Woman In Scotland Tested For Ebola Virus

A female detainee who became ill at an immigration removal centre is to undergo tests for the Ebola virus.

The woman, understood to have arrived from Sierra Leone, was being held at Dungavel Detention Centre in South Lanarkshire.

A spokesman for NHS Lanarkshire said: "We are currently investigating a possible case of Viral Haemorrhagic Fever (Ebola).

"This is a precautionary measure and it would appear at this stage to be highly unlikely the patient will test positive for Ebola."

A Home Office spokesman said: "We do not comment on operational matters."

The case comes amid growing international concern about the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

More than 1,000 people have died and almost 2,000 suspected, probable or confirmed Ebola cases have been recorded there.

Health experts say they are struggling to contain the epidemic, which started in Guinea last March.

It has since spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with the body fluids of a person who is infected.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Salmonella Outbreak Cause Under Investigation

More than 150 people have been hit with salmonella poisoning, in an outbreak affecting several parts of the UK.

A third of the cases - 55 - have been in Hampshire, with a single east Asian restaurant linked to around two in five of those.

There have also been 43 cases of salmonella in the West Midlands, with another 33 in Cheshire and 25 in London.

All but two of the Cheshire cases are linked to a takeaway restaurant, while 34 of the West Midlands cases are connected to Birmingham's Heartlands Hospital.

A colony of salmonella (Pic CDC)

Public Health England (PHE) said the outbreak was in "isolated clusters" and had been "managed locally".

Genetic tests suggest a single source may be responsible.

Consultant epidemiologist Dr Paul Cleary, who is leading the investigation, said: "We are working with our colleagues across PHE, at the Food Standards Agency, in local authorities and with other public health organisations in Europe to investigate the cause of this outbreak.

"We are making good progress and hope to have more conclusive evidence shortly.

"We will continue to monitor the situation and if there is any further public health action necessary then we will ensure this takes place."

Symptoms of salmonella, which is often associated with poultry and eggs, include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and occasionally vomiting and fever.

Most people recover without medical treatment, although doctors say it is important to drink plenty of water.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Missouri Teen 'In Robbery' Before He Was Shot

An unarmed black teenager shot dead by an officer was a suspect in a "strong-arm" robbery minutes before the fatal confrontation, say police.

Michael Brown, 18, allegedly stole cigars and shoved a clerk at a convenience store in suburban St Louis last Saturday, just before he was killed by a police officer, spawning almost a week of public disorder.

Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson released the police reports and documents on Friday morning as he named the officer who carried out the shooting.

Police say Michael Brown was a suspect in a robbery before he was shot

Darren Wilson, who has six years' service and no disciplinary record, is on administrative leave following the incident.

According to the police reports, Mr Brown and his friend, Dorian Johnson, were suspected of taking a $48.99 box of Swisher Sweet Cigars from a store in Ferguson that morning.

State Highway Patrol captain, Ron Johnson, has taken over security

Chief Jackson said Officer Wilson encountered Mr Brown about 10 minutes after the robbery, at around 12:01pm.

But a lawyer for the Brown family said they are "incensed" because they feel the police are trying to smear their son.

Protesters chant during Thursday's peaceful demonstration

Attorney Benjamin Crump said: "It's bad enough they assassinated him, and now they're trying to assassinate his character."

Police have previously said the officer at the centre of the investigation opened fire after he was pushed into his squad car by one of two men he encountered on the street.

They then assaulted him in the vehicle and struggled with the policeman over the officer's weapon, according to Ferguson police.

Ferguson protesters ride on a car

A shot was fired inside the car before Mr Brown was shot multiple times, according to police.

Dorian Johnson, 22, has been telling media a sharply different version of events.

Vigils were also held in more than 90 cities across the country on Thursday

He said he and Mr Brown were ordered by an officer to stop walking in the street. Mr Johnson said the officer then tried to pull Mr Brown into the squad car before pulling his weapon and firing as the teen had his hands up.

The developments emerged the morning after hundreds of protesters marched side by side with officers in a dramatic turnabout, following a law enforcement facelift in Ferguson.

Some Los Angeles residents also rallied to demand justice for Michael Brown

Gone were the officers in riot gear and armoured tanks as Missouri State Highway Patrol and its black captain Ron Johnson were appointed by the governor to take control of security.

Capt Johnson, who grew up in the community, told a Friday news conference that law enforcement did not use tear gas or make any arrests in the town the night before.

Police officers shook hands with protesters in Ferguson on Thursday night

Marchers had stopped to shake hands with police and troopers, in marked contrast to the previous four nights of violent demonstrations which drew a rebuke from President Barack Obama about "excessive force" by police.

"This is totally different," one demonstrator, Pedro Smith, 41, told Reuters news agency. "Now we're being treated with respect."

Vigils were also held in more than 90 cities across the country to observe a National Moment of Silence on Thursday night.

Witnesses have said Michael Brown had his hands up when he was shot

Rallies took place in Detroit, Los Angeles and New York, where people were asked to wear a red ribbon, cloth or bandana as a mark of solidarity.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Foreign Ministers Agree To Arm Kurds In Iraq

Al Maliki's Successor Faces Old Problems

Updated: 6:29pm UK, Friday 15 August 2014

By Andrew Wilson, Sky News Presenter, in Irbil, Iraq

The disaster in the Sinjar mountains turns out to be less of a public relations nightmare for Western leaders than first feared.

A few thousand destitute Yazidi people don't carry anything like the clout of tens of thousands.

The UNHCR operators on the ground had figured this out days ago. Their job is numbers and they know that in a brutal world, the problem isn't Sinjar anymore, it's the displacement of those that were there and are now here looking for long-term shelter from the Kurdish Regional Government and maybe even homes in Europe and America.

So what about the spread of this Islamic caliphate across Northern Iraq and Syria?

Well, as far as its leaders-in-waiting are concerned, it's going pretty well.

It's ominous dark shade on the Middle Eastern map is now one colour from Aleppo to Diyala on Iraq's eastern border. 

And, to date, that progress has been largely unchallenged.

Reports of executions and crucifixions have played a part; even the Taliban back in 2001 could not generate the kind of terror that precedes Islamic State (IS) fighters wherever they go.

But IS are picking their enemies strategically as well.

Few tears were shed in Washington when the extremists turned on President Assad, and as for Baghdad, it took so long for the West to declare mission accomplished and pull out that going back in now would be unthinkably embarrassing.

Better to find another old friend to blame, this time the stubbornly sectarian Nouri al Maliki.

It is all his fault that disgruntled Sunnis allowed the IS to swoop down in their armed pickups and help themselves to all the American weapons lying abandoned in the sand.

If only he had built a more unified Iraq with loyal officers and disciplined troops, says the West, failing to mention 2003 when a cadre of professional Iraqi generals stood ready to deploy their well-trained forces for the post-Saddam rebuild only to be shunned by the American occupiers who knew better. 

So now the successor is embraced. Haider al Abadi seems a decent man, more of a consensus builder than a bully.

He is still a Shia, of course, same party as Mr Maliki, in fact, and you wouldn't want his job for all the gold in Saddam's palace.

He will need three phones; for Washington, Tehran and Brussels, and they will all be on his case to fix - in no particular order - the Islamic Caliphate; Sunni minority rights; an army that's just given all its weapons to the other side; Shia aspirations for a greater Iraq joined by holy sites to Iran and, of course, tens of thousands of displaced Yazidis.

It's difficult, if not suicidal, to be a consensus politician in the Middle East.

Think Sadat, Rabin, or even Mahmoud Abbas sitting quietly in Ramallah with "Israeli traitor" daubed on the walls near his house.

Sadly, in this part of the world, where the borders were drawn by foreigners a long time ago, the time-honoured formula, still espoused by Assad, Sisi, the Royal families of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, is more simple: build a power base and crush your enemies.

Nouri al Maliki was on the way, but didn't make it.

And this time, no more boots on the ground.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ebola Epidemic Is Like 'War Time' Says MSF

Ebola Cure 'A Long Way Off': Facts About Virus

Updated: 12:08am UK, Thursday 07 August 2014

A cure for the deadly ebola virus, which has killed hundreds of people in West Africa, is "a very long way off", an expert has told Sky News.

David Evans, a professor of virology at Warwick University, said ebola is the latest disease to be transmitted "very efficiently" because of international travel.

More than 670 people in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria have fallen victim to the viral illness, which has a fatality rate of up to 90%.

Those with ebola will often be overcome by a sudden onset of fever, as well as weakness, muscle pain and headaches.

The body is then gripped by vomiting, diarrhoea, rashes, kidney and liver problems and bleeding.

The time between infection and symptoms appearing is anything from two days to three weeks.

Ebola is spread through the direct contact with the blood, organs or other bodily fluids of those infected.

The liquid that bathes the eye and semen can transmit the disease, Prof Evans said.

Horseshoe bats are believed to be the natural host of the viral disease, he said.

"These bats transmit the virus between themselves, but periodically it then ends up in probably primates or other types of bushmeat which are then hunted by villagers and the virus is then transmitted from the sick animals to humans," he said.

Transmission has also been documented through the handling of chimpanzees, gorillas and porcupines.

One of the reasons for the disease's rapid spread is a tradition at burial ceremonies for mourners to have direct contact with the body of the deceased.

"Therefore barrier methods that prevent that direct contact, including things like washing of hands and things like that provide a reasonable level of protection," he said.

Healthcare workers treating patients are particularly at risk.

Public Health England said in a risk assessment published earlier this month said that the current outbreak could increase the risk for Britons working in humanitarian and healthcare delivery.

But the threat to tourists, visitors and expatriates is still considered "very low if elementary precautions are followed".

Prof Evans said there had been "periodic outbreaks" of ebola since the first recorded instances in 1976, but this is the deadliest so far.

There were two simultaneous outbreaks in Nzara, Sudan and Yambuku, a village in the Democratic Republic of Congo located near the Ebola River.

Data from the World Health Organisation shows the previous deadliest outbreak was the one in the DRC, when 280 out of 315 people infected died.

In the same country in 1995 another outbreak claimed 254 lives, with 315 patients infected.

In 2000, there were 425 cases in Uganda and 224 people died.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Marine In Urination Video Found Dead At Home

One of the Marines shown urinating on Taliban corpses in a 2011 video has reportedly been found dead at home, aged 28.

Retired Corporal Robert Richards was found at his home in Jacksonville, North Carolina, the reports said, citing lawyer and friend Guy Womack.

The Los Angeles Times said Mr Richards' body was found by his wife on Wednesday night.

The death did not appear to be suicide, though toxicological results from an autopsy are pending.

The results are expected in about two weeks.

Mr Womack told the paper that Mr Richards was under heavy medication for post-traumatic stress disorder and wounds sustained during combat tours in Afghanistan.

He was a veteran Marine who had served three times in Afghanistan.

During one of those tours, he and three other Marines were caught on video as they urinated on the corpses of three Taliban fighters in Helmand province.

One of the bodies was covered in blood.

One Marine looks down at the bodies and jokes, "Have a good day, buddy".

The video, which was made in July 2011 and surfaced in 2012, drew international condemnation and brought embarrassment to US forces.

After the video garnered attention on YouTube, senior military officials and government officials sternly condemned the behaviour of the Marines involved.

Mr Richards, who was then a sergeant, was demoted to the rank of corporal in a plea deal in July last year.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Mum Arrested' After Girl Drowns In Hotel Pool

The mother of a three-year-old girl who drowned in a hotel swimming pool near Blackpool has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

The youngster is believed to have been staying with her parents at the Dalmeny Hotel, St Annes, when she got into difficulty in the water on Thursday morning.

She was pulled from the swimming pool and taken to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital in a critical condition but died later.

The hotel's owner Chris Webb told Sky News that several other guests witnessed what happened in the pool and gave statements to the police.

Two guests tried to revive the girl before paramedics arrived.

It is understood that the girl's mother was in the pool at the time.

Police confirmed a 40-year-old woman, from Galashiels, Scotland, was arrested on suspicion of murder and child neglect. She remains in police custody.

Witness Carole Greenwood, who has lifeguard qualifications, told Sky News that she tried to rescue the child.

"Children in swimming pools should be looked after by their own parents. It is not necessary to have lifeguards necessarily because they are there to prevent accidents.

'Parents needs to be aware children can't swim, they are not strong swimmers and they need to wear flotation aids, especially little children."

Ms Greenwood said lifeguards had not been on duty because it was not the policy of private pools.

"Obviously I am devastated for this poor little girl, it's very sad.

"At the time, you are quite shocked because all your training is now coming into action.

"It's something you think you'll never, ever do, but I am satisfied I helped out in this case."

A guest called Darren, who did not want to give his surname, also told Sky News he had seen the girl and her family having dinner at the hotel - and witnessed the paramedics arrive.

"I saw them come out of the ambulance with what looked like a defibrillator," he said.

"My daughter saw the little girl being carried out by somebody."

He said the pool had been shut and "lots of police" had been at the hotel.

He described how he later saw the girl's mother being led away by officers.

Detective Inspector Nick Connaughton, of Blackpool CID, said: "This is a tragic situation where a young girl has lost her fight for life.

"We are now treating this sad death as suspicious and are investigating just how the child came into difficulties in the pool."

The Dalmeny Hotel, which overlooks St Annes beach, is described as a family-friendly resort with a heated indoor pool, a spa and three restaurants.

The hotel refused to comment.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Festival Called Off After Fork Lift Truck Death

A music festival has been cancelled after a man died in an accident involving a fork lift truck at the site.

The 33-year-old was setting up the Surround Festival near Stroud, Gloucestershire, on Thursday morning.

Emergency services were called to the Sallywood Farm site in Horsley at around 12pm.

Surround Festival, featuring a range of world class electronic and live acts, was due to start on Saturday.

In a statement, the organisers confirmed one of the team members had died while working.

"The incident involved someone highly experienced in their role, operating equipment they were fully trained to use," they said.

"It was an exceptionally unfortunate accident. Our thoughts are with their friends and family at this difficult time, and we are working closely with local authorities.

"We understand that this is deeply disappointing to everybody expecting to come, as it is for us. We fully intend to make refunds to all ticket holders and are working very hard to get our refund procedure in place.

"We hope you understand if there is a delay in responding to communications, it has been a difficult time and we are doing everything we can. Full details regarding the refund procedure will be announced as soon as possible."

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Police said the incident was not being treated as suspicious.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ukraine's Forces Attack Russian Armoured Convoy

Kiev's forces say they attacked a Russian armoured convoy that crossed into Ukraine "and part of it no longer exists".

Military officials in Kiev said they tracked the vehicles, including armoured personnel carriers, from the border and then attacked with artillery.

Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko discussed the incursion with British Prime Minister David Cameron and said a "considerable part of this equipment was destroyed overnight by Ukrainian artillery".

Mr Cameron expressed "grave concerns" at the situation.

Sky's Foreign Affairs Editor Sam Kiley said the attack "is a very serious development" in the four-month conflict, and "could be the beginnings of something much more dangerous".

World stock markets have fallen on the news, with the rouble weakening against the dollar and euro.

Moscow's Defence Ministry denied Ukrainian forces had destroyed a Russian military column, saying no such military force had crossed into eastern Ukraine.

A Russian convoy of trucks carrying humanitarian aid for Ukraine

It dismissed Kiev's claims as "some kind of fantasy".

The European Union said it would consider any unilateral military actions by Russia as "a blatant violation of international law".

Around 23 Russian military vehicles crossed the border near the town of Donetsk on Thursday night, according to journalists from The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph.

This was later confirmed by Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who said it was a "clear demonstration of continued Russian involvement in the destabilisation of eastern Ukraine".

Ukrainian soldiers at a checkpoint outside Donetsk

Earlier, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said he was "very alarmed" at the Russian military incursion and summoned the Russian ambassador to clarify the situation.

Meanwhile, the Red Cross said it is still trying to verify that an aid convoy from Russia to Ukraine is carrying nothing more than humanitarian aid.

Ukrainian border guards are checking the cargo on Russian territory near the Ukrainian settlement of Izvaryne, held by separatists.

A dozen Russian armoured trucks are waiting with the aid lorries.

Russian armoured vehicles outside Kamensk-Shakhtinsky in Rostov

Ukraine is concerned the convoy of about 260 vehicles would be used as a 'Trojan horse', allowing Russia to establish a permanent presence in the east.

In an effort to ease tensions, Russian officials allowed journalists to see the contents of trucks.

Among the supplies reporters saw were bottles of water, sacks of buckwheat and portable generators.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police Admission Over Cliff Richard Home Search

South Yorkshire Police have admitted working with the media before searching Sir Cliff Richard's home in Berkshire.

They said when they were contacted by BBC journalists with information about an investigation, they decided to "work with them in order to protect the integrity" of that probe.

They added: "Since the search took place a number of people have contacted the police to provide information and we must acknowledge that the media played a part in that, for which we are grateful".

Sir Cliff, 73, has said he did not know officers were planning to search his penthouse apartment on the Charters Estate in Sunningdale and only learnt about it through media reports.

Unmarked police cars leaving the Charters Estate

A search warrant was granted after a historical claim of sex assault was made involving a boy who was under the age of 16 at the time.

The accusation, which Sir Cliff has dismissed as "completely false", relates to an event held by American evangelist preacher Billy Graham in Sheffield in 1985.

A total of eight officers from South Yorkshire and Thames Valley police forces spent about five hours at Sir Cliff's home on Thursday, leaving with a number of items at around 3.30pm.

No one was arrested and  police stressed the investigation was in its "really early stages".

Sir Cliff performing at the O2 Arena in London

In a statement issued on Thursday, Sir Cliff, who is in Portugal, said: "For many months I have been aware of allegations against me of historic impropriety which have been circulating online. The allegations are completely false.

"Up until now I have chosen not to dignify the false allegations with a response, as it would just give them more oxygen.

"However, the police attended my apartment in Berkshire today without notice, except, it would appear, to the press.

"I am not presently in the UK but it goes without saying that I will co-operate fully should the police wish to speak to me."

Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said the inquiry is not part of Operation Yewtree, Scotland Yard's investigation into historical sex crimes launched after the Jimmy Savile scandal.

Conservative MP Nigel Evans said "questions have got to be answered" over Sir Cliff's claims the press had been notified about the search.

Mr Evans, who was cleared of a string of alleged sex offences at a trial earlier this year, told Good Morning Britain: "It appears the press knew what was happening before he did.

"A press helicopter was up before the police even arrived - he is quite right to be angry about that. Questions have got to be answered."

Born Harry Webb in Lucknow, India, in 1940, Sir Cliff has become one of the most enduring pop stars of his era, with hits including Devil Woman, Living Doll and The Young Ones. He was knighted in 1995.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Teen Held After Mum's Body Found In Suitcase

The half-naked body of an American tourist has been discovered in a suitcase on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali - prompting the arrest of her daughter and daughter's boyfriend.

The body of Sheila von Wiese Mack was found stuffed into the blood-smeared suitcase in the boot of a taxi in front of the five-star St Regis hotel in Nusa Dua.

The 62-year-old was found with several wounds to her head and a doctor who examined her said it appeared as if she had put up a struggle.

The boyfriend of Ms Mack's daughter, Tommy Schaefer, is led away by police

Police said the suitcase had been wrapped in a bed sheet and sealed up with tape.

Local police chief Djoko Hari Utomo told reporters that Ms Mack had been staying in the hotel with her daughter, Heather, 19, and her daughter's boyfriend, Tommy Schaefer, 21.

Both have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Police investigations have found that Ms Mack was recorded on CCTV arguing with Mr Schaefer in the lobby of the hotel.

The argument was filmed on Monday night, the day Mr Schaefer joined his girlfriend and her mother, who had arrived together several days before.

Police examine the suitcase

Mr Utomo said that the next day the couple booked a taxi and loaded all the bags into the boot, asking the taxi driver to wait while they checked out.

When they hadn't returned after a two-hour wait, he alerted hotel security staff who found spots of blood on the suitcase and suggested the taxi driver head to a police station.

It was at the station that he suitcase was opened and the body discovered.

They were later arrested on Wednesday morning at a hotel in Bali's Kuta area, about 10km (six miles) away

Mr Utomo told AFP: "This is murder, and we will decide from our investigation whether it is premeditated or spontaneous."

Ms Mack's daughter Heather, 19, is escorted from the premises

The victim's body has been taken to the main hospital in Denpasar, the capital of Bali.

A doctor said she had several wounds to the head which appeared to have been caused by "blunt tools".

A spokesman for the US embassy in Jakarta said they were "aware of the death of an American citizen that took place in Bali and we understand that two individuals have been arrested in connection with the case". 

The St Regis Hotel is one of the most exclusive in Bali with rooms starting at $470 (£250) a night. According to its website it offers a 24-hour butler service.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Robin Williams Death: Spotlight On Depression

Robin Williams may have had a sparkling public persona but behind the jokes and impressions was a man who was struggling to cope with a serious disease.

The actor's representative confirmed the 63-year-old had been in rehab in recent weeks to try to "fine-tune" his sobriety.

But it was depression, which often goes hand-in-hand with substance abuse, that appears to have led him to take his own life.

Williams' death has prompted a broad conversation about the disease and prevalence of mental illness.

The Dead Poets Society star was often candid about his struggles with sobriety and depression and while outwardly appearing to have it all, he admitted he felt "alone and afraid" while working and would turn to the bottle for solace.

Williams was known for his manic personality

The fact he was so open about his demons may have led the public to think he had them under control.

But Dr Josh Klapow, clinical psychologist at the University of Alabama, told Sky News addiction takes its toll on the body.

"As the individual's life becomes increasingly focused on the substance of choice, the remainder of their life (friends, family, job, recreation) goes away," he said.

"Social isolation, poor physical health, emotional highs and lows from addiction are also triggers for depression."

Williams' death shocked the world and it is not known if his closest friends and family were aware of a deterioration in his mental health.

The star's daughter, Zelda, said: "While I'll never, ever understand how he could be loved so deeply and not find it in his heart to stay, there's minor comfort in knowing our grief and loss, in some small way, is shared with millions."

Williams had been attending weekly AA meetings

But she hit out at those who have criticised his suicide: "As for those who are sending negativity, know that some small, giggling part of him is sending a flock of pigeons to your house to poop on your car."

The 25-year-old also deleted her Twitter and Instagram accounts after allegedly receiving offensive messages from users. She said she was taking time out to "heal".

Dr Klapow said it is important people do not see suicide as a selfish act: "You have to think about the person with depression from their perspective and not yours. They want to die to alleviate their pain and the pain they believe they are causing others."

In January, researchers from the University of Oxford found that comedians show high levels of psychotic personality traits.

Professor Gordon Claridge, of the University of Oxford's Department of Experimental Psychology, said: "The creative elements needed to produce humour are strikingly similar to those characterising the cognitive style of people with psychosis - both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder."

Williams tweeted this photo of him and his daughter Zelda before his death

Comedians Kenneth Williams, Lenny Bruce and Stephen Fry are just a few of the other names who have spoken about their personal demons.

Dr Klapow said there are some reasons why high-profile figures might be susceptible to depression but it is important to remember that it can affect anyone.

"While there are lifestyle factors that can put them at risk, such as uncertainty about the future, pressure and stress from constant scrutiny, highs and lows from an unstable job environment etc, for every star we see who struggles with depression, we need to think about them as representing a larger segment of the population who is also struggling, " he said.

Secret Cinema has announced it will screen Dead Poets Society at the Troxy in east London on Friday night. All proceeds will go to the mental health charity Mind.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 08457 90 90 90 or email jo@samaritans.org

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Burglary Victim Suffers 'Life-Changing' Injuries

A picture showing the horrific injuries inflicted on a burglary victim has been released by police trying to catch a suspect who remains on the run.

The 55-year-old victim suffered what doctors have described as "life-changing" facial injuries, as well as bruises all over his body, after answering his door to three men on Monday.

While one of the gang attacked him, the other two threatened a 50-year-old woman at the house in Wimbledon, southwest London, and attempted to tape her down to a chair.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police arrested two men at the scene shortly after 10pm but a third suspect - a man in his 20s - ran off towards the town centre.

CCTV showed him running across a road, narrowly avoiding a passing car.

Detective Inspector Dan O'Sullivan, of the Met's burglary squad, said: "The level of violence used was extreme and has left a victim seriously injured and traumatised.

"I must stress this appears to be an isolated incident and such cases are thankfully rare.

"However, this serious attack is now subject of a meticulous inquiry whilst we work to support individuals affected by the events and the local community.

"Officers are currently conducting high visibility patrols and speaking to residents to answer their concerns."

The two men arrested at the scene remain in custody.

As well as witnesses to the attack, police would like to speak to people who saw a silver Volkswagen two-door cabriolet which is believed to have been used by the suspects.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Met on 020 8649 3159. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Derailed Train Carriages Plunge Into Ravine

A train carrying 200 passengers has been derailed by a landslide, causing several carriages to plunge into a ravine.

One of the carriages hanging off a steep ravine. Pic: Blick.ch

Pictures from the scene show at least one carriage in a ravine and another hanging precariously from the tracks winding through mountains in the east of Switzerland.

Rescue helicopters could also be seen hovering over the eight-carriage regional train in the heavily forested region of Graubuenden.

Scores of passengers on the carriages that managed to remain upright were evacuated to safety and could be seen at the side of the tracks, walking to the nearby town of Tiefencastel.

A number of injured passengers were airlifted to hospital, while several others were treated for shock by paramedics.

Some passengers were rescued by helicopter. Pic: Blick.ch

"Part of the train was derailed by a landslide," a spokesman for Rhaetische Bahn said, adding that he was unable to give further details immediately.

The train was travelling from the mountain resort of St Moritz to Chur when it was caught in the landslide between Tiefencastel and Solis, southeast of Zurich, at around 11.45am UK time.

Three carriages came off the tracks and plunged down the slope of the mountainous region following hours of rainfall earlier in the area.

Terrified passengers described moving to the rear of a carriage to stop it crashing over the edge.

Passengers were evacuated and walked to the nearest town. Pic: Blick.ch

One told news website 20 Minuten: "We all rushed to the back of the carriage to put all of our weight there, so that it didn't tip into the abyss."

Another eyewitness, who was travelling with his wife and granddaughter to Basel, told Swiss website Blick.ch they were sitting behind one of the carriages that plunged into the ravine.

"There was an announcement that we should move into the rear car," he said.

Afterwards, all of those on board the train were told to get off it.

"We had to walk about a kilometre ... through a tunnel. The luggage is still on the train," he added.

Reports suggested there were no fatalities, but police said several passengers were injured.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ukraine: Red Cross Urged To Reject Russia Convoy

By Sam Kiley, Foreign Affairs Editor

Western diplomats have made "strong representations" to the International Committee of the Red Cross to avoid getting involved in Russia's 2,000-ton humanitarian aid convoy heading for Ukraine.

According to Sky sources, the UK, US, France and others have told the ICRC that they fear the convoy will be a "Trojan Horse"  and serve as a pretext for deepening Russian involvement in eastern Ukraine.

The death toll from fighting this year has now climbed above 2,000 - with 1,000 added during the past four weeks.

Another 285,000 people have been displaced.

Russia has sent a 280-truck convoy carrying sleeping bags, grain, generators and other essential items for survival for the tens of thousands of people cut off from safe supplies by heavy fighting, especially around Lugansk and Donetsk, the two largest cities in the region.

But "humanitarian aid and intervention" served as a covering excuse for Russia's invasion of Georgia in 2008 and earlier incursions which carved South Ossetia and Abkhazia away from Georgia.

As a consequence, Ukraine said that the convoy would not be allowed to cross from Russia in Russian vehicles.

These are believed to have come from the Russian Tamaz Rifle Brigade and have been re-painted white.

If the convoy turns left, it may be heading for rebel-controlled areas

Russian troops have been accused by Nato and the Ukrainians of having fired artillery and other heavy weapons from Russian territory onto Ukrainian troops in support of pro-Russian separatist rebels.

Moscow is also known to have significant numbers of its foreign spy agency - the GRU - on the ground marshalling volunteers from Ukraine, Chechnya and even Serbia, who came into Ukraine via Russia.

"There is a strong feeling that, if the aid comes in under any organisation's flag, even the ICRC, it may get attacked by gunmen or held up and that this sort of an incident could be used by Russia to send troops into the country under the guise of humanitarian intervention," said a senior European diplomat.

A Ukrainian soldier stands guard at a border crossing

The ICRC has said there is a dire need for humanitarian assistance to tens of thousands of people.

"There are significant and immediate needs for medicine, food and clean drinking water," an ICRC official told Sky News.

"On top of that, power, fuel and, of course, human safety is in extremely short supply."

The convoy officially set off for the border crossing at Shebekino, north of Kharkiv.

It stopped on Wednesday at Voronezh, a junction town where the convoy could head on its declared track - or turn left and head due south.

If it takes that route, the West and Kiev will sound loud alarm bells and suggest that the convoy is heading for rebel-controlled border crossings into Russia and accuse Moscow of a barely disguised invasion.

The ICRC is under pressure from Moscow, and from the desperate humanitarian reality, to take control of the contents of the convoy at least at the Ukrainian border.

It has asked for more details from the Russians, who have not yet supplied them.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian prime minister reacted with undisguised rage at the Moscow convoy.

"The level of Russian cynicism knows no bounds," said Arseny Yatseniuk at a government meeting.

"First  they send tanks, Grad missiles and bandits who fire on Ukrainians and then they send water and salt."

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Journalist Killed In Gaza Missile Blast

An Italian journalist was among five people killed when an unexploded missile detonated in northern Gaza.

The blast, in Beit Lahiya, happened as bomb squad officers attempted to dismantle the device on Wednesday.

Simone Camilli, 35, was killed along with a colleague and another three Palestinians.

At least six people were also wounded in the explosion - three of them critically.

Gaza's police force said the head of the bomb squad, his deputy and another officer were killed.

The deaths came as Egyptian negotiators aim to secure a further ceasefire from both sides to extend a three-day truce which is due to expire at 10pm.

No breaches of the ceasefire have been reported, but Israel said its navy had fired warning shots at a boat near Rafah as it approached the Gaza border.

More than 1,950 Palestinian people have been killed in five weeks of fighting in Gaza.

Sixty four Israeli soldiers and three civilians in Israel have also died.

Hamas has said it will not halt rocket attacks on Israel until the blockade it imposed on Gaza in 2006 is lifted.

But Israel has said it will allow the reconstruction of Gaza only if Hamas fully disarms.

Both sides have said they will resume hostilities if the talks fail.

The latest conflict is the third between Israel and Palestinian militants since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

PM: UK To Help In Major Iraq Rescue Mission

David Cameron has said "detailed plans" are being made for an international mission to rescue the 20,000 to 30,000 Yazidis stranded in the mountains of northern Iraq.

The Prime Minister said Britain would "play a role" in rescuing ethnic minority Kurds trapped on Mount Sinjar by Islamic State (IS) fighters.

Speaking after a Cobra meeting following a family holiday in Portugal, Mr Cameron stressed it would be a "humanitarian operation".

RAF Tornado jets will carry out surveillance mission in Iraq

He said there was no need to recall Parliament to discuss it.

However, a growing number of MPs have told Sky News it is time for the UK to go further and join US airstrikes to stop the IS advance.

The UK has stepped up its aid drops and is sending a "small number" of RAF Chinook helicopters to the region.

It has already sent RAF Tornado jets equipped with sophisticated surveillance equipment to gather intelligence.

The Prime Minister has been on a 10-day holiday in Portugal

Mr Cameron would not confirm whether the Chinooks would airlift people off the mountains - but he added that Britain would continue transporting weapons for the Kurdish forces, who have been outgunned by the jihadists.

Sky's Political Correspondent Sophy Ridge said of the 23 MPs she had spoken to, 18 would support military intervention and many urged Mr Cameron to recall Parliament.

Conservative MP Nick de Bois said: "Whether you support airstrikes or not, and they should be on the table for urgent consideration, Parliament has both the moral obligation and a duty to our constituents to examine and advise the Government on whether we should take that step.

"Every day matters in this humanitarian crisis and that's why we should be recalled."

British commanders with experience in Iraq have also urged the Prime Minister to consider military action, with Colonel Tim Collins warning the ancient civilisations in Iraq could be "extinguished".

The Yazidi community has fled into the Sinjar mountains

Col Collins claimed the Government had "left for lunch" on the issue, and accused politicians of refusing to accept the "moral responsibility" to act.

A YouGov poll carried out for The Times suggests support for the British bombing of militants in Iraq is now at 40%. Some 36% of those asked were opposed to the UK taking action.

After talks with Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in London on Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott indicated his country's combat forces could return to Iraq but stressed it would be to "prevent genocide" on a "fundamentally humanitarian mission".

US service members prepare humanitarian aid for the Yazidis in Iraq

Germany has pledged to deliver "non lethal" military aid, including armoured vehicles, helmets and night vision goggles, to the Iraqi army. France was expected to deliver arms to Kurdish forces later on Wednesday.

Former Conservative Defence Secretary Liam Fox also said it was time RAF jets were sent in to join US airstrikes.

The US has sent another 130 military advisers to northern Iraq to assess the scope of the humanitarian mission.

Secretary of State John Kerry said the US would consider requests for further military assistance once Iraq's new prime minister-designate forms a government to unite the country.

Haider al Abadi is supported by the US, Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia - but Shi'ite party colleague Nuri al Maliki has refused to quit until there is a federal court ruling.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Parents Giving Thirsty Children Blood To Drink'

PM: UK To Help In Major Iraq Rescue Mission

Updated: 6:14pm UK, Wednesday 13 August 2014

David Cameron has said "detailed plans" are being made for an international mission to rescue the 20,000 to 30,000 Yazidis stranded in the mountains of northern Iraq.

The Prime Minister said Britain would "play a role" in rescuing ethnic minority Kurds trapped on Mount Sinjar by Islamic State (IS) fighters.

Speaking after a Cobra meeting following a family holiday in Portugal, Mr Cameron stressed it would be a "humanitarian operation".

He said there was no need to recall Parliament to discuss it.

However, a growing number of MPs have told Sky News it is time for the UK to go further and join US airstrikes to stop the IS advance.

The UK has stepped up its aid drops and is sending a "small number" of RAF Chinook helicopters to the region.

It has already sent RAF Tornado jets equipped with sophisticated surveillance equipment to gather intelligence.

Mr Cameron would not confirm whether the Chinooks would airlift people off the mountains - but he added that Britain would continue transporting weapons for the Kurdish forces, who have been outgunned by the jihadists.

Sky's Political Correspondent Sophy Ridge said of the 23 MPs she had spoken to, 18 would support military intervention and many urged Mr Cameron to recall Parliament.

Conservative MP Nick de Bois said: "Whether you support airstrikes or not, and they should be on the table for urgent consideration, Parliament has both the moral obligation and a duty to our constituents to examine and advise the Government on whether we should take that step.

"Every day matters in this humanitarian crisis and that's why we should be recalled."

British commanders with experience in Iraq have also urged the Prime Minister to consider military action, with Colonel Tim Collins warning the ancient civilisations in Iraq could be "extinguished".

Col Collins claimed the Government had "left for lunch" on the issue, and accused politicians of refusing to accept the "moral responsibility" to act.

A YouGov poll carried out for The Times suggests support for the British bombing of militants in Iraq is now at 40%. Some 36% of those asked were opposed to the UK taking action.

After talks with Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in London on Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott indicated his country's combat forces could return to Iraq but stressed it would be to "prevent genocide" on a "fundamentally humanitarian mission".

Germany has pledged to deliver "non lethal" military aid, including armoured vehicles, helmets and night vision goggles, to the Iraqi army. France was expected to deliver arms to Kurdish forces later on Wednesday.

Former Conservative Defence Secretary Liam Fox also said it was time RAF jets were sent in to join US airstrikes.

The US has sent another 130 military advisers to northern Iraq to assess the scope of the humanitarian mission.

Secretary of State John Kerry said the US would consider requests for further military assistance once Iraq's new prime minister-designate forms a government to unite the country.

Haider al Abadi is supported by the US, Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia - but Shi'ite party colleague Nuri al Maliki has refused to quit until there is a federal court ruling.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Student Cleared Of Knickers Plot For Jihadists

A 27-year-old woman who tried to smuggle cash in her knickers on a flight to Turkey has been cleared of funding jihadists in Syria.

Nawal Msaad tried to take €20,000 (£15,830) in rolled-up notes on a flight from Heathrow to Istanbul in January, the Old Bailey heard.

She did it for her friend Amal El-Wahabi, 27, whose husband Aine Davis, 30, asked for the money, after leaving Britain to join jihadists in Syria last year.

The plot failed when she was stopped at the departure gate and produced the cash, which had been hidden in a condom, from her underwear.

Ms Msaad, from Holloway, north London, and El-Wahabi, from northwest London, both denied making money available with "reasonable cause to suspect that it would or may be used for the purposes of terrorism".

The jury cleared Ms Msaad but convicted mother-of-two El-Wahabi after deliberating for five days.

El-Wahabi will be sentenced on September 12

El-Wahabi is the first Briton to be convicted under terror laws of funding jihadi fighters in Syria.

She wept in the dock as the jury returned its guilty verdict, saying: "I can't breathe, no, I cant breathe."

The pair are London-born of Moroccan descent and had been close friends for years, the court heard.

Ms Msaad, who had been studying human resources at London Metropolitan University, agreed to take the money in return for €1,000 in expenses, jurors were told.

When she was stopped at the departure gate, she said the three-day trip to Istanbul was a "short break" to buy gold for her mother.

Ms Msaad, left, said she never meant to smuggle cash to bankroll terrorism

She was taken into a private room and produced the cash from her underwear.

The smuggling arrangements were made days before in phone calls and WhatsApp messages between El-Wahabi and her husband and Ms Msaad.

The same day Ms Msaad was arrested, police seized mobile phones and computer equipment from El-Wahabi's home.

Davis, who used the Muslim name Hamza, kept in regular contact with El-Wahabi after leaving London to pursue a jihadist cause.

After six months, El-Wahabi, who was living on benefits, was coming round to the idea of joining him wherever he was, the court heard.

The jury was shown a "selfie" Davis sent her, as well as videos containing jihadist propaganda.

El-Wahabi denied knowledge of any terrorist activities or their funding.

When Ms Msaad went into the witness box, she accused El-Wahabi of "stitching" her up by not telling her where the money came from.

She insisted she had never meant to smuggle cash abroad to bankroll terrorism.

Davis, who was born in London with roots in Gambia, met El-Wahabi at a local mosque and became increasingly interested in Islam six or seven years ago, the court heard.

His current whereabouts are unknown. El-Wahabi will be sentenced on September 12.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ebola Outbreak: 56 People Dead In Two Days

There have been 56 more deaths in a 48-hour period in West Africa's ebola outbreak, bringing the total number of fatalities to 1,069.

The vast majority of deaths have been in the countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

There have also been three deaths in Nigeria, following the worst-ever outbreak which began in March.

In the two days to August 11, there were 128 new cases, meaning a total of 1,975, according to the World Health Organisation.

Ebola is one of the most deadly diseases and has a fatality rate of up to 90%.

Many of the dead are health workers, who are often working with inadequate supplies and protection.

Miguel Pajares was flown to Spain from Liberia

Among the victims is the first European - a Spanish priest who died on Tuesday in a Madrid hospital after being infected while treating ebola patients in Liberia.

Several hundred mourners have attended a funeral service for missionary Miguel Pajares in the capital.

The 75-year-old man was cremated shortly after he died and his ashes were taken in an urn in a black hearse to the chapel of San Rafael hospital.

He had been treated with an experimental US serum, ZMapp.

The drug is also being used on two Americans infected with the disease.

Liberia's presidency said the US has approved a request for sample doses of the drug to be sent to Liberia.

However, a spokesperson for the US Health and Human Services (HHS) Department said US authorities had simply helped connect the Liberian government with the drug's manufacturer.

Guinea is considering asking for access to the vaccine, according to communications minister Al Houssein Makanera Kake.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More