Bus Stabbing Girl: Funeral Of Christina Edkins

The family of a 16-year-old girl stabbed to death on a bus say they have been "overwhelmed" by the support of well-wishers.

Christina Edkins' funeral was held at Birmingham Cathedral.

Speaking on behalf of Ms Edkins' family before the service, her cousin Stephen Newby said: "Today we will say goodbye to Christina.

Christina's parents said she was "bubbly, beautiful and intelligent"

"We are devastated that she should have been taken away so senselessly and continue to try to come to terms with what has happened.

"We have been overwhelmed and comforted by the spontaneous reactions of so many people.

"While many of them never knew Christina, all have been touched in some way by this tragic event and share in our grief."

Ms Edkins died of a single stab wound to her chest on March 7 during morning rush hour after she was attacked on the top deck of a bus in Edgbaston.

The driver raised the alarm and attempts were made to resuscitate the schoolgirl, but she died at the scene.

The teenager's silver coffin was taken to the cathedral in a white carriage, pulled by a pair of white horses.

A message from Christina's parents

Christina's parents Jason and Kathleen led her family into the 300-year-old building which was packed with those wanting to pay their respects.

About 300 mourners stood outside to pay their respects, while inside the service was attended by 600 family and friends.

Among them were 120 pupils from Leasowes High School, which Christina attended in Halesowen, and colleagues from the Tesco supermarket where she worked part-time.

There were tearful tributes to Christina, including from her school principal, Neil Shaw, who called her "an inspiration".

Christina was stabbed on a bus on Hagley Road, Birmingham

Following her death, Mr and Mrs Edkins described her as a "bubbly, beautiful and intelligent" teenager.

They said in a statement: "We are heartbroken by the loss of our beautiful princess, Christina, and it's hard to find words to describe the pain we're all feeling.

"Her family and friends will remember her as an amazing individual with her whole life ahead of her - a life that was tragically cut short on that Thursday morning.

"Our lives will never be the same again."

Christina was attacked on the top deck of the bus

The grieving parents added: "We are truly overwhelmed by the kindness that's been shown by friends and neighbours, people who knew Christina well and also those who never got the chance to meet her."

Her parents said she was "just like most 16-year-olds" and had been studying hard for forthcoming exams while looking forward to her school prom.

The statement continued: "We'd bought Christina's prom dress the week before and recall the day she tried it on ... she looked like a princess.

"Christina was studying extremely hard for her exams and weighing up which college to attend.

"In many ways she was like most 16-year-olds - worried about her appearance, what fake tan to wear, how her hair and nails looked and about 'hot boys', as Christina would call them!

"We would like to thank everyone for their kind words, flowers, teddies, balloons and candles ... the support has been fantastic and shows what good, kind people there are in this world.

"We'd like to thank West Bromwich Albion for their half-time tribute at the weekend and to the fans for their heartfelt applause, which was very emotional."

Phillip Simelane, 22, from Walsall, has been charged with her murder.

He has been remanded in custody in a secure mental health unit and is due to appear in court for a plea hearing on May 31.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Weather: Body Found In Floods, Rain And Snow

A body has been recovered at a house in Looe, Cornwall, which was badly damaged in flooding following heavy rains last night, firefighters said.

The front wall of the three-storey building crumbled away after downpours caused mud and debris to crash into the back of the property.

More than a dozen residents were evacuated from the building earlier.

The body recovered from the site is still to be formally identified, but fire crews had been searching the wrecked building for Susan Norman, who is said to be in her 60s, for several hours. 

Buxton in the Peak District was said to be virtually cut off by the snow

There was widespread flooding across the South West after rain hit on Thursday night. It then moved further north falling as snow in central and northern England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

Breakdown services reported there had been thousands of call-outs from motorists, while in Northern Ireland more than 40,00 homes remain without power, as well as 1,500 in Cumbria.

A complete blackout was reported for between 15 and 30 minutes across Belfast on Friday evening.

Schools, roads and airports have also been closed.

Sky's weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar warned the bad weather could continue to cause problems into the weekend.

"There'll be more snow tonight, from around the M4 up into central Scotland and across the north of Ireland, while southern counties will have yet more rain," she said.

Drifts of up to 40cm (15.7 inches) were reported in some areas of Belfast

"Saturday will see snow over central parts slowly fading, but there'll be a raw wind and it will stay near freezing away from the South West.

"The average temperature for the month so far, combining day and night, has been around 3C, well below the long term average of 6C. It's highly unlikely to be record breaking (the coldest March on record was in 1962, at 1.9C), but it could well be the coldest for over 25 years."

Up to eight inches (20.3cm) of snow is expected to hit the worst-affected parts of the North West, North Wales and southwest Scotland.

Higher areas could even see up to 16in (40.6cm), while bitterly cold gale-force winds create blizzard-like conditions and plunge temperatures down well below freezing.

Further floods were also expected in the South West with 12 warnings and 43 alerts in place.

Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifying match against Russia at Windsor Park in Belfast was postponed from Friday evening to Saturday despite ground staff working through the day to clear the pitch.

Northern Ireland's game against Russia at Windsor Park has been postponed

Drifts of up to 40cm (15.7 inches) were reported in some areas.

In Cumbria, police said a reception centre at a school to shelter motorists who had become stranded after snow had made several key roads impassable.

Non-essential staff at the Sellafield nuclear site were sent home early as local schools were closed and transport disrupted because of the bad weather.

Electricity North West said it was considering using helicopters to get engineers to some of the 1,500 properties without power in across the county.

The atrocious weather also caused trouble at sea, with an RAF rescue crew having to be called to pluck a seriously injured French fisherman from his boat in howling winds and lashing rain.

A motorcyclist waits by the road after the A66 was closed due to snow

In the West Midlands, nearly 230 schools shut their doors to pupils, with many reporting burst pipes and frozen heating systems.

Staffordshire was worst hit with 170 closing their doors, but there was also disruption in Walsall, Dudley and Wolverhampton.

Another 200 schools closed across North Wales and scores were shut across Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lancashire and Cumbria.

In Birmingham, melting snow caused gridlock after it flooded the St Chad's Queensway tunnel. Engineers spent all morning trying to pump the water back out of the tunnel.

Food supplies were being airlifted to the Isle of Man as the severe weather disrupted scheduled ferry services.

Co-operative Food, which has 10 stores across the island, commissioned a Hercules aircraft to fly from Manchester to Ronaldsway Airport with around 18 tonnes of food and drink onboard.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Child Smokers: Thousands More Take Up Habit

The number of children who have taken up smoking has risen by 50,000 in just one year - the equivalent of 567 a day.

About 207,000 children aged 11 to 15 started to smoke in 2011, a sharp rise from 157,000 in 2010, Cancer Research UK said.

Almost one in three (27%) of under-16s have tried smoking at least once, a study by the charity found.

It urged the Government to commit to putting all cigarettes in plain standardised packs.

Sarah Woolnough, executive director of policy and information at Cancer Research UK, said: "With such a large number of youngsters starting to smoke every year, urgent action is needed to tackle the devastation caused by tobacco.

"Replacing slick, brightly-coloured packs that appeal to children with standard packs displaying prominent health warnings is a vital part of efforts to protect health.

"Reducing the appeal of cigarettes with plain, standardised packs will give millions of children one less reason to start smoking."

Last April, the Government launched a consultation on plans to introduce mandatory standardised packaging for tobacco products.

Health campaigners have welcomed the proposal, but opponents claimed it would lead to increased smuggling and job losses.

Information generated by the consultation, which closed in August, is still being analysed by health officials.

In December, Australia became the first country in the world to put all tobacco products in standardised packs.

Cigarette packets and other products are all sold in a standardised colour, with only the brand name and graphic warnings visible.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Immigration: Lib Dems Call For Security Bonds

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg is to call for a bail-like system of security bonds to tackle visa abuse.

The bonds would be paid as a cash guarantee from visa applicants coming from high-risk countries and would be repaid once the visitor leaves Britain.

In his first speech on immigration as deputy prime minister, Mr Clegg will unveil the radical proposal at the liberal think-tank, the Centre Forum.

He will pledge to "lay the foundations for an immigration system that embodies this nation's instincts and its values" as he attacks the previous Labour government for "grossly" mismanaging the issue.

Earlier this month, Labour leader Ed Miliband  admitted his party failed on immigration.

Mr Miliband again said his party was wrong to relax controls - a move that allowed hundreds of thousands of foreigners to move to the UK.

Mr Clegg will say: "We are grappling with the difficult challenges in our immigration system.

"Brick by brick, we are rebuilding it. Day by day we are making sure, quite simply, that it works.

Mr Miliband said Labour failed on immigration

"All the British people ask is for a system they can have confidence in. We hear that, and we are delivering it.

"I'm determined we lay the foundations for an immigration system that embodies this nation's instincts and its values - our openness and tolerance on one hand, our sense of fair play, on the other."

The Deputy Prime Minister will say that visa "overstayers" are one of the biggest challenges faced by the immigration system and the UK Border Agency (UKBA).

"The challenge isn't just stopping people coming into Britain illegally, it's about dealing with individuals who come over legitimately, but then become illegal once they're already here," he will say.

To tackle this issue, Mr Clegg has asked the Home Office to run a pilot of so-called security bonds, which echoes an Australian system applied to family visas.

It is understood the cost of the bonds would vary but are likely to be in the region of four figures.

Mr Clegg will be seeking views on the proposal, including from the Home Affairs Select Committee.

"The bonds would need to be well targeted - so that they don't unfairly discriminate against particular groups," he says.

"The amounts would need to be proportionate - we mustn't penalise legitimate visa applicants who will struggle to get hold of the money."

Mr Clegg will also reveal plans to increase cash penalties for "unscrupulous" employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants because they are cheaper.

The maximum fine is £10,000 per illegal worker - Mr Clegg will call for the penalty to "double" and has asked the Home Secretary to "look into the right amount".

Mr Clegg says Labour left the immigration system in "disarray"

But the deputy prime minister will also seek to reassure British businesses that the Coalition continues to prioritise "growth and building a stronger economy" with immigration a "key part of that".

He says: "The majority of people who come here work hard and make a contribution. Many have served - and still serve - in our armed forces.

"And if every member of an immigrant community suddenly downed tools, countless businesses and services would suffer.

"The NHS would fall over."

And Mr Clegg will hit out at the Labour party for leaving the immigration system in "disarray".

"The problem is that the system has not been well managed. It has been grossly mismanaged. I cannot stress enough just how chaotic it was."

The speech comes as the Government toughens its stance on immigration with a range of new measures aimed at bringing down net migration to the tens of thousands.

UKBA officials will conduct interviews with more than 100,000 student visa applicants from "high-risk" countries outside the EU to crack down on bogus students.

And a "genuine entrepreneur" test has been introduced to tackle the rising number of foreign nationals attempting to enter Britain by fudging their bank accounts.

But in the wake of criticism from politicians and the higher education sector, some immigration rules were recently loosened in a bid to give additional flexibility to businesses and allow top international students to pursue careers in Britain.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Disability Hate-Crime Victims 'Are Being Failed'

By Richard Suchet, Sky News Reporter

The criminal justice system is failing the victims of disability hate crime, according to a report.

An inspection of the police, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the probation service has found that incidents of both physical and verbal abuse of the mentally disabled are hugely under-reported, particularly compared to race or religious hate crimes.

The inspectors believe that, in many cases, officers and control-room staff are reluctant or "too embarrassed" to ask victims if they are disabled.

It means crimes carried out against people because of their disability often go undetected.

They also uncovered widespread confusion about what exactly a disability hate crime is.

The lack of clarity leads to inconsistencies in the way the offence is recorded and investigated.

CPS chief inspector Michael Fuller said: "We're recommending there be one definition that all practitioners work to and that we clear up this confusion that currently exists."

In addition, the report recommends the three agencies consider further training for frontline staff.

Fiona Pilkington (L) killed her disabled daughter Francecca Hardwick

It also says the CPS should put regular checks in place to ensure the accuracy of its data relating to disability hate crime, while probation trusts should tackle the issue among known offenders.

Mr Fuller said he will also recommend that the Law Commission looks at creating a standalone offence for dealing with disability hate crime.

He said: "It would help with the awareness of practitioners because they would have a specific offence to work to and it would help victims in terms that they feel their concerns and the experiences they've suffered can be taken more seriously by the authority."

The joint review, carried out by HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and HM Inspectorate of Probation, was prompted by the case of Fiona Pilkington.

The Leicestershire woman killed herself and her disabled daughter, Francecca Hardwick, in 2007 following a decade of abuse.

The Home Office insists it has improved the way police forces collect and record data on hate crimes, including those against disabled people.

"We will keep working with disability groups to ensure victims have the confidence to come forward," it said in a statement.

"The Government's hate crime action plan brings together work by a wide range of departments and agencies to prevent these terrible crimes happening in the first place, to increase reporting and victim support, and to improve the operational response."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Truro: Woman Dies After Car Rolls Into River

An elderly woman has drowned after the car she was in slid into a river from a ferry slipway.

The vehicle plunged into the River Fal while waiting to board the King Harry Ferry across the River Fal near Truro, Cornwall, at around 4pm.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the male driver was not in the vehicle at the time of the car entering the water and escaped unharmed.

The body of the woman was recovered by emergency services two hours later. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police and divers were involved in the search and rescue, alongside fire crews, the Falmouth and Portscatho Coastguard, all-weather RNLI lifeboats and the Royal Navy search and rescue helicopter from Culdrose.

In a statement, the operators of the King Harry Ferry said the car went into the water when the ferry was at the Feock side of the river.

"Our heartfelt thoughts go out to the friends and family of everyone involved in this tragedy," the statement said.

Police are appealing for witnesses with any information to call them on 101 quoting log number 456 20/03/13.

The King Harry Ferry connects St Mawes and the Roseland Peninsula with Feock, Truro and Falmouth and is an alternative route to a 27-mile journey through Truro and Tresillian. It has been operating since 1888.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bill Roache: Soap Star Sorry Over Remarks

Coronation Street actor Bill Roache has said he is "very sorry for any offence caused" after he seemingly claimed victims of sexual abuse are being punished for their behaviour in "previous lives".

The star, who has played Ken Barlow in the ITV soap for more than 50 years, was criticised for the controversial remarks he made to a New Zealand television station.

Speaking to TVNZ, he said: "If you accept that you are pure love ... and therefore live that pure love, these things won't happen to you."

He was then pressed by reporter Garth Bray, who asked: "To some people that sounds perhaps like you're saying victims bring things on themselves. Is that what you're saying?"

The 80-year-old replied: "No, not quite, but then yes I am. Everything that happens to us is the result of what we have been in previous lives."

The comments echo those of Glenn Hoddle who was sacked as England's football manager in 1999 after he was quoted as appearing to suggest disabled people were paying for sins committed in previous lives.

Glenn Hoddle appeared to say disabled people were paying for previous sins

Roache was later asked by Sky News correspondent Becky Johnson: "You appear to have suggested some victims may be paying for things they did in a past life. Is that how you feel?"

The star replied: "No I would not go along and say things like that. I'm not saying that. In this situation where we can only talk about the law. I'm not going to talk about victims or life.

"Life is what we make it. We do come into life to learn from certain experiences and broadly some of the major experiences we have we have asked to go through. This is my understanding of life."

He added: "If you're going to pin me down and start saying 'all victims deserve what they're getting'. No I am not saying that at all."

Roache then issued his apology in a statement, saying: "I would like to say that I am very sorry for any offence that has been caused as a result of my comments.

"I would never say that victims of sexual offences are in any way responsible for the abuse they have suffered and I offer my deepest apologies if anything I have said has been misunderstood in this way.

"I had no intention of causing any kind of distress as a result of my interview and I offer my utmost sympathies to anyone affected by sexual offences and paedophilia."

His original remarks to TVNZ were condemned by the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), which said his comments were an insult to abuse victims.

Michael Le Vell pictured arriving at court

Dr Jon Bird, from NAPAC, condemned Roache's "hippy-dippy" spiritualist beliefs, saying child sex abuse left people with horrific physical and mental scars.

Roache's co-star of 30 years, Michael Le Vell, has been suspended from the ITV soap after he was charged with 19 child sex offences.

Le Vell, whose real name is Michael Turner, appeared in court last month and was bailed until his next appearance in the dock at Manchester Crown Court. Le Vell has denied any wrongdoing.

During his interview with TVNZ, Roache said: "Everyone's innocent until they're proven guilty."

He described paedophilia as "absolutely horrendous" but added: "There's a fringe here ... particularly pop stars who have these groupies, these girls, who are sexually active and sexually mature.

"They don't ask for their birth certificate and they don't know what age they may be. They're certainly not grooming them and exploiting them but they can be caught in this trap."

He added: "These people are instantly stigmatised. Some will be innocent and some will not, but until such time as (any offence) is proven, there should be anonymity for both.

"If someone has done something wrong, the law should take its course. But whether they're proven guilty or not, we should never be judgemental about anyone. We shouldn't go round condemning. We should be forgiving about everything."

However, speaking to Sky News, Roache appeared to excuse the behaviour of some stars in the past. He said: "I'm not blaming anybody for anything but things were different back in the 1970s. People were more tactile.

"I think it's probably unfair to judge too harshly today on things that were done 20 or 30 years ago. There should be a greater understanding that things were different in those days."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ohio Rape Case: Teen Girls 'Threaten' Victim

Two girls have been arrested for allegedly threatening an Ohio rape victim in the aftermath of a trial that convicted her two attackers.

The teenagers are being held for allegedly making threats against the 16-year-old victim via Facebook and Twitter on Sunday.

It happened on the day two Steubenville High School football players were convicted of rape.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said the girls are being held in a juvenile detention facility on allegations of aggravated menacing following an investigation by state and local police.

Richmond is comforted by his lawyer after the judge read his verdict

Mr DeWine said he hoped the arrests will end harassment of the victim.

Trent Mays, 17, and Ma'Lik Richmond, 16, broke down in court on Sunday when they were found guilty of raping the girl during and after an alcohol-fuelled party in August.

The case was made notorious when a video of boys laughing about the assault on the drunk girl went viral.

In one video, high school boys laughed about watching the rape, saying the girl "deserved to be peed on".

Brian Mays (R) hugs his son after the guity verdict is delivered

Other videos and photos showed Mays and Richmond lifting the unconscious and nearly naked victim by her hands and feet.

Mr DeWine said a grand jury will investigate whether additional charges should be brought against others for failing to speak up after the attack.

Other students, the school's headteacher, coaches and parents could potentially have broken the law, he said.

The crime shocked many in Steubenville because of the seeming callousness with which other students took out their mobile phones to record the attack and gossiped about it online.

The case initially came to light through a barrage of text messages, social media posts and online photos and videos.

It also led to allegations of a cover-up to protect the celebrated Steubenville High Big Red team.

Big Red football is central to life in Steubenville

Noting that 16 people refused to talk, many of them underage, Mr DeWine said possible offences to be investigated include failure to report a crime.

"This community desperately needs to have this behind them, but this community also desperately needs to know justice was done and that no stone was left unturned," he said.

Among those who have been interviewed are the owners of one of the houses where parties were held that night, the high school headteacher and the football team's 27 coaches, many of them volunteers.

Text messages introduced at the trial suggested the head coach was aware of the rape allegation early on.

Mr DeWine said coaches are among officials required by state law to report child abuse.

The coach and the school district have repeatedly declined to comment.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pope Francis Inauguration To Draw Huge Crowds

Pope Francis is due to be inaugurated in Vatican City later in front of an expected one million people.

Heads of state, royalty and religious leaders will be among the guests at a two-hour ceremony in St Peter's Square, although the Queen and Prime Minister David Cameron will be absent.

Large crowds are also expected in Buenos Aires in the Pope's native Argentina, where big screens have been erected outside the city's main cathedral.

An estimated 300,000 people listened to Pope Francis's first Angelus prayer

The Vatican said the Mass would be a simplified version of events in 2005 that brought Pope Benedict XVI to the papacy.

The service will make several gestures towards Eastern Rite Catholics and Orthodox Christians, with the Gospel chanted in Greek not Latin and Eastern Rite prelates joining the Pope at an initial prayer at the tomb of St Peter under the Basilica's main altar.

Pope Francis will wear the Fisherman's Ring

The Vatican also released details of the coat of arms and official ring Pope Francis will receive during the Mass. Both are in keeping with his simple style.

The coat of arms is the same Jesuit-inspired one he used as Archbishop of Buenos Aires, while the ring was once offered to Pope Paul VI, who presided over the second half of the Second Vatican Council, the church meetings that modernised the church.

Argentina's President Cristina Kirchner will be among those present for the inauguration.

She met the Pope at the Vatican on Monday in what had the potential to be a tense discussion.

She and her predecessor and late husband, Nestor Kirchner, defied church teaching to push through a series of measures with popular backing in Argentina, including mandatory sex education in schools, free distribution of contraceptives in public hospitals and the right for transsexuals to change their official identities on demand.

In 2010, Argentina became the first Latin-American country to legalise same-sex marriages.

Pope Francis meets the Argentine president

But today those differences appear to have been brushed aside. President Kirchner gave the Pope a mate gourd and straw to hold the traditional Argentine tea that the new leader of the Catholic church loves. To her surprise, she got a kiss in return.

"Never in my life has a Pope kissed me!" she said afterwards.

Britain will be represented at the ceremony by HRH The Duke of Gloucester, as well as cabinet minister Kenneth Clarke and Baroness Warsi, the Minister for Faith and Communities.

A worker makes final preprations for the inauguration Mass in Vatican City

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe also arrived in Rome for the inaugural Mass.

He is the subject of a travel ban by European nations in protest at his human rights record but it does not affect his trips to the Vatican through Italy.

Former Pope Benedict XVI will not attend the Mass and is likely to be watching on television at the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo outside Rome.

He is due to greet Pope Francis in an unprecedented meeting at the retreat next Saturday.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Father And Son Killed In Alps Hiking Trip Named

A British father and his 12-year-old son who died while hiking in the Alps have been named by the Foreign Office.

Peter and Charlie Saunders were killed on a walking trip in the Chamonix valley in France after flying there for a short weekend adventure, the FCO said in a statement issued on behalf of their family.

"Charlie was always full of life, had a really happy temperament and loved spending time with his father. Peter was fantastic at making things happen, resourceful, with a positive approach to life. They will both be sorely missed by friends and family alike," it said.

Rescue services in Chamonix were called by 48-year-old Mr Saunders at 2pm local time on Saturday.

He apparently said his son had fallen into a crevasse near Mont Blanc and that they were lost.

Captain Patrice Ribes, a French police officer, told Sky News that emergency services tried to trace the mobile phone call and launched a rescue mission.

But the rescuers lost contact and had to launch their search with little information about the pair's location.

A helicopter eventually spotted their bodies on Sunday morning at an altitude of 1,600m.

Capt Ribes said: "We think the father tried to find his son after he called us and asked for rescue. We believe he fell as he tried to find his son. Their bodies were found together this morning at 7.40am."

The father and son had ventured into the Glacier des Bossons area of the Mont Blanc mountain range.

Capt Ribes said they had inadequate equipment and were exploring a "dangerous, deep, snowy" mountain trail.

Richard Mansfield, a mountain guide who has worked in the area for 20 years and lives near the Bossons glacier, said: "I don't know exactly where the accident happened but all the trails on the north side of the valley are covered in snow at the moment.

"The footpaths usually don't get that many people out at this time of year because they are much more difficult to navigate, although yesterday was a beautiful sunny day."

Mr Mansfield described a "number of footpaths which weave in and out of indentures in the mountainside" and this "is where they may have slipped off".

The valley, which boasts five ski resorts, receives a lot of British tourists throughout the year, with many owning holiday homes in the area.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Press Regulation: PM Seeks Last-Minute Deal

Talks between the three main political parties on press regulation look set to go "to the wire", as MPs prepare for a crucial vote in the House of Commons.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats have clashed with the Conservatives over plans for a new media watchdog, insisting the Royal Charter must be underpinned by law.

It means Prime Minister David Cameron, who last week pulled out of cross-party talks about implementing Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations, is facing a possible defeat, with at least 20 Tories seemingly ready to support the rival charter.

However, Sky sources understand Mr Cameron met with Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg on Sunday to try to resolve their differences.

They are expected to meet again before the Commons vote, with a Downing Street source telling the Press Association: "This will go to the wire."

Culture Secretary Maria Miller hinted at a "Labour climb-down", claiming Ed Miliband's party were now "much closer" to the Tories' position.

But a senior Labour source told PA the party is in "lock-step" with the Lib Dems, adding: "We are clear we are not going to accept their Royal Charter. Any agreement must be on the basis of our Royal Charter."

Actor Hugh Grant, who is leading the Hacked Off campaign for tighter controls in the wake of the hacking scandal, accused the Prime Minister of turning his back on victims of press intrusion.

"For him, politically, it was more important to suck up to the newspapers than to fulfil the promise that he made under oath," he told Sky News.

"(He said) that what mattered as an outcome to all this was that those victims should never be subject to those kind of abuses again."

Harry Potter author JK Rowling also spoke out, saying Mr Cameron's actions had left her feeling "hung out to dry".

"Monday's vote will make history one way or another," she said. "I am merely one among many turning their eyes towards Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg and hoping that they have the courage to do what Mr Cameron promised, but which he failed to deliver."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police Arrest 60 Ahead Of Football Match

Police have arrested more than 60 people for alleged violent disorder in Nuneaton in the hours leading up to a football match against Lincoln City.

The disorder broke out in a number of pubs in the town centre ahead of the Conference National fixture on Saturday.

Officers from Warwickshire Police, West Mercia Police, West Midlands Police and British Transport Police were deployed in the town shortly before 10.30am in response to reports of disorder at a number of licensed premises.

The suspects, who were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder, were transported by coach to Nuneaton and held in custody for questioning.

Chief Inspector Adrian Knight, who was in charge of the response, said officers from all police units involved were "successful in containing the disorder and protecting the safety and well-being of the general public".

"This operation was a true collaboration utilising resources from across the region.

"I am extremely grateful to our regional colleagues from West Mercia, West Midlands and British Transport Police for their support in this operation. It has been a particularly challenging day.

"Warwickshire Police is committed to protecting people from harm, whether they live in the county or are visiting, and we will not tolerate any behaviour which puts them at risk.

"Anyone intent on causing trouble in Warwickshire should be aware that we will deal with them robustly."

He added: "The fact that 62 people have been arrested is testament to our commitment to tackle violence and disorder within the county."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Missing Prisoner John Anslow Arrested In Cyprus

A prisoner who had been missing since he escaped from a police escort van in January 2012 has been arrested in Northern Cyprus.

John Anslow, 32, had been wanted by police since he absconded near HMP Hewell in Worcestershire while on his way to court.

He is accused of the murder of 27-year-old businessman Richard Deakin in Chasetown, Staffordshire, in July 2010.

Anslow, from Tipton, West Midlands, was arrested on Wednesday in Alancak in Northern Cyprus for immigration offences and deported by the Turkish Cypriot authorities.

He was then arrested at Heathrow Airport on Saturday morning and has been transferred to a high-security prison.

He will appear via video link at Stafford Crown Court on Monday for failing to appear at court in January 2012.

In the past three weeks, nine men have been arrested and charged by West Mercia Police in connection with Anslow's escape.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More