CCTV Footage Exposes Slaughterhouse Cruelty

Will Miliband's Attack On Boots Boss Win Votes?

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.

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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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Written By Unknown on Minggu, 01 Februari 2015 | 20.48

As Japan mourns the apparent beheading of Kenji Goto, his friends have described him as a "kind, soft-spoken and gentle man with a wonderful sense of humour".

According to the journalist's family, he had travelled to Syria in an attempt to secure the release of Haruna Yukawa - the other Japanese hostage who was purportedly killed by Islamic State last week.

The 47-year-old left behind two daughters. His youngest was just three weeks old when he flew to the Middle East.

In a video recording made before his last trip, he said: "No matter what happens to me, I will always love the people of Syria."

Mr Goto was a veteran freelance reporter, often working often with other filmmakers and Japanese TV producers, listing Kosovo and Liberai among the places his work had taken him.

In 2005, he wrote about the suffering of children in Sierra Leone in a book titled We Want Peace, Not Diamonds.

But Mr Goto stressed he was not a war reporter, instead he wanted to tell the stories of regular people in the refugee camps and orphanages on the edge of conflicts and disasters.

In a statement, Mr Goto's wife, Rinko, said: "My family and I are devastated by the news of Kenji's death. He was not just my loving husband and father to our two beautiful children, but a son, brother and friend to many around the world.

"While feeling a great personal loss, I remain extremely proud of my husband, who reported the plight of people in conflict areas like Iraq, Somalia and Syria."

His friend, Mark Tchelistcheff, told Sky News: "Kenji always gave himself up for others and was a remarkable, remarkable man.

"He reported about humanity, the people on the street. He knew the risks and he took the risks because he thought he could really help.

"Kenji was not just a good friend to me, he was a friend to the people. The world is a lesser place today with his loss."

In an emotive news conference, Mr Goto's mother said she hoped his death would "contribute something to the world".

Junko Ishido added: "He always hoped to make the world a place without any wars, and to save children from war and poverty. I promise here to carry out his legacy, hopefully with your support."

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Troops May Be 'Least Worst Option' In IS Fight

A former head of the army has told Sky News he believes there will need to be a debate on sending British troops to fight Islamic State if other options are unsuccesful.

The UK has carried out airstrikes against IS in Iraq, but not Syria, and has also provided equipment and training to local forces.

But there is a deep reluctance to commit boots on the ground to the fight, with Prime Minister David Cameron saying when the Commons approved airstrikes that sending combat troops would be "wrong".

Lord Dannatt told Sky's Dermot Murnaghan that the limited steps taken were not likely to be enough to defeat the jihadists who have seized control of large areas of northern Iraq and Syria.

"If this mission is right, and task is right and everything else has failed, there has got to be a debate about whether a least worst option is to provide boots on the ground," he said.

"I'm not calling for it now but I think we need to watch this very carefully."

His comments came after a video was released showing the beheading of Japanese hostage of Kenji Goto by IS.

Professor Peter Neumann, a terrorism expert at King's College London, said the airstrikes had slowed Islamic State's momentum, as seen in the success of Kurdish forces in driving the jihadists out of the Syrian town of Kobani.

"They cannot be defeated militarily but that does not mean military means are completely useless," he told Murnaghan.

He added that the militants could only be ultimately defeated once people within Iraq and Syria rose up and forced them out.

Lord Dannatt admitted there had be a reluctance to see soldiers engage in combat against IS following the experiences in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

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Gallery: Syria: Aftermath Of Kobani Siege

A fighter of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) flashes a victory sign as he patrols in the streets in the northern Syrian town of Kobani

Kurdish forces battled Islamic State fighters outside Kobani on Tuesday, a monitoring group said, a day after Kurds took full control of the northern Syrian town following a four-month battle

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Japan Will 'Never Forgive' IS Hostage Murder

The Japanese government says a video showing the apparent murder of hostage Kenji Goto appears to be genuine.

The one minute-long footage was apparently released by Islamic State (IS) on Saturday evening.

It purportedly shows the beheading of the Japanese freelance journalist and film-maker, who was a father of three.

The man was wearing an orange jumpsuit and the video was similar to previous beheading footage the militant group has released.

The video was called "A Message to the Government of Japan" and the apparent murderer spoke with a British accent.

He blamed Mr Goto's beheading on Japan's support for the US-led coalition fighting IS in the Middle East.

The kneeling hostage did not speak in the footage.

The Japanese, UK and US governments strongly condemned IS, with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visibly upset as he spoke to reporters in Tokyo.

"I am extremely angry about these heinous and despicable terrorist acts. We will never forgive terrorists," he said.

"We will co-operate with the international community to make them atone for their crimes."

US President Barack Obama said America condemned the "heinous murder" and would continue to work with allies to destroy the jihadist group.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said it was a "further reminder that ISIL is the embodiment of evil, with no regard for human life".

And Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, speaking in Sydney, added: "It is important that we do recognise that although the current challenge is focused around Iraq and Syria, we have to recognise that the underlying challenge of extremist Islamism is going to be with us for a long while.

"This is a generational struggle against this ideology and we are going to have to fight these battles not just in the Middle East, but in other parts of the world as well. There is nowhere that is safe from this challenge."

Speaking from her home in a suburb of Tokyo, Mr Goto's mother Junko Ishido said: "Kenji has died, and my heart is broken.

"Facing such a tragic death, I'm just speechless."

Mr Goto's wife, Rinko, added: "He was not just my loving husband and father to our two beautiful children, but a son, brother and friend to many around the world.

"While feeling a great personal loss, I remain extremely proud of my husband who reported the plight of people in conflict areas like Iraq, Somalia and Syria."

The family of another IS hostage, Jordanian fighter pilot Lt Mu'ath al Kassasbeh, said they were "devastated" by Mr Goto's murder.

His uncle, Yassin Rawashda, has urged the Jordanian government to "tell us the truth", amid concerns that they have not had an update on how negotiations for his release are going.

Mr Goto travelled to Syria in October seeking to secure the release of Japanese hostage Haruna Yukawa, according to friends and business associates.

Earlier this month, IS released a video of Mr Goto and Mr Yukawa and threatened to kill them unless a $200m (£133m) ransom was paid.

Last week, Mr Abe slammed "an outrageous and unforgivable act" after a video reportedly showing an image of Mr Goto holding a picture of a beheaded Mr Yukawa was posted online.

Mr Goto's family made public pleas to Mr Abe to negotiate his safe release.

Earlier on Saturday, a top Japanese diplomat said there was a "state of deadlock" in negotiations to release Mr Goto.

Japan's deputy foreign minister Yasuhide Nakayama made the comments in the Jordanian capital Amman, where he had been leading Tokyo's team attempting to secure the freedom of the veteran war reporter.

Mr Goto, 47, had appeared in videos released by IS in which his fate was linked to Jordanian pilot Lt Mu'ath al Kassasbeh.

Jordan and Japan held indirect negotiations with the militants, who control around a third of Iraq and Syria, for the release of the men in exchange for a jailed jihadist.

Jordan demanded evidence that the airman who crashed in Syria on December 24 is still alive before freeing the would-be suicide bomber, who is on death row.

IS had said it would kill Jordan's captured pilot by sunset on Thursday unless Iraqi jihadist Sajida al Rishawi was released.

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Mosques Offer Tea And Cake To Ease Tensions

Mosques across Britain have opened their doors to the public, in a bid to bring communities together and alleviate tensions about terrorism in the wake of the Paris attacks.

More than 20 venues are serving tea and cakes to visitors who want to understand more about Islam.

Sunday's Visit My Mosque event was organised by the Muslim Council of Britain "to demonstrate unity and solidarity during what has been a tense time for faith communities".

The Finsbury Park mosque in north London, where radical cleric Abu Hamza was once imam, is among those taking part.

Hamza was jailed in New York for terrorism offences last month, and in recent years, the place of worship has undergone a change of leadership, with a renewed emphasis on inter-faith dialogue.

But after the attacks on the offices of the satirical magazine and a kosher supermarket in Paris by gunmen who claimed they were acting to revenge insults against the Prophet Mohammed, the mosque said it had received threats.

General Secretary Mohammed Kozar told Sky News: "Most of them are nasty drawings about our prophet and our books.

"Some of them make death threats against our community, so it's quite frightening for our community and our mosque."

The shootings by three gunmen, who claimed they were operating on behalf of Islamic State and Al Qaeda in Yemen, prompted Communities Secretary Eric Pickles to write to the Britain's mosques urging them to do more to root out extremists and prevent young people being radicalised.

Sunday's outreach programme at the mosques followed the killing of Japanese hostage Kenji Goto by Islamic State jihadists.

Former army chief Lord Dannatt told Sky News' Dermot Murnaghan that the best way to combat extremist ideology was for communities to work together.

"It's really important that our communities - particularly where there are large Muslim populations - organise themselves and conduct matters in such a way that particularly young Muslims have a stake in the future of this country, and this country has a future in them," he said.

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Mutating Ebola Could Become More Contagious

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 29 Januari 2015 | 20.48

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

Scientists have confirmed that the Ebola virus is mutating - and could become more contagious.

Researchers at the Institute Pasteur in France say they have detected substantial changes to the genetic code of the virus.

Although they don't yet know what effect that will have on the epidemic, they fear the virus could spread from person to person more easily.

In previous Ebola outbreaks, the virus has only infected a few dozen people and died out within weeks.

But the current prolonged epidemic has given the virus time to pass through many more generations, in many more people, giving it greater opportunity to evolve.

Scientists say it is highly unlikely that the mutations will lead to the Ebola becoming airborne.

But the virus - originally from fruit bats - could become better adapted to living in humans.

Scientists say some people may even carry the virus without showing symptoms, leading it to spread more rapidly.

The changes to the virus could also result in resistance to drug treatments - and reduce the effectiveness of vaccines currently being developed.

The latest figures from the World Health Organisation show 22,000 people have been infected by the virus and 8,800 have died.

But the infection rate in recent weeks is just one sixth of what it was in October.

UN Ebola coordinator David Nabarro said: "The number of cases is decreasing week by week and getting to zero in many places.

"But we still see occasional flare-ups. The epidemic is not contained yet."

New results show that a vaccine tested on volunteers in Oxford successfully triggers an immune response, but at a lower level than had been hoped for.

Scientists are now studying the effect of a booster dose in the hope that it will give better protection.

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'Thundersnow' Storms As Icy Blast Hits UK

Parts of England are being battered by "thundersnow" storms as the winter weather continues to bite across Britain.

Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge said: "We have got snow falling in a number of areas in the North and West, including thunderstorms.

"There is thundersnow to the north of Manchester - these are normal thunderstorms but with snow rather than rain."

More than 200 schools in Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England are closed today and mobile phone operator EE advised customers of coverage problems in Ayrshire, West Yorkshire and Tyne and Wear due to the weather.

Main roads in Durham, Yorkshire and north Wales are among those closed because of the weather and more than a dozen rail services between Manchester and York have been cancelled, as northern England is hit by the storms this morning.

Phil Verster, route managing director for Network Rail, advised train passengers to check before they travel.

Flights to and from Manchester Airport have been suspended this morning, although the airport re-opened around 1.30pm. Passengers are advised to come to the airport as normal but to check with their airline.

A Manchester Airport spokesperson said: "We have currently suspended all departures and arrivals for a short period of time, whilst we are in the process of clearing both runways of snow so we can resume operations as quickly as possible."

Sky News forecaster Isobel Lang said today would see frequent snow showers in Scotland, Northern Ireland, northern parts of Ireland and in northern England.

She added: "The strong winds will blow the snow around, making driving dangerous.

"During this evening and tonight the showers will ease, it will turn slightly less cold, with the showers turning more to sleet or rain later. It may still be icy."

Cold blasts from Greenland and Iceland will cause temperatures to drop to around 2-3C (36-37F) in the North and 4-5C (39-41F) in the South. It will become slightly milder by Friday, reaching 7C (45F) in the South.

The Met Office has issued an amber "be prepared" warning for snow, which covers huge parts of Britain from Liverpool Bay to the Humber to the western side of the Welsh mountains.

Up to 15cm (6in) of snow is expected to fall in parts of the North tonight and there is also snow expected during the morning rush hour in the Northwest, on the M6 north of Cheshire, Scotland and Greater London.

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Gallery: UK Freezes As More Snow Sweeps In

Britain's winter has brought a thick covering of snow and dangerous driving conditions to parts of the country. Here snow covers graves at St Joseph's Church in west Belfast

Terminal One at Manchester Airport covered in a blanket of snow which has closed the airport

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Will Miliband's Attack On Boots Boss Win Votes?

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 03 Februari 2015 | 20.49

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CCTV Footage Exposes Slaughterhouse Cruelty

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Hostage Kenji Goto 'Gave Himself For Others'

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 01 Februari 2015 | 20.48

Troops May Be 'Least Worst Option' In IS Fight

Japan Will 'Never Forgive' IS Hostage Murder

Mosques Offer Tea And Cake To Ease Tensions

Mutating Ebola Could Become More Contagious

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 29 Januari 2015 | 20.48

'Thundersnow' Storms As Icy Blast Hits UK

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