Glasgow Bin Lorry Crash Driver Breaks Silence

Family Of IS Hostage Hopeful She Is Still Alive

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 07 Februari 2015 | 20.49

The family of US hostage Kayla Jean Mueller say they are hopeful she is still alive, despite Islamic State claims that she was killed in a Jordanian airstrike.

In a statement released by a family representative, Ms Mueller's parents Marsha and Carl Mueller made a personal appeal to IS.

"You told us that you treated Kayla as your guest, as your guest her safety and well-being remains your responsibility," they said, addressing "those in positions of responsibility for holding Kayla".

The statement asked IS to contact the family privately.

According to the Site Intelligence Group, which monitors extremists, IS said the 26-year-old aid worker died on Friday after Jordanian warplanes struck the building where she was being held.

The terrorist group said no IS fighters died in the raids in their de facto capital of Raqqa, Syria.

It released images showing a damaged building it said had been targeted in airstrikes, but no photos to back their claims Ms Mueller had been killed.

The White House, State Department and Pentagon have said they can't confirm the unsubstantiated report.

"We are obviously deeply concerned by these reports," said Bernadette Meehan, spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, in a statement.

"We have not at this time seen any evidence that corroborates ISIL's claim."

Jordan has also dismissed the IS claim as "criminal propaganda" and an "old and sick trick", but said its jets did carry out a second consecutive day of strikes on IS sites on Friday.

It has stepped up its operations against IS since the militants burned to death a captured Jordanian pilot.

Ms Mueller, of Prescott, Arizona, disappeared in August 2013 in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo.

A media blackout on her abduction was recently broken by President Barack Obama, when he confirmed IS still had at least one US hostage.

He said the US was "deploying all the assets that we can" to find Ms Mueller.

Her name had not been made public due to fears for her safety.

The group has already executed three American hostages: James Foley, Peter Kassig and Steven Sotloff.

Two British hostages, David Haines and Alan Henning, and two Japanese hostages, Kenjo Goto and Haruna Yukawa, have also been killed.

British reporter John Cantlie is still being held captive.

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Ukraine Desperation As Vital Supplies Run Dry

In Luhansk, one of the areas to suffer most in the conflict, there is a growing humanitarian crisis as food and medical shortages render the population powerless.

The streets of central Luhansk are punctuated by shell damage. Shop after shop has closed down.

There has been periodic fighting nearby, but people have been living like this for eight months now.

Beyond the immediate conflict, is a growing humanitarian crisis.

Pensions here haven't been paid since September, so many people are now dependent on public canteens.

In one centre we visited staff were giving out a daily meal of soup, fruit juice, and two pieces of bread, but increasingly they find they are having to turn people away.

Social worker Igor Chaika said: "There are really a lot of people coming here, but we can only make 100 litres, which is 300 portions.

"We can't make more, some people are obviously upset by that - there is not enough for everyone."

Some of those left homeless by the conflict are living in university dorms.

We met a mother who had fled the shelling with her six-year-old son last summer. She said he still wakes up in fear at night.

Anna Kuznetsova told us: "He wakes up crying, and dresses himself up. He got used to doing that.

"A psychologist comes into the kindergarten, but he is afraid - as soon as it's loud he is afraid."

The water is off for most of the day, when it comes back on there's a long queue to fill up containers, and the water pressure is weak.

On the floor above, 77-year-old Nina Nikolayevna showed us where she is living.

She had her own flat this time last year, but now she's sharing a room with two other elderly ladies.

She said Doctors Without Borders had given them blankets and sheets, but they had seen no other humanitarian aid.

"We go to the social canteen, it starts at 11 and they feed us once, but you know what kind of food it is there," Ms Nikolayevna explained.

"They don't give us anything on Sunday, there's nothing."

One of her roommates, 64-year-old Nina Shershen, added: "No one helps us, we are people as well.

"It's not we who created this war, it is them who came here and destroyed everything - how can we live like this?"

At the city's cancer hospital, the head doctor, Dr Alexander Torba, showed us where their buildings had been shelled.

As a result, one of their nurses was killed last year.

Staff are now working without salaries and they have no running water, but their biggest concern is chemotherapy drugs.

Dr Torba says they have around one week's supply left: "The big problem is with the anti-tumour medicines. There is not enough in the pharmacies and it's expensive. People don't have money to buy it."

Irina Timachuk, 54, has stage one ovarian cancer and needs to start her next chemotherapy cycle in 20 days.

She said: "We need treatment and we want to live. We are not old yet; my life is not over yet. I want to live, that's it. If I don't receive treatment it's over."

Valentina Gukosen, 51, who has stage three ovarian cancer, added: "I want to ask for help. I want to live. I'm not that old, but what shall I do?"

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Outrage Over Barrister's 'Appalling' Rape Post

A top barrister has been criticised for claiming men should be cleared of rape if the victim was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Writing on his blog, David Osborne said "consent is consent, blind drunk or otherwise", and "regret after the event cannot make it rape".

His comments have been condemned by campaign groups as "ridiculous" and "appalling".

In a post entitled "She was gagging for it", Mr Osborne, a married father-of-four, said: "I have a very simple solution which I hope you will agree is fair.

"If the complainant (I do not refer to her as the victim) was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or both, when she was 'raped', this provides the accused with a complete defence.

"End of story and a victory for fairness, moderation and common sense!"

Mr Osborne, who was called to the criminal Bar in 1974, said recent guidelines on rape accusations have "serious consequences for all red-bloodied males who are out on the rut".

The guidelines issued to police and prosecutors mean people accused of rape will increasingly be expected to prove they obtained consent.

Mr Osborne also used the post to criticise Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders.

"She has decided, or rather it has been decided for her, that anybody who makes an allegation of rape must be believed, and everything possible in the trial process must be bent towards the conviction of the accused," he writes.

"Rape trials from now on are no longer to be prosecution led, but conviction led, and when you add into the mix that prison sentences for rape are getting longer and longer, the opportunities for a serious miscarriage of justice are self-evident."

Sarah Green, director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, said she thought the remarks were a "sick joke".

"This is a legal professional indulging in the oldest stereotypes about rape, probably for attention-seeking purposes, and appearing to condone the predatory behaviour of men who target vulnerable girls.

"I suggest he takes time to look at the impact of rape on survivors and how the situation is made worse by being told by people like David Osborne that it is their fault."

Clare Jones from WomenCentre was quoted by the Daily Mirror and The Independent as saying: "It's appalling.

"We are deeply shocked that even today, in 2015, someone can seriously suggest that the violent crime of rape could be provided with a complete defence if a woman was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time."

After the blog post came to light, Mr Osborne told the Daily Mirror that women would still have protection in law under his "solution".

He told the newspaper: "The protection in law that they have got seems to me to be twofold.

"Number One: Don't go out in the first place.

"Or Number Two: If you do go out don't get rat-a***d. If you get rat a***d, I'm sorry, you are asking for trouble."

He later added: "I tell you what would drop the rape statistics would be if girls covered up, dressed appropriately and stopped drinking themselves legless."

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Merkel 'Uncertain' About Ukraine Peace Bid

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said a bid to resolve the Ukrainian conflict is "uncertain but worth trying", as the French President warned it was "one of the last chances" for peace.

Speaking at a security conference in Munich, Mrs Merkel also said Russia "needs to its bit" to resolve the crisis.

She accused Moscow of showing "territorial disrespect" for its neighbour, and said international law had been violated.

Mrs Merkel told the summit: "We want to shape security on Europe together with Russia not against Russia.

"Russia needs to do its bit in the Ukrainian crisis as well.

"This crisis cannot be resolved by military means."

Her comments come after she and the French President Francois Hollande met Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow, in what was widely seen as a last-ditch attempt to thrash out a deal to end fighting which has claimed the lives of more than 5,300 people.

Mrs Merkel and Mr Hollande went to Moscow with a peace proposal discussed during a separate meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Thursday.

Despite no major breakthrough in the negotiations, a Kremlin spokesman said Friday's talks were "substantial and constructive".

Mrs Merkel said of the peace efforts: "It is uncertain whether it will lead to success, but from my point of view and that of the French President (Francois Hollande) it is definitely worth trying.

"I believe we owe that much to those who are affected in Ukraine."

Mr Hollande told reporters: "I think this is one of the last chances, that's why we took this initiative.

"If we don't manage to find not just a compromise but a lasting peace agreement, we know perfectly well what the scenario will be. It has a name, it's called war."

Asked at the Munich talks whether he thought the peace proposal could work, Mr Poroshenko replied: "Yes."

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, also at the Munich talks, said: "We believe that there are good grounds for optimism to issue recommendations for conflict resolution.

"It is important for everybody to realise the scale of the problem. The world is at a turning point."

Following talks at the Munich Security Conference with US Secretary of State John Kerry and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said: "It is clear that the escalation in fighting in the east of Ukraine cannot be allowed to continue and a political solution is imperative."

Amid a debate in Washington over whether to send weapons to help the Kiev government fight pro-Russian rebels, the German Chancellor argued this would not help end the crisis.

"There is already a large number of weapons in the region and I don't see that this has made a military solution more likely," she said.

Her comments echo those of the British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, who warned providing additional weapons could escalate the conflict.

But NATO's top military commander has said this should not be ruled out.

US Air Force General Philip Breedlove told reporters at the Munich conference: "I don't think we should preclude out of hand the possibility of the military option.

"The situation is worsening and we need to address the worsening situation.

"It is important that we use all the tools in the toolbox to address this."

Clashes between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces in the east of the country have escalated in recent weeks, despite a peace deal agreed in Minsk last September.

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Gallery: Civilians Flee Besieged Ukrainian Town

A member of the Ukrainian armed forces assists local residents onto a bus to flee fighting in Debaltseve, eastern Ukraine

Two dozen buses escorted civilians out of the town after separatist rebels and government forces agreed a brief truce to allow civilians to be evacuated. Click through for more images ...

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Farage Cancels Rotherham Event After Protests

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 06 Februari 2015 | 20.48

UKIP leader Nigel Farage has cancelled a public appearance in Rotherham because of protests outside his party's office.

The politician had been due to cut the ribbon on the campaign office of UKIP's parliamentary candidate Jane Collins, but his staff said he would not be coming out on police advice.

Around 40 people had gathered outside in a noisy but peaceful demonstration.

Many were carrying placards with the slogan "Reject UKIP lies", and shouting that Mr Farage was not welcome in the town.

His visit follows a damning report into way Rotherham Council failed to deal with child sexual exploitation in the town.

UKIP has 10 councillors in Rotherham which is one of its main target seats in the North at the May general election.

Mr Farage denied he was exploiting the abuse scandal with his visit.

He said: "We're the one party that's warned consistently against division within society and multiculturalism and we've warned against it for years.

"We want interculturalism. We've got different religions and faiths but we have to mix together and we have to live under one law.

"So I think to accuse us of exploiting it is not fair.

"We have warned for years that things have been going wrong with increasing divisions within society."

But Rotherham's Labour MP Sarah Champion, said his visit amounted to "rubber-necking" after the scathing report by Louise Casey into the council's mishandling of child sex abuse allegations.

She tweeted: "Hilarious Nigel Farage is trapped inside the Rotherham UKIP shop by people objecting to him coming to rubber neck at victims!"

In response, an unamused Mr Farage tweeted: "Disgraceful Labour MPs think suppressing democracy is 'hilarious' especially given seriousness of Rotherham situation."

Mr Farage was later escorted out of the office by security and police into waiting police car.

Speaking at his party conference in nearby Doncaster last year, Mr Farage told supporters UKIP was parking its "tanks on the Labour Party's lawn" in an assault on its heartlands.

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Listen: Girl, 6, Rings 999 For Unconscious Mum

Audio has been released of the moment a six-year-old girl rang 999 after finding her mother unconscious and bleeding from the mouth.

Paramedics have praised "calm and mature" Tianna Measuria for her bravery after she gave her mother's address and monitored her breathing until police officers and an ambulance arrived to help.

The young girl, from Falmouth, Cornwall, was at home when she heard "lots of noise" from Jazmin Carter's bedroom in the early hours of the morning.

As well as answering the operator's questions clearly and politely, Tianna was also heard reassuring the 24-year-old, saying: "Don't worry mummy, don't worry, it's fine."

Vicki Fallding, who took Tianna's call, said: "It was like speaking to a much older child. I've spoken to adults who, in similar circumstances, are very distressed and not always able to answer all the questions.

"We were all so impressed with the level of detail she was able to provide, and would definitely encourage all parents to teach their children how to get help for them should a similar situation arise."

Miss Carter has said she is "very lucky and very proud" of her daughter, after the little girl remembered her stepfather's instructions of what to do in an emergency.

Tianna's mother has now made a full recovery, and the South Western Ambulance Service has given the schoolgirl a certificate in recognition of her quick thinking and sound judgment.

The nature of her illness has not been released.

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Taiwan Plane: Both Engines Failed Before Crash

Both engines of the TransAsia Airways plane that smashed into a bridge and then crashed into a river had failed, investigators have revealed.

One of the engines of the ATR 71-600 went idle just 37 seconds after take-off, before the aircraft dropped out of the sky, narrowly avoiding apartment buildings and leaving at least 35 people dead.

Investigators believe the pilots may have switched off the other engine so they could be restarted together, but Flight 235 crashed before that could happen.

According to Taiwan's Vice President, Wu Den-yih, the flight crew may have deliberately steered away from buildings to prevent further loss of life.

He said: "In his final moments, (the pilot) still wanted to control the plane to avoid harming residents in the housing communities."

When Liao Chien-tsung's body was found, he was still clutching the joystick, which officials believe is proof "he was still trying to save the aircraft until the last minute".

His grieving mother said: "His entire life, he did not care about himself. He is selfless."

The crash, earlier this week, was captured on a car's dashboard camera.

Thomas Wang, director of the Aviation Safety Council, said: "Based on the data we have so far we can see that for a period of time both engines showed no thrust."

Although the pilot had announced that the right engine "flamed out" - meaning the fuel supply was interrupted - aviation analysts believe this was not the case.

Some 58 people were on board the plane, which had taken off from Songshan airport in Taipei. Fifteen people managed to get out alive.

A further eight passengers remain unaccounted for, with a team of 190 divers searching the muddy waters of the Keelung River.

The full investigation into the crash is expected to take 12 months, but a preliminary report will be published within 30 days.

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Jihadi Who Faked Death Gets 12 Years In Jail

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

A British jihadi who posed with the severed heads of Syrian soldiers and faked his own death to sneak back into the UK has been jailed for 12 years.

But Imran Khawaja - who spent six months in Syria alongside insurgents linked to terror group Islamic State - has appealed to other young British Muslims not to make the same mistakes he did.

He acted as a frontman for Rayat Al Tawheed, posting dozens of photos and videos online and boasting of his weapons training and exploits on the battlefield.

He also encouraged other young men and women to become jihadis and travel to the region.

During a two-day sentencing hearing at Woolwich Crown Court in south east London, Khawaja's defence team appealed to the Judge Mr Justice Baker for leniency, claimed the 27-year-old was a "psychologically vulnerable" young man who bitterly regretted his actions.

But prosecutor Brian Altman QC said Khawaja had featured in some truly disturbing footage of decapitated Syrian government soldiers.

In one video sequence, played before a hushed court, Mr Altman said Khawaja could be seen picking up severed heads from the back of a flatbed truck and saying: "Heads. Kuffar (non-Muslims) Disgusting."

Mr Altman said: "His attitude is quite clearly contemptuous. There is no sign of compulsion or revulsion."

At a court hearing last month, the former security guard pleaded guilty to preparing acts of terrorism, attending a terror training camp in Syria and receiving weapons training.

He was sentenced today alongside two other men, his cousin Tahir Bhatti, who pleaded guilty to assisting an offender and his friend Asim Ali, who admitted terrorism funding.

Bhatti, a taxi driver, was persuaded to travel to Bulgaria last June to pick up Khawaja and help smuggle him back into the UK.

He was sentenced to 21 months for assisting an offender.

Asim Ali was given a 21-month sentence for withdrawing £300 to give to his friend on 24 January last year, two days before Khawaja left for Syria.

Throughout his almost six months in the Middle East, Imran Khawaja's family never alerted the UK authorities. Instead they embarked on a relentless campaign of text and social media messaging, desperately pleading with him to return home.

In one exchange, his sister Azmeena berated her brother for deserting the family, saying he had broken his parents' hearts.

In another message, she said: "Book your ticket and come home or I will come and get you."

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Gallery: British Jihadi Imran Khawaja Jailed

Imran Khawaja, a British jihadi nicknamed "Barbie" who fled a Syrian training camp because he had "had enough" of conditions there, has been handed a 12 year sentence

Khawaja, 27, complained of a lack of toiletries, cocoa butter and condoms for "war booty" during his six-month stint with the Rayat al Tawheed insurgents in the war-torn country last year

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IS Reaches Out To Women With Inequality Message

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 05 Februari 2015 | 20.49

Women should "remain hidden and veiled", only leaving their homes in exceptional circumstances, according to an Islamic State manifesto intended as a recruitment tool.

The document includes a curriculum for teaching young girls how to be homemakers and mothers who are "sedentary, still and stable" - and condemns the notion of gender equality.

It also criticises the West's obsession with studying "the brain cells of crowd, grains of sand and fish arteries", and suggests such educational pursuits are a distraction from worshipping God, which is "the only reason for their existence".

Circulated widely on jihadist forums, the text was apparently released in an attempt to recruit women living in Saudi Arabia.

"Woman was created to populate the Earth just as man was," one passage reads.

"But, as God wanted it to be, she was made from Adam and for Adam. Beyond this, her creator ruled there was no responsibility greater for her than that of being a wife to her husband."

The fashion industry and beauty salons are deemed as the work of Satan.

"He wishes to bring her from her Paradise of covering and decency, and encourages her to spend huge amounts of money to change God's creation and demand that surgeons change her nose, ear, chin and nails," the document states.

"This is the 'real fashion of women' - things hanging from ears, hair shaved in some places and not in others."

A plan for "the ideal education of our girls" is also included, which takes place when they are between seven and 15 years old. Religious studies, knitting, cooking and Sharia law feature prominently in the curriculum.

"It is considered legitimate for a girl to be married at the age of nine," the text adds. "Most pure girls will be married by 16 or 17, while they are still young and active."

In another section, IS authors state: "Women gain nothing from the idea of their equality with men apart from thorns.

"Under 'equality' they have to work and rest on the same days as men, even though they have 'monthly complications' and pregnancies - in spite of the nature of her life and responsibilities to their husband, sons and religion."

The Quilliam Foundation, which translated the document from Arabic, has labelled it as "fundamentally misogynist".

The think-tank added: "This (treatise) enables us to get into the mindset of the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of women who willingly join its ranks.

"Its objective is clear. This is a piece of propaganda aimed at busting myths and recruiting supporters."

According to the group, the manifesto was not translated into English by IS because it would have been "ineffective – perhaps even counterintuitive - in achieving its propagandistic aims with a Western audience".

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Family Survived Plane Crash After Seat Swap

A family of three survived the fatal Taiwan passenger plane crash after they changed seats shortly before take off, it has emerged.

Lin Ming-wei, his wife Jiang Yu-ying and son Lin Yao were rescued from the ATR 72-600 airliner after it hit a road bridge in Taipei and crashed into the Keelung River on Wednesday.

They were seated on the left side of the TransAsia Airways plane, but Mr Lin asked to be moved to some empty seats on the opposite side and towards the back of the plane, according to the Hong Kong-based Apple Daily website.

Dai Bi-chin, a friend of the family, told Taiwanese news outlet United Daily they decided to switch seats after Mr Lin "felt uneasy after he heard noises before taking off and requested to switch seats".

Dramatic footage from a driver's dashcam showed the aircraft's wing clipping a taxi after avoiding nearby buildings, before it disappeared from view.

The port side of the aircraft was badly damaged after it hit the surface of the river three minutes after taking off from Taipei's Sungshan airport.

The impact caused the fuselage of the aircraft to break up near where the family was seated, and Mr Lin was able to free his wife and climb out of the plane.

He is reported to have found his son in the water and performed CPR on him.

Ms Jiang suffered multiple fractures and was scheduled to undergo surgery on Thursday. Two-year-old Lin was in intensive care, but was reported to be conscious.

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Gallery: Rescue Operation Following Plane Crash

Workers hoist the wreckage of a TransAsia passenger jet that crashed into a river shortly after takeoff in Taipei, Taiwan

At least 19 people were killed and many trapped in the wreckage

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Glasgow Bin Lorry Crash Driver Breaks Silence

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The driver of the Glasgow bin lorry that crashed and killed six people has said he was unconscious and cannot remember what happened.

Harry Clarke was at the wheel of the truck when it careered down a busy shopping street in the city three days before Christmas.

Speaking to the media for the first time, he told the Daily Record the victims were on his mind "every minute of every day".

But the 58-year-old said his memory is a blank and he cannot remember the time leading up to the tragedy.

"I understand a lot of people want to know what happened that day. I wish I could tell you but I can't," he told the Daily Record.

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Gallery: Images From The Scene In Glasgow After The Bin Lorry Crash

The lorry crashed into the Millennium Hotel at the top of Queen Street in the city centre

One police officer said it first mounted the pavement 300 metres down the street

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The streets were busy with Christmas shoppers, many of whom raced to the scene to help

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Ambulance, police and fire crews were quickly on the scene as the scale of the incident became clear

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There were concerns about a potential gas leak after the lorry damaged a gas pipe

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"I just want all of the families of the injured and deceased to know I can't remember anything.

"I wish I could but I was unconscious.

"I have racked my brain to try to remember but I can't. I will never know what happened other than people telling me what they saw."

Among those killed in the crash were 18-year-old Erin McQuade and her grandparents, Jack and Lorraine Sweeney.

Stephenie Tait, 29, Jacqueline Morton, 51, and Gillian Ewing, 52, also died when the truck mounted the pavement and drove for up to 300 yards before crashing into a hotel.

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Gallery: Victims Of Glasgow Bin Lorry Crash

Jacqueline Morton, 51, who had left work early to collect her granddaughters

Stephenie Tait, 29, was a teacher at St Philomena's Primary school

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Mr Clarke was diagnosed with a heart condition after the crash and has been undergoing hospital tests, but said he previously had no idea he was in poor health.

He also said he regretted not speaking out before.

"I don't want the families to think I have been hiding," he told the Daily Record.

"I am anxious that I don't upset anyone but I feel I need to speak out today."

The former bus driver, who has received thousands of messages of support from the public, added: "Nothing will ever be normal for the families or me ever again.

"I think of everyone every minute of every day.

"I grieve for everyone involved in the accident. Every day is a struggle."

Police have finished their investigation into the incident and the Crown Office is now deciding whether any inquiry or criminal charges should be brought.

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Written By Unknown on Rabu, 04 Februari 2015 | 20.49

At least 23 people have been killed and 20 are missing after a passenger jet crashed into a river in Taiwan minutes after takeoff.

There were 58 people on board the TransAsia ATR 72-600 plane when it hit a road bridge in the capital Taipei. Fifteen survived.

Video taken by a passing driver's dashcam shows the aircraft's wing clipping a taxi after just avoiding nearby buildings.

It then disappears from view, coming down on its side in the Keelung River about 25 metres (30 yards) from the shore.

According to reports, the plane took off from nearby Sungshan airport at 10.53am local time and lost contact with air traffic control two minutes later.

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Gallery: Pictures Show Plane's Bridge Collision

The images - which have not been independently verified - appear to show the moment the plane clipped the bridge in Taiwan's capital Taipei Credit: @Missxoxo168

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It was on a domestic flight to the Kinmen islands, and as many as 31 passengers were Chinese, three of them children. Kinmen's airport is a common link between Taipei and China's Fujian province.

The other 22 passengers, including one child, and five crew were from Taiwan.

Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration said the number of dead was expected to rise with so many still unaccounted for.

Wu Jun-hong, a Taipei fire department official coordinating the rescue operation, said those missing were either in the fuselage or had been swept down river.

"At the moment, things don't look too optimistic," Mr Wu told reporters at the scene. "Those in the front of the plane are likely to have lost their lives."

Television footage showed survivors wearing life jackets wading and swimming clear of the wreckage, which was surrounded by rubber boats.

Others, including a young child, were taken to safety by rescuers, who could also be seen pulling carry-on luggage from an open door.

The Ministry of National Defence said it had sent 165 people and eight boats to the rescue scene, joining fire department crews.

No reasons have been given for the crash, although a 'flameout' - caused by a fuel supply problem or faulty combustion - is thought to be a possibility.

According to an air traffic control recording at liveatc.net, the last communication from one of the aircraft's pilots was "Mayday Mayday engine flameout".

TransAsia director Peter Chen said contact with the plane was lost four minutes after takeoff, but weather conditions were suitable for flying.

"Actually this aircraft in the accident was the newest model. It hadn't been used for even a year," he told a news conference.

Mr Chen confirmed the driver of the taxi hit on the bridge and his passenger were both injured.

The crash is the latest in a string of mishaps to hit Asian carriers in the past 12 months.

In December an AirAsia jet bound for Singapore crashed soon after taking off from the Indonesian city of Surabaya, killing all 162 people on board.

Also last year, a Malaysia Airlines jet disappeared and one of its sister planes was downed over Ukraine with a combined loss of 539 lives.

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Gallery: Rescue Operation Following Plane Crash

At least 19 people were killed and many trapped after a passenger jet crashed into a river in the Taiwanese capital Taipei

The plane clipped a taxi crossing a bridge before coming down in the Keelung River. Continue through for more images

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A baby is rescued from the wreckage

Last July a TransAsia ATR-72 crashed while attempting to land on the island of Penghu off Taiwan, killing 48 people and injuring 10.

The plane involved in Wednesday's crash was one of eight ATR 72-600s ordered by TransAsia in 2012.

The 72-seater aircraft are mainly used to fly people from Taipei to smaller cities and islands.

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Cold Weather And Flu Send Death Rates Soaring

Cold weather and an aggressive strain of the flu virus have led to unusually high death rates in January, figures show.

There were 28,800 deaths registered in England and Wales in the fortnight ending 23 January – a 32% increase on the average number of deaths in this period over the previous five years.

Even when the time of year is accounted for, mortality rates among the over-65s have been higher than expected for the past six weeks, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Dr Richard Pebody of Public Health England said: "In recent weeks, we have seen evidence of significant excess mortality.

"Two important causes of excess deaths during the winter are influenza and cold snaps, although estimating exactly how much can be attributed to each takes more time.

"The main type of flu that has been circulating this winter so far is well recognised to particularly impact groups such as the elderly and those with underlying chronic health problems – resulting in increases in hospitalisations and deaths.

"That is why we recommend these groups receive flu vaccines each year – ideally before the flu season starts."

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Pilot: 'Mayday Mayday Engine Flameout'

"Mayday, Mayday, engine flameout", were the pilot's final words from a stricken Taiwanese plane, according to air traffic control.

The words came moments before the TransAsia Airways plane crashed into the Keelung River, having taken off from Taipei's Songshan Airport.

Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration said 19 people were confirmed dead, 15 were injured and 24 were still missing. Thirty-one of the 58 on board were reported to be from China.

A flameout is when the fuel supply to the engine is interrupted or there are combustion problems which result in engine failure.

Twin-engined planes, however, are usually able to fly on one engine.

Meanwhile, 28 passengers appear to have had a miraculous escape, with Wu Jun-hong of Taipei's Fire Department telling reporters that children were among those rescued.

He said: "There are adults taking care of toddlers. They are safe.

"Children were rescued from the plane already. We get them out from the river using the boat."

Television footage showed survivors wearing life jackets wading and swimming clear of the wreckage, which was surrounded by rubber boats.

Others, including a young child, were taken to safety by rescuers, who could also be seen pulling carry-on luggage from an open door.

As night drew in and drizzle fell, military crews reached the scene with portable bridges and hundreds of rescue workers built docks for easier access to the wreckage.

Relatives of the victims have not yet reached the scene but some are expected to arrive on Thursday, including many flying from Beijing.

The 72-seat plane - an ATR 72-600 - was received by TransAsia last year and is one of the most popular turboprop planes in the world.

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Gallery: Rescue Operation Following Plane Crash

At least 19 people were killed and many trapped after a passenger jet crashed into a river in the Taiwanese capital Taipei

The plane clipped a taxi crossing a bridge before coming down in the Keelung River. Continue through for more images

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Iraqi Militant Executed After IS Murders Pilot

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Jordan has executed two prisoners after Islamic State murdered one of their pilots, a government spokesman has said.

One of those executed was Iraqi would-be suicide bomber Sajida al Rishawi, who was on death row for her role in a hotel attack that killed 60 people.

The other was Ziad al Karbouli, who had been an aide to the late former leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al Zarqawi, and who was sentenced to death in 2008 for plotting terror attacks on Jordanians in Iraq.

Jordan had promised a swift and lethal response after IS released a video showing captured pilot Mu'ath Al Kassasbeh being burned alive in a cage.

Since news of his death emerged, #IAmMuath has been trending on Twitter, with protesters chanting the slogan outside King Abdullah's palace in Amman.

The pilot's father, Safi, has said he "considers Mu'ath a martyr to God", and called on the Jordanian government "to take revenge for Mu'ath's blood".

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Gallery: Everything We Know About Sajida Al Rishawi

Sajida Al Rishawi, believed to be in her 40s, was known as the 'would-be bomber'. She was executed in Jordan following the murder by IS of Jordanian pilot Mu'ath Al Kassasbeh

She and her husband were involved in the 2005 Amman bombings, a plot to attack a string of Jordanian hotels

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Sixty people were killed and 115 injured after other suicide bombers targeted three hotels. Al-Rishawi's device, which was packed with ball bearings, failed to detonate

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She and her husband targeted a wedding party at the Radisson SAS hotel - the fathers of the bride and the groom were both killed

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In 2005 Al-Rishawi released a televised confession while in Jordanian custody. She was sentenced to death and lost an appeal against the conviction in 2007

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He added: "The blood of Mu'ath is this country's blood. The country has to take its revenge, and I call for no one to remain alive from Islamic State, I call for revenge by executing prisoners, and I call to erase the Daesh organisation."

IS had demanded the release of Rishawi in exchange for Mr Al Kassasbeh and Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, who the militant group killed in a video posted online three days ago.

Jordan had agreed to the swap, but called off the deal after saying it had received no proof that the pilot was still alive.

Some Arab commentators had suggested jihadist Al Karbouli could also have formed part of a prisoner swap.

The two jihadists were hanged in Swaqa prison, a large facility 70km (45 miles) south of the capital, Amman, just before dawn, a security source told Reuters.

"They were both calm and showed no emotions and just prayed," the source added.

The killing of the pilot outraged Jordanians and drew worldwide condemnation, including from President Barack Obama and the UN Security Council.

Mr Al Kassasbeh was captured by the militants in December when his F-16 crashed near Raqqa, Syria, the de facto capital of the Islamic State group's self-styled caliphate.

The 26-year-old's murder appeared to be aimed at pressuring the government of Jordan - a close US ally - to leave the coalition that has carried out months of airstrikes on IS positions in Syria and Iraq.

But observers say the extremists' brutality against a fellow Muslim could backfire and galvanise other Sunni Muslims in the region against them.

King Abdullah II, Jordan's leader, has portrayed the campaign against the extremists as a battle over values.

In a speech on Jordanian state television, he urged his countrymen to unite.

"It's the duty of all of us to stand united and show the real values of Jordanians in the face of these hardships," the monarch said from Washington.

In a statement before a meeting King Abdullah, US President Barack Obama vowed the pilot's death would "redouble the vigilance and determination on the part of our global coalition to make sure they are degraded and ultimately defeated".

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Written By Unknown on Selasa, 03 Februari 2015 | 20.49

Is Labour anti-business? Is business anti-Labour?

Those are the two key questions raised by the intervention of Boots acting chief executive Stefano Pessina, who warned Ed Miliband would be a "catastrophe" for Britain.

The Labour leader gave a strongly worded and very personal response at the Sky News Stand Up Be Counted event on Monday in which he attacked the business leader as a tax avoider. It was both considered and deliberate.

He had two days to perfect it. Labour clearly believes that in this case the best response is to fight fire with fire, in the hope that voters will see it as a robust attack against a vested interest.

When Lord Rose, the former chief executive of Marks and Spencer and Tory peer, added to the row, they were quick to dismiss him.

But who wins in this ugly spat?

Clearly it is bad for Labour to be seen in anyway as anti-business. Tony Blair won a series of elections on the back of a New Labour mantra in which he reached out to the top of industry.

Labour now has a new message - to take on what Mr Miliband calls the "vested interests" through state intervention in, what he argues, are uncompetitive markets.

I have no doubt that this argument makes a lot of business leaders nervous. I've met people on Mr Pessina's level who have privately expressed a similar level of distaste at the Labour message.

But senior insiders in the party would argue that it was always thus. For all Tony Blair's wooing, they would point out that none of the FTSE 100 chief executives came out in support of New Labour in 1997.

And they insist they have positive policies for business too. Certainly a conversation with a CBI spokesman is telling. He was careful not to be partisan in any way, but happy to put forward opinions on party policy.

The truth is there are pros and cons with both Labour and the Tories.

The CBI has strongly welcomed corporation tax cuts, for example, but are openly critical of the Conservative policy of an immigration cap.

On the other hand, it is nervous about Labour's talk of state intervention, but "loves" Tuesday's announcement of a national infrastructure commission to make recommendations on the country's infrastructure needs.

So it is more complex than a black-and-white picture. One thing is clear: Labour has made a political calculation that attacking Mr Pessina as a tax avoider will help them with voters.

The answer to that question will only come from polls that have yet to be carried out.

20.49 | 0 komentar | Read More

MPs Set To Vote On Three-Person Babies

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

Britain could today become the first country in the world to legalise the creation of IVF babies with DNA from three different people.

MPs will debate the controversial technique that involves changing the genetic material passed down the generations.

The new regulations MPs will debate "make provision to enable mitochondrial donation" under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act.

It would allow women to have children without passing on serious and incurable diseases of the mitochondria, tiny power generators found in almost every cell.

Opponents question the technique's safety and warn it could lead to "designer" babies.

But Prof Dame Sally Davies, England's Chief Medical Officer, says the technique would prevent great suffering.

"The 37 genes in the mitochondria are for energy making. They do not make us who we are or what we are.

"Yet children born with defective ones often don't live a year or two.

"Others get gradual deterioration of muscles, heart, kidneys, vision and brain and die in their late teens and early 20s."

Mitochondrial donation has been pioneered by scientists at Newcastle University.

They propose using standard IVF techniques to fertilise an egg from an affected woman and another from a donor.

They would then remove from the affected embryo the nucleus, which contains 99.9% of the parents' DNA, and leave behind the defective mitochondria.

At the same time they would remove the nucleus from the donated embryo.

Finally they would transplant the nucleus containing the parents' genes into the donated embryo, which would then be implanted in the mother's womb.

It's estimated that 2,500 women in the UK are affected by mitochondrial diseases and could use the technique.

But David King, of Human Genetics Alert, urged MPs not to allow the technique.

"This is not about protecting embryos but about protecting children from the severe health risks of these unnecessary techniques and protecting everyone from the eugenic designer baby future that will follow from this.

"These diseases can be prevented through conventional egg donation - a reliable method that doesn't risk the child's health. All that these dangerous experimental techniques add is that that they allow the mother to be a genetic parent, which is not a medical benefit for anyone."

The technique has already been cleared by scientific and ethics watchdogs. The public have also been consulted and broadly supported its use.

Dr Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, the UK's biggest research charity, said: "The Government is right to ask Parliament to support regulations that will allow the law to catch up with public and scientific opinion, and we urge MPs and peers to vote for them."

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CCTV Footage Exposes Slaughterhouse Cruelty

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By Hind Hassan, Sky News Reporter

Campaigners and MPs are calling for CCTV cameras at every abattoir after footage revealed extreme animal cruelty at a halal slaughterhouse.

Secretly recorded video shows sheep being kicked, thrown and punched at Bowood Lamb abattoir in Thirsk, North Yorkshire.

The filming was carried out by animal rights group Animal Aid, who smuggled cameras into the site and filmed footage over three days in December.

In the video, one of the workers stands on the neck of one animal, while another worker hacks a sheep to death - contrary to Islamic guidelines.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) says it has suspended the operating licences of four of the slaughter men and is now conducting an investigation.

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Gallery: Halal Slaughterhouse Investigation

Four slaughtermen have had their operating licences suspended after an animal rights group used hidden cameras to film the alleged mistreatment of animals at a halal slaughterhouse

Animal Aid claims the footage shows a worker hacking and sawing at animals' throats, in direct contravention of Islamic practice

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The footage is also believed to show staff taunting and frightening animals by waving knives, smacking them on the head and shouting at them. Click through to see more images.

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Conservative MP Henry Smith will call for mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses during a House of Commons debate.

He told Sky News it would allow for "an independent assessment and so that those carrying out that role know that the system is monitored to prevent cruelty taking place".

The MP for Crawley said: "Already many abattoirs, particularly ones that supply the big supermarkets like Tesco and Waitrose, have a system of CCTV to ensure animal welfare standards are maintained.

"So what I'm asking for is that is extended across all slaughterhouses in the UK. It's not something that is very expensive or burdensome but actually could end a lot of unnecessary suffering and abuse of livestock in the food production process."

Slaughterhouses in the UK are required to stun animals before they are killed to minimise pain, but Muslim and Jewish slaughterhouses are exempt due to religious requirements.

Halal meat must be prepared in accordance with Islamic law. Like Jewish kosher meat, it requires the animal to be slaughtered and the blood drained.

Both religions dictate that it should be done with a surgically sharp knife and in one uninterrupted sweep.

Masood Butt, from The Association of Non Stun Abattoirs (ANSA), which represents the halal meat industry, said: "Islam has absolutely clear guidelines about treating animals within a slaughterhouse or outside a slaughterhouse and that is to be kind and merciful to them and respecting their care and not to cause pain or suffering to the animal unnecessarily.

"For example, Islam says you are not allowed to slaughter an animal in front of an other animal.

"You are not allowed to deprive them from food or water. You have to provide enough space for them to lie down or walk about.

"Islam has clear guidelines not to slaughter babies in front of their mother and if they have done so they are not only not following the laws of animal welfare in the UK, but they are also not following the rules in Islam."

The Muslim Council of Britain said it is appalled at reports of animal mistreatment.

A spokesman said: "Animal cruelty is wrong and criminal wherever it may occur.

"That it is being carried out in halal slaughter makes it even more incredulous. Animal welfare should be observed by all slaughterhouses.

"The findings certainly are abhorrent in Islamic practice, and the abattoir must be subject to the full force of the law."

In a statement The FSA said: "There is no excuse for treating animals in the way shown on the video and we are therefore investigating the footage with a view to prosecution."

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