West Ham Striker Dies At 20 After Cancer Battle

Tributes have poured in for West Ham United striker Dylan Tombides, who has died of cancer aged 20.

The Australian player, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer three years ago, died on Friday with his family at his bedside.

His death will be marked by a minute's applause before West Ham's home match against Crystal Palace this weekend.

West Ham announced the player's death on their website

The Hammers' players will also wear black armbands in his memory.

The London club said in a statement: "Dylan was respected by everyone who knew him for his intelligent views on the game and his larger than life character.

"He was a loving son, amazing brother and well-respected member of the West Ham squad. He will be hugely missed by everyone who had the honour of knowing him."

He was regarded as one of the best young players to come out of Australia

The Perth-born forward made his first-team debut for West Ham in a League Cup match against Wigan Athletic in 2012.

He joined West Ham as a 14-year-old after a spell in Hong Kong, and played for Australia at Under-17 and Under-23 level.

"On behalf of the Australian football community, we offer our deepest condolences to Dylan's family, team mates and friends during this extremely sad time," said David Gallop, chief executive of Football Federation Australia.

As tributes were paid to the young star, "RIP Dylan Tombides" became one of the top trending messages on Twitter in the UK.

West Ham midfielder George Moncur tattooed the player's name on his left arm, with the date 1994 to 2014 underneath.

He posted a picture of the tattoo, along with the message: "My best mate always with me forever Dylan Tombides."

George Moncur's tattoo tribute to his friend

Chelsea player Nathaniel Chalobah tweeted: "In complete shock about the Dylan Tombides news, shaking. Played against him a few times, such a nice guy, 20 is no age. RIP."

Footballer Eoin Wearen wrote: "Gutted to hear about my friend and ex team-mate Dylan Tombides, who today lost his battle with cancer! Really am speechless....RIP Dyl."

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

British Teen Killed In Syria 'No Danger' To UK

The father of a Brighton teenager who was killed fighting in Syria has told Sky News his son was "no danger" to the UK.

Abdullah Deghayes and his brothers Amer, 20, and Jafar, 16, travelled to Syria without their parents' permission, Abubaker Deghayes said.

He found out about the 18-year-old's death on Monday, through a message on Facebook.

Amer was also wounded in the fighting when he was shot in the stomach.

"I think if somebody has a just cause and he believes in it he should do it," Mr Deghayes said.

Mr Deghayes' family say they never encouraged him to fight in Syria

"I think as a Muslim that my son is a martyr."

Mr Deghayes said he had never encouraged his son to go to Syria but that he believed he had gone to protect innocent civilians in the country's civil war.

"I hope this was his intention," said Mr Deghayes. "I hope he is rewarded and I hope he is in peace now."

Abdullah was the nephew of Omar Deghayes, who was held by the United States as an enemy combatant at Guantanamo Bay detention camp between 2002 and 2007 after he was arrested in Pakistan. He was released without charge.

Foreign Secretary William Hague told Sky News the Foreign Office was still looking into reports of the death.

He reiterated that British nationals should not travel to the country because of the "extreme" dangers.

Omar Deghayes, Abdullah's uncle, was once held in Guantanamo Bay

The situation in Syria is currently so volatile the UK does not have a representative there, making it difficult to establish the facts.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "On Monday, April 14, we received information that an 18-year-old Brighton man had been killed in Syria in recent weeks.

"The circumstances of this reported death remain unclear and we are in contact with the family."

The teenager's Facebook page says he was a student at Longhill High School, at Rottingdean, near Brighton.

It adds that he intended to be a University of Brighton student from 2015 and works for Adidas.

Messages on Mr Deghaye's Facebook page suggest he left the UK in February.

On April 4, messages were posted saying "may God protect him".

The Syrian civil conflict has been raging for more than three years

As news of his death in Syria emerged, friends posted tributes on social networking sites.

Finn Langford said: "Feels so weird that your actually gone rip Abdullah Deghayes gone but never forgotten sleep tight mate xxx."

Harry Hall posted: "Never forgett you brother, love ya."

Nezar El-bayouk posted on Twitter: "R.I.P. To My Boy Abdullah Deghayes. Jannah InshAllah!"

Another woman, Miss'Newland, posted: "R.I.P this is such a shock, can not get my head around it. Everyone's gonna miss you Abdullah Deghayes. much love xxx"

Around 400 Britons are believed to have gone to Syria over the last two years, many of them to join the civil war, with an estimated 20 having died.

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House Price Increases Create 'Generation Rent'

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky News Reporter

The booming housing market is causing a generation of young people becoming inreasingly pessimistic about their chances of getting on the property ladder, according to a new study.

Halifax's 'Generation Rent' report found that despite the launch of schemes like Help to Buy to give a boost to people with small deposits, 36% of 20 to 45-year-olds felt they have no realistic prospect of owning their home in the next five years.

Around half of those polled in England, Scotland and Wales agreed Britain will become a nation of renters in the next generation and 20% of people aged 23 to 27 said they have no desire to own their own home.

A fifth of people surveyed said they had no desire to own their own home

Caroline Hill, 23, told Sky News she would rather rent than buy.

"I can see myself being able to buy in the future but I'm just really not interested in doing so," he said.

"My parents have always been renters and I think that has had a big effect on the way I feel about it."

Danny Palmer, 27, is frustrated the market is running away from him.

"I think it's going to be really difficult for me to get onto the property ladder purely because rent these days is taking up about 40% of my salary, and that's before bills, living costs and anything else," he said.

Estate agents say high prices mean potential buyers are moving into rentals

Halifax mortgages director Craig McKinlay, said: "We may be heading towards the point where the aspiration to own a nice home will be replaced by the aspiration to simply live in one.

"It seems that people are now beginning to accept a lifetime of renting and this would not only change the way the property ladder looks in the future, it could even bring into question whether or not it will exist at all for some people."

The report warned that any future collapse in the number of first-time buyers - the "life blood" of the housing market - will have a knock-on impact on people trying to move up the property ladder.

If some existing home owners are unable to trade up because of a lack of potential buyers for their property, the market will be brought to a standstill, the report warns.

Woking estate agent Yassar Latif, said: "People who were thinking of buying, but have been let down by the rise in prices, have moved towards rentals now."

The Government has said that Help to Buy and plans to build more houses should ease the problem. But despite this, only around 30% of the people polled believed Help to Buy was working.

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Detectives Launch Manhunt After Essex Murder

Police have launched a murder hunt after a man died from stab wounds he suffered when he was attacked in Essex.

The unnamed victim, aged 24, believed to be from the Southend area, was stabbed in the chest in Cressing Road, Braintree, at 11pm on Wednesday.

He died in Papworth Hospital, in Cambridgeshire, the following day.

A second man, also in his 20s, suffered facial injuries in the attack.

Detectives from Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate are searching for a 24-year-old man from Southend in connection with the incident. 

Luke Eva is described as white, of medium build and around 5ft 10in tall.

Officers say he could be in the Southend or north London areas, and have urged him to hand himself in to the nearest police station. 

They have warned the public not to approach him.

Police have arrested a 57-year-old man and 20-year-old woman, both from Braintree, as part of the investigation.

:: Anyone with information should call Essex Police on 01245 282103, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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School Places: Parents Warned About 'Crisis'

Families are facing a "growing crisis" when it comes to getting their children into primary schools, the head of a teaching union has said.

The warning comes as figures indicate tens of thousands of youngsters have missed out on their first choice of school.

One school in Bristol was so oversubscribed it had 4,000 applicants competing for just 40 places.

Council across England have been warned they must increase school capacity by 20% by 2016 if they are to cope with the increasing number of children.

Dr Mary Bousted, of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, accused the Education Secretary Michael Gove of failing to deliver on his main responsibility "to provide school places for the nation's children".

For the first time parents across the country learned whether their children had secured places at the school of their choice on the same day.

Dr Mary Bousted says the Government is failing children

The picture emerging on National Offer Day showed significant disparities across the country, with an expected one in five children missing out on their first choice in areas such as Bristol and London.

According to the Local Government Association, some areas - Costessey in Norfolk, Purfleet in Essex and central Croydon in south London - will see 75% more pupils than school places by next year.

The increasing squeeze on school places has been blamed on a rising birth rate and the impact of immigration.

Dr Mary Bousted said: "We know there is a growing crisis in primary school places and we know the Government, for all the money they say they are throwing at the problem, simply haven't got the mechanism (or) the ability to plan school provision where it's needed.

"They have divested themselves of the levers to manage this situation."

She added: "It's no surprise there's a crisis in primary school places, because Michael Gove has divested himself of his first key responsibility, which is to provide school places for children."

The Department for Education said it has given councils more than £5bn to establish new school places, with more than 260,000 created already.

But Lydia Gibbs, primary teaching and curriculum lead for the Reach Academy in Feltham, west London, said: "There is a shortage of primary school places throughout the country.

"There is a sense of competition that parents would love to have their children come to our school. I know that because we were oversubscribed for reception places."

Last year the school had 160 applications for just 60 primary school places.

Bristol Cathedral School received 100 applications for each of its 40 places.

Lou Birbeck, whose twin girls failed to win spaces there, said it was hardly surprising her application had been unsuccessful, given the level of competition.

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Co-Op To Unveil £2.5bn Losses As Crisis Deepens

By Mike McCarthy, Sky News Correspondent

The Co-operative Group is set to announce losses of up to £2.5bn after a series of "catastrophically inept decisions".

It is coming under increasing pressure to reform as it faces the biggest crisis in its history.

Former city minister Lord Myners, who was brought in help push through reform, has accused managers of making catastrophically inept decisions.

However he is is set to step down amid internal resistance to his plans.

One Co-operative insider told Sky News he was in doubt where responsibility lay for the group's latest ills.

Jim Lee, an active member for 25 years, said:  "The blame lies ultimately with the board.

"Clearly we have to look again at how that board came to be put together.

"Clearly we have to look at the personnel on that board and clearly we have to change those things in the future."

Elections to the board are based on a complex three-tier structure with area committees and regional boards.

Critics say it is an outdated system which is ill-equipped to function in a globalised 21st century business environment.

There has been no evidence so far of Co-operative customers switching to other brands, but the series of crises do seem to be affecting confidence.

Outside one Co-op bank in the Lancashire town of Rochdale, where it was founded in the mid-19th century, customers told Sky News they were growing concerned.

One woman said:  "I've always been a Co-op member. My mother was and my grandma was and we've always dealt with the Co-op."

But asked if she would consider banking elsewhere, she said:  "Well we've got money in other places but it just depends how it goes.  I'll be watching - let's put it that way."

Financial analyst Brenda Kelly said apparent differences at the top of the Co-operative Group were hampering the chances of recovery.

"To reform the Co-op will take time, but ultimately having agreement within Co-op itself will help shareholders get some confidence that they might get back on the front foot."

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Dave Lee Travis Charged With Indecent Assault

Former Radio One DJ Dave Lee Travis has been charged with one count of indecent assault.

The Metropolitan Police announced David Patrick Griffin, Travis' real name, is accused of carrying out the assault in January 1995.

The alleged assault involved a woman aged over 16 years old.

He is due to appear on bail at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday, 24 April.

It comes after Prosecutor Miranda Moore QC told a court last month that Travis was due to be charged with a count of indecent assault.

As he left the court on that occasion, Travis said he wanted to remind everyone that March 28 was the 50th birthday of Radio Caroline - the offshore radio station where he started his career.

He said: "I'd like to take the opportunity to wish all my colleagues in the radio and the music business a happy day, and spend some time remembering what it used to be like in the music business when it was actually quite enjoyable."

Travis has denied any wrongdoing.

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Security Before Camp Bastion Raid Criticised

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

British commanders must take some blame for inadequate security at Camp Bastion when it was attacked in 2012, a parliamentary report has concluded.

Fifteen Taliban insurgents broke through the perimeter fence on September 14, 2012, killing two US Marines in a battle lasting into the following day.

Eight British and eight American military personnel and one civilian were injured. Six US Harrier jets were destroyed.

Fourteen of the insurgents were killed and the remaining one wounded, captured and interrogated.

That night one of the guard towers, Tower 16, was left unmanned, allowing the attackers to approach the base unseen.

All towers are now manned constantly by a team of guards working on rotation.

The Defence Select Committee report also noted concern that poppies were being cultivated immediately outside the fence, allowing Afghans to approach the walls easily and at will.

Camp Bastion is the HQ of the British military operation in Afghanistan

This could have allowed potential attackers to get a good sense of the base, up close, in preparation for an attack.

However, no evidence was found that requests for improved force protection were turned down on cost grounds.

"We are satisfied that as far as possible, the vulnerabilities which led to this extraordinary attack have now been addressed," committee chairman James Arbuthnot said.

"But we recommend that the MoD capture the lessons identified as part of its wider efforts to learn lessons for future operations."

A similar report in 2013 found two US commanders accountable for failures to adequately protect the base, but because the attack took place in the British section of Camp Bastion, the committee said British commanders should have had more responsibility.

The Ministry of Defence turned down a request for an interview but commenting on the report's findings, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: "The MoD is not complacent and always seeks to capture and learn lessons from current operations.

Watchtowers at the base are now constantly manned

"Commanders in the field have to prioritise resources against potential threats in theatre and at the time a threat to Camp Bastion was considered to be lower than to other ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) assets in Helmand.

"UK commanders have identified and acted upon all lessons following the attack on Camp Bastion in 2012."

The committee criticised the MoD for not revealing information they requested, specifically details of the security situation in Helmand during the years leading up to the attack.

"The Committee were unimpressed by the evidence from the Chief of Joint Operations, who explained that the number of security incidents was unusually high in Helmand Province in 2012.

"The Committee was told the focus of ISAF commanders had been on security incidents elsewhere in Helmand Province and on threats from insider attack.

"Unfortunately the MoD has declined to provide the Committee with comparable details of the level of security incidents recorded in Helmand for previous years as this information was classified.

"This would have allowed the Committee to make an informed assessment of the relative threat levels in the area at the time."

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Councils Accused Of Cashing In On CCTV Fines

Councils have been accused of using CCTV cameras to collect millions of pounds in parking and traffic fines.

Big Brother Watch disputes claims by many local authorities who say the cameras are used to ensure the safety of the public and not to raise funds.

According to figures obtained by the group under the Freedom Of Information Act, local authorities issued £312m worth of fixed penalty notices for traffic contraventions.

Emma Carr, deputy director of Big Brother Watch, said: "The use of CCTV and spy cars for parking enforcement should be banned.

"The fact that no councils publish proper statistics about how these cameras are used highlights that many know that their CCTV operation is about raising money, not about public safety."

London boroughs accounted for around 90%, or £285m, of the cash raised.

The top five highest revenue-raising councils were Camden, Ealing, Lambeth, Westminster and Harrow.

Brandon Lewis, Minister for Local Government, said: "It is clear that CCTV is being used to raise money in industrial volumes for town halls, breaking the constitutional principle that fines should not be used as a source of revenue.

"The public want to see CCTV being used to catch criminals not to persecute shoppers and hard-working people."

Councillor Peter Box, chair of the Local Government Association's Economy and Transport Board, said: "It is frustratingly familiar to hear Big Brother Watch again peddling the myth that councils are enforcing parking regulations just to raise money.

"Road safety campaigners, schools, disability and pedestrian charities and councils have all come together to warn the Government that banning CCTV parking enforcement will put school children and disabled pedestrians at risk and worsen road safety."

The figures provided in the report cover the period March 1, 2008, to March 1, 2013.

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Donations Top £24k After Runner's Death

The runner who died after the London Marathon has been named as Robert Berry.

The 42-year-old collapsed after crossing the finishing line and received medical attention, but was pronounced dead when he arrived at hospital.

He was raising money for the National Osteoporosis Society, which issued a statement expressing "heartfelt condolences" to his family.

Mr Berry's Just Giving page has received more than £23,000 following his tragic death.

Claire Severgnini, the charity's chief executive, said in a statement: "Our immediate concerns are for Mr Berry's family. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them at this tragic time."

In a statement, the event's organisers, Virgin Money, expressed their "sincere condolences" to his family.

"Mr Berry was immediately taken to one of our medical facilities where he was treated by four consultants, including one in emergency medicine," the statement said.

"He was transferred to St Mary's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

"We would like to continue to express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr Berry and our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them all at this difficult time."

It was the first death at the event since 30-year-old hairdresser Claire Squires collapsed just a mile from the finishing line in 2012 before dying of cardiac failure.

She had been raising money for the Samaritans and donations to the charity soared to more than £1m in the weeks after her death.

A total of 36,000 competitors took part in the 26.2 mile event, which started at Blackheath and Greenwich parks and ended on The Mall.

Runners were advised to take on plenty of water as bright sunshine and light breeze meant conditions were warm, reaching 16C in St James's Park.

The men's race was won by Kenyan Wilson Kipsang, while compatriot Edna Kiplagat finished first in the women's event.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Man Dies After Finishing London Marathon

A 42-year-old man has died after running the London Marathon.

The unnamed man collapsed after crossing the finishing line and received medical attention.

But he was pronounced dead when he arrived at hospital.

In a statement, the event's organisers Virgin Money expressed their "sincere condolences" to his family.

"We will not be releasing any further details of this tragic incident and would ask for your understanding in this matter," it said.

"We would like to emphasise that our immediate concern is for the family of the deceased.

"Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them at this difficult time."

A total of 36,000 competitors took part in the 26.2 mile event, which started at Blackheath and Greenwich parks and ended on The Mall.

The men's race was won by Kenyan Wilson Kipsang, while compatriot Edna Kiplagat finished first in the women's event.

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Boy Critical After Falling From Moving Coach

A nine-year-old boy is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after falling from a moving coach near King's Lynn in Norfolk.

The boy fell from a side door as the 71-seater double-decker travelled along the A47 trunk road.

On board were 20 children and 10 adults from Stamford Rugby Club in Lincolnshire, who were travelling home from a tournament at Holt in Norfolk

Emergency services were called to the scene at approximately 3.45pm on Sunday.

The boy was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn. No one else was injured.

Superintendent Dave Marshall said: "This is a serious incident which has left a nine-year-old boy fighting for his life.

The boy is in a critical condition at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital

"The circumstances of how the boy came to fall from the coach will form part of our investigation and it would be inappropriate to speculate further at this stage.

"The boy's parents, who were travelling with the teams, are being supported by specially trained officers."

The other passengers were taken to a rest centre at King's Lynn Police Station, where alternative travel arrangements have been made.

The road is expected to remain closed for some time and local diversions have been put in place.

Officers are keen to speak to anyone who witnessed the incident.

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Osborne Jail Threat For Offshore Tax Evaders

Wealthy people who stash money in offshore accounts to evade paying tax could be sent to jail, the government has said.

Chancellor George Osborne said new proposals could mean that people who hide their cash overseas could face criminal charges even if they did not intend to evade tax.

Mr Osborne, who is consulting on the new powers, said there would be "no safe haven" for anyone who cheats the Exchequer.

It comes after concerns that some wealthy people are costing the government millions of pounds a year by keeping money away from the glare of UK authorities.

HM Revenue & Customs will have the power to prosecute people who do not declare their foreign income, regardless of whether they intend to avoid payment.

Previously, in order to earn a conviction with a jail sentence, prosecutors had to show that individuals intended to avoid paying tax on foreign income.

Mr Osborne, who has been at the International Monetary Fund meeting in Washington, told the Financial Times: "We are changing the balance of the law so the burden of proof falls on those who are hiding their money offshore and we don't have to prove that they intended to do so."

He added: "It is totally unacceptable for people not to pay the tax that is due and the message will be clear now with this new criminal offence that if you're evading tax offshore, there is no safe haven."

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has been criticised for not prosecuting enough tax evaders.

Sky News' Ecomonics Editor Ed Conway said there has been much international discussion about what can be done to clamp down on people who hide money overseas.

David Cameron has previously announced a crackdown on so-called shell companies to help combat tax evasion and corruption.

The new criminal offence and sanctions are expected to come into effect next year, but many are expected to contribute to the consultation before that can happen.

The announcement was greeted by dismay from some, with critics suggesting the law could result in people being jailed when they were genuinely ignorant of the law.

Bill Dowdell, head of tax at Deloitte, told The Times: "It's horrifying. People should not be put in prison unless you can prove intent.

"I'm shocked to find that an offence which could lead to a prison sentence could be decided on a strict-liability basis."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

UKIP Poll Boost: Tory And Lib Dem Support Falls

Nigel Farage's UKIP has been given a boost in a new poll which puts support for the party at 20%, four points higher than last month.

It comes after he was said to have come out top in the head-to-head clashes with Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg over Britain's future in Europe.

It is UKIP's highest rating in a ComRes survey, while the Conservatives have scored their lowest rating so far this year at 29%, down three.

In the new poll for the Independent on Sunday and Sunday Mirror, the Tories are six points behind Labour which are unchanged on 35%.

The Liberal Democrats have fallen to just 7% - a dip of two points and their lowest since they went into coalition with the Conservatives in 2010.

Mr Farage's personal rating also appears to have received a boost after the recent debates.

Nigel Farage was said to have come out top in the debates

The UKIP chief has enjoyed a seven-point bounce since February, taking him to 27%.

Deputy Prime Minister Mr Clegg is down one point to 12%, while Prime Minister David Cameron has dropped four points to 27% and Labour leader Ed Miliband is down two points to 20%.

Mr Cameron's rating may have been dented by his handling of the expenses furore involving former culture secretary Maria Miller.

Some 62% of voters believe he showed a serious lack of leadership in the way he dealt with the case.

Most voters, 62%, believe constituents should be able to force sitting MPs to defend their seat in a by-election if enough people sign a petition demanding it, the research found.

A second poll also puts Labour in a six-point lead

Sky News Political Correspondent Anushka Asthana said: "We're only a few weeks out from the European elections and UKIP are kind of what the Lib Dems used to be - the party that stands against the establishment.

"They used to just talk about Europe - now it is local, popular issues such as HS2.

"The Conservatives are really badly hit by UKIP rising because that tends to split the right.

"And pollsters say if UKIP get anything over eight points in a general election they would split the right and would stop David Cameron from winning an overall majority.

"So he will be very worried about that."

Meanwhile, a Opinium poll for the Observer newspaper puts the Conservatives on 30%, Labour 36%, Lib Dems 7% and UKIP on 18%.

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