Two Police Officers Shot In Ferguson Protest

Labour To Unveil Key General Election Pledges

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 14 Maret 2015 | 18.25

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Ed Miliband is due to launch Labour's General Election pledge card, containing promises on the economy, living standards, the NHS, immigration and tuition fees.

The Labour leader will unveil the list of vows, which the party hopes will simplify its message to voters, at a pre-election rally of more than 1,500 party members and supporters in Birmingham.

The five pledges are:

:: Economy - Labour claims it will balance the books and cut the deficit every year.

:: Living standards - Boosted by Mr Miliband's pledge to freeze energy bills until 2017.

:: NHS - Labour says it will recruit 20,000 more nurses and 8,000 more GPs.

:: Immigration - People who come to the UK will not be able to claim benefits for at least two years.

:: Young people - Tuition fees cut to £6,000, more apprenticeships and smaller class sizes.

Launching the card, Mr Miliband will say the choice at this election is not simply between parties and leaders, but between different visions of our country.

"The choice is between the pessimists or the optimists, fear or hope, the few or the many, the good of some or the good of all," he is expected to say.

"Today I urge the British people to choose optimism, to choose a country for the many, to choose the good of all, to choose hope - and to recognise that when working people succeed, nothing can stop us as a country."

On the economy, the Labour leader will say: "The Tories promised to eliminate the deficit and they have failed. They've made the cuts but they haven't cut the deficit as they promised."

And on living standards, he will say: "We will stand up to the big energy companies."

On the immigration pledge, a response to pressure from Labour MPs who fear damage by UKIP, Mr Miliband will say: "We will not countenance systems and rules that damage the interests of all those people working hard and trying to get on.

"That's why we say we will have fair rules on immigration. People will have to wait for at least two years until they can claim benefits."

It is not the first time Labour has unveiled a pledge card. Tony Blair and John Prescott did so successfully in 1997, winning a landslide general election victory.

But the pledges were very different in 1997. First was cutting class sizes, second was quicker punishment for young offenders, third was cutting NHS waiting lists, while getting under-25s off benefit and no rise in income tax made up the other two.

Responding to Mr Miliband's speech, Conservative Party Chairman Grant Shapps said: "The real choice at this election is between the stability and strong leadership of David Cameron and the Conservatives working to a long-term economic plan, securing a better future for Britain.

"Or Ed Miliband carried into Downing Street in the pocket of Alex Salmond and the SNP - meaning more borrowing, more debt, higher taxes and weaker defences."

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Clarkson Hints At Possible Top Gear Exit

Jeremy Clarkson has hinted he may be ready to leave Top Gear after being suspended over a bust-up with a producer.

Writing in his column for the Sun newspaper he appeared to refer to himself as a "dinosaur", explaining that "the day must come when you have to wave goodbye to the big monsters".

He wrote: "Nature made a mistake when it invented the dinosaur. It was too big, too violent ...

"All the dinosaurs died and now, years later, no-one mourns their passing.

"These big, imposing creatures have no place in a world which has moved on."

Clarkson, 54, has been suspended over a row in which he allegedly tried to hit a producer, named in reports as Oisin Tymon.

A petition calling for Clarkson to be reinstated has reached more than 840,000 signatures.

But the controversial presenter wrote: "You can start as many campaigns as you like and call on the support of politicians from all sides, but the day must come when you have to wave goodbye to the big monsters, and move on.

"We lose one animal and get another. The world turns."

He goes on to say: "As you may have heard, I've been suspended by the BBC following a fracas at a North Yorkshire hotel.

"I don't intend to dwell here on what happened then or what will happen in the future. I'm sure you're as fed up with the story as I am.

"One of the things which has cheered me is how many people have expressed support in the last few days. I'm touched and grateful."

Clarkson is being summoned to appear before a BBC disciplinary panel that will decide his fate.

The panel will be chaired by Ken MacQuarrie, the head of BBC Scotland who conducted the investigation into Newsnight's false expose of Lord McAlpine.

The corporation has not revealed when or where the hearing will take place.

:: Read Sky News' interview with a family who say Clarkson launched into an expletive-ridden rant at the producer.

According to reports, he lashed out because he was unable to order a steak at the Simonstone Hall Hotel near Hawes, North Yorkshire, where the production team were staying.

The Sun and Daily Mirror said the hotel's chef had gone home by the time they arrived and they were only offered cold meat platters, although Clarkson had ordered a £21.95 steak.

The papers quoted a source who claimed Clarkson blamed Mr Tymon for not arranging hot food and said there had been a "scuffle".

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At Least 8 Killed By Powerful Cyclone Pam

Powerful winds from Cyclone Pam have caused widespread destruction in the Vanuatu islands, killing at least eight people, aid officials have said.

Unconfirmed reports say dozens more people are feared dead.

The Category Fire storm struck the South Pacific archipelago with winds of up to 167mph, threatening more than 267,000 residents.

The storm blew roofs off houses, uprooted trees and downed power lines.

Officials in the capital Port Vila say there is no power or running water.

Vanuatu is about a quarter of the way from Australia to Hawaii and the population is spread over 65 islands. About 47,000 people live in the capital.

There are reports of entire villages being destroyed in more remote areas, according to Chloe Morrison, a World Vision emergency communications officer.

"It's still really quite dangerous outside. Most people are still hunkering down," she said.

"The damage is quite extensive in Port Vila but there are so many more vulnerable islands.

"I can't even imagine what it's like in those vulnerable communities."

Australia is preparing to send a crisis response team to Vanuatu if needed, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said.

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Gallery: Red Alert In Vanuatu Ahead Of Cyclone Pam

A map showing the location of Vanuatu

A satellite image of Cyclone Pam. Pic: Japan Meteorological Agency

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Family: Clarkson Said He'd Have Colleague Fired

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 13 Maret 2015 | 18.25

By Gerard Tubb, North of England Correspondent

Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson is facing new allegations over the "fracas" at a Yorkshire Dales hotel that led to his suspension by the BBC on Monday.

Four members of the same family who overheard the row say Clarkson told a colleague he would have him fired because there was no hot food at the end of a day's filming.

The Ward family from Leeds told Sky News that Clarkson ranted for up to half-an-hour at the Simonstone Hotel near Hawes and say they were shocked at his language and the way he treated his colleague.

They also claimed he criticised the BBC, saying it was "getting worse".

Sue Ward, 54, a medical receptionist, described Clarkson's behaviour towards the unnamed employee as shocking.

"He said he hadn't done his job properly, it was ridiculous that there was nothing to eat, obviously there was lots of expletives in between all this, and that he would be losing his job, he would see to it that he would lose his job," she said.

"Even someone who's really inept at their job should be told properly, in a proper manner," she said

"But the fact that it was in a public place, I didn't want to listen to that language."

Sue's brother in law Bob Ward, 60, said Clarkson arrived with his co-presenters by helicopter at around 9.30pm and refused to have his picture taken.

"I said 'Any chance of a selfie Jeremy?' and he said 'No, not with the day I've had today'."

Within minutes, Bob's wife Denise, 51, said Clarkson was shouting and swearing and had spoiled the evening they had been looking forward to.

"We were sort of, 'Ooh, celebrities, will we see them?' and then it was just the shock of how can someone be so rude?" she said.

"It was just the swearing and the length of time and this poor guy that he was ripping into," she added.

Top Gear is the BBC's biggest global brand, worth more than £50m a year, but with Clarkson suspended the next three episodes have been scrapped.

The only Top Gear fan among the Ward family, Sue's husband Alan, 56, agreed with the three quarters of a million people who have signed an online petition for Clarkson to keep his job.

"He's brash, we know what he's like, he's been in trouble before and I think he'll be in trouble again," he said.

"I think he'll continue to do that job because without Clarkson there's no Top Gear."

Sky News has approached Clarkson for a comment but he has not responded.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that Clarkson's Twitter profile has changed from saying, "I am a presenter on the BBC2 motoring show, Top Gear" to "I am probably a presenter on the BBC2 motoring show, Top Gear".

One fan responded by tweeting "brilliant", while an opponent wrote "You'll soon be changing the verb tense in your profile then?"

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Service Marks End Of Afghanistan Conflict

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

A memorial service is taking place at St Paul's Cathedral to mark the end of the Afghanistan conflict.

Veterans of the campaign as well as next of kin of the 453 service personnel killed in the 13-year war are attending the service.

They are joined by the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, who himself served two tours in Afghanistan.

Prime Minister David Cameron and other senior political and military figures are also service.

A Memorial Cross made from used shell cases will be processed through the cathedral by representatives from the RAF, Royal Navy and Army.

It will be blessed by the Archbishop of Canterbury before it is taken to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire as part of a permanent installation.

After the service, a parade of servicemen will march through the streets of London ending at the Guildhall in the city.

It will be made up of veterans representing many parts of the military.

There will also be a flypast of aircraft that flew in the conflict: a Sea King helicopter, two Chinooks and two Apaches, followed by an RAF C-130 Hercules and two Tornado fast jets.

Various members of the Royal Family will then host three receptions at the Honourable Artillery Company, Horse Guards Parade, and the Guildhall.

A service will also be held in Kabul at the same time.

Following the announcement of the service last month, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said he hoped people throughout the UK would join together in "remembering those we have lost and recognising the extraordinary courage and dedication of all those who served".

He said: "They leave a proud legacy - terrorists have been prevented from using Afghanistan as a safe haven for attacks on our streets and it is a safer and more prosperous country."

The final chapter in the conflict came last October when the last British troops were airlifted from Camp Bastion in Helmand Province, leaving just a few hundred personnel in advisory, logistical and support roles to help the Afghan army.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mass Surveillance: Intelligence Staff Sacked

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 12 Maret 2015 | 18.25

A number of British intelligence staff have been sacked for inappropriately accessing personal information, it has emerged.

The revelation came as the results of a long-awaited report by Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) were published.

The inquiry recommended a single law be introduced to regulate the UK's intelligence agencies and their powers to snoop on private communications.

The ISC report concludes that the legal framework governing GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 is "unnecessarily complicated" and "lacks transparency".

But the inquiry found the intelligence agencies were not trying to cheat the law through mass surveillance programmes.

When asked by Sky News for further details about why intelligence staff were sacked, the committee's spokeswoman MP Hazel Blears replied: "I think we say in the report that these incidents have been extremely rare.

"We also recommend in our report that these matters should be a criminal offence because we regard this as extremely serious indeed.

"If you're trying to get public confidence around privacy then if someone breaches the rules then there ought to be severe sanctions for that kind of breach.

"We're not in a position today to give you the detailed information ... but I think the fact the committee recommends it be a criminal offence gives an indication of how seriously we take it."

The committee said thousands of private communications are read by GCHQ spies on a daily basis using bulk interception methods.

In a section of the report that is heavily redacted, the committee said it is "unavoidable that some innocent communications may have been incidentally collected".

It says only a tiny percentage of all web traffic is selected to be read by intelligence analysts, but that it amounts to "around *** thousand items a day".

Ms Blears said: "There is a legitimate public expectation of openness and transparency in today's society, and the security and intelligence agencies are not exempt from that.

"While we accept that they need to operate in secret if they are to be able to protect us from those who are plotting in secret to harm us, the Government must make every effort to ensure that information is placed in the public domain when it is safe to do so.

"This report is an important first step toward greater transparency.

"Nevertheless, there is more that could and should be done.

"This is essential to improve public understanding and retain confidence in the vital work of the intelligence and security agencies."

The report was announced after American intelligence operative Edward Snowden revealed details of mass surveillance by GCHQ and its US counterpart, the National Security Agency (NSA).

The ISC is now without its former chair Sir Malcolm Rifkind after he was forced to step down following the cash-for-access controversy.

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Two Police Officers Shot In Ferguson Protest

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By Sky News US Team

Two officers have been shot during a protest outside the police headquarters in Ferguson, Missouri that turned violent.

Officers, many in riot gear, formed a guard around the police headquarters and witnesses have told how they heard four shots and saw two policemen fall to the ground.

Immediately, other officers drew their weapons as the two on the ground were dragged away.

Fighting also erupted among the crowd of demonstrators, with television footage showing people throwing punches.

The demonstration outside the police station and court building was taking place shortly after the resignation of police Chief Thomas Jackson, who quit following a scathing government report that exposed racial biases in his department and a profit-driven court system.

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Gallery: Violence On Streets Of Ferguson, Missouri

Fury has erupted into fighting on the streets of Ferguson, Missouri, where two police officers have been shot during a demonstration

The city's police chief Thomas Jackson quit his post following a report that exposed racism in his department and a profit-driven court system

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Protesters had been calling for Jackson's removal since the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager by a white Ferguson police officer on August 9 last year

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Following Jackson's resignation, crowds gathered outside the City of Ferguson Police Department, quickly turning violent overnight

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Before Jackson, city manager John Shaw and then Municipal Court judge Ronald Brockmeyer stepped down from their jobs

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St Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said the protest was dispersing when at least three shots were fired.

"The police officers were standing there and they were shot. Just because they were police officers," he said.

The wounded officers were a 41-year-old from St Louis County who was shot in the shoulder and a 32-year-old from nearby Webster Groves who was shot in the face.

Both were taken to a local hospital, where they were conscious, Chief Belmar said.

He described their injuries as "very serious".

One protester, Marciay Pitchford, said: "I saw the officer go down and the other police officers drew their guns while other officers dragged the injured officer away," adding that the demonstration had been mostly peaceful until then.

"All of a sudden everybody started running or dropping to the ground".

Chief Jackson is the sixth Ferguson city official to quit or be fired in the wake of the reports, the first of which cleared white police officer Darren Wilson of civil rights charges in the shooting of a black teenager Michael Brown last summer.

The St Louis suburb has been hit by unrest ever since.

On Tuesday, the city council voted unanimously to accept the resignation of City Manager John Shaw, who oversaw the police department.

That followed Municipal Court Judge Ronald Brockmeyer's decision to step down on Monday.

Chief Jackson, who had previously resisted calls from protesters and some of Missouri's top officials to resign, told the St Louis Post-Dispatch he felt it was time to move on.

"I believe this is the appropriate thing to do at this time," he said. "This city needs to move forward without any distractions."

The 57-year-old embattled chief was widely criticised for his handling of the 9 August shooting of Mr Brown and subsequent protests.

In his resignation letter, obtained by the Post-Dispatch, Mr Jackson said: "It has been an honor and a privilege to serve this great city and to serve with all of you.

"I will continue to assist the city in any way I can in my capacity as private citizen."

Ferguson Mayor James Knowles denied rumours that he would also resign, the newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The city plans to launch a nationwide search for a new police chief, it said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Mr Brown's family have said they will file a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Ferguson and Darren Wilson.

Mr Wilson, who said he acted in self-defence, was cleared by a grand jury and the Justice Department of any wrongdoing.

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Written By Unknown on Rabu, 11 Maret 2015 | 18.25

By Afua Hirsch, Social Affairs & Education Editor

Police investigating Westminster-linked child abuse are examining whether a man was murdered because he was about to expose a paedophile ring operating within a London council.

Sky News has obtained details of an internal investigation documenting sexual assaults and abuse carried out by officers within Lambeth Council in the 1990s.

The unpublished report reveals claims from those within the council that Bulic Forsythe, a manager in the housing department whose murder sparked a nationwide appeal in 1993, may have discovered council property was being used to carry out abuse.

That abuse involved senior figures in Lambeth who were using council premises for the rape of women and children, according to the report's remarkable findings.

They used the basement of Lambeth's housing headquarters, the report says, because "sexual assault could be performed without fear of interruption by other staff".

A senior staff member is accused of watching material with "sadistic, bestial and paedophile themes" which "may have been home-produced by staff of people with whom they associated".

One female staff member was subject to a rape on council premises "of horrendous proportions", such that she was still suffering from serious injuries one month on.

She described being raped alongside children and animals by senior figures in the council.

Although the report, which was prompted by alleged breaches of the council's equal opportunities policy, recommends a criminal investigation, its findings were never formally investigated by the police at the time.

Instead, the perpetrators within the council were dismissed from their positions. The report has never before been made public.

It also reveals that colleagues of Bulic Forsythe, whose family have long believed he was murdered to prevent him from blowing the whistle on events at Lambeth, also feared he had been killed as part of a cover up.

"The murder of Bulic Forsythe was seen by some witnesses as a possible outcome for anyone who strayed too far in their investigation or for those who asked too many questions," the report says.

"The panel heard evidence about Bulic Forsythe whilst he was working in social services visiting Hambrook House and speaking to a colleague and telling her that he was going to 'spill the beans'.

"Three days later he was killed," the report says.

Sky News showed the report to Kiddist Forsythe, 21, the daughter of Bulic Forsythe, who was born three months after his murder.

She said: "Some of the stuff that's in here, I honestly can't believe happened. I was very shocked.

"It's really clear the fear that operated in the council - it seems from the report my father felt that fear," she went on, adding he was scared that if he moved jobs "people in power could still get to him".

Sky News contacted a number of people who held senior positions in Lambeth at the time of the alleged incidents. All said the council had elements of dysfunctionality and was plagued by corruption and fear.

Dr Nigel Goldie, former assistant director of social services, said: "There were often rather strange things happening. Things going on behind the scenes that were never properly explained or known about.

"This was in the context of an organisation that displayed dysfunctional features."

There has been a renewed focus on events in Lambeth in the 1980s and 1990s amid growing evidence of a series of paedophile rings operating across England involving the abuse of children in care homes, in some cases allegedly by politicians and other senior figures.

The Metropolitan Police, which has been investigating events in Lambeth at the time under Operation Trinity, said it was considering the report as part of its investigation.

Detective Inspector Sean Crotty said: "This report provides the context to people who were abused in Lambeth.

"What we need is for people who were children at the time and who were abused to come forward."

Lambeth Council said it is supporting Operation Trinity and is working closely with specialist police investigators.

A spokesperson said: "Lambeth Council is determined to do all that we can to support this renewed push to tackle the issue, and ensure that offenders who had previously escaped justice are now held to account."

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Reinstate Clarkson' Petition Tops 250,000

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An online petition calling for the BBC to reinstate Jeremy Clarkson has been signed by more than 250,000 people.

The Top Gear presenter was suspended and the show put on hold after he allegedly tried to hit one of the producers at the end of filming in Newcastle.

The producer involved in what the BBC called a "fracas", said to have been over a lack of catering, has been named by the Daily Mirror as Oisin Tymon, 36.

The paper quotes a source as saying Clarkson "snapped" when he discovered no food had been laid on.

A BBC spokeswoman said: "Following a fracas with a BBC producer, Jeremy Clarkson has been suspended pending an investigation.

"No one else has been suspended. Top Gear will not be broadcast this Sunday. The BBC will be making no further comment at this time."

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Gallery: Top Gear In Production In North Yorkshire

These photographs taken last week show the Top Gear team filming in the Yorkshire Dales near Hawes. Pictures: Thomas Beresford @ North Yorkshire Snow Updates www.facebook.com/NorthYorkshireWeatherUpdates

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The online campaign on Change.org was created with the social-media hashtag #BringBackClarkson by right-wing blogger Guido Fawkes.

The presenter's daughter Em Clarkson also tweeted her support: "Oh God, BBC please take him back... he's started cooking..."

Hours after the suspension was announced, Clarkson's co-presenter James May took to Twitter to say: "No Top Gear this weekend, apparently. How about [the film] 633 Squadron instead?"

Fellow host Richard Hammond replied: "No, surely, Last of the Summer Wine; no one will notice the difference. Job done."

Clarkson then broke his silence, replying that the film Where Eagles Dare - about the rescue of a US general held captive in WWII - should be shown instead.

The presenter, who has been involved in a number of high-profile gaffes in recent years, was put on what the corporation called his final warning in 2014.

It followed claims he used the n-word while reciting the nursery rhyme Eeny, Meeny, Miny Moe during filming of the BBC2 programme.

Clarkson said he was "horrified" that it sounded as though he used racist language in the out-take, which was not broadcast.

The Sun newspaper, for which Clarkson is a columnist, said he shrugged off his suspension and quoted him as saying: "I'm having a nice cold pint and waiting for this to blow over."

Over the years there have been numerous calls for Clarkson to be sacked, including online petitions signed by thousands of people, but all have been ignored.

Top Gear is one of the BBC's biggest money spinners, pulling in millions of pounds from a devoted - and international - audience.

This Sunday's episode was set to feature Clarkson with co-hosts Hammond and May getting to grips with classic cars such as a Fiat 124 Spider, an MGB GT and a Peugeot 304 cabriolet.

They were going to take to the road and end up at a classic track day, with Gary Lineker due to feature as the "star in a reasonably priced car".

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Written By Unknown on Selasa, 10 Maret 2015 | 18.25

By Stuart Ramsay, Chief Correspondent

An Islamic State defector claims militants routinely subjected foreign hostages to mock executions and gave them Arabic names before they were killed.

Speaking exclusively to Sky News, "Saleh" said he was employed by a Turkish man in the group to reassure hostages their lives were not in danger - yet he says he always knew they would be killed.

Saleh said the execution rehearsals took place so that when the moment of death finally came the hostages were not expecting to be killed and were relaxed to appeal for their release on camera.

He said: "He would say to me 'say to them, no problem, only video, we don't kill you, we want from your government [to] stop attacking Syria. We don't have any problem with you; you are only our visitors'.

"So they don't worry. Always I say to them 'don't worry, doesn't matter, nothing dangerous for you'. But at the end I was sure [they would die].

"Maybe they [the captors] raise their voice, but without hitting. All the time he say to him 'it's a rehearsal, don't [be] afraid'.

"I will explain. He want, when he will kill you really… [it] don't enter his [hostage's] head. Exactly, of course, you [hostages] should say this message: 'I'm living in ISIS and will stay and continue'."

Saleh worked as a translator before he was employed by IS. He fled across the border to Turkey to escape the group and claims to have looked after a hostage with an English accent.

He said: "This man from England, or Netherlands, I don't know. He was speaking English so nice. Sometimes I don't understand what he say.

"He was with mask. All questions around gun, around job in Syria. 'Who send you to Syria? Who is your partner there? When you came into Syria? Where you stayed in Idlib? In Aleppo?' All thing [the time he] give answer. 'No, I'm press, I'm press'.

"So after that he said to me, the Turkish man, 'don't worry, don't worry'. After that he was so afraid."

Saleh claimed hostages were given Arabic names to convince them they were amongst friends in order to calm them down. He says Kenji Goto was given the name "Abu Saad".

"ISIS gave the hostages an idea; 'You should be Muslim and come with us'. When I went to the rehearsal he said to [Kenji] Goto 'Abu Saad'. Maybe I was thinking to myself 'maybe they try [find] this name so hard, 'Kenji Goto'.

"Maybe they could not say [Kenji Goto] so [they say] Abu Saad. But when I noticed Goto, when they said Abu Saad to Goto, direct [he] relax."

"Saleh" said Mohammed Emwazi, known as Jihadi John, is employed as the chief killer of foreign hostages for Islamic State's media wing and that his murderous influence among the group is feared and respected.

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IS Defector: I Saw Jihadi John Kill Hostage

By Stuart Ramsay, Chief Correspondent

Sky News has spoken to a former member of Islamic State, who claims he witnessed the man known as Jihadi John murder Japanese hostage Kenji Goto.

The former translator said that the masked man in the video was indeed Mohammed Emwazi, the 26-year-old Londoner who has become the face of the world's most notorious terrorist organisation.

"Saleh" said Emwazi is employed as the chief killer of foreign hostages for Islamic State's media wing and that his murderous influence among the group is feared and respected.

Speaking from Turkey, where he fled to escape IS, Saleh explained in broken English how he was employed by the group to convince foreign hostages they were safe. He is the only person to admit seeing Emwazi kill.

He said: "When he killed Kenji Goto I live showed this [saw this] but not near, from a little [distance].

"After he was killed him, three or four person come and take over the body and put in a car. After that, John went on a different road.

"The big boss was there with them. Turkish man say 'put this camera there, change place there' but John [was] the big boss. All time, all time say to all 'fastly, fastly, fastly, we should finish'. So respect him. Only he talks orders – others do."

Saleh suggested Emwazi commanded such respect within the group because of his willingness to murder foreigners.

"Maybe because he use the knife," he said. "I cannot understand why he is so strong. One man can kill and all people will respect. A Syrian man anyone [in IS] can kill. But strangers [foreigners], only John."

Saleh claims foreign hostages captured and murdered by the group were subjected to numerous mock executions until the procedure became normal. It could explain why many hostages appeared calm in execution videos published online by the group.

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Gallery: Jihadi John's email exhanges with Cage and a reporter

This email Mohammed Emwazi sent to a Mail On Sunday reporter in 2010 revealed his first encounter and his fear of MI5

He later made contact with the campaign group Cage and told them about clashes with border control officers

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Olympians Among TV Cast Killed In Air Crash

Two French Olympians were among 10 people killed after two helicopters apparently collided during filming for a reality TV show in northern Argentina.

Camille Muffat, who won an Olympic gold medal in swimming at the London 2012 games, Olympic boxer Alexis Vastine, and champion sailor Florence Arthaud were taking part in the French series Dropped.

They were in two helicopters flying over mountains near Villa Castelli, in La Rioja province.

Photographs showed the burning wreckage of the aircraft in dry scrubland with people gathered nearby.

Police said eight French nationals and their two Argentine pilots were killed.

A statement from La Rioja's government confirmed the identities of the three athletes.

Ms Arthaud, 57, was considered one of the best sailors in the world and had won the 1990 Route du Rhum.

Ms Muffat, 25, won gold in the 400-metre freestyle in 2012, along with two other medals.

Mr Vastine, 28, won a bronze medal at the Beijing games in 2008 in the light welterweight category.

In her last Facebook post, Ms Muffat had written: "Eveything is going well for me. Leaving Ushuaia early this morning. See you soon."

Cesar Angulo, secretary of security for the province, told TN television: "An explosion occurred and it's believed that they must have collided.

"Aeronautical experts will have to determine that."

The statement from La Rioja's provincial government added: "The helicopter from La Rioja was a Eurocopter with a capacity to hold six people.

"It appears to have brushed against the other helicopter from Santiago del Estero shortly after take-off."

French President Francois Hollande said: "The brutal demise of our compatriots is an immense sadness."

Former Arsenal footballer Sylvain Wiltord, who is reportedly one of the show's contestants but was not in either helicopter, tweeted: "I'm sad for my friends, I'm trembling, I'm horrified, I have no words, I don't want to say anything."

Olympic swimmer Becky Adlington tweeted: "So sad and shocked to wake up to hear the tragic death of Camille Muffat. She was an amazing sportswoman, competitor and lovely person.

"My thoughts go out to not only all her friends and family but to all the family and friends of all the 10 victims."

The show they were making involves sports stars being put into inhospitable environments and trying to survive by foraging for food.

Production company Adventure Line Productions (ADL) said: "All the ADL teams are devastated and share the deep pain of the families and loved ones they are in contact with.

"We are in contact with the production teams on site (and) with the French and Argentine authorities. We will give more information as soon as possible."

A cast and crew of around 80 people were in the area to film the series.

Shooting began in February in Ushuaia, at the southern tip of Argentina, before moving north to La Rioja, a remote area on the edge of the Andes mountain range that separates Argentina and Chile.

Police and firefighters were still working to recover bodies from the wreckage of both helicopters.

An official at the scene said: "It's been four hours since the collision and (the wreckage) is still on fire. There's smoke rising from the helicopters."

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Teenagers Killed As Car Hits Tree Are Named

Written By Unknown on Senin, 09 Maret 2015 | 18.25

Two teenagers who were killed when the car they were in hit a tree have been named as George Wharton, 14, and 13-year-old Rhys Baker.

The boys are thought to have been picked up by a 21-year-old just before 1.50pm on Saturday without the permission of their parents.

The driver is seriously ill in hospital and two other teenagers, Kameron Walters, aged 14, and 15-year-old Joshua Van Veen, remain in a critical condition.

The accident happened on the A62 Gelderd Road in Morley, Leeds. Superintendent Sam Millar, of West Yorkshire Police, described it as "a terrible tragedy".

Both boys who died were from the local area and went to the Bruntcliffe Secondary School and Morley Academy, where staff and pupils are now being supported by police.

Dave Gurney, executive headteacher of Bruntcliffe School, said Rhys had been a "well-liked member of his year group", while Leanne Griffiths, principal of The Morley Academy, described George as "a popular boy with a bright future ahead of him".

Police say the blue Peugeot is believed to have overtaken another vehicle "at speed" before crashing.

Supt Millar said: "We are appealing for any witnesses to the specific incident but also the movements and behaviour of the car during the rest of the day.

"We are particularly keen to speak to anyone who saw the vehicle at the Tesco Express store.

"I would also like to praise a number of members of the public who stopped at the scene of the incident and helped in whatever way they could."

Friends gathered at the scene on Sunday to lay flowers and remember the victims.

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Three Missing British Schoolgirls 'In Al Raqqa'

Three missing schoolgirls who left Britain to join Islamic State have crossed into Syria and are believed to be staying at a house in al Raqqa, Sky sources say.

Shamima Begum, 15, Kadiza Sultana, 16, and Amira Abase, 15, boarded a flight from Gatwick Airport bound for Istanbul last month.

Authorities feared the teenagers, who attended Bethnal Green Academy in east London, were seeking to join the Islamist militants.

Sky's Chief Correspondent Stuart Ramsay said: "We're being told tonight that they've crossed into Syria through a crossing... which is not too far from Kilis.

"They're now apparently in a house that is owned or controlled - or at least hosted by - a British girl who had been in contact with them through the internet, and had brought them through Turkey and into Syria.

"We are told by... good sources within the city of al Raqqa that they are there, that they are safe.

"That is where they are staying - with this British girl who is hosting them.

"There's been a lot of discussion about where they are, (and) how they got there. But we are told they are now inside Syria, they are inside al Raqqa, and they are under the control of Islamic State."

Last week CCTV footage emerged which appeared to show the three teenagers at a bus station in Istanbul.

The girls were seen wrapped in heavy winter jackets, two with hoods pulled up, and carrying packed sports bags and holdalls.

The footage was recorded in the early hours of 18 February, less than 24 hours after the trio left their London homes, telling their families they would be out for the day.

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Gallery: Three Schoolgirls From East London Go Missing

These pictures were taken from Kadiza Sultana (l) and Shamima Begum's (r) Twitter accounts

Kadiza and Shamima are feared to be on their way to Syria with a third girl, 15-year-old Amira Abase

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Cameron Pledges To Open 500 New Free Schools

By Jason Farrell, Political Correspondent

David Cameron says he wants to create 500 more free schools in the next parliament.

The Prime Minister will say at a speech in London today that the controversial programme has been a great success, amid criticism from teachers' unions and the Labour Party.

Mr Cameron will also announce the approval of 49 new free schools, as a report by the right-wing think tank Policy Exchange concludes the innovation is driving up standards at primary and secondary level.

Free schools have been the big education experiment of this Government so it is little surprise that, with an election coming, the Conservatives conclude it has been a huge success.

More than 400 have been approved under the scheme, which allows parents and teachers to set up their own schools, since 2010 creating more than 230,000 places.

One institution expecting approval will be based at a "boxing boot camp" in Hackney which will use daily training sessions in the ring to help children deal with their anger.

Mr Cameron will say: "If you vote Conservative, you will see the continuation of the free schools programme at the rate you've seen in the last three year.

"That means, over the next parliament, we hope to open at least 500 new free schools resulting in 270,000 new school places."

According to Policy Exchange nearly three quarters (72%) of all open or approved mainstream free schools are in areas with a projected lack of places in the future.

But critics say some schools are being set up in areas where there is no need for them, that they are unaccountable and the initial findings do not warrant expanding the programme.

Henry Stewart from the Local Schools Network said: "It you look at the data for both primaries and secondary schools free schools don't have any effect on the other schools in the area, but what they have done is they've used up a huge amount of resource.

"Some £1.7bn is the capital spend on free schools to date and the National Audit Office found that 52% of free school places are in areas that don't need new places."

Education Minister Nicky Morgan insists 90% of the free schools approved were in areas where there were not enough school spaces.

She said: "At the heart of all this is about helping parents have a real choice."

The Policy Exchange report finds free schools are not dominated by the middle class and are eight times more likely to be located in the most deprived areas of England than the most affluent.

Jonathan Simons, head of education at Policy Exchange, said: "Policymakers should make decisions based on evidence and the evidence clearly shows that free schools drive up standards of nearby schools in the local community, particularly the ones which are lower performing.

"Restricting new free schools solely to areas of basic need will deprive pupils - especially in some of the poorest performing schools - from achieving better results."

Tristram Hunt MP, Labour's shadow education secretary, said: "Instead of focusing on the desperate need for more primary school places across the country and on spreading innovation right across the school system, David Cameron's government has spent at least £241m on free schools in areas that already have enough school places."

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Boko Haram Militants Ally With Islamic State

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 08 Maret 2015 | 18.25

Nigerian militant group Boko Haram has pledged allegiance to Islamic State in an audio statement, according to SITE.

The monitoring group said part of the message, which has been translated from Arabic, read: "We announce our allegiance to the Caliph of the Muslims Ibrahim ibn Awad ibn Ibrahim al Husseini al Qurashi and will hear and obey in times of difficulty and prosperity.

"We call upon Muslims everywhere to pledge allegiance to the Caliph."

The pledge of allegiance has been attributed to Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, and was released through the group's Twitter account.

Ibrahim ibn Awad ibn Ibrahim al Husseini al Qurashi - better known as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi - is the leader of Islamic State.

He has already accepted pledges of allegiance from other jihadist groups in the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan and north Africa.

Boko Haram has staged a military campaign to establish its own Islamic caliphate in northern Nigeria over the last six years.

Shekau was not pictured, but did identify himself in the recording.

The group has begun releasing videos in recent months which resemble those made by IS in Iraq and Syria where hostages, including British aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines, were murdered.

This month, it released footage purporting to show two men being beheaded.

Nigerian government spokesman Mike Omeri said: "(The audio) is confirming what we always thought. It's sad, it's bad.

"It's why we are appealing to the international community... hopefully the world will wake up to the disaster unfolding here."

Rita Katz, director of the SITE Intelligence Group, said: "Boko Haram is now being elevated from a local jihadi group to an important arm of the Islamic State.

"With Boko Haram's wide network in North Africa, the Islamic State's projection of creating an Islamic Caliphate is gaining headway.

"Furthermore, Islamic State's infrastructure, resources and military capabilities will enable Boko Haram to expand its operations and control even faster in North Africa."

On Saturday, four bomb blasts killed at least 50 people in the city of Maiduguri in some of the worst attacks since Boko Haram militants tried to capture the town in two major assaults earlier this year.

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MH370 Search Boss 'Expecting' To Find Plane

By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent

The man in charge of the search for missing flight MH370 has told Sky News that he is "expecting but not guaranteeing" that the aircraft will be found.

Martin Dolan, chief commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Board (ATSB), the organisation coordinating the search in the Southern Ocean, told Sky News that while he was once "cautiously optimistic" he is now "less cautious and more optimistic".

His comments came on the first anniversary of the loss of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The plane disappeared shortly after take-off with 239 passengers and crew on board.

An interim report into the plane's disappearance says it travelled in a southerly direction until it ran out of fuel in the Indian Ocean, west of Australia.

"I am confident that if the aircraft is in the area we are searching, we will find it, and I have a high degree of confidence but not certainty about the satellite data and the calculations that an international group of experts has come to," Mr Dolan told Sky News.

"I have said previously that I am 'cautiously optimistic'. Because we now know the capacity of our search teams... and we haven't been able to see any flaws in our analysis, I am less cautious than I was; more optimistic but again, I can't guarantee we will get an outcome although we are confident that is the case.

"We have got a priority search area, a large one. Within that there are no relative priorities; each space within that search area is of equal probability.

"So at this stage, with a bit over 40% [of the 60,000 km sq area] covered, we are not feeling that there is any problem.

"We have planned to cover that entire area thoroughly and we are expecting but not guaranteeing that we will find the aircraft during the course of that."

Main points from the report:

:: The underwater locator beacon battery had expired in December 2012, a year before the plane disappeared. The significance of this was not apparent but it would mean that searchers may have a lesser chance of finding the plane, even if they were in its vicinity. However, the report adds: "There is some extra margin in the design to account for battery life variability and ensure that the unit will meet the minimum requirement."

"However, once beyond the expiry date, the (battery's) effectiveness decreases so it may operate, for a reduced time period until it finally discharges," the report said. While it is possible the battery will operate past the expiry date, "it is not guaranteed that it will work or that it would meet the 30-day minimum requirement," said the report.

:: There was nothing unusual or concerning in the health, financial affairs or behaviour of the pilots and crew

:: The plane's right wing had been damaged in Shanghai in 2012 and repaired by Boeing. It had gained its most recent certificate of airworthiness in May 2013, when a flaperon inboard seal needed to be replaced. There were no other issues.

:: There were no significant clouds at the last civil radar point, no lightning, no significant weather phenomena

:: The report has details of the consignment of batteries being carried onboard the plane - Motorola batteries made in Malaysia. The report says that, while they were inspected, they didn't go through additional security screening. The batteries are allowed on flights.

Painstaking analysis of satellite data from British company Inmarsat has concluded that the plane had flown south for up to eight hours before coming down in the Southern Ocean off Perth in Western Australia.

The focus is an extremely challenging search of the sea bed within a 'priority search area' determined by further satellite analysis.

Currently, four ships from the Dutch firm Fugro are scanning a mountainous 60,000 sq km seabed.

Mr Dolan said: "We are certainly confident. We are not certain, of course, because there is a limit to the satellite data and analysis but we have been reviewing that data and analysis continually ever since we took over the search back in April, and we have got as much out of that as we can, and it doesn't give us a guarantee of location just a very high probability."

The search is being jointly funded by the Malaysian and Australian governments who have pledged continued support until it is completed in May.

Mr Dolan gave a remarkably upbeat assessment of one of the most challenging search operations ever mounted.

"If that [satellite] data is reliable, and we think it most likely is then we know that we will cover the search area thoroughly; if the aircraft is there, we will find it," he said.

Each of the four ships in the search area has a crew of about 30.

Three of the vessels are dragging sophisticated sonar devices just above the seabed, scanning for wreckage. This represents a significant challenge because of the rugged mountainous nature of the seabed.

The fourth vessel is using a remote-controlled unmanned submarine which can manoeuvre more easily along the seabed.

Unlike the towed devices, the submarine cannot send back real-time data so it must be hauled to the surface every few days.

"We have got quite elaborate quality assurance system in place to make sure that we are not missing anything with that sonar data and we are very comfortable that we will see things down there," Mr Dolan said.

"We have already found shipping containers and various other things that clearly fell off vessels over the course of storms and so on so we are getting the resolution necessary [to spot the plane]."

Mr Dolan praised the work of the teams on board the vessels.

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Gallery: Vigils Take Place To Remember Missing Flight MH370 One Year After Disappearance

A Chinese relative of passengers on board the airliner attends a gathering to mark the one-year anniversary of the disappearance in Kuala Lumpur

A child is comforted by her mother during a vigil to remember the victims

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