Shetland: Three Missing After Helicopter Crash

Three people are still missing after a helicopter carrying 18 workers from an oil rig ditched in the North Sea off Shetland.

The Super Puma L2 aircraft went down at 6.20pm on Friday around two miles west of Sumburgh airport as it was returning to Shetland from the Borgsten Dolphin platform.

A search operation involving coastguard, police, RAF and local lifeboats was launched and 15 people were rescued from the water.

One of the rescued workers is moved on a stretcher

The helicopter's life rafts were found empty and some wreckage from the aircraft has started to wash up at the southern end of Sumburgh, the coastguard said.

A spokeswoman said: "There were 18 people on board and 15 have been recovered, there is still an ongoing search and rescue mission for the three missing people.

"The people that were involved are in varying stages of injury, no one has walked away from this without a scratch."

The helicopter ditched two miles from Sumburgh airport

Amanda Smith, the mother of one of the workers Sam Smith, said her son had telephoned her from hospital after suffering cuts in the crash.

She told Sky News: "He said it seemed to lose power and there was no time to brace, they just dropped into the sea.

"He was by the window so he was able to escape that way as it rolled over.

"He said he had come off better than a lot of people. It didn't seem real, I would say two hours later it's just beginning to sink in."

Some of those rescued were able to walk unaided after the rescue

The helicopter's operator CHC said it was flying for oil company Total and that the aircraft lost communication as it approached the airport on the southern tip of Shetland's main island.

A spokesman said: "The aircraft was on approach to Sumburgh Airport at approximately 6.20pm when contact was lost with air traffic control.

"We can confirm there were 16 passengers on board, and two crew."

Investigators from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch are travelling to the scene.

A coastguard boat searches the North Sea

Two lifeboats from Lerwick and Aith are being helped at the scene by helicopters from the coastguard, RAF Lossiemouth and two Bond rescue helicopters.

A Northlink ferry carrying 201 passengers between Shetland and Orkney was also diverted to the scene to help.

Police Scotland said a major incident had been declared. Sumburgh Airport was closed to allow emergency services to deal with the ongoing incident.

Several helicopters have been involved in the search operation

A spokesman said all those rescued had been taken to Gilbert Bain Hospital in Lerwick.

Jim Nicholson, RNLI rescue co-ordinator, said the helicopter is in an "inaccessible" position and that weather in the area is not "particularly good".

He said: "There was a fresh wind, not overly strong, visibility is not particularly good and it was misty in the area but I doubt if that would have had any impact on causing whatever happened to the helicopter.

"I believe that the helicopter is in a fairly inaccessible position at the moment near the cliffs. There's quite a lot of tide in that area so any person in the water could be carried some distance away.

Last year, two helicopters ditched in the North Sea only six months apart. All passengers and crew were rescued in both incidents, which were found to be caused by gearbox problems.

:: CHC has set up a helpline for concerned relatives on 01224 296 866.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner Agrees To Quit

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner has agreed to step down amid allegations that he sexually harassed women.

His agreement to quit on August 30 is part of a mediation deal reached with city officials following the claims made by at least 17 women.

Mr Filner, a Democrat who served 20 years in Congress before becoming mayor of America's eighth-largest city, apologised to his accusers but denied ever sexually harassing them.

He previously insisted he still could be an effective mayor and underwent two weeks of behavioural therapy before returning to work this week.

But his support diminished as more women - one of them a great-grandmother and another a retired Navy admiral - came forward and made the allegations which included touching, forcible kisses and lurid comments.

Some of Mr Filner's closest political allies and all nine members of San Diego City Council called on him to quit.

The council met behind closed doors to discuss confidential terms negotiated by Mr Filner and city attorney Jan Goldsmith.

A campaign was waged to force Mr Filner out of office

Mr Filner's biggest bargaining chip at the negotiating table was his refusal to resign.

A person with knowledge of the negotiations but not authorised to comment publicly said the main sticking points during talks involved granting Mr Filner indemnity and covering his legal fees in the sexual harassment lawsuit.

Dozens of people spoke for and against Mr Filner before the council convened.

"Without the mayor's resignation, our city will continue to be paralysed by this scandal, progress will be arrested and our focus will continue to be monopolised by this dark chapter in our history," said Laura Fink, a political consultant who accused Mr Filner of making sexual advances when she was deputy campaign manager to the then-congressman.

However, there were also supporters of the embattled mayor who addressed the council to hail the 70-year-old's work on behalf of civil rights and struggling minority groups.

After taking office in December 2012, Mr Filner struck a five-year labour agreement with city unions and opened a city of San Diego office in Tijuana to strengthen ties with the Mexican border city.

However, he also alienated many key players even before the allegations surfaced, including members of the City Council and hoteliers.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Russia Urges Syria To Allow UN 'Chemical' Probe

Russia has joined international calls for UN investigators to be allowed access to the site of an alleged chemical weapons massacre.

Syria's staunchest ally suggested the attack - which Syrian rebels claim killed 1,300 people - could be a "premeditated provocation" by opposition forces.

But it urged the Syrian government and the United Nations to agree on a visit by the experts, who are already in the country to examine previous claims of chemical weapons use in the two-and-a-half year civil war.

The attacks are alleged to have taken place in Ein Tarma and Zamalka

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said Syria's position on sending inspectors to the site of the reported attack should be respected, but dismissed the suggestion that Russia would object to such an investigation.

"We, quite the opposite, have an interest in the investigation into what happened (to) happen objectively," he said.

The Syrian government offered no immediate public response to the call amid a Cabinet reshuffle, but is now under mounting pressure to permit a probe by the UN team before any potential evidence is lost.

The Syrian opposition, Germany and Turkey on Thursday also joined demands from Britain, France and the United States for the UN inspectors to be given "immediate and unrestricted access" to the area "to try and establish the truth".

A boy, affected by what activists claim is nerve gas, in a hospital

The UN was also facing growing international pressure to act if the claims were confirmed.

Unverified footage of casualties, including children, in makeshift hospitals suffering convulsions and breathing difficulties have been circulated on YouTube.

The Security Council said clarity was needed of the reports, but stopped short of explicitly demanding a probe by UN investigators.

Officials from Russia and China were reported to have blocked a stronger UN press statement supported by Britain, France, the US and others

However, UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon this evening called on the Syrian government to allow the UN team to swiftly investigate the reports.

France earlier raised the possibility of intervention by saying the international community would need to respond with "force" if allegations that Syrian President Bashar al Assad's government was responsible were confirmed.

A survivor rests inside a mosque near Damascus

"If it is proven, France's position is that there must be a reaction, a reaction that could take the form of a reaction with force," French foreign minister Laurent Fabius told BFM-TV.

"There are possibilities for responding," he said without elaborating.

He added that if the UN Security Council could not make a decision, one would have to be taken "in other ways".

Mr Fabius called the alleged chemical attack "a horrendous tragedy" not seen since thousands of Iraqi Kurds were gassed by Saddam Hussein's forces at Halabja in 1988.

Turkey's foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu said "all red lines" had been crossed before a meeting in London with British Foreign Secretary William Hague, who the Foreign Office confirmed had also spoken to US Secretary of State John Kerry about Syria.

The umbrella opposition National Coalition claims toxic gas was used by Assad's forces during a bombardment of rebel-held areas outside Damascus on Wednesday.

A protest outside the UN in New York against over the alleged attack

It said the death toll was likely to rise after a neighbourhood with many casualties was discovered in Zamalka.

Government officials said the claims were "totally false" and the international news organisations reporting them were "implicated in the shedding of Syrian blood and support terrorism".

Iran, Syria's chief regional ally, also rejected claims that the Assad regime was responsible, saying if such an attack was proven it would be down to the rebels, IRNA news agency said.

Syria is thought to have some of the world's largest stocks of chemical weapons, including mustard gas and the nerve agent sarin, but the government in Damascus refuses to confirm this is the case.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

One In 10 Five-Year-Olds Has A Mobile Phone

Nearly one in 10 children has a mobile phone by the time they are five-years-old, according to a new study.

On average, youngsters are bought their first handset at the age of 11, soon after starting secondary school.

However, some 9% of parents said they bought their children a phone when they were five.

The study by comparison site uSwitch.com also found that mums and dads spend an average £125 on their children's gadgets - and around £246 on their own mobiles.

But despite the cost, 42% said they did not pay close attention to their children's phone bills.

Only a quarter capped their youngster's contracts, while just 3% said they disabled the data function on their phones so that they could only be used for making calls or sending text messages.

Children spend an average £11 per month on their mobiles - less than parents who spend £19.

However, more than one in 10 (11%) of youngsters spends more than their mother or father, the research showed.

The study - of 1,420 parents with children aged under 16 - also revealed that parents were likely to spend more money on their first-born's phone and bills than on those of any younger siblings.

Ernest Doku, a telecoms expert at uSwitch.com, said: "As well as arming kids with mobiles for emergencies and peace of mind, I'd imagine that many parents have bought their kids smartphones just to stop them commandeering their own when bored."

He suggested parents cap their children's mobile bills, adding: "Make sure that when they're at home, your kids are browsing the web using wi-fi instead of consuming data by connecting to the internet via 3G or 4G."

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Peru Judge Questions UK Women's Drugs Story

Why Peru Became The Cocaine Hotspot

Updated: 10:35pm UK, Wednesday 14 August 2013

By Pete Norman, Sky News Online

Peru has overtaken Colombia as the world's leading cocaine producer, according to experts.

Home to the ancient Inca civilisation, Peru is rugged, remote and the ultimate source of the mighty Amazon river.

It is also home to a long-running guerrilla campaign by the leftist Shining Path group.

While urban and coastal inhabitants have benefited greatly from market-focused economic development since the early 1980s, when military rule ended, the rural poor have gained little.

Its hilly, isolated and fertile regions are home to the guerrillas, who rely on cocaine production, hostage-taking and corruption for funds.

According to the CIA, Peru was the world's largest coca leaf producer until 1996, when neighbouring Colombia took the lead.

It says that in 2009 Peru had 100,000 acres under coca leaf production compared to Colombia's 286,000 acres - with the potential to produce 225 metric tons of pure cocaine.

US-supported efforts to reduce or eradicate coca leaf in Colombia have now tipped the scales of production towards Peru.

Aerial spraying of herbicide in Colombia has affected coca crops covering 250,000 acres while manual eradication has been done on another 150,000 acres.

Last week the UN said Colombia reduced its area under coca cultivation by 25% in 2012 - the biggest annual reduction since the international body began monitoring it in 2001.

Around 30 Britons are now in Peruvian prisons on drug-related convictions, according to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The UN Office of Drugs and Crime is expected to release its official 2012 Peru coca crop estimate in September.

Its World Drug Report 2011 said that although the area under coca leaf production was around 75% of the 1990 area, the current yield might be up to a third greater.

While Colombia still supplies virtually all of North America's cocaine, the CIA said much of the drug exported from Peru through land, air and sea routes is destined for Europe and other markets.

North America and Europe cocaine consumption has stabilised in recent years while growth has increased in Oceania and Asia Pacific regions.

It said: "Finished cocaine is shipped out from Pacific ports to the international drug market, (while) increasing amounts of base and finished cocaine, however, are being moved to Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia for … trans-shipment to Europe and Africa."

Smaller quantities are carried through air routes by so-called drug mules, while larger loads travel by sea to west Africa prior to distribution throughout Europe.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

GCSE Pass Rate Expected To Fall, Experts Claim

GCSE results could fall this year amid major upheaval in the exams system, education experts have predicted.

Attempts to "secure standards" along with changes to key GCSEs and moves by students to sit different exams could cause a drop in the pass rate for only the second time ever.

The prediction comes on the day teenagers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are due to receive their results.

Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at Buckingham University, said it was "likely" that results will drop this year.

Last summer, the proportion of GCSEs awarded at least a C grade fell for the first time in the exam's history, with 69.4% getting this grade or higher - down 0.4% on 2011.

There was also a fall in the proportion of GCSEs awarded the top grades and drops in the percentage of English, maths and science GCSE entries achieving passes at A*-C.

Prof Smithers said:  "I think it's likely that it will drop. Last year it came down a bit at all levels.

"What has happened is the pass rate has gone up year on year because everyone had a vested interest in that happening."

But he added that there is now a "true regulator", Ofqual, which has said that standards should be comparable year on year.

Prof Smithers said that the introduction of the Government's new English Baccalaureate, which is awarded to students who gain at least a C at GCSE in English, maths, science, history or geography and a language could also have an effect.

But he said pressure on schools to ensure pupils meet a set standard could counteract changes within exams.

This year schools must ensure that at least 40% of pupils get five or more Cs at GCSE including English and maths, as well as meeting national progress measures.

In July, Ofqual said it was expecting to see a "small drop in achievement" in science following a move to toughen up the qualifications in the wake of a 2009 report suggesting the courses were too easy.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Brit's Leg Severed' In New York Taxi Crash

A British tourist had part of her leg severed after a yellow taxi mounted the pavement and struck her in the centre of New York, it has been reported.

The cab hit a cyclist and then ploughed into the woman, 23, in front of a fountain outside the Rockefeller Center at 49th Street.

She was walking down the road with her friend, eating a hot dog she had just bought nearby when she was hit, reported the New York Post, citing witnesses.

Celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz was among those who helped the victim

Among those who helped the victim was celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz, who heard the accident and rushed to the scene to help.

The studio where he records his talk show is nearby.

Dr Oz said emergency medical crews were already treating the injured woman who had a serious leg wound.

He said a good Samaritan made a tourniquet out of a belt for the woman.

David Justino, a plumber who was working in the area, said: "I just grabbed my belt, went over, lifted her up, put it on and held it.

"From the shin down, (her leg) was gone."

He added: "I just worried about the blood, there was too much blood."

A hot dog vendor reportedly helped pack her severed leg with ice to transport to the hospital.

A police spokesman told Sky News she suffered "trauma to her leg" and was being treated at Bellevue Hospital.

The spokesman said no-one had been arrested in connection with the accident.

The cyclist is believed to have had minor injuries.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Peru Drugs: Women Expected To Face Charges

Why Peru Became The Cocaine Hotspot

Updated: 10:35pm UK, Wednesday 14 August 2013

By Pete Norman, Sky News Online

Peru has overtaken Colombia as the world's leading cocaine producer, according to experts.

Home to the ancient Inca civilisation, Peru is rugged, remote and the ultimate source of the mighty Amazon river.

It is also home to a long-running guerrilla campaign by the leftist Shining Path group.

While urban and coastal inhabitants have benefited greatly from market-focused economic development since the early 1980s, when military rule ended, the rural poor have gained little.

Its hilly, isolated and fertile regions are home to the guerrillas, who rely on cocaine production, hostage-taking and corruption for funds.

According to the CIA, Peru was the world's largest coca leaf producer until 1996, when neighbouring Colombia took the lead.

It says that in 2009 Peru had 100,000 acres under coca leaf production compared to Colombia's 286,000 acres - with the potential to produce 225 metric tons of pure cocaine.

US-supported efforts to reduce or eradicate coca leaf in Colombia have now tipped the scales of production towards Peru.

Aerial spraying of herbicide in Colombia has affected coca crops covering 250,000 acres while manual eradication has been done on another 150,000 acres.

Last week the UN said Colombia reduced its area under coca cultivation by 25% in 2012 - the biggest annual reduction since the international body began monitoring it in 2001.

Around 30 Britons are now in Peruvian prisons on drug-related convictions, according to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The UN Office of Drugs and Crime is expected to release its official 2012 Peru coca crop estimate in September.

Its World Drug Report 2011 said that although the area under coca leaf production was around 75% of the 1990 area, the current yield might be up to a third greater.

While Colombia still supplies virtually all of North America's cocaine, the CIA said much of the drug exported from Peru through land, air and sea routes is destined for Europe and other markets.

North America and Europe cocaine consumption has stabilised in recent years while growth has increased in Oceania and Asia Pacific regions.

It said: "Finished cocaine is shipped out from Pacific ports to the international drug market, (while) increasing amounts of base and finished cocaine, however, are being moved to Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia for … trans-shipment to Europe and Africa."

Smaller quantities are carried through air routes by so-called drug mules, while larger loads travel by sea to west Africa prior to distribution throughout Europe.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Prince George: First Official Photos Released

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

Kensington Palace has confirmed that the Duchess of Cambridge's father, Michael Middleton, has taken the first official photographs of William, Kate and their son Prince George.

The Royal couple with Prince George and the pet dogs

The two photographs from the new Cambridge family album were taken by the young prince's grandfather in the back garden of the Middleton family home in Bucklebury.

Taken in "early August", the first photograph is a simple parents and child shot.

The couple, back-lit by the sun, are standing in the gardens of the Berkshire home with Kate cradling her two week old son.

In the second William and Kate can be seen sitting on a rug, also in the garden.

Kate continues to hold Prince George, but they are this time joined by their cocker spaniel, Lupo, and the Middleton's retriever, Tilly.

Sky News understands the two photos were selected from a larger collection taken while the Duke of Cambridge was on paternity leave.

For their official engagement and wedding photographs, the royal couple opted for well-known celebrity photographers Mario Testino and Hugo Bernand.

Michael Middleton took the photographs

Asking new grandfather Michael Middleton is yet another example of the Duke and Duchess choosing to do things their way throughout their marriage.

The Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George are thought to have joined Prince William in Anglesey in recent days.

The couple will next be seen together in public on September 12 for an awards dinner hosted by conservation charity Tusk Trust.

In his first interview since he became a father, William said his young son reminded him of himself or Prince Harry.

The Duke told CNN: "He's a little bit of a rascal, I'll put it that way.

"He either reminds me of my brother or me when I was younger, I'm not sure, but he's doing very well at the moment."

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Egypt: Brotherhood's Supreme Leader Arrested

The supreme leader of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has been arrested on charges of "inciting the murder of protesters".

The development comes as authorities continue a crackdown on the Brotherhood, the party of ousted president Mohamed Morsi, which has sparked deadly protests and international condemnation.

Mohammed Badie was arrested in an apartment near Rabaa al Adawiya square, where hundreds of Morsi supporters were killed last Wednesday as police cleared their protest camp.

Senior members of the Muslim Brotherhood organisation, including Mr Badie, are wanted for questioning, accused of inciting the deaths of protesters.

The arrest comes days after his son was killed.

The arrest could spark further violence

Egypt's interior ministry has said it has arrested more than 1,000 Muslim Brotherhood "elements" during the unrest.

Mr Morsi was deposed by the military on July 3 in what his supporters call a coup.

His opponents say the military had no choice but to intervene after the start of another popular uprising like the one that overthrew president Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

Mubarak's lawyer said on Monday that he expects the deposed dictator to be freed from jail after being cleared of corruption charges.

According to his Fareed El Deeb, judicial authorities have ordered that 85-year-old Mubarak should be released on one of the remaining corruption charges against him.

The development came after Egyptian authorities disclosed that suspected militants had attacked two police minibuses with rocket-propelled grenades, killing 24 officers in Sinai.

Sinai has been witnessing near daily attacks by suspected militants since July 3.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Gibraltar Row: Royal Navy Warship Set To Dock

Royal Navy warship HMS Westminster is due to arrive in Gibraltar this morning on a routine visit which was planned before tensions flared with Spain over the disputed territory.

On Sunday, Spanish fishermen were involved in a stand-off with Royal Navy boats after making an illegal incursion into British waters around Gibraltar.

A flotilla of more than 30 fishing boats was "corralled" by UK military and police vessels after protesting near the spot where Gibraltar's government placed 70 concrete blocks in disputed waters next to the British territory.

Gibraltar says it has created the concrete artificial reef there to protect local fish stocks from trawling, but Madrid says it restricts their right to fish.

The move has led to further tensions between the UK, Gibraltar and Spain - which has imposed tougher border checks in retaliation.

British patrol boat blocks a Spanish fishing vessel

Chief Inspector Castle Yates, of the Royal Gibraltar Police, said the Spanish boats crossed into Gibraltan waters before being "pushed" out again.

"We had our own police cordon along with Royal Navy and other assets and we corralled them in the area of the south mole," he said.

"They tried to breach the cordon several times but they were not successful."

More than 30 fishing vessels set out from the "Campo de Gibraltar" in southern Spain to form a floating protest - a smaller number than expected.

Sky's David Bowden, at the scene, said hundreds of Gibraltarians turned out in force to rebuff the protest.

"They lined the bay as a flotilla of small fishing boats sailed across from Spain at the other side of the Bay," he said.

The border checks have led to massive queues in recent weeks

"The flotilla, only a dozen or so boats strong, was escorted by a handful of sleek Spanish Guardia Civile speedboats.

"They were met by an equally strong show of force from the Gibraltar marine police in patrol vessels and highly manouvreable ribs making sure the Spanish invaders did not stray off the imaginary line in the sea that marks Spain from British Gibraltar."

The Spanish government has accused Gibraltar of laying the blocks "without the necessary authorisation" in "waters that are not theirs".

It responded by introducing additional checks at the fenced border, and suggesting a 50 euro (£43.30) fee could be imposed on every vehicle entering or leaving Gibraltar.

On Friday, Prime Minister David Cameron raised the matter with European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso.

He said the checks - which have seen huge delays at the border in recent weeks - were "politically motivated and disproportionate" and therefore contrary to the EU right of free movement.

HMS Illustrious docks at Rota naval base on Gibraltar

UKIP MEP William Dartmouth, member for the South West of England and Gibraltar, has suggested that a member of the Royal family should visit Gibraltar to mark 300 years of British sovereignty.

"Nothing could demonstrate more to the citizens of Gibraltar how strongly Britain stands behind them in wishing to stay part of the United Kingdom than a visit by a member of the royal family," he said.

The row has set relations between Spain and the territory back 40 years, according to Edward Macquisten, chief executive of the Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce.

He said it was also having an impact on Gibraltar's high season tourist trade, which usually sees hordes of British visitors from Spanish resorts.

HMS Westminster, a type 23 frigate, will join several other vessels taking part in a pre-planned international training exercise in the Mediterranean and Gulf.

Its visit to Gibraltar was described by the Ministry of Defence as a "long-planned".

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Oscar Pistorius To Face Court In Pretoria

Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius is due to front court in South Africa today to face charges of killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

Police in Pretoria have told Sky News they now have "everything they need" to present the case against him in court.

The 26-year-old double-amputee is accused of killing Ms Steenkamp in a shooting incident at Pistorius' home in February.

Prosecutors say Pistorius will be indicted on a main charge of premeditated murder at Pretoria Magistrate's Court today.

Pistorius denies he committed murder and says he shot Ms Steenkamp by mistake, thinking she was an intruder.

His trial is expected to start early next year, but the exact date will likely be set during today's court appearance.

The indictment papers served on Pistorius by the state mean the case will be sent to the High Court in Pretoria.

Ms Steenkamp was shot dead at Pistorius' home in February

A judge will preside over the trial and ultimately pronounce the world-famous athlete innocent or guilty. South Africa does not have trial by jury.

The mandatory sentence for someone convicted of premeditated murder in South Africa is life with a minimum of 25 years in prison.

Prosecutors have told The Associated Press that it is "possible" that additional charges could be added to the indictment.

But they declined to comment on South African media reports that Pistorius would face two other charges relating to recklessly discharging a firearm in a public place in two separate incidents.

The incidents - reportedly when Pistorius shot a gun out of the sunroof of a moving car and let one off accidentally in a restaurant - would seemingly show the prosecution's attempt to paint Pistorius as trigger-happy at his trial.

Neither Pistorius' defence lawyers nor his family would comment in detail on any of the charges, but a spokeswoman said they would see a copy of the indictment papers before Monday so they could prepare.

"The Pistorius family does not wish to comment on any aspects of this court case before the next court appearance," Anneliese Burgess said.

"In our view, the correct place for any information relating to charges or witnesses or any other aspects pertaining to this or any other legal case, is in a court of law."

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Egypt: Gunfire Exchanged At Besieged Mosque

A gun battle has erupted between soldiers and Muslim Brotherhood protesters holed up in a mosque in central Cairo.

Egyptian TV footage showed gunmen firing from inside the minaret of the al Fath mosque in Ramses Square - moments after images emerged of tear gas canisters being thrown at protesters inside the building.

Witnesses said tear gas was fired into the mosque prayer room to flush out protesters, who refused to leave the premises.

Pictures also showed soldiers dragging the supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi out of the building as they dismantled a makeshift barricade and stormed the building to clear it.

Soldiers fired back after gunfire appeared to come from the minaret

Egypt's state MENA news agency later announced that prosecutors had placed 250 Muslim Brotherhood supporters under investigation for murder, attempted murder and terrorism.

Foreign Secretary William Hague has spoken to the Egyptian foreign minister, condemning the violence and stressing that attacks on mosques and churches are "unacceptable".

The fresh violence flared after hours of negotiations between the two sides - and news that Egyptian Prime Minister Hazem el Beblawi had proposed disbanding the Muslim Brotherhood and that the idea was being considered by the government.

It also emerged that Mohamed al Zawahri - brother of al Qaeda chief Ayman al Zawahri - had been arrested in Egypt for supporting Mr Morsi.

Protesters don masks as tear gas canister are thrown into the building

An Egyptian presidential spokesman said the country was facing "war by the forces of extremism" and vowed to "confront terrorism through security measures".

Hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood supporters had barricaded themselves inside the mosque overnight, which was turned into a makeshift field hospital for the wounded and a morgue for some of those killed in the protests.

Four Irish citizens - children of Hussein Halawa, the Imam of Ireland's biggest mosque in Dublin - on a family holiday to Egypt with their mother, were among those in the building.

Omaima Halawa, 21, who was with her two sisters Somaia, 27, and Fatima, 23, and brother Ibrihim, 17, earlier described the scene as frightening, and said a group of women had been escorted out of the building.

Tensions remained high as a pro-military crowd - and supporters of the deposed Mr Morsi - assembled in front of the building.

A woman being escorted out of the mosque

The Muslim Brotherhood's London-based spokeswoman Mona al Qazzaz claimed on Sky News that the security forces were responsible for the minaret gunfire - using it as a cover to storm the mosque and remove protesters.

With the Brotherhood vowing to press on with daily protests, more widespread violence is expected across Egypt.

Speaking to Sky News from Cairo, journalist Jared Malsin, said: "Most people are bracing for another wave of demonstrations, as soon as later today.

"The willingness of the security forces to use deadly force over the last several days, and the willingness of the Muslim Brotherhood to continue mobilising in the face of that deadly force show I think that we are going to see more of the same in the coming days and weeks."

State TV ran an English 'Egypt fights terrorism' caption as the PM spoke

He said he believed the country was "more deeply polarised than ever" and that he had witnessed "citizen-organised, vigilante squads" cropping up in individual neighbourhoods in Cairo.

"In some neighbourhoods they are pro-military, like the one that I ran into yesterday. These are people who are arming themselves with sticks and knives to keep out Muslim Brotherhood people. That in a sense is a worrying development."

Mahmoud Badr, the youth leader whose petition campaign helped oust Mr Morsi, said the bloodshed was a price worth paying to rid Egypt of Muslim Brother hood rule.

"What Egypt is passing through now is the price, a high price, of getting rid of the Brotherhood's fascist group before it takes over everything and ousts us all," Badr, 28, told Reuters in a telephone interview.

In London, demonstrators held a protest against the violence outside the Egyptian embassy.

A pro-government crowd tried to attack the Muslim Brotherhood supporters

An explosion damaged the front of the Egyptian consulate in Benghazi, Libya, but no injuries were reported.

More than 1,000 protesters were arrested by police across the country during a "day of rage" on Friday, of which 558 were held in Cairo.

The arrests came after tens of thousands of Brotherhood supporters clashed with armed vigilantes and security forces in the fiercest street battles to engulf the country since the country's Arab Spring uprising.

Tear gas could be seen during flashpoints in parts of Cairo, with protesters apparently hurling bottles and rocks at security forces.

On what the Brotherhood called the "march of rage" in response to the deaths of 638 people on Wednesday when security forces raided two sit-in protests, officials said at least 173 people, including 10 police officers, were killed.

Ammar Badie, one of the sons of the Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leader Mohamed Badie, was among those killed, the group's Freedom and Justice Party said on its Facebook page.

The 38-year-old died of a gunshot wound while taking part in protests in Ramses Square.

The whereabouts of his father, who has been charged with inciting violence, are unknown.

It is the worst violence the country has seen since the 2011 uprising and ousting of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, under whose rule the Muslim Brotherhood was outlawed as a political organisation.

His trial on charges of complicity in the deaths of protesters has been adjourned until August 25.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Diana's Death: Police Passed New Information

New information that alleges Princess Diana was murdered has been passed to Scotland Yard through military sources, according to the Metropolitan Police.

The information, thought to include the allegation that the Princess of Wales, Dodi al Fayed and their driver were killed by a member of the British military, will be assessed by officers from the Specialist Crime and Operations Command.

It was passed to the police by the former parents-in-law of a former soldier, according to Sky sources.

Princess Diana and Dodi al Fayed leaving the Ritz Hotel on August 31, 1997

The deaths of the Princess Diana and Mr al Fayed in Paris in 1997 were investigated and examined during a 90-day inquest led by Lord Justice Scott Baker at the Royal Court of Justice in 2007.

On April 7, 2008, the jury concluded their verdict as "unlawful killing, grossly negligent driving of the following vehicles and of the Mercedes".

The Metropolitan Police added the assessment was not a re-investigation and does not come under Operation Paget - the inquiry led by Lord Stevens into conspiracy theories surrounding Princess Diana and Mr al Fayed's deaths.

The wreckage of the Mercedes the pair were travelling in when it crashed

After the inquest, the Metropolitan Police said it had spent £8m on services arising from it and the Operation Paget investigation from 2004 to 2006.

Former Met Police commissioner Lord Stevens published his report in December 2006, rejecting claims that Princess Diana and Mr al Fayed had been murdered.

Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said: "We understand this information includes an allegation that Princess Diana and Dodi al Fayed and the driver of their car were killed by a member of the British military.

"The information we're told was passed to Scotland Yard quite recently. It also includes, we understand, references to something known as Diana's diary.

"These are very early days, the information has just come in, and Scotland Yard is adamant in saying that this is not a reopening of its investigation from 2004 when it spent three years looking into the circumstances of the Princess' death.

"But it is taking the information seriously and it is considering and it is possible that a new investigation may open."

Diana, Mr al Fayed and their driver Henri Paul died after the Mercedes crashed in a Paris tunnel on August 31, 1997.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More