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Fears UK Is Paying Taliban Compensation Claims

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 30 November 2013 | 16.12

MPs are investigating whether the Taliban could be claiming compensation from UK taxpayers under human rights legislation, Sky News has learned.

A Ministry of Defence claims report for 2012-13 observes: "There is recent anecdotal evidence that a number of claimants are inflating or inventing claims.

"Claims are also being made a number of years after the supposed event when effective investigations are all but impossible."

Figures obtained by Sky News show the MoD paid out almost £24m in compensation to civilians in the UK and abroad last year compared with £9m in 2012 and £4.4m in 2011.

Many of last year's claims were made by Iraqi nationals, the data shows.

Conservative MP Julian Brazier, a member of the defence select committee which is investigating the claims, told Sky News: "The Taliban themselves who as the enemy will obviously look at any crack they can find in the system to have a go at our guys.

MP Julian Brazier Julian Brazier says the claims will be investigated

"There are these claims out there, some of them pretty spurious but deeply worrying to our military commanders and indeed to the soldiers concerned on some occasions."

The concern within the MoD is that a perceived readiness to pay out quickly in order to calm a situation has encouraged Afghans to try their hand at making fraudulent or inflated claims.

Tom Tugendhat, a former adviser to chief of defence staff General Sir David Richards and ex-governor of Musa Qala in Helmand Province, has experience of having dealt with compensation claims.

He told Sky News it can be difficult to establish the truth, saying: "The problem is that when you get into urban areas it becomes more complicated.

"If, for example, there has been an accident and a vehicle has run over a sheep, clearly the compensation that the British Government will offer is real and the competition for who will get it in some areas can be quite severe.

"Now at times like that, could it have gone to people who weren't entitled? Yes, it certainly could."


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Glasgow Helicopter Crash: At Least Six Dead

Police and firefighters working to try to rescue people from the wreckage of a pub hit by a helicopter say they have made contact with survivors inside.

The police aircraft came down on the Clutha Vaults pub in Glasgow, which was packed with more than 100 people at the time who were  listening to a band.

Sky News sources have confirmed there have been fatalities and earlier Scotland's First Minister told people to prepare for the worst.

Glasgow pub crash Firefighters on the roof of the pub this morning

Grace MacLean, who had been inside the pub when the helicopter struck, told Sky News: "Someone started shouting and the band cut the music ... and then all of a sudden this cloud of dust came.

"You couldn't breathe for inhaling a mouthful of dust. You couldn't see anything. You were clawing at the walls to see where the exit is."

Police said that 32 people, with "multiple types of injury" had so far been taken to hospitals across the city - Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the Western Infirmary - following the crash at 10.25pm on Friday.

The Police have given no details of what has happened to the crew of two officers and a civilian pilot on board the helicopter.

Firefighters said they had made contact with people trapped inside the Clutha bar but said it was difficult to tell how many were inside because the building was "very unsafe".

Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay said: "We've had some contact and we're working away just now to make sure that the building is safe in order to get people out.

A helicopter has crashed into the roof of a Glasgow pub Two police officers and one civilian pilot were on board the helicopter

"We are determined that we are going to get the building stable and we will be in there to carry out those rescues."

There are 125 firefighters working at the scene and rescue services have brought in sniffer dogs to help find those still inside.

Those who helped at the scene told how they worked to form human chain to carry unconscious people out of the pub. Among them was Labour's international development spokesman Jim Murphy, who told Sky News: "I just saw dozens and dozens of people coming out of the pub. It is a horrible, horrible scene."

It is still unclear what caused the crash, with one eye witness saying the aircraft "dropped like a stone" and police have now launched a full investigation into the crash under the direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. 

Investigators from the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) were on the scene on Saturday morning trying to piece together what had happened.

Deputy Chief Constable Rose Fitzpatrick said: "Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected by this incident and we are continuing work with our colleagues in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Ambulance Service to recover people from the scene.

Glasgow Those inside the pub gather outside after the crash Pic: Paul Agnew

"A full investigation is now underway however at this early stage it is too early to provide details on why the helicopter came down. There were three people on board the helicopter - two police officers and a civilian pilot and on a busy Friday night, there were a number of customers in the bar.

"We are working hard to recover people still inside the building and we will make further details available when we have them."

The helicopter, a EC135 T2, which is widely used in the police force, has a good safety record with one incident in 2007 after which the AAIB asked manufacturers Eurocopter to look at a stability system switch.

First Minister Alex Salmond said that given the scale of the Glasgow helicopter crash, "we must all prepare ourselves for the likelihood of fatalities".

Gordon Smart, editor of the Sun's Scottish edition, saw the crash from a multi-storey car park nearby.

He told Sky News: "I thought it was a plane that was going to crash. I looked up at the sky and I could see the helicopter falling, tumbling ... and then there was an eerie silence for the last part of the fall.

"But the thing that was disturbing and shocking was there was no explosion. I couldn't understand why a helicopter would fall from that height and not explode. To see the angle, the speed and the trajectory of the fall ... it was a horrific sight."

A map showing the location of The Clutha Bar in Glasgow, Scotland The Clutha is situated in Stockwell Street in Glasgow

Members of Esperanza, the band playing at the time, all escaped from the wreckage unharmed. They posted on their Facebook site: "Best wishes to everyone from tonight...Hope everyone who got out managed to get home or somewhere safe to stay. To everyone who was injured...please get fixed soon. And please please please let us know of the people who we haven't heard from yet...hope they're found ok."

Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "My thoughts are with everyone affected by the helicopter crash in Glasgow - and the emergency services working tonight."

A number of St Andrew's Day events were being cancelled on Saturday morning as the tragic toll of Friday night's crash started to become apparent.

Members of the public concerned about relatives who may have been involved in the crash can call an emergency helpline on 0800 092 0410.


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Helicopter Fell 'Like A Stone Out Of The Sky'

Eyewitnesses have described the "terrifying" moment when a police helicopter spun out of control and plunged into a bar which was hosting a live music gig.

Grace MacLean was in The Clutha in Stockwell Street, Glasgow, and said people became aware of the crash only when the ceiling of the venue started to cave in.

She told Sky News: "There was a band on, they were quite loud, and we just kinda heard a whoosh and some smoke.

"We looked around and no-one really knew what was going on. Everyone just carried on listening to the band.

A helicopter has crashed into the roof of a Glasgow pub Emergency services at the scene

"And then we kind of looked again and the roof was gradually coming down.

"Someone started shouting and the band cut the music ... and then all of a sudden this cloud of dust came.

"You couldn't breathe for inhaling a mouthful of dust. You couldn't see anything. You were clawing at the walls to see where the exit is.

"No-one had a clue what was going on. There was no loud noise.

"People were helping each other out. Everyone started helping people who were hurt. People had some head injuries. Lots of people were covered in dust. There were lots of people shocked.

"No-one knew it was a helicopter crash until people told you."

Labour's international development spokesman Jim Murphy happened to be driving past the pub immediately after the crash.

A police helicopter has crashed into the roof of a Glasgow pub Firefighters on the roof of the pub where the helicopter crash-landed

"I jumped out and tried to help," he said. "There were people with injuries. Bad gashes to the head. Some were unconscious."

He described how a human chain formed to help pass unconscious casualties out of the pub so that "inch by inch, we could get the people out".

Scores of passers-by in the area ran to the venue after seeing or hearing the aircraft go down.

Connor Gillies, from Radio Clyde News, told Sky News of the "scenes of chaos" and "continuous stream of sirens" in the area on Friday evening.

Mr Gillies described seeing "blood on the shirt" of Mr Murphy, who he said was "clearly very shaken, very upset by the whole thing".

Wesley Shearer, who posted pictures on Twitter of the scene, said there had been "talk of fatalities", but this has not been confirmed.

"This is unbelievable," he tweeted shortly after the crash. "Just spent 20 minutes pulling people out of the bar."

Jim Murphy in Glasgow MP Jim Murphy helped people out of the venue

Jan Hollands, who also tweeted pictures from the scene, said she heard the crash and described it as "scary".

At 7am, one worried man was waiting at a police barrier hoping to hear of news about his father, who was in the pub on Friday night.

"My dad was sitting there with his lady friend. She went to the toilet and boom, it came straight through the roof … right on top of the spot where they were sitting.

He added: "That was the last I heard. I'm going to stay here … It cannot get much worse."

:: Police have issued an emergency telephone number for concerned relatives - 0800 092 0410.


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Energy Bills: Govt Wants Price Freeze Until 2015

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 29 November 2013 | 16.12

The Energy Secretary has written to the big six energy providers asking them to freeze their prices until after the 2015 general election, according to Sky sources.

The call, barring any big increase in wholesale fuel costs, is to try to avoid another round of price rises that could be blamed on Government green levies, industry sources have said.

Annual bills could be cut by around £50 by the move, it is claimed.

Ed Davey has promised to help firms by introducing changes to the green levies that Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne have pledged to "roll back".

Ed Davey Energy Secretary Ed Davey is believed to be seeking a deal with firms

He first wrote to the firms last week and followed up his appeals with fresh letters this week.

It is understood the companies have so far given no commitment to his proposal.

Ministers are proposing to change the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) - one of the green levies branded "green crap" by a Tory source last week.

The Government wants to be able to announce a pledge or deal in the Autumn Statement on December 5.

The Department of Energy & Climate Change described the claims as speculation, stating there would be no comment on the issue ahead of next week's statement.

Protesters burn energy bills during a protest against budget cuts and energy prices on Westminster Bridge, central London Bills are burned during a protest this month against prices and budget cuts

The move comes ahead of a speech by Ed Miliband later in which he will pledge to end the energy "rip-off".

The Labour leader is to call for a tough new regulator with powers to order firms to pass on wholesale savings to customers, and intervene in the market to ensure they get good value in the future.

An independent Energy Security Board would be created modelled on the Office for Budget Responsibility, to help draw up and implement a timetable for building energy capacity and ensure the lights stay on.

He will also promise action to boost competition among suppliers, simplify bills for customers and "secure energy which is affordable and available".

Ed Miliband at a TUC protest march in 2012 Labour leader Ed Miliband is to pledge to end the energy "rip-off"

The shake-up - described by Mr Miliband as the biggest since privatisation in the 1980s - would be implemented during the 20-month price freeze he has pledged if Labour wins the general election.

Launching the party's energy green paper at Manchester Town Hall, Mr Miliband will refer to the famous "Tell Sid" campaign advertising British Gas privatisation under Margaret Thatcher.

"In the past three years it has become clear to everyone but this government that the energy market is broken," he is expected to say.

"Prices are rising year on year without justification. And Britain is not getting the investment in energy we need to secure supplies for the future...

"We have a new message for Sid: We will freeze your bills for 20 months. We will reset the market with real competition and proper regulation so that prices are affordable. We will secure the investment we need.

"We will stop you being ripped off and, together, we will power Britain into the next century."

Other commitments include preventing power generation companies doing exclusive deals with their retail arms and ensuring all environmental and policy levies on bills are delivering "value for money".


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Maternity Leave: New Shared Rights Unveiled

By Darren McCaffrey, Sky News Reporter

Fathers will have the option of sharing parental leave under proposals to be announced by Nick Clegg, who has branded the current system antiquated.

The Government has published final details of a significant shake-up which they will hope cater for a growing desire by men to play a more hands-on role in a baby's first months.

From 2015 a fully flexible system of parental leave will be introduced in England, Scotland and Wales which will allow new mothers to trigger flexible leave at any point after the first two weeks' of giving birth.

Mothers and fathers will be able to share the remaining 50 weeks between them as they like by taking the leave in turns, in different blocks, or at the same time.

Reforms will also extend parents' existing right to request flexible working to all employees in an attempt to reflect the increased role of grandparents and other carers.

In an effort to allay fears of the impact on smaller firms, bosses will have to agree any proposed pattern of time off and will retain the right to insist it be confined to a continuous block, with no more than two subsequent changes.

The proposal had met strong resistance within government.

The Liberal Democrats fought to stop last ditch attempts by their Conservative partners to drop the policy.

But father-of-three Mr Clegg said change was long overdue.

"Women deserve the right to pursue their goals and not feel they have to choose between having a successful career or having a baby," he said.

Gloria de Piero Labour's Gloria De Piero claims the plans hold nothing new for parents

"They should be supported by their employers, rather than being made to feel less employable or under pressure to take unchallenging jobs.

"Many businesses already recognise how productive and motivated employees are when they are given the opportunity to work flexibly, helping them retain talent and boost their competitive edge.

"This is good for families, good for business and good for our economy."

The changes, however, have been branded "a nightmare" which would heap more burdens on already-struggling firms by the Institute of Directors (IoD).

Deputy director of policy Alexander Ehmann said: "The IoD understands the case for a system of shared parental leave and how it could help to widen the talent pool available to employers.

"Unfortunately, today's announcements heap yet more burdens on struggling employers at a time when government should be freeing them to create jobs and wealth."

Labour attacked the announcement for providing nothing new to help families struggling with the rising cost of living.

Shadow minister for women and equalities Gloria De Piero said: "Nick Clegg claims to be on parents' side but he and David Cameron have done nothing to support families in the last three years.

"This reheated announcement contains nothing new for families suffering from this government's cost-of-living crisis. It proves you can't trust a word Nick Clegg says."


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Annual UK House Price Growth 'Hits 6.5%'

The rate of annual house price growth accelerated to 6.5% in November, its fastest pace since July 2010 according to Nationwide.

The monthly survey suggested prices have now risen every month for the last year but the surge could now be threatened after the Bank of England confirmed on Thursday that its Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS) would no longer support mortgage borrowing from January.

Nationwide said the latest monthly house price increase of 0.6% took average UK values to £174,566 from £173,678 in October.

Its chief economist Robert Gardner said it was important to point out that prices were still around 6% below their 2007 peak.

He said: "Activity in the housing market has picked up strongly in recent months. The number of mortgage approvals for house purchase reached 66,735 in September, 34% higher than the same period of 2012.

A large part of the improvement can be attributed to further improvements in the labour market and the brighter economic outlook, which has helped to bolster sentiment amongst potential buyers."

A shortage of property on the market and incentives to help borrowers under Government schemes such as Help to Buy have been cited as reasons for national price growth, which has soared in London and the South East.

Yesterday, the Bank of England took the first step in putting the brakes on the property market as it scrapped an initiative that has had a significant part to play in encouraging mortgage lending.

Governor Mark Carney said the FLS stimulus would instead focus purely on helping small business borrowing, which remains muted.

FLS has offered lenders access to cheap finance on condition that they pass on the benefits to borrowers, and experts yesterday said that the Bank's move could spell the "beginning of the end" for ultra-cheap mortgage deals.

Fears of a looming property bubble have been growing in recent months amid a string of reports suggesting demand in the housing market far outstrips the growth in the supply of homes.

London in particular has seen strong demand this year, and Land Registry figures released on Thursday showed that house prices in London were up by 8.7% year-on-year in October.

But the market remains patchy and prices in the North East have dropped by 3.1% year-on-year, according to the registry.

The latest phase of Help to Buy, which offers state-backed mortgages to people with deposits as low as 5% was launched in October and this is expected to inject further activity into the market among credit-worthy buyers who have particularly struggled to get on the housing ladder or move up it since the financial crisis struck because they have a lack of upfront funds.

Lenders representing around two-thirds of the mortgage market have committed to coming on board the scheme and there are also signs of competition increasing to attract low-deposit borrowers from lenders which are outside the Help to Buy scheme.

More follows...


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

David Cameron 'U-Turn' Over Cigarette Packaging

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 28 November 2013 | 16.13

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

David Cameron is set to be accused of a major U-turn over the introduction of plain packaging of cigarettes.

The Government is poised to announce it is pressing ahead with the measure aimed at making smoking less attractive to youngsters.

Mr Cameron's decision to shelve the measure last July caused an outcry after it emerged his election strategist Lynton Crosby, now employed full time by the Conservatives, is a partner of Crosby Textor, which worked with Philip Morris Ltd as it lobbied the UK government against plain packaging.

That prompted the accusation from Ed Miliband in the Commons: "He is the Prime Minister for Benson and Hedge funds, and he knows it.

Australia cigarette packaging Australia already uses plain packets which just show health warnings

"Can he not see that there is a devastating conflict of interest between having a key adviser raking it in from big tobacco and then advising him not to go ahead with plain packaging?"

Campaigners for plain packaging feared a pause on consultation in July had effectively ruled out any prospect of its introduction until after the next election, while lobbyists for the tobacco industry were confident of having defeated the proposal.

Now Earl Howe, the health minister, is to introduce an amendment to the Children and Families Bill in the House of Lords, possibly as early as next week, to give the Government enabling powers to introduce plain packaging.

At the same time the Government will announce another review of what has happened in Australia to report back next March. Its findings are expected to strongly back the case for plain packaging.

One of the most recent studies from the country, the first in the world to ban branded cigarettes cartons, found that those using cigarettes sold in standardised plain brown cartons were 81% more likely to consider quitting.

A Government source told The Times: "This will nail Labour's ridiculous smears. Now the pressure will be on Labour to get behind this amendment to enable the introduction of standardised packaging."

David Cameron speaks at the annual CBI conference in central LondonLynton Crosby The PM was accused of pandering to his election strategist Lynton Crosby

Luciana Berger MP, Labour's shadow public health minister, said: "We need immediate legislation for standard cigarette packaging, not another review. The Government needs to stand up to the tobacco industry's vested interests.

"The evidence to support standardised packaging is clear. The consensus is overwhelming. We don't need any further delay while 570 children are lighting up for the first time every day."


16.13 | 0 komentar | Read More

Drink-Driving: Most Brits 'Unaware Of Rules'

By Nick Martin, Sky News Correspondent

More than one million motorists have driven while over the legal alcohol limit in the last two years, new figures reveal.

In most cases drivers got behind the wheel the morning after drinking alcohol because they were not aware how long it takes for alcohol to leave the body.

According to official guidelines, it takes about an hour for the body to break down one unit of alcohol, although alcohol tolerance depends on a number of factors including the person's age, weight, gender and metabolism.

Close to half of drivers (46%) said they did not know how long they needed to wait after drinking before they were safe to drive, research by car insurance company LV found.

Drivers who consumed an average of seven pints of lager or six glasses of wine would have to wait around 15 hours for the alcohol to clear the body.

In Greater Manchester, the annual drink-driving awareness campaign encourages abstinence rather than restraint.

Called None For The Road, it stresses the safest option is to not drink at all.

Inspector Matthew Bailey-Smith, of the Serious Collision Unit, told Sky News: "Most people don't know how long it takes for alcohol to return to legal levels for driving.

"We see people after lunchtime, who had been drinking the night before, well over the legal driving limit.

"That's potentially very worrying and means people will be prosecuted if they are stopped and produce a positive breath test result."

Alexia Techner's partner James Roberts was killed in a car crash in 2009 by a driver who was three times the legal drink-driving limit, despite having stopped drinking 12 hours beforehand.

"If you know you have to drive the next day, don't drink," she said.

"It's just not worth the risk. Even a few beers can stay in your blood the next day and that can affect how you drive."

John O'Roarke, managing director of LV, said: "It's easy to assume that after a good night's sleep you will be sober enough to drive the next day but depending on how many units you've had, you may not be fit to drive.

"The key to enjoying the festive season is to plan ahead and don't drive if you are not within the legal alcohol limits."


16.13 | 0 komentar | Read More

Student Loans: £5bn Unaccounted For Says NAO

More than £5bn paid out in student loans is unaccounted for because the Government does not have enough information about the recipients.

There are 368,000 student borrowers for whom there is no current employment record, or other details on earnings, according to a study by spending watchdog the National Audit Office (NAO).

This could be because they are unemployed students living in the UK, EU students who have returned home or UK students who have moved overseas.

It means the Government does not have enough information to decide whether these students should be making repayments on their loans, and if so, how much.

The NAO report claims the Business Department (BIS) is not doing enough to find out whether borrowers are earning enough to start repayments.

Students currently repay their loans when they earn £21,000, and repayments are linked to earnings.

It also says there are around 14,000 former students, with a total debt of £100m, living overseas who are behind on their repayments.

The Student Loans Company, which helps collect the payments, could take a "more targeted approach" to this group, says the NAO.

Earlier this week, the Government sold off older student loans totalling nearly £900m to a private debt collection agency for £160m.

Universities minister David Willetts called the sale "good value for money" and said it would help reduce public sector debt.

More than a third (35%) of new loans taken out are not expected to be repaid, according to Government figures, and around half of students are not expected to repay their debt fully.

Under a major overhaul of higher education, which saw tuition fees at English universities treble to a maximum of £9,000, student loans are now written off after 30 years.

A BIS spokesman said: "We are continually improving the collection process for borrowers and we will carefully consider the NAO's recommendations as part of this programme."

Shadow Higher Education Minister Liam Byrne said: "Labour has warned ministers time and time again that tripling fees overnight would create huge new debts that lots of students, facing a cost-of-living crisis, couldn't afford to pay back.

"Worse of all, we may be at the point where so many students loans are being written off, that the government's new student finance system is actually more expensive than the old arrangements, even though the government is asking students for three times as much money."


16.13 | 0 komentar | Read More

Digital Post-Mortem Centre To Open In UK

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 27 November 2013 | 16.12

Europe's first non-invasive digital post-mortem examinations will be carried out at a state-of-the-art centre in Sheffield.

It will allow pathologists to perform some investigations into cause of death without dissecting the body.

Sheffield is the only place to have the technology outside of Malaysia, where it was developed, and it will be the first of a network of centres across the UK.

The new equipment involves a CT scanning machine with unique software that turns images into a 3D representation of the body.

The pathologist uses a large touchscreen tablet computer to carry out the examination.

It could be used in 70% of post-mortem examinations, according to iGene, the company behind the technology.

The scene of death could also be reconstructed digitally using the 3D capabilities of the system, according to the firm.

Digital Autopsy Images By iGene Another 17 sites are expected to open by the end of 2015

It said the technology would make things easier for families, speeding up the process and, in some cases, providing more accurate findings.

"Digital autopsy is more than just a technological innovation," said Matt Chandran, chief executive of iGene.

"It represents a tremendous humanitarian step forward in establishing the cause of an unnatural death."

Sheffield City Council leader Julie Dore said "countless families" in the city would benefit from the new centre, which will be opened by chief coroner Judge Peter Thornton.

It is intended to pave the way for a series of centres, making the UK the first country to have such a network.

A centre in Bradford is expected to open next year, and the company aims to have 18 sites across England and Wales open by the end of 2015, with the creation of up to 250 highly skilled jobs.

Around 95,000 post-mortem examinations were performed in Britain last year, accounting for around 20% of deaths.


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Lottery: Last Gasp Search For £12m Winner

By Adele Robinson, Midlands Correspondent

A £12m lottery prize will be lost forever if it is not claimed before a deadline elapses tonight.

The winning EuroMillions Millionaire Raffle ticket, worth £1m a month for a year, was bought on Friday, May 31 in the Ladywood district of Birmingham, one of the poorest areas in the country.

If the prize remains unclaimed by 11pm the money will go to charitable causes.

The winning raffle number is JRG437445, but Camelot will not say where exactly it was bought.

Patrick Lisoire, from Camelot, says they are not giving up hope yet.

Mayor of Birmingham Birmingham's mayor has been involved in the search for the winner

He said: "A prize in the Midlands of about £2.5m a few years back was claimed in the last 24 hours before the deadline.

"So that's 179 days elapsed before the claimant claimed their prize. We never knew the reason why they took so long."

The search for the winner has been ongoing for several months, with various publicity campaigns in the Birmingham area.

The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Mike Leddy, started a countdown clock in the city centre earlier this week and National Lottery workers walked the streets handing out leaflets.

Camelot workers Lottery workers have been handing out flyers in the city

Lottery organisers say if the winner is a football fan they may remember that the EuroMillions draw was sandwiched between England's two international friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and Brazil.

If unclaimed, the £12m prize will become the second highest uncollected lottery jackpot. In December 2012, £64m of winnings went to charitable causes.

Anyone who believes they have the winning ticket for any of the National Lottery draws within the 180-day deadline should call the National Lottery Line on 0845 910 0000 or email help@national-lottery.co.uk.


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Brian Thexton: 'Most Wanted' Fugitive Arrested

One of Britain's most wanted fugitives has been arrested at an isolated home in Cumbria.

Brian Thexton was detained by Cumbria Police at a rural property near Kirkby Stephen shortly before 8pm on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old, from Durham, was recently highlighted by the National Crime Agency as one of the country's most wanted fugitives.

He is accused of being involved in robberies where a gang would tie up homeowners and force them to give up alarm codes and safe combinations.

In one of the robberies the gang impersonated police officers to dupe the victims into opening the door, before brandishing a pickaxe handle and a baseball bat.

Thexton is also awaiting trial for conspiracy to supply cocaine, over claims that he was the middleman in the sale of half a kilo of the drug, and had admitted plotting to steal cars and machinery.

Police had been hunting for him in Lancashire after he was seen in a car on Aberdeen Road in Lancaster earlier this month.

A police officer told him to pull over, then walked over to the car and reached into the vehicle to remove the keys from the ignition.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said the car was then driven away, trapping the officer's arm and dragging him a short distance down the road. The officer freed himself before he was seriously injured.

Police said the car was then driven away at speed and was found a short time later having been set on fire on Fernham Carr Lane.

Detective Superintendent Andrew Slattery said: "Detectives from Cumbria Constabulary have worked hard with other police forces in the north of England over recent weeks to track down and arrest Thexton.

"We would like to thank the community of north Cumbria for their support and can assure them that our county is not and will not become a safe haven for organised criminals."


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Scotland Independence: SNP Unveils White Paper

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 26 November 2013 | 16.12

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

Scotland's SNP Government is set to present a vision of a "wealthier and fairer" Scotland ahead of next year's independence referendum.

The 670-page white paper will be launched at an event in Glasgow at 10am.

It is being billed as an "Independence Encyclopaedia" that will contain the answers to the questions surrounding a breakaway from the UK.

The SNP's opponents, however, insist it will force Scots into a "risky choice" they do not need to make.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond will unveil the document, entitled Scotland's Future - Your Guide, which he claims will make it better equipped than any other country at any other time to become independent.

Scotland's Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told Sky News: "This is a document for the people of Scotland; it is their guide to independence, and it will provide both a vision for Scotland's future and the answers on independence that people have been seeking.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond is joined on stage by Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond will launch the guide in Glasgow

"As part of the guide we will be providing the answers to people's questions on how we become an independent country, what the opportunities are of independence, how our institutions of government will work and what the benefits can be of a vote for independence.

"Our message to the people of Scotland is simple: read this guide, compare it with any alternative future for Scotland and make up your own mind."

She added: "This guide to an independent Scotland will set out a vision for Scotland's future, the ways in which we can use the powers of independence to build a wealthier and fairer Scotland, and ensure that everyone benefits from our natural wealth and talent.

"This guide to independence will move the debate forward from how Scotland can become an independent country to the kind of country we can be."

Ahead of the document launch at the Glasgow Science Centre, the SNP's opponents have questioned the case for independence, particularly the SNP's stated aim to join a currency union with the remainder of the UK it plans to leave behind.

Thousands of pro-independence campaigners march through Edinburgh Pro-independence supporters marched through Edinburgh in September

They claim there is no guarantee that the rest of the UK would find that acceptable. 

Nor are there any guarantees surrounding the membership of an independent Scotland in the European Union or Nato.

Former chancellor Alistair Darling told Sky News: "We can have the best things about being a successful country and the best things about being part of something bigger.

"We simply don't have to choose between having a strong Scottish Parliament and the strength and security of being part of the United Kingdom. We can have both.

"We can be proudly Scottish and feel a sense of connection to friends and family in the rest of the United Kingdom.

"We can have a distinctive Scottish voice and we can keep the opportunities that come through sharing risks, rewards and resources with one of the biggest economies in the world."


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Sex Survey Says Brits Are More Adventurous

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

British men and women are having increasingly adventurous sex, with more partners, well into old age, according to the most comprehensive ever survey of its kind.

The study of 15,000 people's sexual behaviour also reveals the nation is more tolerant of same-sex experiences, but less forgiving of sex outside marriage.

The National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles was first carried out in 1990 and has been repeated every 10 years.

Results published in The Lancet medical journal show that of those aged 16-24, 31% of men and 29% of women had sex before the age of 16.

That is unchanged from the last survey in the year 2000.

At the other end of the demographic spectrum, the survey shows pensioners are also having sex. According to the figures, 60% of men and 42% of women aged 65-74 reported having at least one opposite sex sexual partner in the previous year.

Lead author Dr Cath Mercer, from University College London, said: "As men and women are living longer, have healthier lives and continue to have active sex lives well beyond their reproductive years, we need to view sexual health and wellbeing as an issue of lifelong importance."

The anonymous questionnaire shows people are having less sex on average than they used to.

Compared with the last survey in 2000, the frequency of sex has fallen from just over six times a month to just under five.

This is partly because fewer people are married or cohabiting, but even those who live with their partner are having less sex, possibly because of pressures caused by the recession.

The results show people are becoming more experimental with their sexual practices, at all ages.

And women are closing the gap on men in the number of sexual partners they have.

Women aged 16-44 now have an average of 7.7 partners, compared with 3.7 in 1990. Men now have 11.7, up from 8.6 in the last survey.

There has been a small increase in men who have ever had a same-sex partner - up from 3.6% to 4.8%.

But there has been a big rise in women having a same-sex partner, up from 1.8% to 7.9%.

Professor Kaye Wellings, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who also contributed to the report, said: "The change in women's behaviour across the three surveys has been remarkable.

"In some areas of sexual behaviour we have seen a narrowing of the gender gap, but in others we have seen women overtaking men in the diversity of their behaviour.

"These trends need to be seen against the backdrop of the profound changes in the position of women in society, the norms governing their lifestyles and media representations of female sexuality."

The survey shows 20% of men see "nothing wrong" in a one-night stand, a figure that is unchanged from the 1990 survey. For women, the figure has risen from 5.4% to 13%.

The proportion of men disapproving of sex outside marriage has increased from 45% to 63%. For women it has risen from 53% to 70%.

The survey, the third in the series, was conducted between September 2010 and August 2012.


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Birmingham Pensioner Died In Hit-And-Run

A 75-year-old man found fatally injured on a Birmingham street was the victim of a hit-and-run driver, West Midlands Police say.

The man's injuries were so severe that police believe he must have been hit by a 4x4 or a van and left for dead.

He was found lying in Beakes Road, Smethwick at around 9.30pm on Saturday night and rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead a few hours later.

Nobody has come forward to report a collision in the road that night and officers believe the man was the victim of a hit and run.

Inspector Paul Bennett, from the Regional Collision Investigation Unit, said: "We have launched a major investigation to determine exactly what led to this elderly man's death.

"At this stage we believe he has been struck by a large vehicle, possibly a 4x4 car or a van.

"Whoever was driving must have known they had hit a person but rather than stop to help, they left him in the road to die.

"The vehicle itself would have sustained collision damage and I want to hear from anyone who may have information that could lead us to the vehicle and driver involved.

"I would also appeal to garage repairs owners to be wary of any vehicles that are brought in with a large amount of damage that the owner can't explain.

Anyone with information should call Inspector Bennett from the Regional Collision Investigation Unit on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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London 'Slavery' Case: New Homes Investigated

Written By Unknown on Senin, 25 November 2013 | 16.12

Detectives say they are investigating 13 addresses as part of their probe into claims that three women were held as slaves in London.

The inquiry began after one of three alleged victims told a charity she had been kept against her will for more than 30 years in a house in south London.

The three women - a 30-year-old Briton, a 57-year-old Irishwoman and a 69-year-old Malaysian - are believed to have suffered years of physical and mental abuse at the hands of a couple.

Police carried out house-to-house enquiries over the weekend in and around Peckford Place in Brixton, where the three women were found.

It has emerged that the couple - both 67 and of Indian and Tanzanian origin - were previously arrested in the 1970s, although police have not said why.

Officers have recovered a birth certificate for the 30-year-old woman, who is believed to have lived her entire life in servitude, but no other official documents for her have been found.

Police in Peckford Place, Brixton, south London, where three women were allegedly held as slaves Police outside the property where the women were allegedly held

The case came to light after the Irish woman rang the Freedom Charity last month after seeing its founder Aneeta Prem in a Sky News report about forced marriages.

The Metropolitan Police said part of the agreement on October 25 when the women were removed from the address was that police would not take any action at that stage.

None of the women was reported missing after being rescued, police said. All three are now in the care of a specialist non-governmental organisation.

Some 37 officers from the Met's human-trafficking unit are working on the case.

On Sunday, Home Secretary Theresa May said tackling modern slavery in Britain was a "personal priority", saying many other victims were "hidden in plain sight" across the country.

"It is walking our streets, supplying shops and supermarkets, working in fields, factories or nail bars, trapped in brothels or cowering behind the curtains in an ordinary street: slavery," she wrote in The Sunday Telegraph.

"Something most of us thought consigned to history books, belonging to a different century, is a shameful and shocking presence in modern Britain."


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Bereavement: Workers 'Should Get Paid Leave'

Campaigners are urging the Government to give workers the legal right to paid leave if they have been affected by a family bereavement amid growing public support for the move.

Two thirds of people said it was unfair that bereavement leave was unpaid, a survey of more than 1,500 adults showed.

The poll, commissioned by the Change Bereavement Leave campaign, also showed that seven out of 10 people said they would back a national guaranteed minimum of paid leave.

The findings were welcomed by Lucy Herd, whose 23-month-old son Jack drowned in their garden pond in Cumbria three years ago and discovered that her partner could only take three days unpaid leave from work.

"David Cameron acknowledged he was able to take two weeks off after the death of his own son, but sadly not all parents have sympathetic or understanding employers or can afford unpaid time off," she said.

"We would like to see four weeks of paid bereavement leave for parents."

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Thinking about how they might cope following the death of a close family member is clearly not something many of us want to spend much time contemplating.

"Most people will be surprised to learn that unless they have an understanding employer, they may not be able to take much time off work following a death in the family, and if they are, any compassionate leave will almost certainly be unpaid.

"Coping with the sudden loss of a loved one is traumatic enough without having to worry about work too. The Government should do the right thing and give people a legal right to paid time away from their jobs after someone close to them has died.

"Employers can also help ease the upset of their bereaved employees a little by being more generous depending on someone's individual circumstances - for example a parent coping with the sudden loss of a child is likely to need much more time off work."

Labour MP Tom Harris has raised the issue in the Commons, saying that many bereaved parents go back to work too early after the death of a child because they have no right to employment leave.

"Most people are unaware that there is currently no right to bereavement leave for parents. This is an injustice that Parliament needs to address," he said.


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Trott Quits Ashes With Stress-Related Illness

Batsman Jonathan Trott has left the Ashes tour due to a stress-related illness, the England and Wales Cricket Board has announced.

The 32-year-old will play no further part in the tour and will take a break from cricket "for the foreseeable future," the ECB said in a statement.

Trott scored 19 runs in two innings during England's first test defeat by Australia in Brisbane.

He said: "I don't feel it is right that I'm playing knowing that I'm not 100% and I cannot currently operate at the level I have done in the past.

"My priority now is to take a break from cricket so that I can focus on my recovery. I want to wish my team mates all the very best for the remainder of the tour."

England Cricket managing director Hugh Morris said: "Jonathan Trott is an incredibly talented cricketer who has proven himself time and again for England.

David Warner Australia's David Warner said Trott's batting was 'poor' and 'weak'

"The cricket side of things is unimportant now, all that matters is that Jonathan is given the time, support and space he needs to recover.

"We fully support his decision to leave the tour and the ECB will provide all the assistance we can to help Jonathan and his family through this period." 

England's first Test batting performances were branded "poor and weak" by Australian opener David Warner, who singled out Trott for criticism.

After day three of the Test, he said: "It does look like they've got scared eyes at the moment. The way that Trotty got out today was pretty poor and pretty weak.

"Obviously there is a weakness there and we're probably on top of it at the moment."

England captain Alastair Cook and coach Andy Flowers both said Warner's comments were disrespectful, but Flowers insisted they had no impact on Trott's decision to leave the tour.

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Stabbing: Mother Died From Multiple Wounds

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 24 November 2013 | 16.12

Police have confirmed that a woman found dead in her home in Manchester died of stab wounds.

Officers called to a house on Mayford Road, Levenshulme on Friday discovered the body of 49-year-old Aisha Alam following reports a woman had been killed.

A Home Office post-mortem examination established that Ms Alam, who reportedly had lived at the address for 25 years and had four children, died from multiple stab wounds.

Neighbour and friend Saima Baber said that Ms Alam was "a very, very nice person".

"She was quite quiet and kept herself to herself but was such a lovely lady," Ms Baber told the Manchester Evening News.

"I would always stop and say hello and chat and I would do the same with her daughters as well who are lovely.

"We are all very shocked and scared by what's happened. I saw her daughter at about 8am and everything seemed fine."

Detective Chief Inspector Colin Larkin, from Greater Manchester Police, said: "A woman has been killed and our thoughts are with her family and friends at what is obviously a totally devastating time for them.

"I want to reassure her loved ones as well as those in the local community that we have a team of highly skilled detectives already working on this case but if anyone has any information please call us."

A 52-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody for questioning.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 856 4032 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.


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Miliband Accuses PM Of 'Reaching A New Low'

Labour leader Ed Miliband has accused the Prime Minister of resorting to a strategy of mud-slinging in an effort to win the 2015 election.

He hit out at David Cameron for using the Paul Flowers scandal to attack his party's links to the co-operative movement.

Writing in the Independent on Sunday, Mr Miliband said Mr Cameron "hit a new low by trying to use the gross errors and misconduct of one man, Paul Flowers, to impugn the integrity of the entire Labour movement".

He said: "We all want proper answers as to what went on at the Co-operative Bank, and the public deserves better than the desperate attempts by the Tory party to score the cheapest political points, including ludicrous claims that Labour's historic links with the Co-op movement were the invention of Rev Flowers.

"Of course, the credibility of their smears was undermined when it emerged that the Chancellor himself was promoting the Co-op's bid to take over Lloyds Bank branches."

A sign is seen outside a branch of the Co-operative Bank in central London The Tories have attacked Labour's links with the Co-op Bank

The Tories have sought to highlight the close links between Labour and the Co-op, including "soft loans" at preferential rates and a £50,000 donation to Ed Balls' office from the Co-operative Group.

But Labour have used the row over the near collapse of the lender to put pressure on George Osborne over the Co-op's aborted bid for Lloyds branches.

Mr Miliband claimed the heated exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions over Labour and the Co-op, along with attacks over the trade unions and seeking to blame Andy Burnham for NHS failings, were part of a plan to fight the "dirtiest general election campaign" for 20 years, masterminded by Tory strategist Lynton Crosby.

"David Cameron cannot resist a low blow when the British public craves a politics on the high ground. His main political strategy is now to sling as much mud as possible in the hope that some of it sticks. When he does so, he demeans his office."

Grant Shapps Mr Shapps accused Mr Miliband of 'evading serious issues'

Tory chairman Grant Shapps hit back at the Labour leader, highlighting the activities of Gordon Brown's former spin doctor Damian McBride.

"This is a pathetic attempt to evade the serious issues. Labour have big questions to answer, and when they are asked, they simply try to avoid them by claiming they are smears," he said.

"It is an obvious tactic from the party that brought you the most disgraceful smear operation of modern times, fronted by Damian McBride, and known about, encouraged and tolerated by Ed Balls and Ed Miliband.

"And McBride was simply the latest in a long line of bullying Labour spin doctors, including Alastair Campbell and Charlie Whelan. Incredibly, Labour's new campaign chief Michael Dugher used to be McBride's right-hand man - it's the same old Labour.

"We suggest they explain how the corruption at Falkirk happened, and how the Rev Flowers was allowed to become and remain an adviser, rather than dismiss legitimate questions as smears."


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London 'Slavery': Neighbours' Shock At Claims

People living near to a house where three women were allegedly held as slaves for more than three decades have spoken of their shock at the claims.

The women - a 69-year-old from Malaysia, a 57-year-old from Ireland and a 30-year-old Briton - were taken from the property in Brixton, south London, last month after calling a support charity asking for help.

Police said the women, two of whom who lived in a "collective" with a 67-year-old man they met through a "shared political ideology", had suffered "emotional and physical abuse".

The man and a woman, also 67, who came to the UK in the 1960s and are of Indian and Tanzanian origin, were arrested and released on bail.

Commander Steve Rodhouse, of the Metropolitan Police, said: "Somehow that collective came to an end and the women ended up continuing to live with the suspects.

"How this resulted in the women living in this way for over 30 years is what are seeking to establish, but we believe emotional and physical abuse has been a feature of all the victims' lives."

Kamal Francis, whose partner lives above where women held Kamal Francis described the women as having unkempt appearances

As police carried out door-to-door inquiries to establish more details about the alleged victims, neighbours described the area around the block in Peckford Place, where the women had been living, as a "quiet" area.

One woman, who gave her name only as Valerie, said: "Seeing all this going on is quite surprising to me. It's shocking really."

Abdul Rogers said many people did not speak to each other, adding: "I don't even know my next door neighbour. If I met them on the street now I would not be able to tell it was my next door neighbour, which is not good for community cohesion."

Kamal Francis is a regular visitor to the block of flats as his partner lives directly above where the women were held.

He told Sky News: "One would be wearing a long, baggy, cardigan and a long skirt touching the floor. They had messy hair. They were not neat people."

Investigators believe the youngest of the alleged victims may have spent her entire life as a domestic slave.

Cmdr Rodhouse said police had found her birth certificate but no further documentation.

women held as 'slaves' in house in Brixton The women lived in the Angell Town estate in Brixton

"We believe she has lived with the suspects and the other victims all her life, but of course at this early stage we are still seeking out evidence," she said.

The woman who called Freedom Charity asking for help said she had been held against her will for more than 30 years.

Aneeta Prem, who founded the organisation, said it had seen an "extraordinary" rise in calls to its helpline since the rescue of the three women came to light.

"These women have had traumatic and distributing experiences," she said.

"What needs to happen now is that the three victims, who have begun a long process of recovery, are able to go through their rehabilitation undisturbed, without being identified."

Officers said they were taking "every step" to protect the "emotionally fragile and highly vulnerable" victims.

Lambeth Council has told Sky News it is investigating whether it had ever come into contact with any of the women.


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