Richard Attenborough: Director Dies Aged 90

Tributes are being paid to Oscar-winning director Richard Attenborough, who dominated the British film business for more than half a century.

Lord Attenborough, who won two Academy Awards for directing and producing Gandhi in 1983, died at lunchtime on Sunday.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) described its former president as a "titan of British cinema" who set an example of "industry, skill and compassion" that business would do well to live up to. 

2005: Lord Attenborough with his wife Sheila whom he married when he was 21

He was president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada) and championed the British film business for more than 60 years as an actor, director and prolific movie-maker.

Gandhi was the highlight of his career, winning eight Oscars, including best film. He also directed Young Winston, A Bridge Too Far, Chaplin and Cry Freedom.

As an actor he won acclaim for starring roles in films such as Brighton Rock, The Great Escape and 10 Rillington Place. 

Lord 'Dickie' Attenborough was born in Cambridgeshire in 1923 and educated at Wyggeston Grammar School and Emmanuel College Cambridge.

Richard Attenborough was a 'titan' of cinema for decades, says BAFTA

He was the older brother of naturalist Sir David Attenborough.

He married the actress Sheila Sim when he was 21. His son Michael was born in 1949, followed by two daughters, Jane and Charlotte.

Tragedy struck on Boxing Day 2004 when his elder daughter Jane Holland, her daughter Lucy, and her mother-in-law, also Jane, died in the south-Asian tsunami.

Director Steven Spielberg said: "Dickie Attenborough was passionate about everything in his life -  family, friends, country and career. 

With his brother, naturalist David

"He made a gift to the world with his emotional epic Ghandi and he was the perfect ringmaster to bring the dinosaurs back to life as John Hammond in Jurassic Park.

"He was a dear friend and I am standing in an endless line of those who completely adored him."

David Cameron said: "His acting in Brighton Rock was brilliant, his directing of Gandhi was stunning - Richard Attenborough was one of the greats of cinema."

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, Labour's leader in the House of Lords, said she was "proud" that the actor was a Labour peer.

Former Cabinet minister Peter Hain also paid tribute to the "brilliant actor and film director" who he also hailed as an "anti-Apartheid, Labour and Chelsea Football Club stalwart".

In a statement on their website, Chelsea said: "Chelsea Football Club is tonight deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our Life President Lord Attenborough.

"His personality was woven into the tapestry of the club over seven decades. He will be greatly missed."

20.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mikaeel Kular's Mother Jailed For His Killing

Mother Admits Beating Mikaeel Kular To Death

Updated: 2:10pm UK, Friday 25 July 2014

Mikaeel Kular's mother has pleaded guilty to killing her three-year-old son, who she subjected to repeated assaults.

Rosdeep Adekoya had been accused of murder but admitted a reduced charge of culpable homicide at the High Court in Edinburgh.

She confessed to wrapping Mikaeel's body in a duvet cover, putting it in a suitcase and driving to Dunvegan Avenue in Kirkcaldy, where she hid the case under a bush in woodland behind a house.

Mikaeel's disappearance from his Edinburgh home in January sparked a huge search involving police officers, firefighters, mountain rescue teams and the coastguard, as well as members of the public.

His body was eventually found 25 miles away in woodland in Kirkcaldy, Fife.

Adekoya had called 999 to report her son missing to police, telling officers he got out of bed and climbed on a stool to unlock the front door of his home.

But in court she admitted to beating her son to death, repeatedly punching him and causing his body to hit against a hard object or inflicting blunt injuries on his head and body between January 12 and 15.

She also pleaded guilty to attempting to defeat the ends of justice by pretending to police he had gone missing.

Advocate depute Alex Prentice told the court: "The basis for the plea tendered being accepted is that the Crown accepts that the accused had no intention to kill Mikaeel and that the assault perpetrated upon him, although severe, fell short of the wicked recklessness required for murder."

Explaining the charge of culpable homicide, Sky's James Matthews, at the High Court in Edinburgh, said: "Basically she beat up her son causing his death but she didn't mean to kill him, and that's been accepted by the prosecution authorities."

He said after killing Mikaeel, Adekoya had done the school-run taking her four other children to school before continuing on to dump his body behind a property where her sister was staying.

"Her concocted story unravelled under questioning by police, and it was when they spotted inconsistencies in her story that she broke down and told them where Mikaeel's body was," Matthews added.

Adekoya's internet history showed searches including "I find it hard to love my son", "I love all of my children except one", "Why am I so aggressive with my son" and "Get rid of bruises".

The court heard Mikaeel died on the night of Tuesday, January 14, from injuries inflicted the previous Sunday.

His mother "lost her temper" when he was repeatedly sick following a trip to a Nando's restaurant at the city's Fountain Park.

Mikaeel had more than 40 separate injuries to his body, including bruises to his back, chin and cheek, trauma to the brain, haemorrhage in the spinal cord and injuries to his arms.

Mr Prentice said: "If medical assistance had been called for, death might not have resulted."

Sentence was deferred until August 25 at the High Court in Edinburgh.

20.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ice Challenge Link To Quarry Death Probed

Police are investigating whether the death of a teenager at a disused quarry in Fife is being linked to the 'ice bucket challenge', Sky News understands.

Cameron Lancaster, 18, disappeared under water at Prestonhill Quarry  in Inverkeithing, Fife, on Sunday.

Emergency services were called just before 5pm and searched the water. His body was found at about 9pm.

Sky News understands that police are examining whether the death is linked to the online craze in which people film themselves having ice water tipped over them for charity.

The fundraising craze also requires people to nominate others to perform the stunt, after doing so themselves.

A series of celebrities and public figures have been pictured or filmed taking part over the past month.

The family of the teenager, from Burntisland, Fife, paid tribute to his "thoughtful generosity of spirit".

In a statement they said: "Cameron died in a tragic accident. His death is such a great loss.

"During his short life he touched so many people with his friendliness, kindness and thoughtful generosity of spirit.

"He will be hugely missed by his family and friends.

"The family are finding it hard to come to terms with this sudden loss and would ask for privacy at this sad time."

A police spokesman said: "Inquiries are under way to establish the full circumstances of what happened and Police Scotland's thoughts are with the family at this very difficult time."

20.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Active Shooter Reported At US Army Base

An active shooter has been reported at the Fort Lee Army base in Virginia, prompting the base to be put on lockdown.

More follows...

20.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Beheading Of Journalist Is 'Betrayal Of Britain'

The beheading of reporter James Foley by a Islamic State fighter believed to be from the UK is "an utter betrayal of everything the British people stand for", the Foreign Secretary has said.

Writing in the Sunday Times, Philip Hammond said it was horrifying that the perpetrator "could have been brought up in Britain".

He said the Government was investing "significant resources" to tackle "a barbaric ideology", warning that if the IS militants are not stopped in Iraq and Syria "sooner or later they will seek to strike us on British soil".

The UK Government has also appointed Lieutenant General Sir Simon Mayall as security envoy to the Kurdistan region of Iraq to help with efforts to defeat IS.

Foley was killed by a jihadist with an English accent

A Downing Street spokesperson said: "General Mayall will support Kurdish and wider Iraqi efforts to counter ISIL and work with Iraq's leaders as they establish a unity government."

Mr Hammond said the threat from Iraq and Syria would last a generation, echoing comments made by Home Secretary Theresa May as she announced plans to bring in new laws to tackle the threat of British jihadists.

But former shadow home secretary David Davis dismissed suggestions the new laws, dubbed asbos for terrorists, would prevent Britons fighting for Islamic State (IS), also known as ISIS and ISIL.

Instead, he said, the jihadists should be stopped from returning to the UK and stripped of their citizenship.

Mr Davis said the Government's response to the crisis in Iraq had been "tentative, uncertain, almost limp".

Lord Carey described the British jihadists as 'bloodthirsty'

He suggested the men heading overseas to fight were committing treason.

In an article for the Mail on Sunday, Mr Davis wrote: "Asbos for terrorists? It is hard to imagine the ISIS killers quaking in their boots."

He added: "Since these young men are in effect swearing allegiance to a hostile state, they should all forfeit their British citizenship - not just those who are dual nationals."

Mr Davis' call was echoed by Lord Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, who also called for Britons fighting for IS in Iraq and Syria to lose their passports.

Lord Carey wrote in the Mail on Sunday: "They should not have access to the privilege of travelling under a British passport... and they certainly should not be able to travel back with the barbaric and bloodthirsty skills they have gained."

It comes as it was reported that MI5 and MI6 have worked out the identity of Mr Foley's killer, known as "Jihadi John". But the Sunday Times said no details have been disclosed.

The Home Office has insisted it would take the "strongest possible action" against people travelling to fight in Iraq and Syria.

A spokesman said: "The police, security services and Border Force are actively working to identify, detect and disrupt terrorist threats, including from British fighters attempting to return to the UK.

"They use a wide range of powers including those which allow them to detain and interview individuals at the UK border suspected of being involved in terrorism.

"In addition to full passport checks, individuals travelling into the UK are checked against watchlists to ensure public safety.

"And the UK uses the most advanced technology in Europe to ensure we collect passenger information on 95% of flights which helps us to identify individuals who pose a threat before they fly."

Fighting is continuing in Iraq as the UN warned of a "possible massacre" in one town besieged by IS militants.

20.49 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ukraine Rebels Show Off Captives In Parade

Pro-Russian separatists have marched dozens of Ukrainian prisoners through the centre of the rebel-held eastern city of Donetsk in mockery of the country's Independence Day celebrations.

The rebels also displayed the wreckage of several Ukrainian military vehicles as the government in Kiev sought to send a defiant message to the insurgents and Moscow by holding a military parade in the capital, to mark the 23rd anniversary of independence from the Soviet Union.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko told a crowd of thousands that the country would face a military threat "for the foreseeable future", and pledged $3bn (£1.8bn) to re-equip his nation's forces.

President Petro Poroshenko has pledged to re-equip his nation's military

"It is clear that in the foreseeable future, unfortunately, a constant military threat will hang over Ukraine," he said.

"And we need to learn not only to live with this, but also to be always prepared to defend the independence of our country."

Wreaths were also laid to those killed in the winter protests which forced former pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych from power.

His overthrow led to the Russian invasion of Crimea, and triggered the current unrest in the east.

Wreaths were laid to those killed in the winter protests in Kiev

Many of those attending the event in Kiev wore the national colours of blue and yellow and sang the national anthem as the country's flag was raised.

Oleksandr Kaplya said: "It is a demonstration of the unity and independence of Ukraine. We want to show the world that we are one."

Shortly before the parade got under way, shelling struck a hospital in the rebel-held eastern city of Donetsk.

The morgue bore the brunt of the attack, taking a direct hit.

The bloody conflict in eastern Ukraine has killed an estimated 2,000 people

Stunned patients, being treated in nearby buildings, looked on as separatist fighters inspected the scene.

Rocket attacks on Donetsk have become common as government troops seek to drive out rebel forces, causing several hundred thousand civilians to flee.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Kiev on Saturday and pushed for a new ceasefire in crisis talks with Mr Poroshenko.

During her trip, Ms Merkel called for a "bilateral ceasefire and effective border controls" to help stop four months of fighting in Ukraine.

Her visit came ahead of crucial talks on Tuesday between Mr Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin alongside top EU officials.

A hospital building in the rebel-held city of Donetsk was hit by shell fire

Tensions surged on Friday when Russia sent a convoy of trucks it said was carrying aid to the rebel-held city Luhansk in an unauthorised move Kiev described as a "direct invasion".

The West sharply rebuked Russia over the convoy, which left on Saturday, with Washington describing it as a "dangerous escalation".

20.49 | 0 komentar | Read More

British Ebola Patient On Flight Back To UK

Nigeria Confirms First 'Secondary' Ebola Cases

Updated: 8:47am UK, Sunday 24 August 2014

Ebola fears in Nigeria have heightened after two more people tested positive, despite having no contact with the man who brought the virus into the country.

The infected people are the spouses of a man and woman who had contact with Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian-American who died in July after flying into Abuja and infecting 11 others.

It comes as blood tests confirmed an Irish engineer who died on Thursday did not have ebola.

Dessie Quinn, 43, had been working in Sierra Leone, one of the countries struggling with the current outbreak.

Nigerian officials now have more than 200 potential ebola cases under "surveillance" after the discovery of the secondary infections.

"They were quarantined two days ago," said Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu.

"But the other ones that were quarantined along with them have been released.

"Those on treatment (in isolation) currently are four - two primary contacts, two secondary contacts. Presently altogether we have 213 on surveillance."

Patrick Sawyer, 40, died from ebola after becoming sick during a flight to Nigeria from the Liberian capital, Monrovia.

Two doctors, two nurses, and a man who picked him up from Abuja airport also died.

The World Health Organisation said earlier this week it was hopeful over the situation in Nigeria because all the cases there had come from a single chain of transmission.

The country now has 14 confirmed cases, including five deaths.

Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone have suffered the worst from the outbreak, accounting for most of the 1,350 fatalities.

Liberian capital Monrovia, in particular, has seen chaotic scenes in recent days as ebola cases increase.

The local crematorium is struggling to burn the infected bodies and is having to send some back to the hospital, according to the Red Cross.

Troops have also fired tear gas to enforce a quarantine zone and prevent looting in the city's huge West Point slum.

A teenage boy, Shakie Kamara, has died after being shot by security forces earlier this week, Information Minister Lewis Brown said on Friday.

Senegal has become the latest country to lock down its border with an ebola-affected neighbour, closing its land border with Guinea.

Decisions to bar widespread use of an experimental ebola drug have caused controversy.

Two Americans, Kent Brantly, 33, and Nancy Writebol, 60, recovered after taking ZMapp, but there are no plans to send it to the heart of the outbreak.

Specialists believe the pair, who were treated in Atlanta, now pose "no public health threat" and will probably be immune to the disease.

20.49 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bardarbunga Volcano Risk Lowered After Quakes

Iceland has lowered the aviation risk from the Bardarbunga volcano from the highest to the second-highest level.

The Civil Protection Department says there is no immediate threat of an eruption.

However, seismic activity continues at the subglacial volcano, which has been hit by thousands of earthquakes over the past week.

On Saturday Iceland raised the alert level from orange to red, warning an ash-emitting eruption could be imminent.

It followed an earthquake under a glacier about 15 miles (25km) from the Bardarbunga range.

The decision to lower the alert level comes after two more earthquakes shook the Bardarbunga volcano overnight.

Iceland's Met Office said in a statement a magnitude 5.3 quake at a depth of three miles (5km) struck after midnight.

Another, with a magnitude of about 5.0 followed about five hours later.

The Bardarbunga volcano is in the middle of Iceland

"These are the strongest events measured since the onset of the seismic crisis at Bardarbunga and the strongest since 1996," the Met Office said on its website.

But it insisted there was no sign of any eruption at Bardarbunga.

It added: "Probably, earthquakes near the Bardarbunga caldera are a consequence of adjustment to changes in pressure because of the flow of magma from under the caldera into the dyke which stretches to Dyngjujokull."

Bardarbunga is Iceland's largest volcanic system and is located under the ice cap of a glacier.

It is in a different range to Eyjafjallajokull, which erupted in 2010, throwing up a huge cloud of ash that caused massive disruption to air travel.

More than 100,000 flights were cancelled and the fear is that similar chaos will follow if Bardarbunga erupts.

20.49 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rapper Tumbles Off Stage During Hit Song

Australian rapper Iggy Azalea fell off the stage while performing one of her hit songs at an MTV Video Music Awards benefit concert.

There is no word if the star was injured – though the way she seamlessly continued singing Fancy suggests she is okay.

Security guards were quick to lift Azalea back on to the stage at The Avalon in Los Angeles.

British singer Charli XCX had joined Azalea to perform the chart-topping single.

Afterwards, Azalea told the crowd she felt "very blessed" to not break her legs.

The 24-year-old then posted a video of the incident on Instagram alongside the caption "I know I laughed."

Tori Kelly and Sam Smith also performed at the event benefiting Lifebeat - Music Fights HIV/AIDS.

Azalea is up for seven awards at Sunday's VMAs.

20.49 | 0 komentar | Read More

IS Has Iraqi Towns In Lockdown As Battles Rage

Kurdish forces are struggling to defend themselves against Islamic State (IS) militants in northeast Iraq and are appealing for more international help.

There has been fighting around towns including Jalula and Sa'dya, which have been controlled by the well-armed Sunni extremists for several weeks.

The IS insurgents have seized large swathes of the country since a June offensive but have been hit by US airstrikes in some areas including around Mosul Dam.

However, Sky's Chief Correspondent Stuart Ramsay, reporting from outside Jalula, north of Baghdad, said the Kurdish peshmerga fighters want more weaponry from the outside world and are "getting little or no air support".

Thousands of peshmerga and counter-terrorism soldiers have been deployed, including many around the town.

Sky's Stuart Ramsay outside the town of Jalula

He said the Kurds have some heavy weapons but the equipment is old, while the jihadists "have modern equipment and lots of money".

Ramsay said the two sides are fighting to control territory not the towns themselves as IS have them "under total lockdown".

The Kurds are trying to cut their supply lines and one fighter told Sky News: "We need weapons to make the battle equal."

Ramsay said: "Peshmerga front-line positions are regularly hit from far away. There are scorch marks and burning patches everywhere."

Roadside bombs laid by the extremists are also "causing more casualties than ever before," he added.

Meanwhile, eight people have been killed after a suicide bomber blew up a vehicle packed with explosives at the interior ministry's intelligence headquarters in Baghdad.

PM designate Haider al Abadi is trying to form a more inclusive government

It comes a day after a sectarian attack at a mosque killed at least 68 Sunni Muslims, plunging efforts to form a united front against the jihadists into crisis.

Officials say a suicide bomber blew himself up in the Imam Wais mosque north of Baghdad, with Shia militiamen picking off fleeing worshippers with machine guns.

Diyala has seen heavy fighting between Iraqi troops and IS. File pic

Attacks on mosques are acutely sensitive and have in the past unleashed a deadly series of revenge killings and counter attacks in Iraq.

The attack, in Diyala province, is seen as a blow to government efforts to secure backing from Sunni groups in its battle against the extremists.

The US says the killing of James Foley was a "terrorist attack" on America

Prime Minister designate Haider al Abadi, a moderate Shia, is attempting to form a more inclusive government following the resignation of outgoing PM Nouri al Maliki.

But two influential Sunni politicians - Parliamentary Speaker Salim al Jabouri and Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al Mutlak - have now pulled out of talks with the main Shia political alliance after the massacre.

The US, which is carrying out airstrikes against militants, has ramped up its rhetoric over the beheading of journalist James Foley.

In Washington, Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said the murder "represents a terrorist attack against our country".

He said the US would not be restricted by the Iraq-Syria border when it considers further action against IS militants.

Having poured in from Syria across a desert border that it does not recognise, the Islamist movement has declared its own caliphate.

20.49 | 0 komentar | Read More