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Human Remains Are Missing Student Hannah Graham

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 25 Oktober 2014 | 12.25

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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  1. Gallery: Hannah Graham Search In Rural Area

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

  2. The Albemarle County area is home to horse farms

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

  4. Police have blocked off roads

  5. Forensic experts must examine the remains

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Schools Urged To Give Body Confidence Lessons

By Enda Brady, Sky News Correspondent

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

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

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

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

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

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

Video: 'Radical' Plan Unveiled To Save NHS

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

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

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

Video: Losing 3% Of Weight 'Achievable'

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

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

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

Video: NHS-Funded Classes To Fight Fat?

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

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

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

Video: 'Sinister' Body Image Culture

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

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


12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police Investigated After Tree Kills Woman

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 24 Oktober 2014 | 12.25

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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  1. Gallery: Remnants Of Gonzalo Blow Across UK

    Waves crash into the shoreline at Blackpool

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

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

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

  5. Rough seas near Whitehaven

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

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

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

  9. Looking across the River Mersey at New Brighton

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

  11. Large waves hit the seafront at Blackpool

  12. Waves crash into the shoreline at Blackpool

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

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

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

  16. Large waves hit the seafront at Cleveleys near Blackpool

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

  18. A runner on the Crosby seafront

  19. A photographer on the seafront

  20. A ranger vehicle on the seafront at Crosby

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

  22. The departures board in Terminal 2 showing cancelled flights

  23. The sea off Portland Bill in Dorset

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

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

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


12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sir Cliff Raid Caused 'Irreparable Damage'

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

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

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

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

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

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

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

Video: Police And BBC Clash Over Sir Cliff

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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  1. Gallery: Sir Cliff's Life And Career

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mr Johnson denies making any such claim.

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

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

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

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

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


12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Nine-Year-Old Boy Killed In House Fire

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 23 Oktober 2014 | 12.25

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

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

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

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

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

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


12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cash Incentives To Tackle Obesity Crisis

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

People who suffer from obesity could be offered cash or shopping vouchers if they lose weight under a "hard-hitting national action" plan proposed by the NHS.

NHS bosses are also demanding a big rise in funding to provide better, more convenient and more sustainable care for patients.

The first ever Five Year plan for the health service warns "decisive action" is needed to change the way the NHS operates to cope with a rise in the size and age of the population.

The report by NHS England calls for a "radical" shake-up, with a shift in resources from treating disease to preventing ill-health, and a massive migration of services from hospitals into GP surgeries.

But it warns the upgrade to services will only be possible with an £8bn-a-year rise in government funding.

Video: NHS Surgery For The Obese

Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England said: "We have no choice but to do this.

"If we do it, a better NHS is possible. If we don't the consequences for patients will be severe."

The report warns there needs to be "hard-hitting national action" on obesity, smoking and alcohol.

It wants employers to offer workers incentives to lose weight, including shopping vouchers, cash or prizes.

NHS staff will also be urged to "set a national example" with healthier lifestyles.

Local authorities should take tougher action on fast-food and alcohol outlets to improve the health of their populations.

"Put bluntly, as the nation's waistline keeps piling on the pounds, we're piling on billions of pounds in future taxes just to pay for preventable illnesses," the report says.

NHS England also wants to move more services out of hospitals, which are expensive to run.

It says GPs could group together to provide tests that have traditionally required a referral, and even employ consultants to run specialist clinics.

The NHS 111, 999 and out of hours GP services also need to be overhauled so patients know where to go for urgent care.

The report says changes to health services and a switch to disease prevention will make the NHS far more efficient.

But David Bennett, Chief Executive of the NHS regulator Monitor, warned there will still be an £8bn hole in the NHS budget unless the government increases funding by 1.5% above inflation every year.

He said: "If we get the investment we need ... we see no reason why it's not possible to sustain a comprehensive tax-funded NHS which is actually better for patients and an NHS which is really fit for the 21st Century."

Chris Ham, chief executive of health charity The King's Fund, said the report "throws down the gauntlet to the political parties".

"Politicians now need to explain whether and how they will find this money," he said.


12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Five Britons A Week Joining IS, Top Cop Warns

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 22 Oktober 2014 | 12.25

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Video: Pledge To Toughen Anti-Terror Laws

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

GPs To Pocket £55 For Dementia Diagnosis

Plans to pay GPs a £55 bonus when they make a dementia diagnosis have been condemned as an "ethical travesty".

NHS England confirmed family doctors would receive the cash under a new scheme to ensure sufferers are identified early and given tailored care.

But Dr Iona Heath, ex-president of the Royal College of GPs, told the medical magazine Pulse: "I think the proposal is an intellectual and ethical travesty."

Health experts believe that just under half of the people living with dementia are not being diagnosed.

Under the scheme, GPs will get the cash for every additional dementia diagnosis they make over the next six months.

Video: Sept: Cost Of Dementia Care Soars

Dr Martin McShane, NHS England national director for long-term conditions, said: "Dementia can be devastating both for individuals and their families.

"We know that more needs to be done across the health service to ensure that people living with dementia are identified so that they can get the tailored care and support they need.

"This additional investment is part of a drive to ensure this."

Health chiefs have identified a gap of about 90,000 patients, an average of 12 per practice, who could benefit from a more timely diagnosis.

However, the Patients Association say the scheme is "a distortion of good medical practice".

Chief executive Katherine Murphy said: "We know GPs receive incentive payments to find all sorts of conditions, such as high cholesterol, raised blood pressure and diabetes - but this seems a step too far. It is putting a bounty on the head of certain patients.

"Good GPs will be diagnosing their dementia patients already. This seems to be rewarding poor GPs.

"There is an issue of people presenting late with dementia to doctors, but this is not the right way to go about tackling that.

"If people were given hope that something could be done, that would be the greatest incentive for coming early."


12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Terminally Ill To Be Offered Experimental Drugs

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 21 Oktober 2014 | 12.25

By Michelle Clifford, Senior News Correspondent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hurricane Gonzalo Alert Cancels UK Flights

Thousands of passengers are facing travel disruption after Heathrow cancelled 10% of its flights due to storms caused by the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo.

A yellow weather warning is in place across most of the UK as the storm system that battered Bermuda concludes its journey across the Atlantic.

Heathrow said 10% of flights with its biggest 20 carriers would be cancelled due to high winds.

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

Gusts of more than 55mph are likely inland, but could reach 60 or 70mph in coastal areas.

Video: Bermuda Clears Up After Hurricane

Northern Scotland will have the highest winds - up to 80mph on the coast.

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

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

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

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

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

Hurricane Gonzalo - which at its peak sustained winds of 110mph - caused severe damage and a power blackout when it hit Bermuda at the end of last week.

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


12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Didcot Power Station Fire 'Very Serious'

Written By Unknown on Senin, 20 Oktober 2014 | 12.25

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

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

Twelve fire engines, 65 firefighters and three hydraulic platforms were sent to the site on Sunday at around 8pm.

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

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

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  1. Gallery: Major Fire At Didcot Power Station

    A major fire broke out at the Didcot Power Station in Oxfordshire about 8pm on Sunday. Pic: Jess Collins

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

  3. Twelve fire engines, 65 firefighters and three hydraulic platforms were dispatched. Pic: Zainab Mirmalek

  4. The National Police Air Service were also deployed. Continue for more images

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

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

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

"The fire is now under control and there is absolutely no risk to the public from the smoke plume.

Video: Resident Describes 'Massive Blaze'

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

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

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

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

Video: Power Station Shut Down Amid Blaze

He said the the fire was contained within the cooling tower module - there are a number of modules that form part of the site.

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

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


12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

200 Paedophile Cases Unsolved After Tip-Offs

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

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

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

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

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

Video: 660 Suspected Paedophiles Arrested

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

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

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

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

Video: Investigation Into Abuse Dossier

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

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

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

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

Video: Crackdown On Online Abuse Manuals

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

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

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


12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ched Evans Shows No Remorse Over Rape

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 19 Oktober 2014 | 12.25

Disgraced footballer Ched Evans, who was released from jail on Friday after serving half of a five-year sentence for raping a woman, has said he is "ashamed" of his actions but continues to protest his innocence.

In an interview with the Sunday Mirror shortly before he was released on Friday, the 25-year-old striker said cheating on his loyal girlfriend Natasha Massey was "unforgivable".

But of the crime he was convicted of by a jury at Caernarfon Crown Court two years ago, he said: "It was something that should never have happened. I cheated on my girlfriend and had sex with this girl - but it was definitely consensual."

A statement posted on Evans' website from his family and girlfriend said he would "continue the fight to clear his name".

"Chedwyn Evans maintains his absolute innocence and his family, friends and many who know the true facts of the case believe that his conviction was a gross miscarriage of justice."

Video: 'Heartbreaking' If Evans Re-Signs

Katie Russell, of charity Rape Crisis, told the Sunday Mirror the player's words were insulting to his victim.

"His protestations of innocence and sympathy only for his girlfriend are insulting, harmful and hurtful - not only to his victim but also to the countless other victims of sexual violence out there," she said.

"He has never taken a moment's responsibility for his crime nor shown any regard for the terrible impact it has had on her."

The former Sheffield United player's release has divided opinion over whether he should be allowed to return to football.

Many Blades fans have called for Evans to be rehabilitated but more than 151,000 people have signed an online petition urging the Bramall Lane club to block his return.

Sheffield United Community Foundation patron Charlie Webster said if Evans re-signed for the club she would be "heartbroken" and "disappointed".

She told Sky News: "It would send out the wrong message to the next generation to watch Ched Evans score a goal and cheer him on as a hero."

Ms Webster also said it would "wrong" for her to stay in her role with the foundation if the club took him back.

The Welsh international admitted having sex with the unnamed woman, who told the jury she had no memory of the incident which took place in in a hotel room in Rhyl, North Wales.

The prosecution said his victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was too drunk to consent to sexual intercourse.

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  1. Gallery: Sports Stars Whose Careers Survived Criminal Convictions

    England defender Tony Adams was arrested in 1990 for crashing his car into a wall near his home whilst drunk. He served half his prison sentence and in 1999 received an MBE from Buckingham Palace.

  2. American boxer Mike Tyson was convicted of raping an 18-year-old in the U.S in 1991. He was sentenced to six years in prison, but served three. He returned to the ring in 1998.

  3. In 1998 ex-footballer Vinnie Jones was convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage against a neighbour in 1997. He now lives in LA and works as an actor.

  4. American figure skating champ Tonya Harding avoided jail for her involvement in an attack on fellow skater and rival Nancy Kerrigan in 1994. She's since followed a career in boxing.

  5. Haitian-born Canadian boxer Adonis Stevenson's was released from prison in 2001 after serving four years in prison for managing prostitutes, assaults and making threats. His professional career began in 2006.

  6. In 2007 Michael Vick served 21 months in prison, followed by two months in home confinement for his involvement in an illegal dog fighting ring. In 2009 he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.

  7. NBA star, Dennis Rodman has been in and out of trouble and has served 45 days of community service for allegedly hitting his wife. In 2010 it was reported he owed more than $300,000 in child support.

  8. Craig Thomson of the Scottish Premier League pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent behaviour with two underage girls in 2011. He remains on the sex offenders register.

  9. American basketball star, Lamar Odom was arrested in 2013 on drink driving charges and put on a three-year suspended sentence. He now plays for Spanish team Laboral Kutxa

  10. Footballer striker Marlon King is serving an 18-month sentence for dangerous driving. He's had several convictions and served multiple jail sentences.

Port Vale defender Clayton McDonald also admitted having sex with the woman, but was found not guilty of the same charge.

On Saturday, Sheffield United dismissed reports that the club has offered a new contract to convicted rapist Ched Evans as "false and damaging".

The club's co-chairmen, Kevin McCabe and Jim Phipps, said they had not yet made a decision about whether to re-employ him.


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Web Trolls To Face Two-Year Jail Terms

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

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

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

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

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

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

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

Video: Chloe Madeley Slams Internet Trolls

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

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

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

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

They were drawn up 10 years ago before Twitter existed.

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

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


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