Secret 'Unnatural Sex' File Names Top Diplomat

Deadly Shell Strike As Ukrainians Queue For Aid

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 31 Januari 2015 | 10.03

At least six people have been killed after shells hit a cultural centre and a trolleybus in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk.

People had been queuing for aid outside the building in the centre of the city when two artillery shells struck, witnesses said.

Sky's Katie Stallard, reporting from the scene in Donetsk, said: "We have seen five bodies at this location.

"We saw the bodies of two middle-aged women and two men on the ground. Another man was killed in a car a very short distance away.

"We are told he was trying to manoeuvre the car away as the shell came in, but he was killed as he sat in the driver's seat."

Pictures from outside the cultural centre showed vehicles punctured by shrapnel and with their windows blown out. The tops of nearby trees had been blown off by the force of the blast.

The victims appeared to be dressed in civilian clothing.

The sixth victim was seen by a Reuters cameraman near the damaged trolleybus elsewhere in the city.

It was not immediately clear if the shells were fired by government troops or pro-Russian separatists.

A battle was also taking place around Debaltseve, a key government-held town of 25,000 people that straddles a railway connecting the two rebel centres of Luhansk and Donetsk.

The separatists claimed to have almost encircled the town, telling Ukrainian troops through Russian state TV: "Surrender and you will live".

The past week has seen some of the heaviest fighting in eastern Ukraine since a ceasefire was agreed five months ago.

US Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Kiev on Thursday for talks with President Petro Poroshenko and other Ukrainian officials, the US State Department said.

President Barack Obama this week voiced deep concern about renewed fighting between Russian-backed separatist and government forces in eastern Ukraine and said the US is considering all options short of military action to isolate Russia.

Conditions in Donetsk have been deteriorating as the violence has ramped up, with hundreds of people taking shelter in an arts centre too afraid to let their children play outside or go to school.

More than 5,000 have died since the pro-Russian separatists declared their own 'People's Republics' in the region last April.

The rebels said peace talks due to take place in the Belarussian capital, Minsk, on Friday, had been called off after Kiev failed to send any representatives.

Meanwhile, NATO has announced it will deploy small units in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania to help co-ordinate military exercises and set up command and control in response to Russia's action in Ukraine.

The forward units are expected to comprise only a few dozen troops, with Norway, Germany and the Netherlands expected to contribute.

Moscow has accused the European Union of adopting a "one-side reading" of the conflict and warned against further sanctions.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Secret 'Unnatural Sex' File Names Top Diplomat

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By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

A top British diplomat was the focus of a secret government file about his "unnatural" sexual behaviour, Sky News can reveal.

The file, which has just been released to the National Archives, names the late Sir Peter Hayman as the subject of the file prepared for then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

It has now been transferred to the archives in Kew, south west London, under the title "PREM 19/588 SECURITY. Sir Peter Hayman: allegations against former public official of unnatural sexual proclivities; security aspects".

Sir Peter died in 1992 but during his career worked as a diplomat including as High Commissioner to Canada. He also worked for intelligence service MI6.

He was named as an abuser of children by the MP Geoffrey Dickens in the 1980s and also had links to the controversial Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE).

The files reveal for the first time that Margaret Thatcher was in regular correspondence over what she describes in one handwritten letter as the "Hayman matter".

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Gallery: Secret File On Claims Of 'Unnatural Sexual Behaviour' Of Top Diplomat

A letter from then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is among the file

The file contains the official "line" to take if questions were raised

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The document has now been transferred to the archives in Kew, south west London

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The diplomat regularly sent obscene material through the post and kept detailed records of his sexual activities and fantasies.

Two incidents that may have been significant are noted in the report: one while Sir Peter was working in Baghdad, the other in Ottawa, Canada. No details of what happened are included.

He had also been exposed as someone with links to paedophilia in Private Eye magazine and the file shows that the official response was that the claims were "generally accurate".

Thatcher's government advisers were also acutely concerned with how they would handle questions about the diplomat, with one briefing not highlighting the line to take for any interviews.

It said: "There has been no cover up."

The existence of the file in the National Archives catalogues was highlighted by Dr Chris Murphy, a lecturer at Salford University, who alerted Sky News.

Dr Murphy said he was pleased at the decision to release the file.

He told Sky News: "I'm surprised - albeit pleasantly so - to see a decision to withhold a file under Section 3(4) of the Public Records Act reversed like this.

"In my experience this is quite unusual and I think it has to make us wonder about the decision to withhold it in the first place."

The file has been retained on grounds of national security and held by officials at the Cabinet Office, the department responsible for the smooth running of government.

Following the Sky News report the matter was raised in the House Of Commons, where MPs called for it to be made public.

MP John Mann, who campaigns on the issue of child abuse, said: "All of these files that have been classified need to be opened up.

"This one is of great importance. There could well be some very significant information in it and it needs to be looked at."

Peter Wanless, chief executive of the NSPCC - who was commissioned last year by the Home Office to examine Government files that may be relevant to the abuse inquiries - told Sky News that to the best of his knowledge he did not see this specific file during his inquiries.

Tom Watson MP said on Friday: "Without Sky News revealing the existence of this document, it wouldn't have been made available for public scrutiny.

"What else was known about Hayman and his associates?"

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Written By Unknown on Jumat, 30 Januari 2015 | 10.03

Britain has summoned Russia's ambassador after RAF Typhoons were scrambled when two Russian bombers flew over the English Channel.

The British fighter jets were scrambled on Wednesday when the Russian TU-95 'Bear' long-range bombers flew near UK airspace.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said while the planes stopped short of entering British airspace, the incident was part of an "increasing pattern of out of area operations by Russian aircraft".

A spokesperson said: "While the Russian planes did not enter sovereign UK airspace and were escorted by RAF Typhoons throughout the time they were in the UK area of interest, the Russian planes caused disruption to civil aviation.

"That is why we summoned the Russian Ambassador today to account for the incident."

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Gallery: Nov 1: RAF Redirects Russia Bombers

Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled to intercept Russian military 'Bear' bombers for the second time in a week, it has emerged (Pic: MoD)

The aircraft were were sent up from RAF Lossiemouth on Friday, 31 October, to escort the Soviet-era Tupolev Tu-95 aircraft (Pic: MoD)

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10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Armed Man Demands Airtime On Dutch Broadcaster

Dutch national broadcaster NOS temporarily went off air after an man armed with a gun entered the building and demanded airtime.

The RTL press agency said a building belonging to NOS in Hilversum was cleared on Thursday evening after the man walked into the building.

He was later arrested at the scene, the agency added.

NOS broadcast an onscreen message which read: "In connection with circumstances, no broadcast is available at this time."

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

NOS was off-air for around an hour. When it returned, it showed footage of the gunman, wearing a black suit, white shirt and black tie, and carrying a pistol.

Speaking to a man off camera, he said: "We are hired in by intelligence services."

Reports claimed the man was aged 19 and claimed to be from a "hackers collective". He was led into an empty studio by a security guard, and after pacing the studio said: "This is taking too long."

Police then stormed into the studio, ordered the man to lie down and he gave up without a struggle.

In a statement, they said he demanded airtime and threatened that bombs would go off at several locations if his demand was not met.

Spokeswoman Christine Scholts said officers swept the building for explosives, but found nothing.

She added: "We are currently investigating who this man is and what he wants.

"He took the security guard hostage and said he wanted airtime. If they didn't give it to him, he said there would be bombs in different places in the Netherlands that would explode if he didn't get time on TV."

NOS said the man had a silencer on his pistol and threatened a security guard, who let him into the editorial offices.

No shots were fired.

Prosecutor Johan Bac said the suspect was from the town of Pijnacker, near The Hague. He said the man was being held on suspicion of making a threat, weapons possession and taking a hostage.

"There is a major investigation underway to get clarity as quickly as possible about what happened here tonight."

After the incident, NOS director Jan de Jong said the broadcaster's headquarters had strengthened security after the attack on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris.

The media park in Hilversum is home to many Dutch broadcasters and has been tightly guarded since Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn was shot dead in a car park there in 2002.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Man Who Cut Off Wife's Head With Knife Jailed

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 29 Januari 2015 | 10.03

A man who attacked his disabled wife and cut off her head with a kitchen knife has been jailed for at least 22 years.

The judge described the murder of 38-year-old Tahira Ahmed at the family home in Northolt, west London as "perfect barbarity".

Naveed Ahmed, 41, was said to have "snapped like a twig" when he carried out the attack on 27 May last year after losing his job as a Lidl supermarket manager.

After the "ferocious and brutal" killing, he fled the house but was picked up nearby by police who spotted he was sweating heavily and had blood stains on his coat.

The Old Bailey heard officers had previously been called to the property in Merton Avenue on a number of occasions following reports of violence by Mrs Ahmed, but no action was taken.

Ahmed was born in Pakistan and came to the UK shortly before their marriage in 1998 which was arranged by the couple's mothers, who were cousins.

The court was told he later came to regret the marriage because his wife suffered from a rare degenerative condition known as Morquio's syndrome.

Ahmed had initially denied killing the mother of two but just before the trial was due to start earlier this month he changed his plea to guilty.

Jailing him for life with a minimum term of 22 years, judge Christopher Moss QC said: "Your marriage is reported as being volatile with suggestions of violence.

"Psychiatric reports in your case make it plain you are a man of jealous disposition. On the 27th of May last year you attacked (your wife) in the most brutal and ferocious way.

"You appeared to use a table leg to beat her. You took a kitchen knife that was later found in the kitchen sink and attacked her with it. You used it to effectively decapitate her at a time she was either dead or dying.

"There can be no doubt in my judgement that you intended to kill her."

The court heard a post-mortem examination identified 70 "stabbing, cutting and blunt trauma" injuries to Mrs Ahmed's body including defensive wounds to her hands and arms.

Her sister Zahra Hanif said in a family impact statement her loss and manner of death had "reverberated in the community".

She described her sister as a "gentle soul" who helped others and had the "strength to overcome her physical disability".

In a statement after the hearing, the family said: "On this day, there is no celebration, for we have forever lost a dearly loved daughter, sister, mother and friend.

"Her life was cut short in the most brutal manner by a barbaric man with out-dated and backward ideals."

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Audio: Hostage Faces Death Within Hours

An audio recording purportedly from a man being held by IS militants says a fellow hostage has just hours to live unless an Iraqi prisoner is released.

The message, which is unverified, is believed to have been read out by Kenji Goto - a Japanese journalist taken by Islamic State militants last year.

In it the voice demands the release of Sajida al Rishawi, who was sentenced to death in Jordan for her involvement in a 2005 terrorist attack that killed 60 people.

The man states that a fellow hostage - Jordanian pilot Lieutenant Muath al Kasaesbeh - would be killed if the prisoner was not ready to be exchanged at the Turkish border with Syria by "sunset".

The brief message did not make it clear what the fate of either hostage would be even if the group's demands were met.

Although the Jordanian government is willing to hand over the would-be suicide bomber, nations around the world - including the US - believe the deal with IS should not go ahead.

Such an exchange could set a dangerous precedent, encouraging terrorists to take more people hostage.

However, if both hostages were to survive, it could provide crucial intelligence about their captors, as the whereabouts of a man dubbed "Jihadi John" remains unknown.

The family of Sajida al Rishawi have met with Jordan's King Abdullah, where they were assured that "things were still positive".

Despite this, the country's Foreign Minister has not received any evidence that the pilot is alive and well.

The Japanese government is investigating the latest footage, which was originally uploaded to YouTube.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

100 Days To Go: PM And Miliband Head To Head

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 28 Januari 2015 | 10.03

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

David Cameron and Ed Miliband went head-to-head today, taking to the airwaves to fire out accusations in both directions as the 100-day countdown to the General Election began.

In a series of bitter clashes, the Prime Minister told Sky News that a "left-wing" Labour government would "wreck" economic progress.

Mr Miliband hit back with claims that the NHS was at its "most perilous moment", saying the Conservatives would leave the health service "unrecognisable".

Both party leaders focused heavily on these core issues as they set out their stalls for the 2015 election.

A highly political day also saw the Chancellor and his Labour counterpart confront each other as figures showed the economy grew by 2.6% last year - but with the rate slowing at the end of 2014.

:: Sky looks at the 150 seats that could play a deciding role in May's General Election. Click here for the In The Margins console.

George Osborne said this showed the recovery was "on track", but shadow chancellor Ed Balls warned the slowdown was a big concern for working people whose wages had already fallen.

It came as a Sky News projection - based on up-to-date polling - had Labour as the biggest party in a hung Parliament.

But Sky's figures also suggested Mr Miliband's party could be badly hit in Scotland amid an astonishing surge for the SNP, who could rise from six to 53 seats.

Labour is fighting back in Scotland, but if the projection proved accurate then it would give the Scottish nationalists the balance of power on 8 May. The SNP welcomed the figures but said they were "taking absolutely nothing for granted".

The Tory and Labour attempts to shore up their positions ahead of the election saw senior figures speak out on issues from the economy and NHS to the leaders' debates.

:: ON THE ECONOMY:

The Prime Minister warned of an "unstable, left-wing Government that starts to borrow and and spend and wreck the economic progress that we have made". "Of course I worry about that," he told Sky News.

The Chancellor said today's figures showing the "recovery is on track" but warned the "international climate is getting worse". One hundred days until an election was not the time to "abandon that plan and return Britain to economic chaos".

But his Labour counterpart Ed Balls hit back warning that "Tory claims the economy is fixed will ring hollow with working people who are still not feeling the recovery" and whose "wages are down by £1,600 a year since 2010".

:: ON UNFUNDED PROMISES:

When asked about unfunded tax cuts by Sky News' Political Editor, Faisal Islam, David Cameron insisted that plans to increase the personal allowance further and raise the 40% threshold would be affordable.

He said: "If you run the economy competently and properly you can do those things. That's what we will do in the next Parliament."

Mr Miliband hit back at claims his party is making promises without the financial backing by insisting money would be raised through a mansion tax on expensive homes, a crackdown on tax avoidance and a levy on tobacco firms.

He said: "And we will use that money for a plan to train and hire more doctors, nursers, care-workers and midwives - so that they all have the one thing that patients most need: an NHS with time to care."

:: ON THE NHS:

This was Labour's drive of the day with speeches from Mr Miliband and shadow health secretary Andy Burnham. The Labour leader said: "I believe this truth more than any other - the NHS wasn't just the right principle for our grandparents' generation, it is the right principle for our grandchildren's generation too."

He promised that Labour would provide 20,000 more nurses and 8,000 more GPs with a new guarantee of appointments within 48 hours with family doctors.

Mr Cameron hit back on ITV by pointing to Wales where a Labour-led Assembly is in charge of health care. He said: "Where Labour are running the NHS, they cut the NHS and, as a result, waiting lists are longer, the problems at A&E are worse, they don't have the cancer drugs fund that we have in England.

"I think we need to look at Labour's record rather than rhetoric."

:: ON THE LEADERS' DEBATES:

On Sky News, the Prime Minister insisted he was willing to do them, but added in another stipulation. He said: "I thought at the last election they were excellent, the debates, but they took the life out of the election campaign. We know when the election is, so let's get on with the debates before the campaign begins."

But the Labour leader accused Mr Cameron of trying to dodge the debates. "The Prime Minister is wriggling and wriggling to try to get out of these debates ... Let's make these debates happen, let's have David Cameron actually sign up and say he is going to do these debate, not keep trying to avoid them."

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Protesters To Rally Against Fracking Proposals

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

Demonstrators from around the UK are expected to gather in Lancashire today, ahead of a controversial decision on the future of fracking in the county.

It is the first time that Cuadrilla, an exploration company, has applied to develop new fracking sites since being blamed for creating earth tremors in Blackpool three years ago.

The firm suspended test drilling and abandoned its site near the seaside resort following the quakes in 2011.

The Preese Hall site remains the only place in the UK where modern fracking techniques have been used so far.

The new areas sit on the same massive reserve of shale gas which experts say could help revolutionise Britain's energy market.

But groups opposed to fracking say it would industrialise the countryside and pollute the environment.

Cuadrilla has applied to Lancashire County Council for permission to frack two sites in a rural area between Preston and Blackpool.

Officers at the authority have recommended that councillors vote against the proposals because of concerns over noise and road safety.

If the councillors accept the recommendations, it will be seen as a major blow to the efforts to kick-start Britain's shale gas industry.

Anti-fracking campaigner Tina Rothery said: "Like many people in the anti-fracking movement, we have completely put our own lives on hold for four years just to get this done – because how do you walk away from this?

"Every door I would look to walk out of would have my granddaughter's face on it. I can't walk away and go 'It's OK – they'll take care of it' because it's too big."

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is the process of drilling a mile or more into the earth before water, chemicals and sand are injected under high pressure into rock, releasing the shale gas trapped inside.

In recent years, it has become one of the most divisive issues in the UK, leading to violent scenes between police and protesters at proposed sites in Manchester, Lancashire and Sussex.

Supporters such as Blackpool businessman Tony Raynor claim his interest in fracking was prompted by the local earth tremors several years ago.

"Like most people, I was ambivalent to shale gas, but the tremors made me want to find out more. Now I'm in favour," he said.

"There are fewer jobs here now than there were in 2004 and we all worry about the brain drain (from the area) and our children finding opportunities in this region. We need economic activity happening in Blackpool."

The anti-fracking movement has built up considerably over recent years. Its supporters say pollution in the US has shown the process is environmentally unsustainable.

However, supporters argue that it has considerably reduced America's dependence on imported energy supplies and helped to bolster the economy.

Cuadrilla has asked that the local authority allows more time to consider its proposals for minimising the environmental impact at fracking sites. If Lancashire councillors do reject Cuadrilla's plans, the company is expected to appeal.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Greece To Leave 'Disastrous Austerity' Behind

Written By Unknown on Senin, 26 Januari 2015 | 10.03

Greece To Leave 'Disastrous Austerity' Behind

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The leader of the left-wing Syriza party Alexis Tsipras has said Greece is "leaving behind disastrous austerity", after his party claimed victory in the country's general election.

And the 40-year-old told jubilant supporters the country's group of lenders "is finished".

He was speaking after the Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, who heads the conservative New Democracy party, conceded defeat to Mr Tsipras.

Partial election results suggest Syriza has secured 36.5% of the vote, compared to 27.7% for the New Democracy party.

This indicates the party would get 150 seats in the 300-seat parliament - one short of an overall majority.

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Gallery: Alexis Tsipras Celebrates Victory For His Anti-Austerity Party

A young child supporting anti-austerity party Syriza takes part in celebrations after the first exit polls in Athens

Syriza supporters await the final result of the Greek election at the party tent

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Members of the conservative New Democracy party watch as exit polls shows a significant victory for Syriza

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Celebrations continue for supporters of Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras in Athens

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An anti-austerity voter is overcome with emotion as news of the results breaks

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Hundreds of flag-waving supporters have turned out in central Athens to celebrate.

But the victory for Syriza raises the prospect of a stand-off with European creditors, with Mr Tsipras promising to renegotiate the repayment terms of Greece's debt.

The Greek government was forced to undertake deep budget cuts and fiscal reforms as a condition for a €240bn euro bailout in 2010 from the so-called "Troika" - the group of creditors made up of the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank (ECB).

Many in Greece feel slashed public spending has hit the most vulnerable hardest, while leaving the tax evasion and corruption of the apparent elites untouched.

In his victory speech, Mr Tsipras said: "The sovereign Greek people today have given a clear, strong, indisputable mandate.

"Greece leaves behinds catastrophic austerity, it leaves behind fear and authoritarianism, it leaves behind five years of humiliation and anguish.

"The verdict of our people means the Troika is finished.

"The new Greek government will be ready to cooperate and negotiate for the first time with our peers a just, mutually beneficial and viable solution."

Mr Syriza's refusal to continue meeting the austerity demands placed on Greece by its creditors has sparked fears the country may be unable to repay its debts, which could force the country's exit from the Eurozone.

Germany's Bundesbank has warned Greece needs to reform to tackle its economic problems, while the euro fell nearly half a US cent.

Mr Samaras had insisted voters would be making a huge mistake to elect Syriza at a time when painful fiscal reforms may be about to pay off.

After conceding defeat, he told supporters: "My conscience is clear because I told the truth to the Greek people until the very end.

"I received a country that was almost destroyed and I was asked to hold a hot potato and I did that."

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