Sky Marks WWI Centenary With Daily Tweets

By Matthew Bayley, Head of Specialist Journalism

Imagine if a war of the magnitude of the 1914-1918 conflict broke out today.

From a military point of view it would obviously be an entirely different form of combat than the one fought on the battlefields of Flanders.

But journalistically it would also be an exercise of an entirely different nature.

As we have seen in recent conflicts in the Gulf, the Balkans and Afghanistan, television has revolutionised the reporting of modern warfare.

Sky News correspondents and camera crews would be deployed across the world to provide live coverage and other content on your TVs and mobile devices.

But in this digital age, social media - principally Twitter - would play an important role too.

Our correspondents - with their hundreds of thousands of followers - would be tweeting constantly.

They would reflect the latest developments from, at first, the great capitals of Europe as the continent readied for war and then from the front lines as they unfurled in the West, the East and Gallipoli.

It is this most modern form of journalism that we are seeking to replicate with this project.

We have opted for a very simple approach: @skynewsWW1.

Tweets will cover all of the war's significant events

One tweet, every day from today - the day 100 years ago when Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated - until November 11, 2018, the centenary of Armistice Day, when World War One was finally declared over.

Over the course of 1,598 tweets we are seeking to mark not only the war's most significant events but also to try to illuminate the less well known moments, instances and pieces of history that also took place.

This is an evolving project.

We hope that our viewers, readers and followers will engage with us, submit their ideas and help us build what we hope will be a unique timeline over the next four years.

Today, the Queen will honour WW1 veterans on the 100th anniversary of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo which helped spark the conflict.

She will be joined by the Duke of Edinburgh at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London for a Drumhead Service of Remembrance led by the Bishop of London.

Meanwhile, David Cameron, Alex Salmond and the Princess Royal are set to join thousands of visitors in Stirling at the sixth annual Armed Forces Day.

Crowds will be entertained by parades and displays involving tanks and military vehicles, and helicopters and fighter jets, as Britain marks the contribution of servicemen and women past and present.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Missing Elvis Impersonator: Man Arrested

Police hunting an Elvis impersonator wanted in connection with a firearms alert that closed a Cornish school have arrested a man.

Police detained a 60-year-old man on land in Widegates, Looe, and recovered two firearms.

The man was arrested on suspicion of firearms offences and was being taken into custody at Launceston police station.

Police tweeted a version of this photo of Derrel Weaver

He was first taken to a local hospital for a medical assessment as a precaution. Police are not seeking anyone else in connection with the investigation.

Armed officers were called after a domestic-related alert at 60-year-old Derrel Weaver's home in Widegates at 9.30pm on Thursday.

The nearby Trenode Church of England Primary School was closed. Devon and Cornwall Police tweeted a photo of Mr Weaver of Higher Widlake Farm.

Police maintained a "high presence" at the scene near Looe

The caption read: "Have you seen this man, Derrel Weaver, 60, #widegates Looe, if you see him please ring 999 and do not approach."

Another tweet added: "Police are doing everything possible to maintain public safety, but we ask local people to be patient during this time."

Mr Weaver's Google+ page says he owns a tree surgery business and is also a "rock n roll singer".

Local resident Ann Chudleigha said Mr Weaver was a well-known member of the community.

The decision to close the school was made by its headteacher in consultation with police.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Savile Abuse: 'NHS Is Very Different Now'

The series of NHS reports into Jimmy Savile's abuse are a window into a bygone age.

It is astonishing that an unqualified volunteer could be given unrestricted, and unsupervised access to hospitals day and night.

Astonishing, too, that he was allowed to help with intimate procedures such as bed baths and observe naked female psychiatric patients.

Most astonishing of all was that he got away with it.

He knew severely mentally ill patients in Broadmoor wouldn't be believed.

And the few patients who reported the abuse at Leeds General Infirmary were brushed aside.

His celebrity status - and the millions he raised for charity - meant he was untouchable.

The senior managers who would have held the authority to act were unaware of his dark side.

Rumours of his fondness for 'young ladies' circulated. But nobody delved any deeper. There was no culture of curiosity.

The NHS is very different today.

Hospitals are now far more suspicious about strangers, ward doors are locked and CCTV cameras are dotted around corridors.

Safeguarding measures have also been introduced to protect children.

But the reports make further recommendations to the NHS.

Volunteers and contractors should have background checks, patient concerns must be investigated and managers must be accountable.

The NHS needs to reassure patients that they are safe on the wards.

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Savile 'Abused Dead Bodies At NHS Hospital'

Savile's Vile NHS Abuse Laid Bare

Updated: 1:39pm UK, Thursday 26 June 2014

The reports have revealed a litany of shocking individual cases of abuse and inappropriate behaviour by Jimmy Savile at NHS hospitals.

They demonstrate the scale of abuse and access Savile enjoyed at facilities around the country as recently as 2010.

In many cases patients said they were threatened or put in isolation for telling staff about their ordeal.

:: Leeds General Infirmary

1. Abusive encounters took place in wards, corridors, offices and other hospital locations, in a nearby café, in Savile's mother's house and in his campervan.

2. Nineteen of the suspected victims were aged 16 or under and three victims were raped.

3. A witness claimed Savile boasted about sexually abusing dead bodies and having jewellery made from glass eyes taken from corpses in the hospital mortuary.

4. One victim told the inquiry she feared she was pregnant after Savile abused her.

5. Three encounters involved other people who assisted Savile. 

6. Eight demonstrated his premeditation and willingness to 'groom' his victims and, in some cases, their families prior to committing abuse. 

7. Savile intimidated and humiliated 10 of his victims following their initial assault.  

:: Broadmoor psychiatric hospital

1. A male patient aged 18 was coerced into giving Savile oral sex when he went to collect payment from him for washing cars. The incident took place in March 1972 but was not reported.

2. In 1971 or 1972 a female patient was watching a pre-recorded Top of the Pops episode at the hospital when Savile put his hands between her legs and groped her genitals. She did not dare report the assault.

3. Very young boy visitor. Savile exposed himself to him when they were alone in a minibus in the 70s. The victim did not tell anyone.

4. A female patient was assaulted four or five times on different days in 1987. Savile would find her in the lounge after she had showered, and put his hands between her legs, up her nightgown and grope her. She reported the first incident to a member of staff, but was told to "stop making things up or she'd be in serious trouble".

5) A female patient was assaulted repeatedly in early 90s. Savile would sit and talk to patients (unaccompanied by staff) then while still talking move his hand up her legs and grope her genitals. Informed a member of staff but was told she must have imagined it. This patient says Savile did the same to other young, vulnerable female patients. She claims male staff also abused her and others. She believes these events led to two patient suicides.

:: St Catherine's Hospital, Birkenhead, 1964

Victim was 14-year-old inpatient. Savile pulled back covers of her bed, jumped into bed with her and touched the top of her thigh and her bottom. Victim says incident caused amusement among those present.

:: Saxondale Mental Health Hospital, 1971/2

Savile lifted the skirt of woman at a disco he had organised.

Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, 2010

Savile - now in his 80s - made "lewd" and "inappropriate" comments about a young female patient - saying he would like to see her "in a bikini". 

:: High Royds Psychiatric Hospital, West Yorkshire, 1988

Two alleged incidents as Savile put his hand up the skirts of patients and groped their breasts during a fun run.

:: Exeter Hospital, 1970

Female patient claimed Savile raped her in caravan in April 1970 after visit to hospital.

:: Prestwich Psychiatric Hospital, 1960

Savile allegedly took a girl of about seven or eight years old to an empty room and, with another man, sexually abused her. On another occasion, the victim said Savile took her to a ward containing naked male patients and excrement and threatened that if she told anyone about the abuse she would be brought back and locked in the ward. An investigation by Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust found that the incidents were likely to have occurred.

:: Ashworth psychiatric hospital

1. Two female patients alleged that Jimmy Savile abused them on a ward whilst he was visiting. One said in 1984, he made her sit on his knee, then put his hand on her thigh and moved it upwards, sexually abusing her. She says she screamed - and was then put into isolation when she told staff what had happened.  

2. A male ex-patient claimed that he witnessed Savile stroke a patient's breast at a hospital social event.

3. Former member of staff said Savile regularly visited and speculated that incidents of abuse could possibly have taken place. The alleged incidents took place between 1971 and 1985.

:: Booth Hall Children's Hospital

1. A girl aged seven or eight said her father not only abused her but allowed Savile to do so. She claimed Savile put his hands under the bed clothes and sexually assaulted her.

2. A nine-year-old boy said Savile did same to him.

The report found it was not possible to produce conclusive evidence that the incidents took place.

:: Dryburn Hospital

The hospital radio station manager from 1995 to 2000 knew about allegations that boys were "procured" for Jimmy Savile by a third party.  The investigation found no evidence that the hospital itself was involved in the procurement.

Investigators have passed information to police about a third party and a specific location in the North East used for the procurement of boys for Savile. 

:: Barnet Hospital

A nurse told a member of public that at another hospital Jimmy Savile had sex with dead bodies. Investigation found nothing relating to Barnet.

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

90-Year-Old Dragged Off Street And Raped

Police in Rochdale have launched an investigation after a 90-year-old woman was attacked in the street and raped.

The woman was attacked as she walked to a butchers in Spotland Road around 6.45am on Tuesday to buy a bacon sandwich.

She had a £1 coin in one hand and a walking stick in the other.

A hand was placed over her mouth from behind and she was dragged backwards before she lost consciousness.

When she came round she found she had been pulled to the ground and raped.

The victim was making a routine trip to the butchers for a bacon butty

She managed to pick herself up and walked to the butchers to raise the alarm and the staff called the police.

Superintendent Alistair Mallen, of Greater Manchester Police, said the victim was "really upset, distressed and traumatised".

Looking straight into the camera, he told Sky News: "What I'd say to that individual - and if he's watching me now - get yourself to a police station and explain your actions.

"If you don't, I'll tell you now, we will be knocking at your door in the next 24 hours."

He said earlier: "I am sure the entire community will share our revulsion at this.

"The victim has been through an horrific ordeal and we are all hoping she can make a full recovery.

Supt Alistair Mallen warns the attacker police will catch him

"She is now being supported by experienced officers and we are doing everything possible to reassure her that we will catch the man responsible.

"This kind of attack is thankfully so rare that it will naturally cause a huge amount of concern in the community.

"I now want people, including the criminal fraternity, to imagine if that had been your mum or grandma. I want to harness these feelings and use them to help the police do their job - catch this man and put him before the courts.

"It may not have struck you as significant at the time, but please, if you saw anything or anyone that you think could be relevant then please call the police."

Police want to hear from people who saw the victim - and potentially her attacker - on Tuesday morning.

Officers want to speak to witnesses who potentially saw the offender

The victim is white and was wearing a white summer dress with a flower print and a cardigan.

The attacker is described as a white male but no other details were available.

Sky's Frazer Maude, in Rochdale, said: "Police will be scouring CCTV images and they say they also have forensic evidence."

Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk said there was "a real sense of shock and horror" in the community over the attack, and urged anyone with information to search their conscience and help police "catch this sick individual".

"Local people are struggling to comprehend how anyone can do this. Our heart goes out to this poor woman. She must have gone through hell," he said.

"Anyone with even a glimmer of suspicion should contact the police immediately."

:: Anyone with information is asked to call police in Rochdale on 0161 856 8470/8420 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Royal Family Costs Taxpayer 56p Per Person

By Tadhg Enright, Sky News Business Reporter

The Royal Family spent £36.1m of taxpayers' money last year - a figure portrayed by royal aides as 56p for every person in the country.

The Sovereign Grant, which is set at 15% of profits made by the Crown Estate, rose from £31m in 2012/13 .

Buckingham Palace was at pains to highlight how the all of the extra money was spent on maintaining and repairing palaces and castles.

Sky News cameras were invited into Buckingham Palace to see asbestos removal which has cost £800,000 over the past two years and to Windsor Castle where a 10-year project to replace its lead roof cost £900,000 last year.

Cameras were not invited into Kensington Palace's Apartment 1A which has been renovated as a new home for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, where the cost of has spiralled to £4.1m from an original estimate of £1m.

Royal sources pointed out the 20-room apartment, which had previously been used as an office, was "completely uninhabitable" and needed a "complete refit".

Despite the high cost, they stressed it was "not opulent" and had been completed to a "very comfortable but ordinary level". 

The royal couple had used their own money to meet the cost of carpet, furniture and a high spec kitchen.

A graphic explaining some of the royal finances

When asked if Prince Charles had made a contribution to the fit out, an aide said: "It's not unusual for a parent or grandparent to help a young couple set up in their first home."

The accounts also showed the total cost of official travel fell by £300,000 to £4.2m.

Around £434,000 was spent on the visit of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall to India and Sri Lanka for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference.

A total of £255,000 was spent to send Prince Charles to represent the Queen at the funeral of Nelson Mandela.

Royal sources said his long, complicated journey at short notice necessitated the chartering of an aircraft but that other options had been considered.

Sir Alan Reid, keeper of the Privy Purse, said public funding of the monarchy had fallen by 8% in real terms in the last two years when maintenance costs are stripped out.

He added: "We take our responsibility to run as efficient an operation as possible.

"In our view we think that we do as good a job as possible in terms of trying maximise the value for money."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Strike By French Air Traffic Controllers Slammed

Airlines have been forced to cancel dozens of flights to and from France on the first day of a six-day walkout by air traffic controllers.

The stoppage comes at the height of the tourist season and follows a rail strike that affected services abroad and domestically and is still continuing in some parts.

According to the country's civil aviation watchdog, about one in five flights travelling to and from several big cities in the south, or taking off from Paris to the south, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, were cancelled.

Passengers also experienced delays on other services.

Some 20% of flights are expected to be cancelled today.

Those who are travelling have been warned not to go to the airport "without having been guaranteed that their flight is maintained".

Ryanair was forced to cancel more than 200 flights on Tuesday, and is set to cancel more than 250 today.

The airline slammed the strike, calling on the EU Commission "to remove the right to strike from Europe's air traffic controllers, who are once more attempting to blackmail ordinary consumers with strikes".

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) airlines group also condemned the action.

IATA head Tony Tyler said: "Unions bent on stopping progress are putting at risk the hard-earned vacations of millions of travellers, and from the public's perspective, the timing of the strike could even be regarded as malicious.

"In addition to vacationers, businesspeople undertaking important trips and those awaiting urgent shipments will all face hassles and uncertain waits as flights are cancelled, delayed or diverted around a major portion of European airspace."

Twenty-eight easyJet flights were cancelled, while British Airways said eight flights had been affected.

The majority of Air France's flights were unaffected by the strike, with only 10% of short and medium-haul journeys scrapped.

Not all air traffic controllers are striking, but those who have walked out are protesting against what they say is a lack of sufficient funding for a sector they say is in dire need of modernisation.

They want airport fees for airlines to increase by 10%, while companies want them to decrease.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

PM Has 'Serious' Questions To Answer On Coulson

By Sophy Ridge, Political Correspondent

David Cameron is likely to face difficult questions about his former spindoctor Andy Coulson at Prime Minister's Questions.

Labour Leader Ed Miliband has said the Prime Minister's apology is not enough and he has "very, very serious questions to answer".

He said: "This was not some small or accidental mistake. He stuck with Coulson over a long period of time and it wasn't like there wasn't information out there to arouse his suspicions.

"He was warned by the Deputy PM; he saw front page stories; he was warned by newspaper editors and yet still he refused to act and even today, defending some of the conduct of Coulson when he worked for him," Mr Miliband said.

"I think Cameron must do much more than an apology - he must give the country an explanation as to why he did not act, why he did not act on these allegations against Andy Coulson."

Mr Cameron has already apologised for employing Mr Coulson as his Director of Communications, saying it was "the wrong decision".

Coulson was employed by David Cameron in 2010

On Tuesday the former News of the World editor was convicted of phone hacking while working for the newspaper.

However, Mr Cameron's judgement is now under scrutiny. The Prime Minister employed Mr Coulson as his top communications chief in May 2010, after he had resigned from the News of the World.

Mr Cameron said the former editor had given him "false assurances" he had no involvement in phone hacking and he had wanted to give him a "second chance".

The Prime Minister said he was given "undertakings by him on phone hacking and I always said if they turned out to be wrong I would make a full and frank apology and I do that today".

He said: "I am extremely sorry that I employed him. It was the wrong decision and I am very clear about that."

Some insiders believe David Cameron's judgement was affected by his relationship with Mr Coulson.

Sean Kemp, a former adviser to Nick Clegg in Downing Street, told Sky News: "I think they genuinely believed his denials, you could argue that maybe they wanted to believe his denials because they liked him and because he was an impressive performer.

"Obviously with hindsight they wish they hadn't done it. But hindsight is always easy."

Mr Cameron has said employing Coulson was 'a mistake'

Mr Cameron insisted there had never been any complaints about the work Coulson did for him as leader of the opposition before he became Prime Minister or while he was working at Downing Street.

He said he and his chief of staff, Ed Llewellyn, had questioned Coulson on "whether he knew about phone hacking" but had been assured he had not.

Mr Cameron said: "But knowing what I now know, and know that the assurances were not right, it was obviously wrong to employ him. I gave someone a second chance and it turned out to be a bad decision."

Coulson resigned from his £140,000-a-year role at No 10 in January 2011 after the NOTW allegations intensified, insisting he was not involved in the scandal but saying: "When the spokesman needs a spokesman it's time to move on."

In July 2011, Mr Cameron told the House of Commons that if it "turns out I have been lied to, that would be the moment for a profound apology. And, in that event, I can tell you I will not fall short".

Chancellor George Osborne, who recommended Coulson to Mr Cameron, also apologised and said: "We gave him a second chance but, knowing what we now know, it's clear that we made the wrong decision."

A jury at the Old Bailey found Coulson guilty of phone hacking between 2000 and 2006, however, it is still considering its verdicts on conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office.

Rebekah Brooks, former chief executive of News International and ex News of the World editor, was cleared of all charges against her, as was her husband, the racehorse trainer Charlie Brooks.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Dozens Of Flights Cancelled Over France Strikes

By Mike McCarthy, Sky News Correspondent

Thousands of air passengers are facing travel disruption due to a strike by air traffic controllers in France.

The action, starting today, is expected to last for six days. Last night, French authorities were still trying to assess the likely impact.

Airports in the UK say the industrial action is likely to affect many flights using French airspace including those to Spain.

EasyJet, which is the second biggest airline in France, is telling customers they will have to cancel about 25% of flights.

These include a number of flights from Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Paris Orly, and Paris Charles de Gaulle.

EastJet has promised refunds to passengers

The airline says it is doing everything it can to minimise the impact on customers and that all those on affected flights will be informed by text message or email. 

It has promised to offer free transfers to a new flight or a full refund for travellers hit by the action. 

The company has advised people against re-booking journeys between today and June 30, because of the likelihood of further disruption.

Cancellations and delays may be significant but are not expected to be as bad as first feared. One of the two French unions involved called off its action after talks. 

The unions are opposed to plans for a re-organisation of air navigation in France.

Airports and airlines have been planning in an effort to avoid as much of the disruption as possible.  

Each week 17,000 seats are available between France and Manchester alone.

Manchester airport, which is part of a group including Stansted, East Midlands and Bournemouth, says up to 13,000 passengers could be affected this week.

It has advised passengers who are concerned to check with their airline before arriving at the airport.

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ex Inmates Show Queen Around Crumlin Road Gaol

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

The Queen will have tour guides with first-hand experience when she steps inside Belfast's Crumlin Road Gaol.

Northern Ireland's First Minister and Deputy First Minister were both detained there at Her Majesty's pleasure.

Democratic Unionist Party leader Peter Robinson was locked up four times during the 1980s for protesting against the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness was remanded there for six weeks in 1976 when accused of IRA membership.

They now share power in devolved government and will accompany the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh on a tour of "C" wing.

Lord Lieutenant of County Down David Lindsay greets the Queen

"The Crum", as it is known locally, evokes memories of conflict, daring escape and in the case of 17 prisoners, execution.

Some 25,000 people were imprisoned there, many interned without trial, during the jail's 160-year history.

Former inmates include Eamon de Valera, one of the leaders of Ireland's fight for independence, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams and prominent Unionist, Reverend Ian Paisley.

It was 1996 when the Governor emerged through the air-locked doors and slammed the gates shut for the last time.

Since then, the Victorian penal architecture has been restored and Crumlin Road Gaol turned into a popular tourist attraction.

The Queen meets First Minister Peter Robinson at Hillsborough Castle

During their visit to Belfast, the royal couple will also tour the set of the television drama Game of Thrones in the Titanic Quarter.

They are expected to meet leading members of the cast and view costumes and props used in the hugely successful first four series.

Other engagements include a trip to St. George's Market, a civic lunch in Belfast City Hall and a garden party at Hillsborough Castle.

On Wednesday, the Queen will honour First World War soldiers from Northern Ireland and the Republic during an act of remembrance in Coleraine, County Londonderry.

It is Her Majesty's 21st visit to Northern Ireland, but never before have so many details been released in advance.

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Colchester Police Hunt Suspect In Brown Jacket

Detectives hunting the killer of student Nahid Almanea have revealed new details about a man they want to question.

Police said a suspect who was seen near the scene of the 31-year-old Saudi's murder was wearing a distinctive brown jacket.

The man, who is described as aged between his late teens and 30, and of average build with thick dark hair, was seen on the Salary Brook Trail, where Ms Almanea was stabbed.

Police search a pond near the scene of the murder

The details were revealed as it emerged "hundreds" of officers from at least three forces are now working on the case.

Police also repeated their appeal to help identify a man wearing a bright red hooded top seen running nearby. 

This morning officers drained a local pond as part of their investigation but said they have yet to find the weapon used in the killing.

An image of the jacket police say a suspect was wearing

Det Chief Superintendent Steve Warron, who is leading the investigation, said an "intensive fingertip search" was being carried out and two other bodies of water would also be examined.

He also urged local residents to check their gardens and bins for any items they did not recognise such as bloodstained clothing or footwear, that may have been discarded by the killer.

Sky's Joe Tidy, reporting from Colchester, said police had described the latest development as significant rather than major, and that enquiries were running in parallel with the probe into the murder of Jim Attfield, found stabbed to death in the city in March.

"Police say there are obvious similarities with the murder of Jim Attfield that are too significant to ignore so they are looking to work alongside each other in both cases," he said.

Mr Attfield's mother, Julie Finch, told Sky News she was concerned that the killer or killers of her son, had not yet been found.

The last known picture of Ms Almanea before her murder

"You turn on the news and every story is a murder or someone is in court for murder," she said.

"Until you're in a situation where you've lost someone you don't notice it.

"But now I'm terrified for my girls. I won't go out on my own and it proves with this latest murder that it doesn't matter what time you go out or where you are. Everyone has to be so much more vigilant."

Ms Almanea was stabbed 16 times while walking along a path on Tuesday morning.

Jim Attfield was found stabbed to death in March

The student from Saudi Arabia had been taking an English language course at the University of Essex as part of her studies for a life sciences PhD.

Police released a CCTV picture of the 31-year-old taken moments before her death and a map of her likely route from the home she shared with her brother to the spot on the Salary Brook trail where her body was found.

:: Anyone with information is asked to contact the Major Investigation Team on 01245 282103, Essex Police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Arrests After Newborn's Body Found In Hull

Two people have been arrested after the body of a newborn baby girl was found on a cycle path in Hull.

Police were called to the scene, between Rockford Avenue and Lamorna Avenue, close to the East Park area of the city, at around 9.15pm on Saturday.

They had been contacted by a member of the public who had discovered the baby's body while walking along the path.

Officers closed off the area and carried out a preliminary investigation, which led to a man and a woman being taken into custody.

A spokesman for Humberside Police said: "Officers attended right away and closed off the area for the body to be recovered and for initial inquiries to take place.

"As a result of the initial investigation two people, a man and woman, have been arrested and are helping police with inquiries at this time."

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hundreds Of Kids Smuggle Drugs Into School

By Afua Hirsch, Social Affairs and Education Editor

Hundreds of children are bringing drugs, including class A substances, into UK schools every year.

Figures obtained by Sky News show more than 1,000 pupils have been caught carrying drugs in schools over the past three years.

Among those pupils, 27 were found with class A drugs.

Some 93 pupils were charged with drugs offences, including six at primary school.

The figures come from 32 of the UK's 44 police forces but do not include some of the country's largest, including the Met and Greater Manchester.

Campaigners are concerned drug use among children is a problem that is being ignored.

Camila Batmanghelidjh, founder of charity Kids Company, which works with children from deprived backgrounds, said: "A lot of (children) are born into households where their parents are prolifically abusing substances.

"What we're seeing now is that eight and nine year olds are beginning to smoke weed and skunk and then they go on to harder stuff.

"Unfortunately, in a lot of neighbourhoods, children see the drug trade as a completely legitimate way of making a living.

"It's become so familiar and in a way it's become so normalised because children are completely surrounded by adults who are using."

One 18-year-old who was addicted to cannabis for three years said drug use had been common among children her age.

Jade Clement, from Poole, Dorset, who now campaigns for the charity Fixers, said: "I always had a friend that I was smoking with. We constantly had to lie, tell our parents we were going to the cinema or swimming - anything like that so we could get a tenner.

"I was meant to be in school ... (but) if I had weed left over from the night before then I wasn't going in.

"I couldn't be bothered. It didn't interest me (and) the only reason I went in was so I could plan (to take drugs) with my friends ... that's all school was really about."

The Government says drugs have 'no place whatsoever in the classroom'

Schools in affluent areas say they are equally concerned about the likelihood their pupils will be exposed to drug use.

At The Hall, a prestigious independent school in north London, former addicts are invited to speak to pupils to warn them about the dangers of drug use.

Thirteen-year-old student Callum said: "It's quite daunting that I'll be offered drugs in the next three to five years. It leads me to think, 'What will I say? Will I be pressured?'"

The Government said banned items like alcohol and drugs have "no place whatsoever in the classroom".

A Department for Education spokesman said: "We've introduced a range of powers for teachers to ensure discipline, behaviour and safety are maintained.

"Teachers can now search a pupil without consent when they suspect they may be in possession of a prohibited item.

"Changes to the system mean a school's decision to exclude a pupil cannot be reversed by an appeals panel.

"Our guidance also makes clear that teachers can use force to remove disruptive pupils from the classroom when necessary."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mums-To-Be 'In The Dark About Silent Killer'

A new campaign has been launched to highlight the need to protect pregnant women from a virus that can cause miscarriages, physical disabilities, deafness and blindness.

Many people carry CMV (Cytomegalovirus) - dubbed the "silent killer" because many people are unaware they have it - however, it can be extremely dangerous to unborn babies.

It currently affects one in 1,00 babies, a higher number than Down's syndrome, but there is no vaccine or screening programme.

It is normally spread through bodily fluids, so doctors say the best way for pregnant women to protect themselves is to wash their hands thoroughly.

Charity CMV Action, backed by pop star Kimberley Walsh, is trying to raise awareness by getting people to take pictures of their hands with the words "Wash away CMV" written on the palm.

Mandy Parks with her daughter Alicia, who was affected by the CMV virus

Professor Mike Sharland, children's infections specialist at St George's Hospital in London, told Sky News it is important to raise awareness among parents.

"In pregnancy because your immune system is a little weaker, if you catch the virus, very rarely it can go across to the baby and cause problems for the baby as well," he said.

Fifteen-year-old Alicia Parks caught CMV when she was in her mother's womb.

It left her blind, unable to talk or walk and needing 24-hour care.

Her mother, Mandy, is backing the campaign to raise awareness and believes more needs to be done to support parents,

"Sometimes I think the system brings you down because you fight for everything. You fight to prove that they are worse than a two-year-old or three-year-old or four-year-old, you fight for a disabled grant to adapt your house, you fight the system to prove that you can't go to work because now you're 24/7 looking after someone."

Research is ongoing into a possible vaccine for the future or more accurate screening programme, but at the moment experts insist the best protection for mothers is to wash their hands.

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