UK Soldier 'Posed With Dead Taliban Fighter'

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

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

The pictures were apparently taken in the wake of an attack by 15 insurgents on Camp Bastion, the main British base in Afghanistan, in September 2012.

The insurgents breached the perimeter of the base, triggering a battle involving a British RAF regiment and US marines.

Two of the marines and 14 Taliban fighters were killed in the firefight, and UK troops were also injured.

The two photographs appear to show at least one member of the RAF giving a thumbs-up sign as he kneels next to the body of a dead insurgent.

The photos were taken after an attack on Camp Bastion in 2012

It is unclear if it is the same serviceman in both of the photographs.

Sky News has learned that the individual or individuals belong to 51 Squadron.

An RAF source said he was making "no excuses" for the behaviour but said it was important to consider the context.

"This was a long, extensive firefight against a well-drilled, well-armed enemy who was trying to kill them," the source said.

He spoke of the "heat of conflict", the "relief of victory" and the "unusual adrenaline fuelled situation" in which "foolish" things happened.

Camp Bastion is the main British base in Afghanistan

The investigation will focus on whether the airman broke the rules by "mistreating" the enemy.

They may also be reprimanded for simply having and using photographic equipment.

Another photograph shows a burned-out plane in a hangar - six US Harriet jets were destroyed in the attack.

The images first appeared on the website Live Leak.

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

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

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

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Kidnapped Schoolgirls 'In At Least Four Groups'

Intelligence sources have told Sky News they believe they know where some of the schoolgirls kidnapped in Nigeria are.

The sources believe they have been split into at least four different groups, complicating the search to find the girls almost four weeks after they were taken by militants from Boko Haram.

British and American officials are using advanced eavesdropping equipment to scan the Sambisa forest where the schoolgirls are thought to be, Sky News understands.

The burnt-out school where the girls were taken from last month

Sky's Special Correspondent Alex Crawford, who is in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, said if the intelligence is true it would be "much more difficult to mount simultaneous raids" to rescue them.

"The whole thing is fraught with danger," she added.

It has been claimed Nigerian security forces failed to respond to warnings about Boko Haram's planned abduction of the 276 girls from a boarding school in Chibok in the northern Borno state on April 14.

There are reports some of the girls have already been sold

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

The Nigerian government has rejected the findings as "unfounded".

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

Parents of the kidnapped schoolgirls

But Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said he believes the girls are still in the country.

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

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office says Britain's aim is not only to find the girls but to eradicate Boko Haram.

The girls were taken from a boarding school in the north of Nigeria

Prime Minister David Cameron has told Sky News the abduction is "a ghastly situation, an act of pure evil".

The Islamist militant group's five-year insurgency has left at least 1,500 dead this year alone.

Its name is said to figuratively mean "Western education is forbidden".

Michelle Obama tweeted a photo of herself supporting the girls on Thursday

US first lady Michelle Obama is to speak out against the kidnappings later today when she gives the weekly presidential address instead of her husband, the White House has said.

Earlier this week, she expressed solidarity with the kidnap victims, tweeting a photograph of herself holding a placard bearing the slogan #BringBackOurGirls.

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Police To Wear Body Cameras To Boost Trust

Some 500 police officers in London will begin wearing cameras on their uniforms from today as a part of a trial aimed at increasing trust and speeding up justice for victims.

Firearms officers will also take part after criticism of the Metropolitan Police following the death of Mark Duggan.

The 29-year-old was shot dead by an armed officer in Tottenham in 2011. His death sparked mass riots which spread across the country.

A jury at his inquest in January this year ruled Mr Duggan was lawfully killed by a police marksman despite being unarmed. The verdict outraged his family and supporters who are fighting the ruling.

Armed officers will first only use the cameras in training, with a view to wearing them regularly if the pilot is successful.

Met commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said the move would boost transparency.

Mark Duggan was unarmed when he wsa shot in August 2011

He said: "Body-worn video will not only help us fight crime and support victims but help the Met to be more accountable.

"Our experience of using cameras already shows that people are more likely to plead guilty when they know we have captured the incident. That speeds up justice, puts offenders behind bars more quickly and protects potential victims.

"Video captures events in a way that can't be represented on paper in the same detail and it has been shown the mere presence of this type of video can often defuse potentially violent situations without the need for force to be used.

"I believe it will also show our officers at their best, dealing with difficult and dangerous situations every day but it will also provide clearer evidence when it's been alleged that we got things wrong. That has to be in both our own and the public's interest."

Officers wearing the devices will not have them permanently switched on and will have to follow specific guidelines on when they can be used.

The 10 boroughs in the capital taking part in the trial include Camden, Barnet, Bexley, Bromley, Brent, Croydon, Ealing, Havering, Hillingdon and Lewisham.

Footage will be stored on file for a month unless it it needed as evidence in a case.

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Thousands Of Cars Stolen Using Hi-Tech Gadgets

By Thomas Cheshire, Technology Correspondent

Tens of thousands of cars are being stolen or broken into every year by thieves using electronic hacking equipment, a Sky News investigation has found.

Last year half of all car thefts and vehicle break-ins in London alone were carried out without the use of force, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Instead criminals are believed to have used hi-tech devices originally designed for locksmiths to gain access to vehicles.

Commonly, the thieves use easily obtainable equipment that can intercept the signals from key fobs to get into cars or that plug into a car's on-board computers remotely.

Modern cars contain about 50 low-powered computers which criminals have learnt to take advantage of to steal vehicles in as little as 10 seconds without causing any damage.

Sky News has established that the devices can be bought cheaply online, from websites based mainly in Bulgaria. Video tutorials posted online can teach criminals how to gain access to popular models.

One of the sophisticated car-hacking devices

The problem was first exposed several years ago in certain models. But now police are warning that all modern makes are potentially vulnerable.

And for the first time, the Met has disclosed the growing nature of the threat. About 21,000 cars were stolen in the capital last year, according to the latest figures. A further 68,000 were broken into.

"Recent analysis of crime data suggests that almost half the total number of vehicles stolen in London are taken using this method, which can affect all manufacturers," the force said in a statement to Sky News.

"High-end vehicles are becoming more and more sophisticated. In turn so are criminals.

"Some organised criminals have access to technology that avoids the need to (physically break in). Vehicles are becoming more technologically advanced and the criminals are becoming more savvy towards that technology and they will develop."

The Met said it was working with manufacturers to protect drivers from having their cars stolen or broken into.

Car crime has fallen in recent years as manufacturers create even more secure vehicles.

But in countries closer to Bulgaria, like Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands, the crime rate has started to rise after years of decrease.

Hacking has led to increases in car crime on the continent

"We have every reason to believe that other European countries will be following suit this year and next," Mike Parris, head of the secure car division at SBD security, told Sky News.

"It is getting worse," he added. "The tools are becoming much more readily available. The price of them is falling. And they're operating much more quickly - you can re-program a key in a matter of seconds.

"All vehicle manufacturers are aware of the problem. It's fair to say some are doing more than others.

"Car manufacturers are acutely aware of the need to constantly make their vehicles more secure because they know criminals will adapt and develop."

The Met advises car owners to leave their cars in well-lit areas, to consider using steering, gear shift and pedal locks, as well as tracking devices.

One website found to be selling the devices did not respond to a request to comment from Sky News. Its homepage says: "All devices are sold for official use only!!! If you use them for any illegal purposes, this is your own responsibility!!!"

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Obama: We'll Do Everything To Find Nigeria Girls

Nigerian Kidnaps: What Can Really Be Done?

Updated: 2:46pm UK, Tuesday 06 May 2014

By Sam Kiley, Foreign Affairs Editor

The temptation to "do something" is almost overwhelming. Some 270 school girls abducted, many already raped, dragged into the bush and now threatened with being sold into slavery.

Of course the "do something" instinct comes to the fore.

In fact it's only really become an international cry since the leader of Boko Haram, which means Western education is sinful, delivered a 57-minute diatribe in Hausa, Arabic and English, threatening the girls with slavery this week.

Inside Nigeria, the government has been under growing pressure to "do something".

Dr Sakyimah Akilu, a presidential adviser and spokeswoman on national security, told Sky News that it was true that there was a general impression that the Nigerian government had failed to react to the mass abductions.

"The truth is that we are pursuing every lead we have had. But you have to understand that they have been taken into the Sambisa forest and perhaps into the mountains in Cameroon - there are many places to hide," she said.

This fatalism may explain why the Nigerian administration of Goodluck Jonathan appears to have been flat footed in hunting down the radical Islamist group which is now threatening the girls with a most un-Islamic torment.

William Hague said: "Using girls as the spoils of war and the spoils of terrorism is disgusting and immoral. It should show everybody across the world that they should not give any support for such a vile organisation …

"Britain is offering assistance, but of course the primary responsibility will rest with the Nigerians, and I hope they will do what is necessary to reunite these girls with their families."

The British Foreign Secretary is vague on what that "assistance" could be.

In all likelihood, it would take the form of Special Force advice on how to track the girls. Perhaps some help, too, with surveillance.

But both would be limited. More of a gesture than anything else.

Special Forces from South Africa, Britain, the United States and other Western nations have been on the trail of the similarly horrible Lord's Resistance Army in the Central African Republic for decades.

Their analysis has been that while they could probably kill the leadership of the LRA, a capture operation would be almost impossible.

A similar military analysis would emerge on Boko Haram - finding and saving the missing girls would be almost impossible - slaughtering elements of Boko Haram would not.

But killing won't solve the problem.

The sad truth is that Nigeria's missing children are likely to stay that way.

Efforts to negotiate a peace deal with Boko Haram's leader Abdulbakar Shekau over the last four years - while 4,000 Nigerians died - have come to nought.

Now he has the attention of the whole world, he won't want to give up on the limelight the missing girls have given him.

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Co-op Reform Critics Must Back Overhaul: Myners

Former City minister Lord Myners has warned the Co-operative Group will not survive unless members get behind his recommendations for reforming its governance structure.

His review's findings - which include the abolition of the group's 21-member board to be replaced by a slimmed-down body containing more corporate figures - will be put before the Co-op's AGM in Manchester on May 17.

The damning 184-page report seeks to win over traditionalists "stuck in denial" over the need for change after regional membership boards and independent societies voiced opposition to his interim proposals in March.

Lord Myners argues the Co-op is "not fit for purpose"

Lord Myners later quit as a Co-op director after just four months.

The review followed a tide of pain for the Group, which recently revealed an annual loss of £2.5bn - the bulk of that being put down to the continuing problems at the Co-op Bank now in the clutches of US hedge funds after its rescue from a near collapse.

Lord Myners said: "I have no doubt that the Co-operative Group can over the next five years reverse a decline that started over 50 years ago. But I am less confident that it will choose to do so.

"Much will depend on the small number of 'elected democrats', less than one in 10,000 of the group's entire membership.

"Will they put their self-interest to one side for the greater good, acknowledging the collective failure of the current board and the crippling deficiencies of the entire governance system?

"I would say that the Group board and many on the regional boards are still stuck in denial over this near ruinous failure of governance, whereas the vast majority of ordinary members feel justified anger."

Lord Myners said the resistance from traditionalists reflected a culture of entitlement within a small but highly active proportion of the membership.

He added: "This has undoubtedly created strong vested interests and a reluctance to rethink existing ways of doing things.

"I have myself witnessed repeated instances where there has been denial of responsibility, corrosive suspicion, deliberate delay and a practice of hiding behind 'values' in order to deflect or stifle criticism and protect self-interest."

He slammed the fact that the 15 lay directors on the current board were drawn from a total eligible pool of only 35 regional board members including an engineer, a plasterer and a retired deputy head teacher.

He said that apart from the lack of relevant skills and experience "this has not even been genuine democracy at work".

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Elena Baltacha Dies After Cancer Battle

Former British tennis number one Elena Baltacha has died of liver cancer at the age of 30, her family has announced.

She died peacefully at her home early on Sunday morning, her family said.

Baltacha was diagnosed with the illness in January, just two months after retiring from tennis and only weeks after she married her coach Nino Severino.

"We are heartbroken beyond words at the loss of our beautiful, talented and determined Bally," Severino said in a statement released by her family.

"She was an amazing person and she touched so many people with her inspirational spirit, her warmth and her kindness."

Husband Nino Severino says he is heartbroken

Kiev-born Baltacha retired from professional tennis last November after struggling to overcome a series of injuries.

The daughter of former Ipswich, St Mirren and Inverness footballer Sergei, she reached a career-high world ranking of 49 in 2010, and beat the likes of Li Na and Francesca Schiavone.

Baltacha was British number one from December 2009 to June 2012 - 132 weeks - and she won 11 International Tennis Federation titles.

She played 39 times for Britain in the Fed Cup from 2003 to 2012 and was also part of Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics.

She was diagnosed at the age of 19 with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a chronic liver condition which compromises the immune system.

Her agent and friend Eleanor Preston told Sky News that Baltacha was a "fighter on and off court" and for that reason her "spirit and memory will live on".

The Lawn Tennis Association says she was a 'shining light'

"She was somebody who achieved an awful lot despite having a very serious liver condition which she struggled with since she was 19," she said.

"For that reason she should be held up as a real role model for everybody, for the way she overcame those obstacles and went on to achieve great things, and throughout it all without having the slightest ounce of pity or ego about it."

Among those from the Tennis world to pay tribute was former world number one and multiple Wimbledon champion Billy Jean King who said:  "Saddened to hear about Elena Baltacha's passing.

"My fondest memory with Bally was sharing a wonderful chat when we met the Queen at Wimbledon." 

The current women's British number one Laura Robson paid tribute to her "teammate" on Twitter.

Baltacha's friend Andy Murray is to play in a fundraiser in her memory

She said: "Impossibly sad. Forever a teammate. Sweet dreams Bally."

The Lawn Tennis Association's head of women's tennis, Iain Bates, said in a statement: "Today we have lost a shining light from the heart of British tennis - a true role model, a great competitor and a wonderful friend."

In 2010, Baltacha launched the Elena Baltacha Academy of Tennis, which helps children from all backgrounds to learn and play tennis.

The previously announced Rally For Bally - a fundraiser due to be played in June - will still go ahead, now in her memory.

Her childhood friend Andy Murray had committed to play in the event along with Martina Navratilova and Tim Henman.

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Oscar Pistorius Trial: Athlete's Call For Help

Oscar Pistorius has arrived at court in South Africa, where his murder trial is due to resume after a two-week break.

The athlete's defence will continue setting out what it claims happened on the night his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead.

His lawyer, Barry Roux, is set to call ballistics, audio and psychological experts over the coming days, as the trial enters what is likely to prove a critical phase.

Sky's Special Correspondent Alex Crawford, in Pretoria, said: "The defence has got to counter several prosecution claims - not least that there was a pause between shots which, crucially, would have given Ms Steenkamp time to shout out in anguish before the fatal head shot."

Pistorius, 27, admits shooting his partner but denies a charge of premeditated murder, claiming he mistook her for an intruder.

The court in Pretoria has not sat since it was adjourned for the Easter holidays on April 18.

More follows...

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Leeds Teacher Death: Man Charged Over Message

One man has been charged and another arrested in connection with what police describe as "malicious communications" following the murder of teacher Ann Maguire in Leeds.

Mrs Maguire, 61, was stabbed to death in front of her students at Corpus Christi Catholic College last Monday, where she had taught for more than 40 years.

West Yorkshire Police said Jake Newsome, 21, from the Harehills area in Leeds, has been released on bail after being charged for the alleged abuse.

He is due to appear before Leeds Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

A 42-year-old man, from Port Talbot, South Wales, has also been arrested and remains in custody.

Today, prayers will be said at dozens of churches across West Yorkshire for the family of the dedicated Spanish teacher and mother of two.

Mrs Maguire was stabbed during a lesson at Corpus Christi Catholic College

The Catholic Diocese of Leeds has written to around 90 churches urging them to pray for Mrs Maguire, who was due to retire in September.

A spokesman for the diocese said: "We are asking everybody to remember Ann Maguire in their prayers, and to remember her family who will be under pressure and stress at this time.

"She was amazingly well known in the local community for what she had done for young people.

"Everybody is so hurt by what has happened and taking time to recover.

"This is a time to remember her. We are talking about three generations of people - children, parents and grandparents - whose lives she has touched.

"She made a major difference to a lot of people's lives through the care she gave them and her teaching.

"Part of her philosophy was to make sure that students achieved their best, and this is a chance to remember her."

A book of condolence has also been opened at the cathedral in Leeds for those who want to express their sympathies.

A 15 year-old boy is in custody charged with Mrs Maguire's murder.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared via video-link at Leeds Crown Court on Friday. There was no application for bail.

The case was adjourned until July 11 for a plea and case management hearing.

A date for the start of the murder trial was set for November 3.

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David Cameron 'Ready For Farage TV Debate'

David Cameron is reportedly prepared to include UKIP leader Nigel Farage in a TV debate ahead of the 2015 General Election.

Mr Farage and Labour's Ed Miliband have challenged the Prime Minister to agree to take part in a series of debates before voters go to the polls.

The Sunday Times has reported that Mr Cameron is ready to sign up for three debates between party leaders - including one that could include Mr Farage.

A "2-3-5" plan reportedly drawn up by aides would include a debate between the Tory and Labour leaders, another with Mr Miliband and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg and a third featuring the three main party leaders along with Mr Farage and Natalie Bennett from the Green Party.

Nigel Farage and Nick Clegg recently went head-to-head over Europe

The newspaper said the format would allow for one debate during the campaign, while the others would be held beforehand.

A No 10 source said the report was "speculation" about talks that are still months away.

He said: "We have not ruled anything in or out, so that means people can speculate what might happen in the talks.

"But the reality is these talks are several months away."

Last month Mr Miliband said the previous format of three debates between the three main party leaders over three weeks should be a "starting point" but that he was open to changes such as a less formal setting and greater voter participation.

Britain's first leaders' debates, between Mr Cameron, Gordon Brown and Mr Clegg were shown on Sky News, the BBC and ITV in 2010 after negotiations between the parties and the TV companies, which resulted in strict rules on the style of questioning and the division of time for leaders' answers.

David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Gordon Brown during the 2010 Sky News debate

Mr Cameron has since complained that the debates "took all the life out" of the campaign.

Mr Farage has repeatedly challenged the PM to agree to a TV debate with him.

Opinion polls suggested the UKIP leader beat Mr Clegg in two debates shown live on Sky News and the BBC ahead of this month's European elections.

Meanwhile, an opinion poll suggests UKIP is heading for victory in the European vote - but most voters believe the party attracts racists and bigots.

The YouGov poll for the Sun on Sunday put Mr Farage's party on 29%, ahead of Labour on 26%, the Conservatives on 23% and Liberal Democrats on 10%.

But 27% of those surveyed thought UKIP is a party with "racist views" and "many racist members", while 35% thought that, while the party is not racist, it "does seem to attract some candidates or supporters with racist, extreme or odd views".

Some 26% said UKIP is not racist and their "more controversial candidates are just saying the things ordinary people actually think".

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