Queen 'Suffering From Gastroenteritis'

The Queen has cancelled an engagement in Swansea as she is suffering from the symptoms of gastroenteritis.

Buckingham Palace confirmed the Queen is unwell and will "be assessed in the coming days".

The 86-year-old monarch was due to visit Wales today to present St David's Day leeks to 3rd Battalion The Royal Welsh.

She is currently at Windsor Castle, where she is spending the weekend "as usual", the palace said in a statement.

The Queen is due to travel to Rome on March 6 to visit Italy's President Napolitano.

She last had to cancel an event - an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle - due to chronic back pain in October 2012.

She also missed a church service at Sandringham two days before Christmas last year because she was "getting over the tail end of a cold".

The Queen presented Olympic stars, including Jessica Ennis, Nicola Adams and Greg Rutherford, with honours at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.

Jessica Ennis beamed as the Queen presented her with a CBE on Thursday

A palace spokesman said the Queen's visit to Rome was still due to take place but a decision would be made after further assessment of her condition.

Meanwhile, Swansea Council said the ceremony would go ahead today as planned with the Lord Lieutenant of West Glamorgan, Byron Lewis.

A council spokesman said: "Due to minor illness, Her Majesty The Queen is unable to attend Saturday's event.

"The ceremony will continue as planned and will be carried out by the Lord Lieutenant of West Glamorgan, Mr Byron Lewis.

"The Lord Lieutenant will be met upon arrival at the Guildhall by Brigadier Philip Napier, Colonel of the Regiment.

"The parade will present arms for a royal salute and play the national anthem before the Lord Lieutenant is invited to present leeks to a representative body of the regiment.

"Following the parade, the Lord Lieutenant will attend a reception with members of the battalion and their families, before proceeding to the George Hall for lunch.

"The event will take place in and around the Brangwyn Hall and public viewing areas will be available."

Gastroenteritis is an infection of the stomach and bowel, with common symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea and dehydration.

In England, the two most common causes of gastroenteritis in adults are the norovirus and food poisoning, according to NHS Choices.

The Queen has rarely missed events during her 61-year reign, even though she carries out more than 300 engagements a year.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Defence Secretary: Cut Welfare Not Troops

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has warned he will resist further cuts to the armed forces in Chancellor George Osborne's forthcoming spending review.

After Downing Street said publicly last month that the military would not be immune from further financial retrenchment, Mr Hammond has vowed to fight against anything more than modest "efficiency savings".

He said other Conservative Cabinet ministers believed that the greatest burden of any cuts should fall on the welfare budget.

A Whitehall source said Mr Hammond's comments were aimed particularly at the Lib Dems following remarks by senior Lib Dem ministers indicating that they believed welfare spending should be protected over defence.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Mr Hammond said there was a "body of opinion within Cabinet who believes that we have to look at the welfare budget again", and that "we should be seeing welfare spending falling" as a result of rising employment levels.

He later told the BBC: "We won't be able to make further cuts without eroding military capability.

Mr Hammond says the welfare budget should be curbed instead

"Of course I understand the Chancellor's challenge. He has to find additional savings in order to consolidate the public finances as we have to do but we need to look broadly across Government at how we are going to do that, not just narrowly at a few departments."

He said the "first priority" for the Government should be "defending the country and maintaining law and order" and that further defence cuts were not possible while meeting stated security objectives.

"I shall go into the spending review fighting the case for the defence budget on the basis that we have made very large cuts to defence, we've done that with the collaboration and co-operation of the military," he told the newspaper.

"Any further reduction in the defence budget would fall on the level of activity that we were able to carry out - the idea that expensively bought equipment may not be able to be used, expensively employed troops may not be able to be exercised and trained as regularly as they need to be.

"I am not going into the spending review offering any further reductions in personnel."

Mr Hammond's comments are likely to be welcomed by Tory backbenchers who have been calling for a return to core Conservative values in the wake of the party's trouncing in the Eastleigh by-election.

However they will also heighten tensions within the coalition, with the Liberal Democrats resisting a further squeeze on welfare spending.

Sky's Defence Correspondent Alistair Bunkall said: "Philip Hammond's words are significant for two reasons: he's clearly saying to the Lib Dems 'enough is enough' and by so blatantly suggesting that the British armed forces would be unacceptably weakened if subjected to further cuts, he's drawing a line that would be dangerous to cross."  

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rape T-Shirt: Amazon Offered 'Hit Her' Tops

Amazon is continuing to offer T-shirts advocating domestic violence on its website - after withdrawing tops sloganed "Keep Calm And Rape".

The company withdrew the rape T-shirts - sold by the Solid Gold Bomb company - from its UK site and later pulled tops with the slogan "Keep Calm And Hit Her".

But the "Hit Her" top remains for sale on some international Amazon sites, including the version in Germany.

It offers the shirt for a price ranging between 16.90 euros and 18.90 euros and they are also available to non-German account holders.

A spokesman for Amazon UK had earlier told Sky News that all offensive garments had been pulled and said: "I can confirm that those items are not available for sale."

This top is being sold on the German website

Other offensive slogans discovered on the UK website - but now withdrawn - included "Keep Calm And Grope On" and "Keep Calm And Grope A Lot".

Critics of the T-shirts quickly let their feelings be known by posting hundreds of negative comments on the relevant Amazon pages and Twitter.

One said: "Do the decent thing and pull this disgusting item now. Remove all items by the same company to show them this will not be tolerated."

Another online customer, Jody, said: "Your on a roll now Amazon. So not content with supporting and encouraging rape your also advocating violence against women.

"Domestic violence is a crime. Real men don't beat there partners."

The firm apologised but later shut down its Twitter and Facebook accounts

Meanwhile, Labour deputy leader Lord Prescott, tweeted: "First Amazon avoids paying UK tax. Now they're make money from domestic violence."

An e-petition was set up titled "Amazon: Stop Encouraging Gropers", while Labour MP Roberta Blackman-Woods tweeted that "these amazon t shirts are terrible & we must speak out against them".

Amazon listed the manufacturing quality of the rape T-shirts as "Fine Jersey T-Shirt", saying the items were made by American Apparel prior to printing in the US.

When Solid Gold Bomb withdrew the 'rape' garment it also posted a statement on its website which said: "We have been informed of the fact that we were selling an offensive T-shirt primarily in the UK.

The Amazon UK site still offered 'hit her' T-shirts on Saturday

"This has been immediately deleted as it was and had been automatically generated using a scripted computer process running against 100s of thousands of dictionary words."

Solid Gold Bomb said it received death threats and its Twitter account was bombarded with scores of angry messages - many of which said: "Rape is not a joke."

Solid Gold Bomb replied: "We're sorry for the ill-feeling this has caused! We're doing our best here to fix the problem."

Both its Facebook and Twitter accounts have since been shut down.

It said the scripted programming process that created the slogan was compiled by "only one member of our staff", but that it "accepted the responsibility of the error".

Solid Gold Bomb said it sends its T-shirts from Worcester in Massachusetts to throughout the US, UK, Germany, Canada and 79 other countries daily.

Amazon typically charges companies 7% of the price, postage and any taxes to list and sell items through its website.

Prior to withdrawal the 'Keep Calm' shirts retailed in Britain for between £14.99 to £16.99 - excluding postage - allowing Amazon to make more than £1.18 on each sale.

Last year Amazon came under fire from MPs and the public over tax avoidance, after it was claimed the company generated UK sales during three years of between £7.6bn and £10.3bn, but paid virtually no corporation tax.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sinkhole Swallows Man: Frantic 911 Call

A recording of a woman's frantic 911 call pleading for help after a sinkhole swallowed her relative under his bedroom has emerged.

Jeff Bush, 37, is thought to have died after vanishing when the ground opened up in Florida.

Five other people were at the Seffner property as the floor began to fall through into the hole estimated to be six metres across and six metres deep.

But no one else was injured at the "seriously unstable" house.

A relative telephoned the emergency services to raise the alarm.

Screaming, she said: "Yes, we need the ambulance and cops...he's stuck under the house. The house just fell through."

The woman was asked: "What happened to the house?"

She replied: "The bedroom floor just collapsed, and my brother-in-law is in there, he's underneath the house."

Mr Bush's brother Jeremy said he jumped into the hole but could not see his sibling.

He had to be rescued himself by a sheriff's deputy who reached out and pulled him to safety as the ground crumbled around him.

"The floor was still giving in and the dirt was still going down, but I didn't care. I wanted to save my brother," Mr Bush said. "But I just couldn't do nothing."

Jeff Bush is presumed dead

He added: "I could swear I heard him hollering my name to help him."

Mr Bush went on: "All I could see was the cable wire running from the TV going down into the hole. I saw a corner of the bed and a corner of the box spring and the frame of the bed."

Engineers are planning to resume their work at the site to do more tests on the unstable and dangerous ground.

They have already found the soil in the slowly growing sinkhole around the home is very soft and believe the entire property could eventually be swallowed up.

They said they may have to demolish the small, sky-blue house, even though from the outside there appeared to be nothing wrong with the four-bedroom, concrete-wall structure, built in 1974.

Officials lowered equipment into the sinkhole and saw no signs of life, said Hillsborough County Fire Rescue spokeswoman Jessica Damico.

A dressing table and a television set had vanished down the hole, along with most of Mr Bush's bed.

County administrator Mike Merrill described the home as "seriously unstable".

He said no one can go in the house because officials were afraid of another collapse and losing more lives.

Florida is highly prone to sinkholes because there are caverns below ground of limestone, a porous rock that easily dissolves in water.

They are so common that state law requires home insurers provide coverage against the danger.

Mr Bush said someone visited the home a couple of months ago to check for sinkholes and other things, apparently for insurance purposes.

"He said there was nothing wrong with the house. Nothing. And a couple of months later, my brother dies. In a sinkhole," he said.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

New Zealand Shark Attack: Wife Told By Text

The wife of a man killed by a great white shark at a New Zealand beach was told about the deadly attack by text message as she sat having coffee nearby, it has emerged.

Meg Strange was chatting with a friend at a cafe near Muriwai Beach in west Auckland when the pair heard there had been an attack, The New Zealand Herald has reported.

Mrs Strange tried to contact her husband Adam, who she believed was on the beach, after finishing an ocean swim.

When she got no answer, her friend sent a text message to Muriwai Lifeguard Service chairman Tim Jago.

"I got the text, 'I hear there's been a shark attack'," Mr Jago told the Herald.

"I said, 'Yes, I'm on the beach now.' And she said, 'I'm having a cup of coffee with Meg. She can't contact Adam.'

Adam Strange, a father-of-one, was a TV commercial director

"And I had to send a text back saying, 'It was Adam.' That's how quickly it happened."

Mrs Strange returned to Muriwai Beach on Thursday for a memorial for her husband, a father-of-one.

The prolonged attack by the 12-foot shark has shocked witnesses.

"He wasn't letting go. Normally two boats out there, guns being fired and being whacked over the snout with a paddle a couple of times would be enough,"  Mr Jago told The Herald.

Nigel Bradbury was at the beach with his daughter when he filmed the event on his phone.

''I was going to have a swim but we decided to have a picnic instead, and then we saw the inflatable (rescue boat) racing along the beach along with the quad bike towards Maori Bay,'' he told The New Zealand Herald.

Mr Bradbury said a police car parked next to him and within three minutes the police officer was in the rescue boat shooting at the shark to release Mr Strange's body.

''You could see it clearly, even though it was a fair way offshore. The water spraying up when he fired the gun - rapid fire and then you could hear the sound,'' he said.

Earlier, Mr Jago said Mr Strange was "a good water man" and was well known to the lifeguards who tried to save him.

Lifeguards had been traumatised, and were being offered support and counselling, he said.

Mr Strange was a TV commercial director and had worked around the world on several projects.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Horsemeat: Four New Products Test Positive

Tests on four beef products sold by Birds Eye, Taco Bell and catering supplier Brakes have been found to contain horsemeat.

Checks revealed contamination of Birds Eye Traditional Spaghetti Bolognese and Beef Lasagne, Taco Bell's ground beef and Brakes' spicy minced beef skewer, the Food Standards Agency said.

Ten tests on the four products returned results of more than 1% horsemeat, the FSA said, and all four have been withdrawn from sale.

US-owned Tex-Mex restaurant chain Taco Bell said that it was "disappointed" to have discovered the horsemeat in tests it carried out on beef supplied to its UK restaurants by a sole European supplier.

"We immediately withdrew ground beef from sale in our restaurants, discontinued purchase of that meat, and contacted the Food Standards Agency with this information," it said in a statement.

"We would like to apologise to all of our customers, and we can reassure you that we are working hard to ensure that every precaution is being undertaken to guarantee that we are only supplied with products that meet the high standards we demand."

Overall, the Food Standards Agency has received 5,430 test results

Birds Eye had already withdrawn the spaghetti bolognese, lasagne and a third ready meal, a shepherd's pie, from sale in Britain and the Republic of Ireland as a precaution after tests found 2% of horse DNA in a chilli con carne dish it sold in Belgium.

They are made by the same Belgian manufacturer, Frigilunch NV.

"No other Birds Eye products have tested positive for horse DNA, nor do they share the same supply chains as Frigilunch NV," the company said in a statement.

"Going forward we are introducing a new ongoing DNA testing programme that will ensure no minced beef meat product can leave our facilities without first having been cleared by DNA testing."

Brakes, which is based in Ashford, Kent, is the supplier for the House of Commons Catering Service and last month it withdrew its steak and kidney pie, beef and onion pie, steak and kidney suet pudding, and beef Italian meatballs as a precaution.

It also supplies pubs among 19,000 customers who buy around 48,000 cases of products containing beef every week.

It too said it was introducing new tests after the discovery, alongside 259 negative tests.

"Our tests also confirmed one positive equine DNA finding at between 1% and 10% on a Brakes spicy minced beef skewer and one positive test reported by a customer of our subsidiary division Creative Foods, on a lasagne manufactured exclusively for them," it said.

"Brakes have also segregated a frozen burger as a precaution after equine DNA at 1% was reported to the Food Standards Agency.

"Brakes and Creative Foods are very disappointed to have been let down by our respective suppliers and have sincerely apologised to our customers.

The latest findings come in the third round of checks on products

"As any responsible company, we have a duty of care to all our customers and the consumers they serve to guarantee the integrity of the products we purchase."

The discoveries were made in the third round of tests carried out since January.

A total of 19 products in total have now been confirmed to contain over 1% of horse DNA.

No tests to date on samples containing horse DNA have found the veterinary drug phenylbutazone, or bute, to be present.

Across the industry, a first wave of tests found horse meat in products including Aldi's special frozen beef lasagne and special frozen spaghetti bolognese, Co-op frozen quarter-pounder burgers, Findus beef lasagne, Rangeland's catering burger products, and Tesco Value frozen burgers and Value spaghetti bolognese.

A second wave of tests revealed contamination of Asda's chilled beef bolognese sauce, beef burgers, minced beef and halal minced beef sold by Sodexo, which supplies food to schools, care homes and the armed forces, and a Whitbread Group lasagne and beef burger.

Earlier, the British Retail Consortium said test results for horsemeat in all minced beef lines used by the UK's largest supermarkets had revealed no new cases of contamination.

Some 95% of products sold by retailers have now been checked,  it said, with the latest round of checks since February 22 including 361 tests on 103 products.

A total of 1,889 tests have been carried out by the trade organisation's members since January 20, with 0.3% of them finding contamination.

Meanwhile in Germany, authorities say they have found a carcinogenic substance in animal feed delivered to more than 3,500 farms - but stressed that any risk to humans was unlikely.

Aflatoxin B1 is a chemical produced by fungus that can grow on hay or grains and appear in the milk of animals that eat the mildewed feed.

The state agriculture ministry in Lower Saxony said the contamination originated from a shipment of corn from Serbia.

It said it did not believe there was any danger to consumers and there was no indication legal limits on aflatoxins in milk had been exceeded.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pound Falls As Triple Dip Fears Fuelled

Sterling has fallen to a two-and-a-half-year low against the dollar after manufacturing figures for February revealed a fall in output.

The closely watched Markit/CIPS purchasing managers' index showed a slump in activity to 47.9 - well below the 50 level which separates growth from contraction.

It was the first time since last November the sector's activity shrunk, and followed 50.2 in January.

The value of the pound slipped following the data, and fell below $1.50 on Friday afternoon - its lowest since the middle of 2010. 

Sterling has only been beneath the $1.50 mark for four of the 200 years since the US Declaration of Independence.

The last time it was at this level was briefly during the 2010 election and coalition-building process, and before that the 2008/09 recession.

Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, said the manufacturing data increased the chance that Britain will slip back into recession. 

"The return to contraction of the manufacturing sector is a big surprise and represents a major set-back to hopes that the UK economy can return to growth in the first quarter and may avoid a triple-dip recession," he said.

"The data so far this year point to manufacturing output falling by as much as 0.5%, meaning a strong rebound is needed in March to prevent the sector from acting as a drag on the economy as a whole in the first quarter."

The struggling sector contributed to the UK's worse-than-expected 0.3% decline in output in the fourth quarter of last year, and a negative reading for the first quarter of 2013 would see the UK enter a triple-dip recession.

Nawaz Ali, a market analyst with Western Union, said the manufacturing data could increase pressure on the Bank of England (BoE) to launch a new round of asset purchasing - or quantitative easing - as early as next week.

"The data is a major setback for sterling and the size of the manufacturing decline indicates that there is still a chance the British economy may suffer an unprecedented triple-dip recession," he said.

"The data also adds to growing concerns that not only could the BoE re-start monetary printing in March, the central bank's new flexible inflation strategy puts it in a position to launch a prolonged period of asset purchases, similar to what the US have done and what the Bank of Japan is planning to do."

More quantitative easing is likely to hit sterling further because it increases its supply and drives the currency's exchange value lower.

So far this year, sterling - which was also hit by Moody's downgrade of the UK's credit rating - has lost 7.5% against the dollar.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Philpott Trial Hears Secret Police Recordings

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

A man accused of starting a house fire which killed his six children is alleged to have whispered to his wife: "I didn't mean to do it. On my life."

Mick Philpott, 56, his wife Mairead, 31, and a third defendant Paul Mosley each deny six counts of manslaughter after the blaze in Derby last May.

In the days after the fire covert recordings were made of the Philpott's conversations in a police vehicle and a hotel bedroom. 

In the van on May 31, Mick is heard asking his wife: "Are we sticking to the story?"

Mairead replies: "Hmmm." Mick whispers: "Good."

He then asks her: "Do you know something? Have they got any evidence on you? They've got nothing on me, nothing."

During another conversation he said to his wife: "I love you so much. Look at me. We will walk free and prove our innocence, right?

Paul Mosley is also on trial

"And then we will sort them out, promise you."

Mairead replied: "Yeah, like I said, we can't even bury the kids."

The Philpott's defence team disputes the contents of some of the recordings and called Martin Barry, a forensics speech analyst, who said he had listened to the disputed recording "several thousand times".

The prosecution allege Mick can be heard to say: "You definitely sticking with the story? I didn't mean to do it, on my life."

Mr Barry agreed the comments "definitely sticking with the story" and "on my life" could be heard, but disputed the words "you" and "I didn't mean to do it".

The expert told the court the comments were "unclear" and "obscured" by the noise of the van.

The prosecution claims the children's deaths were a result of a "plan" devised to frame Mick's ex-mistress Lisa Willis that went wrong.

The judge at Nottingham Crown Court decided to allow the release of a 999 call made on the night of the fire.

The Philpotts can be heard sobbing and pleading for help and telling the operator that the children were trapped in an upstairs bedroom.

Jade, 10, and brothers John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six and Jayden, five, all perished in the blaze on Victory Road in Allenton.

Their brother Duwayne, 13, was taken to Derby Royal Hospital but died three days later after being transferred to a Birmingham hospital.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

South Africa: 'Man Dragged Behind Police Van'

A taxi driver in South Africa died after being handcuffed to a police vehicle and dragged hundreds of yards, it has been alleged.

Independent police investigators are looking into the claims after video footage emerged showing a man being dragged along a road behind a police van.

The man, named locally as 27-year-old Mido Macia from Mozambique, was later found dead in a police cell in Daveyton, Johannesburg, on Tuesday.

Officers have claimed they put Mr Macia in a police van in order to take him to a police station on the East Rand, and cannot explain how he later died.

But the video, obtained by South Africa's Daily Sun newspaper, shows officers struggling to overpower a man - believed to be the taxi driver - before attaching him to a point at the rear of their vehicle and then driving off leaving him hanging outside.

Officers are seen restraining the man and handcuffing him to the van

At one point they attempt to carry his legs while the vehicle is moving forward but have to drop him as the police van speeds up.

The footage then shows the man trying to stay on his feet as he is dragged behind the vehicle for several hundred metres.

The person filming the incident attempts to keep up with the truck dragging the taxi driver, but has to give up as the vehicle is going too fast.

The van then starts to move away with the man hanging on

Inmates in the cells he was taken to have claimed he was later beaten to death by police.

The incident has inflamed local feelings and Sky's Alex Crawford who is outside the police station says a crowd has gathered to protest.

South Africa's Independent Police Investigation Directorate (IPID) said on Wednesday that officers had initially attempted to arrest Mr Macia because he was allegedly obstructing traffic.

At one point they lift his legs but have to let go when the van speeds up

IPID spokesman Moses Dlamini said: "We are investigating an incident involving the death of man, allegedly at the hands of the police. We are shocked by the footage which has been released.

"The circumstances surrounding his death are still allegations ... let's find out what really happened," he said.

He said there were reports Mr Macia had tried to disarm a police officer before the attack.

The taxi driver was then allegedly beaten once inside the police holding cells.

He is understood to have been found dead by another police officer later the same day.

The van then starts to accelerate away and the suspect is dragged behind

Mr Dlamini told the South African website News 24 that an investigation had begun before Mr Macia's death into allegations he carried out an assault resulting in grievous bodily harm.

A post-mortem on the dead suspect indicated he had died from head injuries with internal bleeding.

Police in South Africa are known for heavy handedness when dealing with the public, and the police watchdog is handling numerous cases of police brutality.

In the 12 months before March 2010, according to Amnesty International, there were 920 complaints of serious assault and 294 deaths in custody.

The police department could not confirm if the officers had been suspended.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Philpott Fire: Accused 'Bragged Of Bail'

By Lisa Dowd, Midlands Correspondent

A man accused of killing six children in a Derby house fire bragged about "being on bail for six counts of murder", a court hears.

Melissa John, the girlfriend of Paul Mosley's nephew, told Nottingham Crown Court that she saw the 45-year-old after he was released on police bail.

Ms John told the jury: "He was bragging... about being on bail for six counts of murder."

She claimed Mosley said he would wait for the charges to be dropped "then he'd go public and tell everyone".

Mosley and the parents of the six victims, Mick and Mairead Philpott, are on trial for killing the children. They each deny six counts of manslaughter.

Jade Philpott, 10, and brothers John, nine, Jack, eight, Jessie, six and Jayden, five, all died in the fire.

Their brother Duwayne, 13, died in hospital three days after the blaze on Victory Road in Allenton, Derby, in May last year.

Ms John said Mosley later asked her: "What if I was to tell you we actually rehearsed this six weeks ago?"

She said Mosley went on to claim that Mick and Mairead Philpott were to be inside the house when the fire was started, that he was to "kick the back door in" and then the couple were to run out front and scream for help.

But she claimed he said it "didn't go to plan".

Ms John said Mosley told her Mick had wanted a bigger house, and Mairead had written a suicide note saying "next time she'll take her children with her".

Mairead was to take the blame for the fire, Ms John told the court.

The prosecution allege that the trio started the fire to "frame" Mick Philpott's ex-mistress and regain access to their children.

Their trial continues.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Man City Player Jailed Over Death Crash

By Frazer Maude, Sky Correspondent

Manchester City player Courtney Meppen-Walter wept in court as he was jailed for 16 months for killing a brother and sister while speeding.

Kulwant Singh, 32, and Ravel-Kaur Singh, 37, died when the Nissan Micra they were driving was hit by a Mercedes C220 driven by the 18-year-old footballer.

At Manchester Crown Court, Judge Martin Steiger QC told the former England U-18 captain: "This, as offences go, was in the most serious category for causing death by careless driving.

Meppen-Walter was speeding in his car

"There were also a number of aggravating factors."

Mr Singh and his sister had been in the front seats of the car when it collided with Meppen-Walter's Mercedes on Bury New Road in central Manchester in September last year.

Ms Singh's two sons, Amjit, 16 and Harveen, 17, who were in the back of the Micra and were injured in the collision, have been said by police to be "making a good recovery". Amjit was only released from hospital earlier this month.

The two teenagers are now orphans after their father was killed in Afghanistan.

The court heard that Meppen-Walter had been out with friends at a shisha cafe in Manchester when they decided to go to a nightclub.

Witnesses reported seeing the footballer's Mercedes and a grey VW Golf driving erratically before the collision.

Saleem Mirza said he saw the two cars accelerating and braking while changing lanes, although he said the cars did not appear to be racing.

Accident investigators and the Mercedes' engine management unit both estimated the car was travelling at 56mph when the collision occurred. The speed limit is 30mph.

Meppen-Walter initially put on the brakes, but then decided to accelerate and try to swerve round Mr Singh's car.

Had he been travelling at 30mph, or had remained driving straight and maintained his braking, the court heard that the collision would have been avoided.

After the impact he remained at the scene, Mr Mirza described him as being extremely distraught, waving his arms around and saying: "What have I done?"

At one stage Meppen-Walter saw a child seat in the back of the Micra, and said: "There's a baby, there's a baby."

Prosecuting, Mark Kellet said that Meppen-Walter had only one previous conviction.

The crash happened on this road in central Manchester

He was given a six-point endorsement on his licence and fined £75 for speeding in Bury in March 2012.

On that occasion he was again travelling at 56mph in a 30mph zone.

During the proceedings, throughout which the footballer cried openly in the dock, an impact statement from Mr Singh's wife, Kushwant Kaur, was read out.

It said: "My life is destroyed after the collision. It feels like our whole world is finished. We were planning our future together for our children, and now that's impossible."

Meppen-Walter has yet to play for Manchester City's first team since joining them as a junior in 2003.

But he has been on the bench for two Champions League matches. He also played 17 times for and captained England U-18s.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pope Benedict XVI's Papacy Enters Final Hours

Pope Benedict XVI's tenure as leader of the world's Catholics is drawing to a close.

The 85-year-old stands down as Pontiff after nearly eight years and at a time when the Church is mired in controversy.

This morning, more than 100 cardinals said their farewells to the Pope at a gathering in the Clementine Hall in the Apostolic Palace.

In an unexpected speech, he promised "unconditional reverence and obedience" to his successor during the gathering and urged his cardinals to work in unity as they select the next pope.

The Pope waves from his 'popemobile' at the end of his last weekly audience

Just before 4pm UK time, Benedict will leave his apartments for the last time, give his thanks to the senior staff who have been by his side during his papacy, and then make his way to the Vatican helipad.

From there he will fly to Castel Gandolfo - the Pope's retreat on the outskirts of Rome.

Then, at around 4.30pm, he will make his last brief appearance on a balcony in front of an expected crowd of around 7,000 before withdrawing from public life for good.

At 7pm the doors of the villa will close and the Swiss Guard will stand aside marking the end of Benedict's papacy.

From then on he will be known as Emeritus Pope and devote his days to prayer and meditation.

Once renovations are complete, Benedict will move to a monastery in the grounds of the Vatican.

He will still wear a white cassock normally reserved only for pontiffs, but without a doubled shoulder cape.

Spokesman Frederico Lombardi said he has chosen to swap his trademark red shoes for a brown pair given to him by artisans in Mexico during a trip last year.

Edward Pentin, from the Catholic Herald, said Benedict will live a monk's life and not interfere in the work of his successor.

The next pope will be chosen by secret ballot during the conclave of eligible cardinals who will vote in the Sistine Chapel.

Pope Benedict XVI's departure from the Vatican sets in motion a timetable of centuries-old traditions in what is an unprecedented resignation in modern Catholic history.

After 7pm on Thursday, the Catholic Church enters a period known as "Sede Vacante" (vacant See) during which a senior cardinal takes over interim powers until a new pope is elected.

That cardinal, referred to as the camerlengo or chamberlain, will be Italy's Tarcisio Bertone.

The camerlengo has traditionally had the role of officially certifying the death of a pope - once carried out by tapping the pontiff's forehead three times with a special silver hammer and calling out his birth name.

He is also charged with destroying the Fisherman's Ring - a gold signet ring specially cast for each new pope - which symbolises the end of a papacy.

From Monday, cardinals from around the world will hold a series of meetings known as general congregations.

The meetings are aimed at identifying priorities for the Roman Catholic Church for the future, but are also a good way of vetting possible candidates for next pope.

The cardinals then meet in a secret conclave to choose the next pope under a system adapted in the 13th century.

All conclaves have been held in the Sistine Chapel and the cardinals are sworn to absolute secrecy under pain of ex-communication during voting.

Two ballots are held in the morning, and two in the afternoon, until one candidate wins two-thirds of the votes.

At the end of each session, the ballots are burned in a stove by the chapel, releasing smoke above the Apostolic Palace. The smoke is black after each unsuccessful ballot, white once the vote succeeds.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Large Shark Kills Swimmer Off New Zealand

By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent

A man has been killed in a rare great white shark attack off the coast of New Zealand.

Police and lifesavers recovered the man's body on Wednesday afternoon at Muriwai, a popular surfing beach near the city of Auckland, on New Zealand's North Island.

Witness Stef McCallum, 18, said about 200 people were on the beach at the time. 

She saw a police officer go out in a surf lifesaving boat and fire "about 20" shots into the water at the shark.

"Everybody was evacuated from the water. Word of mouth, 'shark', and everybody left the water," she said.

Another witness Pio Mose claimed he saw three sharks.

He told The New Zealand Herald he saw the swimmer struggle against one "huge" shark. He told the man to swim to the rocks, but it was too late.

"All of a sudden there was blood everywhere," Mr Mose said. "... I was shaking, scared, panicked."

Police in a helicopter directed inflatable boats to the scene

Another witness told television station 3 News NZ that he spotted the lone swimmer while he was fishing at the beach.

The distressed man signalled for help when he was attacked, before he was pulled underwater. At this point, the witness said, three or four other sharks appeared in the area.

Police Inspector Shawn Rutene said in a statement that the swimmer, was about 200 meters (650 feet) offshore when the shark attacked.

He said police went out in inflatable surf-lifesaving boats and shot at the shark, which they estimate was 12 to 14 feet long.

As many as 200 people were on the beach at the time of the attack

"It rolled over and disappeared," Insp Rutene said, without saying whether police are certain that they killed the creature.

The authorities in the area have closed the beach.

A St John ambulance spokeswoman told the AFP news agency the victim was 47 years old. Inspector Matt Sillars said his body has been recovered.

"We're not sure at this stage whether or not the deceased died prior to the shark arriving on the scene, or whether the shark was a contributing factor towards the death," he said.

It is understood the man was a local and his family gathered at the scene.

The beach is popular with surfers and several of those on the beach at the time gathered in the local club's hut afterwards to find out more information about what had happened.

Earlier this week, surfer Bourne Nobel Buiski had posted on Facebook that there had been a "massive" shark spotted near surfers on Monday at Piha, 14 kilometres south of Muriwai.

He said that a local man ran out of the water "white faced and terrified".

"He was saying that a great white, a massive great white had just swum right beside him," Mr Buiski said. No one believed him, he said. "As they are so rare here. There were about 60 people there, and no one came in."

Fatal shark attacks are relatively rare in New Zealand with just over a dozen deaths since record-keeping began in the 1830s.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Coronation Street's Michael Le Vell In Court

By Mike McCarthy, North Of England Correspondent

The Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell has appeared in court for the first time to face six charges of raping a child.

Le Vell, who plays Kevin Webster in the ITV soap opera, is accused of 19 child sex offences.

The actor sat glum-faced in the dock as charges of raping a child were put to him.

During the eight-minute hearing, Le Vell - whose real name is Michael Turner - spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth.

Le Vell looked shaken as he arrived for the hearing

Four members of his family sat towards the back of the court.

The alleged offences relate to one complainant and all took place between 2001 and 2010, the court heard.

District Judge Khalid Qureshi asked Le Vell's solicitor, Richard Gowthorpe, if there was any indication of plea, to which he replied: "No indication of plea today other than the fact that the charges are contested, and will be fully contested in the Crown Court."

Le Vell was bailed on the condition he surrenders his passport, does not contact named witnesses or have unsupervised contact with any child under the age of 14.

Asked if he understood the conditions, Le Vell nodded.

Le Vell is one of television's most famous faces

As he left the court, he said to waiting photographers:  "You must have enough pictures of me by now."

When the charges were announced earlier this year, the 48-year-old father-of-two said he intends to fight them "vigorously".

"I would like to make it quite clear that following the serious allegations that have been brought against me on Thursday 14th February 2013, I am innocent of these charges and intend to fight them vigorously," he said.

"I will now put all my efforts into clearing my name and proving my innocence."

ITV dropped the actor from any further episodes of the show after the charges became public.

Minders clear the path for Le Vell outside the Manchester court

An ITV spokesman said: "Given the serious nature of these charges, Michael Le Vell will not be appearing in Coronation Street pending the outcome of legal proceedings. It would not be appropriate for us to comment further at this time."

Le Vell, who split from his wife Janette Beverley last year, is one of television's most famous faces after playing car mechanic Kevin Webster for the past 30 years in the TV show.

Originally from Manchester, he began his acting career in the Oldham Theatre Workshop after taking an interest in amateur dramatics while at school.

He first joined the soap in 1983 and quickly endeared himself to fans who have followed the trials and tribulations of Kevin, from Brian Tilsley's apprentice mechanic through to his stormy marriage to Sally, played by Sally Dynevor, and fathering two teenage girls as well as a love child from his affair with Molly Dobbs.

Le Vell is due to appear at Manchester Crown Court on March 20.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Egypt Balloon Crash: Luxor Grounds Flights

An investigation is under way in Egypt after 19 people - including two Britons and a UK resident - died in a hot air balloon crash.

Amateur footage shows smoke billowing from the balloon before it falls 1,000 feet to the ground during a sunrise flight near the ancient city of Luxor.

Luxor Governor Ezzat Saad imposed an immediate ban on all hot air balloon flights in the province as Prime Minister Hisham Qandil ordered the investigation.

Four investigating teams have been established to probe the causes of the crash.

According to one of the investigation teams, the balloon company, Sky Cruise, had passed a routine inspection by the Civil Aviation Ministry earlier this month.

An initial probe has ruled out any criminal activity as a cause of the accident, Egypt's official MENA news agency reported.

Michael Rennie survived but his wife, Yvonne, died

British nationals Yvonne Rennie and Joe Bampton, and Mr Bampton's partner, Hungarian-born UK resident Suzanna Gyetvai, were named as being among those killed.

Mrs Rennie's husband Michael, 49, is in hospital after he survived by leaping from the balloon before it exploded.

Witnesses said they heard a loud blast before seeing plumes of smoke as the balloon caught fire. People were seen jumping out from "about the height of a seven-storey building".

Speaking from Cairo, Sky's chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay described the flight's final moments.

He said as the balloon approached its landing point, it came within three metres (10 feet) of the ground.

At that point a fire broke out on-board, engulfing the balloon's pilot in flames. The pilot leapt from the basket.

"At this stage it's likely that Mr Rennie also was out of the basket, because his injuries are obviously not that bad, so he can't have fallen that far," Ramsay said.

"As the fire got going, the balloon started to heat up and to inflate, and (it) started to rise fairly rapidly. It eventually got to about a thousand feet. As it was rising, people were jumping off. It was moving very quickly. Those people died on impact.

"If you didn't get off in those early seconds, there was no chance that you would survive this because of the explosions that happened."

Victims Joe Bampton and his girlfriend Suzanna Gyetvai

A spokeswoman at Luxor international hospital said Mr Rennie was in a stable condition.

Mr Bampton, 40, and Ms Gyetvai, 34, were from Clapham, south London.

Mr and Mrs Rennie, from Perth, Scotland, were described as "very nice people" who only spent the weekends together due to work commitments.

Neighbour Linda Kettles said: "They were very, very nice people who kept themselves to themselves.

"They've gone on holiday to enjoy themselves. They only get the weekends together and any break together is good for them.

"They were really looking forward to getting away. I'm totally devastated by the news. I really feel for their families."

The other tourists on board, including holidaymakers from France, Hong Kong and Japan, were all thought to have died in the explosion.

The only other survivor of the crash was the pilot, an Egyptian man, who is in hospital with burns to 60% of his body.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pope Speaks Of 'Difficult Times' In Farewell

The Pope has given an emotional last general audience before stepping down as Pontiff, during which he spoke of "difficult moments".

Benedict XVI told the 150,000-strong crowd in St Peter's Square in Rome that he had been aware of the "gravity" of his decision to step down but it was for the good of the Church.

The Pope stunned the Catholic Church when he announced on February 11 he no longer had the mental or physical strength to carry on in the role.

He will officially stand aside on Thursday evening, the first pope to do so in 600 years.

As he arrived in the square, Benedict greeted pilgrims in St Peter's Square and waved to tens of thousands of people who gathered to bid him farewell.

He was driven around in an open-sided vehicle, surrounded by bodyguards. At one point he stopped to kiss a baby handed up to him by his secretary.

The crowd fell silent as he started to speak.

The Pope began by saying he will keep the faithful in his prayers and he has "great trust" in the future of the church.

Many in the audience chanted "Benedetto"

"To love the church means also to have the courage to take difficult, painful decisions, always keeping the good of the church in mind, not oneself," Benedict said to thundering applause.

He recalled that when he was elected pope on April 19, 2005, he questioned if God truly wanted it. "It's a great burden that you've placed on my shoulders,'" he recalled telling God.

He said his Papacy had faced joy, but also had undergone "difficult moments". He said that during his time as leader of the 1.2 billion Catholics around the world, he had negotiated "turbulent seas".

Drawing on a Biblical analogy, he said: "The Lord gave us days of sun and of light breeze, days in which the fishing was good. There were also moments when there were stormy waters and headwinds.

"But I always knew that God was in that boat and I always knew that the boat of the Church is not mine, is not ours, but is his and he will not let it sink," he added.

Pope Benedict XVI said he was aware of the "gravity and novelty" of his decision to resign and would "accompany" the Church in prayer even after his resignation the following day.

"I took this step in full awareness of its gravity and novelty but with profound serenity of spirit," he said.

Pope Benedict told the crowd he was not "coming down from the Cross", but would remain in the service of the Church through prayer.

He asked the faithful to pray for the cardinals as they faced a weighty task choosing his successor and for whoever they chose.

After he had finished speaking, the crowd gave a rousing round of applause that lasted nearly a minute.

He went on to say a few extra words in other languages, one of which was English.

Tens of thousands of people, some toting banners saying "Thank you!" had earlier began filling St Peter's Square in preparation for his appearance.

Cardinals await the final public appearance of the Pope

Many of the cardinals who will choose the next Pope were among those listening.

Later it was revealed that the Pope had expressed his gratitude for the welcome he received during his visit to Britain in 2010 and for the prayers of British Catholics since he decided to step down.

A letter written on his behalf by Vatican official Archbishop Giovanni Angelo Becciu thanked his UK-based followers.

Once he completes his resignation, the Pope will leave the Vatican and fly by helicopter to the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, until renovations have been completed on a monastery inside the Vatican walls.

The Pope will live out the rest of his days in the new monastery in prayer and meditation.

At precisely 8pm (Rome time) the villa gates at Castel Gandolfo will close and the Swiss Guard will withdraw - a symbol that Pope Benedict XVI's papacy is over.

Benedict will then be known as Emeritus Pope and wear a simple white cassock and brown shoes rather than his trademark red loafers.

On Thursday morning, he will bid farewell to his cardinals who will begin a series of meetings to determine his successor.

A total of 115 "cardinal electors" are scheduled to take part after one said he was too sick and British cardinal Keith O'Brien said he would not be taking part after allegations of inappropriate behaviour regarding four priests emerged at the weekend.

The Pope today named the Archbishop of Glasgow as temporary successor to Cardinal O'Brien in one of his last acts as head of the Catholic Church.

Philip Tartaglia will govern the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh until a permanent successor is appointed, but will not be able to attend the conclave.

The date for the conclave - when eligible cardinals vote in secret in the Sistine Chapel - has yet to be announced, but must take place within 15 to 20 days of the Pope's last day.

Another of the Pope's last acts was to announce that the Turin Shroud will be put on display again for one day on March 30. It has only been shown five times in the last 100 years.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tom Maynard: Dead Cricketer Was On Drugs

By Jason Farrell, Sky News Correspondent

A promising young cricketer was high on a cocktail of drink and drugs before he was hit by a train and died, an inquest has heard.

Tom Maynard, 23, had taken cocaine, ecstasy and was almost four times over the drink drive limit, Westminster Coroner's Court was told.

The player died last June when he stepped on a live rail and was electrocuted before he was struck by a London Underground train.

He had earlier been stopped by police after he was spotted driving erratically but fled the scene, leaving his keys in the ignition of his Mercedes.

A post-mortem found he had been drinking and taken cocaine and ecstasy in the form of MDMA after a night out with his flatmates.

Mr Maynard had been drinking in Wandsworth, two miles from Wimbledon Park

Mr Maynard was the son of former England and Glamorgan batsman Matthew Maynard and had been tipped as a future England star.

Westminster Coroner's Court heard that tests indicated the cricketer may have been a regular drug user up to three and a half months before his death.

Dr Rosa Cordero said the results showed between 8.7 and 10 nanograms per milligram, which matched some daily users of the drug.

Toxicologist Fiona Perry added that the drugs would cause "significant impairment in coordination and judgement".

Mr Maynard's family have insisted the findings should not define the sportsman, who they described as a "very special person".

The player's girlfriend Carly Baker, a model, wept during the hearing as his last movements were recounted.

Mr Maynard had been on his way to see her on June 18 after going out drinking with friends in Wandsworth, south London, when he died.

Miss Baker said in a statement read in the court that he had phoned her at about 3.30am sounding "very down and depressed".

"For me to say 'what's wrong' is quite unusual," she said. "It was like he needed me. He said 'you're the only thing that makes me happy' and he said it three times."

She added: "I tried to persuade him not to come because I was so worried that he was getting into the car after drinking."

Tom Maynard's black Mercedes C250 is taken away

Police in an unmarked car then spotted his black Mercedes in Wimbledon at around 4.15am and pulled him over.

The sportsman ran off and was eventually discovered at 5.10am half a mile away on a London Underground line.

The court heard he had appeared to already be unconcious on the track when he was hit by a train. The train driver said Mr Maynard lay "perfectly still" and had not moved or flinched as he attempted to brake.

Forensic pathologist Simon Poole said the cricketer's injuries included "burns consistent with contact to a live train rail".

Mr Maynard's father Matthew described his son as a "consummate professional" who "did not suffer from depression".

In a statement issued through the Professional Cricketers' Association, his family said: "The results of the inquest do not define our son. The fact that so very many people thought the world of him is what defines him as a person.

"The only people who would judge Tom on the findings of the inquest are people who didn't know him.

"He made choices that night that tragically cost him his life but his devastated family and friends will love and miss him unconditionally, always. He was a very special person and his death leaves a huge hole in all our lives."

Born in Cardiff, Mr Maynard came through the ranks at Glamorgan Cricket Club before moving to Surrey. He had played a match for the club just 14 hours before he died.

He also earned himself a place on the England Lions tour to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka at the start of last year.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Egypt Balloon Explosion: Three Britons Dead

Three Britons are among 19 people who were killed when a hot air balloon exploded near the ancient Egyptian city of Luxor.

The Foreign Office confirmed the "tragic deaths of two British nationals and one British resident" in the crash.

Another British national survived and was in a Luxor hospital in a stable condition, the Foreign Office said. 

The only other survivor was the pilot, an Egyptian man, who also remained in hospital.

He jumped from the basket when it was 10-15m (yards) from the ground, said Ahmed Aboud, head of an association representing Luxor balloon operators. 

The site at Luxor 40 minutes before the crash (Pic: @chrismichel)

The balloon, which was carrying 20 tourists and the pilot, was preparing to land when a cable got caught around a helium tube and a fire erupted, according to an investigator with the state prosecutor's office.

The balloon then shot up in the air, the investigator said. The fire set off an explosion of a gas canister and the balloon plunged some 1,000 feet (300m) to the ground, according to an Egyptian security official.

It plunged into sugar cane fields as it travelled over Qurna, in Luxor's West Bank.

The British resident initially survived the crash, but died later in hospital, the Foreign Office said.

France's Foreign Ministry has confirmed that two French nationals also died in the crash.

Japanese citizens, as well as nine tourists from Hong Kong, are believed to be among other casualties.

Luxor Governor Ezzat Saad has imposed an immediate ban on all hot air balloon flights in the province as Prime Minister Hesham Qandeel ordered an investigation into the accident.

Witness Christopher Michel was travelling in one of several balloons in the air above Luxor early on Tuesday morning.

He told Sky News: "I was in one of about eight balloons that were flying that morning. We were approaching landing ... coming down in a remote field just outside of Luxor.

"We heard a loud explosion behind us, and I looked back and saw lots of smoke. It wasn't immediately clear that it was a balloon. We were surrounded by the balloons that had been flying with us.

Ballooning in Luxor is very popular with tourists visiting its temples

"Then we could see the reaction of the pilot on the balloon and he said that this hasn't happened in a long time."

The Foreign Office said: "The next of kin have been informed and our thoughts are with them and their families at this difficult time. We are providing them with consular assistance."

Thomas Cook UK & Continental Europe CEO Peter Fankhauser said: "What happened in Luxor this morning is a terrible tragedy and the thoughts of everyone in Thomas Cook are with our guests, their family and friends.

"We have a very experienced team in (the) resort ... and we're providing our full support to the family and friends of the deceased at this difficult time."

Hot air ballooning is popular with tourists who go to Luxor to visit its ancient temples and the tombs of the Valley of the Kings.

But the activity is not without its dangers. In April 2009, 16 people were hurt - including two British women - when a balloon crashed during a tour of Luxor.

The balloon was believed to have hit a mobile phone transmission tower near the banks of the Nile.

Following the 2009 crash, early morning hot air balloon flights over the Valley of the Kings were suspended for six months while safety measures were tightened up.

During the break, all 42 pilots from the eight companies who operate flights had extra training.

A notice on the Foreign Office website warns tourists: "There were three serious hot air balloon accidents in Luxor in 2009. You should consider the operator's safety arrangements carefully."

Egypt's tourism industry has suffered a sharp downturn in visitor numbers since the 2011 uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak, with two years of political instability scaring off foreign tourists.

Thomas Cook UK has opened a hotline for families who have relatives in Egypt: 0800 107 5638.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Lord Rennard: I Refute These Allegations

Former Lib Dem chief executive Lord Rennard says he received no complaints about his behaviour in his 27 years within the party.

Several women have came forward to accuse him of inappropriately touching and propositioning female party workers.

A new statement issued on his behalf said he "refutes" the allegations and will "co-operate with any properly constituted inquiry".

It added: "He would reiterate that in 27 years of working for the Liberal Democrats he received no complaint or allegation about his behaviour.

"Nor is he aware of any personal complaints being made in the three and a half years since he stood down as chief executive until last week."

Scotland Yard announced on Monday that they will meet with party officials to discuss the allegations.

Earlier Mr Clegg said the police must be allowed to do their job and insisted he would not provide a "running commentary" on the allegations.

Speaking outside his home in south west London, he told Sky News: "I understand there are many people who appear to want to act as self-appointed detectives trying to piece together events that happened many years ago but the only way that we are going to get to the bottom of the truth ... is by allowing the two investigations that I established immediately after the Channel 4 broadcast to do their job and, indeed, to allow the police, whom we have now approached, to do their job as well.

"And in the meantime I cannot and my party cannot provide a running commentary on every shred of speculation about events which happened many years ago."

Lord Rennard's statement made no reference to the police's involvement.

More follows...

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pistorius To Hold Private Memorial For Reeva

Oscar Pistorius is to hold a private memorial service for his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his uncle's house in Pretoria tonight.

The South African athlete has admitted killing Ms Steenkamp but denies murder.

More follows...

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Dagenham Acid Attack: Two People Arrested

Police investigating an acid attack on a woman in east London have arrested two people on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.

Naomi Oni, 21, suffered injuries to much of her face when she was attacked in Lodge Avenue, Dagenham, at around 12.40am on December 30.

She was returning home from work at a shopping centre in Stratford and was on the phone to her boyfriend at the time.

"When I first saw my face, I was shocked," she told ITV's This Morning. "I was angry that someone had done that to me. I couldn't understand why someone would want to hurt me like that.

"I want them to realise the pain they've put me and my family through.

"They may have burned my face but they can't burn me as a person."

The attack happened in Lodge Avenue, Dagenham (Pic: Google Street View)

The Metropolitan Police said a 21-year-old woman, who is not Ms Oni, and a 28-year-old man were arrested on Friday and Sunday respectively. They have been bailed while investigations continue.

Officers now want to speak to a potential witness who got off the route 368 bus in Lodge Avenue around five minutes after the attack.

He is described as black, aged between 20 and 30-years-old, around 5ft 5ins tall and of medium build. He was wearing a black jacket, a black hooded top and blue jeans.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Barking and Dagenham CID on 020 3276 1058 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Irish Vet Killer Jailed For At Least 37 Years

By Mike McCarthy, North Of England Correspondent

A man who murdered a vet in North Wales before cutting up and disposing of her body had a long-standing fantasy to imprison, rape and kill a woman, a court has heard.

Production manager Clive Sharp, 47, was jailed for a minimum of 37 years at Mold Crown Court after admitting murder.

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Griffith Williams told Sharp: "This is a horrific, cold hearted murder, carried out to gratify your perverted sexual desires."

The court had been told that Sharp had bought a Halloween mask, bleach, a hacksaw, bin bags and heavy duty tape before going to the home of Catherine Gowing, 37, in Flintshire.

Emma Gowing talks to the media after the sentencing

Sharp initially denied murdering Miss Gowing, originally from Ireland, but his DNA was found on her mattress and parts of her body subsequently found in police searches.

The court heard that the evidence suggested that the victim had been tied up and raped before being murdered.

A length of fabric was found tied to the leg of her bed. It matched material found at the factory where Sharp worked.

Miss Gowing's sister Emma said outside court: "In life she measured herself against the following quote by Albert Pine - 'What we do for ourselves dies with us, what we do for others and the world remains and is immortal'.

"She was a beautiful light, she shone very brightly, she enriched the lives of all she encountered, all God's creatures.

"Her light is gone from our mortal world. She now shines elsewhere."

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Pierce told reporters: "He (Sharp) now faces life imprisonment and I doubt a tear will be shed if he is never released from prison."

The judge Mr Justice Griffith Williams described the crime as "carefully pre-meditated and planned."

He told Sharp: "You are in my view a very serious danger to women."

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tamara Ecclestone Blackmail: Ex Found Guilty

A former fiance of model and socialite Tamara Ecclestone has been found guilty of blackmailing her for £200,000.

Derek Rose, of Camden, north London, was in a relationship with the daughter of Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone when she was just 17.

The 33-year-old went out with Ms Ecclestone, now 28, in 2002 before he changed his name by deed poll from Jonathan Ketterman.

Southwark Crown Court heard Rose and 20-year-old media studies student Jakir Uddin - whom the jury have yet to deliver a verdict on - plotted together to blackmail Ms Ecclestone.

Rose held his head in his hands when the jury announced the guilty verdict.

The jury are still deliberating their verdict on Jakir Uddin

They were accused of drafting an email together which they sent to her manager Dana Malmstrom, threatening to reveal her "intimate secrets".

The letter claimed Rose had received "a life-changing offer of £200,000" for details of their relationship - although no newspaper had made an offer.

Uddin sent the email acting as Rose's official representative on November 16, 2011, in a move the prosecution said the defendants hoped would prompt Ms Ecclestone to buy their silence.

The prosecution told the trial the tone of the letter was "you don't really want that in the press whether it's true or not".

Part of the email was written in bold but not read out in court. It referred to an "incident".

Rose and Uddin, of Birmingham, both denied blackmail.

Judge Goymer told the 11-strong jury it must reach a majority verdict of 10 to one on Uddin.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Legal Action For 'Venables Twitter Photo'

Contempt proceedings are brought against individuals who posted photographs purporting to show Jon Venables or Robert Thompson.

More follows...

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Gas Poison' Deaths: Caravan Park Trio Named

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

The three people who died of suspected carbon monoxide in Cornwall have been named locally as John and Audrey Cook, and their daughter, Maureen.

Mr Cook, 90, his 86-year-old wife and their 46-year-old daughter were found dead along with a pet dog on Saturday in their static home near Camborne, Cornwall.

The alarm was raised when a neighbour tried to call in to help the elderly couple.

Devon and Cornwall Police are not treating the deaths as suspicious but it is thought a faulty appliance may be to blame.

Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless gas that claims around 50 lives a year and leaves some 200 people seriously ill.

Neighbour Julie Taylor told Sky News how, within hours of hearing of the tragedy, she went out and bought two carbon monoxide alarms: "It's just absolutely devastating.

"Having seen it in the neighbourhood and myself living on my own I went out straight away and bought them.

Audrey and John Cook

"It is frightening, you can't hear it, you can't see it, you can't smell it - it is the silent killer."

The Cook family had lived on the peaceful Tremarle Home Park for many years and were well known to neighbours.

Neighbour Andrew Stevenson said he was "very, very shocked".

Mr Stevenson was himself a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning in the 1990s when his chimney became blocked.

He told Sky News it was only his parents' decision to open a window that saved his life.

"I got out and we worked out eventually what caused it.

"It felt like someone had given me a head cold and then I got up in the early hours of the morning and it felt like somebody had rugby tackled me but there was nobody there."

He added: "You need to have a carbon monoxide tester even if it is a basic one."

Emergency services were called to the caravan park where they were living at lunchtime on Saturday after the couple's helper was unable to reach them.

Firefighters broke into their home and found the bodies inside.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Clegg Unaware Of Sex Claims, Lib Dems Insist

Nick Clegg was only recently made aware of the allegations of sexual harassment surrounding the party's former chief executive, the Liberal Democrats have insisted.

Aides said the Deputy Prime Minister only learned about the complaints being made against Lord Rennard following a Channel 4 News report earlier in the week.

Several women accused the peer of inappropriately touching and propositioning female party workers, which he strenuously denies.

The women claimed they reported Lord Rennard's behaviour to senior party officials at the time, but no further action was taken.

And the Mail On Sunday reported that one of the women who came forward to the Channel 4 programme had discussed the allegations with a friend on Facebook as long ago as January 2009.

"I just don't know how nick can know and not do anything.. :-( makes me very sad," she is said to have written.

Her friend apparently replied: "Unless women come forward and go through a formal process ... there isn't much Nick can do."

Lord Rennard is facing accusations of sexual harassment

A Lib Dem spokesman said he had no idea why the Facebook comment had been made, adding: "Nick Clegg only knew of these allegations when we were contacted by Channel 4 News."

Mr Clegg has been on holiday on Spain since the story broke, but is likely to be asked to respond in person as the party launches an investigation into the matter.

Lib Dem Jeremy Browne told Sky News' Murnaghan programme he had known Lord Rennard for 20 years but had not heard "gossip" or the specific allegations before - and said the same applied to Mr Clegg.

He said the party would look at bringing in independent figures to ensure the its investigations are open and transparent.

He said: "My understanding is that what we're doing initially is bringing on the people within the party's structures who have obvious expertise and a record of integrity within the party.

"But if we can introduce an independent element, people who are not Liberal Democrat members but could lend us their expertise in looking at how we can have the best procedures, then that may give people even more confidence."

Business Secretary Vince Cable was asked on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show whether he knew about the Lord Rennard allegations prior to the Channel 4 programme, and replied: "Absolutely not."

Equalities minister Jo Swinson - a former parliamentary aide to Mr Clegg - has said she "took action" after some women confided in her, but she has not been specific about what she did. She said she welcomed the review so that "lessons can be learned".

The development came as current Lib Dem chief executive Tim Gordon said it appeared the party "did not fully live up to our political ideals" in dealing with the complaints about Lord Rennard.

The peer was a key party strategist and adviser to a succession of Liberal Democrat leaders before standing down due to ill health in 2009.

He said he was "deeply shocked" by the allegations, which he "strongly disputes" and regards as a "total distortion" of his character.

The Lib Dems have launched an internal investigation into the specific allegations against him under the party's disciplinary procedures.

Party president Tim Farron is also conducting a review into the way the party deals with such allegations.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pistorius Brother To Stand Trial Over Death

The brother of Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius is facing charges over the death of a woman in a road crash in 2008.

Carl Pistorius, who was a constant presence in court over the past week to support his younger sibling Oscar, is charged with culpable homicide over the alleged accidental death of a female motorcyclist.

Lawyer Kenny Oldwage said in a statement from the family that "there is no doubt that Carl is innocent and the charge will be challenged in court."

"Blood tests conducted by the police at the time proved that he had not been under the influence of alcohol, confirming that it was a tragic road accident after the deceased collided with Carl's car," the statement said.

Carl Pistorius arrving at his uncle's house in Pretoria on Sunday

The family statement also said that the charges had at one stage been withdrawn but then reinstated.

Carl Pistorius was already in court last Thursday, as his brother Oscar was facing a bail hearing, and will appear again at the end of next month.

On Sunday morning, Carl Pistorius arrived at his uncle's house in an affluent suburb of the South African capital Pretoria. He declined to speak to the media outside the property.

Oscar Pistorius, 26, is staying at the luxury three-storey villa after a judge released him on bail on Friday.

Oscar Pistorius was released on Friday

He has been charged with premeditated murder in the shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine's Day.

But the athlete denies murder, saying he killed the 29-year-old model accidentally. He says he opened fire after mistaking Miss Steenkamp for an intruder in his home.

Both brothers are being represented by the same lawyer, Kenny Oldwage.

The Oscar Pistorius case took a dramatic turn last week when it was revealed the lead investigator, Hilton Botha, was facing charges of attempted murder himself.

Botha, who denies the charges, was questioned at the athlete's bail hearing, where he gave an often confused testimony.

But the day after he was questioned in court, a judge dropped him from the case because of the charges.

Prosecutors admitted that the timing of the attempted murder charges had been "totally weird".

Carl Pistorius and his sister Aimee have been in court to support Oscar

On Saturday, the Pistorius family distanced themselves from a tweet on Carl's account thanking people for the support offered to both families.

A spokeswoman for the family said the account had been hacked. They said Pistorius' siblings would cancel their social media accounts.

It came as Miss Steenkamp's father spoke about the case, saying Oscar Pistorius will "suffer" alone if he is lying about how his daughter died.

"It doesn't matter how much money he has and how good his legal team is, he will have to live with his conscience if he allows his legal team to tell lies on his behalf," Barry Steenkamp told Beeld, an Afrikaans newspaper.

Miss Steenkamp was killed on Valentine's Day

"But if he is telling the truth then maybe I can forgive him one day. If it didn't happen the way he said it did, he must suffer, and he will suffer... only he knows."

Her mother June said that the Pistorius family had sent a card and flowers offering condolences for the death of her daughter but she added it meant little because: "They are not to blame."

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Topless Protest At Berlusconi As Italy Votes

By Robert Nisbet, Europe Correspondent

Three topless feminists lunged at Silvio Berlusconi as he arrived at a polling station in Milan to vote in Italy's general election.

Polls opened in the country earlier amid concern the outcome could lead to political gridlock in Europe's fourth largest economy.

As voters queued at a polling station at a Milan school, the three half-naked women, who had the slogan "Basta Berlusconi" ("Enough With Berlusconi") scrawled on their backs, broke through a crowd of journalists.

The topless trio then jumped over some tables toward the former leader, but they failed to reach him.

They were quickly detained by police and dragged away screaming.

Italian news reports said the three were members of the Femen protest group. 

Beppe Grillo at a rally in the run-up to the election

Mr Berlusconi, the former prime minister, is leading a centre-right coalition in the election and polls indicate he will come second to the centre-left.

Italy is in its worst recession in two decades. Unemployment is above 11% and rising, while the public debt mountain as a proportion of GDP is second only to Greece in the eurozone.

The current administration, led by the unelected economist Mario Monti, has prescribed a tough medicine of economic reform, budget cuts and tax increases.

While the austerity programme was welcomed by those trying to stabilise the single currency, it has been deeply unpopular among Italian voters.

Support for his small coalition of centrist parties has foundered, while those who have taken an EU-critical, anti-austerity position have seen their popularity increase.

Voter intention surveys are banned in the days leading up to elections in Italy, but pollsters use elaborate ruses to disguise their findings. The most common features the political parties as competitors in fictional horse races.

They suggest the unconventional anti-corruption Five Star Movement, led by the comedian Beppe Grillo, could take up to 20% of the vote, which political analysts believe could throw parliament into chaos.

Franco Pavoncello, the president of Rome's John Cabot University, told Sky News: "Mr Grillo will not even be a member of parliament (because of a conviction for vehicular manslaughter in 1981).

Former PM Mario Monti casts his vote

"So the question is what's going to happen when you have 70 young and inexperienced people as MPs without the leader who got them elected?

"I think we might be in for some very interesting phenomena after the election."

Italy's European neighbours, including Britain, don't want interesting phenomena. They want calm in the crisis-wracked eurozone.

Because of the quirks of the Italian electoral system, it seems unlikely the two-day poll will deliver a clear working majority for any single party.

While the centre-left's Pier Luigi Bersani, leader of the Democratic Party, is likely to emerge as prime minister - thanks to a bonus of 55 seats awarded to the biggest vote-getter in the lower Chamber of Deputies - he may find it hard to win over the Senate.

A law brought in by Mr Berlusconi apportions extra seats in the upper house to the most populous regions.

That favours the media magnate's centre-right PdL party, which is polling well in areas such as Sicily and Lombardy.

Mr Berlusconi, who was considered a spent force after his resignation in November 2011, may find he holds the balance of power as any law needs the approval of both houses.

Giovanni Ragusa, an economist from LUISS university, in Rome, says a political stalemate could be disastrous for Italy and for Europe.

"When Italian voters realise there's not going to be a strong government able to pass new laws and that the tax increases they have been subjected to for the past few years are not going to be temporary, then the discontent is going to spill over onto the streets," he warned.

Any political problems in Italy could effect the ability of the EU to bring about reforms which would ensure the stability of the euro, which the British Government insists is necessary to help the struggling UK economy.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More