Devolution Wranglings Could End In Stalemate

Devo Max: What New Powers Can Scotland Have?

Updated: 4:18pm UK, Friday 19 September 2014

David Cameron has pledged new powers for Scotland that some have said amount to Devo Max. However, it's not quite as clear cut as that.

What is Devo Max?

Scottish Parliament basically gets power over everything - apart from defence and foreign affairs. Maximum devolution.

Is that on offer?

No it's not, although some say David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband have come close to that.

What powers does Scotland already have?

It makes its own laws on health, education, law and order, environment, social services, housing, local government, tourism, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and some areas of transport. It can also raise or lower its income tax by 3p, but has not used this power.

What does Westminster have control of?

Defence, social security, immigration, benefits, foreign policy, employment, broadcasting, trade and industry, nuclear energy, oil, gas and electricity, consumer affairs and the constitution.

What powers will be given away in this quasi Devo Max deal?

It is not entirely clear. More power over setting income tax is definitely on the agenda, and control of housing benefits too. Holyrood is unlikely to get control over the oil take or corporation tax.

Under Gordon Brown's 12-point plan, giveaways include power over borrowing, job creation, social care and employment rights. The Scottish Parliament will also be confirmed as permanent, binding future governments to ensure its continued existence.

But what about England, Wales and Northern Ireland?

Well, Mr Cameron has also promised more powers for Wales and Northern Ireland and to listen to the "millions of voices of England". He has promised to address the problem of "English votes for English laws" or the West Lothian question as it is also called. 

At the moment Scotland's 59 MPs can vote on matters that affect all of the UK but English MPs cannot vote on Scottish matters where powers have been devolved to Holyrood. 

With the promise of new powers for Scotland's Parliament, it has led to calls of "unfair" and for England to get more powers and the Prime Minister has said he will deliver. A sort of devolution revolution, if you will. 

Leader of the House of Commons William Hague is in charge of drawing up these plans but do expect that the Lib Dems and Labour will have rival versions. No cross-party consensus has been reached as with devolved powers for Scotland.

Make no mistake, it's a major shake-up - and yes, it will be an election issue.

So when is all this going to happen?

Gordon Brown has tabled a House of Commons debate over his planned 12-point power giveaway and the timetable for its delivery in mid-October.

There intention is that a new draft law to be drawn up by January 25 (Burns Night). Alex Salmond has agreed to talks to thrash out the details of these new powers but he will clearly be trying to get as close to delivering Devo Max as he can - having lost the battle for independence. It will not be passed until after the General Election in May but as there is a cross-party agreement theoretically, this should not provide a problem.

But the plans for England, Wales and Scotland do not have to work to the same timetable. They could be far more contentious as the parties are unlikely to agree on plans. Any English votes for English laws will put Labour at a distinct disadvantage as it effectively loses 40 MPs if its Scottish politicians are not included.

In addition, English MPs may be reluctant to allow new powers for Scotland to go through when they don't know "what's in it for them". 

In short, this could get messy and take a very long time.

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Alice Gross Police Search Is Largest Since 7/7

By Tom Parmenter, Sky Correspondent

The search for missing teenager Alice Gross is now the biggest deployment of Metropolitan Police search assets since the 7/7 terror attacks in London.

The 14-year-old from Hanwell, west London, has been missing for 24 days and police continue to make new appeals for information.

Detectives revealed this week they are also searching for Latvian national Arnis Zalkans, 41, who disappeared from his home in nearby Ealing on September 3 - a week after Alice disappeared.

The 41-year-old was jailed in his native country in the late 1990s for murdering his wife and burying her in a forest following a dispute about her sexuality.

Police are also hunting for Arnis Zalkalns who disappeared at the same time

It has also emerged Zalkalns was arrested in London on suspicion of indecent assault on a 14-year-old girl in 2009, but was never charged.

Search teams, including dogs and divers, have been deployed across west London looking for Alice, and police say the search area is being widened.

Detective Superintendent Carl Mehta, said: "I would like to thank the local community who have shown great support to the search effort and police investigation so far.

"Our officers are working through the weekend - carrying on those searches. We will not stop our hunt for Alice. Whilst we have already seized many hundreds of hours of CCTV we still need the public's help.

"If you are a shop owner, have CCTV at your home, or were out filming in the areas of Ealing and Hanwell and have footage from the afternoon of Thursday 28 August when Alice was last seen, and right up to the 3 September when Arnis Zalkalns was last seen, then please get in touch with us.

"Save the footage, call into our incident room on 020 8358 0100, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."

Zalkalns was seen on CCTV cycling along a path by the Grand Union Canal

Some 630 officers from eight police forces have been involved in the hunt. They have searched 25sq km of open land and 5.5km of canals and rivers.

On Friday night, police searched a former home of Zalkalns in Hanwell.

The owner of the house, Radoslav Andric, said he last saw Zalkalns at the rental property two days before Alice went missing on August 28.

Mr Andric said the Latvian builder moved out more than a year ago, but had returned to see friends.

Police have recovered the suspect's red Trek bicycle from the property.

Forensic officers have also searched Zalkalns' semi-detached house in Ealing, where armed officers have been seen standing guard.

Zalkalns has not accessed his bank account or used his mobile phone since September 3, nor has he returned home to his partner and young child.

He was seen on CCTV footage cycling along a path by the Grand Union Canal 15 minutes after the last sighting of Alice.

Detectives believe he is likely to have seen Alice as they were both going north along the canal towpath.

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Two Britons Missing After Hurricane In Mexico

Two Britons have disappeared off the coast of Mexico following a hurricane.

The pair, believed to be Paul Whitehouse and Simone Wood, were reported missing on Friday after their yacht overturned in the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez.

They are reportedly a couple from Wolverhampton and London.

Mexican marines and sailors are taking part in a search operation.

Mr Whitehouse is believed to be a scuba instructor living in the city of La Paz.

The pair were believed to be living on their yacht in La Paz for around a year.

A spokeswoman for the UK Foreign Office said: "We are in touch with the local authorities and are providing consular assistance to the families at this difficult time."

The hurricane left a trail of destruction

The British Embassy in Mexico has advised UK nationals in Baja California and Baja California Sur, the areas affected by the hurricane, to leave through Los Cabos International Airport.

Hurricane Odile left a trail of destruction when it hit last Sunday, causing the evacuation of around 18,000 tourists.

The hurricane affected power and water supplies, as well as phone services, triggering widespread looting.

Power has been restored to around one-fifth of people in the resort cities of Los Cabos, with 200 electricity workers dispatched to the area.

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Miliband: More Important Things Than Devo Max

Ed Miliband has side-stepped the issue of constitutional change, saying the issue matters - but is not the priority for most voters.

Prime Minister David Cameron says all parts of the UK should have more powers after the independence referendum in Scotland, but Mr Miliband says the process is being rushed.

His comments come after former prime minister Gordon Brown said he was "utterly convinced" powers for Scotland would be delivered following the No vote.

But speaking ahead of the Labour Party conference in Manchester, Mr Miliband said: "The last few months have been about keeping our country together. The next eight months will be about how we can change our country together.

"Right across Britain, people are yearning for change. Constitutional change matters.

Scots voted to remain part of the UK by 55% to 45%

"But we all know something else matters even more. Our country doesn't work for everyday working people and only works for a privileged few at the top. And we've got to change it."

It followed the earlier speech by Mr Brown, whose intervention in the campaign has been credited with helping to secure a No vote, and who insisted the timetable for devolution he set out two weeks ago was on track.

A resolution on more powers will be signed by him and the three main party leaders in the House of Commons on Monday, he told a news conference in Dunfermline, Scotland.

The civil service is already working on the plans, which will be published "by the end of October," he added.

He said the timetable was a "way of bringing people together" and "this is time for Scotland to unite".

David Cameron is to sign the new powers proposals on Monday

"These are men who have been promise makers and they will not be promise breakers. I will ensure that as a promise keeper that these promises that have been made will be upheld.

"We will lock in today the promises that have been made and why the timetable we set out will be delivered."

He said the laws that will form the Scotland Bill, and eventually the Scotland Act, will be ready by Burns Day (January 25).

Mr Brown also praised Scotland First Minister Alex Salmond, who dramatically quit on Friday night after the country turned out in record numbers to reject a break from the UK by 55% to 45%.

Mr Salmond was a "fierce and formidable opponent" but people owed him a "debt of gratitude" for what he had done for Scotland, he said.

The outcome of the referendum vote saw 2,001,926 opting for the No camp, with 1,617,989 voting Yes to independence.

The Yes campaign won majorities in four areas, including Dundee and Glasgow.

Six people were arrested in Glasgow city centre on Friday night as police separated rival union and independence supporters.

Hundreds of people crowded into George Square, with a chorus of Rule Britannia countered by the Scottish anthem, Flower of Scotland.

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Thai Murders: Hannah DNA Matches Asian Men

DNA taken from the body of murdered British tourist Hannah Witheridge matches that of two Asian men, Thai police say.

Officers also said they do not know if the killer is still on the island of Koh Tao, where she and David Miller, 24, were found murdered.

Sky News has obtained video of Ms Witheridge filmed in the hours before she was killed.

In the exclusive footage, she is seen on CCTV walking between bars with a group of friends.

Ms Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, suffered severe head wounds and Mr Miller died from blows to the head and drowning, post-mortem examinations showed.

Their bodies were found in a rocky area of Sairee beach on Monday.

A garden hoe with Ms Witheridge's blood on it was discovered nearby, and investigators are searching for a blunt metal object used on Mr Miller.

Sky's Jonathan Samuels, on Koh Tao (Turtle Island), said: "Today the head of Thailand's police flew to the island by helicopter - really a sense of how seriously now the Thai authorities are taking this investigation.

"He confirmed that two men's DNA that was found on Hannah's body have been analysed and he has confirmed those two samples are from two Asian men.

"Of course they have no idea at the moment, as far as we understand, who these two men may be.

"They have questioned many people on the island, but so far they tell us they have no firm suspects."

Ms Witheridge is seen leaving a bar with friends

DNA on a cigarette butt has been matched to semen found on Ms Witheridge, and officers say the cigarette was smoked by more than one person.

Police Colonel Kissana said officers have still not come up with the exact number of suspects, and confirmed they are looking for both male and female suspects.

He said reports that the FBI are involved in the investigation were incorrect, but confirmed they have British assistance.

A cash reward worth about £4,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the killers, he added.

Meanwhile, two British brothers who were questioned by police have been told they are free to return home to Jersey.

Christopher and James Ware, childhood friends of Mr Miller, were spoken to by officers but were never detained or named as suspects.

A group of Burmese migrants who were interviewed by police after bloodstains were found on their clothes have also been eliminated from police inquiries.

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Alice Gross Search: Suspect's Bike Found

Missing Alice Gross' Mum In 'Come Home' Plea

Updated: 8:52am UK, Wednesday 17 September 2014

The mother of Alice Gross has said there is "not a moment" she does not wonder where her missing daughter is as she made an appeal for help finding her.

Rosalind Hodgkiss encouraged anyone with information about the 14-year-old's whereabouts to "come forward to the police and get her home because that's where she belongs and she needs to be here with us".

There have been no sightings of the schoolgirl since August 28, despite public appeals and a massive search.

Her mobile phone has not been used since she sent a text to her father that day 

Her rucksack was found on a footpath running beside the River Brent between Hanwell Bridge and the Grand Union Canal.

Ms Hodgkiss told Crimewatch: "There's not a moment of the day that you don't think about Alice and where she is, what might have happened or why she might have gone missing.

"It's almost impossible to describe what that pain feels like but we just want her to know: please Alice, if you're out there, come home."

Her appeal came as police released the photo of a Latvian builder they would like to speak to in connection with the investigation.

Arnis Zalkalns, 41, is known to travel on the same stretch of the Grand Union Canal as where the schoolgirl was last seen on the evening of August 28, and has not been seen himself for almost two weeks.

Scotland Yard said he left his home in Ealing, west London, on September 4 and would normally have met a friend to cycle to work, but he did not show up.

They said the disappearance of Mr Zalkalns, who has a partner and child, is "completely out of character".

Detective Superintendent Carl Mehta, of the Met's homicide and major crime unit, said: "At this stage we simply want to speak to him, as he may well have important information that can help our search for Alice."

"I would stress that based on what we know now there is no evidence to suggest that Arnis and Alice knew each other. This continues to be a fast moving investigation, and this is one of a number of lines of enquiry that we are urgently looking into."

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England Wins Right To Host Euro 2020 Final

By Paul Kelso, Sports Correspondent

Wembley will host the final and semi-finals of the 2020 European Championships, Uefa has announced.

Hampden Park in Glasgow and the Aviva Stadium in Dublin will host three group matches and a last-16 tie in the tournament, which for the first time is being played in cities across the continent rather than being hosted by one or two countries.

The result of the vote by members of Uefa's executive committee brought disappointment to Cardiff, with the Millennium Stadium overlooked in favour of Hampden.

Uefa's desire to spread the tournament around Europe meant only two of Ireland, Scotland and Wales would get games, with the Welsh missing out.

Emphasising the geographic split of the tournament, Baku in Azerbaijan and St Petersburg will both host quarter-finals.

The new Wembley opened in 2007

The Wembley games will be the first time England has hosted the finals of a major tournament since Euro 1996, when England reached the semi-final.

Wembley has been rebuilt since then and has become a favoured venue for Uefa, staging the Champions League final twice in three seasons.

Uefa president Michel Platini said: "I know the party side of London, the way the English welcome people. Wembley will doubtless live up to the responsibility."

FA chairman Greg Dyke said:  "We are delighted - it's nice to win one! Wembley is a great stadium and we are delighted to be holding the finals of this tournament."

He added England have a "good young side at the moment" and said the prospect of a final on home soil is a "great ambition" and an "incentive".

FA Chairman Greg Dyke poses with the European Championship trophy

England had failed with bids for the 2006 World Cup and 2018 World Cup.

Wembley was awarded the games after its only rival, Munich, withdrew before the vote by Uefa's executive committee, following a deal between the English and German football associations.

The FA agreed to back Germany's expected bid for Euro 2024 in exchange for support in the Euro 2020 vote.

Wembley's chances of success were also boosted when the FA dropped its bid for the next Women's under-17 World Cup, leaving France, home of Mr Platini, the favourite among European nations.

Munich will host three group games and a quarter-final, as will Rome.

The remaining group matches and last-16 games will be staged in Copenhagen, Bucharest, Budapest, Amsterdam, Bilbao and Brussels.

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Dad Who Bit Baby Pleads Guilty To Her Murder

By Emma Birchley, East of England Correspondent

A father who shook and beat his baby daughter to death has admitted the murder during his trial at the Old Bailey.

Lithuanian Aurimas Medvedevas, 23, had previously denied killing nine-week-old Aukse on September 5 last year.

The child's mother, Dzesika Urbikaite, had just had her first day back at work after maternity leave when she returned to their  home on Clifton Avenue, Peterborough, to find her baby dead in a cot.

Medvedevas initially claimed she had accidentally fallen out of bed.

Supt Jon Hutchinson, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said: "This was a shocking, brutal crime in which a baby girl who was only nine weeks old was murdered by a person who should have been looking after her. 

"He used such violence that the post-mortem examination concluded her injuries were consistent with having been in a car crash or dropped from a one-storey building.

"He then cruelly failed to seek the medical assistance that may well have saved her life."

The attack took place on Clifton Avenue in Peterborough

As well as cuts and bruises, the post mortem revealed that Aukse had two bite marks on her head.

She had suffered significant internal injuries including a deep cut to the liver, five rib fractures, and bleeding on the brain and eyes indicating that she had been shaken.

An examination of one of the bite marks showed it matched the defendant's teeth imprint, the court heard.

Medvedevas changed his plea to guilty two days into the trial.

Judge Timothy Pontius told the jury that they had heard his "clear and voluntary confession of guilt".

He told them: "This is a distressing case and a tragic one. You are relieved of the burden of listening to that evidence."

Medvedevas is due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey in Central London on Friday September 26.

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Savile Officers Face Gross Misconduct Probe

Two police officers have been handed gross misconduct notices over their handling of a reported sex attack by Jimmy Savile.

The detective sergeant and detective constable, both of Sussex Police, visited the woman in March 2008 over an alleged indecent assault in 1970.

A detective chief inspector and detective inspector with supervisory roles have also received misconduct notices, according to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

IPCC deputy chair, Sarah Green, said: "The investigation is examining interactions between Sussex Police officers and the victim, and whether all lines of enquiry were properly pursued."

The IPCC has taken a statement from the woman who reported the assault.

Investigators expect to interview the four officers involved shortly.

Meanwhile, a serving detective sergeant for North Yorkshire Police has also been served with a misconduct notice by the IPCC.

The force is being investigated over how it handled allegations made by a 15-year-old girl in 2002 about Savile.

The IPCC is also investigating how disclosures from a serving prisoner about one of Savile's associates, Peter Jaconelli, were handled in 2008 and 2009.

Ms Green added that the probe would examine whether the force's response "was in accordance with national and force policies on crime recording, intelligence handling and dealing with victims of sexual abuse".

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Scotland Votes No: PM Promises New Powers

Devo Max: What New Powers Can Scotland Have?

Updated: 12:01pm UK, Friday 19 September 2014

David Cameron has pledged new powers for Scotland that some have said amount to Devo Max. However, it's not quite as clear cut as that.

What is Devo Max?

Scottish Parliament basically gets power over everything - apart from defence and foreign affairs. Maximum devolution.

Is that on offer?

No it's not, although some say David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband have come close to that.

What powers does Scotland already have?

It makes its own laws on health, education, law and order, environment, social services, housing, local government, tourism, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and some areas of transport. It can also raise or lower its income tax by 3p, but has not used this power.

What does Westminster have control of?

Defence, social security, immigration, benefits, foreign policy, employment, broadcasting, trade and industry, nuclear energy, oil, gas and electricity, consumer affairs and the constitution.

What powers will be given away in this quasi Devo Max deal?

It is not entirely clear. More power over setting income tax is definitely on the agenda, and control of housing benefits too. Holyrood is unlikely to get control over the oil take or corporation tax.

Under Gordon Brown's 12-point plan, giveaways include power over borrowing, job creation, social care and employment rights. The Scottish Parliament will also be confirmed as permanent, binding future governments to ensure its continued existence.

But what about England, Wales and Northern Ireland?

Well, Mr Cameron has also promised more powers for Wales and Northern Ireland and to listen to the "millions of voices of England". He has promised to address the problem of "English votes for English laws" or the West Lothian question as it is also called. 

At the moment Scotland's 59 MPs can vote on matters that affect all of the UK but English MPs cannot vote on Scottish matters where powers have been devolved to Holyrood. 

With the promise of new powers for Scotland's Parliament, it has led to calls of "unfair" and for England to get more powers and the Prime Minister has said he will deliver. A sort of devolution revolution, if you will. 

Leader of the House of Commons William Hague is in charge of drawing up these plans but do expect that the Lib Dems and Labour will have rival versions. No cross-party consensus has been reached as with devolved powers for Scotland.

Make no mistake, it's a major shake-up - and yes, it will be an election issue.

So when is all this going to happen?

Gordon Brown has tabled a House of Commons debate over his planned 12-point power giveaway and the timetable for its delivery in mid-October.

There intention is that a new draft law to be drawn up by January 25 (Burns Night). Alex Salmond has agreed to talks to thrash out the details of these new powers but he will clearly be trying to get as close to delivering Devo Max as he can - having lost the battle for independence. It will not be passed until after the General Election in May but as there is a cross-party agreement theoretically, this should not provide a problem.

But the plans for England, Wales and Scotland do not have to work to the same timetable. They could be far more contentious as the parties are unlikely to agree on plans. Any English votes for English laws will put Labour at a distinct disadvantage as it effectively loses 40 MPs if its Scottish politicians are not included.

In addition, English MPs may be reluctant to allow new powers for Scotland to go through when they don't know "what's in it for them". 

In short, this could get messy and take a very long time.

:: Watch live: Scottish referendum coverage now on Sky News Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

:: Live coverage is also available on sky.com/news and Sky News for iPad and on your mobile phone.

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New IS Video Shows Another British Hostage

A new video has been released showing another British man believed to be held hostage by Islamic State militants.

In the video, the hostage - understood to be a journalist - speaks to the camera.

The IS group has previously killed three Western hostages - a Briton and two Americans - and has threatened the life of UK aid convoy volunteer Alan Henning.

The footage is filmed against a dark background, unlike the videos of the beheadings, which have shown hostages against desert backgrounds.

Sky's Lisa Holland said the new video shows the captive "is alive and seemingly well. He sits behind a desk with a message".

He said: "I am a prisoner...but seeing as I've been abandoned by my government and my fate now lies in the hands of the Islamic State, I have nothing to lose.

"Maybe I will live, maybe I will die. But I want to take this opportunity to convey some facts that you can verify. Facts that if you contemplate might help preserving lives.

"Over the next few programmes I am going to show you the truth as the western media tries to drag the public back to the abyss of another war with the Islamic State.

"After two disastrous and hugely unpopular wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, why is it our governments appear so keen to get involved in yet another unwinnable conflict."

Referring to the militants holding the hostage, security expert Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones told Sky News: "It sounds like an extremely cynical plot on their part." 

More follows...

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Scotland: Keep Up With Events As They Unfold

Decision Day For Scotland: Voters Go To Polls

Updated: 2:48pm UK, Thursday 18 September 2014

People in Scotland are voting on whether the country should stay in the UK or become an independent nation.

Polling stations opened at 7am and people have until 10pm to cast their ballot, with the result expected to be known by breakfast time tomorrow.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond voted at Ritchie Hall polling station in Strichen, Aberdeenshire, two hours after polls opened.

Mr Salmond, leading the Yes campaign, was joined by two first-time voters, 18-year-old Natasha McDonald and Lea Pirie, 28.

He gave both women a soft Yes toy as a mascot for their vote and the trio stopped for pictures on their way in.

Despite long days of campaigning, the First Minister said he managed to get a good rest on the eve of the vote.

Former Chancellor and leader of the Better Together campaign Alistair Darling was photographed with his wife Maggie and No campaigners in Edinburgh.

He was booed by some, but cheered by others, as he arrived at the polling station at the Church Hill Theatre in Edinburgh.

He told reporters: "It's been a long, hard two-and-a-half year campaign, passions have been aroused on both sides, and understandably so because we are talking about the biggest single decision that any of us will ever take in our lifetime."

Former PM Gordon Brown arrived at the polling station at North Queensferry Community Centre, Fife, to cast his vote.

He shook hands with No campaign supporters, as well as one Yes voter, who were waiting for him in the mist.

After casting her vote, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "I've just voted #Yes to Scotland becoming an independent country. What a wonderful feeling."

Elsewhere, queues formed outside polling stations across the country from early morning as turnout was expected to be as high as 90%.

There was an alleged assault at a polling station in Clydebank, a few miles northwest of Glasgow. Police arrested a 44-year-old man over the incident in Faifley Road at 8.30am.

More than 2,600 schools, sports centres and local halls have opened their doors to voters.

Four million voters are being asked a simple question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

A Yes vote at the end of a hard-fought campaign will bring an end to the Union of the United Kingdom that has stood for 307 years.

After the polls close tonight, counting of the votes takes place at 32 regional centres all over Scotland.

Then, once each result is in, the numbers will be sent to the main counting centre in Edinburgh.

The earliest declarations, at around 2am on Friday, will include North Lanarkshire, Orkney, East Lothian and Perth and Kinross.

The latest, at 6am, is expected to be Aberdeen. Dundee is expected at 3am and Edinburgh and Glasgow at 5am.

:: Watch live: Scottish referendum coverage from 9pm on Sky News Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

:: Live coverage is also available on sky.com/news and Sky News for iPad and on your mobile phone.

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Father 'Killed Baby After Biting Her Forehead'

A father bit his baby daughter in the forehead and killed her with repeated blows, a court has heard.

Lithuanian Aurimas Medvedevas, 23, is charged with murdering two-month-old Aukse at their house in Peterborough while her mother was at work.

Agency worker Dzesika Urbikaite, 22, returned home to find her baby dead in a cot.

Aukse had bruises and abrasions on her body and two bite marks on her head.

Medvedevas, who is on trial at the Old Bailey, claims she died accidentally by falling out of bed.

Prosecutor Karim Khalil QC said the cause of death was a head injury, although there were "signs of numerous other inflicted injuries too".

The court heard that one of the bite marks matched the defendant's teeth imprint.

Significant internal injuries included a deep cut to the liver and five rib fractures.

Bleeding on the brain and eyes indicated that Aukse had been shaken.

The two-month-old was killed at home in Clifton Avenue, Peterborough

On his arrest, Medvedevas admitted being in sole care when his daughter died on September 5 last year, but he told police she fell out of bed and hit her head while he was in a deep sleep beside her.

However, when his trial started in May the defendant admitted he had shaken Aukse and thrown her on the bed.

From there she fell to the floor, he claimed.

Mr Khalil QC told jurors that Medvedevas still had not accounted for all the injuries, and had provided no explanation for the bite marks.

The prosecutor said: "For reasons known only to him but which may well be rooted in the pressures of home life and his own inability to cope with the change in his circumstances, he took hold of his own baby, he bit her on the head, he struck her repeatedly and he shook her hard.

"As a result of all that she died, not immediately, but a few hours later.

"As he committed those acts of violence against baby Aukse he must have intended to kill her or cause her really serious harm. That is murder."

Medvedevas, of Clifton Avenue, Peterborough, denies murder.

The trial continues.

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Decision Day For Scotland: Voters Go To Polls

People in Scotland are voting on whether the country should stay in the UK or become an independent nation.

Polling stations opened at 7am and people have until 10pm to cast their ballot, with the result expected to be known by breakfast time tomorrow.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond voted at Ritchie Hall polling station in Strichen, Aberdeenshire, two hours after polls opened.

Mr Salmond, leading the Yes campaign, was joined by two first-time voters, 18-year-old Natasha McDonald and Lea Pirie, 28.

He gave both women a soft Yes toy as a mascot for their vote and the trio stopped for pictures on their way in.

Alex Salmond outside a polling station in Aberdeenshire

Despite long days of campaigning, the First Minister said he managed to get a good rest on the eve of the vote.

Former Chancellor and leader of the Better Together campaign Alistair Darling was photographed with his wife Maggie and No campaigners in Edinburgh.

He was booed by some, but cheered by others, as he arrived at the polling station at the Church Hill Theatre in Edinburgh.

Voters queue in Glasgow

He told reporters: "It's been a long, hard two-and-a-half year campaign, passions have been aroused on both sides, and understandably so because we are talking about the biggest single decision that any of us will ever take in our lifetime."

Former PM Gordon Brown arrived at the polling station at North Queensferry Community Centre, Fife, to cast his vote.

He shook hands with No campaign supporters, as well as one Yes voter, who were waiting for him in the mist.

Better Together campaigner Alistair Darling with wife Maggie in Edinburgh

After casting her vote, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "I've just voted #Yes to Scotland becoming an independent country. What a wonderful feeling."

Elsewhere, queues formed outside polling stations across the country from early morning as turnout was expected to be as high as 90%.

There was an alleged assault at a polling station in Clydebank, a few miles northwest of Glasgow. Police arrested a 44-year-old man over the incident in Faifley Road at 8.30am.

Gordon Brown outside a polling station in Fife

More than 2,600 schools, sports centres and local halls have opened their doors to voters.

Four million voters are being asked a simple question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

A Yes vote at the end of a hard-fought campaign will bring an end to the Union of the United Kingdom that has stood for 307 years.

A voter leaves a polling station on the Isle of Skye

After the polls close tonight, counting of the votes takes place at 32 regional centres all over Scotland.

Then, once each result is in, the numbers will be sent to the main counting centre in Edinburgh.

The earliest declarations, at around 2am on Friday, will include North Lanarkshire, Orkney, East Lothian and Perth and Kinross.

The latest, at 6am, is expected to be Aberdeen. Dundee is expected at 3am and Edinburgh and Glasgow at 5am.

:: Watch live: Scottish referendum coverage from 9pm on Sky News Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

:: Live coverage is also available on sky.com/news and Sky News for iPad and on your mobile phone.

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Hopes Of Deal To Rescue Phones 4U Dashed

Hopes that a last-minute deal could be reached to save Phones 4U have been dashed.

Administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) have said the only realistic prospect is to sell off the remaining assets of the mobile phone retailer.

Some bondholders had offered to take a loss on their investment to allow the company to be restructured and sold as a going concern.

Phones 4U employs 5,600 staff at 560 stand-alone stores. which were shut after it went into administration on Monday.

Lawyers representing creditors said earlier they were offering to take a "significant" hit if it meant the firm was then able to strike new contract deals with major networks.

It was the looming loss of EE and Vodafone contracts that pushed Phones 4u over the edge, sparking a bitter war of words on who was to blame for the potential closure of the business.

Phones 4u's private equity owner BC Partners said it had been "shocked" by the networks' decision after they had given pledges of support.

Vodafone said the terms offered by Phones 4u were not in its interest and blamed the company's owner for the stand-off, suggesting it had saddled Phones 4u with debt and was unable to accept a market price.

"We strongly reject any suggestion that we behaved inappropriately at any stage during our negotiations with Phones 4u," it said in a statement.

Sky News revealed on Monday that Vodafone and EE had held talks about a joint takeover of Phones 4u as recently as July but abandoned the proposed deal without explanation.

Both network operators were understood to be involved in talks with administrators PwC on the company's future.

More follows...

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Experimental Ebola Vaccine Tested On Humans

Staying Safe Inside Liberia's Ebola Zone

Updated: 1:04pm UK, Wednesday 02 July 2014

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent, in Liberia

Priority number one: Do not spread the Ebola disease. Priority number two: Do not catch it.

With these twin priorities in mind, cameraman Dave Rees and I set off for the north of Liberia.

We were going to the epicentre of the world's most serious outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus to try to find out more about it and the efforts being done to combat its spread.

We took a case-load of protective gear provided by Sky News. It was mostly waterproof all-in-one outfits with goggles and plastic gloves - all easily disposable once used.

Ebola is spread by infected people or animals - through close contact with infected blood and other bodily fluids such as sweat and tears.

There's also a possibility of contracting the virus through indirect contact - by touching infected clothes or furniture for instance, or even eating infected food.

It was imperative that we remained on high alert for the entire time we were in the infected zone - a period of about four days.

Dave also took a plastic covering for the camera so he can still film. But we were prepared to destroy the camera too if needs be.

We also had the usual anti-mosquito sprays, anti-malaria tablets, dehydration tablets as well as some of our own food provisions plus sleeping bags and camping equipment.

The north of Liberia is under-developed with poor infrastructure and few resources in a country which is one of the poorest in the world.

The road journey to the north from the Liberian capital Monrovia took nine hours on mostly unmarked, unpaved roads. It was a bone-jangling experience travelling to Foya, right on the northern tip of Liberia and very close to the border with Guinea and Sierra Leone.

Our first sight of the infection wards was a large blue tented area. The medics have tried to rename it as a treatment centre but few seem to have bought into the new name.

Once anyone is diagnosed or even suspected of having Ebola, they are immediately segregated and taken there, where few others want to enter.

Those who do, underwent a series of stringent disinfecting procedures to ensure they did not catch the virus or leave with it to spread it further among the outside population.

The soles of our shoes were sprayed with disinfectant and we were ordered to wash our hands with chlorine. I inadvertently touched the wooden post marking the entrance and am told to re-wash my hands.

Once inside, nurse Adeyemi Babatunde took care of us, leading us first into the low-risk area where we were kitted up. Dave had already encased the camera in a sealed plastic container.

The first thing we were asked to do is put on gloves, then we slipped on scrubs before we all start putting on the PPE (personal protection equipment).

The medical team provided us with their equipment so our Sky-provided gear was untouched.

We put on rubber boots, then climbed into all-in-one waterproof outfits. The temperature was 37C inside the tent and with the all-in-one plastic outfit on I could feel my body temperature climbing fast.

Next was the mouth guard followed by a huge hood which had panels covering my neck and front. We put visors on top, a second pair of thicker gloves and by this time, I could barely breathe.

"Breathe through your mouth," I was told. "Don't touch anything when you are inside," Nurse Adeyemi said.

"If you feel uncomfortable then leave quickly without touching anything."

The final piece of clothing was a huge plastic apron which reaches from just below my neck and hangs right down my body to just above my ankles. The whole process has taken a good three-quarters of an hour.

Nurse Adeyemi guided us through a series of marked lanes inside the body of the tent.

"The infection ward is separated into two areas," he explained.

"Those who are suspected of having Ebola, and those who are confirmed. We only ever pass from the suspected area to the confirmed - never back the other way. After the confirmed area, the only route is out."

With all the plastic and rubber on us, we were crinkling with every step and sweating profusely by this time. The nurses have to kit themselves out in this gear every time they enter the infected area.

On leaving there was a laborious series of disinfecting steps to take to ensure outside remains virus-free - including the burning of all the kit, gloves and all-in-one outfits.

They kept the rubber boots and plastic aprons only after dunking them in several buckets of disinfectant. The work is both dangerous and difficult and the workers risk their lives every time they enter the infected zone.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Missing Alice Gross' Mum In 'Come Home' Plea

The mother of Alice Gross has said there is "not a moment" she does not wonder where her missing daughter is as she made an appeal for help finding her.

Rosalind Hodgkiss encouraged anyone with information about the 14-year-old's whereabouts to "come forward to the police and get her home because that's where she belongs and she needs to be here with us".

There have been no sightings of the schoolgirl since August 28, despite public appeals and a massive search.

Police say Arnis Zalkalns may have information that could help find Alice

Her mobile phone has not been used since she sent a text to her father that day 

Her rucksack was found on a footpath running beside the River Brent between Hanwell Bridge and the Grand Union Canal.

Ms Hodgkiss told Crimewatch: "There's not a moment of the day that you don't think about Alice and where she is, what might have happened or why she might have gone missing.

"It's almost impossible to describe what that pain feels like but we just want her to know: please Alice, if you're out there, come home."

Her appeal came as police released the photo of a Latvian builder they would like to speak to in connection with the investigation.

Arnis Zalkalns, 41, is known to travel on the same stretch of the Grand Union Canal as where the schoolgirl was last seen on the evening of August 28, and has not been seen himself for almost two weeks.

Alice Gross, 14, went missing from Hanwell

Scotland Yard said he left his home in Ealing, west London, on September 4 and would normally have met a friend to cycle to work, but he did not show up.

They said the disappearance of Mr Zalkalns, who has a partner and child, is "completely out of character".

Detective Superintendent Carl Mehta, of the Met's homicide and major crime unit, said: "At this stage we simply want to speak to him, as he may well have important information that can help our search for Alice."

"I would stress that based on what we know now there is no evidence to suggest that Arnis and Alice knew each other. This continues to be a fast moving investigation, and this is one of a number of lines of enquiry that we are urgently looking into."

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

New Year Revellers Face London Fireworks Charge

People wanting to watch this year's New Year's Eve fireworks display in the heart of London will have to pay £10 for a ticket.

London Mayor Boris Johnson said 100,000 tickets would be made available for the spectacular display, which had been free and open to all until now.

An estimated 500,000 people turned up to watch last year's display, but many were unable to get a good view.

"London's New Year's Eve fireworks are phenomenally popular, not just in the capital, but across the world and we want to ensure it continues to be a safe, enjoyable and sustainable event for the long-term," Mr Johnson said.

Mayor Boris Johnson says the charges will 'create a better experience'

He added that it was "ridiculous" to attempt to cram about half a million people into the areas along the Thames where the display could be seen.

"After consulting with our partners, we are introducing ticketing to help manage crowd numbers and create a better experience on the night," Mr Johnson said.

"For anyone without a ticket the fireworks are again being shown live and in full on television."

People will be able to book up to four tickets from 12 noon on September 26 by going to www.london.gov.uk/nye.

Around half a million people turned out to watch last year's display

The London Mayor's office said the ticket sales would not make any profit, with the money taken covering the cost of ticketing.

However, many Twitter users labelled the decision "bang out of order".

Martin Pearce wrote: "London New Year Fireworks to be tickets only and cost £10 now :( sad day, do any other place in the world charge to see in the new year??"

While Labour's Tottenham MP, David Lammy, said: "Always loved that London NYE fireworks were a free & festive gathering open to all, not a sterile ticketed show. Not any more. #thanksboris."

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Circle Line Speed Challenge: Man Races Train

Bored by his usual morning commute, a train passenger came up with a novel way of spicing things up - racing London's Circle Line.

James Heptonstall dived off a Tube train at one station, sprinted 380 metres to the next station - and arrived in time to catch the same train.

He and his friend Noel Carroll took the Circle Line train to London's Mansion House station. At this point, 30-year-old Mr Heptonstall made a dash for it, sprinting off the train, up the steps, and along the roads to Cannon Street station.

As the train pulled into Cannon Street, Mr Heptonstall came down the stairs onto the platform and dashed into the same carriage he had left just seconds before.

Completing his challenge with just moments to spare, he crashed to the floor of the train, exhausted, as fellow passengers applauded.

Cannon Street station - the finish line for Mr Heptonstall's challenge

The two stations were chosen because of the short distance between them and footage of the challenge, which included climbing 75 steps and going through two ticket barriers, was uploaded to YouTube by the pair last month.

Mr Heptonstall, an environmental consultant from Hampstead, told the Evening Standard: "We had seen some people had done endurance challenges on European transport networks and put them online but we had not seen anything done in London.

"I usually get the Northern Line to work in the morning - it's not an enjoyable experience so I sometimes run or cycle if I can."

The dash between stations took just 80 seconds for Mr Heptonstall, who plays touch rugby for England.

He said: "While I was running someone asked Noel what I was doing. They said they did not think I would make it.

"(The other passengers) were all waiting on tenterhooks. But then I dived into the Tube and they were applauding."

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Thai Police Question Brothers Over Beach Murders

Two British brothers are being questioned over the murders of two backpackers in Thailand as tests revealed more about how the victims died.

Chris Ware and his brother James, from Jersey, have been asked to stay in Thailand as experts wait for the results of DNA tests.

Chris Ware being interviewed by Thai police

The brothers were questioned as police continued to detain six Burmese suspects with alleged links to the deaths.

Thai Police Colonel Kissana said there was "strong evidence" linking the Burmese suspects to the murders, including blood stains on clothes.

"DNA tests are being completed and we should hopefully have a report tomorrow," Mr Kissana said.

"We also have two British suspects but they have not been detained. We cannot rule them out. They were close friends and knew all about the victims.

Police want to trace a man of Asian appearance caught on CCTV

"We have got to do whatever it takes to obtain concrete evidence."

The developments came as forensic experts revealed that David Miller died from drowning and a blow to the head. Hannah Witheridge died from head wounds. 

Pornchai Sutheerakune, head of the Thai Institute of Forensic Medicine, said Mr Miller also had wounds on his hand, indicating a struggle had taken place.

Sky's Jonathan Samuels, on Koh Tao, where the murders happened, said Chris Ware has been spoken to by police after he booked into a hotel at Bangkok airport.

Koh Tao is one of Thailand's most popular backpacker islands

It is the second time he has been questioned by officers.

He was initially questioned in the hours after the murders by officers who were concerned about an injury to his arm.

Police were satisfied with Mr Ware's explanation and he was told he was free to go, but officers later caught up with him in Bangkok to speak to him again. 

"Once we receive the physical examination report, including a DNA test, we will be able to determine if he was involved in the incident," a police officer said.

Samuels said James Ware had also spoken to police.

Police say there had been a beach party in the hours before the murders

The semi-naked bodies of Mr Miller, 24, and 23-year-old Miss Witheridge were discovered on a beach early on Monday.

Police said the pair sustained horrific injuries, with both suffering deep wounds to the head and face.

A bloodstained garden hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, was found near to the bodies.

Samuels said it was understood Chris Ware was a friend of Mr Miller's.

Tributes to Hannah have been posted online

Dozens of police officers have been focusing their attention on the accommodation used by the victims, examining rooms and items found there for evidence.

Police are also focused on tracing a particular suspect - an Asian man - captured on grainy CCTV footage, shortly after the murders.

It shows what appears to be a topless man who officers say was acting suspiciously as he left a beach party near the murder scene.

He is captured running past the security camera at 3.44am and is seen again an hour later walking down the same street.

Police investigate the killings on the beach

In another image, Mr Miller, from Jersey, and Ms Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth, are seen walking hand-in-hand after leaving a bar at around 1am.

It was taken hours before their bodies were discovered semi-naked on Sairee beach.

More than 70 Thai police have been questioning migrant workers and tourists on the island, visiting hotels, bars, homes and businesses.

The families of both victims have paid tribute to them.

Ms Witheridge was described by her family as "a beautiful, intelligent, loving young woman who poured joy into the lives of all who knew her".

Mr Miller was a "hard-working, bright and conscientious" young man who would be "sorely, sorely missed", his family said.

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Thai Murders Suspect Captured On Camera

FCO Advice For Thailand Tourists

Updated: 10:39am UK, Monday 15 September 2014

The latest Foreign Office advice for tourists in Thailand warns of the danger of robberies and sex assaults in areas popular with backpackers.

Here is the FCO's advice on crime in the country, which draws around 800,000 British visitors each year.

Eleven British nationals have been murdered in Thailand since January 2009.

Western tourists have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by gangs in Koh Phangan.

These attacks are particularly common around the time of the Full Moon parties and generally occur late at night near bars in Haad Rin on Koh Phangan.

In January 2013 a British national was killed in a shooting incident while at a beach party in Haad Rin.

Violent assaults and robberies have been reported in Chaweng, Koh Samui.

Attacks have also occurred in other tourist districts in Thailand including in Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Krabi. Take care, especially at night.

There have been sexual assaults against foreign men and women, especially in the Koh Samui archipelago and Krabi province.

Tourists have also been robbed after bringing visitors to their hotel rooms.

In some cases their drinks were drugged. Be careful about taking drinks from strangers and at clubs and parties, particularly in Koh Samui, Pattaya and at the Full Moon party on Koh Phangan, where date rapes have been reported.

Alcohol and drugs can lead to you being less alert, less in control and less aware of your environment. If you drink, know your limit.

Drinks served in bars overseas are often stronger than those in the UK. Some British nationals have suffered severe psychiatric problems because of drug use, resulting in some suicides.

Be aware of the possibility of credit card fraud. Don't lose sight of your card during transactions.

There have been incidents of ATM skimming in Thailand. Where possible use an ATM within a bank and always protect your PIN.

Be careful to observe demarcation lines between shops and stalls, particularly in market areas and at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Taking items from one shop's area to another may be treated as suspected theft.

Be on your guard against pickpockets and bag snatchers. Foreigners have had items snatched by thieves on motorbikes when walking along busy streets or travelling in open transport like tuk tuks.

If you travel by bus, make sure cash and valuables you have are kept securely. There have been incidents where passengers have had items taken from bags while asleep.

Gem scams are common. There have been reports of visitors buying gems for inflated prices from seemingly respectable establishments then later finding out the stones are worth a tiny fraction of the purchase price.

You should report any incidents of crime to the Thai police before leaving the country.

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Rotherham Abuse Scandal: Shaun Wright Resigns

South Yorkshire Police Commissioner Shaun Wright has resigned after coming under mounting pressure over the Rotherham child abuse scandal.

Mr Wright had resisted calls to step down from the Prime Minister and Home Secretary after a report found 1,400 children in the South Yorkshire town had been victims of child sexual exploitation since 1997.

He also endured a grilling from MPs and was confronted by relatives of abuse victims at an angry public meeting in Rotherham earlier this month, when he again refused to quit.

Mr Wright was councillor with responsibility for children's services in the borough from 2005 to 2010, when Professor Alexis Jay's report found officials failed to act to stop gangs of abusers.

Sarah Wilson confronted Mr Wright last week over her abused sister's death

In a statement released by his office, he said: "My role as South Yorkshire police and crime commissioner has clearly become prominent in terms of public opinion and media coverage following the publication of Professor Alexis Jay's report.

"This is detracting from the important issue, which should be everybody's focus - the 1,400 victims outlined in the report - and in providing support to victims and bringing to justice the criminals responsible for the atrocious crimes committed against them.

"With this in mind, I feel that it is now right to step down from the position of police and crime commissioner for South Yorkshire, for the sake of those victims, for the sake of the public of South Yorkshire and to ensure that the important issues outlined in the report about tackling child sexual exploitation can be discussed and considered in full and without distraction."

Joyce Thacker has resisted calls to resign from her children's services job

Mr Wright is the first of 41 elected police and crime commissioners to resign and his departure will trigger a by-election in South Yorkshire to find a replacement.

Keith Vaz, chair of parliament's Home Affairs Select Committee, said: "This is something that we asked Shaun Wright to do 10 days ago when he appeared before the committee.

"At that stage, he said he needed to stay on because of the victims. Today, he says he has to resign because of the victims.

"I welcome this, I think this is the right thing to do. To let it go on any longer would put him in direct conflict with some of the issues we were discussing in parliament.

"The committee is actively drafting a bill based on ensuring police and crime commissioners can't stay on when they've lost the confidence of local people."

Roger Stone, leader of Rotherham Council, announced he was stepping down when the damning abuse report was published in August and the council's chief executive Martin Kimber said last week that he would leave his post in December.

The current head of children's services in Rotherham, Joyce Thacker, has refused to quit despite being told by Mr Vaz that she should resign "as a matter of conscience".

Rotherham Council also faces an independent inspection that will look at whether years of abuse in the town were covered up.

The probe will be led by Louise Casey, head of the Government's troubled families programme and a former victims' commissioner.

Bassetlaw MP John Mann called for former Labour home secretary David Blunkett, who is leaving the Commons next year, to put himself forward to replace Mr Wright.

He said: "He is a credible and dedicated public servant who has served in a variety of roles locally and nationally. He knows and understands South Yorkshire and is widely respected throughout the area.

"I believe he will get to the bottom of what went wrong in South Yorkshire."

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Families 'Devastated' Over Thai Beach Killings

FCO Advice For Thailand Tourists

Updated: 10:39am UK, Monday 15 September 2014

The latest Foreign Office advice for tourists in Thailand warns of the danger of robberies and sex assaults in areas popular with backpackers.

Here is the FCO's advice on crime in the country, which draws around 800,000 British visitors each year.

Eleven British nationals have been murdered in Thailand since January 2009.

Western tourists have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by gangs in Koh Phangan.

These attacks are particularly common around the time of the Full Moon parties and generally occur late at night near bars in Haad Rin on Koh Phangan.

In January 2013 a British national was killed in a shooting incident while at a beach party in Haad Rin.

Violent assaults and robberies have been reported in Chaweng, Koh Samui.

Attacks have also occurred in other tourist districts in Thailand including in Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Krabi. Take care, especially at night.

There have been sexual assaults against foreign men and women, especially in the Koh Samui archipelago and Krabi province.

Tourists have also been robbed after bringing visitors to their hotel rooms.

In some cases their drinks were drugged. Be careful about taking drinks from strangers and at clubs and parties, particularly in Koh Samui, Pattaya and at the Full Moon party on Koh Phangan, where date rapes have been reported.

Alcohol and drugs can lead to you being less alert, less in control and less aware of your environment. If you drink, know your limit.

Drinks served in bars overseas are often stronger than those in the UK. Some British nationals have suffered severe psychiatric problems because of drug use, resulting in some suicides.

Be aware of the possibility of credit card fraud. Don't lose sight of your card during transactions.

There have been incidents of ATM skimming in Thailand. Where possible use an ATM within a bank and always protect your PIN.

Be careful to observe demarcation lines between shops and stalls, particularly in market areas and at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Taking items from one shop's area to another may be treated as suspected theft.

Be on your guard against pickpockets and bag snatchers. Foreigners have had items snatched by thieves on motorbikes when walking along busy streets or travelling in open transport like tuk tuks.

If you travel by bus, make sure cash and valuables you have are kept securely. There have been incidents where passengers have had items taken from bags while asleep.

Gem scams are common. There have been reports of visitors buying gems for inflated prices from seemingly respectable establishments then later finding out the stones are worth a tiny fraction of the purchase price.

You should report any incidents of crime to the Thai police before leaving the country.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Salmond: Leaders' Vow A 'Desperate Offer'

How Facebook Shaped The Referendum

Updated: 8:27am UK, Tuesday 16 September 2014

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

It's Facebook 'wot might win it.

Sure, the August poll surge in support for independence was down, in part, to traditional campaigning. Meetings and megaphones have thrust the Yes campaign "in yer face" over years leading up to Thursday.

But why, according to the opinion polls, did it all seem to come together in the space of a few weeks? Why, suddenly, the knife-edge?

In the word of a senior Yes strategist: Facebook.

I chatted to him as the Alex Salmond Labour Heartland tour rolled up at its latest venue, playing to the target market through the TV cameras. It was a big, well-attended, photo-call - the staple diet of the political campaign.

As the strategist stood back from the madding crowd, he told me that the magic formula didn't lie in the blood and snotters of a mass media scrum, but in the quiet exploitation of social media. Facebook, in particular.

The challenge for supporters of Scottish independence, historically, has been in turning it from a fringe notion into something people allow themselves to contemplate. Check their election success at the Scottish Parliament to see the considerable style with which that's been accomplished.

Scots have taken the hop and a step. Why, now, might they be shaping to take the jump? 

The Yes strategist pinned it on Facebook.

"Ask yourself," he said, to paraphrase him, "if a parent wants to check on their youngster who's on a night out, what do they do?  They don't phone them, because they probably won't answer.

"They might text ... but, invariably, they'll Facebook them. And when they do, dozens or hundreds of their friends will see it. It's a chat network that plugs people into the other people they value. There are no better opinion-formers for someone than the friends and family they like and trust.

"So, as a campaigning tool, it's been very effective. We encourage Yes supporters to spread the word to their Facebook friends and, over time, you build a network around people that builds a political case.

"Facebook is more effective than Twitter. You put something on Twitter and you reach people within the political bubble. With Facebook, you tap into a far bigger community."

So why the spike in support for Yes after polls that had No with a consistent and strong lead over the course of a two and a half year campaign?

"People just didn't turn their mind to the referendum until it actually came round. It's been in the far distance for most of the campaign but, now that people realise they're getting to decision time, large numbers are now weighing up the arguments ... and they're deciding having had their views on independence softened by Facebook friends."

There were more than 10 million referendum-related interactions on Facebook in the five weeks to September 8 - 85% of which was from Scotland.

He said he reckoned the Yes campaign had been four or five times more active than their opponents on Facebook and pointed out a Facebook chat with Scotland's pro-independence First Minister Alex Salmond attracted around 5,000 questions.

Data suggests the Yes campaign is slightly in the lead with 2.05 interactions in Scotland compared to 1.96 million for the no campaign.

The strategist said the campaigning beauty of social media was that it eliminated the need to rely on mainstream media coverage, that the likes of Facebook cut out the middle man and enabled them to reach out to the voter directly.

Just how many the campaign has touched and what effect it has had, we'll find out soon enough.

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Helicopter Crashes In Sea Off East Yorkshire

A helicopter has crashed into the sea near the lighthouse at Flamborough, East Yorkshire, police have said.

Coastguard, police and the ambulance service were called to the scene at 1.39pm after a call from a member of the public.

The helicopter is not believed to be from the British or US military, with an eyewitness describing it as a "small, white" aircraft. 

Humber Coastguard said an officer had been winched down to assess the crash site, and lifeboats from Flamborough and Bridlington are also searching the area.

There have so far been no details on the condition of those on board.

Ron Marwood, from the local golf club, described the helicopter as a "small, white" one, with probably just two to four seats.

He told Sky News he had heard a change in engine noise and then it "just disappeared down below the cliffs".

Visibility was around three to four miles and emergency services arrived within minutes, Mr Marwood said.

A Yorkshire Ambulance Service spokeswoman said the emergency call reported that the helicopter had crashed into a cliff.

She said an air ambulance, an ambulance, the RAF and rapid response vehicles had been rushed to the scene.

A team from the Government's Air Accidents Investigation Branch has also been dispatched.

Members of the public are being warned to stay away from the crash site due to dangerous cliff edges and aviation fuel in the water.

More follows...

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Salmond Accuses Cameron Of 'Scaremongering'

What Happens If Scotland Leaves The Union?

Updated: 2:00pm UK, Tuesday 09 September 2014

Supporters of both sides of the Scotland referendum debate are mounting a final push for votes before the ballot on September 18. Sky News looks at what will happen if Scotland votes Yes to exit the UK:

:: 1.  When would Scotland become independent?

The Scottish Government has set a date 18 months from now, March 24, 2016, for Scotland's independence day.

:: 2. What would happen immediately after a Yes vote?

The first step on the morning after the result comes in would involve the forming of teams from both the Yes and No camps to take part in behind-the-scenes negotiations. SNP leader Alex Salmond has already indicated his deputy Nicola Sturgeon would lead the talks for the Scottish nationalists. It is not yet known who would spearhead the Westminster team.

:: 3. What amendments would there be to the constitution?

The negotiating teams would devise a new constitution for Scotland and dissolve the 1707 Act Of Union.

:: 4. What would happen to the Queen?

The Yes campaign has said Her Majesty would stay as monarch so it would not be surprising if Mr Salmond seeks an audience with the Queen in the days and weeks after the vote.

:: 5. Would Scotland take part in the May 2015 General Election?

Scottish voters would still be able to take part, but their representatives would only potentially serve a 10-month term in office.

:: 6. What currency would Scotland use?

That is still being thrashed out and yet to be decided. The three main Westminster parties - the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats - have ruled out a currency union, although Mr Salmond insists an independent Scotland would keep the pound.

:: 7. How much of the UK national debt would be transferred to Scotland?

This is not yet known, but it is likely to be worked out on a per capita share - based on population.

:: 8. What would happen to Scotland's standing in global affairs?

Scotland would have to negotiate its own entry into the European Union and Nato, and the population would have to decide whether they want to have the euro.

:: 9. What effect would independence have on Scotland's defence force?

The issue of defence is probably one of the most emotive - and uncertain. Scotland is likely to have its own independent defence force, in time, depending on practicalities and finances, for it has its North Sea oil and fishing industries to protect. Scottish nationalists are opposed to having the Trident nuclear deterrent and would want to see it removed from Faslane, on the west coast of Scotland, as soon as possible. However, Nato is fundamentally a nuclear alliance, and if Scotland struggles to become a member of Nato, it is likely to struggle to join the EU too, which would have a big impact on the Scottish economy. There is also the matter of service personnel - some of which will be currently serving in historic English regiments. Any division of troops north and south of the border would take years.

:: 10. What would independence mean in terms of travelling across the Scotland-England border?

An independent Scotland would control its own borders. The SNP would like to see an open border, but Home Secretary Theresa May has already warned she will not allow Scotland to be used as a back door for immigrants getting into England if Scotland adopts a looser immigration policy. So, we could see passport controls on the border between the two countries.

:: 11. Would Scottish citizens need new passports?

A lot depends on whether Scotland joins the EU. Scottish citizens would be entitled to a Scottish passport, but a UK passport would still be valid until it expires. British citizens who were habitual residents in Scotland would be automatically considered Scottish citizens.

:: 12. What would happen to benefits and taxes?

Benefits and taxes will become the responsibility of the new Scottish government. In its white paper on Scotland's independence it says the Scottish Parliament will ensure that the personal tax allowance and tax credits increase in line with inflation.

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Cancer Doctor Admits Sex Attacks On Children

A children's cancer doctor has admitted a series of sexual assaults on patients as young as 11 in his care.

Dr Myles Bradbury, who worked at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual assault and 13 counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child.

Appearing at Cambridge Crown Court, Bradbury also pleaded guilty to three counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, one count of voyeurism and two counts of making indecent images of a child.

Prosecutor John Farmer said the offences involved 18 victims and dated back to 2009.

Paediatric haematologist Bradbury was bailed and told he would have to sign the sex offenders register.

He pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual activity with a child and one of sexual assault, which Judge Gareth Hawkesworth said would probably remain on file.

A sentencing date was not given but the judge said Bradbury could expect a "substantial" custodial sentence.

Bradbury worked as a paediatric haematologist at Addenbrooke's Hospital

As he left court, Bradbury told reporters: "I'm so sorry."

He refused to answer further questions.

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire Police Police warned "there are likely to be more victims" of Bradbury.

A helpline can be called if parents, patients or former patients have any concerns, the spokesman said.

Detective Sergeant Shane Fasey said Bradbury had refused to co-operate with police during three interviews.

He said: "Bradbury's offences were an appalling breach of trust committed against vulnerable victims who had been placed in his care.

"The families believed the boys were in his safe hands but they were actually being abused by Bradbury, who carried out examinations purely for his own sexual gratification and with no medical justification whatsoever.

"I would like to praise the victims and their families who have shown the bravery to come forward and help bring Bradbury to account."

Dr Keith McNeil, chief executive of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Addenbrooke's, said: "I am so deeply sorry these incidents have happened and I am also deeply saddened, as a doctor, that one of my own profession has placed himself and his patients in this position.

"There is a very ancient and sacred trust that exists between a doctor and his patients and, quite frankly, it sickens me to think that trust has been breached."

:: Anyone with concerns can call the helpline set up by Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust on 0800 389 8625.

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British Hostage's Friends 'In Absolute Disbelief'

Anti-IS Coalition Agrees Military Action Plan

Updated: 4:11pm UK, Monday 15 September 2014

World leaders meeting in Paris to form a broad coalition against Islamic State have agreed to provide military aid to Iraq to fight the extremist network.

International efforts to combat the Islamist militants, who have grabbed large swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq, have taken on an added urgency after the beheading of British aid worker David Haines and the threat to kill a second UK hostage.

UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond was at Monday's summit - spearheaded by French President Francois Hollande and Iraqi President Fuad Masum - bringing together 30 countries to co-ordinate a response to the IS threat.

Mr Hammond said Britain had yet to decide whether to launch airstrikes against IS targets and that the SAS had not been sent in to rescue British hostage Alan Henning because it was not clear exactly where he was being held.

Aid worker Mr Henning appeared at the end of an IS video released on Saturday in which fellow UK hostage David Haines was killed, with a threat that he would be next.

Speaking to Sky News Mr Hammond said he understood Mr Henning's family was "going through hell," and that the government was doing everything possible to protect him.

"We have considered every possible option to support these kidnap victims, both British and others," he said.

"If we knew where they were, it would be a different story but we do not.

"We have to do what we can to protect the individual in question, and we also cannot be deterred from our strategic objective of crushing IS and the barbarous ideology it is trying to impose on the region."

The nations agreed to "support the Iraqi government by any means necessary - including military assistance".

French foreign minister Laurent Fabius said: "When you are facing a terrorist group as dangerous as this one, a certain number of measures have to be taken of a military nature, and these will vary according to the country."

Mr Hollande opened the summit, warning: "The terrorist threat is global and the response must be global. The cowardly murder of David Haines is a terrifying example of what is going on... There is no time to lose."

Some 930 French citizens or residents, including at least 60 women, are actively engaged in jihad in Iraq and Syria, or are planning to go there.

Mr Masum said there was a need for a "quick response" to the Islamist group which he said had "committed massacres and genocidal crimes".

Representatives of the six-nation Gulf Co-operation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) and US Secretary of State John Kerry were also among the delegates at the conference.

However, Iran said it had rejected a request from the US to join the fight against IS because of Washington's "unclean intentions".

Sky's Europe Correspondent Robert Nisbet, in Paris, said: "This is about building a much broader alliance with regional actors, especially countries with Sunni majorities.

"This is now the pressing international issue and America would like to see all countries uniting against Islamic State."

Ahead of the talks, the US said several countries in the Middle East had offered to join airstrikes against the militants, while Australia said it would send aircraft and personnel and France announced it would begin reconnaissance missions over Iraq.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who is under pressure to act following the killing of Mr Haines, has given no indication over whether he would commit military forces to airstrikes.

Video footage of the British aid worker's death showed a knife-wielding militant who speaks with a British accent.

The clip also included a threat to kill a second hostage, Alan Henning, who was a volunteer on an aid convoy.

It followed the beheadings of two American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.

Mr Cameron vowed to "hunt down" the "monsters" who killed Mr Haines, and said the crime would "strengthen our resolve" to smash the extremist network which has seized swathes of Iraq and Syria.

Explaining Mr Cameron's dilemma, Sky's Chief Political Correspondent Jon Craig said: "He tried to get a vote in Parliament last year on missile strikes on Syria.

"Thirty or so Conservative MPs voted against, as did Labour, and he lost the vote. He was humiliated. So he doesn't particularly want to go down that route again."

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British Tourists Found Dead On Thailand Beach

FCO Advice For Thailand Tourists

Updated: 10:39am UK, Monday 15 September 2014

The latest Foreign Office advice for tourists in Thailand warns of the danger of robberies and sex assaults in areas popular with backpackers.

Here is the FCO's advice on crime in the country, which draws around 800,000 British visitors each year.

Eleven British nationals have been murdered in Thailand since January 2009.

Western tourists have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by gangs in Koh Phangan.

These attacks are particularly common around the time of the Full Moon parties and generally occur late at night near bars in Haad Rin on Koh Phangan.

In January 2013 a British national was killed in a shooting incident while at a beach party in Haad Rin.

Violent assaults and robberies have been reported in Chaweng, Koh Samui.

Attacks have also occurred in other tourist districts in Thailand including in Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Krabi. Take care, especially at night.

There have been sexual assaults against foreign men and women, especially in the Koh Samui archipelago and Krabi province.

Tourists have also been robbed after bringing visitors to their hotel rooms.

In some cases their drinks were drugged. Be careful about taking drinks from strangers and at clubs and parties, particularly in Koh Samui, Pattaya and at the Full Moon party on Koh Phangan, where date rapes have been reported.

Alcohol and drugs can lead to you being less alert, less in control and less aware of your environment. If you drink, know your limit.

Drinks served in bars overseas are often stronger than those in the UK. Some British nationals have suffered severe psychiatric problems because of drug use, resulting in some suicides.

Be aware of the possibility of credit card fraud. Don't lose sight of your card during transactions.

There have been incidents of ATM skimming in Thailand. Where possible use an ATM within a bank and always protect your PIN.

Be careful to observe demarcation lines between shops and stalls, particularly in market areas and at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Taking items from one shop's area to another may be treated as suspected theft.

Be on your guard against pickpockets and bag snatchers. Foreigners have had items snatched by thieves on motorbikes when walking along busy streets or travelling in open transport like tuk tuks.

If you travel by bus, make sure cash and valuables you have are kept securely. There have been incidents where passengers have had items taken from bags while asleep.

Gem scams are common. There have been reports of visitors buying gems for inflated prices from seemingly respectable establishments then later finding out the stones are worth a tiny fraction of the purchase price.

You should report any incidents of crime to the Thai police before leaving the country.

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Eight 'Slaves' Rescued In Caravan Site Raid

Four people have been arrested after eight "slaves" were rescued during a raid on a caravan site in Bedfordshire.

The alleged victims - seven men aged between 20 and 46, and a 17-year-old boy - were found at the Green Acres site near Leighton Buzzard.

Police say some had been held there for "many years".

They are said to be in a "poor state of physical health".

Some are receiving medical and psychological treatment at an undisclosed location - though others refused to engage with police.

Four residents of the Gipsy Lane site, two men and two women, were arrested under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009.

Some 65 officers, including a firearms and dog unit, took part in the dawn raid yesterday.

Police previously raided the site in 2011. Pic: File

Chief Inspector Tania Coulson said: "The men we found at the plot were in a poor state of physical health and the conditions they were living in were cramped and filthy.

"We believe that some of the victims had been living and working there in a state of virtual slavery, some for just a few days/weeks and others for many years.

"The offences being investigated are extremely serious.

"We understand that some people may have information about what has been happening, but have been too scared to come forward and report it.

"People who do want to talk to us about this matter should contact us on 101, or Crimestoppers, which is both anonymous and independent from the police. You do not have to give your name, but if you do we will keep it secret."

The raid followed a lengthy investigation into reports that a number of people were being held as "modern slaves".

Two other men were arrested - one for obstructing a police officer and another for breach of the peace.

In 2011, 24 "slaves" were found at the site after a police raid. Four people were later convicted.

The latest operation comes amid a campaign by the Home Office to raise awareness of "modern slavery".

Those who suspect cases of modern slavery or feel they may be a victim can call a national helpline on 0800 0121 700.

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PM: We Will 'Hunt Down' David Haines' Killers

David Cameron has vowed that Britain will "hunt down" those responsible for the murder of British aid worker David Haines and bring them to justice.

Speaking from Downing Street after chairing a meeting of Cobra, Mr Cameron described Islamic State extremists as "monsters" who are part of a "fanatical organisation".

"We will hunt down those responsible and bring them to justice, no matter how long it takes," Mr Cameron said.

"David Haines was an aid worker. He went into harm's way, not to harm people but to help his fellow human beings in the hour of their direst need, from the Balkans to the Middle East.

"David Haines was a British hero. The fact that an aid worker was taken, held and brutally murdered at the hand of Islamic State sums up what this organisation stands for.

A man wearing black addresses David Cameron in the video

"They boast of their brutality. They claim to do this in the name of Islam. That is nonsense - Islam is a religion of peace."

Earlier in the day Mr Cameron held emergency talks with senior representatives of the military, the security services, the Foreign Office and the Home Office.

He returned to Downing Street shortly after midnight when IS released a video which showed Mr Haines' death.

Government sources say the death will not change Britain's policy and Parliament will not be recalled.

But Mr Cameron said Britain's security depends upon taking action against the extremists.

Mr Haines has been described as a 'British hero' (Pic: Lance Baldwin)

"It must strengthen our resolve. We must recognise that it will take time to eradicate a threat like this. It will require, as I have described, action at home and abroad," he said.

"This is not something we can do on our own. We have to work with the rest of the world.

"Ultimately, our security as a nation, the way we go about our everyday lives in this free and tolerant society that is Britain, has always depended on our readiness to act against those who stand for hatred and who stand for destruction."

Mr Haines was taken hostage in Syria last year

The footage of Mr Haines' death shows a knife-wielding militant who speaks with a British accent.

The clip also includes a threat to kill a second hostage, later named as Alan Henning, who was a volunteer on an aid convoy.

In the video, Mr Haines looks into the camera and makes a statement, holding Mr Cameron responsible for his own "execution".

In the statement, which appears to have been made under duress, he said: "You entered voluntarily into a coalition with the United States against the Islamic State just as your predecessor Tony Blair did, following a trend against our British prime ministers who can't find the courage to say 'no' to the Americans.

"Unfortunately it is we the British public that in the end will pay the price for our Parliament's selfish decisions."

Mr Cameron returned to Downing Street for crisis talks

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "All the signs are that the video is genuine. We have no reason to believe it is not."

The aid agency that Mr Haines was working for when he was taken hostage in 2013 said it was "appalled and horrified" by the killing.

"ACTED strongly condemns with the utmost of force these crimes. In this tragic moment, our thoughts are with his family, friends and loved ones," the agency said.

The killing comes just weeks after American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff were beheaded by Islamic State (IS). Those deaths were also filmed, and the videos were released on the internet.

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Scotland Referendum Result 'Too Close To Call'

The latest opinion polls show the Scottish referendum campaign is "on a knife-edge" - with the "Yes" and "No" campaigns ahead in different surveys.

Three polls - all of which exclude undecided voters - give the "No" campaign the advantage on the final weekend of campaigning, but pro-Independence campaigners will be boosted by another which shows them ahead by a large margin.

A poll commissioned by the Better Together campaign and carried out by Survation has the "No" vote on 54% and the "Yes" camp on 46%.

Another, for The Observer newspaper, gives the "No" campaign a six point lead - 53%-47%.

Meanwhile, a poll carried out for The Sunday Times newspaper has "No" on 50.6% and "Yes" on 49.4%.

A poll for the Sunday Telegraph however showed support for independence at 54%, a nine-point swing from their last online poll, with support for the "No" campaign at 46%.

But the poll's sample size - 705 people - means its margin of error is higher than most surveys.

The Sunday Telegraph poll that shows the 'Yes' side ahead

Polling expert John Curtice said the poll came with "a substantial health warning".

Sky's Scotland Correspondent James Matthews said: "It tells us what we already know: this is going to be extremely tight, coming down to the wire, all the cliches fit.

"It really is on a knife edge and the intense campaigning over the remaining days will clearly be targeted at the undecideds, numbering something like half a million, they clearly hold the key to this referendum."

Reacting to the latest snapshots of public opinion, Blair Jenkins, chief executive of Yes Scotland, said: "Taken in the round, the polls show that the referendum is on a knife-edge.

"There is everything to play for, and this will spur on everybody who wants and is working hard for a 'Yes' to redouble their efforts.

The final weekend of campaigning has seen both sides out in force

"As we say in response to all the polls, we are working flat out to ensure that we achieve a 'Yes' vote, because it's the biggest opportunity the people of Scotland will ever have to build a fairer society and more prosperous economy."

The latest polls came after First Minister Alex Salmond hit out at banks and businesses that have warned about the effects of independence.

Deutsche Bank said a "Yes" vote could be a mistake akin to those that sparked the Great Depression, while three more retailers said customers would face higher prices.

Six telecoms companies also released an open letter warning such an outcome could mean increased costs in the industry.

But Mr Salmond said in an interview with Sky News: "The people of Scotland are not going to have big government orchestrating big oil and big supermarkets to tell us we can't run our own country."

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