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Peru: 14 Armed Men Forced Women To Carry Drugs

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 17 Agustus 2013 | 18.26

The lawyer for the young Irish woman arrested in Peru for allegedly trying to smuggle cocaine to Spain says she was threatened "by a gang of up to 14 men with guns".

Peter Madden said Michaela McCollum Connolly was "kidnapped", held at gunpoint and "forced by threat to obtain and carry drugs".

"She wasn't offered any money, she was threatened and held. She is now prepared and ready to give full details to the police," he said.

He told reporters in the capital Lima that Melissa Reid, the Scottish woman detained with her, was similarly threatened by a gang of up to 14 armed men.

Mr Madden also said he had arrived at the police facility to find that McCollum Connolly was about to be questioned with no local lawyer available.

The airport at Lima wihere the two tourists were arrested The airport in Lima where the two women were detained

"I asked them to postpone the questioning and after a lot of argument about that, they did agree to postpone the questioning until a lawyer arrived," he added.

The two Britons, both aged 20, disappeared while working on the Spanish island of Ibiza.

They claim they were robbed of their passports and phones and followed as they took separate flights to Peru.

Police there said they were carrying £1.5m worth of cocaine when they were arrested last week as they tried to board a flight to Spain.

Ms McCollum, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, and Ms Reid, from Kirkintilloch in East Dunbartonshire, both insist they are innocent.

Ms Reid's father, William, had an emotional reunion with his daughter at the Dirando police station in Lima on Friday.

William Reid William Reid in Peru

According to the Daily Mail, Ms Reid told him: "They made me do it."

She said she was introduced to a British man on Ibiza who forced her to meet a gang of Colombian gangsters. They put a gun to her head and ordered her to fly to Peru.

She told her father: "I wanted to tell the air hostesses or anyone in the airports, but the men said they would know if we had spoken to anyone, that they were watching all the time.

"It was a choice between doing what I was told and getting it over and done with and hopefully getting back to Spain or trying to escape and being killed."

Ms Reid told the Irish Independent he "of course" believes his daughter is innocent, adding she was in the "wrong place at the wrong time".

Police are waiting for a translator before officially questioning the two women, which is expected to happen in the next few days.

Mr Madden has warned that if the women are charged, the proceedings could be lengthy.

If charged, the two women would be transferred to the Santa Monica women's prison where foreigners are held.


18.26 | 0 komentar | Read More

Egypt Travel Warning To 40,000 British Tourists

Thousands of British holidaymakers are being told to stay in their hotels in Egypt because of the continuing violence across the country.

Holiday firms are continuing to run flights to popular Egyptian resorts despite the ongoing unrest in the country, although companies in Germany and France are avoiding the area.

Some of those arriving back from Cairo witnessed the violence, which has led to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to warn against all but essential travel to much of Egypt, except for the Red Sea resorts where it said enhanced security measures were in place to protect tourists.

British tourists in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, where violent clashes led to the death of one person earlier this week, have been advised to remain in the grounds of their hotels.

The FCO guidance also warns of "a serious risk of violence and sexual assault at demonstrations", but the advice stops short of that issued by the French and German governments, which have told nationals not to travel to Egypt.

One British woman returning from Cairo at Manchester Airport told Sky News: "It was frightening, just because we were unable to go outside ... we stayed indoors most of the time with family, but we weren't able to go into the streets or anything like that.

"We travelled to Hurghada on bus and then we came back to Cairo and the bus had to turn around on a bridge because there was a fire at the other end."

UK travel organisation Abta estimates there are around 40,000 Britons in Egypt at the moment.

Egypt map Sharm el Sheikh and the Red Sea resorts are still considered safe

Tour operators Thomson and First Choice have 11,769 British holidaymakers in the country, many of them in Sharm el Sheikh.

A spokeswoman for the two companies said: "We are working with the FCO and monitoring the situation closely in Egypt.

"The majority of our customers are in Sharm el Sheikh which is a considerable distance - indeed, an eight-hour drive - from Cairo.

"There have been no related incidents in Sharm el Sheikh or any of the other popular Red Sea tourist areas."

Thomson and First Choice operate to four Egyptian resorts - Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada, Taba and Marsa Alam.

Thomson Airways had three return flights to Sharm el Sheikh on Friday and two to Hurghada. On Saturday, it has four return flights to Sharm el Sheikh, and five return flights to on Sunday.

In light of the FCO travel advice, Thomson Cruises has changed its itinerary for an Egypt & the Holy Land voyage on the Thomson Celebration vessel starting next Monday.

Luxury holiday company Kuoni has cancelled all its Egypt excursions for the next 30 days over the security concerns.

The company said it was now contacting clients with bookings to restricted areas of Egypt within the next 21 days to offer them alternative holiday destinations.

Thomas Cook also has several thousands UK tourists in Red Sea resorts and is continuing to operate flights to the area, but has cancelled excursions to Cairo, Luxor, Moses Mountain and St Catherine's Monastery.

The FCO advice reads: "If you are already in a part of Egypt where the FCO advise against all but essential travel, you should consider whether you have a pressing need to remain.

"If you decide to remain in Egypt, you should stay at or close to home or a place of safety (eg your hotel), keep a low profile and pay close attention to your personal safety, particularly in the larger cities. You should avoid crowds.

You should follow the regulations set by the local authorities and obey curfews. Make sure you keep valid photographic identification with you at all times."

It adds: "You are strongly advised to avoid all demonstrations and large gatherings. If you become aware of any nearby protests, leave the area immediately. Don't attempt to cross road blocks erected by the security forces or protestors.

"There is a serious risk of violence and sexual assault at demonstrations. NGOs report more than 100 rapes and sexual assaults against women in demonstrations since 30 June. Foreign and Egyptian women have been attacked."


18.26 | 0 komentar | Read More

Egypt: Army Surrounds Protesters' Mosque Refuge

Key Events In Egypt Since 2011

Updated: 12:32pm UK, Thursday 15 August 2013

January 25 - February 11, 2011 - Egyptians stage nationwide demonstrations against nearly 30 years of President Hosni Mubarak's rule. Hundreds of protesters are killed as Mubarak and his allies try to crush the uprising.

February 11 - Mubarak steps down and the military takes over. The military dissolves parliament and suspends the constitution, meeting two key demands of protesters.

November 28, 2011 - February 15, 2012 - Egypt holds multistage, weeks-long parliamentary elections.

In the lawmaking lower house, the Muslim Brotherhood wins nearly half the seats, and ultraconservative Salafis take another quarter.

The remainder goes to liberal, independent and secular politicians. In the largely powerless upper house, Islamists take nearly 90% of the seats.

May 23 - 24, 2012 - The first round of voting in presidential elections has a field of 13 candidates.

The Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi and Ahmed Shafiq, the last prime minister under Mubarak, emerge as the top two finishers, to face each other in a run-off.

June 14 - The Supreme Constitutional Court orders the dissolving of the lower house of parliament.

June 16 - 17 - Egyptians vote in the presidential run-off between Morsi and Shafiq. Morsi wins with 51.7% of the vote.

June 30 - Morsi takes his oath of office.

November 19 - Members of liberal parties and representatives of Egypt's churches withdraw from the 100-member assembly writing the constitution, protesting attempts by Islamists to impose their will.

November 22 - Morsi unilaterally decrees greater powers for himself, giving his decisions immunity from judicial review and barring the courts from dissolving the constituent assembly and the upper house of parliament. The move sparks days of protests.

November 30  - Islamists in the constituent assembly rush to complete the draft of the constitution. Morsi sets a December 15 date for a referendum.

December 4 - More than 100,000 protesters march on the presidential palace, demanding the cancellation of the referendum and the writing of a new constitution. The next day, Islamists attack an anti-Morsi sit-in, sparking street battles that leave at least 10 dead.

December 15, December 22 - In the two-round referendum, Egyptians approve the constitution, with 63.8% voting in favour. Turnout is low.

January 25, 2013 - Hundreds of thousands hold protests against Morsi on the two-year anniversary of the start of the revolt against Mubarak, and clashes erupt in many places.

February - March 2013 - Protests rage in Port Said and other cities for weeks, with dozens more dying in clashes.

April 7 - A Muslim mob attacks the main cathedral of the Coptic Orthodox Church as Christians hold a funeral and protest there over four Christians killed in sectarian violence the day before. Pope Tawadros II publicly blames Morsi for failing to protect the building.

June 23 - A mob beats to death four Egyptian Shi'ites in a village on the outskirts of Cairo.

June 30 - Millions of Egyptians demonstrate on Morsi's first anniversary in office, calling on him to step down. Eight people are killed in clashes outside the Muslim Brotherhood's Cairo headquarters.

July 1 - Huge demonstrations continue, and Egypt's powerful military gives the president and the opposition 48 hours to resolve their disputes, or it will impose its own solution.

July 2 - Military officials disclose main details of the army's plan if no agreement is reached: replacing Morsi with an interim administration, cancelling the Islamist-based constitution and calling elections in a year. Morsi delivers a late-night speech in which he pledges to defend his legitimacy and vows not to step down.

July 3 - Egypt's military chief announces that Morsi has been deposed, to be replaced by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court until new presidential elections. No time frame is given.

Muslim Brotherhood leaders are arrested. Tens of thousands of Morsi supporters remain camped out in two mass sit-ins in Cairo's streets.

July 4 - Supreme Constitutional Court Chief Justice Adly Mansour is sworn in as Egypt's interim president.

July 5 - Mansour dissolves the Islamist-dominated upper house of parliament as Morsi's supporters stage mass protests demanding his return. Clashes between pro and anti-Morsi groups in Cairo and Alexandria, and violence elsewhere leave at least 36 dead. A Brotherhood strongman, deputy head Khairat el-Shater, is arrested.

July 8 - Egyptian soldiers open fire on pro-Morsi demonstrators in front of a military base in Cairo, killing more than 50. Each side blames the other for starting the clash near the larger of the two sit-ins, near east Cairo's Rabaah al-Adawiya mosque.

Mansour puts forward a time line for amending the constitution and electing a new president and parliament by mid-February. The Brotherhood refuses to participate in the process.

July 9 - Mansour appoints economist Hazem el-Beblawi as prime minister and opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei as vice president. A military announcement backs up the appointments.

July 26 - Millions pour onto the streets of Egypt after a call by the country's military chief for protesters to give him a mandate to stop "potential terrorism" by supporters of Morsi. Five people are killed in clashes.

Prosecutors announce Morsi is under investigation for a host of allegations including murder and conspiracy with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

July 27  - Security forces and armed men in civilian clothes clash with Morsi supporters outside the larger of the two major sit-ins in Cairo, killing at least 80 people.

July 30 - The EU's top diplomat Catherine Ashton holds a two-hour meeting with detained Morsi at an undisclosed location. She is one of a number of international envoys, including US Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, to visit Egypt to attempt to resolve the crisis.

August 7  - Egypt's presidency says that diplomatic efforts to peacefully resolve the standoff between the country's military-backed interim leadership and the Muslim Brotherhood have failed.

August 11 - Egyptian security forces announce that they will besiege the two sit-ins within 24 hours to bar people from entering.

August 12 - Authorities postpone plans to take action against the camps, saying they want to avoid bloodshed after Morsi supporters reinforce the sit-ins with thousands more protesters.

August 14 - Riot police clear two sprawling encampments of supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi, sparking running street battles that kill hundreds of people.

The presidency declares a month-long state of emergency across the nation as Vice President Mohamed ElBaradei resigns in protest over the assaults.


18.26 | 0 komentar | Read More

Egypt: Brits Told To Stay In Red Sea Hotels

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 16 Agustus 2013 | 18.26

British tourists in a Red Sea resort have been advised to stay within the grounds of their hotels due to ongoing unrest in Egypt.

The Foreign Office (FCO) issued the advice for the resort of Hurghada, where violent clashes erupted earlier in the week in an area away from the main tourist section.

Other Egyptian resorts popular with UK holidaymakers, including Sharm el Sheikh, are unaffected.

The FCO advice said: "In Hurghada on August 14 there were some violent clashes, in an area away from tourist resorts. One man was killed.

"Hurghada police advised tourists to remain in hotel grounds. We advise you to follow their advice. You are strongly advised to avoid all demonstrations and large gatherings

"If you become aware of any nearby protests, leave the area immediately. Do not attempt to cross road blocks erected by the security forces or protesters."

The FCO has also advised against all but essential travel to Egypt, except for the Red Sea resorts, where it said enhanced security measures were in place to protect tourists.

UK tour operators Thomson and First Choice have 11,769 British holidaymakers in Egypt, many of them in Sharm el Sheikh.

A spokeswoman for the two companies said: "We are working with the FCO and monitoring the situation closely in Egypt.

"The majority of our customers are in Sharm el Sheikh which is a considerable distance - indeed, an eight-hour drive - from Cairo. There have been no related incidents in Sharm el Sheikh or any of the other popular Red Sea tourist areas."

Thomson and First Choice operate to four Egyptian resorts - Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada, Taba and Marsa Alam.

Thomson Airways has three return flights to Sharm el Sheikh today and two to Hughada. On Saturday, it has four return flights to Sharm el Sheikh, and five return flights to Sharm el Sheikh on Sunday.

The Thomson and First Choice spokeswoman said normal booking conditions regarding cancellation of holidays still apply for the four Egyptian resorts.

In light of the FCO travel advice, Thomson Cruises has changed its itinerary for an Egypt & the Holy Land voyage on the Thomson Celebration vessel starting next Monday.


18.26 | 0 komentar | Read More

Egypt: Call For 'March Of Anger' As UN Meets

Key Events In Egypt Since 2011

Updated: 12:32pm UK, Thursday 15 August 2013

January 25 - February 11, 2011 - Egyptians stage nationwide demonstrations against nearly 30 years of President Hosni Mubarak's rule. Hundreds of protesters are killed as Mubarak and his allies try to crush the uprising.

February 11 - Mubarak steps down and the military takes over. The military dissolves parliament and suspends the constitution, meeting two key demands of protesters.

November 28, 2011 - February 15, 2012 - Egypt holds multistage, weeks-long parliamentary elections.

In the lawmaking lower house, the Muslim Brotherhood wins nearly half the seats, and ultraconservative Salafis take another quarter.

The remainder goes to liberal, independent and secular politicians. In the largely powerless upper house, Islamists take nearly 90% of the seats.

May 23 - 24, 2012 - The first round of voting in presidential elections has a field of 13 candidates.

The Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi and Ahmed Shafiq, the last prime minister under Mubarak, emerge as the top two finishers, to face each other in a run-off.

June 14 - The Supreme Constitutional Court orders the dissolving of the lower house of parliament.

June 16 - 17 - Egyptians vote in the presidential run-off between Morsi and Shafiq. Morsi wins with 51.7% of the vote.

June 30 - Morsi takes his oath of office.

November 19 - Members of liberal parties and representatives of Egypt's churches withdraw from the 100-member assembly writing the constitution, protesting attempts by Islamists to impose their will.

November 22 - Morsi unilaterally decrees greater powers for himself, giving his decisions immunity from judicial review and barring the courts from dissolving the constituent assembly and the upper house of parliament. The move sparks days of protests.

November 30  - Islamists in the constituent assembly rush to complete the draft of the constitution. Morsi sets a December 15 date for a referendum.

December 4 - More than 100,000 protesters march on the presidential palace, demanding the cancellation of the referendum and the writing of a new constitution. The next day, Islamists attack an anti-Morsi sit-in, sparking street battles that leave at least 10 dead.

December 15, December 22 - In the two-round referendum, Egyptians approve the constitution, with 63.8% voting in favour. Turnout is low.

January 25, 2013 - Hundreds of thousands hold protests against Morsi on the two-year anniversary of the start of the revolt against Mubarak, and clashes erupt in many places.

February - March 2013 - Protests rage in Port Said and other cities for weeks, with dozens more dying in clashes.

April 7 - A Muslim mob attacks the main cathedral of the Coptic Orthodox Church as Christians hold a funeral and protest there over four Christians killed in sectarian violence the day before. Pope Tawadros II publicly blames Morsi for failing to protect the building.

June 23 - A mob beats to death four Egyptian Shi'ites in a village on the outskirts of Cairo.

June 30 - Millions of Egyptians demonstrate on Morsi's first anniversary in office, calling on him to step down. Eight people are killed in clashes outside the Muslim Brotherhood's Cairo headquarters.

July 1 - Huge demonstrations continue, and Egypt's powerful military gives the president and the opposition 48 hours to resolve their disputes, or it will impose its own solution.

July 2 - Military officials disclose main details of the army's plan if no agreement is reached: replacing Morsi with an interim administration, cancelling the Islamist-based constitution and calling elections in a year. Morsi delivers a late-night speech in which he pledges to defend his legitimacy and vows not to step down.

July 3 - Egypt's military chief announces that Morsi has been deposed, to be replaced by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court until new presidential elections. No time frame is given.

Muslim Brotherhood leaders are arrested. Tens of thousands of Morsi supporters remain camped out in two mass sit-ins in Cairo's streets.

July 4 - Supreme Constitutional Court Chief Justice Adly Mansour is sworn in as Egypt's interim president.

July 5 - Mansour dissolves the Islamist-dominated upper house of parliament as Morsi's supporters stage mass protests demanding his return. Clashes between pro and anti-Morsi groups in Cairo and Alexandria, and violence elsewhere leave at least 36 dead. A Brotherhood strongman, deputy head Khairat el-Shater, is arrested.

July 8 - Egyptian soldiers open fire on pro-Morsi demonstrators in front of a military base in Cairo, killing more than 50. Each side blames the other for starting the clash near the larger of the two sit-ins, near east Cairo's Rabaah al-Adawiya mosque.

Mansour puts forward a time line for amending the constitution and electing a new president and parliament by mid-February. The Brotherhood refuses to participate in the process.

July 9 - Mansour appoints economist Hazem el-Beblawi as prime minister and opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei as vice president. A military announcement backs up the appointments.

July 26 - Millions pour onto the streets of Egypt after a call by the country's military chief for protesters to give him a mandate to stop "potential terrorism" by supporters of Morsi. Five people are killed in clashes.

Prosecutors announce Morsi is under investigation for a host of allegations including murder and conspiracy with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

July 27  - Security forces and armed men in civilian clothes clash with Morsi supporters outside the larger of the two major sit-ins in Cairo, killing at least 80 people.

July 30 - The EU's top diplomat Catherine Ashton holds a two-hour meeting with detained Morsi at an undisclosed location. She is one of a number of international envoys, including US Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, to visit Egypt to attempt to resolve the crisis.

August 7  - Egypt's presidency says that diplomatic efforts to peacefully resolve the standoff between the country's military-backed interim leadership and the Muslim Brotherhood have failed.

August 11 - Egyptian security forces announce that they will besiege the two sit-ins within 24 hours to bar people from entering.

August 12 - Authorities postpone plans to take action against the camps, saying they want to avoid bloodshed after Morsi supporters reinforce the sit-ins with thousands more protesters.

August 14 - Riot police clear two sprawling encampments of supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi, sparking running street battles that kill hundreds of people.

The presidency declares a month-long state of emergency across the nation as Vice President Mohamed ElBaradei resigns in protest over the assaults.


18.26 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sterilisation Case: Vasectomy Agreed By Court

A High Court judge has agreed to the sterilisation of a man because it is "in his best interests".

It is the first time a UK court has made such a decision.

Referred to as "DE", the 36-year-old has learning difficulties and already has a young son with his girlfriend.

The judge said that a vasectomy could take place after hearing that DE does not want to become a father again, and another child could cause him "psychological harm".

Experts said that DE was capable of consenting to sexual relationships but could not properly make decisions about contraception.

They said he could not be relied on to use condoms or other birth control methods effectively.

The case came to court because of evidence that DE lacks the capacity to decide whether or not to agree to the sterilisation.

A routine was in place to stop the man meeting his girlfriend without supervision to "keep them safe", the court was told.

It is hoped the vasectomy will give the man greater independence.

More follows...


18.26 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tributes For Sky Cameraman Killed In Cairo

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 15 Agustus 2013 | 18.25

The Chief Executive of BSkyB has paid tribute to Sky News cameraman Mick Deane, who was shot dead while covering unrest on the streets of Egypt.

Jeremy Darroch expressed his "deepest sympathy" to the 61-year-old's family, adding that the cameraman's death is a reminder of "the bravery and commitment that journalists often show each and every day."

"Like everyone at Sky I was extremely saddened to hear that our colleague Mick Deane had been killed covering the unrest in Cairo," Mr Darroch said.

"Our deepest sympathy and thoughts go to Mick's family in obviously what is a very, very difficult time. We'll be doing whatever we can to help them and Mick's colleagues in the Sky News team.

"Sky News and other news organisations throughout the world play a vital role in bringing information and insight to us all, and in showing the truth in events that occur throughout the world.

"But the tragic events and Mick's death I think also remind us that this is often dangerous work, and of the bravery and commitment that journalists show often each and every day in their search for the truth."

Tributes Mick Dean has been described as an inspiring mentor

The married father of two was part of a Sky News team covering the ongoing violence in Cairo. The rest of the news team was unhurt.

Mr Deane had worked for Sky for 15 years, based in Washington and then Jerusalem.

The Head of Sky News, John Ryley, described Mr Deane as the very best of cameramen, a brilliant journalist and an inspiring mentor to many.

"Mick Deane was a really lovely, lovely guy. He was great fun to work with; he was an astonishingly good cameraman who took some brilliant pictures.

"But he also had a first class editorial brain. He had brilliant ideas. He was also good fun after the job was done. He was laid back, and I'm really going to miss him, like lots of people here."

Sky's Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall called Mr Deane "a friend, brave as a lion but what a heart... what a human being".

He added: "Micky was humorous in a dry way, he was wise and when you're on the road with small teams, people like that are diamonds to be with.

"Our hearts go out to his family. He died doing what he'd done so brilliantly for decades."

 Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I want to say how sorry I am about the death of Mick Deane.

"It is an incredibly brave and important job he was doing. It is essential that cameramen are in places like Egypt because otherwise none of us would know what is happening.

"But obviously our thoughts should be with his family and friends at this very, very difficult time for them."


18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

'James Bond' Skydiver Dies In Alps Accident

The British skydiver who parachuted into the 2012 Olympic Stadium dressed as James Bond has been killed in an accident.

Mark Sutton, 41, died yesterday after crashing into a mountain near Martigny in the Swiss Alps.

He had been invited to take part in an event with 19 other wingsuit pilots, which involved being filmed jumping from helicopters.

Wingsuits are special jump suits which increase the surface area of the body and act like a parachute wing, allowing users to glide through the air at high speeds.

Mark Sutton The ridge in the Valais canton where Mr Sutton crashed

Mr Sutton had been practising a dangerous discipline in the sport known as terrain flying, which involves flying in close proximity to cliffs and mountains.

The accident happened on the first day of the thee-day event in the Valais canton, near the French border. Rescuers believe Mr Sutton died on impact, though the exact cause of the accident is not yet clear. Swiss police are still trying establish how the accident happened.

Five days ago he posted an update to his Facebook profile: "The sun comes out for a beautiful day in Chamonix, two base wingsuit flights from Brevent then a spectacular paraglide with Mont Blanc and the glaciers glistening in the background."

Mark Sutton Mark was one of the world's most accomplished wingsuit pilots

Mr Sutton took part in one of the most memorable sequences of the Olympics opening ceremony when, dressed as James Bond, he parachuted into the stadium alongside Gary Connery, who was dressed as the Queen.

He doubled for actor Daniel Craig for a section of the London Games curtain-raiser which saw the spy jump alongside the Queen with Union flag-emblazoned parachutes after flying to Stratford by helicopter from Buckingham Palace.

He was also co-pilot and teammate during Mr Connery's successful attempt to become the first person in the world to safely land a wingsuit without a parachute.

Mark Sutton One billion people watched Mr Sutton parachute into the Olympic stadium

Speaking to Sky News after the event he said: "It was an incredible day. It all felt very 'British' - the enormity of it was only apparent when Gary flew it into the boxes, that everyone had just witnessed a 'World's First'."

After hearing news of the accident, Mr Connery posted the following message on Twitter: "All you jumpers/flyers out there, stay safe, make wise choices and know your limits and your locations live to tell your stories. One love."

Mr Connery said Mark was smart, articulate and funny. "In any sport where you share a common bond you can make friends in a heartbeat that last a lifetime," he said, adding: "My relationship with Mark was like that."

Mr Sutton's death was the thirteenth known wingsuit fatality this year.


18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Egypt's Brotherhood Defiant After '525 Killed'

The Muslim Brotherhood has pledged to "bring down Egypt's military coup" using peaceful means - as the number of people killed in clashes rose to at least 525.

The group, which backs ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, plans to stage a march in Cairo this afternoon to protest against the deaths.

A month-long state of emergency has been declared in the country following the violence that began when security forces stormed the Cairo camps set up in support of Mr Morsi.

Brotherhood spokesman Gehad El Haddad wrote on his Twitter page: "We will always be non-violent and peaceful. We remain strong, defiant and resolved.

A man walks inside the burnt Rabaa Adawiya mosque, the morning after the clearing of the site in which was held around the mosque, in Cairo A burnt-out mosque in Cairo following the violence

"We will push (forward) until we bring down this military coup."

A spokesman for Egypt's health ministry told the Associated Press that the number of dead had reached 525 - which the interior ministry has said includes 43 police officers.

Hundreds more have been injured. The Muslim Brotherhood claims more than 2,500 died.

Those killed included Sky cameraman Mick Deane, who was part of our team covering the unrest. He was shot on Wednesday morning.

Officials said 84 people, including Muslim Brotherhood members, have been referred to military prosecutors on charges of murder and burning churches.

The US was among a number of countries to have condemned the violence, while both the UK and France summoned their respective Egyptian ambassadors to voice their concern.

The clashes spread from the capital to other parts of the country, including the Mediterranean city of Alexandria. A curfew from 7pm to 6am was declared in Cairo and 13 other provinces.

Mick Deane Sky cameraman Mick Deane was killed in the violence

Hazem Al Beblawi, Egypt's Prime Minister, said he remained committed to the democratic process under a civilian state.

But he justified the use of force saying that Morsi loyalists had been sowing chaos around the country, "terrorising citizens, attacking public and private property".

"The state had to intervene to restore security and peace for Egyptians," he said. "No democratic country would impose an emergency state unless it is absolutely necessary."

US Secretary of State John Kerry called the events "deplorable".

"Violence will not create a roadmap for Egypt's future. Violence only impedes the transition," he said.

He added that the promise of the 2011 revolution has not yet been fully realised.

Egypt's vice president, Mohamed ElBaradei, announced his resignation following the violence.

"It has become too difficult to continue bearing responsibility for decisions I do not agree with and whose consequences I fear," he said.

Sky's Middle East Correspondent Sam Kiley was reporting earlier from inside the Rabaa al Adawiya camp.

Describing the fighting he said: "I have covered many wars and this is as severe a battlefield as I have witnessed, with the exception of scenes in Rwanda.

"There are dozens and dozens of people who have been shot in the head, neck and upper body."

The unrest spread beyond the capital, as supporters of Mr Morsi clashed with police in the Nile Delta cities of Minya and Assiut, as police stations, government buildings and churches were attacked or set ablaze.

In Alexandria, tear gas canisters rained down on a pro-Morsi march in the Sharq neighbourhood, amid repeated bursts of automatic gunfire.

Residents armed with clubs came out of their homes and shops to help the police, detaining Morsi supporters and handing them over to officers at the Sharq police station.

Morsi supporters, carrying Egyptian flags and pictures of the deposed leader, then clashed with his opponents on a road carpeted with rocks.


18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Peru Drugs Bust: Pair's 'Families Threatened'

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 14 Agustus 2013 | 18.26

Two women who say they were ordered at gunpoint to smuggle £1.5m worth of cocaine out of Peru claim their families were threatened too.

Melissa Reid, 19, from Kirkintilloch in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland, and Michaella McCollum Connolly, 20, from Dungannon in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, are being held in Lima after 11kg (24.2lbs) of cocaine was found in their luggage.

The pair, who deny drug trafficking allegations, were arrested while trying to board a flight from the Peruvian capital to Spain last week.

They were due to appear in court later, but the hearing has been put back until next week because they have still not seen an interpreter.

Michaella McCollum Connolly McCollum Connolly is a former nightclub hostess

They claim they were forced to carry the bags at gunpoint by Colombian gangsters and were unaware they contained narcotics.

Reid has insisted they were not smuggling for financial gain but to save their lives.

She told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "We were given no option. If we didn't do as we were told we would be dead. We were not smuggling for money, we were smuggling for our lives.

"We have no doubt they would have killed us both without hesitation if we didn't do as we were told.

"Ever since I was arrested I have played out what has happened in my mind over and over again, asking myself how could we have gotten out of it. But each time I think it wasn't even an option.

"We both had loaded guns put to our heads. They were more than prepared to use them. If we didn't do it we were told we would die."

An official weighs and tests the drugs allegedly carried by the two women An official weighs and tests the drugs hidden inside food packets

The paper's US editor Chris Buckton told Sky News: "They also said that the safety of their families was in jeopardy as well, threats were made to them.

"Melissa was actually told details of her own family, she says, given names of her parents and also their friends. They made it clear they knew where their parents lived."

The women say they were befriended by a man in London, who put them in the hands of South Americans before they were taken to safe houses in Madrid, Ibiza and Majorca.

Reid was the first to be sent to Lima, on August 1, where she was joined by photography student and former nightclub hostess McCollum Connolly a day later.

They are said to be frustrated at the way the investigation is being carried out.

"They have cried themselves to sleep several times," said Mr Buckton.

Melissa Reid Reid is due to spend her 20th birthday on Friday in prison

Both are being held at the same jail but in separate cells, McCollum Connolly by herself and Reid in a shared cell where she will mark her 20th birthday on Friday.

"They are very resolute - determined to get themselves back to the UK ... but they are also very aware of what they could face," added Mr Buckton.

Relatives of both women have spoken of the anguish of their ordeal.

McCollum Connolly's lawyer said her family were confident she will be cleared of any wrongdoing.

The family are making arrangements to travel to Peru and are also arranging legal representation.

Reid's father William has said he believes his daughter was "groomed".

If convicted the women could face lengthy sentences in an overcrowded Peruvian prison where they will have to pay for everything including food and bedding.


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Egypt: 'Hundreds Die' In Raids On Morsi Camps

Hundreds of people have reportedly been shot dead by Egyptian security forces who tried to clear two protest camps loyal to deposed president Mohamed Morsi.

Sky's Middle East Correspondent Sam Kiley, reporting from inside the Rabaa al Adawiya camp in Cairo, said it was "under very heavy gunfire" and was a "massive military assault on largely unarmed civilians in very large numbers".

He said government forces were using machine guns, snipers, M16s, AK-47s and were firing into the crowd.

Kiley added: "There are machine gun rounds, and snipers on the roof, that are preventing people from getting any closer to the field hospital (in the camp).

"I haven't seen any evidence yet of any weapons on the side of the pro-Morsi camp. The camp is very full of women and children."

He said it was a scene of "extreme chaos and bloodshed" and "many hundreds of troops and interior ministry police and special forces are involved".

"The dead and dying are on the steps of this improvised field hospital. The scenes here are absolutely graphic.

"I have covered many wars and this is as severe a battlefield as I have witnessed, with the exception of scenes in Rwanda. There are dozens and dozens of people who have been shot in the head, neck and upper body."

EGYPT-UNREST-POLITICS Security forces and a bulldozer at one of the camps in Cairo

He also said the violence was not a crowd-clearing operation.

Meanwhile, Egyptian authorities have released video footage taken from a helicopter which it said showed gunmen in the camp firing at security forces.

The unrest spread beyond the capital, as pro-Morsi supporters clashed with police in the Nile Delta cities of Minya and Assiut.

Earlier, police in Cairo backed by armoured vehicles and bulldozers also fired tear gas at the demonstrators who are demanding Mr Morsi be reinstated as the country's leader.

The interior ministry, which is in charge of police, warned its security forces would deal firmly with protesters acting "irresponsibly" and said it would guarantee safe passage to those who want to leave the two sites.

The larger is the Rabaa al Adawiya camp described as a 'mini town' in Nasr City, while the other is in Al Nahda Square outside the main campus of Cairo University in Giza.

Egypt clashes A medic tends to a child at the scene

The interior ministry later said security forces had "total control" over the smaller camp and police have managed to remove most of the tents in the square.

The Muslim Brotherhood that backs ousted Islamist president Mr Morsi claimed over 250 people had been killed and 5,000 hurt in the crackdown, which is almost certain to deepen political turmoil in Egypt.

It urged Egyptians to take to the streets in their thousands to denounce the "massacre".

"This is not an attempt to disperse, but a bloody attempt to crush all voices of opposition to the military coup," Brotherhood spokesman Gehad al Haddad said on Twitter.

The Rabaa al Adawiya protest camp, where several Brotherhood leaders are staying, "is calling on Egyptians to take to the streets to stop the massacre," Haddad said.

At least three members of the security forces were confirmed to have died in the crackdown, while the health ministry said nine protesters were killed and over 80 were injured.

Cairo Squares Raids on the Rabaa al Adawiya and Nahda Square camp

The raids came after international efforts failed to mediate an end to a six-week political standoff between Morsi's supporters and the army-backed government which took power after he was ousted on July 3.

Regional television networks showed images of collapsed tents and burning tyres at both sites, as well as protesters being arrested and led away by troops.

A television feed by a pro-Morsi TV station showed thousands of protesters gathered at the centre of the Nasr City site, with many covering their faces to fend off the tear gas.

It said most of the protesters at the other camp fled to the nearby Orman botanical gardens and inside the sprawling university campus.

The Foreign Office said: "We are deeply concerned by reports from Cairo... and urge for dialogue and a peaceful resolution.

"As the Foreign Secretary said in his statement on 27 July, now is the time for dialogue, not confrontation.

"We have updated our travel advice advising people to stay away from demonstrations and large gatherings of people."


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Live Updates: Many Dead In Egypt Clashes

Live Updates: Many Dead In Egypt Clashes

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EGYPT-UNREST-POLITICS

Egyptian police disperse supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi


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Peru Drugs Bust: Pair Appear In Police Video

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 13 Agustus 2013 | 18.25

A video has emerged of a British and an Irish woman speaking to police shortly after they were arrested on suspicion of cocaine-smuggling in Peru.

The footage shows the two women answering questions shortly after they were held at an airport near the capital, Lima, last week.

Melissa Reid, 19, and Michaella McCollum Connolly, 20, protested their innocence after police found 11kg (24.2lbs) of cocaine worth £1.5m in their luggage.

An official weighs and tests the drugs allegedly carried by the two women An official weighs and tests the drugs allegedly carried by the two women

The police footage also shows an officer examining a row of food bags, in which the drug was allegedly hidden.

Police accused the two of acting as "drug mules" to carry the contraband back to Europe.

Reid, from Lenzie near Glasgow, told officers: "I was forced to take these bags in my luggage."

The airport at Lima wihere the two tourists were arrested The two tourists were arrested at the airport near Lima

Asked if she knew the bags contained drugs, Reid replied: "I did not know that."

The pair both confirmed they had travelled to the South American country from Spain, and then on a Peruvian domestic flight to Cuzco.

They reportedly stayed four days in Cuzco, which is 350-miles south east of Lima, before returning to the capital.

Michaella McCollum Connolly Michaella McCollum Connolly was known to be working as a hostess in Ibiza

Both women were detained the following day at Lima's Jorge Chavez International Airport.

Peruvian police said the two had been held and their luggage examined after a sniffer dog detected drugs at the Air Europa check-in counter.

Reid was allegedly carrying 18 foil packets containing 5.78kg of cocaine while McCollum Connolly was accused of carrying 5.81kg of the drug in 16 bags.

Lima is the capital of Peru Peru's capital Lima is on the Pacific Ocean coast of South America

They pair said they were planning to travel to Madrid and then to the Mediterranean island of Majorca.

They had apparently spent several weeks before the Peru trip living in Ibiza.

Reid had posted dozens of Facebook photos of her time on the island, however her profile had not been updated since late July.

A woman lays out coca leaves in San Francisco, a town in the Peruvian region of Ayacucho Coca leaf is grown in remote areas of Peru for cocaine production

Belfast-born McCollum Connolly, who refers to herself as just Michaella McCollum in the video, had reportedly been looking for work as a nightclub dancer and hostess in Ibiza.

The apparent disappearance from Ibiza of McCollum Connolly had sparked an online campaign back home, backed by a number of Irish sports stars, to establish her whereabouts.

McCollum Connolly was travelling on an Irish passport.

A representative for the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin confirmed she was no longer considered missing and that consular assistance was being provided to her family.

An armed patrol walks on a road in San Francisco, a town in the Peruvian region of Ayacucho Leftist guerrillas have funded their insurgency through the cocaine trade

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is offering assistance to Reid while she is in custody.

The FCO said in a statement: "We can confirm the arrest of a British national in Peru on August 7. We are providing consular assistance."

Drug experts say Peru has almost certainly supplanted Colombia as the world's leading cocaine-producing country and the trade is used to fund a violent leftist insurgency.

A wider map showing Majorca's location off the coast of Spain The pair had lived in Ibiza and were returning to Majorca

:: On Monday, two bodies of suspected Shining Path rebel leaders were taken to Lima for DNA testing, after the pair died in a shootout with security forces a day earlier.


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Rail Fares To Rise By 4.1% In January 2014

Rail users will face an increase of around 4.1% in fares in the new year after new inflation figures were revealed.

Campaigners have been protesting at 50 train stations across the country against the rise of fares compared with average earnings.

Retail price index (RPI) inflation rose by 3.1% in the year to July, down from 3.3% last month, but regulated fares - such as season tickets - will rise by an extra 1% when the new prices are announced from January.

Campaigners claim fares have risen three times faster than wages in the last six years.

The next price hike will be the sixth time in seven years that rail fares have outstripped wages, they say.

Between 2008 and next January rail fares will have jumped by 40%, compared with a 15% increase in average earnings, it is claimed.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) warned unregulated tickets could rise by 9%, against forecasts of a 2.4% increase in average earnings next year.

It said rail privatisation was costing taxpayers £1.2bn a year despite "minimal" investment in trains and stations.

The TUC and the Action For Rail campaign group organised demonstrations at stations including Birmingham New Street, Bristol Temple Meads, Glasgow Central, Manchester Piccadilly, Newcastle Central and London's Paddington, King's Cross and Victoria.

Campaigners Campaigners protested at King's Cross and other stations

Rail Maritime and Transport union leader Bob Crow said: "This latest inflation-busting hike in fares is a kick in the teeth for the British people who are condemned for another year to pay the highest prices in Europe to travel on clapped-out, overcrowded and unreliable trains while the private operators are laughing all the way to the bank."

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said nobody liked paying more for fares but the Government was investing heavily in the railways.

"Nobody likes to see rail fares go up. I don't like to see it and passengers don't like to see it," he said.

"We are massively investing in the railways, with £130m being spent here at Nottingham, £800m at Reading and £600m at Birmingham.

"Running the railways is a very expensive business."

Shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle told Sky News that some train companies were "fiddling" the fare cap.

"A 4.1% average increase, yes, but up to 9.1% because the current government gave back to train companies the power to increase some fares by an extra 5% on top (of RPI)," she said.

"The first thing they could and should do is put a stop to that."


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Asda Parking Space Killing: Man In Court

A man has appeared in court charged with manslaughter over the death of a 64-year-old in an alleged row over a disabled parking space.

Alan Watts, 65, appeared before magistrates and was remanded on bail following the death of Brian Holmes.

Mr Holmes, from Sandy, Bedfordshire, died from head injuries the day after the August 3 incident at the Asda supermarket in Biggleswade.

His family were at his bedside when he died.

In a statement released through police, they said: "The family are devastated by the loss of Brian in such shocking circumstances.

Death Mr Holmes died from a serious head injury the day after the incident

"A wife has lost her husband, best friend and carer all in one go.

"Brian was a family man who adored his grandchildren and family, and had only this week been given the all-clear following treatment for cancer.

"Brian and his wife were only just starting to make plans for the future that they only dared to dream of."

Alan Watts appeared at Bedford Magistrates' Court only to confirm his name and address and that he understood the charge.

He will next appear at Luton Crown Court on August 28 for a preliminary hearing.

Mr Watts has surrendered his passport as part of bail conditions and must also report daily to a local police station.

He is also barred from driving and must not visit the Asda store where the alleged row took place.


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Missing Teenager Erika Kacicova: Man Arrested

Written By Unknown on Senin, 12 Agustus 2013 | 18.25

Police searching for missing teenager Erika Kacicova have arrested a 37-year-old man on suspicion of child abduction.

It comes as detectives told Sky News they "will not stop" until they her find the 13-year-old girl.

Police have appealed to the teenager to contact them so they can visit her to make sure she is safe and well.

They have stressed "she is not in trouble", but have called on her to return to her "distraught" family.

Erika Kacicova Erika's disappearance has been described as 'out of character'

Erika was last seen leaving her home in the Darnall area of Sheffield at around 4pm on Monday, August 4.

Police have been conducting house-to-house inquiries there, and have expanded their search to Bradford, where the suspect was arrested.

He is being taken to Sheffield where he will be questioned by officers from South Yorkshire Police.

There have been a number of unconfirmed sightings of the youngster and police say they have some "really positive" lines of enquiry.

But they are still asking the public for any information they have about the missing child.

Detective Inspector Helen Tate told Sky News: "When we cross-reference the various sightings we've had, it gives us some really positive lines to follow up.

"I need to stress to Erika she's not in trouble. We just need to see she is safe and well.

"We're asking the public to call in with sightings, any information they have got.

"Most importantly it's about Erika picking up that phone and letting us know she is OK and allowing us to come and see her and make sure she is well and safe.

"Our investigation has not slow paced in any way. We will not stop until we actually find Erika."

Her disappearance has been described as "out of character".

Erika is described as being slim and around 4ft 11ins tall. She has long, dark-brown, straight hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen wearing blue jeans, a pink polo-style shirt and a silvery-grey coloured jacket.

A 22-year-old man from Bradford was released on police bail on Sunday after being arrested on suspicion of child abduction.

He approached police on Friday, the day officers made an urgent appeal for information about Erika's whereabouts.

:: Anyone with information about missing Erika is asked to call police on 101.


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Man Charged Over Lee Rigby 'Terror Videos'

A 22-year-old man has been charged with terror offences after allegedly making video recordings about Drummer Lee Rigby's murder.

Royal Barnes, from Hackney, east London, is accused of creating clips about the father-of-one's death, publishing a statement entitled 'Muslim laughs at British Soldier killing', and inciting terrorism overseas.

Barnes is charged with dissemination of terrorist publications for allegedly making a series of recordings about Lee Rigby's death.

He is accused of circulating them "with the intention, either directly or indirectly of encouraging others into the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism".

Barnes is also charged with encouraging an act of terrorism by publishing a statement that glorified the killing, and inciting terrorism overseas.

Lee Rigby, 25, was hacked to death in broad daylight near Woolwich barracks in south-east London on May 22.

More follows...


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Gibraltar: UK Mulls Legal Action Against Spain

The diplomatic row between Britain and Spain over extra checks at the border with Gibraltar has intensified after the UK government said it was considering taking legal action.

Downing Street said it was looking at the "unprecedented step" following the Spanish government's failure to lift the additional controls over the weekend.

It comes as three Royal Navy warships set sail for the Mediterranean in what defence officials stressed was a long-scheduled deployment.

The vessels included the country's flagship HMS Bulwark, helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious and frigate HMS Montrose.

As part of the operation, a fourth warship, the frigate HMS Westminster, will dock in the UK overseas territory of Gibraltar for a routine visit for three days this month, while other ships in the task group are expected to go to Spanish ports.

HMS Westminster HMS Westminster will visit Gibraltar for three days

A No 10 spokesman said: "Clearly the Prime Minister is disappointed by the failure of Spain to remove the additional border checks this weekend. We are now considering what legal action is open to us."

The diplomatic spat between the UK and Spain was sparked by the creation of an artificial reef by the Gibraltarian authorities which the Spanish claim will destroy fishing in the area.

Madrid responded by beefing up border controls, leading to lengthy queues, and suggesting that a 50 euro (£43.30) fee could be imposed on every vehicle entering or leaving 'The Rock' through the fenced border with Spain.

The MOD's operation codenamed Cougar 13 in the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and the Gulf is due to last around four months and will include a series of exercises as well as escort duties and counter-piracy operations.

A man rides his scooter past buses carrying tourists as they enter to the British territory of Gibraltar at its border with Spain in front of the Rock of Gibraltar in La Linea de la Concepcion There have been border delays amid the Gibraltar diplomatic row

Four Royal Navy warships, the lead commando group from 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines and elements of naval air squadrons will be supported by five vessels from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

Reports in the Spanish media suggested that the diplomatic row could escalate to the United Nations, with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's government receiving support from Argentina.

Spanish foreign minister Jose Garcia-Margallo is expected to propose that both countries present a "united front" over Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands, the El Pais newspaper reported.

Mr Garcia-Margallo will sound out his Argentinian counterpart, Hector Timerman, during a meeting in Buenos Aires next month as he prepares for a "180-degree turn in policy towards the colony", the newspaper said.

The Royal Gibraltar Police tweeted on Sunday that Guardia Civil checks had caused queues of up to two hours at the border, with Spanish officers checking "every car" going into the Rock.

Spanish defence minister Pedro Morenes has meanwhile said that it is "totally normal" for British warships to dock in Gibraltar in what is a "routine visit", according to reports.

Mr Morenes reportedly told the Europa Press news agency: "Neither the British nor the Spanish government have an interest in there being bad relations."

He also said that aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious had requested and been granted permission to stop off at the southern Spanish naval base of Rota on August 18, proving that there was no military escalation between the two countries.


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Zanzibar Acid Attack: Suspect Preacher 'Shot'

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 11 Agustus 2013 | 18.25

A radical Muslim preacher wanted over an acid attack on two British teenagers in Zanzibar has been caught by police, according to reports.

It was claimed that Sheikh Issa Ponda Issa was shot in the shoulder with a tear gas canister as he tried to escape from officers after being cornered near the Tanzanian coastal city of Dar es Salaam.

He was reported to be fighting for his life in hospital.

Friends Katie Gee and Kirstie Trup, both 18, continue to be treated in hospital in London and are said to be "well rested and comfortable".

Acid attack The girls are continuing to receive treatment in a Chelsea hospital

Police said five men are being questioned by officers on the Indian Ocean island after the women were attacked by men on a motorbike as they walked along a road.

The young women were enjoying the last week of a trip as volunteer teachers to the predominantly Muslim island when the corrosive substance was thrown at them in an apparently unprovoked attack.

Zanzibar's assistant police commissioner Mkadam Khamis Mkadam told an east African newspaper: "They were accosted by two men riding a motorcycle ... they poured this liquid ... we suspect it was acid, before they ran away."

The women had planned to return to the UK in time to collect their A-level results next week, with Miss Trup hoping to study history at the University of Bristol while Miss Gee is considering the University of Leeds, it was reported.

The street in Stone Town where the attack took place The street on the island where the attack took place

Family members of both teenagers have been at their bedsides after they were flown home and taken to a burns unit.

Meanwhile, Tory MP Bill Cash, who sits on the all-party parliamentary group for Tanzania, has urged the Foreign Office to further upgrade its travel warning for tourists visiting both Zanzibar and Tanzania because it was "more than just an ordinary criminal event".

The Foreign Office updated its Tanzania travel advice page on Friday with details of the attack and warns British nationals to "take care" and read its travel advice.

Mr Cash said: "People need to be extra vigilant and the Foreign Office and High Commission need to make a very thorough evaluation of the threat, as these latest attacks would seem to be on religious grounds.

"The threat to tourists going to Tanzania and Zanzibar needs to be upgraded without doubt."


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Labour Attacks Tesco Over Foreign Staff

Labour has ignited a row with supermarket giant Tesco by planning to attack the chain for employing foreign workers.

Shadow immigration minister Chris Bryant is due to condemn Tesco and other leading companies for being "unscrupulous" and pursuing cheap labour from Eastern Europe.

In a speech on Monday, he is expected to claim Tesco moved its distribution centre to Kent where a "large percentage" of the staff are from the eastern bloc.

The firm has already hit back, denying having a distribution centre in the county and insisting it does not actively seek to recruit abroad.

A spokesman said: "It is wrong to accuse Tesco of this. We work incredibly hard to recruit from the local area and have just recruited 350 local people to work in our Dagenham site."

The company is also understood to be writing to Labour to complain about the "unfair" slight.

Chris Bryant Controversial: Frontbencher Chris Bryant

Mr Bryant's speech appears to be the Opposition's latest attempt to wrestle back the initiative on immigration, which is a top concern for British voters.

The party is also battling to get on the front foot after a quiet summer which has seen their poll lead slip and Ed Miliband face internal criticism for failing to set the agenda.

Mr Bryant will admit immigration can have a negative effect on labour markets, according to extracts from the draft speech reported in The Sunday Telegraph.

"The biggest complaint I have heard, from migrants and settled communities alike, is about the negative effects migration can have on the UK labour market. And I agree," he is due to say.

"It is unfair that unscrupulous employers whose only interest seems to be finding labour as cheaply as possible will recruit workers in large numbers in low-wage countries in the EU, bring them to the UK, charge the costs of their travel and their substandard accommodation against their wages and still not even meet the national minimum wage.

"That is unfair. It exploits migrant workers and it makes it impossible for settled workers with mortgages and a family to support at British prices to compete."

He will claim Tesco had recently decided to move its distribution centre in Kent but slashed pay for existing staff, penalising Britons.

"The new centre is larger and employs more people, but the staff at the original site, most of them British, were told that they could only move to the new centre if they took a cut in pay," he will say.

"The result? A large percentage of the staff at the new centre are from [the] Eastern bloc."

As well as highlighting the recruitment of hundreds of local staff, Tesco made clear that the distribution centre is in the east London borough of Barking and Dagenham and was formerly in Essex, not Kent.

Next on Oxford Street Next is also criticised for allegedly seeking out Polish staff

Mr Bryant's address is also set to target high street chain Next, who he accused of printing leaflets in Polish to attract workers from the country.

Extracts from his speech say: "Look at Next Plc, who last year brought 500 Polish workers to work in their South Elmsall warehouse for their summer sale and another 300 this summer.

"They were recruited in Poland and charged £50 to find them accommodation. The advantage to Next? They get to avoid Agency Workers Regulations, which apply after a candidate has been employed for over 12 weeks, so Polish temps end up considerably cheaper than the local workforce, which includes many former Next employees."

The MP's speech will make clear that neither firm has broken the law.

A spokesman for Next told The Sunday Telegraph: "Without access to the facts, it is difficult to comment on what Mr Bryant is claiming. On the face of it, his allegations seem unlikely."

Tesco, which is the third largest retailer in the world, has 3,146 stores in the UK and employs more than 300,000 staff here.

Next has more than 500 shops across the country, employing around 54,000 people.


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Erika Kacicova: Man Held Over Missing Teenager

Police are searching for a missing 13-year-old girl who disappeared almost a week ago.

Officers are conducting door-to-door inquiries as they try to locate Erika Kacicova, 13.

They are also questioning a 22-year-old man from Bradford who came forward on Friday after hearing about the police appeal.

He is being held in Sheffield on suspicion of child abduction.

Erika was last seen leaving her home in the Darnall area of Sheffield at around 4pm on Monday August 4.

Police have launched a hunt for her there and a team from South Yorkshire Police are also looking for her in Bradford.

An urgent appeal was launched on Friday urging the teenager to get in touch because there were concerns about her safety.

Detective Inspector Helen Tate said on Saturday: "Erika has now been missing for almost five full days and we haven't had any positive sightings or confirmed contact from her.

"We know she has gone missing before but not for this long. She is a young girl, away from home and our main aim is for her to return safe and well.

"We know Erika's family have friends and acquaintances in the Bradford area, so she may well have travelled to West Yorkshire.

"We are grateful for the calls from the public, so please contact us if you think you know where Erika is."

She added: "Erika, if you are reading this, please let us know you are okay. You aren't in trouble; we just need to know you are safe."

Erika, who has gone missing previously, is described as being around 4ft 11ins tall, Eastern European, of slim build, with long, dark-brown, straight hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen wearing blue jeans, a pink polo-style shirt and a silvery-grey coloured jacket.

:: Anyone with information about Erika's whereabouts should contact South Yorkshire Police on 101.


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