Pistorius Trial: Witness Plays Part Of Reeva

A weapons expert has recreated the moment Oscar Pistorius' girlfriend was shot dead by playing the part of the former model in a court reconstruction.

Thomas Wolmarans was being questioned about the injuries Reeva Steenkamp suffered on Valentine's Day last year, when he asked to enter a mocked-up version of Pistorius' bathroom.

As he stood behind the door, he mimicked the movements he believes Ms Steenkamp made when the bullets struck her body.

The judge looks on as Mr Wolmarans plays the part of Ms Steenkamp

It came after Judge Thokozile Masipa and lawyers huddled around the door as a court official used a spray to reveal a laser beam set up by prosecutors to show the trajectory taken by one of the bullets.

Earlier, Pistorius sat with his head in his hands as Mr Wolmarans spoke in detail about the wounds Ms Steenkamp suffered.

As the trial entered its 29th day, the witness, called by the defence, also talked about the various bullet fragments found in the bathroom of the athlete's home on a luxury development in Pretoria.

Pistorius denies murdering his girlfriend Ms Steenkamp. Pic: Stimulii

During an intense cross-examination, Mr Wolmarans admitted altering one of his reports but insisted the only changes he made were grammatical corrections.

Asked exactly what he had corrected, however, he replied: "I can't remember."

Mr Wolmarans also revealed he supervised a sound test involving a gun and the cricket bat Pistorius says he used to break down the bathroom door, even though he is not an expert in the field and has tinnitus, which causes a ringing noise in his ears.

Mr Wolmarans faced an uncomfortable day of questioning

He said he had "never" discussed the case with Pistorius, even when he went to remove a piece of the athlete's prosthetic leg for forensic examination.

On Thursday, the court heard from a social worker and probation officer, who claimed Pistorius was "not putting on a show" - a reference to allegations he had been taking acting lessons.

Yvette van Schalkwyk, who sat with the 27-year-old at the time of his initial court hearings, said he vomited twice and told her he shot Ms Steenkamp accidentally.

"What I saw ... was a man who was heartbroken," she said. "He cried, he was in mourning, he suffered emotionally."

Pistorius denies a charge of premeditated murder, claiming he mistook his partner for an intruder.

The trial was adjourned to continue on Monday.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Wee Oscar' Knox Loses Battle With Cancer

A five-year-old boy whose fight against cancer captured the hearts of thousands of people across the UK has died.

Oscar Knox, from County Antrim in Northern Ireland, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2011.

His parents Stephen and Leona announced he had died via the @Wee_Oscar Twitter account.

They said: "Our beautiful, amazing and much-loved son, Oscar James Knox gained his angel wings yesterday afternoon. Sleep tight little man Xx."

An appeal by Oscar's family has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds over the last three years with the campaign gaining many high-profile supporters, including First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness who he had met on a trip to Stormont.

Mr Robinson said his thoughts and prayers were with his parents and sister Isobella.

Oscar hugs the Celtic mascot

He said: "Their sense of loss and devastation is immeasurable.

"When I met Oscar I was struck by his infinite energy and sense of fun. He had a tremendous capacity to overcome the challenges he and his family faced together.

"Oscar was an amazing little boy who lived his life to the full and filled those around him with admiration and hope. He will be deeply missed by everyone who met and loved him."

Mr McGuinness said: "Oscar touched the hearts and minds of everyone and inspired countless people through his positive attitude and resilience.

"The day Oscar and his family visited Stormont was one of my most uplifting days in politics and you couldn't help but be enthused by his vibrancy and spirit.

Oscar with Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness

"Oscar was a little warrior who faced down sickness and setbacks and showed all of us how precious life is."

Oscar was an enthusiastic Celtic supporter and was team mascot when the team played Belfast side Cliftonville in Glasgow last summer in a Champions League qualifier

Celtic's Peter Lawwell said: "This is absolutely devastating news and our thoughts and prayers are with Oscar's parents, Stephen and Leona, and his little sister, Izzie, at this desperately sad time.

"We can't even begin to understand the pain of their loss, but I hope that there will be a small measure of consolation in knowing that there was genuine love and affection for Oscar from the Celtic family throughout the world.

"Oscar's courage throughout his illness was truly inspirational, and it was a real pleasure for everyone at the club to meet Oscar when he was our team mascot last July.

"This is a very sad day for the Celtic family but, more importantly, for the Knox family, and our thoughts and prayers are with them today."

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hugh Jackman Has New Skin Cancer Scare

Hugh Jackman has posted a new Instagram picture and revealed he has been treated again for a form of skin cancer.

The X-Men star urged fans to protect themselves with sunscreen.

"Another Basel Cell Carsinoma. All out now," he wrote on Instagram, next to an image of his face with a band aid over his nose.

He thanked his doctors and then added: "PLEASE! PLEASE! WEAR SUNSCREEN!"

Last November, Jackman, a 45-year-old Australian, went public with his first skin cancer scare using a similar picture and a similar plea.

Hugh Jackman's picture in November. Pic: Instagram

The online medical site WebMD.com says basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer and accounts for more than 90% of US skin cancer patients.

The cancer rarely spreads but if not removed can damage and disfigure surrounding tissue.

Jackman, one of Hollywood's leading action stars, is promoting his latest film, X-Men: Days of Future Past, where he plays Wolverine.

He is set to host the Tony Awards for the third time and will be back on Broadway with a new play.

Jackman hosts the Tony Awards next month

Jackman has won a Tony and has been nominated for a best actor Oscar for his role as prisoner-turned-businessman Jean Valjean in the film adaptation of Les Miserables.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Stuart Hall Trial: Alleged Victim Taken Ill

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

An alleged rape victim under cross-examination in the trial of former broadcaster Stuart Hall has asked to leave court, saying she felt physically sick.

The woman held on to wooden panelling at Preston Crown Court as she left the building.

Earlier, she told the trial that she had kept quiet about being raped by the broadcaster partly for the sake of his wife, Hazel, and because he was a close family friend.

The woman claims she was raped and indecently assaulted over a period of three or four years from the age of twelve. 

Speaking from the witness box, she said: "When your life changes in a blink at such a young age there are certain things you decide to do as a human being and I made the choice. That is what I did for 36 years. I chose not to reveal it."

Under cross-examination, the woman insisted that she had given no thought to financial compensation and, in a terse exchange with Hall's barrister Crispin Aylett QC, said: "I find it very insulting at this time to be asked this question ... I have not thought about compensation and I can't give you any other answer. I find it very, very hurtful."

The judge, Mr Justice Turner, intervened, telling Mr Aylett: "You have your answer. You may not like it but you have an answer."

The woman, who is now in her forties, alleges that Hall first raped her against a wall "like a rag doll" when her parents were away for the weekend and she was cleaning out stables.

She claims she was repeatedly raped at other locations, including his dressing room at BBC studios in Manchester.

She told Preston Crown Court that she became compliant, saying: "I was a child, so young when this happened.

"I have had to cope with it ... it never leaves you. It's very difficult to spend time in his company but I have had to do it all my life ... I chose not to tell anybody. I didn't do anything. Because I didn't do anything, I had to carry on as normal."

She said she had never stopped thinking about Stuart Hall's wife and his family.

The veteran television presenter has admitted one charge of indecently assaulting the woman but denies 20 other charges of rape and indecent assault relating to her and another woman.

He is currently serving a 30-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to a string of indecent assaults in a separate case last year.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

CCTV Toddler Appeal: Police Thank Public

A pensioner has come forward after police launched an appeal over CCTV footage of a man with a small child in a Derby shopping centre.

The footage appeared to show the man taking a mother's 21-month-old boy by the hand outside Boots on Thursday morning.

A shopper contacted the police who appealed to the public over the matter.

As a result, an 80-year-old man contacted the police to say he thought he was the person caught on camera.

He was subsequently interviewed and detectives say they are satisfied he was acting with good intentions and no further action will be taken.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Lamb said: "We are very grateful to the response from the public and to the man who contacted us and was later interviewed.

The man came forward to explain he thought the child was someone else's

"The gentleman was acting with good intentions, believing that the young boy had become separated from his mother.

"The man was a little confused and thought the child's mother was somebody else, and had tried to do a good deed in reuniting them."

Police have issued advice to the public about what to do if a child appears to be alone.

::  Stay still with the child and do not lead them away from where you found them
::  Ask the child where their parents or guardians are, and look around for them
::  Consider asking other passers-by if they know where the child's parents might be
::  If the parents or guardians are not found, take the child to the nearest shop and contact a member of staff immediately
::  You can also call store security or police on 101.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cameron: UKIP Guilty Of 'Appalling Remarks'

By Anushka Asthana, Sky Political Correspondent

David Cameron has launched an aggressive attack on UKIP, questioning its "competence" and accusing its candidates and financial backers of making "truly appalling remarks".

In an exclusive interview with Sky News Political Editor Adam Boulton, the Prime Minister intensified his criticism of the Eurosceptic party.

"Look at what some of their candidates have said, and what some of their financial backers have said during this campaign," Mr Cameron said.

"Some truly appalling remarks about rape in marriage or (that) black people should go to Africa."

The PM said the individuals should be "condemned" for the comments.

He said: "It is worth making the point if you can't control your candidates and financial backers it does raise a very real issue about the competence of your party."

The comments represent a marked change in tone by the Conservative leader amid mounting pressure from UKIP, which pollsters say could top the polls at European elections in two weeks.

But the tougher rhetoric could attract criticism from within his own party, with some MPs warning it is imperative to treat UKIP, and its potential voters, with respect.

Mr Cameron has come under attack previously for comments made in 2006 in which he described Mr Farage's party as a bunch of "fruit cakes and loonies and closet racists".

Mr Cameron has previously condemned Mr Farage's party members as "loonies"

The Prime Minister did not go as far today, but he did reiterate his view that UKIP members have been guilty of unacceptable comments.

He also rejected the suggestion that his position as Prime Minister would become untenable if he were to lose the Scotland referendum this autumn.

"I don't accept that ... It is the future of Scotland on the ballot paper - tragically, I don't have a vote."

Mr Cameron sought to justify his decision to give the people of Scotland a referendum this autumn, pointing out that Labour and the Lib Dems backed the decision in 2011.

He insisted it was the "sensible" and "grown up" option given that the Scots had voted for the SNP and Alex Salmond.

He said: "We live in a democracy. There are three decisions to make - do we stay together as the United Kingdom? Do we stick to the long term economic plan that we have at the next general election? And do we stay in a reformed European Union.

"I don't believe we solve these problems by ducking them. You can't hold people in a United Kingdom or EU against their will. The British people should decide."

He said British support for the EU "has worn wafer thin" because no one consulted the public over treaties such as Maastricht, Lisbon, Nice and Amsterdam.

Asked about the televised leaders' debates, the Prime Minister insisted he was "keen" and that they had been an "important" part of the last election.

But he would not commit himself to the same plan as last time in which three party leaders stood together.

Instead, he hinted that he would like to go head-to-head with Labour leader Ed Miliband.

"We've got to find a format that people are all happy with. There is a good case for saying the potential Prime Minister's should debate," he said.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ukraine: '20 Killed' As Putin Lands In Crimea

More than 20 pro-Russian militants have reportedly been killed in eastern Ukraine as Vladimir Putin landed in Crimea for his first visit since Moscow annexed the peninsular.

Ukrainian troops used armoured vehicles and large-calibre weapons as they tried to take an occupied police HQ in the southeastern port city of Mariupol.

Sky's Katie Stallard, at the scene, said there is black smoke over the city and heavy fighting taking place.

She said there are reports between 20 and 30 people have been killed, and around 25 injured. But she said it was impossible to verify the numbers.

Heavy fighting is taking place in Mariupol

Ukraine's foreign ministry said about 20 "terrorists" were killed in the bloodshed and dozens more injured.

The police HQ - which is now in flames - was taken by pro-Russian gunmen on Thursday night.

It holds one of the largest armouries in the city, and separatists are using the weapons to defend their position.

The violence occurred as Mr Putin attended a military parade in Sevastopol to mark Soviet victory over the Nazis in World War Two.

Speaking at the military parade, Mr Putin said: "I am sure that 2014 will go into the annals of our whole country as the year when the nations living here firmly decided to be together with Russia, affirming fidelity to the historical truth and the memory of our ancestors."

Vladmir Putin oversaw celebrations in Sevastopol

His visit - just three days ahead of a controversial referendum in eastern Ukraine - was condemned as a "provocation" by Kiev.

The US also criticised the trip, with National Security Council spokeswoman Laura Magnuson saying it "will only serve to fuel tensions".

Mr Putin told the West to respect Russia's interests, including its right to self-determination.

Around 11,000 troops took part in the Victory Day parade in Moscow

Earlier, a similar Victory Day parade - marking 69 years since Nazi Germany surrendered its forces - took place in Moscow's Red Square.

About 11,000 servicemen took part in the annual event, which began with troops marching to the sound of brass bands as Mr Putin watched from the stands, flanked by veterans.

"This is a holiday when all-conquering patriotic force triumphs, when we all feel especially strongly what it means to be true to the Motherland and how important it is to be able to stand up for its interests," he told troops to shouts of "Hurrah!"

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu (right) salutes during the event

Some 150 military vehicles and 70 combat aircraft also took part in the show.

Pro-Russians in eastern Ukraine are pressing ahead with plans to hold referendums on Sunday, despite calls from the Kremlin to postpone them.

There are fears the vote in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk could spark further violence between Ukrainian troops and separatists.

Militants have seized government buildings in about a dozen cities in the east of the country.

Mr Putin wants the vote postponed so talks can take place with the Kiev government.

However, many in the east say the referendum is the only way to prevent war against what rebels and Moscow call the "fascist" politicians in the capital.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rolf Harris Letter: I Am Sickened By Myself

By Nick Pisa, Sky News Reporter

Rolf Harris abused one of his daughter's friends on a motorway, in a theatre and in her family home while her parents were in another room, a court has heard.

The prosecution called the 84-year-old a "Jekyll And Hyde" character who thought he was "untouchable" because of his fame.

Harris listened via a hearing loop in the glass-fronted dock as the case against him was outlined by prosecutor Sasha Wass QC at Southwark Crown Court.

Ms Wass said: ''Mr Harris touched children and women alike in quite brazen circumstances. That may have been part of the excitement for him, knowing that he could get away with it.''

She added that once he was spotted inappropriately touching one of his victims.

"He just laughed and denied it," said Ms Wass. "Even when caught red-handed, he knew he was untouchable.''

The court heard that one victim, who is the subject of seven of the 12 counts, was on a holiday when Harris began abusing her in 1978 aged just 13.

Ms Wass said the victim had been ''in awe" of the defendant and went on to be "groomed like a pet" during 15 years of abuse.

Harris walks hand-in-hand with daughter Bindi (left) and wife Alwen

Further incidents allegedly took place in a swimming pool, at a theatre and on the M4.

On one occasion Harris is accused of assaulting the victim at her home while her parents were in another room.

''He never had a meaningful conversation with her," Ms Wass added. "She was just his little toy."

The girl was said to have turned to alcohol at the age of 14 as a result of what she claims happened - and is now a "full blown alcoholic".

She eventually told her family about the alleged abuse in 1997.

The court heard how Harris then wrote to her father admitting a sexual relationship but claiming there was no "rape, physical force or brutality". He added that he was in a "state of object (sic) self-loathing".

The prosecution likened this to Bill Clinton admitting he had smoked cannabis but claiming he did not inhale.

The alleged victim eventually wrote a letter to police in 2012, 18 years after the abuse ended. The court heard how the Jimmy Savile revelations caused her to reflect on her own circumstances.

The case has attracted intense media interest both in the UK and Australia

Miss Wass described Harris as having a "side to him" which meant he was sexually attracted to young girls.

"The prosecution doesn't for a moment suggest there is not a good, talented and kind side to Mr Harris," she said.

"But concealed behind this charming and amicable children's entertainer lay a man who exploited the very children who were drawn to him.

"His fame and reputation meant no one suspected or challenged his behaviour."

None of the alleged victims - who were aged between seven or eight and 19 - knew each other.

The court heard about one 'victim' who was 11 or 12 in 1969 when the indecent assault allegedly took place in Australia.

The woman claims Harris said "Come here, I want to be the first one to give you a tongue kiss" before grabbing her and sticking his tongue in her mouth.

Another woman who came forward was eight when, she claims, Harris touched her inappropriately after she asked him for an autograph in a community centre packed with children.

Harris denies all 12 charges against him. The trial continues.

More follows...

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Nigerian Forces 'Warned About Girls' Kidnap'

Nigerian security forces failed to respond to warnings about Boko Haram's planned abduction of 276 girls, it has been claimed.

Amnesty International said it had verified reports from several credible sources who claimed the military was aware of the impending attack close to four hours before it took place.

The human rights group said a combination of a lack of resources and a reported fear among local forces of engaging with often better-equipped armed groups meant that the military did not act.

Boko Haram militants initially seized more than 300 girls from the boarding school in Chibok in the northern Borno state on April 14. An estimated 53 students managed to escape, but 276 are still missing.

Netsanet Belay, Amnesty's Africa director, speaking from Abuja, said: "The fact that Nigerian security forces knew about Boko Haram's impending raid, but failed to take the immediate action needed to stop it, will only amplify the national and international outcry at this horrific crime.

Boko Haram militants torched the school after the April 14 attack

"It amounts to a gross dereliction of Nigeria's duty to protect civilians, who remain sitting ducks for such attacks. The Nigerian leadership must now use all lawful means at their disposal to secure the girls' safe release and ensure nothing like this can happen again."

Nigerian authorities have rejected the charity's findings as "unfounded".

Defence spokesman Chris Olukolade told news agency AFP: "The report is just a collation of rumours."

The report will further add to anger directed at the Nigerian government over claims it has been too slow to respond to the abduction.

There were reports some of the girls were smuggled across Nigeria's borders

The leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, has threatened to sell the girls "on the market" and some of the group have already reportedly been trafficked to neighbouring Chad and Cameroon.

However, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has said he believes the girls are still in Nigeria.

A British team of experts sent to "advise and support" the rescue operation touched down in Nigeria's Abuja earlier on Friday.

In a statement the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said Britain's aim was not only to help find the girls but to eradicate Boko Haram, whose five-year insurgency has left at least 1,500 people dead in 2014 alone.

It said: "The team will be considering not just the recent incidents but also the longer-term counter-terrorism solutions to prevent such attacks in the future and defeat Boko Haram."

The government has faced criticism over its response

Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed their arrival in an interview with Sky News.

He described the abduction as: "A ghastly situation, an act of pure evil."

The UK team are joining military and intelligence experts from the United States, who US Secretary of State John Kerry said would do everything they could "to return these girls to their families and their communities".

The search for the missing schoolgirls is focused around the huge Sambisa Forest - the "hideout" of Boko Haram, whose name is said to figuratively mean "Western education is forbidden".

The group is suspected of carrying out numerous other attacks, including the abduction of a further 11 girls, aged 12 to 15, who were seized from the northeastern village of Warabe earlier this week.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

UK Soldier 'Posed With Dead Taliban Fighter'

The RAF has launched a probe after photographs surfaced appearing to show a serviceman posing with a dead Taliban fighter.

The pictures were apparently taken in the wake of an attack by insurgents on Camp Bastion, the main British base in Afghanistan, in September 2012.

The images first appeared on the website Live Leak.

An RAF spokesman said: "Inappropriate actions will not be tolerated in the armed forces.

"The RAF is treating this incident extremely seriously and has launched a military police investigation.

"As this incident is subject to an ongoing investigation it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time."

The attack at Camp Bastion happened after 15 insurgents breached the perimeter of Camp Bastion using small arms and rocket propelled grenades.

The insurgents were repelled by US Marines and RAF troops, but two Americans were killed and eight UK troops injured.

Fourteen insurgents were killed in the attack.

More follows...

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Killer Who Froze Body Living With Film Director

A former mortician who killed a rich widow has moved in with the Hollywood director who filmed the story of his grisly crime after being released from prison early.

Prosecutors agreed Bernie Tiede should not have to serve his full life sentence because he was sexually assaulted as a child and was in an abusive relationship with his victim, 81-year-old Marjorie Nugent.

Special Judge Diane DeVasto agreed to let Tiede live with Richard Linklater, who co-wrote and directed the 2012 black comedy Bernie, starring Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey and Shirley MacLaine.

The judge said the killer could stay in an apartment above a garage at a property in Austin, Texas, belonging to Linklater, who also directed Dazed and Confused and School of Rock.

Tiede, 55, met Nugent in 1990 at the funeral of her husband R.L. "Rod" Nugent, who made his fortune in oil and banking.

Linklater (R) with Bernie stars MacLaine, Black and McConaughey

The pair grew close and took trips around the world together, with Ms Nugent eventually signing a will, leaving her estimated $10m fortune to her younger companion.

The body of Ms Nugent, who disappeared in 1996, was found in a freezer at her Carthage home, wrapped in a sheet and surrounded by packs of frozen corn and pecans.

She had been shot in the back four times with a .22-calibre rifle.

Tiede became known around town for his generosity after Ms Nugent's death.

Local people said he started scholarships, pledged money to a church building campaign and ran a fundraising drive for Boy Scouts.

He also gave away large gifts, including several cars.

After Tiede was charged over the killing, pretrial publicity led to the case being moved to San Augustine, about 50 miles (81km) southeast of Carthage.

A jury there convicted him in 1999 and sentenced him to life behind bars.

Tiede was released on a $10,000 bond and strict conditions and will still face a theft charge for spending Ms Nugent's money after her death.

Psychiatrist Edward Gripon, who examined Tiede in January, testified that Tiede and Ms Nugent had a complex and abusive relationship.

He said those difficulties, combined with Tiede having been abused when he was younger, pushed him to kill Ms Nugent in a "brief dissociative episode".

He said: "He doesn't come across in examination at all as a person prone to violence. That set of circumstances ... is not going to recreate itself."

Nugent's granddaughter, Dallas lawyer Shanna Nugent, said her family "is pretty much in shock" over the development.

"I really wanted justice for Nanny," she said, using a pet name for her grandmother. "This doesn't really feel like justice."

District Attorney Danny Buck Davidson, who said he believes residents' opinion of Tiede has changed "180 degrees", called Tiede's release "bittersweet."

He said he had a duty, however, to act once it was clear other factors had led Tiede to kill.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Madeleine McCann: 'UK Police Searches Refused'

Madeleine: Key Events Timeline

Updated: 12:46pm UK, Tuesday 06 May 2014

Here is a timeline of the key events since Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

2007

:: May 3 - Kate and Gerry McCann leave their three children asleep in their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while they dine with friends at a nearby tapas restaurant.

Jane Tanner, one of the friends eating with the McCanns, later reports seeing a man carrying a child away earlier that night.

:: May 5 - Portuguese police reveal they believe Madeleine was abducted but is still alive and in Portugal, and say they have a sketch of a suspect.

:: May 14 - Detectives take Anglo-Portuguese man Robert Murat in for questioning and make him an "arguido", or official suspect.

:: May 25 - Detectives release a description of the man reported by Jane Tanner three weeks earlier after pressure from the McCanns, their legal team and the British Government.

:: May 30 - Mr and Mrs McCann meet the Pope in Rome in the first of a series of trips around Europe and beyond to highlight the search for their daughter.

:: August 6 - A Portuguese newspaper reports that British sniffer dogs have found traces of blood on a wall in the McCanns' holiday apartment.

:: August 11 - Exactly 100 days after Madeleine disappeared, investigating officers publicly acknowledge for the first time that she could be dead.

:: September 7 - During further questioning of Mr and Mrs McCann, detectives make them both "arguidos" in their daughter's disappearance.

:: September 9 - The McCanns fly back to England with their two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.

:: October 2 - Goncalo Amaral, the detective in charge of the inquiry, is removed from the case after criticising the British police in a Portuguese newspaper interview.

:: October 25 - The McCanns release a new artist's impression drawn by an FBI-trained expert showing the man described by Jane Tanner.

2008

:: March 19 - Mr and Mrs McCann accept £550,000 libel damages and front-page apologies from Express Newspapers over allegations they were responsible for Madeleine's death.

:: April 7 - Three Portuguese detectives, led by Paulo Rebelo, fly to Britain to re-interview the seven friends on holiday with the McCanns when Madeleine vanished.

:: July 17 - Mr Murat receives £600,000 in libel damages from four newspaper groups over "seriously defamatory" articles connecting him with the child's disappearance.

:: July 21 - The Portuguese authorities shelve their investigation and lift the "arguido" status of the McCanns and Mr Murat.

:: August 4 - Thousands of pages of evidence from the Portuguese police files in the exhaustive investigation into Madeleine's disappearance are made public.

2009

:: January 13 - Mr McCann returns to Portugal for the first time since coming back to the UK without his daughter.

:: March 24 - The McCanns launch a localised new appeal for information focused on the area in the Algarve where Madeleine disappeared.

:: April 4 - Mr McCann goes back to Portugal to help film a reconstruction of the events on the night his daughter vanished.

:: April 22 - The McCanns fly to the US to record an interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey to mark two years since Madeleine's disappearance.

:: June 14 - Dying paedophile Raymond Hewlett says he was in the Algarve when Madeleine disappeared and has an alibi - but has no plans to reveal it.

:: August 6 - Detectives say they are hunting a "Victoria Beckham lookalike" with an Australian or New Zealand accent, reportedly seen in Barcelona three days after the little girl went missing.

2010

:: Feb 18 -  Kate and Gerry McCann say they are "pleased and relieved" at a judge's decision to uphold a ban on a book by former detective Goncalo Amaral.

:: Mar 3 -  A newly-released file from Portugese police on possible sightings is called "gold dust" and could lead to a breakthrough, says a spokesman for the McCanns.

:: May 1 - Kate McCann reveals she had thoughts about being "wiped out" in a motorway crash to end the pain of losing Madeleine - but vows never to give up.

:: November 10 - Madeleine's parents launch an online petition to help force a UK and Portuguese joint review of all evidence in the case.

:: November 15 -  The McCanns sign a deal to write a book about their daughter's disappearance.

2011

:: May 13 - The Prime Minister David Cameron asks London's Metropolitan Police to help investigate the case.

:: November 23 - Kate and Gerry McCann appear at the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics.

They tell how media pressure affected their family life and accuse newspaper editors of hampering the search for their missing daughter.

Kate McCann says she felt "violated" when her diary was published without her permission.

:: December 5 - Scotland Yard detectives spend time in Barcelona as part of their re-examination of the case.

2012

:: March 9 - Portuguese police in Oporto launch a review of the original investigation.

:: April 26 - Scotland Yard says Madeleine McCann may still be alive and release an artist's impression of what she may look like as a nine-year-old.

:: July 6 - British detectives examine a claim that the little girl's body is buried near the apartment from where she vanished. It comes after a self-styled investigator sends police radar scans he claims show a burial site.

2013

:: February 11 - Gerry McCann calls for politicians to implement the conclusions of the Leveson Inquiry in full, backed by legislation.

:: February 13 - Police say the results of DNA tests on a girl in New Zealand who was mistaken for Madeleine reveal that she is not the missing British girl.

:: February 21 - Retired solicitor Tony Bennett who published claims that Madeleine McCann's parents caused her death is given a suspended jail sentence.

:: May 2 - Madeleine McCann's parents tell Sky News a police review into their daughter's disappearance is making "excellent progress" as they mark the sixth anniversary since she went missing.

:: May 17 - Scotland Yard say they have identified a number of "people of interest" they want to speak to. It believes it has found enough evidence to reopen the case but the Portuguese authorities are still resistant. 

:: June 15 - The Home Office agrees to fund a full-scale investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

:: October 13 - UK detectives reviewing the case say key details in the timeline of her disappearance have "significantly changed".

:: October 14 - A fresh appeal is launched in a bid to find a suspect detectives say is of "vital importance", with two new separate e-fits - thought to be of the same man seen on the night Madeleine went missing - released by police.

:: October 17 - Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, who is leading the Scotland Yard team, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, and Mr and Mrs McCann meet officers in Lisbon to be briefed on the Portuguese case.

:: October 23 - Britain's most senior police officer Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe defends the way the Portuguese dealt with the initial investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, saying it would have been "very difficult" to immediately know if they were dealing with a serious crime.

:: October 24 - Detectives in Portugal reopen the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance after an internal review uncovers new lines of inquiry and witnesses who were never questioned during the original Portuguese investigation.

2014

:: January 3 - A family source says Kate and Gerry McCann have been denied permission to give evidence at a Portuguese libel trial over a book about the case by former local police chief Goncalo Amaral.

:: January 13 - British police investigate three burglars who were in the area when Madeleine disappeared, and whose phones were apparently "red hot" after she went missing. A letter is sent to Portuguese police asking for help to track them down.

:: January 29 - Scotland Yard officers, including the detective leading the case, fly to Portugal to meet police there and discuss the latest developments.

:: March 19 - Officers from Operation Grange launch a search for a man who sexually assaulted five British girls in the Algarve between 2004 and 2006.

:: April 23 - Detectives identify five new cases where a lone intruder abused young British girls in holiday apartments in the Algarve.

:: May 1 - Kate and Gerry McCann give an interview to Sky News where they are desperate to find out what happened to Madeleine, even if it is the "worst case scenario" as they back calls for a Child Rescue Alert service similar to the Amber Alert system in the US.

:: May 6 - Scotland Yard plans to dig for evidence in three locations in Praia da Luz are approved, with officers set to use ground penetrating radar.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Miley Cyrus Rejects Drug Claims At London Gig

Miley Cyrus has rejected claims she took a drug overdose, as her UK tour got off to a provocative and controversial start.

The Wrecking Ball singer boasted about her fine physical health after a sinus infection and an allergic reaction to an antibiotic forced her to cancel shows in the US.

At an energetic press conference before the first show at The O2 in London, the 21-year-old said she was "the poster child for good health" and promised to "f*** this place up".

Cyrus set the tone for her show when she arrived on stage by descending down a long, pink slide resembling her tongue, which was protruding from a giant image of her face.

Cyrus enters the stage at The O2 arena

"Hello, mother f*****s! I'm not going down without a motherf*****g fight!" she yelled, wearing a silver one-piece with a stick-on pair of lips.

Cyrus, who went sightseeing before the concert, then launched into the tour's opening song, SMS (Bangerz), accompanied by a pantomime horse, a dwarf and a troupe of dancers.

Many in the predominantly young crowd mouthed along to her songs but some parents were left unimpressed with Cyrus' antics.

She slapped herself in an intimate area, simulated foreplay on a bed with a dancer and showered fans in the first few rows with gargled water.

Some parents were unimpressed with what they saw at the concert

Cyrus also reportedly discussed drugs during the show.

A father who went with his 15-year-old son said: "It would be different if it was a good show. But it's not even a good show."

"She's lost the plot," another said.

The set included a peculiar interlude featuring a black and white film of an almost-naked Cyrus pulling faces set to British band Alt-J's Fitzpleasure.

She then returned to a satellite stage and took a selfie.

Cyrus promised to "f*** this place up" before her performance

Cyrus then tried her hand at a number of covers, putting her own stamp on songs from the Arctic Monkeys, Bob Dylan and her godmother, Dolly Parton.

The finale featured Cyrus soaring over the stage attached to "the biggest wiener in London" - a reference to an inflatable hot dog.

The encore included Cyrus' biggest hits, UK chart-toppers We Can't Stop and Wrecking Ball, followed by Party in the USA.

For her closing number, she altered the lyrics to reflect her location and wore a Union flag one-piece.

Cyrus' next gig is in Leeds on Saturday, followed by performances in Glasgow, Manchester and Birmingham.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Single Punch Killer's Sentence 'Not Lenient'

The four-year sentence given to a man who killed an Asperger's sufferer in an unprovoked attack was not "unduly lenient", appeal court judges have ruled.

Andrew Young, 40, died after being punched once in the head by Lewis Gill in Dorset on November 6 last year.

Gill, now 21, was jailed in February at Salisbury Crown Court but the sentence was referred to the court of appeal by Attorney General Dominic Grieve, who argued it did not reflect the gravity of his actions.

However, three judges ruled there should not be any change to the sentence.

Lord Justice Treacy said: "We have concluded the sentence imposed is not one which can be described as unduly lenient.

Lewis Gill was jailed for four years

"Indeed, it seems to us the sentence imposed was one within the reasonable range available to the trial judge, properly weighing the relevant factors and the guidance of this court."

The graphic design student, who previously trained as a boxer, was also sentenced to a further three months for handling stolen goods and another three months for committing an offence while serving a suspended sentence.

Those sentences were not considered at the hearing.

CCTV footage showed Mr Young challenging a cyclist who was riding his bike on pavement.

After a discussion between the two, Gill, who knew the cyclist, approached both men.

When the cyclist rode off, Gill turned to follow him before lunging towards Mr Young and punching him in the head.

Mr Young then fell backwards, hitting his head on the ground.

He suffered a fractured skull and later died in Southampton Hospital.

The attack took place outside a Tesco Metro store in Charminster Road, Bournemouth.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Stuart Hall 'Poured Champagne On Plaything'

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

Former broadcaster and convicted paedophile Stuart Hall exploited young girls and preyed on their vulnerability, a court has heard.

He is alleged to have raped his victims at BBC studios in Manchester and on one occasion to have poured champagne on to a young girl's naked body, treating her "as his plaything".

He is said to have sought her silence using a combination of emotional blackmail and manipulation.

The ex-BBC sports commentator is appearing at Preston Crown Court accused of raping and indecently assaulting two girls - one of them when she was under the age of 13.

Hall, 84, who presented TV show It's A Knockout in the 1970s, is said to have plied the girls with drink before taking advantage of them.

Prosecuting barrister Peter Wright QC told the jury: "You will hear of how he preyed upon their vulnerability and the trust reposed in him by them and also by their parents.

"It happened because each of them was, at the time, emotionally and physically extremely vulnerable by reason of their situation and age.

"These were young, impressionable teenagers being groomed by a sexual predator into satisfying his sexual requirements."

The jury heard one girl was raped when she was 14 after being invited by Hall to the BBC studios.

Mr Wright said the broadcaster, then aged 47, gave the girl cigarettes and plied her with alcohol. 

He told jurors: "This was not a mutually consensual act of intercourse between two people on an equal footing.

"This was a grown man exerting his influence and control over an impressionable and vulnerable young girl, intoxicated by his status and also by drink."

The alleged victim is said to have kept the abuse quiet until last year when she told her husband.

The court was told she went to the police only after her husband tried to blackmail her for money with the threat of telling her family.

Hall denies 15 charges of rape and five of indecent assault but has pleaded guilty to one charge of indecent assault.

The defendant was close to both the girls and their families.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between 1976 and 1981 but were only reported to police last year.

The court has heard the veteran broadcaster is currently serving a 30-month prison sentence following a separate case last year in which he admitted indecently assaulting 13 female victims.

Mr Wright argued Hall's previous offences demonstrate a pattern of behaviour in which Hall was "opportunistic and acted in a sexually predatory manner and was prepared to take considerable risk".

One of the alleged victims, now in her fifties, said she had gone along with the sex because she was drunk and felt flattered.

But she told the court:  "I don't think I was thinking straight at all.  I don't think I was thinking of anything other than I wanted to go home to be sick."

Hall's barrister Crispin Aylett QC argued that whatever his shortcomings his client was not a rapist.

He told the court:  "To people of a certain age, Stuart Hall will be known as the presenter of It's A Knockout, a good-natured TV programme in which members of the public cheerfully made fools of themselves on camera.

"To a younger generation of sports fans, you will know him as a rather flamboyant and eccentric football commentator.

"But to everyone now, Stuart Hall is simply a convicted paedophile who at the end of each court day goes back to his prison cell."

The trial continues.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Skull Cracker: Police Catch Michael Wheatley

The hunt for escaped prisoner Michael Wheatley has ended after police captured the convicted armed robber.

The 55-year-old, who earned his nickname for pistol-whipping victims, was being sought following his failure to return to HMP Standford Hill - an open prison on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent - after being temporarily released.

But a statement issued by Kent Police said the force had, in partnership with officers from the Metropolitan Police, arrested two men in east London on suspicion of conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

The statement said the pair, aged 55 and 53, were arrested in the Tower Hamlets area and are now in police custody.

It added the 55-year-old man was also arrested on suspicion of being unlawfully at large.

The scene of the building society armed robbery

Detective Chief Inspector Ann Lisseman said: "We're no longer looking for Michael Wheatley. We'd like to thank our colleagues at the Metropolitan Police and Surrey Police, as well as the public, for their assistance with our enquiries."

The arrests come after an armed robbery on Chelsea Building Society in Sunbury-on-Thames on Wednesday morning.

Wheatley was first jailed in the 1980s for nine years for a post office raid but escaped in 1988 when he was given permission to go to hospital and did not return.

He then carried out nine armed robberies and was jailed again in 1989.

Three years later, authorities released him to go to the optician and he went on the run again, carrying out eight robberies for which he was jailed for seven years.

He was released on parole in 2001 and within weeks was staging a series of raids on banks.

Prosecutors said he returned to a life of crime after a relationship with a woman he met while in custody ran into trouble, and she spent his money and ran up debts.

During his trial at the Old Bailey it emerged that, when asked his occupation by a custody officer, he had replied: "Armed robber."

Wheatley was ordered to serve 13 life sentences in 2002, with a minimum term of eight years.

There had been a confirmed sighting of him in Twickenham on Monday.

Several homes were searched but he was not found.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police Dog Savages Shirtless Man On Video

An investigation has been launched after a police dog attacked a shirtless man lying on the ground in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.

The dog launched itself at the man and dragged him along the street after gripping his neck between its teeth in the early hours of Monday morning.

The 28-year-old had been arrested on suspicion of assaulting two police officers and causing criminal damage.

A police handle restrains the dog in Weston-super-Mare

Onlookers captured the incident on phones and one woman can be heard saying: "Oh my God, it's biting his head."

Louisa Rolfe, the assistant chief constable of Avon and Somerset Police, said: "I have watched the YouTube clip featuring one of our police dogs and I think it's awful.

"It's only a few seconds long and doesn't show what led up to the arrest, nor the aftermath. A full investigation is taking place to understand exactly what happened.

"The officer was transferred to other duties whilst the investigation takes place and we are referring the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission today. 

Witnesses film the dog throwing itself at the 28-year-old

"It's our policy to be as open and transparent as possible. It would be wrong to comment on a live IPCC investigation but I can assure the public of the rigorous standards expected of our dogs and their handlers.

"The events surrounding this particular incident will be closely scrutinised to see what we can learn from it.

"We are appealing for anyone who saw this incident to call our professional standards department via the 24-hour police enquiry centre on 101."

The video was uploaded to social media by student Kerri Claydon.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Oxford Union President Arrested Over 'Rape'

An Oxford University student who chairs the world famous Oxford Union debating society has been arrested on suspicion of rape.

Ben Sullivan remains in custody after being detained following an allegation of rape and attempted rape.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police told Sky News a 21-year-old man was arrested in Oxford on Wednesday morning.

The story was broken by university newspaper The Tab, which claimed Sullivan was "woken at approximately 7.10am and taken to a local police station".

Sullivan attends Christ Church college, which told The Tab in an email: "We have unfortunately received information that a junior member of Christ Church has been arrested and that this may become the subject of interest from the press."

The student union leader was elected unopposed in 2013 to serve as president this term.

It makes him one of the most prominent students in the country.

Sullivan has given speeches which have been viewed tens of thousands of times on YouTube, including one in front of high-profile politicians such as Conservative MP John Redwood.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Boko Haram 'Kill Hundreds' In Nigeria Attack

Up to 300 people are reported to have been killed in the latest attack blamed on an Islamist group that abducted more than 200 schoolgirls and threatened to sell them at market.

Borno state senator Ahmed Khalifa Zanna told Sky News hundreds of people were reported to have been killed in the northeastern Nigerian town of Gamboru Ngala by armed men believed to be from Boko Haram.

He said the suspected militants opened fire on residents, before burning down numerous shops and businesses in the town near the Cameroon border.

Mr Zanna is also reported as saying the town was left unguarded after soldiers were moved to join the hunt for the 276 girls who went missing from a boarding school in the village of Chibok in Borno state, north Nigeria, on April 14.

A further 11 girls, aged 12 to 15, were taken from the northeastern village of Warabe on Tuesday.

Most of the girls were taken from the village of Chibok

Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau claimed responsibility for the mass abduction in a video, in which he also threatened to sell the girls "on the market".

It was not immediately clear whether the video was recorded before or after reports emerged that some girls had been trafficked into neighbouring Chad and Cameroon.

Mr Zanna told Sky News he did not believe any of the girls have yet been sold, but had heard information that some have been passed to Cameroon for marriage.

Relatives and campaigners have staged regular protests and launched a social media appeal, under the banner "Bring Back Our Girls," which calls on the government to do more.

Abubakar Shekau threatened to sell the girls "on the market"

The British Government said it would send a small team of experts, possibly including military officers, to assist with the search.

The group will concentrate on planning, co-ordination and advice rather than taking in part in operations to free the girls on the ground. 

Prime Minister David Cameron's spokesman said the team would be in the country as soon as possible, although did not specify how many people it would involve.

In a speech to parliament Mr Cameron earlier condemned the kidnapping as "an act of pure evil."

He said: "This is not just a Nigerian issue; it is a global issue.

"There are extreme Islamists around our world who are against education, against progress, against equality and we must fight them and take them on wherever they are."

Protesters have called on the Nigerian government to do more

The UK team will join fewer than 10 US military troops due to be sent to the country over the next few days.The Pentagon said they would be part of a larger US assistance team, including State Department and Justice Department personnel, who would help with intelligence, communications and logistics.

Spokesman Col. Steve Warren made clear the US had no plans to launch a military operation.

US President Barack Obama has pledged to do "everything we can" to help rescue the youngsters.

Boko Haram, whose name means 'Western education is sinful,' has fought a five-year insurgency against the Nigerian government and hopes to carve out an Islamic state in northern Nigeria.

Nigerian police have announced a 50m Nigerian naira (£182,000) reward for credible information leading to the location and rescue of the female students.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

US: Russian Military 'Still On Ukraine Border'

The US and Nato have said there is no evidence Russia has moved its forces back from the Ukrainian border despite a claim by Vladimir Putin that it has.

President Putin said Russia forces are "not on the Ukrainian border."

He said earlier: "We're always being told that our forces on the Ukrainian border are a concern. We have withdrawn them.

"They are in places where they conduct their regular tasks on training grounds."

The White House and the Pentagon said there was no indication Russia had moved its troops.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest also demanded that Russia go further than merely calling for a planned referendum on independence for eastern Ukraine to be postponed.

Mr Putin had called on separatists in east Ukraine to delay a poll in the mostly Russian-speaking region until after Sunday.

Mr Earnest said President Barack Obama believed the referendum should be cancelled, not just postponed.

Several towns and cities in east Ukraine have come under the control of separatists, who are seeking independence from Kiev.

Ukrainian forces outside the rebel held stronghold of Slavyansk

They had been due to vote on whether to leave the rest of Ukraine on May 11, in a referendum that was not supported by Kiev or the West.

Up to 40,000 Russian troops, complete with heavy armour and fighter planes, have been massing on the Ukrainian border.

Mr Putin's comments were made after talks with the head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), who said a "road map" would soon be put forward to defuse the Ukraine crisis.

One of the separatist leaders said they would consider the Russian leader's call to postpone the referendum.

But Sky's Katie Stallard, who is in Donetsk, said there were doubts about whether Mr Putin had been completely frank when making his statements.

He said: "Taken at face value this is a real about turn. There are a couple of reasons to be sceptical.

"First, Russia did sign up to the Geneva accord ... all of which had zero effect. Second there are real logistical issues with whether they would be able to hold that referendum ... so it may be rather convenient if they were to postpone (it).

"The third reason to bear in mind when you hear Mr Putin speak is, all the way through the situation in Crimea, he denied any Russian troops were involved. It was only after the event that he admitted that there were.

A flag burns outside Mariupol city hall, which is back under rebel control

"I think you have to … believe when you see it."

Meanwhile, European Union governments pressed ahead with plans to target Russian people and companies as away of putting pressure on the Kremlin.

Foreign Secretary William Hague, who is holding talks in Kiev with the country's leaders, told Sky News the rebels' referendum was an attempt to "disrupt" national elections that are being held in Ukraine on May 25.

Nato's top military commander said earlier it may deploy troops permanently in parts of Eastern Europe due to the increased tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces withdrew from Mariupol city hall after a night of heavy fighting saw them recapture the rebel-held building.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More