Spain Mulls Turning Back The Time Zone Clock

Spain is considering changing its time zone to reverse a World War Two decision that put the country in sync with Nazi Germany.

Until the 1940s, Spain was in the same zone as Britain and Portugal, which are on roughly the same longitude.

But when Nazi-occupied France switched to German time, Spain's Franco dictatorship followed suit.

Now there are calls for the decision to be reversed - on the grounds that it would help boost Spaniards' quality of life.

Switching to British time might bring Spain some family-friendly British customs, parliament's Equality Commission suggested.

Its study said: "The fact that for more than 71 years Spain has not been in its proper time zone means ... we sleep almost an hour less than the World Health Organisation recommends.

"All this has a negative effect on productivity, absenteeism, stress, accidents and school drop-out rates."

The time change was "a foundation stone" of a series of recommendations aimed at making work and school hours more flexible  and work and family life more compatible, said commission president Carmen Quintanilla.

She said: "We drag out the morning and extend our lunchtime. We lose time and have to work more hours in the afternoon. Eating later, we have to start work later, which means we get off work later."

Moving clocks back by one hour could have a profound effect on the eating, sleeping and working habits of Spaniards, whose culture is famed for long lunches, siestas and late shifts at work.

For example, if it gets dark earlier companies would likely readjust work schedules that see Spaniards working well into the evening, the commission said.

That might move Spain closer to the 9-to-5 working tradition more commonly seen in Britain - and hence encourage earlier meals and more family time.

Although working hours in Spain vary greatly, the typical working day is divided in two, with lunches sometimes lasting up to two hours. Many workers take this opportunity to dine at home - something health experts believe is beneficial - and this in turn allows them to enjoy the famous Spanish tradition of the siesta.

But as a result, many workers do not get off until after 7pm and shops stay open up to 10pm, when bars begin to fill for what are often lengthy nights of socialising.

"Our time schedules have serious effects on the daily life of Spaniards," said Nuria Chinchilla, a business school executive who helped write the study.

"We live in permanent jet lag."

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tesco Sorry Over 'Gay Best Friend' Doll

Tesco has withdrawn an inflatable figure labelled "gay best friend" and apologised for selling it.

It comes a day after the retailer was forced to remove a Halloween costume called "Psycho Ward" from its shelves after it sparked widespread criticism.

On its website Tesco said "The Inflatable g*y Best Friend" was suitable for children aged three to four and was an "amusing gift".

Tesco is no longer selling the doll. Pic: Tesco.com

"If SEX in the City and Will & Grace taught us anything, it's that g*y best friends are in this season," the description of the product said.

"We've had the manbag, we've had leg warmers and iPhone fever, now it's time for the new craze.

"Although not much can be said for his own attire, your Inflatable g*y Best Friend is ready to give you fashion advice, tell you if your bum looks big and b**ch about everyone who doesn't wear Jimmy Choo's."

A Tesco spokesperson said: "This product was uploaded to the website by a third party seller but was removed from sale immediately because we found it offensive.

"The webpage should have been removed at that time and we are looking into why it is still visible two months later.

"We have very clear guidelines for third party sellers who list items on our website, and are very sorry that on this occasion they weren't followed."

The product remains on sale on the Amazon website.

Gay rights charity Stonewall chief Ben Summerskill said selling the item was "like trying to sell ice to Eskimos".

He said: "We can't imagine why any woman would choose to buy an inflatable gay best friend when there are two million of the real thing already available in modern Britain and most of them are much better looking than Tesco's pale imitation."

Asda and Tesco apologised for the Halloween costumes

Tesco and rival supermarket chain Asda both faced a backlash on Thursday over the sale of Halloween costumes which appeared to make light of mental health issues.

Tesco said it was "really sorry for any offence caused" by its "Psycho Ward" offering, which included a bright orange boiler suit.

Asda also apologised after it advertised a fancy dress outfit featuring someone covered in blood and brandishing a machete as a "mental patient fancy dress costume".

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

US 'Drug Lord' Extradited From Thailand

A suspected American drug lord has been extradited to the US after his arrest along with two Britons in Thailand.

Joseph Manuel Hunter, 48, was handed to agents from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at Bangkok International Airport.

He was sent back on a chartered plane.

US officials have described Hunter as a "leading drug lord" with a network spanning Asia and America.

He was picked up this week on the resort island of Phuket during a sting operation launched at the request of the DEA.

The suspect is escorted up a plane in Bangkok airport

Also arrested were his suspected accomplices - the Britons, a Slovak, a Filipino and a Taiwanese.

The six men were flown in from Phuket to Bangkok on Thursday.

The arrests capped a months-long investigation by Thai police after DEA officials contacted them to say that Hunter was believed to be hiding in Phuket, where he had rented a house.

Hunter was believed to travel regularly around the region and last entered Thailand from the Philippines on September 6, officials said.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

UN Probes More Syria 'Chemical Attack Sites'

The UN has said it is investigating seven potential chemical attacks in Syria, including three after the deadly strike on August 21.

Its inspectors plan to file a report by late October that will give more details of the assault in the capital, Damascus, which caused international outrage and nearly precipitated US air strikes.

The announcement comes as a car bomb killed at least 20 people and wounded dozens more in Rankus, north of the capital.

Activists said the blast occurred in front of a mosque soon after Friday prayers.

Seven sites are being investigated by the UN

The UN has already concluded the nerve agent sarin was used in last month's attack in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta, which killed hundreds of people.

It was previously thought the UN probe would only look into three locations in Syria.

However, in addition to the August 21 attack on Damascus, the UN says it is also probing incidents in:

:: Bahhariyeh, east of Damascus, on August 22 

:: Jobar, also east of the capital, on August 24

:: Ashrafiat Sahnaya, southwest of Damascus, on August 25

:: Sheikh Maqsoud, in the Aleppo district, in April

:: Saraqeb,  in the northern province of Idlib, in April

:: Khan al Assal, in northern Syria, in March.

The inspectors expect to finish their work on the ground on Monday.

The UN said: "In the course of performing their task, the experts have received several documents and samples and have conducted many interviews."

A separate team from the Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is due to begin its work inspecting the country's chemical weapons on October 1.

Hundreds of people were said to have been killed in the August 21 assault

The OPCW is overseeing the implementation of a US-Russian deal under which Syria has agreed to hand over its chemical arsenal.

Both the Syrian regime and the rebels seeking to overthrow it have regularly accused each other of using chemical weapons.

But the August 21 attack prompted renewed international concern and condemnation.

In the wake of the attack, the United States threatened military action against the Syrian regime, which it accuses of responsibility for the incident.

President Bashar al Assad's government denies involvement and blames the rebels for the assault.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mumbai Building Collapse: Toddler Found Alive

A toddler has been found alive in the rubble of a collapsed multi-storey building in the Indian city of Mumbai.

Onlookers cheered as the girl - found 11 hours after the building crumbled to the ground - was pulled out through a small tunnel.

Rescuers continued to search for survivors, having already pulled out 27 others who were immediately rushed to hospital by waiting ambulances.

Rescue workers pull out a survivor from underneath the rubble

The residential building in India's financial capital, which is said to be home to up to 22 families, collapsed shortly after dawn, killing at least eight people and leaving dozens more trapped.

Several diggers were immediately called into action to lift some of the larger slabs of concrete, allowing teams of rescuers to begin the task of searching for survivors, some of whom could be heard calling for help.

"Approximately 80 to 90 people are believed to be left behind in the building and trapped," said Alok Awasthi, local commander of the National Disaster Response Force.

Relatives gathered around the flattened site waiting for news about their loved ones.

Housewife Shanta Makwana, whose daughter and grandchildren were trapped inside the building, said: "My heart is thumping with fear. I'm just hoping."

Mithi Solakani, 62, said: "My son is inside. I'm waiting for them to get him out."

Firefighters at the scene look through a gap in the collapsed structure

Neha Jagdale, a receptionist, rushed to the scene after hearing the news on TV.

"My uncle and aunt have been staying here for years," she said. "The police are not telling us anything. We are just waiting."

The building is owned by the city's civic administrative body, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai.

It said the building was for employees and their families who had been asked to leave earlier this year, but did not say why.

Spokesman Vijay Khabale-Patil said: "The building was around 30 years old. We had issued a notice to them in April to vacate the building, but they did not act."

Five other apartment blocks have collapsed in or around Mumbai in recent months, including one illegally constructed building in April that killed 72 people.

A few weeks later a section of a hospital collapsed, injuring at least eight people.

In June, 10 people, including five children, died when a three-storey building crumbled.

Building collapses have become relatively common across India.

Massive demand for housing around India's fast-growing cities combined with corruption often result in builders using substandard materials or adding extra floors without permission.

00.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Dyson Allen Jailed For Sibling Fire Deaths

By Nick Martin, Sky News Correspondent

A 'pyromaniac' teenager has been jailed for life for the manslaughter of four siblings who died in a house fire.

Dyson Allen, 19, must serve a minimum of nine years and three months for starting the fire in Freckleton, Lancashire, last year which killed four-year-olds Holly and Ella Smith and their two-year-old brother Jordan.

He set fire to a clothing rack in the room where the children were sleeping and waited in another room until the blaze took hold before raising the alarm.

Within minutes the fire had developed so much that aluminium lights had melted and the electrics failed.

The charred remains of the bedroom where the children died

The three young children were heard screaming for their mother but were unable to escape, the court heard.

All three died from the effects of smoke inhalation

Their elder brother Reece, 19, also died after he was overcome by fumes as he tried to rescue them.

Allen was among a number of the teenager's friends who were regular visitors to the house in Lytham Road.

On the night of the fire there had been a party to celebrate the birthday of the children's mother, Michelle Smith.

The court heard Allen had spent the day drinking vodka and smoking cannabis.

Reece Smith (L) died trying to save his brothers and sisters

Ms Smith, 37, said she said remembered the lights going off and then Allen jumped down the stairs and shouted "fire" before he ran through the kitchen and out of the back door.

He was convicted in July of manslaughter having been cleared of their murders.

Judge Mr Justice Males said Allen had a history of "playing with fire" and had lied during the trial "to save his own skin".

Jailing him, the judge said Allen posed a "serious risk to the public" but added the teenager had no motive to harm the children or anyone in the Smith family.

Mr Justice Males said: "So why did you do it? In one sense, what prompted you to do this terrible thing - not only starting a fire in a room where defenceless young children were asleep but waiting for several minutes before raising the alarm - is a mystery.

"But in another sense, why you did it seems clear enough.

"It was because you were out of your head due to the lethal combination of alcohol and cannabis which you had taken that day and because of your fascination with fire, particularly when you are affected by drink or drugs.

"But although you were intoxicated, you were not so intoxicated that you did not know what you were doing."

Allen sat slumped in the dock, sobbing and holding his head in his hands. At times he shook his head and rocked forward. 

When the sentence was passed he had to be held up by two security guards as he was led out of the dock.

00.47 | 0 komentar | Read More

Woolwich Suspects Deny Lee Rigby Murder

Two men have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby earlier this year.

Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale appeared at the Old Bailey via videolink before their trial.

Drummer Rigby, a father of one, was stabbed as he returned to the Woolwich barracks in southeast London on May 22.

The soldier's widow Rebecca Rigby watched as Adebolajo, 28, and Adebowale, 22, each denied attempting to murder a police officer on the day of Drummer Rigby's death.

They also denied conspiracy to murder on or before that day.

Adebolajo, from Romford in Essex, has asked to be known as Mujaahid Abu Hamza in court, while Adebowale, from Greenwich, southeast London, has asked to be called Ismail Ibn Abdullah.

They were remanded in custody to face trial at the Old Bailey on November 19.

00.47 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mummified Boy: Social Workers Raised Concerns

By Gerard Tubb, North Of England Correspondent

Social services and doctors had raised concerns about a boy whose mummified body was found almost two years after he died, the jury at the trial of his mother has heard.

Bradford Crown Court was told that the police, social services, health visitors, a school and Hamzah Khan's GP practice were discussing concerns about him both before and after he died.

Paediatrician Dr Kathryn Ward told the jury Hamzah and his mother Amanda Hutton were the subject of multi-agency meetings in 2009 and 2010 because of child protection concerns.

Hutton is accused of the manslaughter of her four-and-a-half-year-old son in December 2009.

She pleaded guilty to child neglect in July, the jury heard.

Hamzah's body was discovered in the cot in his mother's bedroom in September 2011.

He was so small he was wearing clothes designed for a six to nine-month-old baby.

Dr Ward said records showed Hamzah had never visited his GP, who, despite professional concerns about his welfare, struck him and his mother off the practice list in October 2009.

"Apparently, and I quote from the records: 'Because there had been too many failed appointments'," she said.

Hamzah died two months later, having last been seen by a health visitor in July 2005.

Dr Ward said research shows that non engagement with health professionals is a "serious risk" indicator "where child protection concerns emerge".

Dr Ward said GPs striking children off lists causes concern. "It causes children to sink even further below the radar," she explained.

Social workers first became concerned about Hamzah's safety in November 2006 and the school he should have attended was alerted to his absence by health visitors in 2009 and 2010.

So called Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences, or Maracs, were held to discuss child safety because of Hutton's lack of engagement with professionals, her alcoholism and the domestic violence she suffered.

Dr Ward said: "From two weeks of age, we know nothing about this child

"His personal development, behaviour, his personality or general health.

"It's a blank page.

"The picture of non-engagement and failure to respond to professionals from a variety of areas is a matter of great concern."

Hutton denies manslaughter, telling police after her arrest that Hamzah had died from natural causes.

But Dr Ward told the jury: "I have no doubt that malnutrition was a significant factor and indeed the root cause of the child's death."

The jury was told Tariq Khan, Hamzah's 24-year-old brother, has pleaded guilty to preventing the burial of a corpse.

00.47 | 0 komentar | Read More

Kenya Mall Massacre: New Footage Of Survivors

By Alex Crawford, Sky News Special Correspondent, in Nairobi

Sky News has obtained footage which shows the lengths some of the survivors of the Nairobi mall massacre went to in order to live.

The pictures were filmed by one of the former military personnel who helped in the rescue.

It shows how some staff in the Nakumatt supermarket climbed into the meat fridge in the butcher section and hid inside for hours to evade the shooting.

When the attackers entered the supermarket spraying bullets everywhere, the shoppers and more than 200 staff inside scattered.

They dived behind counters, hid down aisles and tried to barricade themselves into store cupboards.

One group cowered behind the meat counter. There were about eight of them.

Fred Bosire played dead for up to five hours

But the footage shows a pile of mangled bodies with huge, thick pools of blood around them.

One young woman lying on her side is virtually covered in blood and there is a gaping wound in her head where a bullet has exited.

Another, this time a man, appeared to have died with his hands in front of him attempting to shield his face.

The bullets were so violent, they have broken apart his elbow and upper arm.

They appear to have all been gunned down as they tried to hide from the terrorists.

Two of the gunman were caught on camera during the massacre

One of the security consultants there, who asked to remain anonymous because of the sensitivity of his work, told Sky News he found no bullet cartridges behind the counter where the dead lay.

But he found several in front of the counter, indicating the attackers had probably leaned over the meat display and sprayed the frightened group at virtual point-blank range.

The pictures are far too gruesome to show in any detail and are extremely hard to view but while the camera is focused on one man's legs, they appear to move.

"We were convinced everyone was dead but we were going around checking if any of the bodies were warm when these legs started twitching," said 'Max' (not his real name).

The collapsed multi-storey car park at the mall

On the footage you can see two feet suddenly move, very slightly.

The man turns out to be one of the meat counter staff, Fred Bosire, who was lying on his stomach with a wound in the back of his leg, pretending he was dead so the attackers would leave him.

We met him days later in the MP Shah hospital in Nairobi.

He was sitting up in bed, smiling broadly although occasionally clutching his leg.

He told us he was too traumatised to talk about his ordeal.

Kenyan forces were aided by security guards and some civilians

He spent up to five hours lying next to shoppers and fellow workers who did not survive - and witnessed the incredible cold-hearted brutality which killed them.

'Max' told us he joined up with other off-duty security guards, former military-trained personnel and civilians who simply felt they had to help rescue those trapped inside the mall by the shooting.

Most did not know each other. Some had a vague association due to being in the same line of work but they quickly became a unit, working together for the next 12 hours alongside the Kenyan Defence Force and special forces.

Together they managed to rescue and help to safety more than 60 people.

There are so many incredible tales of bravery, of selfless courage, of indomitable spirit and the bonding of complete strangers who worked together, side by side, to save people they did not know and may never meet again.

00.47 | 0 komentar | Read More

Prince George To Be Christened On October 23

Prince George - who is third in line to the throne - will be christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury on October 23, Kensington Palace has announced.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's son will be baptised during the ceremony at the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace - just over three months since his birth.

Kensington Palace said "close members of both families" will attend, but the names of other guests will be released at a later date.

The christening will take place at the Chapel Royal

The Chapel Royal was "the couple's choice", according to Sky News sources.

Other possible venues had been at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, or Kensington Palace, where the couple now live.

Princess Beatrice was the last Royal baby to be christened at St James's Palace, in December 1988.

The Royal baby photographed in Bucklebury

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are expected to attend the christening along with the Prince of Wales, who has become a grandfather for the first time, and the Duchess of Cornwall.

Kate's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, and siblings, Pippa and James, are likely to be invited along with the godparents who have not been publicly named.

The christening, by the Most Rev Justin Welby, will be a private event with photographs released afterwards of William, Kate and their son.

The coat of arms combines the royal couple's individual ones

The first official photographs of Prince George were released last month.

They were taken by the Duchess's father, Michael Middleton, in the garden of his home in Bucklebury, Berkshire, and showed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George, and their black cocker spaniel Lupo.

Earlier, it was announced the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have a new coat of arms to represent them as a married couple.

The Conjugal Coat of Arms has been approved by the Queen and combines William's coat of arms and Kate's shield from the Middleton family coat of arms.

00.47 | 0 komentar | Read More

April Jones Donations To Go To African Child

Donations made at the funeral of April Jones will be used to sponsor a girl the same age as her in Africa, church officials have said.

The quiet and closely-knit Welsh market town of Machynlleth will join April's devastated family in paying their last respects to the murdered five-year-old on Thursday at midday. 

It is now almost 12 months since the youngster was snatched and killed by 47-year-old paedophile Mark Bridger - who is serving a whole life tariff for the crime.

The Rev Kathleen Rogers, who is officiating the ceremony, said donations made at the service will be be used to sponsor a child in Uganda, via the charity World Vision.

Rev Rogers said: "A five-year-old girl in a village in Uganda will be sponsored by the parish until she finishes her education," she said.

April's parents, Paul and Coral Jones made the sponsorship decision

"Other donations will be an extra gift for the girl, her family and her village to use as they need. The parish will receive regular updates and photographs about the girl as she grows up.

"In an attempt to see some good out of this tragedy, we have decided to sponsor a little girl from a village in Uganda in memory of April.

"April's parents have kindly asked that donations from her funeral be donated to this sponsorship and we are very grateful to them."

Hundreds of mourners are expected and will wear pink, April's favourite colour, or a bright item of clothing. Balloons will be released at the end of the service.

Mark Bridger is serving a whole life tariff for April's murder

Ms Rogers said she hoped it would help April's family and the local community heal.

"A funeral plays a significant part in the grieving process and the funeral of little April will be even more important for her family as the probability of such a service was very remote until the inquest two weeks ago," she added.

"Our prayer is that it will be a starting point for them as they travel the long and painful journey of healing. It will also, I think, give the community permission to bring some sort of normality back to our town."

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Leicester House Fire Deaths: Seven More Arrests

Police have arrested seven people in connection with a house fire which killed four members of the same family in Leicester.

The men - aged 16, 18, 20, 21, 24 and two 19-year-olds - were held after police executed warrants at several properties on Wednesday.

They remain in custody as police enquiries continue.

Shehnila Taufiq, in her 40s, her 19-year-old daughter Zainab and sons Bilal, 17, and Jamal, 15, died as fire ripped through their home in the Wood Hill area of the city on September 13.

Their father, Muhammad Taufiq al Sattar, was working in Ireland at the time of the fire and spoke of his grief, saying he would "deeply miss" his "beautiful" wife, daughter and two teenage sons.

An 18-year-old man has been charged with four counts of murder and is due to appear at Leicester Crown Court later this year.

Detective Superintendent Kate Meynell, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: "We appreciate that a number of residents may have been concerned with the police presence this morning, and we would like to thank the local community for their understanding and patience as officers carried out these warrants.

"This morning's activity was part of the ongoing investigation into the four deaths in Wood Hill earlier this month.

"We would also like to encourage anyone with information regarding the fire who has not already spoken to the police to contact us."

:: Anyone with any information should contact Leicestershire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Spitting Pair Are First Ever To Be Prosecuted

People spitting in the street can now be prosecuted for littering after a council won a landmark legal case.

Waltham Forest Council in London has become the first to successfully prosecute people for spitting in public.

Khasheem Kiah Thomas, 18, and Zilvinus Vitkas were fined and ordered to pay £300 each in total, including costs.

The council has been campaigning against spitting and issuing fixed penalty notices and £80 fines as part of its "Don't Mess with Waltham Forest" campaign.

Launched in July, it targets "enviro-crime" including spitting, litter, urination, dog mess, cigarette butts and takeaway litter.

The prosecutions against Thomas and Vitkas were the first to put it to the test but magistrates endorsed the council's approach.

Thomas, from Hackney, east London, was handed a fixed penalty notice in Leyton, east London, on February 20.

Vitkas, from Ilford in Essex, was caught seven days later in Walthamstow, north-east London.

Both men failed to appear at Thames Magistrates' Court on Friday and were found guilty in their absence.

Councillor Clyde Loakes, deputy leader and cabinet member for environment, said he was "absolutely thrilled" at the courts' support.

"Spitting in public is a foul habit and simply not acceptable on the streets of Waltham Forest in this day and age," he said.

We made a decision to use the powers we have at our disposal to crack down on this most unsavoury behaviour."

"We've been issuing £80 fines to people since February, but this is the first time a case has reached the courts.

"The magistrates didn't hesitate to concur with us that spitting could be classified as litter."

The Council has the power to act against spitting under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Section 87 states that it is an offence to "throw down, drops or otherwise deposits" litter and then leave it.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles and Local Government minister Brandon Lewis have both expressed their support for action against spitting.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hamzah Khan: 'He Died In My Arms', Mum Says

By Gerard Tubb, North of England Correspondent

The mother of four-year-old Hamzah Khan, whose mummified body was found in her bedroom almost two years after he died, told police he died in her arms, a court has heard.

Amanda Hutton, 43, is on trial accused of Hamzah's manslaughter after his remains were discovered in her Bradford home in 2011.

In her police interviews read out to the jury, she said Hamzah had been a difficult child who shouted and screamed and would only eat bananas and milk.

Hutton said her son lost a large amount of weight in December 2009 and lay in a travel cot "really silent and still and peaceful".

She claimed Hamzah told her in "the kind of gabble" that he spoke: "Oh, I love you mum, are you alright mum?"

Hutton told officers she went to a Morrisons supermarket chemist for something to build up his strength when her eldest son Tariq rang her, saying: "Mum, you need to come back, Hamzah's eyes are rolling into the back of his head."

She said she picked him up when she returned home, adding that when he died in her arms, she did not know what to do next.

The moment Hamzah's body was discovered was described to the jury by the police officer who found it.

DC Richard Dove, of the child protection unit at West Yorkshire Police, was searching Hutton's bedroom after the alarm was raised about her lifestyle and the filthy house she was living in.

DC Dove said as he stood in the bedroom looking at a travel cot, he could sense there was something wrong.

"There was clothing and shoes and bedding piled up in the cot so I started taking them off," he explained.

In the dock, Hutton buried her head in her hands as DC Dove was asked: "What did you find?"

DC Dove replied: "The body of a small child, Asian in origin."

Hutton denies manslaughter and the trial continues.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Lord Sugar's Fight For Apprentice Claim Costs

Lord Alan Sugar has launched a counter claim against a former Apprentice winner who brought a constructive dismissal case against him.

Stella English claimed she was forced to resign from the £100,000 a year job that was her prize for winning the series in 2010 because "it was not a role of substance".

But her case was dismissed by the tribunal panel and now Lord Sugar has initiated proceedings to try to recoup some of his legal fees.

Ms English told a hearing that she only has around £200 in her bank account.

She said that despite owning three properties she has been forced to apply for housing benefit and is also considering applying for jobseeker's allowance.

Ms English, who has been unemployed since July, said that she brought the case in "good faith" thinking it was legally sound.

In her witness statement she added: "This entire episode has not only affected my family financially and emotionally, it has also had a devastating impact on my further career prospects.

"I simply want to get on with my life and put this episode behind me.

"I am now an everyday parent trying to support two young children and feel unfairly penalised for standing up for myself against such a powerful opponent."

The initial hearing was told that Ms English was given a role with Lord Sugar's IT division Viglen after winning the popular show but she resigned in May 2011, claiming her role there was that of an "overpaid lackey".

Ms English, from Whitstable, Kent, said she then felt pressured into taking up a new position at Lord Sugar's internet set-top box company YouView.

Lord Sugar told the tribunal that he was simply trying to help her out because she complained that she was "desperate for money".

Ms English claimed that during an unscheduled meeting with the tycoon he told her that he would not be renewing her contract so she resigned.

Following the conclusion of the case, Lord Sugar told the hearing that he would take on claim culture as a "personal crusade".

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

US Teen Found Guilty Over School Shooting Plot

An Oklahoma teenager has been convicted of threatening to kill students and teachers at his US school.

Sammie Eaglebear Chavez, who authorities say tried to recruit classmates for a mass shooting and bomb attack at Bartlesville High School, was found guilty of planning to cause bodily harm.

The jury at Washington County district court recommended a 30-month prison term and a $5,000 (£3,112) fine.

The 19-year-old was found not guilty of conspiring to perform an act of violence.

He was arrested in December, hours before gunman Adam Lanza opened fire at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, killing 20 children and six adults before taking his own life.

Chavez, who pleaded not guilty, claimed in his own defence that he was joking when he told classmates about how a shooting and bomb attack could be carried out at his school.

"It was a joke in the sense that it wasn't meant seriously," Chavez told jurors, the Tulsa World newspaper reported.

Police and prosecutors said Chavez intended to lure students into the school's auditorium, chain the doors shut and shoot them.

Bartlesville High School in Oklahoma

He also planned to place bombs by the auditorium doors and detonate them as police officers approached, according to court documents.

Bartlesville police officer Jacob Moran testified that after arresting Chavez he found notes in the teenager's pockets saying that "those who deserve to die will be killed" and that those who survive "will be forced to witness it", according to the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise.

Chavez said he had no intention to shoot or bomb the school but admitted he was "angry at the world" and that writing the notes was a way for him "to release feelings of anger".

Prosecutors said Chavez tried to obtain a map of the school campus and had used a school computer to get information about a platform to support a .22-calibre rifle.

A student informed school officials about the plot who called police. No one was injured.

Chavez's mother had said her son sent her a text message two days before his arrest saying he wanted to "shoot up" the high school because he thought some students were talking about him behind his back. But she also said she did not think her son would have carried out the attack.

"Deep down, I don't think my son would have done this," Jessie Chavez said shortly after her son was arrested. "That's not my son. My son laughs and makes jokes. He's always pulling pranks."

She also said her son showed symptoms of possible mental illness and had been seeing a therapist, but the court ordered him to stand trial following a mental competency exam.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Miliband Urges Cameron To Commit To TV Debate

Ed Miliband has given television debates in the run-up to the next general election his full backing and challenged David Cameron to sign up.

The Labour leader told Sky News there was no reason why the format should not be the same as in 2010 when the debates played a crucial part in the campaign.

The next election is less than two years away but there is still no confirmation that the clashes between party leaders will be repeated.

Mr Miliband piled pressure on Mr Cameron by unequivocally supporting the approach as he was interviewed by Adam Boulton at the end of Labour's party conference.

Riding high after his keynote speech on Wednesday, he declared: "You have my commitment that I will do the same as we did last time. I think we need those TV debates.

David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Gordon Brown in 2010

"We have got big debates to have about energy and other issues. I say bring on those TV debates in the general election campaign. I am looking forward to them. I hope the Prime Minister will be there.

"We had a format last time - it was good for our democracy ... I don't see why our starting point should not be the same as last time - let's have those debates."

The three debates in 2010 between Mr Cameron, Nick Clegg and Gordon Brown were staged by Sky, the BBC and ITV and helped raise Mr Clegg's profile significantly.

They were credited with turning the election race on its head and Mr Cameron faced criticism for allowing the Lib Dem leader to be involved.

The last series of debates boosted Nick Clegg's profile among voters

Ultimately, the surge in Lib Dem support waned and did not translate into votes but Mr Clegg still ended up as kingmaker because there was a hung parliament.

The Lib Dem leader told Sky last week that he believed the debates were an "important addition" and should be repeated.

"I'm ready to have TV debates whenever they are organised. I think they were a good innovation last time," he said.

Also in his interview on Sky, Mr Miliband dismissed claims about his energy price freeze causing blackouts as "scare stories".

"The real thing that shapes investment decisions in energy is the long-term framework," the former Energy Secretary insisted.

And he denied that his conference speech, which included a string of left-wing policies, was designed to appeal to Labour's core vote.

"This is a strategy to reach out to people right across this country who are suffering from the cost-of-living crisis," he said.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Syria: Rebel Groups Split Away From Coalition

Several Syrian rebel groups including a powerful al Qaeda-linked faction have broken away from the Western-backed opposition coalition - as UN inspectors return to continue their probe into chemical weapons attacks.

In a joint statement, 13 rebel groups led by the Nusra Front criticised the Turkey-based Syrian National Coalition, saying it no longer represents their interests.

The statement reflects the lack of unity in the exiled political opposition and the rebel groups fighting President Bashar al Assad's regime.

The rebel groups' statement called on all those trying to topple Assad's government to unite under a "clear Islamic framework" - an apparent reference to the al Qaeda faction's aspirations to create an Islamic state in Syria.

It said the rebels do "not recognise" any future government formed outside Syria, insisting that forces fighting on the ground should be represented by "those who suffered and took part in the sacrifices."

But the rebels themselves are also deeply divided, with many groups blaming jihadis and al Qaeda militants in their ranks for the West's reluctance to intervene militarily in Syria or give them the advanced weapons they need.

There is also growing concern that the dominant role the extremists are playing is discrediting the rebellion.

Meanwhile, a team of UN chemical weapons inspectors arrived in Damascus on Wednesday to continue investigating what officials have described as "pending credible allegations" of the use of chemical weapons in Syria's civil war.

UN weapons inspectors arrive in Damascus

The visit of the six-member team, led by Swedish expert Ake Sellstrom, follows a report by the inspectors published after their previous trip in September, which said nerve agent sarin was used in an August 21 attack near the capital, Damascus.

The US and its allies say Mr Assad's regime was behind the attack, which Washington said killed 1,400 people.

Damascus blames the rebels for the attack. Russia, a close ally of Mr Assad, said the UN report did not provide enough evidence to blame the Syrian government.

The United States and Russia brokered an agreement for Syria to give up its chemical weapons but UN diplomats say they are at odds on details of a Security Council resolution spelling out how it should be done and the possible consequences if Syria fails to comply.

Meanwhile, three boats carrying more than 700 asylum-seekers - some of whom were Syrian refugees - landed in Italy on Wednesday, the Coastguard said.

The new arrivals reflected a sharp increase in boats landing with people fleeing conflict-torn parts of the Mediterranean region and the Horn of Africa.

Two of the boats arrived on the island of Lampedusa, Italy's southernmost point and a major gateway for undocumented migration into the European Union.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Osborne Takes Legal Action Over EU Bonus Cap

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

George Osborne is to take legal action against Brussels over the European Union's proposed move to cap the bonuses of thousands of British-based bankers.

Sky News has learnt that Treasury officials have been considering the move for several months.

A decision to formally challenge Brussels in the courts over measures to restrict bank bonuses echoes a similar legal action launched by the Treasury in April over the EU's proposed financial transactions tax (FTT).

The details of the Treasury's complaint are unclear, although banking industry sources said they had been told that a legal challenge had been lodged by the Government with the European Court of Justice.

The move is politically risky for the Chancellor, who is likely to be portrayed by Opposition politicans as a defender of high pay for wealthy bankers at a time when Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, is positioning himself as a defender of ordinary consumers.

Mr Osborne is expected to say that the proposed cap – which would impose a ceiling on bonuses of twice the base salary of a bank employee – risks undermining the City's status as a global financial centre and the objective of creating stronger and safer banks.

He may find himself insulated from the most trenchant political attacks by virtue of the fact that his position is endorsed by independent regulators.

The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), an arm of the Bank of England, is also opposed to the cap, arguing that it risks increasing instability in the banking system by driving up fixed costs.

About two-thirds of those affected by the cap are said to work in the UK

British-based lenders have argued against the cap, saying that they will have little choice but to inflate basic pay if they are to compete with rivals unaffected by the new restrictions.

Andrew Bailey, the PRA's chief executive, echoed their opposition at a Treasury Select Committee hearing earlier this year.

He said that the cap would "reduce the discipline in the system but it won't reduce overall remuneration" and warned that it "will institute an unhelpful culture of banks spending their time finding ways to get around the rules".

Without a legal challenge, UK regulators have little scope to overturn or ignore the cap despite the fact that regulators and many Westminster-based politicians agree that it will be potentially counter-productive.

"There will certainly be an expression of the sentiment that the cap is likely to result in an increase in fixed costs which could expose banks to some risk when profitability is low or negative, as there would be less scope to adjust pay," said a source familiar with the PRA's thinking.

Douglas Flint, the widely-respected chairman of HSBC, has paved the way for Europe's biggest lender to increase salaries in time for the introduction of the new ceiling.

The source said the text of the consultation paper had not yet been finalised, but denied that the PRA would allow a wider array of payments, such as pension contributions, to count towards executives' base salaries when calculating the multiple allowed for bonuses.

Some senior bankers say the regulator has appeared to be receptive towards that idea during recent discussions.

The British Bankers' Association has predicted that 35,000 bank employees around the world will be affected by the cap, approximately two-thirds of whom are based in the UK.

A Treasury spokesman declined to comment.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Kenya: UK And US Helping Probe Of Mall

Experts from countries including the UK, the US and Israel are helping Kenyan authorities as the forensic investigation into the Nairobi mall massacre begins.

The death toll, currently at 67, is expected to rise as bodies are retrieved from beneath the rubble of three collapsed floors.

Specialists from Canada and Germany are also helping gather evidence and reconstruct what happened when al Shabaab militants stormed the shopping centre on Saturday.

Explosives experts and sniffer dogs are also searching for booby traps in the wreckage.

A funeral is held for victims Selima Merali and her daughter Nuriana Merali

Six Britons - including an eight-year-old girl - are among the dead, and Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has warned there may be further British victims.

Rumours that a remaining gunman could still be hiding out in the Westgate shopping centre appear to have faded.

Kenyan Interior Minister Joseph Ole Lenku said that a "forensic audit" - including fingerprinting, DNA testing and ballistic examination - was expected to last at least seven days.

Kenyan troops stormed the shopping complex

Work to establish the identities of the terrorists is still under way - including whether one of them was a British woman.

Al Shabaab has denied a female was involved.

The group also claimed on Wednesday that security forces had carried out "a demolition" of the building during the raid, burying 137 hostages in rubble.

A government spokesman denied the claim and said the group was well known for making "wild allegations".

It has been speculated that the attack group was made up of several different nationalities.

However, US Attorney General Eric Holder has said there is so far no verification that any Americans were involved.

People queue to donate blood to help victims of the attack

Five attackers were killed during the siege and interrogations of 10 suspects arrested on Sunday are continuing.

Sky News' Stuart Ramsay, in Nairobi, said at least five of those being held are understood to have been part of the initial attack group which sprayed bullets and escaped the mall.

The rest are said to be part of the "support team".

He described how some of those in custody allegedly fled the scene by pretending to be members of the public and mixing in with people being evacuated.

Ramsay said: "Multiple witnesses have said they saw gunmen put down weapons, change clothes and leave with … people being guided out.

"We know of one gentlemen who went to the police and said 'that man was involved in the shooting' - but he was ushered on."

As more details become clear, Ramsay also described how the attackers positioned a sniper to repel soldiers as they attempted to enter the mall during the first day of the siege.

The massacre began when the terrorists marched into the four-storey mall at midday on Saturday, shooting dead shoppers with machine guns and tossing grenades.

Al Shabaab has claimed it carried out the attack in retaliation for Kenya's military intervention in Somalia.

Kenya has begun three days of mourning for the victims of the attack.

00.27 | 0 komentar | Read More