Human Remains Are Missing Student Hannah Graham

Police say remains found in a dried-up creek in rural Virginia are those of British-born student Hannah Graham.

A skull and bones were discovered in a heavily wooded area five weeks after the 18-year-old vanished in Charlottesville, a college town about 100 miles southwest of Washington DC.

Her parents, John and Sue Graham, said in a statement: "When we started this journey together we all hoped for a happier ending.

"Sadly that was not to be. We are devastated by the loss of our beautiful daughter.

"Although we have lost our precious Hannah, the light she radiated can never be extinguished."

The University of Virginia student, who moved from Britain to the US when she was five, vanished on September 13 after a night out with friends.

Matthew was the last person to be seen with Hannah, police said

She left an off-campus party alone and then texted a friend saying she was lost, police said.

In CCTV footage, she was seen walking and running unsteadily past a pub and a service station and then on to a block of bars, restaurants and shops.

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1. Gallery: Hannah Graham Search In Rural Area

   Police are scouring the area where remains that might belong to missing University of Virginia student Hannah Graham were found

2. The Albemarle County area is home to horse farms

3. Officers sifted through autumn leaves in the heavily wooded area looking for clues

4. Police have blocked off roads

5. Forensic experts must examine the remains

6. Ms Graham, who is British-born, was last seen on 13 September

7. Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr, 32, has been charged with abduction

Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr, 32, the last person seen with her, has been charged with abduction with intent to defile her.

The area where her remains were found is six miles (10km) from where 20-year-old Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington's body was found after she vanished in 2009.

Police said forensic evidence connects Matthew to Ms Harrington's killing.

DNA also allegedly links him to a sexual assault in northern Virginia in 2005.

On Monday, he was indicted with rape and attempted murder over that case.

Matthew, who weighs 270 pounds (122kg), was an operating room technician at the university's hospital.

Friends said they were shocked the "gentle giant" could be suspected of murder.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Schools Urged To Give Body Confidence Lessons

By Enda Brady, Sky News Correspondent

Schools are being urged to hold lessons in body confidence as a new survey reveals that one in four Britons is depressed by their appearance.

A new project called Be Real aims to tackle the issue which campaigners say is trapping millions of people in the UK in an unhealthy cycle of depression, short-term dieting, cosmetic intervention and eating disorders.

"Low body confidence is a critical public health issue that we cannot ignore," said Caroline Nokes MP, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group for Body Image.

"It affects everyone - all ages, both sexes - and starts as young as five years old.

Health campaigners say Britain is facing an obesity crisis

"Be Real wants to change attitudes to body image, and help all of us, whatever our size, ethnicity or ability, to put health above appearance and be confident with how we look and feel."

Ms Nokes visited Therfield School in Leatherhead, Surrey, and spoke to Year 8 pupils as part of her work to raise awareness of the issue.

Video: 'Radical' Plan Unveiled To Save NHS

"Through this campaign, we're driving change through three priority areas," she said.

"We want to ensure children and young people are educated about body confidence from an early age, to promote healthy living and wellbeing over weight loss and appearance."

She said Be Real also wanted to "encourage the media, business and advertisers to recognise diversity and positively reflect what we really look like".

Video: Losing 3% Of Weight 'Achievable'

A survey of 2,000 adults across the UK found 26% were "depressed" by how they look, while 28% said they refused to exercise because of body anxiety and 20% skipped meals to lose weight.

More than one in seven people have considered cosmetic interventions and almost a fifth of 18 to 24-year-olds are currently taking muscle building supplements to improve their physique.

"Too often the way we look becomes a measure of who we are and there is a growing pressure to achieve an aesthetic ideal that few of us can live up to," said Denise Hatton, chief executive of youth charity YMCA England.

Video: NHS-Funded Classes To Fight Fat?

"When we feel bad about how we look, we make bad choices about our health and are stopped from achieving our full potential.

"We are seeing this amongst young people, both boys and girls, across the country and urgently need to help them become confident about who they are and what they look like."

YMCA youth ambassador Kelsey Hibberd, who helps young people in Southend, Essex, was bullied in her teens and says she would be "thrilled" if body confidence lessons were offered in schools.

Video: 'Sinister' Body Image Culture

"It would mean that young people are learning really valuable life lessons and are not just being judged on grades," she told Sky News Online.

"Your body is just a shell, it's not a measure of you, your intelligence, your morals or your values. I'd be thrilled if these lessons went nationwide into every school in Britain."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police Investigated After Tree Kills Woman

Police are being investigated over the death of a woman who was killed by a storm-damaged tree.

She was hit on Kensington Road, West London, on Tuesday at around 11.30am.

Half an hour before, officers had placed vehicle cordons around the scene but pedestrians were still able to get access.

High winds - the fallout from Hurricane Gonzalo - caused a supporting wall to collapse and the tree slipped further, trapping the woman. 

Detectives want anyone with mobile phone footage of the incident to come forward.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has been informed

The woman's next of kin has been informed but police say a formal identification and post-mortem examination are still to take place.

Metropolitan Police said the Major Crime Unit was reviewing the death, while the Independent Police Complaints Commission has also been contacted.

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1. Gallery: Remnants Of Gonzalo Blow Across UK

   Waves crash into the shoreline at Blackpool

2. The remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo as seen from the North Sea

3. A train braves the coastal route near Whitehaven in Cumbria, as the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo blew into Britain, causing rush-hour misery for road, rail and air travellers

4. Some areas were subjected to gusts of wind up to 65mph, but forecasters predicted that the worst of the weather will be over after Tuesday

6. Rough seas near Whitehaven

7. A woman struggles to hold her umbrella during windy weather on London Bridge

8. People take photographs of heavy seas in front of New Brighton lighthouse near Liverpool

9. People are covered by a breaking wave as they walk along the promenade at New Brighton

10. Looking across the River Mersey at New Brighton

11. A ship close to the seafront in roughs seas at Crosby on Merseyside

12. Large waves hit the seafront at Blackpool

13. Waves crash into the shoreline at Blackpool

14. Visitors have to contend with gale force winds on the sea front at Blackpool

15. A coastguard vehicle drives along the promenade as waves crash into the shoreline at Blackpool

16. Foam from large waves and whipped up by gale force winds cover the coast road at Cleveleys near Blackpool

17. Large waves hit the seafront at Cleveleys near Blackpool

18. Waves hit the seafront at Blackpool, with the famous Blackpool Tower in the background

23. A runner on the Crosby seafront

24. A photographer on the seafront

26. A ranger vehicle on the seafront at Crosby

27. Passengers queue to check in at Heathrow Terminal 2 after some flights were cancelled

28. The departures board in Terminal 2 showing cancelled flights

29. The sea off Portland Bill in Dorset

Detective Inspector Dave Bolton, of Westminster Police's major crime unit, said: "I would appeal to anyone with information to come forward as it may be vital to piece together what happened.

"There were many people in the area at the time and these witnesses could hold key information."

Anyone with information is asked to call the police non-emergency line on 101.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sir Cliff Raid Caused 'Irreparable Damage'

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

A highly-publicised raid on the home of singer Sir Cliff Richard was "inept" and caused "irreparable damage" to his reputation, according to an influential group of MPs.

South Yorkshire Police, which has faced severe criticism in recent weeks over its handling of the Rotherham abuse scandal, worked exclusively with the BBC to broadcast live footage of officers searching Sir Cliff's home in Berkshire last August.

The force agreed to allow BBC News both to name the 74-year-old star and to broadcast the search operation, despite the fact the singer had not been questioned, arrested, or charged with any offence.

South Yorkshire's Chief Constable told the Home Affairs Select Committee his force had decided to work with the Corporation because BBC reporter Dan Johnson had been aware of the investigation. 

Police raided Sir Cliff's home in this complex in Sunningdale, Berkshire

Officers feared the broadcaster would potentially compromise the inquiry by revealing details of the probe prematurely.

In its report, the Home Affairs Select Committee said the police force should have refused to cooperate and explained to senior BBC News executives why broadcasting the story could have prejudiced the investigation.

Video: Police And BBC Clash Over Sir Cliff

Although the search operation was big news, Sir Cliff said he had only found out about it when the media contacted him for comment. 

He said he had been forced to watch the search live on television from his holiday home on the Algarve.

Home Affairs Committee chair Keith Vaz said: "South Yorkshire Police's handling of this situation was utterly inept.

"The force allowed itself to hand over sensitive information to a journalist and granted him privileged access to the execution of a search warrant."

Officers searched the star's home after receiving an allegation of a sexual nature dating back to the 1980s involving a boy who was under the age of 16.

A BBC News crew was outside the gated development in Sunningdale, where Sir Cliff has a penthouse apartment, before police arrived.

The group of MPs said it found "nothing wrong" with the BBC decision to run the story given that it had information about the investigation, as well as the timing and location of the search.

But lawyers acting for Sir Cliff released a statement disputing the BBC's claim that the select committee report had confirmed the Corporation had "behaved perfectly properly".

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1. Gallery: Sir Cliff's Life And Career

   Sir Cliff Richard was born Harry Rodger Webb in India in October 1940

2. His family returned to England in 1948 and settled in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire

3. He received his first guitar for his 16th birthday and formed the band The Drifters, who later changed their name to The Shadows

4. Webb changed his name to Cliff Richard and became one of the country's biggest musical stars, also appearing in several films

5. In 1964 he became a born-again Christian and considered leaving music altogether but was persuaded by friends to continue his career

6. He twice competed at the Eurovision Song Contest, finishing runner-up in 1968 and third in 1973

7. His 1979 hit We Don't Talk Anymore revived his career, and he went on to enjoy regular success in the charts and musical theatre throughout the 1980s

8. In 1995 he became the first pop musician to be knighted

9. In 1996 during a rain break at the Wimbledon tennis championships he famously led the Centre Court crowd in a spontaneous sing-along

10. In 1999 he released The Millennium Prayer on an independent label after EMI said it did not have commercial potential. It spent three weeks at number one, becoming his 14th number one

11. He remains hugely popular in Commonwealth countries and Europe, but only ever achieved limited success in America

12. He marked his 70th birthday in 2010 with a run of six concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, and two years later sang at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert and carried the London 2012 Olympic torch

13. He has sold more UK singles than any other artist (over 21 million) and had number one hits in five decades - 1950s-1990s

14. Only Elvis Presley and the Beatles have spent longer at number one in the British singles chart

A spokesman for law firm Michael Simkins said: "Leaving aside the actions of the police, the actions of the BBC have caused very serious harm to our client at a time when he had not been interviewed by the police, or of course arrested or charged."

South Yorkshire Police told MPs that reporter Dan Johnson had claimed the tip-off about the investigation came from Scotland Yard's Operation Yewtree, the investigation into allegations against Jimmy Savile and others.

Mr Johnson denies making any such claim.

Scotland Yard said: "To date, the Metropolitan Police Service has found no evidence to substantiate the damaging and we believe, unfounded allegation that Operation Yewtree was the source of leaked information to the BBC regarding South Yorkshire Police's investigation."

Recent reports suggest Sir Cliff Richard is now considering selling his multi-million pound home, which he only bought six years ago.

In its report, the Home Affairs Select Committee said: "We can understand his feelings ... no citizen should have to watch on live television their home being raided in this way."

The MPs also highlighted the "enormous, irreparable damage" suffered by Sir Cliff, given he has not been arrested or charged.

South Yorkshire police said: "Whilst we believe our actions were within policy and were well intended, they were ultimately flawed and we regret the additional anxiety which was caused to Sir Cliff Richard."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Footballer Jailed For Impersonating Chelsea Star

A former footballer who enjoyed a champagne lifestyle masquerading as a Premier League player has been jailed for four years.

Medi Abalimba, 25, had earned up to £20,000 a week as a player at Derby County, but gradually fell out of the football league.

However, he continued to enjoy the high life by pretending to be Chelsea midfielder Gael Kakuta, staying in top London hotels, running up bar tabs of thousands of pounds and being chauffeur-driven in a Bentley, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Abalimba played professionally for Derby, Oldham Athletic, Southend United, Fulham and Crystal Palace and was once sold for a £1m fee.

He admitted 12 offences of fraud and dishonesty in London, West Yorkshire, Manchester and Derby worth a total of £163,000.

Judge Robert Atherton said: "There is here a catalogue of offences of sophisticated dishonesty, fraudulently representing that you were a person who you were not."

Abalimba was pretending to be Chelsea's Gael Kakuta

The court heard that Alibamba gained access to a gym in Camden, north London, where he obtained a key to the lockers and would take photos of American Express card numbers to use on his spending sprees.

Among the hotels he targeted was the Madarin Oriental Hotel, the Corinthia Hotel, the Millennium Knightsbridge Hotel and the Bulgari Hotel.

He also defrauded the Club Live nightclub in Manchester, Selfridges in Manchester's Trafford Centre and rented an £800 a night mansion in Ascot, Berkshire, where he was tracked down by officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and arrested on August 10.

Vic Wozny, defending Abalimba, said he had come to the UK from the Congo at the age of five and had a "rough upbringing" in London where he "ran with the wrong crowd".

He said: "When he started to slide and the money dried up, my client could not accept that he did not continue to live the high life.

"The offences started to happen. Thereafter my client's difficulties snowballed."

Sergeant Adam Cronshaw, from GMP, said: "It appears that Abalimba is a charming and charismatic individual who was able to call on his previous football experience and the fact he bears some resemblance to the real Gael Kakuta to deceive them.

"He became so skilled in lies and deceit that his character went from being plausible to unquestionable."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Nine-Year-Old Boy Killed In House Fire

A nine-year-old boy and a 44-year-old man have died after a house fire in Penistone, South Yorkshire, police have said.

Another boy, 11, is in a critical condition in hospital after the blaze.

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said emergency services were called at 6.30pm on Wednesday, and the three were taken to hospital, where the man and younger boy were pronounced dead.

He said the 11-year-old had "life-threatening" injuries.

"Our thoughts are with the family of those involved in this tragic incident," he added.

An investigation has been launched into the cause of the fire.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Father Of British Hostage John Cantlie Dies

The father of British hostage John Cantlie has died just weeks after making an impassioned plea for his son's release.

Paul Cantlie died "from complications following pneumonia", according to a family statement.

The 80-year-old recorded a video message for his son's Islamic State (IS) captors earlier this month, which has so far gone unheeded.

The family said they had made urgent attempts to inform their son since the death last Thursday.

John Cantlie has featured in several Islamic State videos

In a statement, they said: "Paul died not knowing whether John's captors had received any of the messages he had sent to them.

"The failure of communication to date has inevitably led to a terrible sense of abandonment, particularly for John's father, with the family feeling ignored."

Video: Hostage's Family In Video Appeal

The Cantlies, from Surrey, added that the father-of-three's strength had been diminishing since his photojournalist son was kidnapped in Syria two years ago. 

"Paul Cantlie will be remembered by many for his fortitude, quiet courage, wry humour and keen intelligence, as well as for his great gentleness," their statement went on.

John Cantlie has been shown in a series of videos in recent weeks in which he speaks about Islamic State (IS) and criticises the West over its strategy in Iraq and Syria.

In a video message from his hospital bed earlier this month, his father said: "For the first time in almost two years, we saw John when he made a televised broadcast during which he told viewers that he was still a prisoner of the Islamic State and that maybe he will live and maybe he will die.

Video: Appeal By Hostage Victims' Families

"As a family we experienced great relief seeing and hearing John and knowing that he is alive. This was followed by the feeling of despair and helplessness.

"To those holding John, please know that he is a good man. He sought only to help the Syrian people and I ask you for all that is sacred to help us and allow him to return home safely to those he loves and those who love him."

IS, which controls large parts of Syria and Iraq, has killed four Western hostages over recent months.

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Five Britons A Week Joining IS, Top Cop Warns

At least five Britons a week are travelling to Iraq and Syria to fight for Islamic State, according to the UK's most senior police officer.

The stark warning by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe that returning fighters posed a terrorist threat, came as it emerged a third man from Portsmouth had been killed in Syria.

Manunur Roshid, 24, was one of five friends who travelled to the war-torn country in October last year.

Around 500 would-be British jihadists are already thought to have joined IS, which has shocked the world with its brutality, including the beheading of two British hostages.

And the revelation by Sir Bernard indicates their number continues to swell.

Islamic State fighters have captured large areas of Syria and Iraq

He said in a speech: "The advance of IS across Iraq and Syria, which happened incredibly quickly, indeed now towards Turkey, are not just the horrors of distant lands.

"We know that over 500 British nationals travelled to join the conflict. Many have returned and many will wish to do so in the coming months and perhaps in future years.

Video: Met Police: 'We Need Public's Help'

"We still have an average of five people joining them a week. Five a week doesn't sound much but when you realise there are 50 weeks in a year, 250 more would be 50% more than we think have gone already.

"Those numbers are a minimum. Those are the ones that we believe have gone.

"There may be many more who set out to travel to another country and meandered over to Syria and Iraq in a way that is not always possible to spot when you have failed states and leaky borders."

And Sir Bernard said the return of "potentially militarised individuals" to the streets of the UK "is a risk to our communities".

He backed plans revealed by the Government last month to give authorities the ability to seize the passports of those they suspect of travelling abroad to fight with terror groups at the border.

He added: "The drumbeat of terrorism in the UK has changed. It's faster and it's more intense."

Police activity has escalated to combat the terrorist threat, with "disruption" activities at ports such as stopping suspects and seizing cash up by more than 50%.

The Metropolitan Police have made 218 arrests for terrorist-related activity so far this year - an increase of around 70% compared to three years ago, Sir Bernard said.

Police and partner agencies are disrupting several terrorist plots each year, including at least one "major" conspiracy every year since 2001, Sir Bernard said.

Earlier this month, London Mayor Boris Johnson revealed that thousands of terror suspects are being spied on every day by UK security services.

With little sign that the allure of Islamic State is diminishing, the Government is refocusing its anti-extremism programmes.

Video: Pledge To Toughen Anti-Terror Laws

The Prevent initiative is now almost entirely devoted to the threat from IS

Sky News was given rare access to an anti-extremism workshop in Walthamstow, east London.

Addressing the group was Hanif Qadir, himself a former Jihadi fighter, now an outreach worker helping to steer young people away from extremism.

Mr Qadir told them the methods used by Islamic State were brutal in the extreme and against Islamic law. 

Their refrain, he said, was: "If you can't use a bomb, use a bullet, if you can't use a bullet use a brick.

"Do whatever you can and if you can't do that spit in their face.. and if you can't do that, you're not a Muslim."

"Now we all know this is nonsense," he said.

He told Sky News: "The only way to tackle this problem is do exactly the same as they (Islamic State) are doing, only a little bit better. That's the only way you can do it.

"Using online and social media has been very effective and very potent.. we need to do the same and harness social media and the internet as well."

Mr Qadir's group recently released their own internet video, using the Not in Our Name hashtag. The video went viral and was praised by US President Barack Obama.

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Terminally Ill To Be Offered Experimental Drugs

By Michelle Clifford, Senior News Correspondent

A new law allowing dying patients to be treated with 'untested' medicines has received Government backing and could be in force as early as next year.

The Medical Innovation Bill - proposed by Conservative Peer Lord Saatchi whose wife died from cancer - would give legal protection to doctors who try out different procedures once they have exhausted established options.

Brian Woods, who lost his sister to cancer and whose wife has been battling the disease for over a decade, told Sky News the move makes sense.

"Everytime a new drug or a new combination of drugs is tested then whether they work or not science moves on," he said.

"So obviously for the patient involved the hope is they do work and their life can be extended or their cancer cured. But the fact is even it that doesn't happen doctors have learned something".

Lord Saatchi says every cancer death is "wasted"

That is a view shared by Lord Saatchi, who has called every cancer death "wasted" because scientific knowledge was not advanced as patients have only received the standard treatments.

What he called "the endless repetition of a failed experiment".

But many patient advocates insist his bill would amount to a "quack's charter", unleashing potentially dangerous experiments on terminally ill people.

Peter Walsh, chief executive of Action Against Medical Accidents, said: "When people are vunerable they are going to have ideas put in front of them from doctors who may have good intentions but may want to experiment in perhaps a dangerous way on patients or even have a maverick appraoch to medicine."

Currently all medicines approved for use in Britain must undergo rigorous clinical trials before they can be licensed for use.

Even products which are still in development require a licence before they can be tested on humans.

Under the proposed bill doctors could prescribe patients with experimental treatments with no human trials. Recently an ebola treatment, Zmapp, which had only been tested on monkeys, was used in just this way.

If the bill is successful it could allow terminally ill people to volunteer to be treated with untried drugs.

Supporters say that will bypass the need for years of clinical trials, bring down the cost of the medicine and make pharmaceutical companies more likely to fund experimental drugs which may only be of use to a small number of patients with rare diseases.

Sir Michael Rawlins, former chair of The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), was initially sceptical but has been persuaded of the bills' merits now greater safeguards have been built in.

Doctors will need to get second opinions from specialists in the field before proceeding with experimental treatments.

He told Sky News: "Doctors are quite clearly inhibited in this area at the present and we know from recent and long past history that trying things out has sometimes produced wonderful, wonderful results." 

10.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hurricane Gonzalo Cancels Heathrow Flights

Thousands of air passengers face delays on Tuesday as the tail end of Hurricane Gonzalo sweeps across the country bringing heavy rains and high winds.

Heathrow airport said 10% of flights with the biggest 20 carriers would be cancelled with gusts of around 80mph forecast is some parts of Britain and Ireland.

"We do not know exactly how many passengers or flights that will have an impact on, although the cancellations are only expected for tomorrow," a Heathrow spokesman said.

The Met Office has issued a "yellow" weather warning for every region on Tuesday.

While Monday night will see wet and windy conditions sweeping eastwards, the strongest gales are expected as the rain clears on Tuesday morning.

Video: Bermuda Clears Up After Hurricane

"The remains of Hurricane Gonzalo are running across the Atlantic, reaching the UK on Monday night, bringing a period of strong winds to the UK," the Met Office said.

"Gusts exceeding 55mph are likely inland, with 60 to 70mph gusts in some exposed coastal areas in the west and possibly to around 80mph around coasts in northern Scotland.

"The public should be aware of the potential for disruption to travel and possible damage to trees.

"Difficult driving conditions will result, perhaps exacerbated by surface water and spray in places."

The strongest winds will coincide with the morning rush hour in places.

Forecasters for the Republic of Ireland said it would become "very wet and windy" across the country on Monday night, with gales later.

Virgin Trains also warned that heavy rain might affect services on Tuesday.

A spokesman said anyone planning to travel to check before setting off. Customers with tickets for Tuesday would be able to travel on Wednesday if they preferred.

Hurricane Gonzalo last week caused widespread damage and a power blackout when it hit Bermuda.

Royal Navy ship HMS Argyll, with a crew of some 180 sailors, has arrived at the tiny British territory to help with the relief effort if needed.

10.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

200 Paedophile Cases Unsolved After Tip-Offs

British police forces are still investigating hundreds of cases involving suspected paedophiles more than two years after evidence was first passed to UK authorities.

Figures show that more than 200 suspects are still being investigated after details were first passed to the Child Exploitation Online Protection Centre (CEOP) by Canadian police in July 2012.

Among the 21 UK forces that were able to provide a detailed breakdown of the Canadian cases - which came out of an international sting operation dubbed Operation Spade - 271 are still ongoing.

The data, obtained by the Press Association, also showed that from 724 referrals, 34 people had been charged and five had accepted cautions.

Controversy was sparked when it emerged that the tip-offs included information about disgraced Cambridgeshire medic Myles Bradbury and teachers Martin Goldberg and Gareth Williams, who both secretly filmed children.

Video: 660 Suspected Paedophiles Arrested

Goldberg, who worked at Thorpe Hall School in Southend, was found to have hundreds of images of school children on his computer when he was discovered dead at his Essex home; while Williams, from Cardiff, is now serving a five-year jail term.

Pete Saunders, from the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, criticised the authorities for failing to act quickly enough on the information.

He told Sky News: "People who access these kinds of images are a danger to children - the fact we're doing nothing about it is the main concern.

"The other concern is it demonstrates once again that there are large parts of society, or authorities or institutions, who simply refuse to believe or to accept the seriousness of the crimes that are in front of their eyes."

Video: Investigation Into Abuse Dossier

Child protection expert Jim Gamble, who was chief executive of CEOP until he resigned in 2010, warned that similar delays could happen again.

He said: "These mistakes correlate directly to the lack of investment that has been made in child protection resources, especially in areas where the internet is involved.

"This Government clearly does not understand the issues, they allowed Ceop to wither on the vine."

A Home Office spokesman said: "The NCA is currently leading an unprecedented operation against online child abusers in the UK.

Video: Crackdown On Online Abuse Manuals

"Ceop was brought into the NCA to ensure child abuse investigators have access to the agency's extensive crime-fighting resources and global expertise, which includes officers in 40 countries around the world.

"The move has also strengthened Ceop by ensuring investigators have specialist support to draw on, such as the National Cyber Crime Unit.

"We will always ensure police and other crime-fighting agencies have access to the powers and resources they need to tackle child abuse in all its forms."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Didcot Power Station Fire 'Very Serious'

Fire crews from three counties have been tackling a major blaze at the Didcot B Power Station.

The blaze - described by Oxfordshire Fire And Rescue as "very serious" - began in one of the gas-fired cooling stations.

Twelve fire engines, 65 firefighters and three hydraulic platforms were sent to the site.

The National Police Air Service were also deployed - but the government insisted electricity supplies would not be affected.

Energy Secretary Ed Davey said: "I've been reassured by National Grid that there is no risk to electricity supplies.

Video: Didcot Power Station Up In Flames

"I will be keeping in touch with the relevant authorities throughout. My priority is to understand the cause of the fire and get the affected unit back generating electricity as soon as it's safe to do so."

Oxfordshire's chief fire officer, David Etheridge, said his team were hampered by high winds before bringing the blaze under control.

"It was a very serious fire. Our crews have been working very hard in very difficult conditions," he told Sky News.

"We got a call at about 8.10pm. The fire is now under control and there is absolutely no risk to the public from the smoke plume.

Video: Resident Describes 'Massive Blaze'

"These fires are always very tricky for us. Water and electricity don't mix but we've worked with the site management on plans and we do exercises to make sure that when we do get an incident such as this we can all work seamlessly together to get it under control."

Thames Valley Police advised residents to close windows and remain indoors.

Site operators RWE Generation told Sky News no one had been injured.

Spokesman Dan Meredith said: "We have taken the precaution to shut down safely the station and all our employees are accounted for.

Video: Power Station Shut Down Amid Blaze

"The fire is contained within the cooling tower module - there are a number of modules that form part of the site, which is quite a large site.

"There shouldn't be any danger of the fire being able to spread."

Mr Meredith added that an inquiry would be launched into how a blaze was allowed to begin in Station B, which opened in 1997 and can power millions of homes.

Zainab Mirmalek, who lives opposite the power station, said: "About 9pm you could see a massive blaze but now you can see loads of hoses, lots of steam and smoke and water gushing, though there is still lots of orange."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hostage Families Urge Unity To Fight IS Evil

The brother and widow of the two British hostages murdered by Islamic State have made a joint appeal for communities to unite against the terror group.

Michael Haines and Barbara Henning made the plea ahead of a memorial service in Perth for David Haines, who was killed last month.

Mr Haines urged people from all faiths to "stand up with us calling for unity" after what he called the "senseless murders" of his brother and Alan Henning.

With his hand held by Mrs Henning, he said: "I hope communities can become closer."

And he called on people to "go into your neighbourhood and shake the hands of the people there no matter their background, race, colour or religion".

Alan Henning was killed by Islamic State

He said the only way "we can fight this evil is by bringing communities closer together".

He said: "I am calling on all of us - every community, every faith - in the coming weeks and months, to find a single act of unity. One simple gesture, one act, one moment that draws people together."

Video: Tribute To Murdered Aid Worker

He also paid tribute to his brother as well as Alan Henning, saying they were humanitarian workers who went into Syria to help people there.

Mr Haines said: "These were two men who sought to do good and sought to make the world a better place."

David Haines' teenage daughter, Bethany, and Michael Haines were among those who spoke at the service, where they shared some of their memories of him.

Michael Haines' son, Euan, read a poem, Not How Did He Die, But How Did He Live, in memory of his uncle.

The service also featured several hymns, including Amazing Grace, as well as the song Going Home, by the Scottish band Runrig.

Video: PM's Vow After David Haines Murder

Earlier Mr Haines and Barbara Henning issued a joint statement, saying that "together we (communities) have the power to defeat the most hateful acts".

They said: "David and Alan's killers want to hurt all of us and stop us from believing in the very things which took them into conflict zones - charity and human kindness.

"We condemn those who seek to drive us apart and spread hatred by attempting to place blame on Muslims or on the Islamic faith for the actions of these terrorists."

The pair both said they had been overwhelmed by messages of support from the British public and people all over the world.

Mr Haines also said his "kind, caring" brother "didn't see other nationalities or religions, he just saw other human beings in need of a real help to get by, or sometimes a lot of help to live to see another day".

Video: Perth Mourns Killed Hostage Haines

David Haines, 44, had been helping refugees in Syria in a camp near the Turkish border when he kidnapped in March 2013.

Alan Henning, 47, was a volunteer on an aid convoy in Syria when he was taken in December 2013.

Islamic State (IS) released videos in recent weeks showing their murders.

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Web Trolls To Face Two-Year Jail Terms

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

Internet trolls who target people with abusive material online will face up to two years in jail under Government plans being set out by the Justice Secretary.

Chris Grayling said he was determined to crack down on trolling with harsh punishments because it was leading to "absolute misery for victims".

He said the venom thrown at people over the internet would never be acceptable in real life.

Mr Grayling said it was "terrible" that the model Chloe Madeley recently received rape threats after defending controversial comments made by her mother, Judy Finnigan, about convicted rapist Ched Evans.

Chris Grayling said trolls are causing 'absolute misery for victims'

He said: "We already have offences in place to deal with this appalling behaviour, but we've toughened up the law to make sure these crimes can be properly investigated and those who commit the most serious offences face a longer prison sentence."

Cases are currently dealt with under the Malicious Communications Act in the magistrates courts, with a maximum sentence of six months.

Video: Chloe Madeley Slams Internet Trolls

Now Mr Grayling is changing the law so the most serious cases can be passed on to the Crown Courts where they could result in much longer sentences.

It comes after Peter Nunn was sentenced to 18 weeks in jail after an online "campaign of hatred" against the Labour MP Stella Creasy.

In an interview with the Mail on Sunday, Mr Grayling said trolls were "cowards who are poisoning our national life".

And Ms Madeley told the paper she supported the change, describing the current laws as outdated.

They were drawn up 10 years ago before Twitter existed.

She said: "The current law obviously needs to be reviewed. It needs to be accepted that physical threats should not fall under the 'freedom of speech' umbrella.

"It should be seen as online terrorism and it should be illegal."

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