'Hundreds' Of UK Terror Arrests This Year

Police have foiled several potentially deadly attacks and arrested hundreds of suspected terrorists so far this year, Britain's counter-terrorism chief has claimed.

Mark Rowley - the UK's National Policing Lead for Counter Terrorism - said officers were dealing with "exceptionally high" numbers of investigations and had been contacted by "dozens" of families concerned that loved ones may be planning to join jihadists in Syria or Iraq.

Amid widespread fears over the influence of Islamic State terrorists, he revealed police have been taking down more than 1,000 pieces of extremist material from the internet each week, including videos of beheadings, torture and suicides.

Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Rowley said: "So far this year we have made 218 arrests and are running exceptionally high numbers of counter-terrorism investigations, the likes of which we have not seen for several years.

Britons have been joining IS, currently fighting over Kobani in Syria

"Against an increasing operational tempo we are disrupting several attack plots a year.

"These plots are of varied sophistication, from individuals planning to carry out spontaneous yet deadly attacks to more complex conspiracies, almost all seemingly are either directed by or inspired by terrorism overseas."

Video: 'Thousands Of Terror Suspects'

Asst Comm Rowley said 16 people had been charged with terrorist offences after returning to the UK from Syria.

He added: "The volume, range and pace of counter-terrorism activity has undergone a step-change.

"Public safety is our number one priority and we will always focus our disruption activity against those posing the greatest and most imminent threat.

"Sometimes this means intervening very early - essential to prevent attacks, but presenting enormous challenges in securing sufficient evidence to charge."

Video: Social Media Terrorism

He added that more than 80% of the material removed from the internet was related to Iraq and Syria, where the success of Islamic State has prompted fears the group's influence may be growing abroad.

Asst Comm Rowley said 66 people who have been reported missing to police are feared to have travelled to Syria.

"The growing problem of young, impressionable, and in some cases vulnerable individuals being radicalised online is an increasing risk," he said.

"Extremist groups are using social media in highly sophisticated ways in order to recruit or persuade individuals towards their violent and warped ideologies.

1/25

1. Gallery: The Battle for Kobani Continues

   Smoke rises from the Syrian town of Kobani. American-led forces conducted 21 airstrikes near the border town in the last two days to slow the advance of Islamic State militants, the US military said

2. The US warned the situation on the ground is fluid as militants try to gain territory

3. A US-led coalition aircraft flying over Kobani

4. Smoke rises from a village on the outskirts of Kobani

5. Unidentified armed men run in Kobani

6. Photographers and journalists watch Kobani from a hill

7. Kurdish refugees from Kobani stand in an abandoned village near the Turkish-Syrian border

8. A black flag belonging to the Islamic State is seen in Kobani. The airstrikes appear to have done little to blunt the group's onslaught on the town

9. Unidentified people gather in Kobani

10. A Turkish Kurd watches Kobani near the border crossing in Turkey. Continue through for more images

22. Cundi Minaz, one of four female Kurdish fighters of the People's Protection Unit (YPG) who were killed during clashes with Islamic State fighters in Kobani, is buried in a cemetery in the southeastern town of Suruc

23. People attend the funeral of Cundi Minaz

"Dozens of families have contacted us concerned about loved ones or information when they believe someone is travelling abroad.

"It is only through courageous action like that that we can help and we have been supporting such families in every way we can."

15.00 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pistorius Actions 'Dominated By Vulnerability'

Oscar Pistorius' actions when he shot dead his girlfriend were "dominated by vulnerability and anxiety", his lawyer has said.

Barry Roux said the Paralympian athlete was a "compromised person" when he opened fire on Reeva Steenkamp who was in his bathroom as he mistook her for an intruder and thought he was in danger.

Mr Roux told the court his client "did not consciously act unlawfully", though he admitted the runner had "acted excessively".

Closing statements are being made in his sentencing hearing as the defence and prosecution teams put their final arguments to Judge Thokozile Masipa in Pretoria, South Africa.

Pistorius, 27, could face a fine and a suspended jail sentence or up to 15 years in prison after he was found guilty of culpable homicide, the equivalent of manslaughter in the UK.

The Olympian admitted shooting dead Ms Steenkamp in his home.

On Thursday, Ms Steenkamp's family told the judge that they expect the man who killed her to be sent to jail.

The model's cousin Kim Martin told the court that the alternative sentence of community service while under house arrest did not seem to fit the crime.

She said Pistorius needed "to pay for what he'd done".

She said: "My family is not seeking revenge, but to shoot someone behind a door who's unarmed and harmless needs sufficient punishment."

Ms Martin warned that a lenient sentence would send the wrong message out to society.

More follows...

15.00 | 0 komentar | Read More

Second Ebola Nurse Told She Could Fly By CDC

A nurse with ebola who was able to board a flight in the US despite suffering from a fever did tell officials she was running a temperature, it has emerged.

Amber Vinson was able to travel from Cleveland, Ohio, to Dallas, Texas, on a commercial plane even though she was showing the early symptoms of the killer disease.

She has now had to be transferred to a specialist unit in Atlanta, Georgia, where she will be treated in isolation and monitored.

It was previously not known that she had told authorities she was not feeling well before taking the flight on 13 October.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been forced to track down 132 other passengers who were on the plane at the same time in case they too have been infected.

Video: Why Is The Ebola Virus So Deadly?

Federal officials were forced to admit on Thursday that the CDC cleared the nurse to fly, heaping further pressure on an organisation that has been criticised for the speed of its response to the ebola crisis in America.

CDC spokesman David Daigle said 29-year-old Miss Vinson reported that her temperature was below 100.4 degrees (38C) and had no symptoms. Ebola sufferers are not contagious until they show symptoms.

As a result, the nurse was told she could travel on Frontier Airlines Flight 1143.

Video: Obama Warns Of Global Ebola Spread

The plane's crew said Miss Vinson did not exhibit any symptoms of ebola during the flight on Monday.

Miss Vinson caught ebola after being one of several nurses to treat a man who came down with the virus and died after travelling to the US from Liberia.

She is the second nurse who treated Thomas Eric Duncan to test positive for ebola after he died in Dallas on 8 October.

Video: Dallas Turns To Brit Ebola Expert

The fact that two nurses caught the disease have also raised questions about how ready the US has been to cope with the virus.

More than 4,400 people have died in the West African states of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea in the disease's worst ever outbreak.

The nurse has been transferred to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, where two Americans who contracted ebola while working in West Africa were successfully treated and released.

CDC director Dr Tom Frieden had earlier said that Miss Vinson should not have been allowed to travel by plane, but added that "the level of risk to people around her would be extremely low".

The other infected nurse, 26-year-old Nina Pham, remains in isolation at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas and is said to be in stable condition after receiving a plasma transfusion donated by ebola survivor Dr Kent Brantly.

President Barack Obama has cancelled a scheduled trip to Rhode Island and New York to remain at the White House to monitor the government's response.

Video: Race To Track Ebola Plane Fliers

On Tuesday, Mr Obama reiterated that an ebola epidemic in the US was "highly unlikely", but added that even one case "is too many, and we've got to keep on doing everything we can".

15.00 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pistorius 'Needs To Pay For What He's Done'

Reeva Steenkamp's cousin has told Oscar Pistorius' sentencing hearing that the athlete "needs to pay for what he has done".

Kim Martin, who is giving evidence at the High Court in Pretoria, said "everybody has suffered" since the athlete shot dead his girlfriend on Valentine's Day 2013.

She said: "I feel Mr Pistorius needs to pay for what he's done for taking Reeva's life, for what he's done to my uncle and to my aunt, what he's done to the rest of my family but also what he's done to his family."

Ms Martin, the first prosecution witness at the sentencing hearing, is speaking for the first time to the court about how the death of the model and law graduate affected her family.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said this week that anything but a prison sentence for Pistorius over the killing of Ms Steenkamp, 29, would be "shockingly inappropriate".

The 27-year-old could receive a fine and a suspended jail sentence or up to 15 years in prison after he was found guilty of culpable homicide, the equivalent of manslaughter in the UK.

Video: No Jail Term Would Be 'Too Light'

He was acquitted of murder after he said he had mistaken her for an intruder in his home.

The court heard on Tuesday that Pistorius paid 6,000 rand (£350) per month to the Steenkamps to help them with their rent and living expenses.

He also offered the family 375,000 rand (£21,305) as compensation which Mr Nel said the Steenkamps had rejected as "blood money" - and had decided to hand back the monthly payments.

More follows...

15.00 | 0 komentar | Read More

Public Smoke Ban Could Spread Across Country

London is looking at making its public areas smoking free zones within the next few years.

A influential report commissioned by London mayor Boris Johnson says that lighting up should be banned in parks and other places controlled by local authorities.

The recommendation from the London Health Commission follows similar moves in other cities around the world.

And the report's author, Lord Darzi, says such action by London would be an example that the rest of Britain could follow.

Lord Darzi writes in the report, called Better Health For London: "London should lead the way for Britain, and the Mayor should lead the way for London by acting to make our public spaces smoke free.

Video: Australia's Smoking Ad Ban

"With 67 London schoolchildren starting smoking every day, urgent action is required.

"We have an opportunity to set a better example for London's children by making parks and other places controlled by London's local and regional government smoke free."

The report says that New York, Hong Kong and several parts of Canada and Australia have also banned smoking from public areas.

Video: Smokers In Cars With Kids Face Fine

The UK outlawed smoking inside venues in 2007 and 78% of adults are now reported to support the change.

But while there are now 2.4% fewer admissions to hospitals for heart attacks, many smokers have been unable to give up completely and 18% of people in the capital  - more than one million - still light up regularly.

The report recommends the mayor: bans smoking in Trafalgar and Parliament squares; makes all Royal Parks smoke free, including Hyde Park, Regents Park and Kensington Gardens; asks Transport for London to outlaw smoking at bus stops and encourages local authorities to ban smoking in all other local authority-owned areas such as town centres and smaller green areas.

Video: Report: Smoking Bans Protect Kids

England's chief medical officer Professor Sally Davies backed the ban.

She said: "We all know smoking is bad for health so I welcome any measures to reduce both active smoking and its role modelling in front of children."

Pro-smoking campaigners objected however, saying the move would be an attack on personal liberties.

Video: Smoking Ban 'Right Thing To Do'

Simon Clarke of Forest said in a blog post: "A ban on smoking in parks and squares would be outrageous. There's no health risk to anyone other than the smoker. If you don't like the smell, walk away.

"Tobacco is a legal product. If the Chief Medical Officer doesn't like people smoking in front of children she should lobby the Government to introduce designated smoking rooms in pubs and clubs so adults can smoke inside in comfort."

The report makes a number of other recommendations to improve health including minimum pricing for alcohol, traffic-light labelling on restaurant menus, restrictions on "junk food outlets" near schools, Oyster card discounts for people who walk part of the way to work and measures to reduce air pollution.

Video: Shocking Increase In Child Smokers

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pistorius Sentencing Hearing Gets Under Way

Oscar Pistorius is back in court for the third day of his sentencing hearing after being found guilty of culpable homicide.

The 27-year-old was convicted last month over the shooting dead of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's day 2013.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel picked up from his cross examination of probation officer Annette Vergeer, a defence witness, who on Tuesday told the hearing that Pistorius would be "broken as a person" if he was jailed.

Ms Vergeer, who was paid by the defence to produce her report, said Pistorius would be vulnerable to violence and placed in highly stressful situations because of his disability.

"The death of the deceased and the period since have been a far bigger punishment than incarceration," she said.

Mr Nel said people in wheelchairs in prison were more vulnerable than those with prosthetics, and accused Ms Vergeer, who insisted she had almost three decades of experience, of being "irresponsible" for coming to court and not being as knowledgeable as he said she should be.

Sky's Alex Crawford, at the hearing at the High Court in Pretoria, said: "The prosecutor appears to be trying to portray Ms Vergeer as a slapdash ignoramus with unreliable and biased conclusions."

The court also heard yesterday that Pistorius offered Ms Steenkamp's family 375,000 rand (£21,305) as compensation after already making a number of monthly payments to them.

Mr Nel said the Steenkamps rejected the lump sum - which they called "blood money" - and had decided to hand back the other payments.

More follows...

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Midwives Among 400,000 Striking Health Workers

By Joe Tidy, Sky News Reporter

Hundreds of thousands of health workers have gone on strike in protest at the Government's decision not to give them a 1% pay rise.

For the first time in history, midwives are joining picket lines outside hospitals and ambulance stations across the country.

But ambulance service providers say they may be forced to prioritise their care and are bringing in extra staff from the military to fill in the gaps.

Several trade unions will be involved in the action, including those representing nurses, paramedics, hospital porters and ambulance crews as well as the Royal College of Midwives (RCM).

The strikes could see around 400,000 refuse to work in England for four hours from 7am, with action planned later in Northern Ireland.

Video: Hospitals To End Parking Charges

Contingency plans have been worked out, and union members will deal with emergencies.

The Royal College of Midwives will take part in the action for the first time in the organisation's 133-year history.

Cathy Warwick, the college's chief executive, said: "Midwives are caring people who often work long hours of unpaid overtime just to keep our understaffed, under-resourced maternity services running in the midst of a decade-long baby boom.

"They deserve this modest 1% pay rise."

Unions are protesting at the Government's decision not to accept the independent pay review body's recommendation to award a 1% pay rise to all staff. 

Video: Hospitals Relying On Holiday Locums

Instead, ministers took the decision to award a 1% pay rise for those on top of their pay band but not to those on "progression pay increase", who automatically get a fixed average pay increase of 3%.

The unions say the number of NHS England health workers who will not benefit from the additional 1% is around 600,000.

In Wales, thousands of NHS workers will vote on whether or not to strike after a similar offer was made. In Scotland, all staff were granted the recommended 1% pay rise. No decision has been made in Northern Ireland.

The average annual private sector pay increase is currently around 2.5%, while last year it was recommended that MPs should see their pay increase by 11% by 2015.

Rob Webster, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: "We are working through some of the toughest times in the history of the NHS.

Video: Hundreds Sent Home At Night

"A pay award for all staff on top of increments would have cost £450m more - the equivalent of 14,000 newly qualified nurses.

"Hard-pressed staff would have been put under greater pressure or may have had to be reduced."

NHS bosses say non-emergency appointments will be postponed during the strike and emergencies won't get ignored.

15.00 | 0 komentar | Read More

Oscar Pistorius In Court For Sentencing

Oscar Pistorius has arrived in court for sentencing - and could make a personal plea to the judge in an effort to avoid jail.

Pistorius was cleared of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, but was found guilty by Judge Thokozile Masipa of culpable homicide - the equivalent of manslaughter in the UK.

The sentencing process is likely to take a week, and may involve Pistorius addressing the court again to argue mitigating factors.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel, who is looking for a lengthy jail term for Pistorius, having failed to secure a murder conviction, said he would call two witnesses.

Video: Pistorius: The Full Story

Pistorius' lawyer Barry Roux said he would call three witnesses, plus one from the correctional services department.

The first of these, psychologist Dr Lore Hartzenberg, told the court in Pretoria how he was referred to her for grief therapy.

She said he was traumatised by Ms Steenkamp's shooting, and the sessions sometimes had to be abandoned "due to retching".

The double-amputee athlete shot Ms Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year, but the judge concluded the athlete had not intended to kill the model.

Video: Pistorius Bailed Following Verdict

Judge Masipa found the runner was negligent when he raced down the corridor towards his bathroom armed with a gun - then fired four bullets through the locked toilet door.

But essentially she believed what the athlete told the court - that his actions were a mistake.

Pistorius said he believed there was an intruder in his Pretoria home.

Ms Steenkamp's mother June said she was disappointed with the verdict and said the judge had got it wrong.

Video: Pistorius Verdict: Families React

If he is sent to jail, the longest sentence Judge Masipa is expected to dish out would be 15 years.

But many believe Pistorius could avoid prison altogether with alternative forms of punishment including a suspended sentence or a fine.

Both the prosecution and Pistorius have the option to appeal once the trial is finally over.

More follows...

15.00 | 0 komentar | Read More

Revenge Porn Offenders To Face Prison

By Harriet Hadfield, Sky News Reporter

Publishing sexually explicit pictures of former partners is to be made a criminal offence - and could carry up to a two-year prison sentence.

It is known as revenge porn and involves uploading private images with the intention of embarrassing or shaming an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend.

The issue was brought into sharp focus after celebrities including pop stars Rihanna and Tulisa Contostavlos fell victim to the cruel craze.

In the last two and a half years 149 cases of revenge pornography were reported to eight police forces in England and Wales and figures reveal the victims include children as young as 11.

An anonymous victim of revenge porn told Sky News: "I felt humiliated, I was shocked that someone had stooped to that level to try and humiliate me because I didn't think that I had disrespected someone enough for them to do something like that to me.

Video: Revenge Porn Victim Tells Her Story

"It makes you feel dirty, it makes you feel unconfident and if something can be done about it, I think it should be."

There is currently no law in the UK that deals directly with the issue but proposed changes to legislation would apply to online and offline images and those convicted could face a maximum sentence of two years in prison.

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said the distribution of such images was "almost beyond belief".

"We want those who fall victim to this type of disgusting behaviour to know that we are on their side and will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice," he said.

Video: Revenge Porn Police Stats

"That is why we will change the law and make it absolutely clear to those who act in this way that they could face prison."

The change in the law would be made via an amendment to the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill.

Adam Pemberton, assistant chief executive for the charity Victim Support, said: "This type of behaviour can be extremely distressing for its victims causing them significant psychological harm.

"We are pleased that people who commit these gross violations of privacy will now face prosecution and victims of revenge porn know they have the full backing of the law."

Video: Revenge Porn Victims As Young As 11

But some experts are questioning whether a specific revenge porn offence will work.

Lawyer Myles Jackman told Sky News: "It is very difficult as there are a number of different scenarios in which revenge porn might be created and not all of them will fit this one scenario.

"Creating an offence that catches all is almost impossible."

15.00 | 0 komentar | Read More

British Troops Back In Iraq To Help Beat IS

The Ministry of Defence has said a "small specialist team" of UK soldiers are in Iraq and working near the front line of the fight between the Islamic State (IS) and Kurdish fighters.

Based near the Kurdish capital of Irbil in the north, they are training peshmerga forces in the use of heavy machine guns the UK supplied to them in September.

The Sunday Times reported that the soldiers were from the 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, which is based in Cyprus.

An MoD spokeswoman said: "The Government has previously made clear its intention to provide training to the peshmerga as part of the continued effort to assist in the fight against Isil (IS).

UK troops are training Kurdish peshmerga forces in the use of UK arms

"The Defence Secretary has approved the deployment of a small specialist team of non-combat Army trainers which is now in the Irbil area providing instruction on operating, employing and maintaining the heavy machine guns that were gifted by the UK last month."

British troops invaded Iraq in March 2003 to overthrow Saddam Hussein.

1/10

1. Gallery: The Moment RAF Jet Attacks IS Truck

   The RAF carried out its first airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq on 1 October, 2014 (All pictures: MoD)

2. Tornados destroyed a heavy weapon position, which was attacking Kurdish forces, and an armed pick-up truck (pictured). The red circle shows the path of the missile fired at the vehicle

3. The strikes were the first since MPs voted to support aerial raids in Iraq last Friday

4. The targets were in the northwest of Iraq

5. The moment the truck, which had a mounted machine gun, was destroyed by a Brimstone missile

6. A plume of smoke rose above the area

7. The strike was successful, according to an initial assessment, said Defence Secretary Michael Fallon

8. The Tornados safely returned to their base at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus after the sortie

9. Six of the GR4 fighter jets are based on the island in the Mediterranean

10. The aircraft began their combat missions on Saturday

The last British combat troops from the war left in April 2009, with a small number staying on to train Iraqi forces until 2011.

RAF Tornado fighter jets have been involved in US-led bombing raids on IS fighters for the past two weeks.

But there is strong resistance among British politicians to any ground troop involvement in fighting against the Islamist group, which controls vast areas of Iraq and Syria.

Video: RAF Jets Attack Targets In Iraq

15.00 | 0 komentar | Read More