'Reinstate Clarkson' Petition Signed By 200,000

Clarkson Hints At Possible Top Gear Exit

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 14 Maret 2015 | 16.12

Jeremy Clarkson has hinted he may be ready to leave Top Gear after being suspended over a bust-up with a producer.

Writing in his column for the Sun newspaper he appeared to refer to himself as a "dinosaur", explaining that "the day must come when you have to wave goodbye to the big monsters".

He wrote: "Nature made a mistake when it invented the dinosaur. It was too big, too violent ...

"All the dinosaurs died and now, years later, no-one mourns their passing.

"These big, imposing creatures have no place in a world which has moved on."

Clarkson, 54, has been suspended over a row in which he allegedly tried to hit a producer, named in reports as Oisin Tymon.

A petition calling for Clarkson to be reinstated has reached more than 840,000 signatures.

But the controversial presenter wrote: "You can start as many campaigns as you like and call on the support of politicians from all sides, but the day must come when you have to wave goodbye to the big monsters, and move on.

"We lose one animal and get another. The world turns."

He goes on to say: "As you may have heard, I've been suspended by the BBC following a fracas at a North Yorkshire hotel.

"I don't intend to dwell here on what happened then or what will happen in the future. I'm sure you're as fed up with the story as I am.

"One of the things which has cheered me is how many people have expressed support in the last few days. I'm touched and grateful."

Clarkson is being summoned to appear before a BBC disciplinary panel that will decide his fate.

The panel will be chaired by Ken MacQuarrie, the head of BBC Scotland who conducted the investigation into Newsnight's false expose of Lord McAlpine.

The corporation has not revealed when or where the hearing will take place.

:: Read Sky News' interview with a family who say Clarkson launched into an expletive-ridden rant at the producer.

According to reports, he lashed out because he was unable to order a steak at the Simonstone Hall Hotel near Hawes, North Yorkshire, where the production team were staying.

The Sun and Daily Mirror said the hotel's chef had gone home by the time they arrived and they were only offered cold meat platters, although Clarkson had ordered a £21.95 steak.

The papers quoted a source who claimed Clarkson blamed Mr Tymon for not arranging hot food and said there had been a "scuffle".

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

More Funds Urged For Struggling New Mums

By Emma Birchley, East Of England Correspondent

A letter has been sent to the Chancellor urging him to allocate funds in the Budget to support women struggling to cope before and after the birth of a baby.

More than one in 10 women suffer from ante or post-natal depression.

But research by the parenting charity NCT has found that only 26% of NHS trusts offer them any specialist mental health support.

Now 29 organisations have signed the NCT's letter to George Osborne on the weekend of Mother's Day calling for that to change.

The organisations include The Royal College of Midwives, the Mental Health Foundation and Netmums.

Elizabeth Duff, senior adviser at NCT, said: "One of the things mothers really need is better services when they are suffering poor mental health around having their baby.

"So that's what we're asking Osborne to do - make sure there are services for those women."

Marianne Ryan, from Peterborough, struggled after her daughter Jessica was born with a genetic condition that affected her breathing and feeding.

She was given anti-depressants but had to wait 10 months for counselling.

And it was no better when she became pregnant with Edward, now five months old.

"I felt let down," she said.

"Nobody asked me how I was feeling during the pregnancy and when I asked about counselling they said it was not available.

"I could apply for it, but it would take a long time so there wasn't much point. It took quite a lot for me to admit it first time around.

"I felt quite ashamed so I was quite brave doing it again - but there was no help and you feel ashamed again and go home and get on with it."

Last year the Government allocated extra funding for mental health services.

But the organisations behind the letter say money must be specifically allocated to help mothers.

The letter states: "More than one in 10 mothers in the UK experiences some form of ante-natal or post-natal depression, yet despite the prevalence of this condition and the current political focus on parity of esteem between mental and physical health, there are still huge gaps in the services available.

"A commitment in the Budget to dedicated funds for treating perinatal mental health problems would help to reduce financial burden by ensuring the health service is better equipped."

Of the quarter of trusts which do provide some kind of support, half have just one member of staff to do the work.

Marianne is delighted that action is being taken.

"I think the letter is brilliant," she said. But she added: "I think it's a shame that it has to be done because it's pretty obvious that's what women need."

A Government spokesperson said: "It is vital that pregnant women and new mothers with mental health problems get the specialist care they need.

"This is why we have employed more than 2,300 more midwives and an extra 3,100 health visitors since 2010 to provide personalised care and support to women during pregnancy and the perinatal period.

"We are also ensuring that every birthing unit has trained specialist mental health staff available to support pregnant women and new mums by 2017."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Labour To Unveil Key General Election Pledges

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Ed Miliband is due to launch Labour's General Election pledge card, containing promises on the economy, living standards, the NHS, immigration and tuition fees.

The Labour leader will unveil the list of vows, which the party hopes will simplify its message to voters, at a pre-election rally of more than 1,500 party members and supporters in Birmingham.

The five pledges are:

:: Economy - Labour claims it will balance the books and cut the deficit every year.

:: Living standards - Boosted by Mr Miliband's pledge to freeze energy bills until 2017.

:: NHS - Labour says it will recruit 20,000 more nurses and 8,000 more GPs.

:: Immigration - People who come to the UK will not be able to claim benefits for at least two years.

:: Young people - Tuition fees cut to £6,000, more apprenticeships and smaller class sizes.

Launching the card, Mr Miliband will say the choice at this election is not simply between parties and leaders, but between different visions of our country.

"The choice is between the pessimists or the optimists, fear or hope, the few or the many, the good of some or the good of all," he is expected to say.

"Today I urge the British people to choose optimism, to choose a country for the many, to choose the good of all, to choose hope - and to recognise that when working people succeed, nothing can stop us as a country."

On the economy, the Labour leader will say: "The Tories promised to eliminate the deficit and they have failed. They've made the cuts but they haven't cut the deficit as they promised."

And on living standards, he will say: "We will stand up to the big energy companies."

On the immigration pledge, a response to pressure from Labour MPs who fear damage by UKIP, Mr Miliband will say: "We will not countenance systems and rules that damage the interests of all those people working hard and trying to get on.

"That's why we say we will have fair rules on immigration. People will have to wait for at least two years until they can claim benefits."

It is not the first time Labour has unveiled a pledge card. Tony Blair and John Prescott did so successfully in 1997, winning a landslide general election victory.

But the pledges were very different in 1997. First was cutting class sizes, second was quicker punishment for young offenders, third was cutting NHS waiting lists, while getting under-25s off benefit and no rise in income tax made up the other two.

Responding to Mr Miliband's speech, Conservative Party Chairman Grant Shapps said: "The real choice at this election is between the stability and strong leadership of David Cameron and the Conservatives working to a long-term economic plan, securing a better future for Britain.

"Or Ed Miliband carried into Downing Street in the pocket of Alex Salmond and the SNP - meaning more borrowing, more debt, higher taxes and weaker defences."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Family: Clarkson Said He'd Have Colleague Fired

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 13 Maret 2015 | 16.12

By Gerard Tubb, North of England Correspondent

Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson is facing new allegations over the "fracas" at a Yorkshire Dales hotel that led to his suspension by the BBC on Monday.

Four members of the same family who overheard the row say Clarkson told a colleague he would have him fired because there was no hot food at the end of a day's filming.

The Ward family from Leeds told Sky News that Clarkson ranted for up to half-an-hour at the Simonstone Hotel near Hawes and say they were shocked at his language and the way he treated his colleague.

They also claimed he criticised the BBC, saying it was "getting worse".

Sue Ward, 54, a medical receptionist, described Clarkson's behaviour towards the unnamed employee as shocking.

"He said he hadn't done his job properly, it was ridiculous that there was nothing to eat, obviously there was lots of expletives in between all this, and that he would be losing his job, he would see to it that he would lose his job," she said.

"Even someone who's really inept at their job should be told properly, in a proper manner," she said

"But the fact that it was in a public place, I didn't want to listen to that language."

Sue's brother in law Bob Ward, 60, said Clarkson arrived with his co-presenters by helicopter at around 9.30pm and refused to have his picture taken.

"I said 'Any chance of a selfie Jeremy?' and he said 'No, not with the day I've had today'."

Within minutes, Bob's wife Denise, 51, said Clarkson was shouting and swearing and had spoiled the evening they had been looking forward to.

"We were sort of, 'Ooh, celebrities, will we see them?' and then it was just the shock of how can someone be so rude?" she said.

"It was just the swearing and the length of time and this poor guy that he was ripping into," she added.

Top Gear is the BBC's biggest global brand, worth more than £50m a year, but with Clarkson suspended the next three episodes have been scrapped.

The only Top Gear fan among the Ward family, Sue's husband Alan, 56, agreed with the three quarters of a million people who have signed an online petition for Clarkson to keep his job.

"He's brash, we know what he's like, he's been in trouble before and I think he'll be in trouble again," he said.

"I think he'll continue to do that job because without Clarkson there's no Top Gear."

Sky News has approached Clarkson for a comment but he has not responded.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that Clarkson's Twitter profile has changed from saying, "I am a presenter on the BBC2 motoring show, Top Gear" to "I am probably a presenter on the BBC2 motoring show, Top Gear".

One fan responded by tweeting "brilliant", while an opponent wrote "You'll soon be changing the verb tense in your profile then?"

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Service To Mark End Of Afghanistan Conflict

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

A memorial service will take place at St Paul's Cathedral today to mark the end of the Afghanistan conflict.

It will be attended by veterans of the campaign as well as next of kin of the 453 service personnel killed in the 13-year war.

They will be joined by the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince Harry.

David Cameron, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair have also been invited.

A Memorial Cross made from used shell cases will be processed through the cathedral by representatives from the RAF, Royal Navy and Army.

It will be blessed by the Archbishop of Canterbury before it is taken to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire as part of a permanent installation.

After the service, a parade of servicemen will march through the streets of London ending at the Guildhall in the city.

It will be made up of veterans representing many parts of the military.

There will also be a flypast of aircraft that flew in the conflict: a Sea King helicopter, two Chinooks and two Apaches, followed by an RAF C-130 Hercules and two Tornado fast jets.

Various members of the Royal Family will then host three receptions at the Honourable Artillery Company, Horse Guards Parade, and the Guildhall.

A service will also be held in Kabul at the same time.

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Gallery: A Timeline In Pictures

October 7, 2001: US President George W Bush announces the US and Britain have started bombing Afghanistan

March 26, 2006: The first regular British troops of the Helmand Task Force unload their kit after arriving by helicopter to an American-run base in Lashkar Gah in Helmand

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Swedish Prosecutors Offer To Quiz Assange In UK

Swedish prosecutors have offered to question Julian Assange in London over sexual assault allegations against him.

The WikiLeaks founder faces an arrest warrant in Sweden over claims he sexually assaulted two women in 2010.

Prosecutors had previously refused to travel to London, where Mr Assange has claimed asylum at Ecuador's embassy.

But lead prosecutor Marianne Ny, explaining the new stance, said some of the crimes Mr Assange is accused of will reach their statute of limitations in August.

"My view has always been that to perform an interview with him at the Ecuadorean embassy in London would lower the quality of the interview, and that he would need to be present in Sweden in any case should there be a trial in the future," Ms Ny said.

"Now that time is of the essence, I have viewed it therefore necessary to accept such deficiencies in the investigation and likewise take the risk that the interview does not move the case forward."

One of Mr Assange's lawyers, Per Samuelson, welcomed the offer.

He said Mr Assange would likely accept it after reviewing it in detail.

"This is something we've demanded for over four years," he told The Associated Press.

"Julian Assange wants to be interviewed so he can be exonerated."

The 43-year-old Australian took refuge at the embassy in June 2012 after failing to stop proceedings to extradite him to Sweden.

He faces arrest if he leaves the embassy and has been under continual surveillance with police stationed outside the building.

Mr Assange said he did not want to go to Sweden as he feared he would then be extradited again to the United States for questioning over the publication by WikiLeaks of confidential information.

He denies the sexual assault allegations.

More follows...

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

France Overtakes Britain In IS Air Campaign

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 12 Maret 2015 | 16.12

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

France has overtaken Britain as the second biggest contributor to the air campaign against Islamic State, Sky News can reveal.

The UK government has long claimed that position but since the arrival of French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Gulf last month, the French are putting up more planes on more sorties over Iraq.

French warplanes now fly between 12 and 15 sorties a day, more than three times the amount of RAF jets.

There are more than four times as many French fighter jets involved in the campaign.

The Charles de Gaulle has 21 jets on board, including 12 Rafale, nine Super Etendard and a further 15 are based on land in Jordan and the UAE.

In contrast, the UK has eight Tornados based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, flying an average of two sorties a day in pairs.

The Tornados are supported by a Voyager refuelling aircraft, which also contributes to the French mission when needed.

The French also have considerably more personnel assigned to the campaign: 3,200 compared to 500 from the UK.

Sky News' research undermines David Cameron's repeated claim that Britain is the major partner to the United States in the air effort.

Only last week he told an audience: "The second largest contributor in terms of airstrikes and air patrols is Britain by a very large margin. I think you have to add up several other countries to get to the scale of what we're doing."

French officials told Sky News they do not see it as a competition but consider their military to be the second biggest contributor, not the RAF.

In response, the Ministry of Defence said British planes had carried out a greater number of airstrikes.

"We have been focussing our military contribution where it can have the most impact - airstrikes in support of Iraqi forces, providing vital intelligence, surveillance and air-to-air refuelling capabilities to the coalition.

"We continue to fly daily Reaper and Tornado missions and our Voyagers routinely refuel coalition aircraft, including French."

The international coalition has been flying missions over Iraq and Syria for 31 weeks.

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Gallery: Sept: British Jets' First IS Combat Mission

British jets armed with missiles have taken off on their maiden combat mission over northern Iraq

Two Tornado GR4 fighter jets left RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus on Saturday morning, the day after MPs approved airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq

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Child Rape Cases Rise As Fewer Suspects Charged

Less than a third of recorded child rapes lead to suspects being charged or summonsed, according to new figures.

The data was published by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) on behalf of the Rape Monitoring Group (RMG) which also revealed the offence has increased over the last five years.

There were 5,674 recorded incidences of child rape in 2009/10 and 7,775 recorded attacks in 2013/14, an increase of 37%.

Over the same period recorded adult rapes increased from 9,383 to 12,952, an increase of 38% and just 20% of cases led to a charge or summons.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "These figures are extremely disturbing and a shocking indictment of the widening justice gap created by this Government.

"Over the last four years, there has been a dire trend in recorded incidents of rape going up, but prosecutions and convictions going down. This report is the latest evidence of this appalling state of affairs.

"Rape and the sexual abuse of a child - are some of the most abhorrent and heinous crimes. And victims deserve justice."

Crime prevention minister Lynne Featherstone said: "The coalition Government is clear that every report of rape must be taken seriously, every victim must be treated with dignity and every investigation must be conducted thoroughly and professionally.

"The increase in the number of rapes being reported to police is encouraging as it shows more victims are finding the courage to come forward.

"We are also seeing year-on-year falls in the 'no crime' rate for rape, increases in the volume of prosecutions and longer sentences for rapists.

"Transparency and accountability have an important role to play in improving victims' confidence in the system."

Paul Ford, secretary of the Police Federation National Detectives' Forum, said: "Policing is under significant pressure through budget cuts and this is having an impact on the level of service that policing can provide to victims.

"Detectives have raised significant concerns on the levels of victim care that officers are able to offer and this is of huge concern.

"This demonstrates again that cuts have consequences."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Scrap Race Discrimination Laws, Says Farage

Race discrimination laws should be dropped and firms should be able to choose who they employ, Nigel Farage has said.

The UKIP leader said race discrimination by employers was no longer an issue but the main concern of people was Muslim immigrants who did not want to integrate and were an "especial problem".

Speaking in an interview with the former equalities chief Trevor Phillips, Mr Farage said the worries over discrimination by employers would have been valid 40 years ago but not now.

Mr Farage, who described UKIP as "colour blind", said: "I think the situation that we now have, where an employer is not allowed to choose between a British-born person and somebody from Poland, is a ludicrous state of affairs.

"I would argue that the law does need changing, and that if an employer wishes to choose, or you can use the word 'discriminate' if you want to, but wishes to choose to employ a British-born person, they should be allowed to do so."

Mr Farage said people were more worried there were Muslims who wanted to form a "fifth column and kill us" and that there had not previously been a group who wanted to "change who we are".

He said: "So don't be surprised if there isn't a slight increase in people's worries and concerns.

"You know, when you've got British, when you've got people, born and bred in Cardiff, with British passports, going out to fight for Isis, don't be surprised if there isn't an uptick in concern."

During the Channel 4 interview, he added: "There is an especial problem with some of the people who've come here and who are of the Muslim religion who don't want to become part of our culture.

"So there is no previous experience, in our history, of a migrant group that comes to Britain, that fundamentally wants to change who we are and what we are.

"That is, I think, above everything else, what people are really concerned about."

A Number 10 spokesman said: "Nigel Farage is wrong and desperate for attention. The laws are there to protect people from racial discrimination. It's deeply concerning he doesn't understand that."

Shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan said: "This is one of the most shocking things I have ever heard from a mainstream politician and demonstrates breathtaking ignorance.

"We have made huge progress on tackling racial inequality and discrimination in this country, partly because of Labour's strong anti-discrimination laws, but things are still far from perfect."

In tweets today Mr Farage stressed he was championing the improvements in issues regarding race but added that Britons were sometimes now discriminated against.

He accused the media of a "wilful misinterpretation of what I said".

His tweet continued: "I'm talking Britons, whatever their heritage, being discriminated against in favour of EU migrants."

It comes as Gillian Duffy, who famously tackled Gordon Brown about the immigration issue during the 2010 election campaign, told Sky News she would be voting for Labour and not for UKIP.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Reinstate Clarkson' Petition Signed By 200,000

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 11 Maret 2015 | 16.12

'Reinstate Clarkson' Petition Signed By 200,000

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An online petition calling for the BBC to reinstate Jeremy Clarkson has been signed by more than 200,000 people.

The Top Gear presenter was suspended and the show put on hold after he allegedly tried to hit one of the producers at the end of filming in Newcastle.

The producer involved in the alleged "fracas", said to have been over a lack of catering, has been named by the Daily Mirror as Oisin Tymon, 36.

The paper quotes a source as saying Clarkson "snapped" when he discovered no food had been laid on.

A BBC spokeswoman said: "Following a fracas with a BBC producer, Jeremy Clarkson has been suspended pending an investigation.

"No-one else has been suspended. Top Gear will not be broadcast this Sunday. The BBC will be making no further comment at this time."

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Gallery: Top Gear In Production In North Yorkshire

These photographs taken last week show the Top Gear team filming in the Yorkshire Dales near Hawes. Pictures: Thomas Beresford @ North Yorkshire Snow Updates www.facebook.com/NorthYorkshireWeatherUpdates

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The online campaign on Change.org was created with the social-media hashtag #BringBackClarkson by right-wing blogger Guido Fawkes.

The presenter's daughter Em Clarkson also tweeted her support: "Oh God, BBC please take him back... he's started cooking..."

Hours after the suspension was announced, Clarkson's co-presenter James May also took to Twitter: "No Top Gear this weekend, apparently. How about [the film] 633 Squadron instead?"

Fellow host Richard Hammond replied: "No, surely, Last of the Summer Wine; no one will notice the difference. Job done."

Clarkson, who has been involved in a number of high-profile gaffes in recent years, was put on what the corporation called his final warning in 2014.

It followed claims he used the n-word while reciting the nursery rhyme Eeny, Meeny, Miny Moe during filming of the BBC2 programme.

Clarkson said he was "horrified" that it sounded as though he used racist language in the out-take, which was not broadcast.

The Sun newspaper, for which Clarkson writes a column, said he shrugged off his suspension and quoted him as saying: "I'm having a nice cold pint and waiting for this to blow over."

Over the years there have been numerous calls for Clarkson to be sacked, including online petitions signed by thousands of people, but all have been ignored.

Top Gear is one of the BBC's biggest money spinners, pulling in millions of pounds from a devoted - and international - audience.

This Sunday's episode was set to feature Clarkson with co-hosts Hammond and May getting to grips with classic cars such as a Fiat 124 Spider, an MGB GT and a Peugeot 304 cabriolet.

They were going to take to the road and end up at a classic track day, with Gary Lineker due to feature as the "star in a reasonably priced car".

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Clarkson Hints At Possible Top Gear Exit

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 14 Maret 2015 | 16.12

More Funds Urged For Struggling New Mums

Labour To Unveil Key General Election Pledges

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Written By Unknown on Jumat, 13 Maret 2015 | 16.12

Service To Mark End Of Afghanistan Conflict

Swedish Prosecutors Offer To Quiz Assange In UK

France Overtakes Britain In IS Air Campaign

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 12 Maret 2015 | 16.12

Child Rape Cases Rise As Fewer Suspects Charged

Scrap Race Discrimination Laws, Says Farage

'Reinstate Clarkson' Petition Signed By 200,000

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 11 Maret 2015 | 16.12

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