing Day Meets

Thousands of supporters are expected to attend Boxing Day hunts across the UK today as a poll shows 80% of people remain opposed to hunting with dogs for sport.

Some 250 hunts will ride out on the biggest day of the hunting calendar, some following an artificial scent while others are expected to hunt foxes within the law.

Groups of hunt saboteurs are also expected to be out in force, monitoring hunts they believe will try and flout the law and hunt foxes illegally.

The poll suggests opinions on hunting are the same in urban and rural areas

The survey commissioned by animal welfare organisation The League Against Cruel Sports reveals 80% of the public think hunting should not be made legal again.

In October, David Cameron had suggested he was sympathetic to calls by farmers demanding the right to use packs of hounds to flush foxes out of woodland to be shot.

Downing Street suggested it may introduce a government motion to amend the 2004 ban on hunting by relaxing rules that say farmers can only use two dogs to hunt.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said he was particularly worried about hill farmers who have suffered heavy losses of livestock that is threatening their livelihoods.

Joe Duckworth, chief executive of The League Against Cruel Sports, said: "Hunting is a sickeningly cruel blood sport, which, like us, the majority of the British public do not want brought back.

"Voting for repeal would be political suicide. We need to move forward as a nation, not backwards on matters of animal welfare."

The survey, carried out by Ipsos MORI, also suggests that on the issue of legalising fox hunting, there is no difference between people living in rural areas and those in urban areas.

Gavin Grant, chief executive of the RSPCA, which also commissioned the survey, said: "As a rural dweller I have always known that opposition to hunting with dogs has never been an issue of 'town versus country'. This poll proves it once and for all.

"The message to MPs is loud and clear. Hunting wild animals with dogs is unethical, inhumane and cruel."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Alan Turing: WWII Code-Breaker Granted Pardon

Second World War code-breaker Alan Turing has been given a posthumous royal pardon for a 61-year-old conviction for homosexual activity.

Dr Turing, who played a pivotal role in breaking the Enigma code, arguably shortening the war by at least two years, was chemically castrated following his conviction in 1952.

His conviction for "gross indecency" led to the removal of his security clearance and meant he was no longer able to work for Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) where he had continued to work following his service at Bletchley Park during the war.

Dr Turing, who died aged 41 in 1954 and is often described as the father of modern computing, has been granted a pardon - effective from today - under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy by the Queen following a request from Justice Secretary Chris Grayling.

He said: "Dr Alan Turing was an exceptional man with a brilliant mind. His brilliance was put into practice at Bletchley Park during the Second World War where he was pivotal to breaking the Enigma code, helping to end the war and save thousands of lives.

"His later life was overshadowed by his conviction for homosexual activity, a sentence we would now consider unjust and discriminatory and which has now been repealed.

"Dr Turing deserves to be remembered and recognised for his fantastic contribution to the war effort and his legacy to science. A pardon from the Queen is a fitting tribute to an exceptional man."

Dr Turing died of cyanide poisoning and an inquest recorded a verdict of suicide, although his mother and others maintained his death was accidental.

Bletchley Park was Britain's main decryption base during World War Two

There has been a long campaign to clear the mathematician's name, including an e-petition backed by 37,404 signatures and private member's bill, along with support from leading scientists such as Stephen Hawking.

The Justice Secretary has the power to ask the Queen to grant a pardon under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy for civilians convicted in England and Wales.

A pardon is only normally granted when the person is innocent of the offence and where a request has been made by someone with a vested interest such as a family member. But on this occasion a pardon has been issued without either requirement being met.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Alan Turing was a remarkable man who played a key role in saving this country in World War Two by cracking the German Enigma code.

"His action saved countless lives. He also left a remarkable national legacy through his substantial scientific achievements, often being referred to as the father of modern computing."

Iain Stewart, Conservative MP for Milton Keynes South, who was involved in the campaign to secure a royal pardon, said it was a "just reward  for a man who was stripped of his honour, his work and the loyalty he showed his nation".

The World War II Enigma decoding machine at Bletchley Park

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, president and vice chancellor of the University of Manchester, where Dr Turing had worked, also welcomed the news and said: "His legacy will live on as one of the most significant scientists of his or any other generation."

Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said the granting of the royal pardon was "long overdue" and called for the same treatment to be given to others convicted in similar circumstances.

A GCHQ spokesperson said: "We are delighted about the pardon and point to the personal tribute that Director GCHQ made to Alan Turing in a speech at the University of Leeds in Oct 2012.

"Sir Iain Lobban said at the time: 'If I had to single out one piece of Turing's legacy to GCHQ today, it would be the way that his contribution was part of the irrevocable change that turned the Code and Cypher School from being the mainly cryptanalytic bureau it was between the wars to becoming the highly technological intelligence organisation that GCHQ is today'."

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Queen's Speech: Monarch Reflects On 2013

By Paul Harrison, Royal correspondent

The Queen will reflect on key events of the past 12 months in her traditional Christmas broadcast, including the birth of her great-grandson Prince George and the 60th anniversary of her Coronation.

In her message, recorded earlier this month at Buckingham Palace, the 87-year-old Monarch will say: "We all need to get the balance right between action and reflection.

"With so many distractions, it is easy to forget to pause and take stock." 

The head of the Commonwealth will also use the theme of 'reflection' to look ahead to the Commonwealth Games being staged in Glasgow next year.

It is expected to be a full house at Sandringham this year with The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joining the family for the festivities, including the traditional Christmas Day church service.

It will be their son Prince George's first Christmas at the Norfolk estate.

The Monarch will reflect on the birth of her great-grandson, Prince George

The Queen will refer in her message to her growing family by saying "...the arrival of a baby gives everyone the chance to contemplate the future with renewed happiness and hope."

During the broadcast, behind-the-scenes footage will be shown for the first time of the photoshoot at Clarence House in October, shortly after the Christening of Prince George at the Chapel Royal.

One photograph taken was that of the Queen with the next three generations of monarchs including Princes Charles, William and George.

As the Queen speaks to the British people, and those of the Commonwealth, the historic photograph takes pride of place next to her at the Palace alongside a framed image of her father George VI and mother, the Queen Mother.

The Christmas address is written by the Queen and is one of the rare occasions when she does not turn to the Government for advice but is able to voice her own views.

It was this year recorded in Buckingham Palace's Blue Drawing Room which features a large Christmas tree decorated with coloured baubles.

During her message, the Queen is seated wearing a single crepe-wool primrose dress designed by Angela Kelly, which she wore to William and Kate's wedding in April 2011.

On her left shoulder is a diamond, ruby and sapphire brooch, a present from her parents to celebrate the birth of Charles in 1948, which she wore at George's Christening.

The message will be broadcast on Sky News at 3pm.

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Afghanistan: British Soldier Killed By Enemy Fire

A soldier from the Royal Engineers was killed in action under enemy fire east of Kabul, the Ministry of Defence has said.

A statement from the ministry said: "It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must announce the death of a soldier from the Royal Engineers in Afghanistan on 23 December, 2013.

"The serviceman was killed in action as a result of enemy fire whilst on operations east of Kabul."

Next of kin have been informed.

The death takes the number of UK service members who have lost their lives since operations began in Afghanistan in October 2001 to 447.

The majority of British forces are in Helmand Province, in the south of the country, but some also operate elsewhere, including in and around the capital, Kabul.

British combat troops are due to have left the country by the end of 2014.

There are just four bases remaining outside Camp Bastion, due to be closed down one by one in the new year, and the number of personnel has been reduced from 9,000 at the start of the year to around 5,200.

The Prime Minister, David Cameron, visited the base last week where he said that Afghanistan was "mission accomplished" and that British troops could return to the UK with their "heads held high".

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10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Alan Turing: WW2 Code-Breaker Granted Pardon

Second World War code-breaker Alan Turing has been given a posthumous royal pardon for a 61-year-old conviction for homosexual activity.

Dr Turing, who was pivotal in breaking the Enigma code, arguably shortening the Second World War by at least two years, was chemically castrated following his conviction in 1952.

His conviction for "gross indecency" led to the removal of his security clearance and meant he was no longer able to work for Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) where he had continued to work following service at Bletchley Park during the war.

There's been a long campaign to clear the mathematician's (far right) name

Dr Turing, who died aged 41 in 1954 and is often described as the father of modern computing, has been granted a pardon - effective from today - under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy by the Queen following a request from Justice Secretary Chris Grayling.

He said: "Dr Alan Turing was an exceptional man with a brilliant mind. His brilliance was put into practice at Bletchley Park during the Second World War where he was pivotal to breaking the Enigma code, helping to end the war and save thousands of lives.

"His later life was overshadowed by his conviction for homosexual activity, a sentence we would now consider unjust and discriminatory and which has now been repealed.

"Dr Turing deserves to be remembered and recognised for his fantastic contribution to the war effort and his legacy to science. A pardon from the Queen is a fitting tribute to an exceptional man."

Dr Turing died of cyanide poisoning and an inquest recorded a verdict of suicide, although his mother and others maintained his death was accidental.

Bletchley Park was Britain's main decryption base during World War Two

There has been a long campaign to clear the mathematician's name, including an e-petition backed by 37,404 signatures and private member's bill, along with support from leading scientists such as Sir Stephen Hawking.

The Justice Secretary has the power to ask the Queen to grant a pardon under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy, for civilians convicted in England and Wales.

A pardon is only normally granted when the person is innocent of the offence and where a request has been made by someone with a vested interest such as a family member. But on this occasion a pardon has been issued without either requirement being met.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Alan Turing was a remarkable man who played a key role in saving this country in World War Two by cracking the German Enigma code.

"His action saved countless lives. He also left a remarkable national legacy through his substantial scientific achievements, often being referred to as the father of modern computing."

Iain Stewart, Conservative MP for Milton Keynes South, who was involved in the campaign to secure a royal pardon, said it was a "just reward  for a man who was stripped of his honour, his work, and the loyalty he showed his nation".

The World War II Enigma decoding machine at Bletchley Park

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, president and vice chancellor of the University of Manchester, where Dr Turing had worked, also welcomed the news and said: "His legacy will live on as one of the most significant scientists of his or any other generation."

Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said that the granting of the royal pardon was "long overdue" and called for the same treatment to be given to others convicted in similar circumstances.

A GCHQ spokesperson said: " We are delighted about the pardon and point to the personal tribute that Director GCHQ made to Alan Turing in a speech at the University of Leeds in Oct 2012.

"Sir Iain Lobban said at the time: 'If I had to single out one piece of Turing's legacy to GCHQ today, it would be the way that his contribution was part of the irrevocable change that turned the Code and Cypher School from being the mainly cryptanalytic bureau it was between the wars to becoming the highly technological intelligence organisation that GCHQ is today'."

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Syria 'Must Answer' For Brit Surgeon's Death

The Prime Minister has called for those responsible for the death of a British surgeon while in custody in Syria to be held to account.

He wrote a letter to Abbas Khan's mother Fatima on Friday, describing her son's death as an "appalling tragedy".

It reads: "Abbas' death is a sickening and appalling tragedy and it is right that the Syrian regime should answer for it.

Fatima Khan at Heathrow Airport after returning with her son's body

"Their despicable treatment of him and refusal to engage with us or the Czechs to enable us to support him is utterly unacceptable.

"We will continue to press for those responsible to be held to account."

Married father-of-two Dr Khan, 32, was arrested more than a year ago after travelling to the rebel-held city of Aleppo to treat injured civilians.

His family believe he was abused while in custody and have blamed the Syrian regime for his death, despite claims by authorities in Damascus that he took his own life.

The orthopaedic surgeon was on the verge of being released from prison and being allowed home for Christmas.

Mrs Khan and Abbas' brother Afroze arrived at London's Heathrow Airport from Beirut on the plane carrying his coffin, which has been taken to Romford Hospital.

She accused the Assad regime of murdering her son.

Dr Abbas Khan died while being held in custody in Syria

She said: "I don't know why they killed my son. I want to ask why on the release date they killed my son. I want answers why they killed my son.

"They are liars, every ministry there in Damascus is full of lies. They killed my son.

"He was in a civilian prison and on Friday it was a holiday in Damascus... and they went and picked him up, a helpless guy, brought him, kept him two days, tortured him more and they killed him Monday morning."

Abbas' brother Shahnawaz and sister Sara told Sky News the family felt let down by British authorities.

He said: "Everything that the Syrian government has done over these past 13 months to us has been arduous and has inflicted much insult upon us.

"I guess this was their final attempt to inflict as much misery upon us as they could."

He also dismissed allegations the surgeon had jihadi links and had "picked sides" in the Syrian civil war.

David Cameron described Abbas Khan's death as "sickening"

Sara Khan added: "We want the British Government to help the family in getting those answers from the Syrians as somebody needs to own up for this absolutely cruel injustice that has been done to my brother."

Michael Mansfield QC, a criminal barrister who has been advising the Khan family, said: "Once his body is taken to the place of burial...the coroner for that area - because it is a sudden, unnatural and violent death - has an obligation to investigate.

"Dr Khan was due to be released within two or three days, it's most unlikely that someone with the prospect of freedom having been incarcerated for 13 months would take their own life."

A Foreign Office (FCO) spokesman said on Sunday: "Responsibility for Dr Khan's death lies with the Syrian authorities and we are pressing for answers about what happened."

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Rolf Harris Faces Three More Assault Charges

Rolf Harris is to be prosecuted over three more allegations of indecent assault, including one relating to a seven or eight-year-old girl.

Harris already faces 13 other counts after being charged on August 29, 2013.

The Crown Prosecution Service said the first new charge is one offence of indecent assault of a 19-year-old girl in 1984 - the same complainant as six of the existing charges.

The other new charges are one offence of indecent assault of a girl aged seven or eight, in 1968 or 1969, and one offence of indecent assault of a girl aged 14, in 1975. 

Harris, 83, will next appear at London's Southwark Crown Court for a plea and case management hearing on January 14.

His trial is scheduled to begin on April 30.

The 13 original charges against the Australian-born artist, musician and TV presenter relate to nine allegations of indecent assault and four of making indecent images of a child.

Harris was arrested by officers working on Operation Yewtree, the national investigation launched after abuse claims were made against Jimmy Savile, but the allegations against him have no connection to Savile.

He is currently on bail on the conditions that he does not contact prosecution witnesses, lives at his home address and does not spend time with anyone under 18 without being accompanied by someone over 21.

Harris, who has lived in Bray, Berkshire, for more than 50 years, has been in the public eye for decades.

He fronted the popular TV programme Animal Hospital and had several musical hits.

He painted a portrait of the Queen in 2005 and performed at her Diamond Jubilee concert last year.

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Search For Woman Swept Out To Sea Called Off

A major search for a woman believed to have been swept out to sea has been called off due to appalling weather.

Coastguard rescue officers, lifeboat crews, police and a helicopter looked for the 36 year old in the Brighton beach area through the night and during first light.

But they were unable to locate her amid "very difficult and dangerous weather", said police.

Sussex officers called Solent maritime rescue centre at 2.24am saying a woman had gone into the water opposite the Digital nightclub, just west of the town's Palace Pier.

After leaving the seafront club she had walked along the beach with a man she knew and then she ran into the sea and was almost immediately swept off by a large wave, officers said.

The coastguard said both people were believed to have gone into the water and one managed to get back out while the other was taken out to sea.

The woman had been at a nightclub before she went in the water

A police spokesman said: "The man tried to grab her but was unable to drag her to safety.

"Police officers arrived within minutes and, together with club staff and her friend, approached the sea edge.

"But the woman was being washed further away and was inaccessible due to the very heavy sea conditions.

"Coastguards swiftly assisted the search by land and sea but the body has not, so far, been recovered and the immediate search has been discontinued at this time."

Solent Coastguard said: "We conducted a thorough search of the area and nothing was found. The conditions down there are appalling. It's force eight with severe gale warnings."

Police do not know why the woman, believed to be from Brighton, ran into the water and the incident was not being treated as suspicious.

Her next of kin have been contacted by family liaison officers.

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Migrants: Cameron Warned UK Faces Isolation

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

The Bulgarian President has warned David Cameron that he risks being judged by history as a Prime Minister who has isolated the UK and damaged its reputation.

Rosen Plevneliev said his countrymen were watching Britain's immigration debate unfold and raising questions about the "democratic, tolerant and humane British society".

It comes as Nick Clegg says the Lib Dems will not accept any further curbs to migrants and a Tory backbencher warns that the rhetoric on immigration could stop non-white people voting Conservative.

The stinging criticism - in an interview with The Observer newspaper - comes just 10 days before transitional controls on Romanian and Bulgarian migrants are lifted.

The Observer leads with a rebuke by the Bulgarian President

Some think-tanks have warned that 50,000 people could arrive from the two countries each year.

Mr Cameron has reacted to concerns about the move with a string of interventions including to limit access to benefits for those travelling to the UK.

And at the European Council meeting in Brussels this week he threatened to veto the EU accession of new countries such as Albania and Serbia without strict new immigration rules.

One idea put forward by the PM is to set a GDP limit below which countries will not be given free movement of labour if they join the EU.

Mr Plevneliev said he feared for the safety of Bulgarians in Britain. He said "iron curtains" should not remain in the 20th century, arguing that this was a time to bring down walls, not to build them.

"Mr Cameron should never forget that a politician is remembered in history not with the everyday business," he said.

Mr Clegg makes his comments in the Sunday Times. He has supported the crackdown on benefits for immigrants saying the right to move and work is not the same as the right to claim.

"But this is where we draw the line," he says, rejecting talk of "arbitrary" caps on EU nationals. That was a policy idea being considered by the Home Office that was leaked to the media in recent weeks.

Mr Clegg's party is traditionally liberal on immigration and did support an amnesty for illegal immigrants before the last election. But public fears have led the Lib Dems to drop the pledge, admitting that public trust in the immigration system is broken and it would be asking too much.

Mark Field, a Conservative backbencher, has also entered the debate saying the tough talk on immigration could turn off non-white voters.

He has warned Mr Cameron not to repeat the mistakes made by Mitt Romney, the US Republican candidate, in 2012. He said failure to reach out to the Hispanic community had meant it had failed to understand his stance on immigration.

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London Bus Crash Leaves 32 Passengers Injured

A bus has crashed into a tree in south London, injuring 32 passengers, seven seriously, say police.

The accident happened around 10.50am on Kennington Road near the Imperial War Museum, while the number 59 bus was en route to King's Cross.

Emergency services said several passengers had to be freed from the wreckage.

A 19-year-old woman and a man were the last to be rescued and are among those most badly hurt. 

Kennington Road has been closed and several bus routes redirected

Clive Robinson, from London Fire Brigade, said workers had to cut through the bodywork of the bus to free several passengers. Ladders were used to reach those on the top deck.

"The actual floor of the bus was starting to collapse and we had to shore that up," he said. 

Earlier, police reported that two people were in a critical condition.

Among the injured were two police officers

Among the injured were two police officers who had been travelling on the bus. They were taken to hospital - one with a suspected broken arm. 

Kevin Brown, of the London Ambulance Service, said the injuries ranged from bumps and bruises to serious limb and head injuries. 

Aerial footage from the scene showed the front of the bus, operated by Arriva, collapsed around the trunk of a tree.

The TfL have promised a 'thorough' investigation into the crash

Transport for London said there will be a thorough investigation.

Mike Weston, TfL's director for buses, said: "Our first concern is, of course, for the driver, passengers and others involved in this incident.

"There will be a thorough investigation into this incident as a matter of urgency."

Police are still unsure what caused the crash

Police say they still do not know what caused the crash and will be viewing CCTV footage from inside the bus.

Chief Superintendent Glyn Jones said: "At this stage we don't know what's caused the collision - that is subject to an ongoing investigation." 

Kennington Road was closed in both directions with routes 3, 59, 159 and 360 on diversion. 

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Rochdale Men Jailed For Sexually Grooming Girl

By Nick Martin, Sky News Correspondent

Five men who sexually exploited a 15-year-old girl in Rochdale have been jailed for a total of 26-and-a-half years.

The majority of the defendants were first arrested last year after a separate trial at Liverpool Crown Court revealed a largely Pakistani-heritage child sex ring abusing white girls in the town.

The victim, now aged 20, was described as having a "chaotic early life" who would drink to excess, take drugs, stay out late and sniff lighter fluid and self harm. She spent several years in care before returning to her mother's house where her drink and drug taking continued.

Manchester Minshull Crown Court heard that many of her abusers plied her with vodka and cannabis before committing their offences in 2008 and 2009.

Congolese refugee Freddie Kendakumana, 27, of Illminster, Rochdale, was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years for rape and sexual activity with a child.

Mohammed Rafiq Abubaker, 32, of Freehold, Rochdale was jailed for two-and-a-half years for sexual activity with a child, whilst takeaway worker Roheez Khan, 27, of Ashfield Road, Rochdale, was sentenced to six-and-a-half years for sexual activity with a child and witness intimidation.

A fourth man, Chola Chansa, 33, of Illminster, Rochdale, was jailed for five years for sexual activity with a child.

Taxi driver Abdul Huk, 37, of Ouldfield Close, Rochdale, was sentenced to four years for sexual activity with a child.

Questions have been asked after it was revealed that Kendakumana had been arrested and interviewed before by Greater Manchester police (GMP).

The Rochdale victim in this case was not linked to men convicted last year

In December 2008 the girl complained to police that she had been raped the previous month.

The girl was told at the time by an interviewing male officer to stay away from Kendakumana while the investigation continued. But Sky News understands social care and health professionals dealing with the youngster failed to pass on her other reports in 2008 and 2009 that she was having consensual sexual contact with older men whom she labelled "boyfriends".

Kendakumana was finally charged, along with his co-defendants, in October 2012 - nearly four years after the girl made the initial rape complaints as several men went on to abuse her in the intervening period.

From the end of 2008 to October 2011, the girl had undergone a total of 23 video-recorded police interviews.

The victim was first prompted to go to the police on the advice of a health support worker when she disclosed that Kendakumana was sexually forcing himself on her.

There was no suggestion that the victim had been "passed around" by the different men, although some were known to each other, the court heard.

In a victim impact statement, read out in court, she wrote: "I look back on the years I was drinking and hanging around with these men and see that this period has impacted on my education and what exams I failed to pass, this has followed into my adult life.

"I think a lot about that period of my life, I sometimes blame others like my mum, social services and the men, but I sometimes blame myself," she said.

In May last year, nine men were jailed for the systematic grooming and sexual abuse of five girls - aged between 13 and 15 - in Heywood and Rochdale. Their trial at Liverpool Crown Court resulted in a national debate over the role of gangs of largely Pakistani-heritage men in grooming white girls.

A subsequent report from child safeguarding chiefs ruled that social workers, police and prosecutors had missed opportunities to stop the exploitation in Heywood and Rochdale.

Social workers in Rochdale were criticised for their approach to dealing with underage girls who were deemed to be "making their own choices" in engaging in consensual sex.

Although the girl in the latest court proceedings was being abused at about the same time, she had no known links with any of the defendants who were jailed at Liverpool Crown Court.

The convicted men in the Manchester trials came from a range of nationalities - Kendakumana and Chansa are from Congo, Abubaker is a Kurd, while Huk and Khan are believed to be of Pakistani heritage.

Several knew each other but it was not the prosecution case that they all acted as an organised gang.

The case has been voluntarily referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

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Rochdale Sex Abuse Review To Level Criticism

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

A report into a series of child sex abuse cases in Rochdale is expected to level strong criticism at police and social workers.

It follows a high-profile court case last year which involved a sex trafficking gang who preyed on vulnerable young girls.

The victims had been plied with alcohol and drugs before being passed around a group of men who were largely of Pakistani origin.

Rochdale Council and Greater Manchester Police have already apologised for the way they handled the cases and fears have been raised in the town that dozens of victims may have slipped through the net.

Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk said the review has taken too long

The serious case review findings come as five men who also sexually exploited a "profoundly vulnerable and damaged" 15-year-old girl in Rochdale are due to be sentenced.

Again in this case the victim's abusers plied her with alcohol and cannabis before committing their offences.

One man was originally arrested on suspicion of rape in 2008 and freed after the girl was told by police not to have further dealings with him.

He was finally re-arrested four years later. Several men had gone on to abuse the teenager in the intervening years.

Authorities involved in the care of Rochdale's vulnerable children say they have learned lessons but the education department is expected to be critical of today's report from the town's Safeguarding Children Board.

Rochdale's MP Simon Danczuk has been campaigning for a better response to the problem from Greater Manchester Police in particular.

He told Sky News: "I'm very frustrated that it's taken so long. They should have started a serious case review straight after the trial in Rochdale and that would have ensured that we could have moved on from it much more quickly.

"There's no doubt about it, this grooming case has cast a very negative shadow right across Rochdale for far too long."

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Adebolajo's Brother Refuses To Condemn Murder

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

The brother of Woolwich killer Michael Adebolajo has refused to condemn the murder of Lee Rigby.

Jeremiah Adebolajo told Sky News: "My brother's blood is no more expensive than the blood of an Afghan child, and I think Lee Rigby's blood is no more expensive than an Iraqi child."

When asked if he had any regrets over the murder in Woolwich, Mr Adebolajo replied: "My main regret is that foreign troops are in the land of the Muslims."

Like his brother, Mr Adebolajo believes the foreign policies of the UK and US justify direct action against British soldiers, who they believe are "enemy combatants".

The brothers grew up in Romford, Essex, with their parents and sisters.

Adebolajo was intercepted by Kenyan military trying to enter Somalia

Mr Adebolajo said: "We had a fairly ordinary upbringing. We grew up as any other Nigerian young men do I guess in east London, nothing extraordinary.

"My parents were protestant Christians. As you can imagine with most African parents, they consider religion to be something of great importance and we were no different."

Of his brother he said: "He was always concerned I guess with morality. He was a happy guy, he's a bit of a joker.

"A very athletic individual. He loves sports, football. He is an Arsenal fan."

Michael Adebolajo converted to Islam in his first year at the University of Greenwich, his brother said.

His brother said: "I don't think that there was a particular moment when he said 'I have become a Muslim'.

Lee Rigby was murdered in Woolwich on May 22

"It was a gradual change we saw in him in which he became more devoted, more practising."

Michael Adebolajo started joining street protests. In 2006 he was arrested and jailed for 51 days for assaulting two police officers when a demonstration turned violent outside the Old Bailey.

His brother, who also converted, rejects the assumption that Adebolajo was radicalised by prominent figures such as Anjem Choudray.

Jeremiah Adebolajo said: "The media have taken this line that we have a disenfranchised young Christian boy who was radicalised by these bogeymen figures, Anjem Choudary, Omar Bakri, it is a simplistic narrative.

"The truth is they had no ideological influence over my brother, none at all."

In 2010, Michael Adebolajo left his family in London and travelled to Kenya hoping to get into Somalia.

Adebolajo and Adebowale will be sentenced in January

It is widely reported he was trying to join al Shabaab but was intercepted by the Kenyan military and then deported back to the UK.

The British security services had a hand in his repatriation to Britain and were trying to recruit Adebolajo to work with them.

His brother said: "I think the public have a right to ask the security services why they brought him back when he wanted to live there under Islamic law."

Jeremiah Adebolajo also now lives abroad working as an English teacher at a university in Saudi Arabia, but has returned to London for the trial at the Old Bailey.

He has visited his brother inside HMP Belmarsh several times, most recently last Saturday.

Mr Adebolajo claimed that Michael was attacked by prison officers who knocked out the killer's front teeth during his time in prison.

He said: "It was five guys who attacked him. One of the reasons he doesn't want to get them (his teeth) fixed is because he doesn't want to hide it.

"My brother is the kind of guy that if we were young we would have a fight, he could get your teeth knocked out so it is not a huge major big deal."

On Thursday, the union for prison workers, POA, said in a statement that all five officers had been exonerated with the Crown Prosecution Service deciding there was no case to answer.

When challenged about the murder of Lee Rigby, Mr Adebolajo said he understood the condemnation of the public but added "we have to think about the reasons for these actions".

He said: "The young lady in Afghanistan who was raped and killed and burned alive by American soldiers, do you think her parents felt something similar to the parents of Lee Rigby?

"There is a danger in dehumanising Afghanistanis.

"My brother is under no illusion that his actions are going to have an overarching effect on foreign policy. He considers himself a soldier."

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Ian Watkins Gets 35 Years For Sex Offences

Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has been given a 35-year sentence for 13 sex offences, including the attempted rape of a baby.

Watkins, 36, shook uncontrollably as he was handed down the sentence at Cardiff Crown Court, and it was greeted by shouts of "yes" from the public gallery.

Two female co-defendants, aged 21 and 25, were also sentenced for various sex offences, with 'Mother A' given 14 years in jail and 'Mother B' given 17 years. They cannot be named for legal reasons.

Watkins was convicted of sexually touching a groupie's 11-month-old baby, then trying to have sex with the child. He also encouraged a second fan to abuse her child during a webcam chat and secretly stashed child porn videos, some of which he had made himself.

Justice Royce QC told Watkins and the two co-defendants, "what you three did plumbs new depths of depravity".

He said the singer had a "dark and sinister side" and the gravity of his offences "breaks new ground".

Watkins with his former bandmates

"You had many fawning fans. That gave you power. You knew you could use that power to induce young female fans to have help satisfy your insatiable lust and take part in the sexual abuse of their own children," he said. 

"Away from the highlights of your public performances lay a dark and sinister side."

Earlier, he said Watkins had a "high risk of causing emotional and sexual harm to children and to women".

Sentencing Watkins to a combined jail term of 29 years, he told him that he was being given an extended sentence.

That means he will serve two-thirds of the term behind bars before being released.

On his release in around 20 years' time he would normally have been on licence for the remainder of the 29-year term. The judge, however, added an additional six years on licence and told him: "Your total sentence, therefore, is one of 35 years."

Watkins performing at the Reading Festival in 2010

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Doyle, who is heading up a hunt for potential further victims, described Watkins as a "committed, organised paedophile".

"My view of him as an individual is that he has shown no empathy, no sympathy or any remorse for what he has done," he said. 

"It's as if he just doesn't care. He has shown no remorse at any time. In my view, that potentially makes him the most dangerous sex offender I have ever seen."

Mr Doyle said Watkins committed the worst kind of offending and specifically targeted babies. 

He said: "Offending against children does not get any worse. We are not talking about children of any age here, we are talking about babies. I don't know what he is not capable of."

The abuse is thought to be so widespread that investigating officers have since launched a nationwide appeal for other potential victims to come forward - and are pursuing new leads after receiving a flurry of calls.

Watkins performing at the Download Festival in 2008

Mr Doyle told Sky News the force is working with Homeland Security in the US, Interpol and police in Germany to identify if any other children have been abused by Watkins.

"I think that it is likely that there will be further matters put to him, and others, in due course," he said. 

The Independent Police Complaints Commission, which is investigating whether the force failed to act quickly enough after tip-offs about Watkins, has said it will now also look into South Yorkshire and Bedfordshire forces.

The IPCC said it is investigating the effectiveness of the responses by South Yorkshire, Bedfordshire and South Wales forces to reports of abuse made to them between 2008 and 2012.

Earlier today, the court heard Watkins spoke with a female fan from prison the day after admitting two counts of attempted baby rape and said he intended to issue a statement when he was sentenced saying it had all been "mega lolz".

In the conversation, Watkins denied being a paedophile and expressed exasperation at the way people had reacted to his guilty pleas.

Using text-speak, he said: "I'm going to put out a statement on the 18th just to say it was mega lolz.

"I do not know what everybody is getting so freaked out about."

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HMRC Failing To Pursue Big Business, MPs Warn

By Gerard Tubb, Sky News Correspondent

The tax man is too keen to chase small businesses for unpaid tax and is not doing enough to prosecute multi-national firms, according to MPs.

The Public Accounts Committee claimed Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not know how much tax is lost through aggressive tax avoidance and said it should be more willing to pursue prosecutions.

The committee's chair, Margaret Hodge MP, said: "HMRC has not clearly demonstrated that it is on the side of the majority of taxpayers who pay their taxes in full."

She accused the department of allowing the Tax Gap, the theoretical amount that is not collected, to grow by £1bn in 2011/12 and of not doing enough about it.

She said: "HMRC holds back from using the full range of sanctions at its disposal.

"It pursues tax owed by the smaller businesses but seems to lose its nerve when it comes to mounting prosecutions against multinational corporations."

The committee's report said inspectors should be "more willing... to test the boundaries of the law".

"HMRC has not attempted to gather intelligence about how much tax revenue is lost through aggressive tax avoidance schemes," it claimed.

The focus on tax avoidance follows on from high profile cases like Starbucks - which was revealed last year to have only reported taxable profit in the UK once in 15 years.

The company has since promised to pay £20m.

In a statement a spokesman for HMRC said it "strongly disputes the conclusions in the Public Accounts Committee report and challenges the committee's selective and misleading use of figures".

The department said it had secured more than £50bn of additional tax from compliance work since 2010, including £23bn from large businesses.

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Jayden Parkinson: Police Find Body In A Grave

Police searching for missing teenager Jayden Parkinson say they have found a body in a cemetery grave in Didcot, Oxfordshire.

The 17-year-old disappeared on December 3 after she was last seen leaving the town's railway station.

Formal identification of the body has yet to take place but police believe the remains are of the missing teenager.

Police made the discovery in All Saints Church in Didcot

In a statement, Thames Valley Police said: "We can confirm that we have found a body in a recently disturbed grave in the cemetery of All Saints Church, Didcot.

"The body is believed to be that of missing teenager Jayden Parkinson. A formal identification has yet to take place.

"Officers and forensic scientists will continue to work at the cemetery throughout the night and into the next day.

"Jayden's family has been informed and is being supported by specially trained officers.

Ben Blakely leaves court charged with Jayden's murder

"Our thoughts are with them at this extremely difficult and distressing time."

More than 100 uniformed officers and detectives have been working on the case, backed up by specialists from the National Crime Agency, since she disappeared.

Yesterday, the man leading the investigation, Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Murray, said police had received "significant and highly relevant information" which led their search efforts to a specific grave in the churchyard.

Throughout today there has been a large police presence at the church, with forensic teams unloading equipment from vehicles and carrying it into the cemetery where a meticulous and careful search has been carried out.

Jayden's former boyfriend, 22-year-old Ben Blakeley, of Reading, has appeared at Oxford Crown Court charged with her murder and perverting the course of justice.

A 17-year-old youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has also been charged with perverting the course of justice between December 3 and December 10 by assisting in the disposal of Jayden's body and other evidence.

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06.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ian Watkins Gets 35 Years For Sex Offences

Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has been given a 35-year sentence for 13 sex offences, including the attempted rape of a baby.

Watkins, 36, shook uncontrollably as he was handed down the sentence at Cardiff Crown Court, and it was greeted by shouts of "yes" from the public gallery.

Two female co-defendants, aged 21 and 25, were also sentenced for various sex offences, with 'Mother A' given 14 years in jail and 'Mother B' given 17 years. They cannot be named for legal reasons.

Watkins was convicted of sexually touching a groupie's 11-month-old baby, then trying to have sex with the child. He also encouraged a second fan to abuse her child during a webcam chat and secretly stashed child porn videos, some of which he had made himself.

Justice Royce QC told Watkins and the two co-defendants, "what you three did plumbs new depths of depravity".

He said the singer had a "dark and sinister side" and the gravity of his offences "breaks new ground".

Watkins with his former bandmates

"You had many fawning fans. That gave you power. You knew you could use that power to induce young female fans to have help satisfy your insatiable lust and take part in the sexual abuse of their own children," he said. 

"Away from the highlights of your public performances lay a dark and sinister side."

Earlier, he said Watkins had a "high risk of causing emotional and sexual harm to children and to women".

Sentencing Watkins to a combined jail term of 29 years, he told him that he was being given an extended sentence.

That means he will serve two-thirds of the term behind bars before being released.

On his release in around 20 years' time he would normally have been on licence for the remainder of the 29-year term. The judge, however, added an additional six years on licence and told him: "Your total sentence, therefore, is one of 35 years."

Watkins performing at the Reading Festival in 2010

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Doyle, who is heading up a hunt for potential further victims, described Watkins as a "committed, organised paedophile".

"My view of him as an individual is that he has shown no empathy, no sympathy or any remorse for what he has done," he said. 

"It's as if he just doesn't care. He has shown no remorse at any time. In my view, that potentially makes him the most dangerous sex offender I have ever seen."

Mr Doyle said Watkins committed the worst kind of offending and specifically targeted babies. 

He said: "Offending against children does not get any worse. We are not talking about children of any age here, we are talking about babies. I don't know what he is not capable of."

The abuse is thought to be so widespread that investigating officers have since launched a nationwide appeal for other potential victims to come forward - and are pursuing new leads after receiving a flurry of calls.

Watkins performing at the Download Festival in 2008

Mr Doyle told Sky News the force is working with Homeland Security in the US, Interpol and police in Germany to identify if any other children have been abused by Watkins.

"I think that it is likely that there will be further matters put to him, and others, in due course," he said. 

The Independent Police Complaints Commission, which is investigating whether the force failed to act quickly enough after tip-offs about Watkins, has said it will now also look into South Yorkshire and Bedfordshire forces.

The IPCC said it is investigating the effectiveness of the responses by South Yorkshire, Bedfordshire and South Wales forces to reports of abuse made to them between 2008 and 2012.

Earlier today, the court heard Watkins spoke with a female fan from prison the day after admitting two counts of attempted baby rape and said he intended to issue a statement when he was sentenced saying it had all been "mega lolz".

In the conversation, Watkins denied being a paedophile and expressed exasperation at the way people had reacted to his guilty pleas.

Using text-speak, he said: "I'm going to put out a statement on the 18th just to say it was mega lolz.

"I do not know what everybody is getting so freaked out about."

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06.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Jayden Parkinson: Police Find Body In A Grave

Police searching for missing teenager Jayden Parkinson say they have found a body in a cemetery grave in Didcot, Oxfordshire.

The 17-year-old disappeared on December 3 after she was last seen leaving the town's railway station.

Formal identification of the body has yet to take place but police believe the remains are of the missing teenager.

Police made the discovery in All Saints Church in Didcot

In a statement, Thames Valley Police said: "We can confirm that we have found a body in a recently disturbed grave in the cemetery of All Saints Church, Didcot.

"The body is believed to be that of missing teenager Jayden Parkinson. A formal identification has yet to take place.

"Officers and forensic scientists will continue to work at the cemetery throughout the night and into the next day.

"Jayden's family has been informed and is being supported by specially trained officers.

Ben Blakely leaves court charged with Jayden's murder

"Our thoughts are with them at this extremely difficult and distressing time."

More than 100 uniformed officers and detectives have been working on the case, backed up by specialists from the National Crime Agency, since she disappeared.

Yesterday, the man leading the investigation, Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Murray, said police had received "significant and highly relevant information" which led their search efforts to a specific grave in the churchyard.

Throughout today there has been a large police presence at the church, with forensic teams unloading equipment from vehicles and carrying it into the cemetery where a meticulous and careful search has been carried out.

Jayden's former boyfriend, 22-year-old Ben Blakeley, of Reading, has appeared at Oxford Crown Court charged with her murder and perverting the course of justice.

A 17-year-old youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has also been charged with perverting the course of justice between December 3 and December 10 by assisting in the disposal of Jayden's body and other evidence.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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06.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ian Watkins Gets 35 Years For Sex Offences

Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has been given a 35-year sentence for 13 sex offences, including the attempted rape of a baby.

Watkins, 36, shook uncontrollably as he was handed down the sentence at Cardiff Crown Court, and it was greeted by shouts of "yes" from the public gallery.

Two female co-defendants, aged 21 and 25, were also sentenced for various sex offences, with 'Mother A' given 14 years in jail and 'Mother B' given 17 years. They cannot be named for legal reasons.

Watkins was convicted of sexually touching a groupie's 11-month-old baby, then trying to have sex with the child. He also encouraged a second fan to abuse her child during a webcam chat and secretly stashed child porn videos, some of which he had made himself.

Justice Royce QC told Watkins and the two co-defendants, "what you three did plumbs new depths of depravity".

He said the singer had a "dark and sinister side" and the gravity of his offences "breaks new ground".

Watkins with his former bandmates

"You had many fawning fans. That gave you power. You knew you could use that power to induce young female fans to have help satisfy your insatiable lust and take part in the sexual abuse of their own children," he said. 

"Away from the highlights of your public performances lay a dark and sinister side."

Earlier, he said Watkins had a "high risk of causing emotional and sexual harm to children and to women".

Sentencing Watkins to a combined jail term of 29 years, he told him that he was being given an extended sentence.

That means he will serve two-thirds of the term behind bars before being released.

On his release in around 20 years' time he would normally have been on licence for the remainder of the 29-year term. The judge, however, added an additional six years on licence and told him: "Your total sentence, therefore, is one of 35 years."

Watkins performing at the Reading Festival in 2010

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Doyle, who is heading up a hunt for potential further victims, described Watkins as a "committed, organised paedophile".

"My view of him as an individual is that he has shown no empathy, no sympathy or any remorse for what he has done," he said. 

"It's as if he just doesn't care. He has shown no remorse at any time. In my view, that potentially makes him the most dangerous sex offender I have ever seen."

Mr Doyle said Watkins committed the worst kind of offending and specifically targeted babies. 

He said: "Offending against children does not get any worse. We are not talking about children of any age here, we are talking about babies. I don't know what he is not capable of."

The abuse is thought to be so widespread that investigating officers have since launched a nationwide appeal for other potential victims to come forward - and are pursuing new leads after receiving a flurry of calls.

Watkins performing at the Download Festival in 2008

Mr Doyle told Sky News the force is working with Homeland Security in the US, Interpol and police in Germany to identify if any other children have been abused by Watkins.

"I think that it is likely that there will be further matters put to him, and others, in due course," he said. 

The Independent Police Complaints Commission, which is investigating whether the force failed to act quickly enough after tip-offs about Watkins, has said it will now also look into South Yorkshire and Bedfordshire forces.

The IPCC said it is investigating the effectiveness of the responses by South Yorkshire, Bedfordshire and South Wales forces to reports of abuse made to them between 2008 and 2012.

Earlier today, the court heard Watkins spoke with a female fan from prison the day after admitting two counts of attempted baby rape and said he intended to issue a statement when he was sentenced saying it had all been "mega lolz".

In the conversation, Watkins denied being a paedophile and expressed exasperation at the way people had reacted to his guilty pleas.

Using text-speak, he said: "I'm going to put out a statement on the 18th just to say it was mega lolz.

"I do not know what everybody is getting so freaked out about."

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

06.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Woolwich: Adebolajo Evidence 'Is No Defence'

The claim by Woolwich murder trial defendant Michael Adebolajo that he is "a soldier of Allah" is no defence to the charge of murder, a jury has been told.

Mr Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale are accused of running down off-duty soldier Lee Rigby with a car and then hacking him to death with a meat cleaver and knives in a street in south-east London. 

Mr Justice Sweeney told the jury at the Old Bailey that nothing said by Mr Adebolajo in his evidence amounts in law to a defence to the charge of murder.

He said: "I have ruled that nothing said by the first defendant and... his evidence - in short he was a soldier of Allah and was justified in doing what he did - amounts in law to a defence to this count.

"So nothing that he has said amounts in law to a defence to count one."

In his closing speech, prosecutor Richard Whittam QC said Islam was not on trial and told the jury: "The action of these two men acting together as they did, crashing their car into and breaking the back of Lee Rigby and then killing him is indefensible in the law of this country.

"Killing to make a political point, to frighten the public or to put pressure on the Government or as an expression of anger is murder."

He added: "It remains murder whether the Government in question is a good one, bad one or a dreadful one. We submit to you, it is clearly murder."

Fusilier Rigby's family were in court as Mr Whittam showed the jury once again images of bloodied knives, and also replayed video clips of the May 22 killing.

Replaying a video clip showing Fusilier Rigby being dragged into the road, Mr Whittam said: "Is this a humane killing?

The jury was again shown images of knives found at the scene of the killing

"Is this a killing with an attempt to decapitate and then deposit the body in the middle of the road causing traffic to stop and turn around?"

Mr Whittam recalled witness accounts previously read to the jury as well as extracts from a note handed to Amanda Donnelly-Martin at the scene.

"What was the purpose of what they have done, killing Lee Rigby in the way the had done, in putting the body there and staying at the scene? To borrow a phrase from the first defendant - carnage."

Mr Adebolajo's defending counsel, David Gottlieb, said a proper charge for his client would have been "treason, terrorism, or maybe manslaughter".

In his closing speech, Mr Gottlieb said: "All deaths outside of lawful deaths are cruel, needless and unnecessary.

"Do you think really that this is the cruellest, most sadistic, most callous, most cowardly killing that's ever occured in our nation's history? It isn't."

Mr Gottlieb said Mr Adebolajo's family were "victims" in the case as much as the family of Fusilier Rigby and told the jury that his client had been "demonised and painted as a monster".

The defending barrister also suggested that Mr Adebolajo was "the most law-abiding terrorist in the history of this country" as his client paid for a parking ticket moments before the alleged murder took place.

Mr Gottlieb later explained that he was using a "Sherlock Holmes" approach, adding: "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

He said there were unarmed police near the scene, but Mr Adebolajo chose to wait for armed teams, which would not fit with an intention to kill an officer.

The barrister went on to tell the panel of eight women and four men that the issue of what motivated Mr Adebolajo "raises awkward questions" for the UK's political leaders.

He said: "A person, a human being, can do the most evil act in the world and not actually be evil themselves."

The alleged killers no longer face a charge of conspiracy to murder a police officer after the judge discharged the jury from any further consideration of that count.

Mr Adebolajo, 29 and Mr Adebowale, 22, still face counts of murder and attempted murder of a police officer, which they both deny.

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10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Jayden Parkinson: Police Searching Graveyard

Police searching for missing teenager Jayden Parkinson are focusing their investigation on a churchyard grave.

Thames Valley Police said the hunt for Jayden has led them to the grounds of All Saints' Church in Didcot, Oxfordshire.

The 17-year-old girl disappeared on December 3 after she was last seen leaving the town's railway station at about 4.30pm.

Officers are acting on a tip-off received this afternoon, and have liaised with the family of the person buried in the grave.

Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Murray said: "This afternoon we received some significant and highly relevant information which leads us to concentrate our search efforts in the Great Western Cemetery.

"We're in the process of securing this grave and would like to emphasise that the family connected with this grave have been informed.

Jayden disappeared on December 3

"We will be here throughout the night and for a number of days. A tent has been erected which covers more than the specific grave we are focusing on.

"The families of those in the graves nearby will be contacted by us and reassured that there will be no disturbance to these graves."

He added that police would be at the site for "a number of days".

Earlier today, Jayden's former boyfriend, 22-year-old Ben Blakeley, of Reading, appeared at Oxford Crown Court charged with her murder and perverting the course of justice.

A 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also appeared before Oxford magistrates charged with perverting the course of justice between December 3 and December 10 by allegedly assisting in the disposal of Jayden's body and other evidence.

Police have searched farmland, woodland and derelict buildings for Jayden

More than 100 uniformed officers and detectives have been working on the case, backed up by specialists from the National Crime Agency.

Mr Murray said there was "no indication" that Jayden was alive, and appealed to the public to get in touch if they remembered seeing the teenager "on her own, or in the company of anybody".

He also repeated an appeal for any information about a man seen struggling with a suitcase just outside the village of Upton, near Didcot, in south Oxfordshire, at about 2am, on December 9.

The same man was later then seen with the same suitcase in the Lydalls Road area of Didcot - where All Saints' is located - at about 3.30am.

Detectives have since recovered several suitcases, one of which "may well be significant", Mr Murray said.

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10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More