Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 28 Februari 2015 | 22.11
Some 400 demonstrators have taken to the streets of Newcastle to protest "against the Islamisation of Europe" in the first British demonstration organised by the PEGIDA group.
The movement was formed in Germany last year and holds regular marches in the country calling for a restriction in Muslim immigration and the preservation of German culture.
On its Facebook page the group said: "We would like to remind everyone that this will be a peaceful rally where people from all walks of life will gather together to unite against extreme Islam, nothing else.
Several hundred counter demontrators turned out to oppose the rally
"We all have one main aim and that is to protect our British values and our culture."
A few hundred yards away an estimated 2,000 counter protesters carrying banners declaring opposition to facism, Islamaphobia and racism shouted insults behind lines of police.
MP George Galloway, who was at the rally to protest against it, branded PEGIDA supporters "right-wing nutters".
PEGIDA demonstrators gave speeches from a podium in the city centre while the song "There Will Always Be An England" played from large speakers.
One supporter said: "This is about the problems that are going on in this nation. Muslims are not integrating into our society; they want their own laws but we don't want that."
Another supporter was seen carrying the flag of the Greek Golden Dawn party which has also campaigned against Muslim immigration into southern Greece and Athens.
Mr Galloway said: "It is absolutely extraordinary that a German organisation sets up in the UK - it's not as if there is a lack of right-wing nutter organisations here.
"They have got to be opposed, wherever they are."
Northumbria Police has planned a major operation to keep the busy city centre safe for everyone including football fans ahead of Newcastle United's game against Aston Villa.
But fears of widespread trouble have not materialised and there have only been minor scuffles as police try to keep both sides apart.
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Video:Jihadi John Was A 'Peculiar' Child
A classmate of Mohammed Emwazi - the Londoner unmasked as "Jihadi John" - has told Sky News that "nothing in his high school could have left him radicalised".
There has been widespread shock at Quintin Kynaston academy following Emwazi's apparent involvement in a series of Islamic State videos which show the gruesome beheadings of Western aid workers and journalists.
The former pupil said there was nothing to suggest Emwazi was religious during his teenage years. He was quiet, rarely made eye contact, and always wore a baseball cap - but was known to get into the occasional fight.
"There was something peculiar about him in that he was violent but he wasn't someone who was loud who talked in a provocative way," the ex-classmate said. "There were others who were going around bullying."
The fellow pupil at the north-west London academy believes the IS militant's education beyond high school may be responsible for his transformation into a cold-blooded killer.
Emwazi, circled, in a school picture
"It wasn't like university where you'd have speakers coming over from certain societies to give talks," said the classmate, who was two years older than Emwazi and does not wish to be named.
"I suppose there was potential for him to be groomed, that is a possibility. But at the time, at secondary school, he was like any of us."
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Gallery: Jihadi John's University Academic Record
Mohammed Emwazi, aka Jihadi John, studied a computing course at university. Sky News has exclusively obtained his student record
His file shows mostly middling academic grades for his course modules. He graduated with a lower second (2.2) degree
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Emwazi is believed to be the British-accented man who has appeared in Islamic State beheading videos
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Pictures have also emerged of Emwazi from his school yearbook in 1996
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The 27-year-old went to St Mary Magdalene Church of England school in Maida Vale, west London
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Emwazi, 26, went on to study at the University of Westminster between 2006 and 2009 - finishing his computer programming degree.
In the same year, he was reportedly questioned by an MI5 officer in Amsterdam, accused of attempting to travel to Somalia to join a terror group.
It comes as a former reviewer of UK terrorism legislation told Sky News that Emwazi could have been subject to tougher security measures if it had not been for government mistakes.
Lord Carlile said: "Had control orders been in place, in my review there is a realistic prospect that Mohammed Emwazi and at least two of his associates would have been the subject of control orders with a compulsory relocation.
"If that had been the case he would not have done what he has done in recent times."
The unnamed classmate, who has watched some of the videos, continued: "Something has gone wrong somewhere - whether in the UK, or when he went abroad.
Video:PM Defends Security Services
"It's a shame that we, or the Government, weren't able to stop it, or to even notice it.
"I presume he's got some anger to vent out, or he's enjoying the fame. He seems to be confident in what he is doing - it's not like what I saw when he was younger."
One of Emwazi's secondary school teachers told BBC Newsnight that Emwazi had received anger management therapy - and at the time, appeared to be a "success story" in overcoming the problem and going on to achieve good grades.
Since his identity was revealed, Quintin Kynaston has released a statement saying it was "shocked and sickened" that one of their alumni has become involved in terrorism.
MI5 has reportedly questioned Emwazi's former teachers following on from his identification.
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Emwazi's Old Schoolmate: 'He Was Like Any Of Us'
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Video:Jihadi John Was A 'Peculiar' Child
A classmate of Mohammed Emwazi - the Londoner unmasked as "Jihadi John" - has told Sky News that "nothing in his high school could have left him radicalised".
There has been widespread shock at Quintin Kynaston academy following Emwazi's apparent involvement in a series of Islamic State videos which show the gruesome beheadings of Western aid workers and journalists.
The former pupil said there was nothing to suggest Emwazi was religious during his teenage years. He was quiet, rarely made eye contact, and always wore a baseball cap - but was known to get into the occasional fight.
"There was something peculiar about him in that he was violent but he wasn't someone who was loud who talked in a provocative way," the ex-classmate said. "There were others who were going around bullying."
The fellow pupil at the north-west London academy believes the IS militant's education beyond high school may be responsible for his transformation into a cold-blooded killer.
Emwazi, circled, in a school picture
"It wasn't like university where you'd have speakers coming over from certain societies to give talks," said the classmate, who was two years older than Emwazi and does not wish to be named.
"I suppose there was potential for him to be groomed, that is a possibility. But at the time, at secondary school, he was like any of us."
1/5
Gallery: Jihadi John's University Academic Record
Mohammed Emwazi, aka Jihadi John, studied a computing course at university. Sky News has exclusively obtained his student record
His file shows mostly middling academic grades for his course modules. He graduated with a lower second (2.2) degree
]]>
Emwazi is believed to be the British-accented man who has appeared in Islamic State beheading videos
]]>
Pictures have also emerged of Emwazi from his school yearbook in 1996
]]>
The 27-year-old went to St Mary Magdalene Church of England school in Maida Vale, west London
]]>
Emwazi, 26, went on to study at the University of Westminster between 2006 and 2009 - finishing his computer programming degree.
In the same year, he was reportedly questioned by an MI5 officer in Amsterdam, accused of attempting to travel to Somalia to join a terror group.
It comes as a former reviewer of UK terrorism legislation told Sky News that Emwazi could have been subject to tougher security measures if it had not been for government mistakes.
Lord Carlile said: "Had control orders been in place, in my review there is a realistic prospect that Mohammed Emwazi and at least two of his associates would have been the subject of control orders with a compulsory relocation.
"If that had been the case he would not have done what he has done in recent times."
The unnamed classmate, who has watched some of the videos, continued: "Something has gone wrong somewhere - whether in the UK, or when he went abroad.
Video:PM Defends Security Services
"It's a shame that we, or the Government, weren't able to stop it, or to even notice it.
"I presume he's got some anger to vent out, or he's enjoying the fame. He seems to be confident in what he is doing - it's not like what I saw when he was younger."
One of Emwazi's secondary school teachers told BBC Newsnight that Emwazi had received anger management therapy - and at the time, appeared to be a "success story" in overcoming the problem and going on to achieve good grades.
Since his identity was revealed, Quintin Kynaston has released a statement saying it was "shocked and sickened" that one of their alumni has become involved in terrorism.
MI5 has reportedly questioned Emwazi's former teachers following on from his identification.
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A 15-year-old boy has died after suffering a single stab wound while cycling in north London.
Police were called just after 7.30pm on Friday to reports of a male collapsed in Caledonian Road, near the junction with Twyford Street, Islington.
Officers and paramedics from the London Ambulance Service attended but the boy was pronounced dead at the scene.
The victim has been named as Alan Cartwright. Next of kin are understood to have been informed.
Tributes and flowers have been left at the scene.
People have been leaving floral tributes at the scene
One mourner wrote: "So sad. Such a young life taken so young."
Someone, writing on Twitter, said: "So sad that another Islington kid taken so soon. Thinking of your family at this sad time."
Another added: "Devastated isn't the word! RIP Alan."
Former EastEnders actor Brooke Kinsella, whose 16-year-old brother Ben was knifed to death in north London in 2008, added: "Another young boy lost to knife crime, another family destroyed. Sickening, cowardly, senseless culture. Heart is weary #PutDownYourKnives"
Police said it is believed that the boy was riding north on Caledonian Road with friends before the incident happened.
The group was attacked close to the junction with Copenhagen Street by three males who had been walking south.
Police cordoned off a large section of Caledonian Road
The victim suffered a stab wound but managed to continue cycling further up Caledonian Road before collapsing.
Two other members of the group had their bicycles stolen.
The suspects left the scene, making off south down Caledonian Road. No other injuries were reported.
Detectives say they are keeping an open mind as to the motive for the attack.
Investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Chris Jones appealed for anyone who saw anything to get in touch.
He said: "Caledonian Road would have been very busy at the time of the incident and I would appeal to anyone who witnessed this attack, or may have any information as to who is responsible, to come forward and speak to police."
First-time buyers aged under-40 will be given the chance to buy a starter home at a 20% discount under a new Government scheme.
Planning rules for under-used brownfield sites will be relaxed from Monday in return for developers using the land to build properties to sell at 80% of the market value.
The scheme could save potential buyers tens of thousands of pounds, as the average cost of a first home is currently £218,000.
The Prime Minister said the discount "could be a real game-changer for many aspiring home-owners".
About 45 developers have so far expressed an interest in taking advantage of the move, that would save them around £15,000 per home in obligations.
Video:The Smallest House On The Market
Suggested designs for the new homes have been compiled by a panel including leading architects Sir Terry Farrell and Sir Quinlan Terry based on the best from around the country.
They highlighted "attractive properties that can meet the demands of modern life".
Potential buyers can express interest online now and the discount will apply for five years to prevent anyone seeking to make a quick profit.
Mr Cameron said: "We want to help people who work hard and want to get on in life but have been priced out of the housing market.
"A 20% discount off the price could be a real game-changer for many aspiring home-owners. My message is clear: we are on your side and we will help you fulfil your dream of buying your first home."
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: "The number of first-time buyers is already at a seven-year high and these starter homes... will help even more people realise their dream of home ownership.
"This will also form part of our wider efforts to get the country building again, which have already led to 700,000 new homes being delivered since the end of 2009."
But shadow housing minister Emma Reynolds said it remained unclear how the policy would deliver.
She said: "Warm words from David Cameron about home ownership will ring hollow for those young people and families who have been priced out of home ownership over the past five years.
"This Government has presided over the lowest levels of house building in peacetime since the 1920s and home ownership is at its lowest level for 30 years.
"There is also a record number of young people living at home with their parents in to their twenties and thirties.
"Labour will get at least 200,000 homes built a year by 2020, including badly needed affordable homes, and we will give first-time buyers first call on homes built in local areas of housing growth."
A discarded laptop has been discovered during the search for missing 16-year-old Rebecca Watts, friends and family say.
The discovery came as more than 100 friends and family took part in a search across Bristol, where the teenager was last seen over a week ago.
Rebecca Watts was last seen on 19 February
Police said she left her home in Crown Hill, in the St George area of the city, on 19 February with her phone, laptop and tablet computer.
She did not tell her friends or family where she was going, or take extra clothes.
The teenager, described as shy, was reported missing by her family at 4pm on February 20.
John Galsworthy, Becky's paternal grandfather, said the family were trying to remain strong as the search intensifies.
Mr Galsworthy said: "We are broadening the search. There are groups separate to ours who are going out using their own initiative, going wherever necessary to try and find her.
"We are continuing in the hope there may be something discovered today. We want everyone to keep their eyes and ears open."
Police divers have searched a lake in St George's Park, close to the youngster's home.
Written By Unknown on Jumat, 27 Februari 2015 | 22.11
Ed Miliband has unveiled a Labour election pledge to cut student tuition fees by a third by reducing pension tax relief for higher earners.
Under the party's plans, the cap on undergraduate fees would be reduced from £9,000 to £6,000 per year from September 2016.
Mr Miliband told an audience of students in Leeds that the current funding system was landing graduates with debts running into tens of thousands of pounds.
He said the coalition Government's student fees policy was "one of the most expensive broken promises in the history of British politics".
Labour's funding cut would be paid for by a reduction in pension tax relief for higher earners, Mr Miliband said.
Video:'You Can't Get That Trust Back'
The lifetime limit on the size of pension pots would be reduced from £1.25m to £1m, while maximum contributions to pension pots will be cut from £40,000 to £30,000.
Mr Miliband also said maintenance grants will be increased by £400 a year, saying that Labour is "determined" to help students with their living costs. This will apply to those with family incomes of up to £42,000.
In a bid to offset criticism the cut in fees would disproportionately benefit wealthier graduates, the interest rate on loans would rise by 1% to 4% for the highest earners.
Video:'This has been a failed experiment'
Mr Miliband said: "The scourge of debt from tuition fees is not only holding back our young people, it is a burden on our country."
He added: "We're going to reduce the debt on university students. We're going to reduce the debt on taxpayers.
"From September of next year, the next Labour government will reduce tuition fees from £9,000 to £6,000. Meeting our obligations to the next generation.
Video:Labour Tuition Fee Plan Criticised
"It will benefit those starting courses next year. It will benefit those already at university."
But Business Secretary Vince Cable told Sky News: "It's an absolutely terrible idea that will do great harm to universities.
"Its completely unnecessary because we have got a good system now where universities are properly funded, students who go there don't pay any cash, they pay back later in life in relation to their income.
Video:Sept 2012 - Clegg 'I'm Sorry' Remix
"The only people who benefit from the Labour proposal will be future graduates on high incomes - the investment bankers of the future.
"It's a very, very retrograde, regressive step that will undermine higher education."
Conservative Universities Minister Greg Clark dismissed Labour's plan as "cobbled together" and warned it would cause "chaos".
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Gallery: Thousands Of Students Join March
Demonstrators chant slogans during a student rally in central London
The demonstration march was organised by the National Union of Students and was the first national student protest since a series of violent protests against tuition fees two years ago
Royal Mail is to increase the costs of both first and second class stamps from 30 March.
The news was contained in an announcement about wider pricing of letters and parcels.
It said the prices for first and second class stamps would rise 1p to 63p and 54p respectively, insisting the cost remained among the best in terms of value offered across Europe.
Sending a large letter would increase by 2p to 95p for first class and by 1p to 74p for second class, Royal Mail said.
Royal Mail also announced that it was simplifying and cutting the price of sending a second-class medium parcel, and will maintain prices for second-class small parcels which was introduced as a Christmas promotion.
It meant parcels weighing up to 2kg would be priced at £4.89, which Royal Mail said represented a saving of up to £3.11.
The postal group said it had thought "carefully" about the impact on its customers before deciding to raise letter prices, adding that it recognised how the recent tough economic conditions had made it difficult for consumers and businesses.
Royal Mail has questioned the sustainability of the company's Universal Service Obligation (USO) under which it must deliver letters to each UK address.
It has accused rivals of "cherry-picking" - concentrating their operations in urban areas - to save on cost though the industry regulator has said it sees no reason to re-examine the USO.
Former glam rocker Gary Glitter has been jailed for 16 years after being found guilty of a string of historical sex attacks on three schoolgirls.
The 70-year-old, whose real name is Paul Gadd, was convicted of one count of attempted rape, one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13, and four counts of indecent assault.
One of his victims included a girl who was less than 10 years old when he crept into her bed and tried to rape her in 1975.
Glitter, who denied all the charges, also attacked two girls, aged 12 and 13, after inviting them backstage to his dressing room, and isolating them from their mothers.
Sky's Enda Brady, at London's Southwark Crown Court, said Glitter showed no reaction as his sentence was handed down and he was led from the dock.
As he arrived at the court earlier, he waved at two friends in the public gallery.
The former chart topper was at the height of his fame when he preyed on the youngsters.
Glitter at an earlier court appearance
Glitter's lawyer told the court their client is "a very different man now".
However, Judge Alistair McCreath, who remanded the disgraced star in custody after the verdicts last month, told him his offences were "truly appalling".
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Gallery: Gary Glitter Through The Years
British singer Paul Gadd, who later found fame as the glam rock star Gary Glitter, performing in an earlier incarnation as Paul Raven with the Twilights at the Black Cat Club in Woolwich in 1964
David Cameron says Britain will do "everything we can" to bring terrorists to justice after Londoner Mohammed Emwazi was identified as the Islamic State militant known as "Jihadi John".
The Prime Minister also expressed his support for Britain's security services as questions were raised about whether appropriate actions were taken to stop Emwazi from travelling to Syria.
Speaking at an event in Cardiff, Mr Cameron defended MI5 and praised the service for its "dedicated and courageous" work protecting Britain.
Mohammed Emwazi pictured in a school yearbook photograph from 1996
"They are having to make incredibly difficult judgements, and I think basically they make very good judgements on our behalf," he said.
"I think while we are in the middle of this vast effort to make sure British citizens are safe, the most important thing is to get behind them."
Video:Mohammed Emwazi: What We Know
The security agency has been criticised for its handling of Emwazi's case. The 27-year-old travelled to Syria in 2013, several years after MI5's first contact with the militant.
In 2009 he was reportedly questioned by an MI5 officer in Amsterdam who accused him of attempting to travel to Somalia to join a terror group.
Asim Qureshi, a director of the CAGE campaign group, has claimed Emwazi was harassed by the security agency over the following years as agents tried to recruit him as an informant.
Sir Menzies Campbell, a member of the Intelligence and Security Committee, has indicated that the parliamentary committee is likely to seek answers from MI5 over what information they held on "Jihadi John".
The families of Western hostages killed by Islamic State have expressed mixed reactions to the identification of Emwazi.
Video:'Jihadi John' Identified
A spokesman for relatives of Steven Sotloff, the US journalist beheaded in an Islamic State video, says they have "full faith" that Emwazi will eventually face justice.
While refusing to address specific cases, Mr Cameron said the security services and the police would do "everything" to bring those who commit "appalling and heinous crimes" to justice.
He described Britain's security services as "incredibly impressive, hard-working and dedicated".
"I'm satisfied we have in place the right ways of scrutinising the work that these extraordinary men and women do on our behalf," Mr Cameron said.
"Even in the last few months their dedication and work has saved us from plots on the streets of the United Kingdom that could have done immense damage.
Video:Sotloff Family Spokesman
"So I think it is a moment to stand up and thank them for the work they do on our behalf."
Speaking to Sky News, the executive director of the Human Security Centre, an independent foreign policy think tank, criticised CAGE for suggesting that Emwazi was radicalised as a consequence of his contact with MI5.
"This narrative was put forward by CAGE, which is often described as a human rights organisation, or a civil liberty organisation, but which is actually a pro-Islamist organisation," she said.
"They have a long record of supporting terrorists and of apologising for their actions."
Meanwhile Boris Johnson has told Sky News of his concern about youth being "sucked into" Islamist ideologies in London and across the country.
Video:Radicalisation Blame Game
Mr Johnson was speaking to First News readers and contributors from Sky News' Stand Up Be Counted campaign.
Asked whether people should feel safe in Britain, Mr Johnson said: "We should feel safe in this country. (The) police are doing a great job... and we're a safe society.
"But... we do have a problem with terrorism, with young people who are just being driven into an ideology that in my view is leading them into dangerous and criminal, catastrophic behaviour."
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Gallery: In Pics: Harry In The Military
Prince Harry stands to attention at his passing-out Sovereign's Parade at Sandhurst Military Academy in April 2006
Plans to deploy Harry to Iraq in 2007 were cancelled after a number of security threats were made against him
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Harry was eventually deployed to Afghanistan in 2008
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His tour was cut short after foreign media reports compromised his security and that of his colleagues
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Prince Harry is expected to leave the military later this year, according to Sky sources.
The move comes as a surprise as the 30-year-old Prince is a passionate member of the Armed Forces, who appeared to be focused on a long career serving as an Army officer.
He served two tours of duty in Afghanistan.
An Army spokesperson said: "We would not comment on the future careers of any of our soldiers and officers."
Kensington Palace would not comment on the news.
1/31
Gallery: Life In Afghanistan For Pilot Prince
Prince Harry has given the media unprecedented access to his second tour in Afghanistan. Click through the gallery to see pictures of the pilot prince in Helmand...
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It said in a statement: "Prince Harry is currently focused on his work supporting the Ministry of Defence's recovery capability programme to ensure those who are wounded, injured or sick have appropriate recovery plans and the necessary support they require."
The statement said the current job is "a natural progression from the work he did organising the Invictus Games".
Sky's Defence Correspondent Alistair Bunkall said Prince Harry had a "pretty distinguished" career within the Armed Forces.
"This is a natural time for Prince Harry to leave the Army. He could be expected to be promoted from Captain to Major next year, at which point he would undertake a nine-month course at the Staff College in Shrivenham. This sets you up for a long career in the Army.
"It is therefore a moment when a lot of young officers find themselves at a junction: to stay or leave and pursue something else."
In late 2007, Prince Harry undertook a 10-week tour of duty fighting the Taliban in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, operating as a battlefield air controller behind enemy lines.
Video:Army Prince Takes Up A New Job
His tour was cut short after foreign media broke a news blackout and he had to come home early.
In September 2012, he returned to Afghanistan for a 20-week stint that gave him the chance to use his Apache flying skills and head out on operations in his role as co-pilot gunner.
In January 2014, he swapped his helicopter role for an Army desk job, organising ceremonial events.
London's Evening Standard, which first reported the news, said Harry plans to focus on his charity work and aims to spend "a significant period abroad" on field projects in Africa.
Before his active military duties end, the Prince is expected to move to Australia for "several weeks", seconded to serve with units there, according to the newspaper.
Later he will spend time in New Zealand but not be involved with the military there, it said.
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1/8
Gallery: In Pics: Harry In The Military
Prince Harry stands to attention at his passing-out Sovereign's Parade at Sandhurst Military Academy in April 2006
Plans to deploy Harry to Iraq in 2007 were cancelled after a number of security threats were made against him
]]>
Harry was eventually deployed to Afghanistan in 2008
]]>
His tour was cut short after foreign media reports compromised his security and that of his colleagues
]]>
Prince Harry is expected to leave the military later this year, according to Sky sources.
The move comes as a surprise as the 30-year-old Prince is a passionate member of the Armed Forces, who appeared to be focused on a long career serving as an Army officer.
He served two tours of duty in Afghanistan.
An Army spokesperson said: "We would not comment on the future careers of any of our soldiers and officers."
Kensington Palace would not comment on the news.
1/31
Gallery: Life In Afghanistan For Pilot Prince
Prince Harry has given the media unprecedented access to his second tour in Afghanistan. Click through the gallery to see pictures of the pilot prince in Helmand...
]]>
]]>
It said in a statement: "Prince Harry is currently focused on his work supporting the Ministry of Defence's recovery capability programme to ensure those who are wounded, injured or sick have appropriate recovery plans and the necessary support they require."
The statement said the current job is "a natural progression from the work he did organising the Invictus Games".
Sky's Defence Correspondent Alistair Bunkall said Prince Harry had a "pretty distinguished" career within the Armed Forces.
"This is a natural time for Prince Harry to leave the Army. He could be expected to be promoted from Captain to Major next year, at which point he would undertake a nine-month course at the Staff College in Shrivenham. This sets you up for a long career in the Army.
"It is therefore a moment when a lot of young officers find themselves at a junction: to stay or leave and pursue something else."
In late 2007, Prince Harry undertook a 10-week tour of duty fighting the Taliban in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, operating as a battlefield air controller behind enemy lines.
Video:Army Prince Takes Up A New Job
His tour was cut short after foreign media broke a news blackout and he had to come home early.
In September 2012, he returned to Afghanistan for a 20-week stint that gave him the chance to use his Apache flying skills and head out on operations in his role as co-pilot gunner.
In January 2014, he swapped his helicopter role for an Army desk job, organising ceremonial events.
London's Evening Standard, which first reported the news, said Harry plans to focus on his charity work and aims to spend "a significant period abroad" on field projects in Africa.
Before his active military duties end, the Prince is expected to move to Australia for "several weeks", seconded to serve with units there, according to the newspaper.
Later he will spend time in New Zealand but not be involved with the military there, it said.
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Written By Unknown on Kamis, 26 Februari 2015 | 22.11
The Islamic State militant known as "Jihadi John" has been identified as a Londoner called Mohammed Emwazi, it has been reported.
Emwazi was born in Kuwait and comes from a well-to-do family, according to the Washington Post.
He grew up in northwest London and graduated from the University of Westminster with a degree in computer programming.
US journalist James Foley was one of the hostages killed
Aged 27, he is believed to have travelled to Syria in 2012 and to have joined Islamic State later.
A close friend of Emwazi told the newspaper: "I have no doubt that Mohammed is Jihadi John. He was like a brother to me... I am sure it is him."
Video:Sept 2014 - Unmasking Jihadi John
A representative of the British human rights group CAGE who had been in contact with Emwazi before he left for Syria also said he believed he was "Jihadi John".
"There was an extremely strong resemblance," research director Asim Qureshi said after watching a video of him beheading a hostage.
Apparently, Emwazi was identified by US authorities in September, a month after he rose to notoriety in a video killing American journalist James Foley.
Since then he has appeared in a series of videos documenting the gruesome murders of other hostages, including British aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines.
In each, he taunts audiences and is dressed in all black, with a balaclava covering his face. He wears a holster under his left arm.
1/6
Gallery: Profile Of Alan Henning
Alan Henning, 47, was born in Salford, Greater Manchester. Friends gave him the nickname "gadget" due to his love of technology. The British aid worker was murdered by Islamic State militants in Syria.
He was married for 23 years and he had a teenage son and daughter
Children in NHS hospitals are still at risk from abusers like Savile unless the law is changed, a pressure group has said.
Tom Perry, a survivor of abuse himself and founder of the group Mandate Now, has explained to Sky News why laws compelling staff to report concerns of abuse must be introduced.
He believes Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire was no different to other institutions around the UK where Savile abused vulnerable children - the thing they all had in common was that staff never had the proper legal backing to speak out.
Mr Perry said: "He operated up and down the country, just look at the number of allegations.
"These places are petri dishes for abuse, they are petri dishes, you have got a target rich environment, kids who sometimes can't move because of illness ... this is a nirvana for someone like Savile.
"It couldn't have been stopped in my opinion, the culture is not there.
"The first rule in life is self preservation, why would anybody speak? Staff always have a choice but it is an incredibly challenging choice.
"They have to go off piste, they have to become rogue to report, by definition in law they are whistleblowers without any protection."
Home Secretary Theresa May has previously confirmed that the Government is examining the case for possible changes in the law, but also warned that it is "a complex issue".
Mr Perry believes the fundamental change should be simple.
He said: "We want a law that requires staff to report allegations to their line manager, these can be concerns, which is otherwise known as early intervention.
"We want them to be legally supported to do that, so in other words that is law.
"If you fail to do it there will be consequences because that cuts away many of the things that stop reports being made.
"It puts the management of the institution and the staff on the same side of the fence and what that will do is introduce culture change, it is a little bit like drink driving or seat belts.
"For decades the Government was advertising saying 'wear seat belts' but nobody took any notice, it was a value judgement. This is a value judgement, once they introduced seat belts guess what happened?"
Mr Perry accepts that attitudes to safeguarding of children have now been transformed but the lack of mandatory reporting, in his view, still means children are at a greater risk than they need to be.
He added: "No law has been introduced, everything is done on a whim, everything is done on a whim and on discretionary reporting.
"You should report, that is as strong as it gets."
::An 18-year-old patient was molested in her bed after Savile climbed into her room through a window in 1973. The report says when she told nursing staff what had happened, it appeared to be an open secret that Savile was a "sex pest".
:: An 11-year-old was raped by Savile and left hysterical and crying. A nurse came in and told her to be quiet and that Savile would not do such a dreadful thing and he raised a great deal of money for the hospital. The girl told her father and he made a formal complaint. Savile did not come near the girl again but her father decided that, due to her ill health and not wishing to distress her further, the complaint should be dropped. The girl's father has since died.
:: Between 1973 and 1975 a boy aged between nine and 11 and other children were invited to Savile's porters' office where they were given sweets. The boy was told off for eating all the sweets. Savile put the boy across his knee, pulled down his trousers and underwear, groped and spanked him. The boy said Savile's secretary had seen this happen on one of about ten occasions but had just turned around and walked out. He also told his headmaster, who "laughed it off".
Video:'Savile Would Have Been Caught'
:: A 15-year-old patient was invited by Savile to his room for a hot drink in 1977 but then began questioning her about her sexual experience and stripped her and had sex with her. The girl never told anyone what had happened and, while Savile had given her his phone number and she tried to contact him in London, she never saw him again.
:: A 12-year-old girl was admitted in 1977 when she was raped by a hospital porter who she described as a white-haired man with a gold chain and white coat and smoking a cigar. She told a nurse that "the porter hurt me, down here". She was told not to say anything otherwise she (the nurse) would get into trouble. It was only a few years later that she realised who her attacker had been.
Leeds General Infirmary (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHST)
:: A 14-year-old boy was groped on ward in 1994, before being told by Savile: 'I bet you feel better after that'.
:: A man aged 28 also groped while lying on a trolley waiting for an x-ray in 1988. He described Savile as having been dressed like a member of the medical staff. He told nobody about what Savile had done because he was too embarrassed.
:: A student nurse, aged 21, was assaulted in a cupboard in 1981. "In a state of shock she turned around and on immediately doing so another student nurse came into the linen cupboard at which point he laughed and said goodbye. The nurse also claims she was warned against a 'pink haired man' hanging round mortuary, in or around 1981, but the report could not confirm it was Savile.
:: Savile parked his motorhome on grounds and would use it for having consensual sex with nurses.
:: One man said that Savile had sat him on his knee and moved his hand to his 'nether region'.
Video:'People Were Too Dazzled'
Crawley Hospital (Sussex Community NHST)
:: No evidence found of sexual abuse. Anecdotal accounts but no record of Savile visiting hospital or any association with hospital.
Birch Hill Hospital Rochdale (Pennine Acute NHST)
:: Investigated one allegation made by a man who was a patient there as a child in 1965. Report found he was abused, but on balance of probabilities not by Savile.
Scott House Hospital Rochdale (Calderstones NHS FT)
:: No evidence found
Bethlem Royal Hospital (South London and Maudsley NHS FT)
:: The report was unable to substantiate report that Savile touched teenage girl's breast during visit
Shenley Hospital (Central and NW London NHST)
Video:Celebrity Visits 'Not Monitored'
:: In 1981 a teenaged athlete who did a fun run for charity and had photos taken with Savile said he sexually assaulted her and a friend. The report found there was "no reason to doubt" this.
West Yorkshire Ambulance Service (Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHST)
:: No evidence found
St Martin's Hospital Canterbury (Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust)
::An allegation that male patient abused by Savile in 1969 was dismissed
Royal Victoria Infirmary (Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS FT)
:: Allegation made but no evidence to substantiate it. The complainant would not be interviewed.
Meanwood Park Hospital (Leeds and York Partnership NHS FT)
:: Report finds that nurses working at Mencap nursery were told not to let Jimmy Savile anywhere near children.
Sex predator Jimmy Savile could have been stopped from carrying out his depraved abuse decades earlier, an inquiry has found.
A report into a catalogue of sex attacks by the disgraced presenter at Stoke Mandeville Hospital revealed staff knew of 10 allegations against him but failed to act.
And investigators said if a formal complaint against Savile back in 1977 over the rape and abuse of an 11-year-old girl had been properly handled, the celebrity DJ probably would have been caught at the time.
Savile has been branded an 'opportunistic predator'
The report was among a series published into the abuse carried out by Savile at hospitals across the country, where he preyed on children as young as five and seriously ill patients.
There were even claims Savile had sex with dead bodies in the mortuary at Stoke Mandeville, in a chilling echo of previous allegations against him at Leeds General Infirmary.
Video:Celebrity Visits 'Not Monitored'
While the inquiry found no proof of this, it found evidence Savile had unsupervised access to the morgue.
So far more than 170 people have made abuse claims against Savile, covering a period from 1954 to just before his death in 2011.
And it has been warned many aspects of the Savile scandal could be repeated in the future.
One wide-ranging report taking in all the NHS investigations found the access given to Savile to dozens of hospitals gave him the "opportunity to commit sexual abuses on a grand scale for nearly 50 years."
And its author, Kate Lampard, told Sky News: "There are still risks and weaknesses in the arrangements in hospitals for keeping people safe."
His status was "enhanced by the endorsement and encouragement he received from politicians, senior civil servants and NHS managers".
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has apologised to the victims, and also criticised government ministers at the time who he said failed to ask "hard questions" about Savile.
He told MPs: Never again must the power of money or celebrity blind us to repeated clear signals that some extremely vulnerable people were being abused.
"People were either too dazzled or too intimidated by the nation's favourite celebrity to confront the evil predator we now know he was."
He said there should have been a stronger incentive on staff to report abuse claims, and highlighted a consultation on proposals to introduce a mandatory duty on NHS workers to act.
The Stoke Mandeville report revealed Savile abused at least 60 people connected with the hospital over more than 20 years, including patients, staff and visitors.
Video:'Savile Would Have Been Caught'
The offences ranged from groping and molesting through to rape.
His victims there included children as young as eight and vulnerable patients.
Those staff who complained about Savile's behaviour, were "severely reprimanded".
Dr Androulla Johnstone, who wrote the Stoke Mandeville report, told a press conference Savile was an "opportunistic predator who on occasion could also show a high degree of premeditation" when planning attacks.
She said: "The individuals to whom these incidents were reported failed in their duty to protect.
"Consequentially, no intelligence about Savile's behaviour was gathered over the years and no action was taken.
"Whilst witnesses told us it was an open secret within the hospital that Savile was a lecher and general nuisance, none stated that they knew about his sexual abuse activities."
Lawyer Liz Dux, who represents many of the Stoke Mandeville victims, said it "beggars belief" the report found no evidence of senior staff being aware of the abuse.
But Dr Johnstone rejected claims of a "cover-up" by staff, and said Savile's behaviour went unchallenged due to a "general disbelief".
Savile, who received a knighthood in 1990, died in 2011 and so never faced justice for his crimes.
David Cameron is "disappointed" after missing his net migration target by nearly 200,000, leaving his pledge to reduce it to the "tens of thousands" in tatters.
The Prime Minister and Home Secretary Theresa May had set the target of reducing net migration - the difference between people coming to the UK and those leaving - to below 100,000 by this May.
But the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show that in the year to September 2014 alone net migration has risen by nearly as much as 100,000 - from 210,000 to 298,000.
It means net migration is now higher than when the coalition came to power in 2010 when it was 244,000. Net migration peaked in 2005 at 320,000.
A spokeswoman for number 10 said Mr Cameron was "disappointed" with the figures and added: "He had said previously that we have not made as much progress as he would like but he had also said that he doesn't regret making this commitment because he thinks it is in the interests of our country, that we will have a better, stronger country, if we have lower net migration."
Video:2011: PM's Net Migration Pledge
She said the rise was driven by a jobs rise - Britain's economic growth has been stronger than it's Eurozone neighbours.
However, she denied that the Government had sought to bury the news under the release of the report into the extent of Jimmy Savile's abuse at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
The release of the data by the ONS is significant because it is the last set of quarterly net migration figures ahead of the General Election.
Speaking on his weekly LBC radio show, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the Tories would have to "suffer the embarrassment of having ... failed spectacularly to deliver".
"I said to David Cameron he shouldn't make the commitment because it was inevitable he was going to break it because you can't control the net figure," Mr Clegg said.
However, Immigration Minister James Brokenshire said: "As we have said for some time, we have been blown off course by net migration from within the EU, which has more than doubled since 2010.
"That's why we need to continue to crack down on the abuse of EU free movement and continue our reforms to make our welfare system fairer and less open to abuse."
The ONS figures for the year ending September 2014 showed:
:: The number of foreign people coming to live in the UK increased significantly from 530,000 to 624,000 in a year
:: The number people from outside the EU moving to the UK increased by 49,000 to 292,000
:: The number of people from the EU coming to the UK rose by 43,000 to 251,000
:: 37,000 Romanian and Bulgarians immigrated to the UK in the year ending September 2014, up from 24,000. Of those, 27,000 came for work.
:: The number of foreign people coming to the UK to study increased from 175,000 to 192,000
Sunder Katwala, director of the British Future think-tank, said: "The ONS statistics have become a quarterly reminder to the public of why they don't trust politicians on immigration, thanks to the net migration target.
"If the Prime Minister remains in denial about the broken target, he is setting himself up for five more years of failure. It is already clear there is next to no chance of meeting the same target in the next parliament either."
However, Migrants' Rights Network director Don Flynn cautioned: "The latest migration figures reflect Britain's growing economy and should not be used by the political parties as a launch-pad for their negative political campaigns shifting the blame for wider problems on to migrants."
Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, said: "UK job growth is likely to be a key factor behind the recent increases."
Written By Unknown on Rabu, 25 Februari 2015 | 22.11
By Emma Birchley, Sky News Correspondent
The Red Arrows aerobatic team has revealed the first livery change in its history, after unveiling a newly redesigned tail fin.
Sky News was given exclusive access to film the team's nine pilots at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire as they headed into the skies with their new-look Hawk T1s, featuring elements from the Union Flag.
It replaces a one-off tailfin design brought in for 2014 to mark the Red Arrows' 50th display year.
Squadron Leader David Montenegro, known as Red 1, said: "This year we have put a new tailfin on which really signifies the next 50 years of the team, continuing to represent all of the RAF personnel that protect and defend the United Kingdom."
As the new team leader, it is his job to choreograph the display that will be performed around 80 times between May and September.
"It is a huge task but we do it by a building-block approach.
"Really for me it's visualising how I want the display to be for 2015, putting it on paper and the great bit about doing the job is taking it off the paper and putting it in the air over a five-to-six-month process."
Video:Red Arrows Take My Breath Away
The Red Arrows fly as many as five training sorties a day to get the display absolutely precise and every flight ends with a thorough debrief.
There may only be nine pilots but the whole team, including engineers and essential support staff, totals 120.
Squadron leader Mike Ling is taking questions from Sky News viewers on his job.
Corporal Drew Paxton is one of the so-called circus engineers, selected to travel to displays in the seat directly behind the pilot and carry out vital last-minute checks.
Video:Could You Fly The Hawk T1?
"It's a massive privilege and huge honour to be picked to be a circus engineer as not many people in the Air Force get to do it," he said.
"There are about 80 or 90 engineers ... and if we didn't have them, they are the lifeblood of the squadron, and this squadron simply would not work."
Everything must be checked meticulously, including the potentially life-saving kit worn by the pilots - such as their "anti-G trousers".
Flight Lieutenant Tom Bould, who flies as Red 5, said. "The G-trousers ... once I start pulling G ... will start to inflate.
Video:A Pilot's Inflatable G Trousers
"When they inflate, my muscles have to tense against them and when they tense against it the blood doesn't pool in my legs.
"It will stay in my torso and that will make it easier to keep the blood pumping to my head because I now have a supply to it from my torso."
But the danger always remains, as was shown in 2011 when flight lieutenants Jon Egging and Sean Cunningham died in separate incidents.
So far, two of the nine planes have received their new tailfin design. The rest will be completed by mid-to-late March, when the Red Arrows head overseas for their spring training.
The father of missing chef Claudia Lawrence has said it is "dreadful" that people may have been lying to police investigating her disappearance almost six years ago.
Officers have been carrying out a detailed search of an alleyway at the rear of Miss Lawrence's terraced home in York, and Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, who is leading the inquiry, has said he was sure people have lied to his officers.
Peter Lawrence commented: "I heard that and it's obviously absolutely dreadful that anyone would do that.
Peter Lawrence: 'People should tell the truth'
"We know that people lie to the police but in a case like this that involves Claudia's disappearance and everyone can see what it's done to the family... come on."
Miss Lawrence was 35 when she went missing and her family are preparing to mark what would have been her 41st birthday on Friday.
Video:Claudia Lawrence Alleyway Search
She was last seen on Wednesday 18 March 2009 and was reported missing by her father two days later after she failed to turn up for work at York University.
North Yorkshire Police began reviewing the case in 2013 and have since carried out a number of searches, including a detailed re-examination of Miss Lawrence's house in the Heworth area of the city.
On Wednesday the alley behind the house was cordoned off as specialist officers conducted a fingertip search. An officer with a dog was also involved in the operation.
Mr Malyn, who is head of the force's major crime unit, said: "We still don't know if Claudia left for work on the morning of Thursday March 19 or whether something happened overnight within her house.
Video:People 'Lying' To Claudia Police
"If the latter is the case, the person or persons responsible, in my view, would have used the rear alleyway as the front door leads on to a busy main road. This is why this specific piece of information needs to be fully investigated."
Officers have also been conducting house-to-house inquiries in the area and speaking to people who have since moved away, as well as checking all possible CCTV image have been obtained.
Last year a 60-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of killing Miss Lawrence but was later released without charge.
A 47-year-old man remains on bail on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.
The Speaker of the House of Commons has admitted he is partly responsible for the bad behaviour at Prime Minister's Questions.
In an exclusive interview with Sky News Stand Up Be Counted members, John Bercow MP said: "Do I accept some share of the responsibility for putting it right? I do."
He also gave his views on the "cash for access" scandal telling MPs Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Jack Straw they will "cop it" if it is proven they have broken the rules over claims they offered to trade their influence in return for money.
Four young people challenged the Speaker on how he runs Parliament as part of Sky News' campaign to give a voice to 18-24 year olds.
Chris Robertson, 24, from Lincoln, said he finds MPs' conduct at PMQs "horrible".
He said: "I'm a student union president and if I acted like that around my members I'd have been sacked by now.
"You've been speaking out for six years. Do you not think it should've been curtailed by now? Does it mean that you have failed in your job as leader of the house and Speaker?"
Video:The Best (Or Worst) Of PMQs
Mr Bercow replied: "Do I accept that the unreformed Prime Minister's Questions is a problem? I do. Do I accept some share of responsibility for putting it right? I do.
"Would I accept that it's all down to the Speaker? No I wouldn't. What I can't do, what no Speaker can do is make people behave decently if they don't want to behave decently.
"Members have got to take responsibility for their own conduct in the chamber.
"And I think my point would be to ask members who shout regularly - would you be content for your constituents to see and hear you if you if you were caught on camera?
Video:'Rifkind And Straw May Cop It'
"And if the answer is they would be content, there is something wrong, and if the answer is that they wouldn't be content then they should change the way they behave."
The Stand Up Be Counted contributors were given rare access to the Speaker in the Palace of Westminster as part of attempts to engage young people in politics.
Less than half of 18-24 year olds voted at the last election, with young women the least likely to vote by some margin.
Eighteen-year-old Ellie James, from Grimsby, challenged the Speaker about the lack of female MPs.
Video:What They Thought Of Mr Speaker
He criticised the main parties for not doing enough, saying: "I think the parties talked the talk and have made some progress but I don't think they anything like as effectively walked the walk, so I would look to the parties to do more there."
He also revealed that he seeks to make sure women are called to speak in the Chamber, adding: "I don't like calling lots of men in a row. I always have in mind what female colleagues I have called today. And if I may say so, and this isn't meant in a patronising sense at all, but the simple fact is women on the whole are better behaved in parliament than the men.
"They're just as tough, they're just as capable, they can withstand parliamentary life just as much as men can. They don't sit there like shrinking violets but on the whole they're better behaved and don't shout as much as men do."
Jaspreet Kaur, 18, from Birmingham, told Mr Bercow that when she looks at Parliament, all she sees is "grandeur and confusion" and that it can be difficult to understand.
The boss of HSBC has apologised in person to MPs over the past behaviour of his bank and thousands of secret Swiss bank accounts it held for clients.
Stuart Gulliver told MPs on the Treasury Select Committee that revelations about thousands of secret accounts held in Switzerland has caused "damage to trust and confidence".
He said: "I am apologising as CEO. I am responsible for cleaning it up."
Committee chair Andrew Tyrie MP asked Mr Gulliver why he found it necessary to shield his income through a shelf company located in Panama, while he was actually domiciled in Hong Kong.
Mr Gulliver stressed it was not for "tax purposes", instead saying it was because he did not trust other members of staff at the bank.
"It was purely about privacy. Privacy from colleagues in Hong Kong and privacy from colleagues in Switzerland," Mr Gulliver said, whose has worked for the bank for 35 years.
"That was because my pay was not a matter for public record."
He said the HSBC computer system at the time allowed staff to snoop on each other to find out how much they were paid.
Mr Gulliver admitted he was one of the best remunerated members of staff in Hong Kong.
He said: "The computer system showed everyone's pay and I was amongst the highest paid and I wished to preserve my privacy."
Protesters outside the House of Commons chanted anti-HSBC slogan, as public anger continues to rise over the secret accounts promoted by the bank's private arm in Geneva.
Swiss investigators raided the offices of the bank last week after reports said it turned a blind eye to handling funds for arms dealers and traders in conflict diamonds.
That announcement came just over a week after HSBC Switzerland found itself at the centre of a global scandal following the publication of secret documents.
The cache of files, made public in a French newspaper, claimed HSBC's Swiss private banking arm helped clients in more than 200 countries evade taxes on accounts containing £77bn ($119bn).
The files, which include the details of 30,000 accounts and the names of celebrities, were originally stolen by former HSBC IT worker Herve Falciani in 2007.
Written By Unknown on Selasa, 24 Februari 2015 | 22.11
Sir Malcolm Rifkind has announced he is to step down at the General Election after cash for access revelations.
The Tory MP has also resigned from his role of chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) after pressure over the lobbying scandal intensified.
Sir Malcolm, who became an MP in 1974, said it was unfair to friends and colleagues in Kensington for him to continue to remain the candidate for the General Election but added the allegations against him were "contemptible".
He dismissed suggestions he had been pushed to step down from the ISC by number 10, saying: "Downing Street don't have that power."
And he said it was only for four weeks as the committee will stop sitting when Parliament is dissolved ahead of the election next month.
Video:Sir Malcolm Rifkind In Peevish Mood
He said: "This is entirely my personal decision. I have had no such requests from my constituency association but I believe that it is the right and proper action to take.
"As regards the allegations of Channel 4 and the Daily Telegraph I find them contemptible and will not comment further at this time.
"Although I will retire from Parliament I shall continue my public and political life and am much looking forward to doing so over the years to come."
The MP for Kensington had been due at the regular ISC meeting this morning but admitted that the committee could be "distracted or affected by controversy" and that it would be better for him to step down.
Moments before he announced his resignation, Sir Malcolm was involved in a testy exchange with a Sky News reporter during which he told him to "mind his own business" and accused him of being "childish".
Sir Malcolm tried to laugh off the episode in an exchange with a woman on the other side of the road who shouted back: "You won't be doing that again will you."
1/15
Gallery: Rifkind's 40-Year Politics Career
Sir Malcolm Rifkind's political career has spanned 40 years. He became and MP in 1974 and was prominent in both Margaret Thatcher and John Major's Governments.
October 1986: Malcolm Rifkind, at the Conservative Conference at Blackpool
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Video:Green's 'Excruciating' Interview
The leader of the Green Party has conceded that a radio interview to launch her election campaign was "excruciating".
Natalie Bennett told Sky News' Deputy Political Editor Joey Jones she suffered a "mind blank" during an LBC interview that soon had her trending on Twitter.
Interviewer Nick Ferrari described his one-on-one with Ms Bennett as "one of the worst interviews ever by a political leader".
The broadcast was peppered with awkward pauses and stuttering.
The Australian-born politician struggled to answer basic questions about how her party would fund the building of 500,000 new council houses.
Video:No, No...Seven Times No!
She said: "Right, well, that's, erm... you've got a total cost... erm... that we're... that will be spelt out in our manifesto."
Mr Ferrari replied: "So you don't know?"
"No. Well... er."
At one point Ms Bennett blamed the difficulties she was having on a "huge cold".
Many people responded to the interview on Twitter.
Political commentator Owen Jones wrote: "Unbearably awful interview. Green supporters will be exasperated that a great political opportunity has been trashed."
The Daily Mirror's Kevin Maguire added: "Greens should abandon TV debates after this @natalieben solar collapse with @NickFerrariLBC. Painful."
1/6
Gallery: Social Media Response To 'Excruciating' Interview by Natalie Bennettt
Sky News' Deputy Political Editor Joey Jones
LBC host and interviewer Nick Ferrari
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Daily Telegraph sketch writer Michael Deacon
]]>
Political commentator Owen Jones
]]>
The Daily Mirror's Kevin Maguire
]]>
The interview was followed by a news conference to launch the party's General Election campaign.
Joey Jones asked Ms Bennett if she felt she had let down her party - only for Jenny Jones, a Green member of the London Assembly, to step in.
"She's not going to answer that, okay?" said Ms Jones.
"Yes, I will," said Ms Bennett.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no," said Ms Jones.
But thanking the peer for her "kind attempt to protect me", Ms Bennett conceded: "It was absolutely excruciating in the studio. All I can say is occasionally one just has a mind blank, that happens.
"I've been presenting the Green Party's policies up and down the country. I've been delighted to do that. I'm delighted with the response they get and I'm delighted to have the backing of all 54,000 Green Party members."
Video:Greens Leader Over Her 'Brain Fade'
In later interviews and on Twitter Ms Bennett apologised to party members.
And she told Sky News' Dermot Murnaghan she did not fear for her position as party leader.
"The answer is to face up to one's faults, one's mistakes, and move on.
"My colleagues have been very supportive and sympathetic."
Despite the embarrassment, Joey Jones thinks all is not lost for the Greens.
"It's very difficult from her point of view, but I would make one point: ultimately, people who are inclined to vote Green, and there are a lot more of them than we've seen in the past, are not doing so because they think their sums add up.
"They're voting on principle and some are voting as a protest, and they may well do that no matter how many bad interviews Natalie Bennett has in her locker."
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Green Leader Gives 'Excruciating' Interview
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Video:Green's 'Excruciating' Interview
The leader of the Green Party has conceded that a radio interview to launch her election campaign was "excruciating".
Natalie Bennett told Sky News' Deputy Political Editor Joey Jones she suffered a "mind blank" during an LBC interview that soon had her trending on Twitter.
Interviewer Nick Ferrari described his one-on-one with Ms Bennett as "one of the worst interviews ever by a political leader".
The broadcast was peppered with awkward pauses and stuttering.
The Australian-born politician struggled to answer basic questions about how her party would fund the building of 500,000 new council houses.
Video:No, No...Seven Times No!
She said: "Right, well, that's, erm... you've got a total cost... erm... that we're... that will be spelt out in our manifesto."
Mr Ferrari replied: "So you don't know?"
"No. Well... er."
At one point Ms Bennett blamed the difficulties she was having on a "huge cold".
Many people responded to the interview on Twitter.
Political commentator Owen Jones wrote: "Unbearably awful interview. Green supporters will be exasperated that a great political opportunity has been trashed."
The Daily Mirror's Kevin Maguire added: "Greens should abandon TV debates after this @natalieben solar collapse with @NickFerrariLBC. Painful."
1/6
Gallery: Social Media Response To 'Excruciating' Interview by Natalie Bennettt
Sky News' Deputy Political Editor Joey Jones
LBC host and interviewer Nick Ferrari
]]>
Daily Telegraph sketch writer Michael Deacon
]]>
Political commentator Owen Jones
]]>
The Daily Mirror's Kevin Maguire
]]>
The interview was followed by a news conference to launch the party's General Election campaign.
Joey Jones asked Ms Bennett if she felt she had let down her party - only for Jenny Jones, a Green member of the London Assembly, to step in.
"She's not going to answer that, okay?" said Ms Jones.
"Yes, I will," said Ms Bennett.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no," said Ms Jones.
But thanking the peer for her "kind attempt to protect me", Ms Bennett conceded: "It was absolutely excruciating in the studio. All I can say is occasionally one just has a mind blank, that happens.
"I've been presenting the Green Party's policies up and down the country. I've been delighted to do that. I'm delighted with the response they get and I'm delighted to have the backing of all 54,000 Green Party members."
Video:Greens Leader Over Her 'Brain Fade'
In later interviews and on Twitter Ms Bennett apologised to party members.
And she told Sky News' Dermot Murnaghan she did not fear for her position as party leader.
"The answer is to face up to one's faults, one's mistakes, and move on.
"My colleagues have been very supportive and sympathetic."
Despite the embarrassment, Joey Jones thinks all is not lost for the Greens.
"It's very difficult from her point of view, but I would make one point: ultimately, people who are inclined to vote Green, and there are a lot more of them than we've seen in the past, are not doing so because they think their sums add up.
"They're voting on principle and some are voting as a protest, and they may well do that no matter how many bad interviews Natalie Bennett has in her locker."
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