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Britons Killed In Afghanistan Suicide Attack

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 18 Januari 2014 | 18.25

Two British nationals have been killed in a bomb blast and gun attack in the Afghan capital Kabul.

The Foreign Office has confirmed the Britons were among 21 people who died when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a restaurant and two gunmen entered and opened fire. One was a staff member at the EU Police Mission in the country.

A total of thirteen foreign nationals died, including two US citizens and two Canadians. It is the deadliest attack on foreigners in the country since the start of the war in Afghanistan in 2001.

The death toll includes five women, four foreign and one Afghan. Three members of staff at the United Nations died, as did the head of the International Monetary Fund in Afghanistan, Wabel Abdallah.

An Afghan official said the gunmen were shot dead by security forces when they arrived at the scene. Sporadic bouts of gunfire continued for around an hour after the explosion.

A map showing the location of Kabul, Afghanistan The blast happened at a heavily secured restaurant in the Afghan capital

The Taliban said it carried out the attack on La Taverna du Liban in revenge for an Afghan military operation earlier this week against insurgents that the fighters claimed killed civilians.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement: "The target of the attack was a restaurant frequented by high ranking foreigners ... where the invaders used to dine with booze and liquor in the plenty."

He added that the attack had delivered a "heavy admonitory blow to the enemy which they shall never forget".

Kebab cook Abdul Majid, who suffered leg fractures in the blast, said: "I was sitting with my friends in the kitchen when an explosion happened and smoke filled the kitchen.

"A man came inside shouting and he started shooting. One of my colleagues was shot and fell down. I ran to the roof and threw myself to the neighbouring property."

Several members of kitchen staff survived by fleeing to the roof, where they remained until they were rescued by police.

A cook named Suleiman said: "When I was in the kitchen, I heard an explosion outside. Then all the guys escaped up and I went to the roof and stayed with my back to the chimney for two or three hours."

Like many places that are popular with diplomats, aid workers and businessmen in Afghanistan, the restaurant has no signs indicating its location and is heavily secured.

It has no windows, bags of dirt are piled up outside to act as blast walls and guests are searched before entering the premises.

:: Watch Sky News live on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Lord McAlpine: Ex-Thatcher Aide Dies Aged 71

Former Conservative Party deputy chairman Lord McAlpine has died at his home in Italy, aged 71.

Lord McAlpine was previously an aide to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

His family said in a statement: "It is with great sadness that the family of Lord McAlpine announce his peaceful death last night at his home in Italy."

The former political adviser and businessman was wrongly implicated in a child abuse scandal in 2012, when allegations were contained in a BBC Newsnight investigation.

The claims led to the corporation's then-director general George Entwistle quitting his job less than two months into the role. Mr Entwistle said he had to take "ultimate responsibility" for the broadcast.

More follows...

:: Watch the latest updates live on Sky News on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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Mikaeel's Mum Detained As Body Discovered

Police searching for missing three-year-old Mikaeel Kular have found the body of a young boy.

Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham announced the discovery just after 1am at a hastily convened news conference at Police Scotland's Edinburgh HQ.

There were gasps from people who had gathered for the update as he announced that the body had been found shortly before midnight

One person - understood to be Mikaeel's 33-year-old mother Rosdeep - has been detained in connection with his disappearance.

:: Live updates as the search for Mikaeel Kular is called off

ACC Graham said: "The investigation into the disappearance of Mikaeel Kular has been wide-ranging and fast moving.

"As a result of enquiries the body of a young child was recovered in Fife just before midnight.

"We strongly believe this to be the body of Mikaeel.

Aerial shot of police in wooded area of Kirkcaldy Police are examining a wooded area near a house owned by Mikaeel's aunt

"A person has been detained in connection with the recovery of the body and members of Mikaeel's family have been informed of the recovery."

The body is understood to have been found on land surrounding a house in Kirkcaldy, Fife, which is owned by Mikaeel's aunt Pandeep Kular.

Sky News Scotland Correspondent James Matthews said: "There is no suggestion that police want to speak to her about any of this at this stage."

A neighbour told Sky News that Rosdeep Kular visited the house alone, by car, last week.

The family lived there for a time before moving to Edinburgh and neighbours remember Mikaeel and his twin sister playing on the steps.

Mikaeel was reported missing from his home in Edinburgh on Thursday morning.

Kular There was shock when ACC Malcolm Graham announced a body had been found

Hundreds of police officers from across the UK joined the search and lines of volunteers swept the local area, searching for clues about his disappearance.

Police were told that Mikaeel had not been seen since his mother put him to bed on Wednesday night.

On Friday evening ACC Graham revealed the boy had not attended nursery since before Christmas and said there were "grave concerns" for his safety.

Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt in Edinburgh said: "We know that according to the police, a person was detained last night.

"The police haven't named that person detained, but we understand from our sources that it's Mikaeel's mother Rosdeep, known as Rosie.

"Under Scottish law, she can be detained initially for 12 hours during questioning and then on the say so of a senior officer can be held for another 12 hours.

Flowers and toys left for Mikaeel Kular Neighbours have been living flowers and toys near the family home

"At the end of that period police must decide whether to release her, charge her or formally arrest her." 

Police analyst Graham Wettone told Sky News: "(His mother) will be questioned as police try to establish what has taken place."

Police Scotland officers have cordoned off a road and been carrying out searches at a property in Kirkcaldy understood to be connected to the Kular family.

The force has not disclosed exactly where in Fife the discovery of the body was made.

The body is being left in situ for forensic and scenes-of-crime officers to carry out investigations.

There was sadness and anger among families living near Rosdeep Kular's home in Ferry Gait, Edinburgh - some 20 miles away across the Firth of Forth - as they woke up to news of the grim discovery.

MSP Colin Keir, who joined the search for Mikaeel, was woken at 5am to be told the news.

The three-year-old was last seen at his home in Ferry Gait Crescent on Wednesday night Hundreds of people volunteered to help with the search for Mikaeel

He told Sky News: "It's just devastating and I think the community will take it personally.

"There was an unprecedented outpouring from the community in the hunt for Mikaeel.

"The community will be devastated, angry and looking for answers as to why this has happened."

Jackie Brownlee, 29, a mother-of-two who lives opposite the family home, said that local people will support each other as they try to come to terms with what has happened.

She said: "Everyone was hoping and now that hope's gone - we still can't believe it. But I think the community will come together because we have to."

Her son Darren, 11, added: "He was such a cute lad, always running around the street. I can't believe it's happened in my street - I'm really scared now." 

Denise Fergus, the mother of James Bulger, the two-year-old who was murdered in Liverpool in 1993, tweeted her condolences.

She said on Twitter: "My heart is aching for that poor boy Mikaeel Kular brings it all back so sad."

:: Watch the latest updates live on Sky News on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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William Roache 'Sent Signed Photo To Victim'

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 15 Januari 2014 | 04.44

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

Coronation Street star William Roache sent a 14-year-old girl a signed photo of himself after sexually assaulting her, a court has heard.

The alleged victim is one of five who claim the 81-year-old actor raped or sexually assaulted them in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Prosecutors claim Roache forced her to commit a sex act on him in the male toilets of a television studio.

The photo and signed letter he sent her were deliberate acts to secure her loyalty and a form of "grooming", jurors were told.

Many of the actor's alleged victims did not complain to the police until 2013.

According to prosecutor Anne Whyte QC, one woman said she felt "intimidated", adding: "People feel he is some kind of super actor."

Another woman only came forward after a conversation with her son about Jimmy Savile, during which he said he could not understand why sexual assault victims would not speak to the police.

Earlier, the jury was told not to judge victims based on how long it took for them to make their allegations.

Ms Whyte said: "If you think a victim of crime has lost the opportunity to complain because he or she did not complain at the time, think again.

"A crime is a crime however dated. It doesn't make them liars or attention seekers. In due course I shall be asking you to accept that it makes them human."

She added: "Women who do not know each other are complaining about his behaviour from the same broad period of time.

"Are they all manipulative fantasists, riding on the coat tails of the post Savile crisis of conscience, or is the reality, quite simply, that they now have the confidence to give evidence about the truth which they have kept private for years?"

Roache has played the character of Ken Barlow in Coronation Street for more than 50 years.

Preston Crown Court heard he used his fame and popularity in the early years of the soap opera to take advantage of young girls, including one he is alleged to have raped twice.

The judge Mr Justice Holroyde told the jury: "It is not the fictional character Ken Barlow who is in court. It is the real person, Mr Roache, who is on trial and, of course, each member of the jury must separate the fictional TV character from the real person."

Roache denies five counts of indecent assault and two counts of rape. The alleged offences involve five girls, all of whom were under the age of 16 at the time.

The court heard he may be supported in his defence by fellow Coronation Street actors Helen Worth, Ann Kirkbride and Chris Gascoyne, who play Gail Platt, Deirdre Barlow and Chris Gascoyne respectively.

The trial continues.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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Council Tax 'Donations' Plan For Oxfordshire

By Lisa Dowd, Sky Correspondent

Residents in Oxfordshire could be offered the opportunity to pay more council tax than they owe, and specify which services their extra payment should go towards.

The idea will need to be approved at a cabinet meeting at the end of the month, but if it is, the scheme could be up and running by April.

Councillor Aresh Fatemian, who is responsible for finance on the county council, said: "We're looking at a number of models.

"Either a one-off donation or set-up monthly direct debits paid on a county council website and then you won't specify to a detailed level where you want it to go, but I'm hoping broadly speaking you'd be able to say which council area, for example adult services, children's services or highways.

"We're going to test it, I'll stick my neck out, and see what happens, we had meetings where people said they were willing to pay more and I've had a couple of donations, cheques to my inbox, there is some appetite."

By 2018, Oxfordshire will have made more than £260m worth of cuts to services and residents in one part of the county, in Banbury, were not feeling particularly well off.

One mother said: "Why would I want to do pay extra? The council tax I already pay is expensive and I'm not clear what it's spent on now."

Another mother told Sky News she might consider paying extra if the money went to children's services.

One pensioner said all his money was "accounted for", and a lady who said she was disabled, and had two unemployed sons said she was "literally living on the breadline", and would not be able to contribute more to council tax.

In a similar scheme run by another authority, residents had their council tax cut, and were asked to donate the saving to community services. Only two decided to do so.

Councillor Simon Dudley, cabinet member for finance on Windsor and Maidenhead council, said: "The result was that we had just two residents who offered back the reduction (totalling £433) - which proves beyond a doubt that, in financially difficult times, our residents do indeed welcome local tax cuts and this is something the Royal Borough will be looking to achieve once again in 2014/15."

In Oxfordshire, councillor Fatemian said putting up council tax was not an option.

He said: "We'd need a 20% increase in everybody's tax and for that we'd need a referendum.

"I don't think asking everyone to pay a £230 increase in this financial situation would work.

"I don't think this idea will give us a pot of gold but considering the financial climate I think should give anything a try."

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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Francois Hollande Faces Media Over Affair Claims

Francois Hollande has admitted that he is going through a "painful time" in his personal life as he faces allegations of an affair with a French actress.

The French president was speaking for the first time since the publication of tabloid photographs in a French gossip magazine said to show him spending a night with Julie Gayet.

Mr Hollande declined an opportunity to confirm whether his partner Valerie Trierweiler was still the first lady of France, when asked directly by a journalist.

He said: "Each of us on our personal lives can go through difficult periods and that's our case ... this is a painful time.

"But private matters should be dealt with privately and this is neither the time nor the place to do so."

He said that he would clarify the situation before a visit to the US in February. 

Francois Hollande Mr Hollande spoke for around an hour before addressing the affair claims

Following controversy about the cost to the public purse of the first lady, he said that state funds spent on the role should be made public and "as small as possible."

The first lady doesn't have formal status in France, but in practice they have an office in the presidential palace and small staff.

The president said he was "totally indignant" about the story in Closer magazine, which he said threatened France's principle of "respect for private life and people's dignity".

Ms Trierweiler was taken to hospital in a state of shock over the claims but she is reportedly prepared to forgive Mr Hollande.

The president said she was "resting" but would not give any more information on her condition.

The issue earlier reached the floor of the French parliament as a leading figure from the opposition UMP party accused the president of taking unreasonable risks with his security.

FRANCE-EDUCATION-TRIERWILER Valerie Trierweiler has been in hospital since the affair claims emerged

Christian Jacob said: "The president is not a normal citizen during his term. He is the chief of our armies. He is the keystone of our institutions. His protection should not suffer from any amateurism.

"The president should be aware of the level of responsibility that he exercises, be aware that his role is greater than his person, and be aware that he incarnates the image of France in the eyes of the world."

Asked whether his security was compromised, Mr Hollande said, "My security is assured everywhere, and at any moment. When I travel officially ... and when I travel on a private basis, I have protection that is less suffocating. But I am protected everywhere."

He left open the possibility of suing Closer for the publication.

Photographer Sebastian Valiela said he was surprised at the lack of security for Mr Hollande, whose government has been repeatedly threatened by al Qaeda.

"To go to the rendezvous with Julie Gayet, he was taking some risks," he told RTL. "As soon as he got into the apartment, his guards left."

French actress Julie Gayet poses upon her arrival Mr Hollande allegedly had secret meetings with actress Julie Gayet

The president was holding an annual New Year's news conference with journalists in Paris to discuss the economy and plans to offer French businesses tax cuts aimed at reducing unemployment.

He decided not to tackle the affair claims head-on, proceeding instead with the launch of measures, including cuts of £42bn (€50bn) over three years to public spending designed to kick-start the country's economy.

He announced the phasing out of employer family welfare charges for businesses and self-employed workers by 2017 as part of a plan to make France produce "more and better".

Laying out his economic "responsibility pact," he said companies would be expected in return to commit to targets for job creation and training, to be negotiated with trade unions and the government.

Mr Hollande said the public spending cuts over the years 2015-17 would be equal to 4% of overall public spending.

The Socialist president came to office in 2012 on pledges to avoid the painful austerity measures endured by other EU countries, but his poll ratings have plunged as the economy has failed to bounce back.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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Cancer: Ageing Population Blamed For Increase

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 14 Januari 2014 | 18.25

By Hind Hassan, Sky News Reporter

Nearly a third of a million people are diagnosed with cancer every year, according to a UK charity.

Some 330,000 people were diagnosed with some form of the disease in 2011 - an increase of almost 50,000 per year over a decade. Researchers say an ageing population is one of the reasons for the increase.

:: Let us know your experience of cancer by emailing news@sky.com or tweeting with the hashtag #canceryourstory

MEDECINE-CANCER An aging population is one reason for the increase

Jessica Kirby from Cancer Research UK said: "People's risk of cancer goes up significantly as we get older; the more older people we have in our population the more people will develop cancer.

"There are other reasons for the rise as well; changes in risk factors for example. We know that more and more people are overweight compared to the past which is one of the key factors for cancers."

But greater awareness, advanced technology and ongoing medical research means cancer is being detected earlier and those that have it are living longer.

Edward Scott believes an early diagnosis of testicular cancer saved his life. The 15-year-old discovered a lump last year and sought urgent advice.

"I went on the NHS website and I found all the symptoms for testicular cancer were symptoms that I had," he said.

"The same day I went to my mum and said 'Mum there is something really wrong, I have to go get this sorted out'.

"I went into the GP and the same day I found out I had cancer."

Cancer Research UK's chief executive Dr Harpal Kumar said: "These figures reinforce the vital need for more research to better prevent, treat and cure cancer.

"Research is the only way we'll be able to reduce the devastating impact of the disease. One day we will beat cancer. The more research we do, the sooner that day will come."

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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William Roache: Actor Arrives For Assault Trial

Actor William Roache has arrived at Preston Crown Court at the start of his trial for sexual offences against five girls.

The 81-year-old soap star was arrested at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, in May 2013 and later charged with two counts of raping a 15-year-old girl in east Lancashire in 1967.

A month later he was additionally charged with five indecent assaults involving four girls aged between 12 and 16, allegedly committed in the Manchester area between 1965 and 1968.

Roache has pleaded not guilty to the seven counts he faces.

Wearing a blue suit, Roache arrived at  the court ahead of the hearing, together with his sons Linus and James and a security guard.

The world's longest-serving soap actor, who plays Ken Barlow in the ITV1 show Coronation Street, has not appeared in the programme while the legal proceedings are ongoing.

The trial is expected to last up to four weeks.

More follows...


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Bull Elephant Rampage: Briton's Car Trampled

A raging bull elephant has been filmed overturning a car in which a British teacher was travelling through South Africa's Kruger National Park.

Sarah Brooks, from Lincolnshire, was on safari with her partner, slowly following the animal down a road.

The incident was filmed by tourists in the car behind who see the elephant stop walking and turn towards the car.

It then approaches the car from the side and rolls it over and over, leaving it crushed, with the couple inside. 

The tourists in the car behind who did the filming are clearly shocked and distressed and heard to say: "Stop the car ... reverse, reverse, they're going to die."

They urge their own driver to reverse and get out of the angry elephant's way.

The elephant was subsequently killed, the park's general manager said, because its behaviour was totally inexplicable.

The couple were taken to hospital and later discharged.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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China Bets Big On 'Iron Bird' Of The Skies

Written By Unknown on Senin, 13 Januari 2014 | 18.25

By Mark Stone, China Correspondent in Shanghai

In a vast hanger on the outskirts of Shanghai, the banging of hammers and screeching of drills indicates a company in a hurry.

Sky News has been granted exclusive access to the headquarters of Comac - China's answer to Airbus and Boeing. The vast campus forms the heart of China's attempt to take on the aviation giants.

Comac was only founded five years ago and yet it has already produced one passenger jet and, within a decade, it hopes to be selling planes to western airlines including Ryanair and British Airways.

Jack Lee, a Comac executive, says: "This is a really exciting event for China. This is the first time in China's history that we have manufactured (passenger) aircraft by Chinese people.

"It's a challenge ahead of us. We already laid out our plan. The schedule is tight. We must fight for this schedule and fight for this milestone."

Mr Lee and I are sitting in the cockpit of a full-size model of the C919, Comac's equivalent to the workhorses of the skies, Boeing's 737 and Airbus' A320. This is the plane which Comac hopes will launch its global success.

China's First Jumbo Jet C919 Enters Test Phase The 'iron bird' test platform fuselage simulator at the Comac hanger

Mr Lee is Chinese by birth, but has spent most of his life living and working in the United States. His expertise from his previous career at General Electric and Raytheon are vital to the success of Comac.

The company is learning from mistakes and design failures made over decades by Boeing and Airbus in an attempt to get itself ahead.

"The advantage is that we have already learnt something from previous successful experiences or failures," says Mr Lee. "Lots of people here come from overseas and they bring lots of knowledge and talent.

"Also, there's lots of workers here and they work very hard."

The company is owned by the Chinese state who are as keen as Mr Lee that it is a success. The government recently pumped $3bn into the company and it has promised even more.

Taking on Boeing and Airbus is as much a project of national pride as it is a business necessity.

Comac C919 For China, taking on Boeing and Airbus is a project of national pride

"There are a few reasons," adds Mr Lee. "The first is that there are tremendous market needs. In the future we need more and more airlines and aircraft to serve our people.

"Also, we like to use aircraft industry as our sign to improve - because the aircraft industry is very complex - so the aircraft industry brings the whole Chinese industry to a higher level."

The C919 is the key to their success. The company initially gave itself six years to design, build and sell the C919. It should have been in our skies in 2014.

That deadline has now been pushed to the right a little. Staff have been asked to work longer hours to ensure it will be in the sky by 2015.

To the untrained eye, the C919 looks almost identical to the Airbus A320. It has the same wingspan and is almost the same length.

Comac C919 The new passenger jet will seat 190 passengers

Many of the components are the same too. The difference is that the C919 was designed and put together entirely in China by Chinese hands.

It seats 190 passengers, and if the real thing is anything like the replica we are in, the cabin will have a modern, airy feel. It feels a bit like a smaller version of Boeing's Dreamliner.

That's no surprise either, because Comac has learnt lots from the troubled Dreamliner project. They have cherry-picked all that worked and avoided the aspects which did not.

On the ground outside the replica C919 is the evidence this plane is essentially an outsourced airliner even if it is designed and built in China.

The massive wooden crates containing airline parts have been shipped from Europe and America. One has come from Miami, another from Germany.

Comac C919 The jet's engine interface control unit is likely to be made by a UK firm

The C919's power-supply system is made by America's UTC Aerospace; the on-board entertainment will be provided by Thales of France and the Engine Interface Control Unit will probably be made by a UK company called Meggitt.

Mr Lee is keen to talk about safety. It is, he says, natural that people will have concerns about Chinese-made passenger jets. After all, historically at least, China's record on safety and quality is not great.

"These will be as safe as any other aircraft in the sky - Boeing or Airbus," he insists, repeating himself. "The safety level is the same as other aircraft that fly in the sky. So very safe."

It is true that in order to fly, Comac will need to get approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration and the Chinese equivalent, the CAAC.

If the C919 passes those tests, then there is only one other obstacle in the way of success for Comac.

Even without American Federal Aviation approval, Comac can still sell its planes in the massive domestic market. The state-run Chinese airlines will probably be pushed to buy a Chinese-made plane.

CHINA-AVIATION-SHOW Many of the C919's components are similar to those used by Airbus

But in order to succeed with the C919 abroad, Comac must make it cheaper and more efficient than the Boeing and Airbus equivalents. Mr Lee believes it will be, which is why there are already 400 orders for the C919.

There is no published price for the C919 yet, but speculation suggests it will be about $75m, which is $10m less than a B737 or an A320.

That has pricked the ears of one savvy Airline boss from Ireland - Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary. At the 2011 Paris Airshow, Mr O'Leary signed a cooperation deal with Comac. He hopes the company will build him a bespoke passenger jet which will increase his profits.

Aviation rules stipulate that airlines must provide one flight attendant for every 50 passengers. So a plane with 200 passengers on board must have at least four flight attendants.

However, a plane with just 199 seats in it can legally have three flight attendants on board. Ryanair is reportedly interested in Comac's willingness to build a 199 seater jet.

SPAIN-AIRLINE-RYANAIR-O'LEARY Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has signed a co-operation deal with Comac

On safety and passengers' willingness to fly on a jet made in China, Mr O'Leary is unconcerned, pointing out in a recent interview that 99% of his customers have no idea what model or make of plane they are travelling in.

Airbus has already shown its commitment to and belief in China. In 2009 it opened an assembly plant in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin. Chinese-constructed versions of its A320 have been rolling off the production line ever since.

The manager of the plant, German executive Andreas Ockel, gave Sky News an exclusive look inside the plant. He explained that China's aviation industry is now so huge, it is vital for Airbus to have a physical footprint here.

And on safety, he insists, the planes are identical, wherever they are put together.

"When you build an aircraft, safety is about what is designed into the process and into the aircraft itself," Mr Ockel says.

"What we have here is a process that's exactly the same as we have in Europe. You will not be able to differentiate a plane that comes out of here from any plane that comes out of Hamburg or Toulouse."

Back at the Comac plant, Mr Lee hints at just how far China has come in such a short time.

"I can't imagine," he says. "So few years, such tremendous changes, I couldn't have imagined it. And of course the next 30 years? Who knows!?"

:: Watch Sky News live on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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Golden Globes: 12 Years A Slave Wins Best Film

Golden Globes Nominations List

Updated: 7:18am UK, Monday 13 January 2014

Winners from the 71st Golden Globes ceremony:

:: Best Motion Picture - Drama

12 Years A Slave; Captain Phillips; Gravity; Philomena; Rush

:: Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

American Hustle; Her; Inside Llewyn Davis; Nebraska; The Wolf Of Wall Street

:: Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama

Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years A Slave; Idris Elba, Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom; Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips; Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club; Robert Redford, All Is Lost

:: Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama

Cate BlanchettBlue Jasmine; Sandra Bullock, Gravity; Judi Dench, Philomena; Emma Thompson, Saving Mr Banks; Kate Winslet, Labor Day

:: Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy

Christian Bale,  American Hustle; Bruce Dern, Nebraska; Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street; Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis; Joaquin Phoenix, Her

:: Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy

Amy Adams, American Hustle; Julie Delpy, Before Midnight; Greta Gerwig, Frances Ha; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Enough Said; Meryl Streep, August: Osage County

:: Best Supporting Actor

Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips; Daniel Bruhl, Rush; Bradley Cooper, American Hustle; Michael Fassbender, 12 Years A Slave; Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

:: Best Supporting Actress

Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine; Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle;  Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years A Slave; Julia Roberts, August: Osage County; June Squibb, Nebraska

:: Best Director

Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity; Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips; Steve McQueen, 12 Years A Slave; Alexander Payne, Nebraska; David O Russell, American Hustle

:: Best Screenplay

Spike Jonze, Her; Bob Nelson, Nebraska; Jeff Pope and Steve Coogan, Philomena; Alexander Payne, Nebraska; David O Russell, American Hustle

:: Best TV Series - Drama

Breaking Bad; Downton Abbey; The Good Wife; House of Cards; Masters of Sex.

:: Best TV Series - Comedy or Musical

The Big Bang Theory; Brooklyn 99; Girls; Modern Family; Parks and Recreation

:: Best TV Movie or Mini-Series

American Horror Story: Coven; Behind the Candelabra; Dancing on the Edge; Top of the Lake; The White Queen

:: Best Foreign Language Film

Blue is the Warmest Color; The Great Beauty; The Hunt; The Past; The Wind Rises

:: Best Animated Feature Film

The Croods; Despicable Me 2; Frozen

:: Best Actress in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy

Zooey Deschanel, New Girl; Lena Dunham, Girls; Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep; Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

:: Best Actor in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy

Jason Bateman, Arrested Development; Don Cheadle, House of Lies; Michael J Fox, The Michael J Fox Show, Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory; Andy Samberg, Brooklyn 99

:: Best Actress in a Mini-Series or TV Movie

Helena Bonham Carter, Burton and Taylor; Rebecca Ferguson, The White Queen; Jessica Lange, American Horror Story - Coven; Helen Mirren, Phil Spector; Elisabeth Moss, Top of the Lake

:: Best Actor in a Mini-Series or TV Movie

Matt Damon, Behind the Candelabra; Michael Douglas, Behind the Candelabra; Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dancing on the Edge; Idris Elba, Luther; Al Pacino, Phil Spector

:: Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series or TV Movie

Jacqueline Bisset, Dancing on the Edge; Janet McTeer, The White Queen; Hayden Panettiere, Nashville; Monica Potter, Parenthood; Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

:: Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-Series or TV Movie

Josh Charles, The Good Wife; Rob Lowe, Behind the Candelabra; Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad; Corey Stoll, House of Cards; Jon Voight, Ray Donovan

:: Best Original Song

Atlas, Hunger Games Catching Fire; Let It Go, Frozen; Ordinary Love (U2), Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom; Please Mr Kennedy, Inside Llewyn Davis; Swetter Than Fiction, Once Chance

:: Best Original Score

Alex Evert, All is Lost; Alex Heffes, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom; Steven Price, Gravity; John Williams, The Book Thief; Hans Zimmer, 12 Years a Slave

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602 and Freeview channel 82


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Fracking: Cameron Offers Councils Drill Money

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

Financial rewards worth £1.7m a year will be given to councils which give permission for fracking projects in their areas.

David Cameron said the Government was "going all out for shale" as he announced the move, which campaign groups opposed to the controversial method of extracting the gas from deep underground described as bribes.

The Prime Minister has declared that shale gas exploration is part of his long-term economic plan and says local authorities that allow drilling will receive 100% of the business rates collected from the scheme - double the current 50%.

Whitehall officials estimate that could be worth £1.7m extra a year for each site a council agrees.

Shale exploration firms will also pay out £100,000 when a test well is fracked and 1% of revenues, a deal which could in total be worth up to £10m.

Anti-fracking protesters during a march and rally at a drilling site at Barton Moss on the outskirts of Salford, Greater Manchester Anti-fracking protesters at a rally at a driling site in Salford on Sunday

However, local community representatives say this is not enough in the face of the vast profits that stand to be made by the energy firms and the damage that would be caused to local areas.

Mr Cameron's announcement comes as the French energy giant Total has announced it will invest millions with a 40% interest in two shale gas exploration licences in the UK.

Mr Cameron said: "A key part of our long-term economic plan to secure Britain's future is to back businesses with better infrastructure.

"That's why we're going all out for shale. It will mean more jobs and opportunities for people, and economic security for our country."

An exploratory drilling site for shale gas known as Barton Moss in Salford The protest was against an exploratory drilling site known as Barton Moss

Jackie Anderson, a teacher who lives within a mile of an exploratory drilling site at Barton Moss near Salford, was on Sunday protesting about the effects of fracking on the community.

She told Sky News: "For the local residents it's got no benefit whatsoever. More and more the businesses and the councils are going to benefit because the incentives are going to them and we're getting none of the benefits at all."

Protesters at Barton Moss today handcuffed themselves to a lorry trying to enter the site.

A Local Government Association spokesman said: "Given the significant tax breaks being proposed to drive forward the development of shale gas and the impact drilling will have on local communities, these areas should not be short-changed by fracking schemes.

"One per cent of gross revenues distributed locally is not good enough; returns should be more in line with payments across the rest of the world and be set at 10%."

Fracking protesters Protesters handcuff themselves to a lorry at Barton Moss

Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, is a process that involves drilling thousands of feet down into the earth to create a narrow well. Water and chemicals are then pumped in at high pressure to create fractures in the rock. Gas then flows from the cracks and is captured.

Vanessa Vine, who founded the British Anti-Fracking Action Network, said: "Concerns of local residents range from everything from heavy traffic through villages, damage to the roads, right up to triggering of earthquakes and permanent, potentially permanent contamination of the groundwater, of the aquifer, of drinking water."

The Government estimates the industry could attract £3.7bn a year in investment and support 74,000 jobs.

Last year, a study by the British Geological Survey suggested there could be enough shale gas in the north of England to supply Britain for 40 years.

It is thought there may be as much as 1,300 trillion cubic feet at the Bowland site in Lancashire alone.

Vanessa Vine Vanessa Vine, founder of the British Anti-Fracking Action Network

Energy minister Michael Fallon said he expected between 20 and 40 wells to be drilled over the next couple of years but that it was as yet unclear whether it would provide "a really good realiable source of cheap energy".

"It is only right, when there is local growth and local jobs, that the councils are able to retain more of the business rates in order to help improve or maintain local services.

"I think that is only fair that local people should see some of the direct benefit."

Lawrence Carter, from Greenpeace, said: "This is a naked attempt by the government to bribe hard-pressed councils into accepting fracking in their area.

"Cameron is effectively telling councils to ignore the risks and threat of large-scale industrialisation in exchange for cold hard cash."

Shadow energy minister Tom Greatrex said: "Gas will remain an important part of our energy mix in the future, and if shale gas can replace our rapidly depleting North Sea reserves it could help improve our energy security.

"It is right that any communities that host nationally significant energy infrastructure are able to share in its rewards.

"But the Government must get its priorities right. Only by fully addressing legitimate environmental and safety concerns about fracking with robust regulation and comprehensive monitoring, will people have confidence that the exploration and possible extraction of shale gas is a safe and reliable source that can contribute to the UK's energy mix."

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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Man Who Saved Two Sons Was 'Amazing Father'

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 12 Januari 2014 | 18.25

The family of a man who died after rescuing his two children from strong currents at an Australian beach says they are "devastated" by his death.

Andrew Priestley, from Leicestershire, died in hospital after getting into difficulty at Burrill Beach, around 155 miles south of Sydney on Australia's east coast.

The 44-year-old was with his family when the tragedy happened at around noon on Friday.

"The family of Andrew are devastated about his death in Australia. He died after saving his children," the family said in a statement released by the Foreign Office.

"Andrew was the most amazing husband and father that any family could wish for.

"The support and messages we have received have been overwhelming and we are thankful for that.

"It is heartbreakingly impossible at this moment to imagine our lives without him. We would ask that our privacy is respected at such a sad time."

British man dies trying to save sons at Burrill Beach Emergency services at the scene on Friday

Mr Priestley lifted his sons onto a surfboard before onlookers ran into the water and brought them to safety.

He was then overcome by waves and was unconscious by the time emergency services arrived.

Police and paramedics tried to revive him on the beach. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Milton Hospital.

A statement from New South Wales Police Force said: "Emergency services were called to Burrill Beach just after midday, where they found a man unconscious.

"The 44-year-old was taken to Milton Hospital where he was pronounced dead."

It was the second drowning on the beach in two months, after a Filipino national died there in December.

:: Watch Sky News live on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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Missing 12-Year-Olds: Police Search For Girls

Police are searching for two 12-year-old girls reported missing after a walk to a local bus stop, Scotland Yard has said.

Friends Wiktoria Popiel, from Wood Green, and Vitalija Sidlauskaite, from Tottenham, north London, were last seen together on Morley Avenue in Wood Green at around 5pm on Saturday.

Wiktoria (pictured above left) was walking Vitalija (above right) to a bus stop on nearby Lordship Lane but did not return home.

Wiktoria Popiel Wiktoria Popiel

The Metropolitan Police said they may have got on a bus towards Tottenham or have gone to the ice rink at Alexandra Palace.

Speaking to Sky News's Tom Parmenter, the mother of Vitalija said she was "desperate for news".

The tearful mum said the pair were very close friends who spent a lot of time together.

She said her daughter did have a mobile phone with her but that it did not have a SIM card for making calls.

She suspected they may have been heading towards the ice rink at Alexandra Palace but did not know if they made it there.

The mother said she was searching parks and hospitals in a desperate bid to find the pair.

Wiktoria's first cousin Alicja Ochramowicz told Sky News: "It was just a normal evening, she left the house with he friend and she said 'I'll be back shortly'."

"All she had was her Oyster card, no mobile phone, no spare clothes...it is not even an option that she has run away."

The 18-year-old cousin said the pair were: "Best friends - they only hang around with each other - it is just them two all the time."

A bus stop on Lordship Lane in Wood Green, north London The pair were walking to this bus stop

She said: "We have asked all of her friends but heard nothing."

"We'd just ask we to tell her she is Okay. I'd just say 'please come home'." 

She described her cousin as "outgoing, friendly - they used to go to the same school and then Vitajla changed schools."

Vitalija's mother urged people who were out walking or exercising in parks in the areas around Wood Green to report any sightings or information that may help the police find the girls.

Morley Avenue in Wood Green, London The street where the girls were last seen

A police spokesman said: "Their disappearance is completely out of character for both girls and they have never gone missing before.

"Their families and police are extremely concerned for their welfare and urge anyone who sees them or who has information about their whereabouts to call police on 101."

Wiktoria was wearing glasses, a brown jacket with fur around the hood, blue jeans and blue trainers. She speaks English and Polish.

Vitalija was wearing blue jeans and a black jacket. She speaks English and Russian.

:: Watch Sky News live on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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Iraq Torture Claims 'Go Right To The Top'

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

The International Criminal Court has been asked to investigate allegations of abuse and torture by British soldiers in Iraq, Sky News has learned.

It is understood that a German human rights organisation and a British law firm have presented a dossier to the ICC containing accusations of more than 1,000 cases of torture against Iraqi civilians, and 200 cases of unlawful killings, including many in custody.

The Berlin-based European Centre for Constitutional Rights and Britain-based Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) will launch their case at an event in London on Tuesday.

Phil Shiner, a solicitor from PIL, told Sky News: "This is historic. The UK has never been investigated by the ICC. There is clear evidence this goes right to the top."

The British Government has set up a body to investigate accusations of abuse arising from the Iraq conflict.

The Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) investigates allegations of abuse against Iraqi civilians by British troops between 2003 and 2009.

It is led by a retired detective and is due to complete its investigations by the end of 2016.

Commenting on the reports, the Ministry of Defence said: "These matters are either under thorough investigation or have been dealt with through various means including through the Iraq Historic Allegations Team, independent public inquiries, the UK and European courts and in Parliament.

"As such, further action through the ICC is unnecessary when the issues and allegations are already known to the UK Government, action is in hand and the UK courts have already issued judgments.

"Should we be approached by the ICC, we will take the opportunity to explain the very extensive work under way to deal with historic allegations of abuse.

"We reject the suggestion that the UK's Armed Forces - who operate in line with domestic and international law - have systematically tortured detainees.

"But of course the UK Government regrets the small number of cases where abuses have taken place.

"Wherever allegations have been substantiated, we have compensated victims and their families."

:: Watch Sky News live on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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