Cyclone Phailin: Thousands Flee In East India

More than 250,000 villagers have fled their homes as a huge cyclone gathers strength and heads towards India's east coast.

Cyclone Phailin - which is already so large it has nearly filled the Bay of Bengal - is expected to be the fiercest storm to hit India since a devastating cyclone killed 10,000 people 14 years ago.

Large waves have already been pounding beaches in the state of Andhra Pradesh before the storm is due to hit.

Villagers along the coast were evacuated to schools in the north of the state and in neighbouring Odisha, while panic buying drove up food prices.

Authorities have been evacuating villagers along the coast to government-run shelters and schools in three districts of Andhra Pradesh state and five districts of Orissa state.

People in the coastal village of Podampata watch as waves gather force

But many villagers said they had not been told to evacuate, and others were refusing to leave their homes.

"Of course I'm scared, but where will I move with my family?" said Kuramayya, 38, a fisherman from the village of Bandharuvanipeta, while 12ft waves crashed behind him. "We can't leave our boats behind."

Satellite images showed Phailin some 310 miles (500km) off the coast and likely to make landfall tonight (3pm-6pm UK time), with widespread flooding expected.

Some forecasters likened its size and intensity to hurricane Katrina, which devastated the US Gulf coast and New Orleans in 2005.

The Indian Meteorological Department said Phailin would hit between Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and the port of Paradip in Odisha state and predicted storm surges 10ft above normal tides.

The storm is due to hit Andhra Pradesh and Odisha Pic: Tropical Storm Risk

It described it as a "very severe cyclonic storm" with winds of 130-135 mph but resisted upgrading it to a stronger "super cyclone".

However, London-based storm tracking experts Tropical Storm Risk said Phailin was a super cyclone and placed it in the most powerful Category 5 of storms.

That was the same strength of storm that battered Odisha in 1999, killing thousands.

"Phailin will be no less than the 1999 super cyclone," said Odisha state's Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Mohapatra.

He said half a million people were expected to move to shelters in the state.

Indian authorities warned of extensive damage to crops and buildings, and disruption to power, water and rail services.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hammond Hits Back Over £2bn MoD Underspend

By Vincent McAviney, Sky News Political Producer

The Defence Secretary has hit back at criticism of a £2bn underspend by the Government department he oversees, saying the money will be spent on future kit for soldiers.

Philip Hammond reacted angrily to claims he had been "overzealous" in pursuit of an austerity drive that will see thousands of soldiers lose their jobs.

They were made in a Daily Telegraph article which suggested the underspend at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) was partly down to cuts in military personnel and equipment.

Mr Hammond said: "These retired 'senior military figures' (quoted by the newspaper) are presumably the same people who presided over an out of control defence budget that led to the previous Government sending troops into battle without the proper equipment needed to protect them.

Mr Hammond is overseeing a major cost-cutting exercise at the MoD

"They clearly have no idea how the defence budget now works.

"Instead of having to delay and cancel programmes as in the past, we now budget prudently and then roll forward any underspend to future years, allowing us to place new equipment orders."

Mr Hammond's comments came as a Sky News investigation revealed Government departments have spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on calls to directory inquiries numbers since the last election.

The MoD alone made 158,640 calls to 118 lines between May 1, 2010, and August 31, 2013 - the equivalent of 186 calls per day - at a cost of £271,000.

A spokesman said the number of calls made from fixed phone lines had fallen by more than three-quarters in the last four years.

However, the expenditure is equivalent to the annual salaries of 15 squaddies or nine junior officers, or around 270 sets of Osprey body armour.

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) made 97,265 calls between May 2010 and August 2013 at a cost of £72,387.

This was despite the department barring staff from calling 118 numbers in March 2011 and Secretary of State Iain Duncan Smith pledging to cut costs to help fund police and the forces.

The MoD says it has cut the number of directory inquiry calls it makes

Robert Oxley, campaign director of the TaxPayers' Alliance, added: "It's astonishing that so much taxpayers' money has been wasted needlessly dialling these services, especially in the internet age.

"Sadly, a blase attitude over who is picking up the phone bill is all too common in some corners of the civil service."

It is the second time in as many months the MoD's spending on phone calls has been brought into question, and comes at a time when the military is undergoing a massive cost-reduction programme which includes thousands of redundancies.

In August, the department revealed it had run up a £40,000 bill on calls to the speaking clock.

The MoD has said this was partly down to a "technical error" in one of its systems which meant the number was being dialled automatically.

Thousands of soldiers are losing their jobs as the MoD cuts costs

However, Sky News now understands that between May 1, 2010, and August 31, 2013, 99,887 calls were in fact made by departmental staff to the speaking clock at a cost of £39,845.

The faulty automated system placed an additional 28,663 calls to the number but the £12,355 cost of these calls is being repaid by the company which installed it.

A spokesman for the MoD said: "Calls to directory inquiries from the majority of the 260,000 MoD fixed phone lines are banned but some staff working in isolated locations, who do not have access to a military phone network or the internet, are able to call directory enquiries to obtain contact details."

A spokesman for the DWP added: "118 numbers are banned, except where they are used by jobseekers or their advisers when looking for work.

"The costs of these calls have been cut by more than two-thirds since 2010, as more of the 1.4 million claimants we support move online for their job searches."

Freedom of Information Act requests were submitted to all government departments, although some departments including the Home Office and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs refused to provide the information.

Several other departments said they had barred 118 calls, instructing staff to use internet search engines to obtain contact details.

Labour shadow minister Jon Ashworth told Sky News: "This is yet another example of the Government's failure to tackle waste.

"David Cameron and his ministers need to act now to stop allowing thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money being squandered on these costly calls."

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Malala Tells Obama: 'End The Drone Strikes'

Pakistani teenage activist Malala Yusufzai has told the US President that drone strikes in her country are "fuelling terrorism".

The 16-year-old schoolgirl, who was shot in the head and neck by Taliban gunmen who attacked her school bus in Pakistan's Swat Valley, met Barack Obama and the First Lady in the White House.

"I thanked President Obama for the United States' work in supporting education in Pakistan and Afghanistan and for Syrian refugees," she said after the meeting.

Malala with her father Ziauddin in Edgbaston, Birmingham

"I also expressed my concerns that drone attacks are fuelling terrorism. Innocent victims are killed in these acts, and they lead to resentment among the Pakistani people.

"If we refocus efforts on education it will make a big impact."

The US military and the CIA have carried out hundreds of drone strikes against militant groups in the northwest Pakistan since 2004.

But the Pakistani government complains that they also frequently kill civilians and turn ordinary people against Islamabad and the US. 

Malala attracted the anger of the Taliban by writing a blog chronicling the challenges of daily life under the Islamists.

Hundreds of drone strikes have been reported in Pakistan

She is now living in Britain, where she underwent treatment for the injuries sustained in the attack, and campaigns for girls' right to education.

Mr Obama praised the teenager for her "inspiring and passionate work" and signed a proclamation to mark the International Day of the Girl.

A statement issued by the White House said: "The United States joins with the Pakistani people and so many around the world to celebrate Malala's courage and her determination to promote the right of all girls to attend school and realise their dreams."

Malala had been among the favourites for this year's Nobel Peace Prize, but the award was handed to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

In 2012 Barack Obama condemned Malala's shooting as "barbaric". White House spokesman Jay Carney said. "I know that the President found the news reprehensible and disgusting and tragic."

The teenager was treated in Britain following her shooting in 2012

The Pakistani army retook control of Swat later that year, and Malala received the country's highest civilian award.

Since then she has been nominated for several international awards for child activists - including the EU's Sakharov human rights prize which she won earlier in the week - and has written a book about her campaign work called I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up For Education And Was Shot By The Taliban.

Last week Pakistani Taliban spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said the group stood by its decision to target the teenager, who he said "targeted and criticised Islam".

"She accepted that she attacked Islam so we we tried to kill her, and if we get another chance we will definitely kill her and that will make us feel proud.

"Islam prohibits killing women, but excepts those that support the infidels in their war against our religion.".

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Haringey 'Regret' Over New Child Abuse Case

Haringey Council has apologised for failing to prevent a toddler from suffering horrific abuse before he was finally taken into care.

The boy - named as Child T - was found to have 50 bruises on his body at one stage and spoke of being hit with a belt and stick.

Haringey Council has previously been heavily criticised over the deaths of Peter Connelly, also known as Baby P, and Victoria Climbie.

A serious case review now accuses it of "confusion" and "lacking focus" over the latest case.

Child T was the subject of two investigations in 2010 and 2011 after suffering "extensive injuries", according to the review.

His half-sister also told authorities she was sometimes abused.

But on both occasions Child T was returned from hospital back to his family, where the abuse continued.

The first injuries took place in summer 2010 when he was taken to London's North Middlesex Hospital with bruising around the eyes, forehead and nose.

Peter Connelly was also failed by child protection officials in Haringey

Mr C - his mother's partner - told authorities the child often ran around the house and "bangs and hits himself on the wall".

When police and social services later visited the child's home, the man claimed the boy bruised very easily.

Despite a paediatrician expressing "strong concern" he was being beaten, police found no cause for concern at the house and stopped investigating.

Two more sets of injuries were discovered in February 2011 when officers were called to the house over claims of domestic violence.

Child T was found badly bruised and his mother's partner - who also had a heroin problem - was arrested.

The child had more than 50 bruises on his body, and the little boy told a doctor he had been beaten with a belt and stick.

Victoria Climbie died in 2000 at the hands of her aunt and her boyfriend

Mr C denied beating the child, but his mother contradicted that story and said she had suspected her partner of abuse.

The child's half-sister also told police Mr C had "tried to drown her" during bath time and said she had once been hit with a rod.

Social services started taking steps to bring the children into care.

But because Mr C remained in police custody, there was no immediate attempt to remove them from the home.

More new bruising was discovered just days later during another hospital visit and Child T and his three siblings were finally taken into care.

Experts later said the injuries were likely to have been inflicted by the boy's mother or grandmother.

Haringey Council's involvement in the case was "misguided and lacked focus", said the serious case review.

It said the "evidence was highly suggestive of child abuse" and "there was evidence of organisational confusion" within both health and social services.

The abuse could have been prevented, said Haringey children's service

The chairman of Haringey's Safeguarding Children Board, Graham Badman, expressed his "sincere regret" for the children's suffering.

He said: "What is clear is that because of failings in the system this child suffered physical abuse that could have been prevented.

"It would be an oversimplification to describe this case as a series of missed opportunities - they existed but there is more seriously, compelling evidence of individual and systemic failure."

The board has announced changes, including ways to improve communication and information sharing.

However, Mr Badman added: "Arguably it is not more change that is needed, but action to ensure that agreed systems are used and their effectiveness monitored and evaluated."

Katherine Reece, Lib Dem councillor in Labour-controlled Haringey, described the lapses as "appalling".

"Again, a failure by many agencies across the borough to protect a vulnerable child," Ms Reece said.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Royal Mail Shares Soar In First Trades

Shares in Royal Mail have soared in conditional trading, with their value jumping more than 30%.

The spike has boosted the value of the company to more than £4.5bn, up from the pre-flotation pricing of £3.3bn.

Shares opened at 8am on the London Stock Exchange at 430p each and jumped above 450p within minutes.

The pre-float purchase price was set at 330p per share.

The rise will fuel the debate over whether the sale, one of Britain's biggest privatisations for decades, was priced too cheaply, following criticism from Labour that the Government was short-changing taxpayers.

The first two days of conditional trading allows institutional investors to trade with one another, with full trading getting under way next Tuesday.

In theory if the sale of the five-century-old service was cancelled the trades would be void.

Royal Mail's flotation leaves the Government with a 38% stake, but this could fall to 30% should it choose to exercise an over-allotment option, whereby extra shares can be sold if there is strong demand.

Demand from private investors for the flotation was seven times over-subscribed, with Business Secretary Vince Cable saying there had been 700,000 applications.

Around 150,000 Royal Mail staff will each get about £2,200 of free shares but they must hold on to them for a period of five years.

Full trading on October 15 commences the day before the result of a strike ballot by postal workers.

Members of the Communication Workers Union are expected to back industrial action over issues linked to pay and conditions, with any strike set to be held on or after October 23 - the start of the run-up to the busy Christmas period.

Although the Royal Mail has seen a decline in letter deliveries amid competition from private firms and increasing use of email, its parcel delivery service has strengthened due to internet shopping.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

'White Widow' Lewthwaite 'Key' In Al Shabaab

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent, In Kenya

Sky News has obtained a Kenyan intelligence report which for the first time shows the reach of the al Shabaab terror network - which carried out the Nairobi shopping mall attack - and the extent of British involvement within the group.

It suggests that Samantha Lewthwaite - the British woman known as the 'White Widow' because she was married to one of the 7/7 London bombers - is an important figure in the terror outfit, plotting multiple bomb attacks across Kenya.

Sky has also been given access to a personal diary of hers which gives a fascinating insight into her mind, where she talks about her ambitions for her children and her love for her husband.

The intelligence report, which is 35 pages long, gives a detailed breakdown of how the network is operating throughout Africa with recruits and cells working in a huge range of countries including Somalia, Uganda, Burundi, Zambia, Tanzania, Mali and South Africa as well as further afield in Yemen and Pakistan.

The report says Lewthwaite is a 'logistician' in a six-person terror cell

But what seems clear is that the group's stronghold and focus is in Kenya with major operational bases in the capital Nairobi and Mombasa.

The report is highly damaging for the Kenyan authorities as it also shows there were clear warnings up to eight months ago that a "Mumbai-style attack" was being planned in Nairobi on the Westgate shopping mall.

It goes on to identify 29-year-old Lewthwaite as a "logistician" within a six-person terror cell which the Kenyans believe was co-ordinated by Abdulkadir Mohamed Abdulkadir, whose alias is Ikrima.

Ikrima is a Kenyan who the authorities believe has been elevated to al Shabaab management.

He was the target of the US Navy Seals' mission last weekend which set out to "capture or kill" him from the Somalian port town of Barawe.

She is implicated in the Nairobi shopping centre attack in September

The mission was aborted when the Seals encountered tougher resistance than expected when they landed.

The other members of the terror cell Ikrima was co-ordinating include Fahmi Jamal Salim, who is apparently the cell leader and who the intelligence agencies believe is now married to Lewthwaite.

Other members are said to be Jermaine Grant, who is currently on trial in Mombasa on terror charges which he denies.

The report details how the group was plotting multiple attacks targeting the Kenyan parliament buildings, UN offices in Nairobi, restaurants and a string of assassinations focusing on senior politicians within Kenya.

Londoner Jermaine Grant is also believed to be part of the same group

Kenyan intelligence believes Lewthwaite was living in an exclusive villa in the Shanzu area of Mombasa when the attacks were being planned.

A police raid on a nearby apartment rented by Grant - which led to his arrest - then prompted a subsequent raid on the upmarket villa where Lewthwaite was living with her children.

But the mother-of-four was not there. The police say they found a stash of ammunition there as well as a laptop and excerpts of a diary or journal which Lewthwaite had begun writing.

Lewthwaite's husband Jermaine Lindsay (L) on a dry run for the 7/7 attacks

The journal appears to be the start of a book which Lewthwaite was working on entitled I Want To Be A Mujahid (Islamic military fighter).

It outlines questions she was going to pose to interviewees as well as gives an insight into her love for her husband and reveals a little about how she is bringing up her children.

She writes with pride about how two of her children want to emulate their father - Jermaine Lindsay, who was one of the London 7/7 bombers in the Tube and bus attacks in 2005 which killed more than 50 people.

She recounts how her husband had asked her children what they wanted to be when they got older.

Lewthwaite writes: "Both had many answers but both agreed to one of wanting to be a mujahid."

Extracts from Lewthwaite's diary recovered by police

She goes on to express her commitment and desire to be a good Muslim and how blessed she believes she is to have been married to a shaheed (martyr) in reference to her suicide-bomber partner.

We managed to persuade one of Kenya's most controversial religious scholars to sit down with us and talk about his views - which have led to him being accused by the UN of recruiting al Shabaab fighters and raising funds for the outfit.

Sheikh Abubakar Shariff, who is also known as Makaburi, told us the accusations against him were all "b*******".

Interpol recently issued a 'Red Notice' for Lewthwaite's arrest

He accused the Kenyan government of waging a religious war and allowing the persecution of Muslims who he believes are all being targeted and labelled as terrorists in the wake of the Westgate mall attack.

"Because of the failings of our Government and our military and police in stopping the attack, we, as Muslims, are all being targeted now," he told me.

Makaburi who is also accused by the Kenyan authorities of inciting violence and of encouraging young men to take up jihad (or Holy war) in Somalia, denied he was a member of al Shabaab but said: "I am a Muslim. I speak truthfully. I might have association with al Shabaab without me knowing they are from al Shabaab.

"I cannot say no, I don't know al Shabaab. Maybe one of my friends is a member of al Shabaab without me knowing. But do I have, what you call it, ties with al Shabaab? No, I don't."

He went on to say under his interpretation of the Koran, the Westgate attack was justified because of all the wrongs being meted out to Muslims by the West, the Kenyan Defence Force (who are fighting al Shabaab in Somalia), Ethiopians and other military in "Somalia, Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and all over the world every day".

There is little chance the woman being hunted by Interpol is still in Mombasa, but what the intelligence report indicates is it is now a major hub as well as gateway to terrorism for those bent on violence.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Energy Bills: SSE To Raise Tariffs By 8.2%

SSE has become the first of the so-called 'big six' energy firms to confirm it is raising prices ahead of winter, sparking a bitter backlash among consumer groups and politicians.

The company said household gas and electricity tariffs would rise by an average of 8.2% from November 15, affecting 4.4 million electricity and 2.9 million gas customers.

It is understood several of its competitors also plan to announce increases to bills later today amid a furious debate on reforms to the market.

SSE, which trades as Southern Electric, Swalec and Scottish Hydro, blamed its decision on rising costs outside its control which it said it had absorbed for months at its retail division.

It said the move would equate to a typical dual fuel customer paying £2 a week more but pledged not to increase bills again until August 2014 having last imposed a 9% rise in October 2012.

SSE says its home energy business has run at a loss during 2013

There is a north-south divide to the increased charges with customers in the South East facing hikes as high as 9.7% while many in the North and southern Scotland face a 7% rise.

Will Morris, group managing director of SSE's retail business, said: "We're sorry we have to do this.

"We've done as much as we could to keep prices down, but the reality is that buying wholesale energy in global markets, delivering it to customers' homes, and Government-imposed levies collected through bills - endorsed by all the major parties - all cost more than they did last year.

Mr Morris explained: "85% of a typical energy bill is made up of costs outside our direct control and these costs have increased.

"So far this year we have made a loss from supplying energy as a result of the higher costs we have been facing and continue to face.

"We understand and regret that this will add to the pressures on household budgets, but there's a lot we can do to help.

"Rising unit prices do not have to mean rising bills and there remains huge potential for customers to save money by improving further their energy efficiency."

Labour leader Ed Miliband took to Twitter to condemn bill rises

The increases to household bills were announced at a politically sensitive time, given the debate prompted by Labour leader Ed Miliband's pledge to freeze tariffs for 20 months should his party win the next election.

After the announcement, he took to Twitter to declare that the rise demonstrated "the need to freeze bills" but Downing St described the policy as a "con".

SSE insists its home supply business is currently run at a loss despite rising operating profits on the back of the cold end to last winter.

Its accounts also showed that investment fell by 13% year on year in the 12 months to March.

Ed Davey has insisted that Government is helping cut bills

SSE called for politicians to help cut bills by transferring the environmental and social obligations, imposed on energy firms, to central government - claiming it would save consumers £110 annually in 2013 alone.

It accused policymakers over many years of failing "to highlight adequately the cost to consumers of the policies they have pursued".

Energy Secretary Ed Davey said the Government was changing energy bills by cutting the number of tariffs, making bills simpler and clearer, and getting people off poor-value dead tariffs and on to the "best deal for them".

The reaction to the price hikes from consumer groups was one of horror.

Ann Robinson, director of consumer policy at uSwitch, said: "This is a crippling blow for consumers, who are still reeling from last winter's price hike.

"Adding a further £111 to an already sky-high energy bill will leave consumers buckling under the pressure. This will be seen by many as the final nail in the coffin for affordable energy.

"Of course the danger now is that the other big six suppliers will follow suit. This raises the spectre of yet more households forced to cut back on their heating.

"Last winter almost seven in ten households (69%) went without heating at some point to keep their energy costs down, while over a third (35%) said that cutting back on energy usage was affecting their quality of life or health."

She concluded: "This is the grim reality we face as the cost of energy spirals ever higher."

:: A special edition of Jeff Randall Live will be largely devoted to energy pricing - at 7pm on Sky News.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Energy Minister In Row Over Cost Of Taxes

Energy Minister Michael Fallon has sparked a row over the impact of Government energy taxes after appearing on Sky News.

After SSE became the first firm to hike prices ahead of the winter, Mr Fallon insisted only a "small amount" was added to bills because of Government measures.

He told Sky the cost of measures on energy efficiency and warming the homes of the elderly and vulnerable was "only 4 or 5%".

"There's a small amount added to each bill to help protect the most vulnerable, to keep their homes warm this winter and that's extremely important. The bulk of this [rise] is from the energy companies," he said.

He added: "For energy efficiency and to help keep homes warm for the most vulnerable, only 4 or 5% of your bill goes on that so a very small piece on top of it."

But he then clashed with Tony Keeling, SSE's director of customer services who came on Sky to defend its controversial price rise.

Mr Keeling blamed the hike on three causes - the global cost of energy, the rising cost of getting energy to UK homes and Government schemes.

"About 10% of everyone's bill is effectively extra tax on top of the VAT," the SSE executive told Eamonn Holmes.

Pressed to clarify his original comments, Mr Fallon agreed that the total hit to bills from the Government was "just under 10%".

He said the original figure he gave was for energy efficiency and future investment but conceded "another amount" was also charged to pay for keeping the elderly warm.

Mr Keeling backed the Government's schemes but suggested they should be paid for through general taxation, instead of added to energy bills.

This would allow for it to be targeted at the better-off, he argued, saying: "At the moment it is a blanket charge and some people can't afford that."

Ed Miliband jumped on the price rise as justification for a freeze

The levies pay towards cutting the cost of energy waste and encouraging low-carbon investment as well as helping vulnerable households pay for their supply.

SSE claims transferring the costs of these "environmental and social policies" to the taxpayer would slash up to £4bn from UK energy bills, saving families around £110 each.

It accused policymakers over many years of failing "to highlight adequately the cost to consumers of the policies they have pursued."

But Energy Secretary Ed Davey said: "Half of an average energy bill is made up of the wholesale cost of energy.

"This far outweighs the proportion of a bill that goes to help vulnerable households with their bills and to cut energy waste, and to encourage investment in the new low-carbon energy generation we need to keep the lights on.

"SSE's own figures show that wholesale price rises have contributed more than policy costs to this price increase, as a share of the bill.

David Cameron and Ed Miliband rowed about energy at PMQs on Wednesday

The row comes after Labour leader Ed Miliband pledged to freeze energy prices for 20 months if he wins power in 2015.

The Tories continue to dismiss the vow as a "gimmick" and insist it is not possible, given international fluctuations in wholesale prices.

Coalition ministers also stress that they have already taken action to simplify the system with fewer tariffs and make it easier to switch supplier.

But Mr Miliband used the SSE hike to justify his position, saying: "New electricity and gas price rises announced today show the need to freeze bills.

"We need an energy market which works for ordinary families and businesses."

Shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint added: "Hard-pressed consumers are now paying the price for David Cameron's failure to stand up to the energy companies."

Labour has been forced to reframe its economic attacks around the cost-of-living as Britain's recovery continues to gather pace.

Energy prices have become the centre of the argument in recent weeks following Mr Miliband's surprise freeze pledge at his party conference.

Mr Cameron accused the party leader of wanting to live in a "Marxist universe" when the pair clashed about the move at PMQs on Wednesday.

Mr Miliband claimed the Prime Minister was ignoring a cost-of-living "crisis" and had chosen to back energy companies instead of consumers.

In an attempt to regain the initiative, the Government has announced action to stop large rail ticket price hikes.

It is expected to announce further measures to help families in the coming weeks.

:: A special edition of Jeff Randall Live on Sky News at 7pm tonight will be largely devoted to energy pricing.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Kidnapped Libya PM Ali Zeidan Is Released

Libya's Prime Minister Ali Zeidan has been freed several hours after being kidnapped by scores of gunmen in a dawn raid.

Mr Zeidan, who was seized from the Tripoli hotel where he had been staying, said in a Tweet he was fine and his captors had wanted him to resign.

Protesters had reportedly opened fire at the building where Mr Zeidan, 63, was being held to demand his release.

It appeared Libyan forces had intervened in some way and the abductors did not free Mr Zeidan voluntarily.

A militia commander affiliated with the interior ministry told a private Libyan TV station the PM was freed when members of a Tripoli-based militia stormed a house where he was held hostage.

Haitham al Tajouri, commander of the so-called "Reinforcement Force," told Al Ahrar television that his men exchanged fire with the captors but that Mr Zeidan was not hurt.

Government spokesman Mohammed Kaabar told the state news agency that he has been "set free" and was on his way to his office.

The abduction appeared to be in retaliation for the US special forces' raid over the weekend that seized a suspected al Qaeda leader from the streets of the capital.

Mr Zeidan pictured with Prime Minister David Cameron

A group of ex-rebels said it had "arrested" Mr Zeidan after US Secretary of State John Kerry confirmed Libya's role in the US capture of Libyan Abu Anas al Libi.

A spokesman for the group, known as the Operations Room of Libya's Revolutionaries, said: "His arrest comes after ... (Kerry) said the Libyan government was aware of the operation."

The militia group, which had been hired by the government to provide security in the city, said it had seized Mr Zeidan "on the prosecutor's orders".

The premier "was arrested under the Libyan penal code... on the instructions of the public prosecutor", it said, adding he was detained for "crimes and offences prejudicial to the state" and its security.

But the public prosecutor's office said it had issued no such warrant for Mr Zeidan's arrest.

Mr Zeidan's abduction reflected the weakness of the government, which is virtually held hostage by powerful militias, many of which are made up of Islamic militants.

He was detained at the interior ministry's anti-crime department, said an official there, and he was reported to be in "good health and was treated well".

He had been taken from the luxury Corinthia Hotel after being seized by up to 150 armed men who arrived in pick-up trucks.

Al Qaeda suspect Abu Anas al Libi was seized by the US last Saturday

Witnesses said a large group of them entered the building, some stayed in reception while others headed to the 21st floor where Mr Zeidan was staying.

The gunmen scuffled with the prime minister's guards before they seized him and led him out at around 5.15am (local time), said the witnesses, adding he offered no resistance while he was being led away.

Sky sources said the man believed to be behind the abduction was Abu Obeiida, who is thought to have taken over the militia group.

The group appeared to post a warning of its intentions on Facebook on Monday. It said it "holds everyone who is involved in co-operating with foreign intelligence" responsible for the "kidnap" of al Libi and "will pursue them and bring them to justice".

Two years after a revolution toppled Libya's Muammar Gaddafi, the fragile central government has been struggling to contain tribal militias and groups of former rebels who spearheaded the uprising.

Sky's Tim Marshall said: "The prime minister of Libya's jurisdiction runs about to the end of his hotel corridor and then stops because there is no real government, certainly in the sense that we understand it.

"It is a lawless place that is falling apart into different factions, tribes, regions, areas and groups. The fact this man has been detained does not alter the trajectory of Libya's spiral into chaos.

"What is very important about the fact that the PM can be taken from his hotel by armed men is symbolic of how bad things have got."

There has been anger among militant groups over the US special forces operation that seized al Libi, whose family met Mr Zeidan hours before the PM's abduction.

Several groups accused the government of colluding in or allowing the weekend raid, though the government denied having any prior knowledge of the operation.

Al Libi, who was whisked away to a US warship in the Mediterranean, is suspected of being involved in the twin bombings of US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in 1998.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

MI5 Boss Warns Of Growing UK Terror Threat

By Tim Marshall, Foreign Affairs Editor

Britain will face at least one attempted major terror attack every year for the next few years, the head of MI5 has warned.

In his first speech since taking over the Security Service in April, Andrew Parker told a private audience at the Royal United Services Institute: "Since 2000, we have seen serious attempts at major acts of terrorism in this country typically once or twice a year.

"That feels to me, for the moment, unlikely to change."

Among the reasons for this are the increasing numbers of Britons going to Syria to try to become jihadists.

In his off-camera speech, Mr Parker said: "A growing proportion of our casework now has some link to Syria, mostly concerning individuals from the UK who have travelled to fight there or who aspire to do so.

"Al Nusrah and other extremist Sunni groups there aligned with al Qaeda aspire to attack Western countries."

Hundreds of Britons are thought to have joined fighting in Syria

More than any recent conflict, Syria has attracted would-be fighters from the UK.

Sky News understands that the number of individuals involved over the last three years is in the low hundreds.

The fear is some could return to the UK even more radicalised.

Mr Parker repeated a warning made by his predecessor, Jonathan Evans, saying: "It remains the case that there are several thousand Islamist extremists here who see the British people as a legitimate target."

He also mentioned the growing fears about terrorism in Northern Ireland after several incidents and the threat of more.

"Rejecting the political process in Northern Ireland, these ragged remnants of a bygone age are in a cul-de-sac of pointless violence and crime with little community support," he said.

"We will continue to work with the police to put these thugs and killers in front of the courts."

He then turned to the subject of how to combat these threats and the use of technology.

Mr Parker alluded to information leaked by Edward Snowden

When former CIA contractor Edward Snowden leaked details about surveillance tactics, it is thought he inflicted massive damage on several spy agencies, including Britain's Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ).

One source said some of the things leaked by Snowden amounted to "an instruction booklet on how to evade surveillance".

This explains why Mr Parker appears to have entered the debate about The Guardian newspaper's publication of some of Snowden's material.

The Guardian was not mentioned by name, but in his speech Mr Parker said: "It causes enormous damage to make public the reach and limits of GCHQ techniques.

"Such information hands the advantage to the terrorists. It is the gift they need to evade us and strike at will."

There are also passages explaining the thinking of MI5.

He accepts there are choices to be made about how and whether communications data is retained, but concludes: "We cannot work without tools."

The language used is temperate, but behind it you sense a passionate argument by a man who understands that there are sections of public opinion which deeply mistrust the security services. 

He asks if it should be accepted "that terrorists should have means of communication that they can be confident are beyond the sight of MI5 or GCHQ acting with proper legal warrant. Does anyone actually believe that?"

It is for Parliament to decide the powers that MI5, MI6, and GCHQ should have, including access to the email of people they suspect of wrongdoing.

That is an ongoing debate which will be revisited when the heads of the three services give evidence to the Intelligence Select Committee next month.

In a statement a Guardian News & Media spokesperson said: "A huge number of people - from President Obama to the US Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper - have now conceded that the Snowden revelations have prompted a debate which was both necessary and overdue.

"The President has even set up a review panel and there have been vigorous discussions in the US Congress and throughout Europe. Such a debate is only worthwhile if it is informed. That is what journalism should do."

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Madeleine McCann Police Probe Possible Suspect

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent

Scotland Yard is to appeal for information about a new suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

Detectives are to issue an e-fit image of a man seen near the holiday apartment from where the then three-year-old vanished in 2007.

Her parents Kate and Gerry McCann have been shown the image and they have said they are "greatly encouraged" by the progress of the Metropolitan Police, who have effectively taken over the hunt for the missing girl.

The officer in charge of the case Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood is expected next week to give details of the suspect's movements around the resort of Praia da Luz, Portugal, on the day Madeleine disappeared.

But sources said police will not know how significant the suspect is until he is identified, traced and interviewed.

He is one of 41 individuals police believe are "people of interest" they need to talk to.

The image of the possible new suspect is expected to form a crucial part of fresh appeals and the beginning of next week.

Police will give some idea of what witnesses have said about his behaviour on Monday.

They will be making an appeal for new witnesses to come forward if they recall seeing him around the apartment six years ago, or recognise him now, from the detailed image.

Madeleine's parents have said they remain "optimistic" of finding their daughter and will not accept she is dead until they are presented with clear evidence.

Her disappearance is to be the subject of a Crimewatch appeal on Monday to try to produce new witnesses in the case.

More follows...

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hospital Trust Admits Failings Over Death

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust has admitted breaching health and safety law over the death of a diabetic in-patient.

The scandal-plagued hospital trust pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the safety of Gillian Astbury, who lapsed into a fatal diabetic coma while being treated at Stafford Hospital in April 2007.

She had not been given the insulin she needed.

The Trust made the plea through its barrister to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act by failing to properly manage and organise hospital services, including its systems for record-keeping, patient information and communication between staff members.

The criminal prosecution at Stafford Magistrates' Court was brought by the Health and Safety Executive.

It came three years after an inquest jury ruled that Mrs Astbury's death was contributed to by low staffing levels and a systemic failure to provide adequate nursing facilities.

The inquest also concluded that the failure to administer insulin to the 66-year-old amounted to a gross failure to provide basic care.

Mrs Astbury, from Hednesford, Staffordshire, died in the early hours of April 11, 2007, while being treated for fractures to her arm and pelvis.

Stafford Hospital has previously been the subject of several highly critical reports, including a full public inquiry, which identified "routine" neglect of patients between 2005 and 2009.

More follows...

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Help To Buy Scheme: First Rates Are Revealed

The first mortgage rates on offer under the latest phase of the Government's Help to Buy scheme have been described by the lender as "fair and competitive."

The latest phase of the controversial scheme will see 15% of a property's value guaranteed by taxpayers, in return for a fee from the lender, to help homebuyers obtain mortgages worth up to 95% of a property's value.

RBS and its Natwest subsidiary said they would be offering two and five-year fixed rate deals at 4.99% and 5.49% interest rates respectively with no fee. The brands expect a rush of interest - signing up 25,500 first and next time buyers over three years.

The banks confirmed 740 of their branches would extend opening hours for two weeks to cope with expected demand but Lloyd Cochrane - their head of mortgages - told Sky News there would be no reckless lending with potential customers facing tough affordability checks.

Virgin Money is among the lenders taking part

He said: "We ensure based on what they earn and what they spend that they can afford the mortgage now but really importantly we ensure they can afford the mortgage at a rate of 7% so that gives us and our customers the confidence that they can afford the mortgage into the long term."

Halifax - owned by Lloyds Banking Group - later confirmed its offering: A two-year fixed rate at 5.19% with a £995 product fee and said customers would be able to apply for the mortgages from Friday.

HSBC said it would be taking part later in the year, making it the first major player with no taxpayer support to sign up.

Virgin Money and the start-up Aldermore Bank will join from January while Barclays and Santander UK are still considering whether to participate.

The scheme had initially not been expected to start until the new year but was brought forward by three months.

It will offer £12bn in mortgage guarantees over three years and some estimates suggest 180,000 loans could be taken out under the initiative.

The PM wants mortgages to be affordable for many

Lenders can start offering the mortgages from today, and they will be guaranteed by the Government from January 2014.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Help to Buy is going to make the dream of home ownership a reality for many who would otherwise have been shut out."

Chancellor George Osborne said: "Too many people are still being denied the dream of owning their own home, which is why we have brought forward the launch of this scheme, so as of today borrowers can start applying for a mortgage with a 5% deposit."

The new scheme means homebuyers will only have to find as little as 5% on homes worth up to £600,000. Depending on the size of the deposit, the Government will then guarantee up to 15% of the property value in return for a fee from the lender.

An earlier phase of the scheme, offering 20% loans on new-build properties, has already helped more than 15,000 people buy a new home since it was launched six months ago.

Help to Buy is controversial because critics fear it could fuel further rises in a housing market where prices are already going up.

But the Treasury said that while house price inflation stands at 3.3%, it is only 0.8% when the property hotspots of London and the South East are removed.

The latest report on the market from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) suggested prices were likely to surge further ahead in London and the South East because the supply of homes was lagging behind burgeoning demand.

It measured home sales at a four-year high last month but remaining historically low.

Commenting on the launch of phase two of Help to Buy, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Chris Leslie said: "If ministers are serious about helping first-time buyers, they should bring forward investment to build more affordable homes.

"Rising demand for housing must be matched with rising supply, but under this Government house-building is at its lowest level since the 1920s."

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

EDL: Tommy Robinson 'Quits Far-Right Group'

English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson is quitting the far-right group, an anti-extremism think tank has claimed.

Quilliam said in a statement that it was "proud" to reveal that Robinson and his EDL co-founder Kevin Carroll had decided to leave the organisation.

The statement added: "Having set up the EDL, infamous for its street protests, in 2009, they wish to exit this group, because they feel they can no longer keep extremist elements at bay."

In a statement released through Quilliam - which claimed to have facilitated the pair's departure - Mr Robinson said he acknowledged "the dangers of far-right extremism".

He said: "I have been considering this move for a long time because I recognise that, though street demonstrations have brought us to this point, they are no longer productive.

"I acknowledge the dangers of far-right extremism and the ongoing need to counter Islamist ideology, not with violence but with better, democratic ideas."

EDL co-founder Kevin Carroll is also leaving the group, Quilliam claimed

Mr Robinson - real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - appeared to confirm the news on Twitter, posting a link to the Quilliam statement and telling his followers: "Hope people listen to my reasons."

Quilliam said it hopes to encourage "his critique of Islamism as well as his concern with far-right extremism" and called on his EDL followers as well as leaders of extreme Islamist groups to quit.

Quilliam chairman Maajid Nawaz said: "We have been able to show that Britain stands together against extremism regardless of political views and hope to continue supporting Tommy and Kevin in their journey to counter Islamism and neo-Nazi extremism."

More details about the departures are expected to be revealed at a news conference later on Tuesday.

The EDL started in response to a demonstration by Muslim extremists as soldiers marched through Luton.

It has become infamous for marches through UK towns and cities, often marred by violence as its members clashed with opposing groups such as Unite Against Fascism.

It is unclear whether the EDL's latest protest - scheduled for October 12 in Bradford - will still go ahead.

More follows...

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Paedophile Neil Wilson Gets Two Year Jail Term

A paedophile who walked free from court after his victim was branded "predatory" has been ordered to serve a two-year jail term.

Neil Wilson escaped with a 12-month suspended sentence despite pleading guilty to engaging in sexual activity with a child, making indecent images of a child and possession of an extreme pornographic image.

The Attorney General ordered a review after outcry following comments from prosecuting barrister Robert Colover, who said that Wilson's 13-year-old victim was "predatory" and "sexually experienced".

Judge Nigel Peters QC also came in for criticism after he said he had taken account of the girl looking older than 13 when he sentenced 41-year-old Wilson.

The Court of Appeal ruled that the non-custodial punishment was "unduly lenient" and imposed an immediate two-year jail sentence.

Judge Nigel Peters QC (L) and barrister Robert Colover were criticised

Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas and two other judges ordered Wilson, who was not present in court, to surrender to police in York, where he lives, by 6pm tonight.

Speaking after the hearing, Attorney General Dominic Grieve said: "Neil Wilson exploited a young and vulnerable girl. He pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child, making indecent photographs of a child and possessing extreme pornography. 

"I asked the Court of Appeal to examine whether the sentence was appropriate, given the seriousness of the offences, and I am pleased that they have found that this sentence was unduly lenient and have imposed an immediate sentence of imprisonment."

Mr Colover agreed to resign from the Crown Prosecution Service's rape panel of advocates following the controversy over his remarks.

After a CPS review of the case, Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer said the language used to describe the teenager was "grossly inappropriate".

More follows...

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Lib Dem Scottish Secretary Axed In Reshuffle

Nick Clegg has sacked the Scottish Secretary in the first move of a busy day of reshuffles by all three main party leaders.

The Deputy Prime Minister replaced Michael Moore with Alistair Carmichael, saying "different experience" was needed ahead of next year's independence referendum.

Don Foster, Lib Dem MP for Bath, replaces Mr Carmichael as his party's chief whip.

David Cameron is also overhauling his ministerial team, although any changes are expected to be further down the Government ladder.

Michael Moore (left) has been replaced by Alistair Carmichael

And Labour leader Ed Miliband is mixing up his shadow cabinet, with Andy Burnham and Liam Byrne said to be frontbenchers in danger of demotion.

Tories deputy chief whip John Randall, Cabinet Office Minister Chloe Smith and Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon are all returning to the backbenches.

Simon Burns has also already stood down as Transport Minister to that he can launch a bid to become a Commons Deputy Speaker.

Their departures increase the scope for Mr Cameron to bring in new faces to his top team, which is tipped to feature more women.

Mr Randall, Tory MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, said he had indicated at the end of last year he wished to step aside.

The 58-year-old was embroiled in the "Plebgate" row last year, threatening to resign if Andrew Mitchell refused to quit.

In his resignation letter, he said it had been "a great privilege and honour" to serve for 13 years in the Whips' Office in opposition and Government.

"I have nothing but the deepest admiration for you as a person, leader and Prime Minister. I will never forget the kind note that you wrote to me when my mother died last year," he said.

"You can be assured that I will do whatever I can for you personally as well as for the party, the Government and of course the country."

The Prime Minister said he "could not have wished for a more loyal, discreet, patient, trustworthy and committed colleague" and that he "had rather hoped this day would never come".

"You have been a rock, not just in the Whips Office since 2000 where you have served with great distinction as Assistant and then Deputy Chief Whip, but for the whole Parliamentary Party," he added.

Out: Tories John Randall and Chloe Smith have resigned

"Your wit and humour are well known across the Party, but so too is your compassion; your dedication to the Party and to Parliament; and your steadfast reliability in good times and bad."

Ms Smith, MP for Norwich North, was only elected to the Commons in 2009 at the age of just 27 but was quickly promoted to the ministerial ranks.

As economic secretary, she endured a toe-curling interview with Jeremy Paxman on BBC Newsnight when she struggled to explain a fuel duty freeze.

In her letter to the Prime Minister, she said: "I have been privileged to serve my country and my party under your leadership.

"However, for the remainder of the Parliament I want to be able to spend more time serving my constituents."

Sky Political Correspondent Anushka Asthana said: "David Cameron has talked before about wanting to have a third of his cabinet female and so far he only has four Cabinet secretaries are women.

"What he will want to do today is move women up the ranks ready to go into Cabinet. Today they are focusing on middle-minister rankings. I expect we will see people like Liz Truss, perhaps Esther McVey and others start to move up.

"We are also likely to see northern and working-class MPs moving up. People are calling this a flat-cap reshuffle."

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

NZ Businessman Mark Lundy Wins Murder Appeal

A businessman found guilty of murdering his wife and young daughter in New Zealand has won an appeal against his conviction in a British court.

The five judges said new evidence in Mark Lundy's case had emerged which cast doubt on the methods prosecutors used to establish the times of death.

In the light of this they said his conviction could not be considered safe and another trial should be held. The ruling was unanimous.

The jury in at the original trial 11 years ago found Lundy had attacked his wife Christine, 38, and seven-year-old daughter Amber with a tomahawk-like weapon.

It was said to have happened at the family's home in Palmerston North.

New Zealander Lundy, 54, who denies the murders in August 2000, had asked the judicial committee of the Privy Council - which sits in London - to analyse his case.

His lawyer, David Hislop QC, told the hearing last June that his argument would focus on "staining" found on Lundy's shirt.

Prosecutors in the original trial said it had come from Mrs Lundy's brain tissue, and because it had been deposited "wet" meant that he must have been present during the killings.

But Mr Hislop said that argument was "fundamentally flawed", and he accused police of failing to provide Lundy's defence lawyers with any evidence relating to the deposit.

As a result he claimed the jury's verdicts were unreasonable.

The judges - four from the UK and one from New Zealand - heard Lundy's appeal at the Supreme Court building in central London. They delivered their ruling on Monday.

Summing up the ruling, a judicial committee spokesman said the panel had to consider "whether Mr Lundy's conviction was safe, given the evidence emerging after trial.

"Since the trial, a 'welter of evidence' from reputable consultants has cast doubt on the methods the Crown had relied on to establish the time of death based on the contents of the victims' stomachs."

The judicial committee of the Privy Council was the highest court of appeal for the British Empire and can hear appeals from cases originating in Commonwealth - or former Commonwealth - countries.

Legal experts said the committee was effectively sitting as a New Zealand Supreme Court. The country now has a Supreme Court but did not have one when Lundy was convicted.

Lundy will remain in custody until the New Zealand High Court decides whether to grant him bail.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Egypt: Security Forces 'Targeted' In Attacks

Gunmen have killed an army officer, lieutenant and four soldiers in an attack on a patrol near the Suez Canal city of Ismailia, security officials said.

The attack took place north of the city, where suspected militants have repeatedly targeted security forces in recent weeks.

Officials said the six were on patrol in a pickup truck when masked gunmen in another vehicle opened fire at them.

Ismailia and the areas around it have seen regular attacks on police and military personnel, especially since the military toppled Islamist president Mohamed Morsi on July 3.

Meanwhile officials said a massive explosion, possibly from a car bomb, has hit the security headquarters in a southern Sinai town, killing two people and wounding 50.

A soldier fires tear gas at protesters near Cairo's Tahrir Square

The security officials said the attack in the town of al Tour significantly damaged the four-storey building and set off small fires.

Rockets were reported to have also been fired at a state satellite station in Cairo, wounding two people.

Attacks by Sinai-based militants have risen sharply since the army toppled Mr Morsi and promised a roadmap that would lead Egypt to free and fair elections.

Almost daily attacks by al Qaeda-inspired militants in the Sinai have killed more than 100 members of the security forces since early July, the army spokesman said on September 15.

On Sunday clashes in the capital between security forces and Islamist protesters left 51 people dead.

Street battles raged for hours after supporters of Mr Morsi and backers of the military that deposed him poured into the streets and turned on each other.

It was the highest death toll in a single day in violence in Egypt since August 14, when security forces raided two sit-in protest camps by Mr Morsi's supporters in Cairo, killing hundreds.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Key Morecambe Bay Witness Reveals New Life

By Jason Farrell, Sky Correspondent

A key witness in the 2004 Morecambe Bay tragedy has told Sky News how he has rebuilt his life on the witness protection programme.

It comes as police launch a new national protection scheme, the UK Protected Persons Service, for people who are in danger from criminals.

Li Hua had to change his identity after giving evidence against his gangmaster boss who was accused of manslaughter over the drowning of 21 Chinese cockle pickers in the rising tides of Morecambe Bay.

In a secret location, Li Hua told Sky News: "I was very nervous and very frightened about giving evidence, but I thought about how the police rescued us. Then I thought that in the background the police had been reassuring us, they had been protecting us all this time."

Li Hua also wanted justice for the men whose lives had been callously wasted by his boss Lin Liang Ren.

"I thought, someone is leading us to pick cockles, that someone should let us know more about the tide times. Obviously he didn't. He's so irresponsible. He couldn't care less even about people of his own nationality. I totally detest him."

Li Hua says it was sheer luck that he managed to swim to a sandbank and was rescued by helicopter.

Li Hua said it was sheer luck that he managed to swim to a sandbank

"I was frightened to death. All I thought was about my family in China and I had spent so much money to get here, what would happen now?

"I was desperate and feeling hopeless. I thought that's it, I'm going to die tonight ... Then I saw the light from the helicopter."

Gangmaster Lin Liang Ren was convicted of 21 counts of manslaughter, facilitating illegal immigration and perverting the course of justice.

Having paid a Snakehead gang the equivalent of £14,000 to come to England, Li Hua feared repercussions and was put on the witness protection programme with his wife and children.

Nine years after the tragedy he now has a new life and runs his own business.

He said: "Life is a bit complicated because since we were under the protection we settled down. There were certain things we could say to friends and some things we just don't speak of. It became automatic.

Gangmaster Lin Liang Ren was sentenced to 14 years in jail

"But most of the time what occupied my mind was to go on living, because the British Government and the police give us this life. So, I think I was more concentrating on work hard, pay tax, make safe and don't make trouble."

The police are launching the UK Protected Persons Service next week, which will be run by a national team of specialists, as opposed to local forces.

Police say lessons have been learned from the murder of Joan and John Stirland in August 2004, which was in retaliation for a shooting by Mrs Stirland's son.

The couple were not put on the protection scheme and information wasn't properly shared between forces when they moved home.

Detective Chief Constable Andy Cooke, heading up the new national-coordinated programme, told Sky News: "This is the first time this is going to be done through one approach. Previously, unfortunately, there's been a bit of a postcode lottery as to how you were treated and the training of those people looking after you.

"In some parts of the country there was a highly specialised approach to protecting witnesses and in other parts it wasn't so great. This gives us the ability and manpower to provide the protection to people who need it at the most difficult time of their lives."

Witness protection is a tough life and some refuse to do it.

It is estimated a quarter of prosecutions collapse due to reluctant witnesses, but for Li Hua, who thought he would die in the waters of Morecambe Bay, the family he thought of in that moment is now with him in his new life.

Victims' Minister Helen Grant said: "People who put their lives at risk to bring dangerous criminals to justice are the unsung heroes of society, they deserve our thanks and protection.

"That's why the UK Protected Persons Service is so important; it will give brave individuals the expert support they deserve no matter where they are in the country."

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Al Shabaab: US Forces Abort Somalia Terror Raid

US special forces have aborted a mission to capture an al Shabaab leader in Somalia after coming under heavy attack.

Their target was Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr, also known as Ahmed Godane, who claimed responsibility for last month's Nairobi shopping mall massacre that killed at least 67 people, according to a Somali intelligence official.

A Navy Seal team staged a pre-dawn raid on a house in the southern town of Barawa after swimming ashore before the al Qaeda-linked militants rose for morning prayers.

Reinforcements arrived at the house and Seal Team Six, the same unit that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011, encountered fiercer resistance than expected, a senior US military source told The Associated Press.

Al Shabaab released photos of US gear it says was left behind in the raid

After a 15 to 20-minute firefight, the unit leader decided to abort the mission and they swam away, the source said.

Al Shabaab later posted pictures on the internet of what it said was US military gear left behind in the raid, including bullets, a GPS device and a stun grenade.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, in Bali for an economic summit, spoke about the failed US operation, and said terrorists "can run but they can't hide".

A Pentagon spokesman confirmed that US military personnel had been involved in a counter-terrorism operation against a known al Shabaab terrorist in Somalia, but did not provide details.

A GPS device apparently used by the Seal team

He said there were no US casualties in the raid.

Within hours of the attack, the US Army's Delta Force carried out a raid in Libya, and captured an al Qaeda leader wanted for the 1998 bombings of the US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed more than 220 people.

The aborted Somalia operation came 20 years after the famous "Black Hawk Down" battle in Mogadishu, in which a mission to capture Somali warlords went wrong when militia forces shot down two US helicopters and killed 18 American soldiers.

Residents in Barawa, a seaside town some 150 miles south of Mogadishu, said they woke up to the sound of heavy gunfire.

One of the gunmen in the Kenyan shopping centre attack

The SEAL team killed a guard and battled their way inside a two-storey beachside house, where al Shabaab fighters reportedly lived, before being driven back.

A US official said the mission was aimed at capturing a "high-value target" while trying to avoid civilian casualties.

A Barawa resident called Mohamed Bile said militants closed down the town in the hours after the raid, and were carrying out house-to-house searches to find evidence that a spy had tipped off the US.

"We woke up to find al Shabaab fighters had sealed off the area and their hospital is also inaccessible," he told The Associated Press by phone. "The town is in a tense mood."

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Al Qaeda: Libya Condemns Leader's 'Kidnapping'

The Libyan government has condemned the capture of an al Qaeda leader linked to the 1998 American Embassy bombings in east Africa and wanted by the FBI for more than a decade.

Tripoli said it wanted answers from the US over the "kidnap of a Libyan citizen" and demanded to know why it was not told about the raid by American special forces.

Nazih Abdul-Hamed al Ruqai, known by his alias Anas al Libi, has been on America's most wanted terrorists list since it was introduced after the September 11 attacks.

His capture represents a significant blow to what remains of the core al Qaeda terror network, once led by Osama bin Laden.

Al Libi had a $5m FBI bounty on his head

US Secretary of State John Kerry, in Bali for an economic summit, spoke about the Libya operation and Saturday's aborted raid to capture an al Shabaab leader in Somalia, and said terrorists "can run but they can't hide".

"We hope that this makes clear that the USA will never stop in the effort to hold those accountable who conduct acts of terror," he said.

Family members said gunmen in a three-car convoy seized al Libi outside his home in the Libyan capital Tripoli.

His brother Nabih said the 49-year-old was parking on Saturday after dawn prayers, when three vehicles encircled his vehicle. The gunmen smashed his car window and seized his weapon before grabbing him and fleeing.

The US embassy in Nairobi was attacked in 1998

Al Libi's wife saw the kidnapping from her window and described the abductors as foreign-looking armed "commandos", he said.

US officials said there were no American casualties in the operation.

Al Libi, who had a $5m (£3.1m) FBI bounty on his head, was charged by a US federal court for his alleged role in the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya, that killed more than 220 people.

He is believed to have returned to Libya during the 2011 civil war that led to the toppling and killing of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

Al Libi is thought to have spent time in Sudan, where bin Laden was based

The alleged al Qaeda computer specialist studied electronic and nuclear engineering at Tripoli University, and was anti-Gaddafi.

He is believed to have spent time in Sudan, where bin Laden was based in the early 1990s.

After bin Laden was forced to leave Sudan, al Libi turned up in Britain in 1995 where he was granted political asylum under unclear circumstances and lived in Manchester.

He was arrested by the Metropolitan Police in 1999, but was released because of lack of evidence and later fled the UK.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More