Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 21 Februari 2015 | 12.25
Police have released images of three men - believed to be Chelsea fans - who they want to speak to after a black man faced racist abuse on the Paris Metro.
Officers think the men were among a group filmed pushing the victim, Sylla Souleymane, off the train and chanting a racist song while on the way to a Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.
The images were made public by Scotland Yard, who are aiding the French authorities with their investigation, as reports emerged that French President Francois Hollande had spoken to Mr Souleymane on the phone.
Mr Hollande praised the 33-year-old and thanked him for the dignity he has shown in his public remarks over the incident, according to Le Parisien newspaper.
Mr Souleymane told the paper the fans who abused him should be jailed.
Video:Chelsea Manager 'Ashamed'
"These people, these English fans, must be found, punished and must be locked up," he said. "What happened should not go unpunished."
Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said the club was "ashamed" of those supporters who pushed Mr Souleymane amid chants of "We're racist, we're racist and that's the way we like it".
He said: "I'd like to make clear, on behalf of everyone at the club, our disgust at the incident. We were appalled by what we saw."
The club has suspended another two people from Stamford Bridge, bringing the total to five.
Video:Fans Victim: Push Because Of 'Skin'
Chelsea said it had received "substantial information" following an appeal for witnesses and an investigation was ongoing.
Officials have also invited Mr Souleymane and his family to London to attend the second leg of the European clash against PSG on 11 March.
Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
More than £300m is to be spent over the next five years on research, medical trials and training to tackle dementia, the Prime Minister has announced.
David Cameron plans to set up an international dementia institute in England in a bid to make the UK a world leader for research and medical trials.
A separate multimillion-pound fund will be launched to help establish an international investment scheme to discover new drugs and treatments that could slow down the onset of dementia or even deliver a cure.
Some 1.3 million NHS workers, from surgeons to hospital porters, will be given training in how to give those with dementia the best possible standards of care.
Businesses and public services will be encouraged to offer greater understanding and support for people with the condition.
Video:Dementia Plan Labelled A 'Travesty'
And a further three million volunteers are to be recruited to train as "dementia friends" to help care for sufferers.
Mr Cameron said: "Dementia is one of the greatest challenges of our lifetime, and I am proud that we are leading the world in fighting it.
"Because of the growing strength of our economy, we can invest in research and drug development, as well as public understanding, so we defeat this terrible condition and offer more hope and dignity for those who suffer.
Video:Dementia Care: UK Plan Revealed
"That way, we can help make Britain a country that offers security in retirement for all."
Other pledges include having the majority of people in England living in "dementia friendly communities" by making shops, transport and other public places more accessible to people with the condition.
And initial dementia assessments by GPs will take place in an average of six weeks and will be followed by better onward support.
Video:Dementia: Threat To Humanity
There are around 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK with the number expected to hit a million within the next 10 years.
Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, said: "Our researchers, staff and volunteers who are delivering support to people with dementia nationwide now sit as part of a national movement more than a million strong. Dementia Friends is truly changing attitudes and capturing the public's attention.
"Together we are transforming lives today and reaching out for preventative treatments and a cure tomorrow. This Government has rightly prioritised dementia.
Video:Sept: Cost Of Dementia Care Soars
"We would all acknowledge the work that remains to be done, but the PM deserves credit for the phenomenal achievement in getting dementia on the national and global agenda and this has resulted in significant progress."
Written By Unknown on Jumat, 20 Februari 2015 | 12.25
A serving British soldier has left his army base and travelled to fight with Kurdish forces against Islamic State in northern Iraq.
The 19-year-old serviceman said he was joining the Peshmerga in their battle against the extremists because he wanted to help them.
The man, who is not being named, told his parents of the news in a text message a couple of days ago and has informed friends he intends to spend a year in the region.
He travelled via Dubai - telling his family he was taking a holiday there - and is not officially AWOL as he is currently on leave.
However, an Army source said that if the soldier outstayed his period of leave he would face disciplinary action for going AWOL.
The soldier has been in the Army since leaving school at 16 and is known to have been been learning Arabic.
One text message to his family said: "I've gone to join the Kurds in Syria and Iraq. I'm with other British people and a Canadian at the moment.
The soldier believes he can make a difference to the Kurds' cause
"I don't know how to explain it to you but I really want and need to do this and I will be safe."
Another message said: "I have good skills and I can speak the language I can help these people and help with this fight."
Video:19 Feb: Ex-Public Schoolboy Fights
And a third said: "I'm so sorry to put you through this but I do good, I will get in trouble for being AWOL but it's minor and no prison sentence."
His worried family have contacted Sky News. Correspondent Ashish Joshi said the soldier was "driven by his conviction that the Kurds need the help of the British, they need help with trained soldiers who can travel to the region".
"He speaks the language, he is travelling out there and he thinks he can make a difference to the cause."
Joshi added: "His mother is beside herself with worry. She wants him to be safe."
The soldier has said he intends to spend a year travelling between Iraq and Syria with Kurdish forces.
Video:17 Dec: Britons Reveal IS Fight
An Army spokesman said: "We are aware of reports and are investigating."
It is not the first time Britons have gone to fight with the Peshmerga.
Former public schoolboy Macer Gifford gave up a job in the City to sign up with Kurdish fighters battling IS in northern Syria.
And ex-soldiers Jamie Read and James Hughes told Sky News how they dodged bullets during chaotic patrols with Kurdish forces.
They also said they vowed to kill each other rather than get captured in a death pact.
Chelsea have suspended three supporters as the club investigates racist chanting and a black man being pushed on the Paris Metro.
The commuter, Sylla Souleymane, appeared to be stopped from getting on an underground train by fans travelling to a Champions League game against Paris St Germain.
The incident on Tuesday evening was captured on video, including a chant of "we're racist and that's the way we like it".
The club said three people had been suspended from its Stamford Bridge ground and they would be banned for life if there was "sufficient evidence of their involvement in the incident".
Chelsea said it had received "substantial information" following an appeal for witnesses and an investigation was ongoing.
Video:Fans Victim: Push Because Of 'Skin'
Mr Souleymane, 33, has said he thinks the fans who abused him should be jailed for their actions.
He told Le Parisien newspaper: "These people, these English fans, must be found, punished and must be locked up. What happened should not go unpunished."
He said he thought Chelsea and PSG should face sanctions because it was "also their fault".
The married father-of-three, who was born in Paris but grew up in the town of Val d'Oise, told Le Parisien the whole incident lasted about six or seven minutes.
Video:Racism Victim Calls For Prison Term
He said: "I wanted to get into the carriage but a group of English fans blocked me and pushed me away.
"I understood that it was Chelsea fans and I made the connection with the PSG match. I understand also that they were attacking me because of the colour of my skin."
Mr Souleymane said it was not the first time he had been a victim of racism.
"You know, I live with racism. I was not really surprised by what happened to me even though it was the first time it had happened on the subway."
Video:Chelsea Fans Condemn Paris Racists
At one point, staff from the train company tried to intervene to prevent any fighting, but he said they were more concerned with making sure the trains ran on time.
"I took the next metro and went back home without telling anyone, not even my wife or kids," he added. "What would I have told my kids? That daddy was pushed in the Metro because he's black?"
Mr Souleymane said he did not know he was at the centre of an international scandal until the paper alerted him to the video.
He said: "I did not know I had been filmed. The fact that I am now talking about it will give me the courage to complain to the police."
Video:PM: Chelsea Incident 'Disturbing'
Police in France said no arrests were made in relation to the match, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Since the video appeared on websites on Wednesday, the behaviour of the fans has been widely condemned across the French and English media, and by FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
Written By Unknown on Kamis, 19 Februari 2015 | 12.25
A 51-year-old man has been arrested over the murder of Becky Godden, who went missing in 2002.
Miss Godden, 21, was killed and buried in a shallow grave on farmland at a Cotswold beauty spot, but her remains were not found until almost a decade after she disappeared.
Superintendent Sean Memory, of Wiltshire Police, said: "We can confirm that a 51-year-old man from Swindon was arrested today on suspicion of the murder of Becky Godden (also known as Rebecca Godden Edwards).
"He has been interviewed and inquiries continue."
Miss Godden was last seen on December 27, 2002
The last sighting of Miss Godden was by a police officer on 27 December, 2002, in the Manchester Road area of Swindon.
In 2011, her remains were found buried in a field in East Leach, Gloucestershire.
In April 2014, a further bone was discovered at the crime scene.
Police have been continuing their investigation into her death in a bid to bring her killer to justice.
Officers have been handing out renewed appeal posters in the local area.
They have urged anyone who saw Miss Godden over Christmas 2002 and into the New Year to contact them.
Mr Memory has said: "We know that Becky was last seen on December 27 2002 and we need people to come forward with any information about where she was in early 2003. Did you see Becky over the New Year period?"
Miss Godden, who had turned to prostitution after becoming addicted to heroin, was not in contact with her family.
Her relatives had previously paid for private rehabilitation treatment in an effort to help her get off drugs.
Thousands of people are putting themselves at serious risk by "recklessly" rushing into having plastic surgery procedures.
The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) has launched a new campaign, Think Over Before You Make Over, urging people to think carefully before going under the knife.
Their research suggests nearly a quarter of all people having cosmetic surgery in the UK do not check their surgeon's credentials and over a fifth are not aware of the risks associated with their chosen procedure.
BAPRAS President and Consultant Plastic Surgeon Nigel Mercer told Sky News: "You would check your electrician's credentials. You would check your plumber's credentials. Why on Earth wouldn't you check your surgeon's credentials?
"Deals have an enormous impact on this market. We've seen Groupon deals for cosmetic surgery and it's mind-boggling when you think about that.
Video:Big Rise In Cosmetic Surgery
"You wouldn't go for cut price brain surgery or cut price gall bladder surgery - you would want the best that you can get.
"Cosmetic surgery is not something to be taken lightly and yet thousands of people are putting themselves at serious risk by rushing in to major procedures recklessly, without consideration for their own safety."
According to BAPRAS, those who rush into surgery usually regret it. 59% of patients who have an op less than two weeks after their first consultation find they are less confident in their appearance afterwards.
Anyone considering cosmetic surgery is advised to ensure a surgeon is properly qualified and has substantial experience, as well as checking that they are on the General Medical Council's Specialist Register for the discipline in which they have trained.
Suzie Adams, 40, from Bridgwater in Somerset had her life destroyed by cosmetic surgery.
After three caesareans, she flew to Prague for what she calls "a tidy-up and a tummy tuck".
She thought she was getting a good deal but she was left disfigured and developed septicaemia from her infected wound.
She then had to endure months of follow-up treatment, forcing her out of her job.
"The long term effect it had on me? It devastated me," she said.
"I hated my body - it was worse than when I started. I didn't like anybody seeing me, even my children or my partner. I felt like a freak.
"I forced myself to look in the mirror every day to remind myself of the mistake I made because I shouldn't have gone abroad. I should have stayed in this country.
"My advice to other people is - if you can afford to have it done in the UK, have it done in the UK because the after care is never there. They like to take your money and then that's it.
"I risked my life going over there and if could turn the clocks back I wouldn't have done it."
On the issue of people seeking cheaper surgery abroad, Mr Mercer added: "British people think if they go to Thailand the hospital will be the same as the hospital here.
"In fact, if you go to Belgium there are no regulations about what should be in an operating room, including oxygen and defibrillators. There are no regulations. So people need to be very careful."
Written By Unknown on Rabu, 18 Februari 2015 | 12.25
The luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce has announced it will develop its first sports utility vehicle (SUV) designed to "cross any terrain".
The announcement was made via an open letter from Rolls-Royce chairman Peter Schwarzenbauer.
The company has revealed few details about the new model, but said it decided to develop a luxury off-roader following consultations with clients.
"Many discerning customers have urged us to develop this new car - and we have listened," the company said in a statement.
"At Rolls-Royce Motor Cars we are uniquely focused on the desires of our customers and are driven by our own thirst to innovate.
Jaguar Land Rover announced the development of its first SUV in January
"So we challenged our engineers and design team, led by director of design Giles Taylor, to create a different and exceptional new car."
The vehicle will be developed at the company's base in Goodwood.
Video:What's All The Fuss About?
Rolls-Royce has gradually expanded its range of vehicles beyond luxury limousines such as the Phantom model, released in 2003.
The smaller Ghost II became available in late 2014, and the Wraith Coupe entered showrooms in 2013.
Last month, Jaguar Land Rover announced the creation of 1,300 new jobs after the company said it would develop its first SUV vehicle in Britain.
1/16
Gallery: Rolling Back The Years
The first design sketches of a new Rolls-Royce to be launched in 2010 have been released by the luxury car company. Known as the RR4, the new vehicle will be smaller than the existing Phantom and will be powered by a new engine unique to Rolls-Royce.
It's a far cry from the oldest-surviving Rolls. This 1904 10 horsepower two-seater dates from the company's first year of production.
Church of England bishops have been attacked by Conservative MPs after publishing a letter claiming people feel detached from politics and calling for a "fresh moral vision of the kind of country we want to be".
In a 52-page letter, the bishops said "worrying and unfamiliar trends" were appearing in national life and there was a "growing appetite to exploit grievances, find scapegoats and create barriers between people and nations".
David Cameron said he welcomed the Church entering the political debate, but said the Government was helping people by creating jobs, cutting taxes and developing the economy.
The Prime Minister said: "I would say to the bishops, I hope they would welcome that because work does bring dignity, does bring self-reliance, it does enable people to provide for their families, it creates a stronger society as well as a stronger economy.
Ms Dorries described the intervention as "very definite left-wing leaning"
"And a welfare system that pays people to stay idle when they could work - that is not the sign of a strong economy or a strong or good society."
But Conservative backbenchers were much more critical. Thatcherite Conor Burns told Sky News the letter was "naive" in not taking into account the recession and the risk posed by countries like Iran.
Video:PM On Youth Unemployment
He said: "It takes no account of the fact that we are still operating in a political climate where the Government and anybody who becomes the Government will have an enormous budget deficit.
"The amount of money the Government is bringing in versus the amount of money it is spending every year is still very large. The wish list that the bishops seem to have in the document couldn't be funded, even if everyone wanted it to be."
Outspoken MP Nadine Dorries said there was a "very definite left-wing leaning" to the intervention and the Church should stick to issues where people are "really seeking the church's voice", such as abortion.
"The Church is always silent when people are seeking its voice and yet seems to be very keen to dive in on political issues when actually no-one is asking it to," she said.
Launching the document, the Bishop of Norwich said it was intended to counter arguments that people should not bother to engage with politics and vote.
The Rt Rev Graham James said: "We're conscious that there are a number of voices around, probably the most famous of which is Russell Brand, telling people that they shouldn't bother with voting and shouldn't bother to exercise their hard-won democratic freedoms.
"I'm conscious just going around some of our youth groups and speaking to youth leaders that that has had a more profound effect than I had anticipated.
"And while one may think that the bishops of the Church of England don't quite have the sex appeal of Russell Brand, we think that we should counter it."
The bishops said the letter was "not a shopping list of policies we would like to see" but a "call for the new direction that we believe our political life ought to take".
Video:Miliband On Youth Unemployment
The letter raises issues including the renewal of the Trident nuclear deterrent, Britain's relationship with the European Union and the concept of the Living Wage.
The letter also states: "There is a deep contradiction in the attitudes of a society which celebrates equality in principle yet treats some people especially the poor and vulnerable, as unwanted, unvalued and unnoticed.
"It is particularly counter-productive to denigrate those who are in need because this undermines the wider social instinct to support one another in the community.
"For instance, when those who rely on social security payments are all described in terms that imply they are undeserving, dependent and ought to be self-sufficient, it deters others from offering the informal, neighbourly support which could ease some of the burden of the welfare state."
Calling for a stronger political vision, it states: "The different parties have failed to offer attractive visions of the kind of society and culture they wish to see, or distinctive goals they might pursue.
"Instead, we are subjected to sterile arguments about who might manage the existing system best."
The bishops back the concept of the Big Society, promoted by Mr Cameron in the 2010 general election campaign, stating that its ideals "should not be consigned to the political dustbin".
The letter also criticises language used in debates over immigration, but says: "We also challenge the assumption that to question immigration at all must always be racist".
It says: "The way we talk about migration, with ethnically identifiable communities being treated as 'the problem' has, deliberately or inadvertently, created an ugly undercurrent of racism in every debate about immigration."
Written By Unknown on Selasa, 17 Februari 2015 | 12.26
A man has been arrested on suspicion of robbery after 93-year-old Stanley Evans was knocked over by an attacker who fled with just £5.
The pensioner, who was 92 when the incident happened last month, was followed through the door at the block of flats in Soho, central London and attacked in a communal entrance area.
He lay on the floor for around five minutes before managing to take a lift up to his home before calling police.
The crime, which was captured on CCTV, was described by officers as an "unprovoked, callous and sickening assault on a defenceless pensioner".
A 29-year-old man was arrested in Camberwell in south London on Monday night.
The widower was left with a shoulder injury but did not need hospital treatment, but police say he has been left "living in fear of his safety".
Young people out of work or not in education or training for six months will need to do unpaid work to claim benefits under welfare reforms drawn up by the Conservative Party.
The reforms mean people aged between 18 and 21 will have to do 30 hours of community work each week and 10 hours of job-hunting to qualify for benefits.
The work will begin from day one of their claim. It could involve preparing meals for elderly people or working at charities.
Prime Minister David Cameron said the reforms seek to end long-term youth unemployment and help youngsters understand that "welfare is not a one-way street".
The scheme - called the Community Work Programme - extends already-announced Conservative plans to abolish Jobseeker's Allowance, replacing it with a Youth Allowance.
Video:March: Welfare Capped At £119bn
Claimants will be required to undertake an apprenticeship or community work to receive their benefits after half a year on the Youth Allowance.
Mr Cameron is expected to announce the scheme during a speech in England's South East later today.
Speaking ahead of the speech, he said: "Our welfare reforms are a key part of our long-term economic plan.
"They are not just about saving money. They are about changing lives and making this a country that rewards work and gives everyone the chance of a better future.
"That is why we are taking further steps to help young people make something of their lives. Our goal in the next parliament is effectively to abolish long-term youth unemployment.
Video:Sept: Osborne's Fair Welfare Pledge
"We want to get rid of that well-worn path from the school gate, down to the jobcentre, and on to a life on benefits."
"For those 18 to 21-year-olds who have not been in employment, training or education for six months before they sign on, we are going to take intensive action.
"What these young people need is work experience and the order and discipline of turning up for work each day.
"So a Conservative government would require them to do daily community work from the very start of their claim, as well as searching for work."
