Adam Pickup: Body Found In Missing Teen Search

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Weather: Navy Chopper In Flooded Farm Rescue

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A person struggles with an umbrella in Tonbridge, Kent

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

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

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

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

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

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

NHS: Migrants To Be Charged For A&E Care

By Darren McCaffrey, Sky Political Reporter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Labour argue ministers are putting spin before substance.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Northern Ireland Talks Resume As Deadline Looms

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Theresa Villiers says she is 'encouraged' by the talks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ferry Rescue: Passenger Detained After Fire

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

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

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

Six people were winched to safety after suffering smoke inhalation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The rescue operation has been coordinated by the Humber Coastguard.

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

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

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

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

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Anti-Smoking Campaign: New Ad Targets Addicts

By Gerard Tubb, Sky News Correspondent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Footballer Needs Face Surgery After Attack

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Greenpeace Activists Arrive Home From Russia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The activists were onboard the Arctic Sunrise

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bargain Hunters Flock To Boxing Day Sales

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shopping habits are changing, according to analysts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Lorry Collides With British Legion Club

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

West Midlands Police said there were no other reported injuries.

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

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

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

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

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

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

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More