Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 28 Februari 2015 | 18.54
A classmate of Mohammed Emwazi - the Londoner unmasked as "Jihadi John" - has told Sky News that "nothing in his high school could have left him radicalised".
The fellow pupil of the Quintin Kynaston academy, who was two years older than Emwazi and does not wish to be named, believes the IS militant's education beyond high school may be responsible for his transformation into a cold-blooded killer.
"It wasn't like university where you'd have speakers coming over from certain societies to give talks," he said. "I suppose there was potential for him to be groomed, that is a possibility. But at the time, at secondary school, he was like any of us."
Emwazi went on to study at the University of Westminster between 2006 and 2009 - finishing his computer programming degree in the same year he was reportedly questioned by an MI5 officer in Amsterdam, accused of attempting to travel to Somalia to join a terror group.
According to the classmate, there was nothing to suggest Emwazi was religious during his teenage years. He was quiet, rarely made eye contact, and always wore a baseball cap - but was known to get into the occasional fight.
Video:Jihadi John Was A 'Peculiar' Child
"He wasn't someone who was loud, talkative and provocative," the ex-pupil added. "There were more violent people than him."
There has been widespread shock at Emwazi's old high school following his apparent involvement in a series of Islamic State videos which show the gruesome beheadings of Western aid workers and journalists.
The classmate, who has watched some of the videos, continued: "Something has gone wrong somewhere - whether in the UK, or when he went abroad.
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Gallery: Jihadi John's University Academic Record
Mohammed Emwazi, aka Jihadi John, studied a computing course at university. Sky News has exclusively obtained his student record
His file shows mostly middling academic grades for his course modules. He graduated with a lower second (2.2) degree
Boris Johnson has been forced to admit he doesn't know which two London teams will play in a cup final this weekend – and took to Latin to defend the PM, during a grilling by school children.
Robert Ebner-Statt, 9, had to tell Boris Johnson that it was two of his city's teams - Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur - playing in tomorrow's Capital One league cup final at Wembley.
That was despite the Conservative politician's claim that "I support all London clubs, I levitate".
Mr Johnson described the PM as 'very, very competent'
He added that for "some reason I cannot fathom, my sons support Newcastle Utd".
Mr Johnson came unstuck over football during a grilling by children as part of Hotseat - a collaboration between Sky News and the national newspaper for young people, First News.
Video:Boris Johnson On 'Jihadi Nonsense'
During the session he answered questions about terrorism, education policy, obesity, his political ambitions and much more.
At one point, Mr Johnson revealed that he gave lorry drivers "a piece of his mind" if they sounded their horn at him while cycling, because it made him "see red".
While previous Hotseat guests, Chancellor George Osborne and Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, refused to answer basic timetables questions, Mr Johnson was asked about a different subject - Latin.
Sophia Hindmarsh, 10, tried to play on rumours that Mr Johnson would like to become Prime Minister, by asking him to translate "Princeps Esse Velim" (I want to be leader).
Smiling, Mr Johnson quickly replied, "I know what you are trying to get me to say," and instead hit back with "Volo David Cameronem esse principem" - which he said meant "I want David Cameron to be Prime Minister."
It was not his only defence of the Conservative leader.
When asked if he wanted to be Prime Minister, he said: "I think Dave is going to get back in. I think it is more likely, frankly, that one of you will take over in some distant future than I will."
He described Mr Cameron as "very, very competent" and an "expert leader of the country".
The Mayor also spoke on a range of other issues, including:
Immigration and second jobs...
He defended immigration, as long as people were not "skiving, idling, loafing, leeching", and he entered into the debate about MPs' salaries and second jobs.
Mr Johnson claimed politicians should certainly not "be going around trying to take more dosh off the taxpayer".
Ministers, he added, should not be doing private consultancy work on the side. But he insisted that MPs were not "twerps" - well "not all twerps".
Jihadis and tuition fees...
Mr Johnson told the children that the thing he most wanted to change in the world was children being lured into what he called "Jihadi nonsense".
And he criticised Labour's policy to cut tuition fees, arguing that it was right for graduates who "earn massively more than people who don't go to university" to pay for their education.
Video:Boris Stands By Jihadi Comments
Parenting, regrets and weird gifts...
The young people asked Mr Johnson what sort of dad he was - "embarrassing"; his biggest personal and political regrets - "my failure to get anywhere as a rockstar"; his weirdest gift - "a banquet of camel"; and his celebrity crushes - to which he strangely responded "Basil Brush".
Bouts of road rage...
On road rage, he said: "When lorry drivers come up behind me and I'm cycling innocently, keeping to my side of the road and they decide because they are so big and their lorry is so powerful and they just want to clear me out of the road and they hoot aggressively then I do see red a bit. I do."
He admitted entering into altercations if he pulled up beside a lorry driver who had done that at the traffic lights.
The embarrassing zip wire...
He also talked about the famous incident when he got stuck on a zip-wire, describing his "embarrassment and personal discomfiture".
He said he was accompanied by a bodyguard called Carl, who used to work for Tony Blair.
When he asked him for help, he said Carl simply took out a mobile phone and "took a photograph of my rear end".
The Boris Factor...
The young people also asked what the "Boris factor" was, to which he replied it was doing your best and turning up.
"My strong advice to you, turning up is about 90% of success in life," he said.
Healthy-ish eating…
On obesity, he said it was right to encourage children to eat healthily by limiting their options.
He tried to compare an unhealthy option like pizza and chips to a healthy option - but took some time to think of one, finally landing on ratatouille and salad.
Asked which he would choose, he said: "I would probably have both".
Energy price comparison websites have been "duping" customers into switching to deals that are not the cheapest on the market and should pay them compensation, a group of MPs have said.
The Energy and Climate Change Committee said some sites had used misleading language to dupe consumers into options that only displayed commission-earning deals.
It has called on energy watchdog Ofgem to consider requiring price comparison sites to disclose the amount of commission received for each switch at the point of sale.
Representatives of the "big five" sites told MPs they earn up to £30 in commission every time a customer switches to a participating provider, or up to £60 when a customer switches both their gas and electricity accounts.
Committee chairman Tim Yeo said: "Consumers trust price comparison services to help them switch to the best energy deals available on the market.
Video:Big Six Criticised For Overcharging
"But some energy price comparison sites have been behaving more like backstreet market traders than the trustworthy consumer champions they make themselves out to be in adverts on TV.
"Some comparison sites have used misleading language to dupe consumers into opting for default options that only display commission-earning deals. And others have previously gone so far as to conceal deals that do not earn them commission behind multiple drop-down web options."
He added: "As an immediate and essential first step towards rebuilding confidence, the companies should compensate any consumers who have been encouraged to switch to tariffs that may not have been the cheapest or most appropriate for their needs.
Video:Energy Bills: What We're Paying
"We have no objection to commission being paid by suppliers to price comparison websites as long as the arrangements are clearly disclosed."
Earlier this month, uSwitch told the committee it would compensate consumers who had been misled into signing up for an energy tariff that was more expensive than others available.
Its chief executive Steve Weller told the committee he was "sincerely disappointed" that a customer was told by his call centre that the cheapest deal available to him was with First Utility, when it was in fact with extraenergy for more than £60 less.
A 15-year-old boy has died after suffering a single stab wound while cycling in north London.
Police were called just after 7.30pm on Friday to reports of a male collapsed in Caledonian Road, near the junction with Twyford Street, Islington.
Officers and paramedics from the London Ambulance Service attended but the boy was pronounced dead at the scene.
The youngster is yet to be formally identified but next of kin have been informed.
Police said it is believed that the boy was riding north on Caledonian Road with friends before the incident happened.
The group was attacked close to the junction with Copenhagen Street by three males who had been walking south.
The victim suffered a stab wound but managed to continue cycling further up Caledonian Road before collapsing.
Two other members of the group had their bicycles stolen.
The suspects left the scene, making off south down Caledonian Road. No other injuries were reported.
Detectives say they are keeping an open mind as to the motive for the attack.
Investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Chris Jones appealed for anyone who saw anything to get in touch.
He said: "Caledonian Road would have been very busy at the time of the incident and I would appeal to anyone who witnessed this attack, or may have any information as to who is responsible, to come forward and speak to police."
Written By Unknown on Jumat, 27 Februari 2015 | 18.54
By Faisal Islam, Political Editor
Ed Miliband will today outline Labour's election promise to reduce tuition fees - rolling back some of the increase which was implemented by the coalition.
Under the party's plans, the cap on undergraduate fees would be reduced from £9,000 to £6,000 per year.
Mr Miliband first expressed aspirations of introducing this policy in 2011 - and the shadow cabinet minister responsible for realising it, Chuka Umunna, described the process as "long and tortuous".
At an audience with students in Leeds, the Labour leader will say: "We all know that under David Cameron and Nick Clegg, the fee cap for full-time undergraduates was trebled to £9,000 per year.
"With most universities charging close to the maximum, graduates now leave university with more than £44,000 debt on average.
Video:'You Can't Get That Trust Back'
"My generation would never have imagined beginning our adult life with that amount of debt. But this Government expects it of this generation."
The Labour leader will publish a "zero-based review" of Higher Education, arguing that students cannot afford to repay fees, leading to a ballooning burden for the taxpayer, much of which will have to be written off.
"The Government has designed a system which is burdening students with debt today, and set to weigh down the taxpayer with more debt tomorrow. Much of this money will never be paid back," he will add.
"By the late 2040s, student loan write-offs will be hitting £21bn a year - almost double the entire cost of police services in England and Wales. It must go down as one of the most expensive broken promises in history."
Video:Labour Tuition Fee Plan Criticised
But Business Secretary Vince Cable told Sky News: "It's an absolutely terrible idea that will do great harm to universities.
"Its completely unecessary because we have got a good system now where universities are properly funded, students who go there don't pay any cash, they pay back later in life in relation to their income.
"The only people who benefit from the Labour proposal will be future graduates on high incomes - the investment bankers of the future.
"It's a very, very retrograde, regressive step that will undermine higher education."
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Gallery: Thousands Of Students Join March
Demonstrators chant slogans during a student rally in central London
The demonstration march was organised by the National Union of Students and was the first national student protest since a series of violent protests against tuition fees two years ago
David Cameron has expressed his support for MI5 after Mohammed Emwazi was identified as the militant known as "Jihadi John".
Speaking at an event in Cardiff, Mr Cameron vowed to do "everything we can" to bring those who commit "appalling and heinous crimes" to justice.
"I am not going to talk about specific individuals and specific cases, but I'd just make three points," he said.
"When there are people anywhere in the world who commit appalling and heinous crimes against British citizens, we will do everything we can - with the police, the security services, with all that we have at our disposal - to find these people and put them out of action.
"I work very closely with the security services. I meet with them regularly, I ask them searching questions about what they do, and in my almost five years' experience as Prime Minister I think they are incredibly impressive, hard-working and dedicated and courageous and effective at protecting our country."
The comments come after 27-year-old Emwazi was identified as the frontman of Islamic State who featured in several videos showing the murder of Western hostages.
Questions have been raised about how much MI5 knew about the Londoner and whether appropriate actions were taken to prevent him from travelling to Syria.
Asim Qureshi, the research director of British advocacy group Cage, has claimed that Emwazi was interrogated by MI5 and subjected to harassment.
Sir Menzies Campbell, a member of the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), said the committee is likely to seek answers from the security services about what information was held on "Jihadi John".
Mr Cameron said the security services are forced to make "incredibly difficult" judgements as part of their work, adding that they deserved support.
"All I can say is that even in the last few months their dedication and work has saved us from plots on the streets of the United Kingdom that could have done immense damage," he said.
"So I think it is a moment to stand up and thank them for the work they do on our behalf."
Written By Unknown on Kamis, 26 Februari 2015 | 18.54
Staff at Stoke Mandeville Hospital knew of 10 allegations against Jimmy Savile during the period when he was abusing patients and visitors, new reports have revealed.
Victims of the disgraced entertainer ranged in age from five to 75, and included patients, staff and visitors, found one report.
And it warned there was evidence many aspects of the Savile abuse scandal could be repeated in the future.
Savile has been branded an 'opportunistic predator'
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said there should have been a stronger incentive on staff to report abuse claims.
He announced there would be a consultation on mandatory reporting of abuse against children and vulnerable adults.
Video:Celebrity Visits 'Not Monitored'
A report into Savile's abuse at Stoke Mandeville said also said there was evidence to suggest Savile had unsupervised access to the mortuary at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire.
One report said: "Two witnesses gave evidence to the investigation that they had heard Savile was having sex with dead bodies in the mortuary."
While the inquiry found no evidence of this, it said it was not possible to investigate the allegations further.
But Savile had admitted spending a lot of time in the mortuary to a hospital electrician, telling him: "Actually, I often come here for a crafty smoke."
Those staff who complained about Savile's behaviour, were "severely reprimanded".
Dr Androulla Johnstone, who wrote the Stoke Mandeville report, told a press conference Savile was an "opportunistic predator who on occasion could also show a high degree of premeditation" when planning attacks.
She said: "The individuals to whom these incidents were reported failed in their duty to protect.
"Consequentially, no intelligence about Savile's behaviour was gathered over the years and no action was taken.
"Whilst witnesses told us it was an open secret within the hospital that Savile was a lecher and general nuisance, none stated that they knew about his sexual abuse activities."
Lawyer Liz Dux, who represents many of the Stoke Mandeville victims, said it "beggars belief" the report found no evidence of senior staff being aware of the abuse.
Video:'Savile Would Have Been Caught'
But Dr Johnstone rejected claims of a "cover-up" by staff, and said Savile's behaviour went unchallenged due to a "general disbelief".
Hattie Llewelyn-Davies, chairwoman of Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust which runs Stoke Mandeville, apologised to Savile's victims on behalf of the NHS.
She said: "Together these accounts paint a bleak story of a deeply flawed and repellent individual who used his role as a fundraiser, his celebrity status and his national contacts to conceal his wicked activities.
"For too long people were taken in by this controlling and manipulative man."
Savile, who received a knighthood in 1990, died in 2011 and so never faced justice for his crimes.
Sam Brown was one of scores of youngsters abused by Savile at Stoke Mandeville.
Aged 11 she was indecently assaulted by the star in a room adjacent to a chapel at the hospital where mass was being held.
She told Sky News: "He used to put his hand over my face as well quite a lot and sometimes his fingers into my mouth.
"That wasn't to keep me quiet, I know what that meant, that was to reinforce his power 100% over me, I get that.
"He knew he had the back-up from the hospital, I feel, he knew there that they were lenient on anything he had done."
The Islamic State militant known as "Jihadi John" has been identified as a Londoner called Mohammed Emwazi, it has been reported.
According to the Washington Post, Emwazi comes from a well-to-do family and graduated from college with a degree in computer programming.
He is believed to have travelled to Syria around 2012 and to have joined Islamic State later.
A close friend of Emwazi told the newspaper: "I have no doubt that Mohammed is Jihadi John. He was like a brother to me... I am sure it is him."
A representative of a British human rights group who had been in contact with Emwazi before he left for Syria also said he believed he was "Jihadi John".
"There was an extremely strong resemblance," Asim Qureshi, research director at the rights group, CAGE, said after watching a video of him beheading a hostage.
Children in NHS hospitals are still at risk from abusers like Savile unless the law is changed, a pressure group has said.
Tom Perry, a survivor of abuse himself and founder of the group Mandate Now, has explained to Sky News why laws compelling staff to report concerns of abuse must be introduced.
He believes Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire was no different to other institutions around the UK where Savile abused vulnerable children - the thing they all had in common was that staff never had the proper legal backing to speak out.
Mr Perry said: "He operated up and down the country, just look at the number of allegations.
"These places are petri dishes for abuse, they are petri dishes, you have got a target rich environment, kids who sometimes can't move because of illness ... this is a nirvana for someone like Savile.
"It couldn't have been stopped in my opinion, the culture is not there.
"The first rule in life is self preservation, why would anybody speak? Staff always have a choice but it is an incredibly challenging choice.
"They have to go off piste, they have to become rogue to report, by definition in law they are whistleblowers without any protection."
Home Secretary Theresa May has previously confirmed that the Government is examining the case for possible changes in the law, but also warned that it is "a complex issue".
Mr Perry believes the fundamental change should be simple.
He said: "We want a law that requires staff to report allegations to their line manager, these can be concerns, which is otherwise known as early intervention.
"We want them to be legally supported to do that, so in other words that is law.
"If you fail to do it there will be consequences because that cuts away many of the things that stop reports being made.
"It puts the management of the institution and the staff on the same side of the fence and what that will do is introduce culture change, it is a little bit like drink driving or seat belts.
"For decades the Government was advertising saying 'wear seat belts' but nobody took any notice, it was a value judgement. This is a value judgement, once they introduced seat belts guess what happened?"
Mr Perry accepts that attitudes to safeguarding of children have now been transformed but the lack of mandatory reporting, in his view, still means children are at a greater risk than they need to be.
He added: "No law has been introduced, everything is done on a whim, everything is done on a whim and on discretionary reporting.
"You should report, that is as strong as it gets."
David Cameron is "disappointed" to have missed his target to reduce net migration to "tens of thousands" by nearly 200,000.
Mr Cameron and the Home Secretary Theresa May pledged to reduce net migration, the difference between people coming to the UK and those leaving, to below 100,000 by this May.
However, today's figures show that in the year to September 2014 alone net migration has risen by nearly as much as 100,000 - from 210,000 to 298,000 - leaving that pledge in tatters.
When the coalition came to power in 2010 the figure was 244,000 - net migration peaked in 2005 at 320,000.
A spokesman for number 10 said Mr Cameron was "disappointed" with the figures and added: "He had said previously that we have not made as much progress as he would like but he had also said that he doesn't regret making this commitment because he thinks it is in the interests of our country, that we will have a better, stronger country, if we have lower net migration."
The release of the data by the ONS is significant because it is the last set of quarterly net migration figures ahead of the General Election.
Speaking on his weekly LBC radio show, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the Tories would have to "suffer the embarrassment of having ... failed spectacularly to deliver".
"I said to David Cameron he shouldn't make the commitment because it was inevitable he was going to break it because you can't control the net figure."
However, Immigration Minister James Brokenshire said: "As we have said for some time, we have been blown off course by net migration from within the EU, which has more than doubled since 2010.
"That's why we need to continue to crack down on the abuse of EU free movement and continue our reforms to make our welfare system fairer and less open to abuse."
Sunder Katwala, director of the British Future think-tank, said: "The ONS statistics have become a quarterly reminder to the public of why they don't trust politicians on immigration, thanks to the net migration target.
"If the Prime Minister remains in denial about the broken target, he is setting himself up for five more years of failure. It is already clear there is next to no chance of meeting the same target in the next parliament either."
However, Migrants' Rights Network director Don Flynn cautioned: "The latest migration figures reflect Britain's growing economy and should not be used by the political parties as a launch-pad for their negative political campaigns shifting the blame for wider problems on to migrants."
The ONS figures for the year ending September 2014 showed:
:: The number of foreign people coming to live in the UK increased significantly from 530,000 to 624,000 in a year
:: The number people from outside the EU moving to the UK increase by 49,000 to 292,000
:: The number of people from the EU coming to the UK rose by 43,000 to 251,000.
:: 37,000 Romanian and Bulgarians immigrated to the UK in the year ending September 2014 up from 24,000. Only 27,000 came for work.
:: The number of foreign people coming to the UK to study increased from 175,000 to 192,000
Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, said: "UK job growth is likely to be a key factor behind the recent increases."
Written By Unknown on Rabu, 25 Februari 2015 | 18.54
Detectives investigating the disappearance and suspected murder of cook Claudia Lawrence are carrying out fresh searches close to her home in York.
The focus will be the alleyway to the rear of her flat in Heworth Road.
North Yorkshire Police's Major Crime Unit will also be carrying out house-to-house inquiries in the area as well as contacting former residents.
CCTV images of Ms Lawrence recorded just before she went missing
It comes as Miss Lawrence's family prepare to mark her 41st birthday on Friday.
Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, who is leading the investigation, said: "The team are currently working on a lead that may indicate the alleyway at the rear of Claudia's house is significant.
"We still don't know if Claudia left for work on the morning of Thursday 19 March 2009 or whether something happened overnight within her house.
"If the latter is the case the person or persons responsible, in my view, would have used the rear alleyway as the front door leads onto a busy main road. This is why this specific piece of information needs to be fully investigated.
"Officers will be conducting house-to-house enquiries in the vicinity to jog people's memories about any vehicular access to the alleyway and how frequently this was used by neighbours or other pedestrians.
"We are also checking again that no CCTV recording equipment in the neighbourhood has been overlooked."
Det Supt Malyn added: "This remains one of several active enquiries at present that will be developed over the coming weeks and months.
"Together with Claudia's family, we remain absolutely determined to solve this case and bring those responsible for her disappearance and suspected murder to justice."
Miss Lawrence worked in a kitchen at York University and was 35 when she went missing.
She was last seen at around 3pm on 18 March 2009 as she made her way home from her shift and was reported missing by her father two days later.
Last May a 59-year-old local man was arrested on suspicion of killing Miss Lawrence but was later released without charge.
Three British schoolgirls feared to be planning to join Islamic State are now believed by police to have crossed the Turkish border into Syria.
Scotland Yard said counter-terrorism officers leading the investigation "now have reason to believe that they are no longer in Turkey and have crossed into Syria".
A spokesman added: "Officers continue to work closely with the Turkish authorities on this investigation."
The girls were students at Bethnal Green Academy in east London
Shamima Begum, 15, Kadiza Sultana, 16, and 15-year-old Amira Abase, from east London, flew to Istanbul from Gatwick Airport last Tuesday.
The girls' relatives have made emotional pleas for them to come home amid concerns they may have been recruited by jihadists who communicated with them online.
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Gallery: Three Schoolgirls From East London Go Missing
These pictures were taken from Kadiza Sultana (l) and Shamima Begum's (r) Twitter accounts
Kadiza and Shamima are feared to be on their way to Syria with a third girl, 15-year-old Amira Abase
The Speaker of the House of Commons has admitted he is partly responsible for the bad behaviour at Prime Minister's Questions.
In an exclusive interview with Sky News Stand Up Be Counted members, John Bercow MP said: "Do I accept some share of the responsibility for putting it right? I do."
He also gave his views on the "cash for access" scandal telling MPs Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Jack Straw they will "cop it" if it is proven they have broken the rules over claims they offered to trade their influence in return for money.
Four young people challenged the Speaker on how he runs Parliament as part of Sky News' campaign to give a voice to 18-24 year olds.
Chris Robertson, 24, from Lincoln, said he finds MPs' conduct at PMQs "horrible".
He said: "I'm a student union president and if I acted like that around my members I'd have been sacked by now.
"You've been speaking out for six years. Do you not think it should've been curtailed by now? Does it mean that you have failed in your job as leader of the house and Speaker?"
Video:'Rifkind And Straw May Cop It'
Mr Bercow replied: "Do I accept that the unreformed Prime Minister's Questions is a problem? I do. Do I accept some share of responsibility for putting it right? I do.
"Would I accept that it's all down to the Speaker? No I wouldn't. What I can't do, what no Speaker can do is make people behave decently if they don't want to behave decently.
"Members have got to take responsibility for their own conduct in the chamber.
"And I think my point would be to ask members who shout regularly - would you be content for your constituents to see and hear you if you if you were caught on camera?
"And if the answer is they would be content, there is something wrong, and if the answer is that they wouldn't be content then they should change the way they behave."
The Stand Up Be Counted contributors were given rare access to the Speaker in the Palace of Westminster as part of attempts to engage young people in politics.
Video:What They Thought Of Mr Speaker
Less than half of 18-24 year olds voted at the last election, with young women the least likely to vote by some margin.
Eighteen-year-old Ellie James, from Grimsby, challenged the Speaker about the lack of female MPs.
He criticised the main parties for not doing enough, saying: "I think the parties talked the talk and have made some progress but I don't think they anything like as effectively walked the walk, so I would look to the parties to do more there."
He also revealed that he seeks to make sure women are called to speak in the Chamber, adding: "I don't like calling lots of men in a row. I always have in mind what female colleagues I have called today. And if I may say so, and this isn't meant in a patronising sense at all, but the simple fact is women on the whole are better behaved in parliament than the men.
"They're just as tough, they're just as capable, they can withstand parliamentary life just as much as men can. They don't sit there like shrinking violets but on the whole they're better behaved and don't shout as much as men do."
Jaspreet Kaur, 18, from Birmingham, told Mr Bercow that when she looks at Parliament, all she sees is "grandeur and confusion" and that it can be difficult to understand.
The Red Arrows aerobatic team has revealed the first livery change in its history, after unveiling a newly redesigned tail fin.
Sky News was given exclusive access to film the team's nine pilots at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire as they headed into the skies with their new-look Hawk T1s, featuring elements from the Union Flag.
It replaces a one-off tailfin design brought in for 2014 to mark the Red Arrows' 50th display year.
Squadron Leader David Montenegro, known as Red 1, said: "This year we have put a new tailfin on which really signifies the next 50 years of the team, continuing to represent all of the RAF personnel that protect and defend the United Kingdom."
As the new team leader, it is his job to choreograph the display that will be performed around 80 times between May and September.
"It is a huge task but we do it by a building-block approach.
"Really for me it's visualising how I want the display to be for 2015, putting it on paper and the great bit about doing the job is taking it off the paper and putting it in the air over a five-to-six-month process."
Video:Red Arrows Take My Breath Away
The Red Arrows fly as many as five training sorties a day to get the display absolutely precise and every flight ends with a thorough debrief.
There may only be nine pilots but the whole team, including engineers and essential support staff, totals 120.
Corporal Drew Paxton is one of the so-called circus engineers, selected to travel to displays in the seat directly behind the pilot and carry out vital last-minute checks.
"It's a massive privilege and huge honour to be picked to be a circus engineer as not many people in the Air Force get to do it," he said.
Video:Could You Fly The Hawk T1?
"There are about 80 or 90 engineers ... and if we didn't have them, they are the lifeblood of the squadron, and this squadron simply would not work."
Everything must be checked meticulously, including the potentially life-saving kit worn by the pilots - such as their "anti-G trousers".
Flight Lieutenant Tom Bould, who flies as Red 5, said. "The G-trousers ... once I start pulling G ... will start to inflate.
"When they inflate, my muscles have to tense against them and when they tense against it the blood doesn't pool in my legs.
Video:A Pilot's Inflatable G Trousers
"It will stay in my torso and that will make it easier to keep the blood pumping to my head because I now have a supply to it from my torso."
But the danger always remains, as was shown in 2011 when flight lieutenants Jon Egging and Sean Cunningham died in separate incidents.
So far, two of the nine planes have received their new tailfin design. The rest will be completed by mid-to-late March, when the Red Arrows head overseas for their spring training.
Written By Unknown on Senin, 23 Februari 2015 | 18.54
Rolf Harris Stripped Of Honours In Australia
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The 84-year-old was convicted of a string of indecent assaults last year
Disgraced veteran entertainer Rolf Harris has been stripped of his honours in his native Australia.
Harris was jailed for more than five years last year after being convicted of a string of indecent assaults, including one on an eight-year-old.
Another of his young victims was the best friend of his daughter Bindi,
The shamed 84-year-old artist and musician has now lost his Officer and Member of the Order of Australia honours.
A statement from the secretary of the order of Australia said: "It is notified for general information that the Governor-General has terminated the appointments of Officer and Member of the Order of Australia in the General Division, made to: Mr Rolf Harris".
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Gallery: Rolf Harris' Career In Pictures
Rolf Harris was born on March 30, 1930, and grew up in Perth, Western Australia. As a boy, he became interested in art and his talent was recognised at primary school.
Harris had his first solo art exhibition in Perth at the age of 16. He spent two years at university but left to begin a course at teacher training college.
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He was a talented swimmer when he was a teenager but while he was at teacher training college, he contracted a virus that paralysed him for several months.
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In 1952, aged 21, he left Australia to study art in London. He started at art school in 1953 but left after two years to work with the artist Hayward Veal.
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During the 1950s, he worked for the BBC on children's programmes. In 1958, he married Alwen Hughes and worked on a TV show in Perth for a year.
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There have also been calls for Harris to lose his CBE in Britain.
Honours given by Buckingham Palace can be revoked when the person is judged to have brought the system into disrepute.
The Honours and Appointments Secretariat can recommend to the forfeiture committee to remove an honour if a person has been found guilty of a crime.
The decision to strip an individual of an honour must be approved by the Queen.
During sentencing last year, Mr Justice Sweeney told Harris: "Your reputation lies in ruins. You have been stripped of your honours and you have no one to blame but yourself.
Video:Co-Author: Two Sides To Rolf Harris
"You took advantage of the trust placed in you because of your celebrity status to commit the offences."
Harris' BAFTA fellowship was removed following his conviction, while he was also stripped of an honorary degree from the University of East London.
During his seven-week trial, prosecutor Sasha Wass described Harris as a ''sinister pervert''.
She claimed he had a ''dark side'' and was a ''Jekyll and Hyde character''.
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Rolf Harris Stripped Of Honours In Australia
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The 84-year-old was convicted of a string of indecent assaults last year
Disgraced veteran entertainer Rolf Harris has been stripped of his honours in his native Australia.
Harris was jailed for more than five years last year after being convicted of a string of indecent assaults, including one on an eight-year-old.
Another of his young victims was the best friend of his daughter Bindi,
The shamed 84-year-old artist and musician has now lost his Officer and Member of the Order of Australia honours.
A statement from the secretary of the order of Australia said: "It is notified for general information that the Governor-General has terminated the appointments of Officer and Member of the Order of Australia in the General Division, made to: Mr Rolf Harris".
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Gallery: Rolf Harris' Career In Pictures
Rolf Harris was born on March 30, 1930, and grew up in Perth, Western Australia. As a boy, he became interested in art and his talent was recognised at primary school.
Harris had his first solo art exhibition in Perth at the age of 16. He spent two years at university but left to begin a course at teacher training college.
]]>
He was a talented swimmer when he was a teenager but while he was at teacher training college, he contracted a virus that paralysed him for several months.
]]>
In 1952, aged 21, he left Australia to study art in London. He started at art school in 1953 but left after two years to work with the artist Hayward Veal.
]]>
During the 1950s, he worked for the BBC on children's programmes. In 1958, he married Alwen Hughes and worked on a TV show in Perth for a year.
]]>
There have also been calls for Harris to lose his CBE in Britain.
Honours given by Buckingham Palace can be revoked when the person is judged to have brought the system into disrepute.
The Honours and Appointments Secretariat can recommend to the forfeiture committee to remove an honour if a person has been found guilty of a crime.
The decision to strip an individual of an honour must be approved by the Queen.
During sentencing last year, Mr Justice Sweeney told Harris: "Your reputation lies in ruins. You have been stripped of your honours and you have no one to blame but yourself.
Video:Co-Author: Two Sides To Rolf Harris
"You took advantage of the trust placed in you because of your celebrity status to commit the offences."
Harris' BAFTA fellowship was removed following his conviction, while he was also stripped of an honorary degree from the University of East London.
During his seven-week trial, prosecutor Sasha Wass described Harris as a ''sinister pervert''.
She claimed he had a ''dark side'' and was a ''Jekyll and Hyde character''.
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Breaking News: 'Cash For Access' Claims: MPs Hit Back
HSBC, the global bank currently at the centre of a tax scandal, has blamed a 17% fall in annual profits on the cost of past mistakes.
The London-listed group said reported profit before tax fell to $18.68bn (£12.14bn) in 2014 and it reflected "lower business disposal and reclassification gains and the negative effect, on both revenue and costs, of significant items including fines, settlements, UK customer redress and associated provisions".
The explanation reflected the continued cost on the industry of a number of scandals, including the mis-selling of payment protection insurance (PPI).
HSBC's share price fell more than 5% in the wake of the results as profits fell short of expectations.
Dividend and return-on-equity targets were also unexpectedly cut.
The earnings report was announced just hours after HSBC's chief executive Stuart Gulliver, who has vowed to reform the bank in the wake of allegations of complicity in tax evasion at its Swiss arm, was dragged into a tax row himself.
Mr Gulliver, who denies any wrong-doing in connection with his own Swiss-based account, said he was "disappointed" in the group's performance last year.
"2014 was a challenging year in which we continued to work hard to improve business performance while managing the impact of a higher operating cost base.
"Profits disappointed, although a tough fourth quarter masked some of the progress made over the preceding three quarters.
"Many of the challenging aspects of the fourth-quarter results were common to the industry as a whole."
Banks have not only been negotiating the effects of record-low interest rates but also uncertainty over the global economy.
In relation to the Swiss tax scandal, HSBC chairman Douglas Flint said the bank needed to reinforce controls and demonstrate their effectiveness.
He added: "We deeply regret and apologise for the conduct and compliance failures highlighted, which were in contravention of our own policies as well as expectations of us."
The bank was also the subject of a £216m fine from the Financial Conduct Authority relating to HSBC's failure to prevent the rigging of foreign exchange operations.
Mr Gulliver's total pay package for 2014 was £7.6m though his bonus of £1.3m was weaker and reflected the foreign exchange failures.
Stuart Gulliver, HSBC's chief executive, reportedly kept millions of his own money sheltered in the bank's private Swiss offshoot.
The Guardian says Mr Gulliver - who announced the bank's full-year results this morning - kept $7.6m (£4.93m) via an account held by a Panamanian company.
Leaked files reportedly show that in 2007 he was the beneficial owner of an account held by Worcester Equities Inc though Mr Gulliver has insisted it was created for privacy reasons only and no tax was dodged in any jurisdiction.
It comes amid the ongoing scandal over claims HSBC's Swiss private banking arm helped wealthy clients evade and avoid tax, and provided services to criminals including arms dealers.
The Derby-born banking chief spoke today of the "shame" felt by staff, having apologised for the behaviour of the Swiss division in national newspaper advertisements last week.
Mr Gulliver insisted the private bank had been "completely overhauled" since 2007, when whistleblower Herve Falciani opened the door to the scandal, stealing company data and passing it to French authorities.
Swiss prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into allegations of money laundering after raiding the bank's offices in Geneva.
The 55-year-old - believed to have raked in a £7.4m reward package last year - is legally domiciled in Hong Kong after working there for many years, despite now working in the UK.
Video:Timeline Of Whistleblower's Claims
Representatives for the banking boss told the Guardian he had paid his bonus payments into HSBC Suisse until 2003.
They said Hong Kong tax had been paid and that Mr Gulliver had also told the UK taxman about the account a "number of years" ago.
HSBC added: "Full UK tax has been paid on the entirety of his worldwide earnings less a credit for tax paid additionally in Hong Kong.
Video:HSBC Whistleblower Speaks Out
"The Swiss account was set up in 1998 in the name of a Panamanian company for reasons of confidentiality and this had no other purpose and provided no tax or other advantage.
MPs are set to grill HMRC tax officials on Wednesday over accusations they failed to act properly on the leaked files and potential evidence of tax evasion by more than 3,000 Britons.
The UK is braced for blizzard conditions that could cause travel disruption until well into Tuesday.
There will be no sign of spring in northern parts of the UK, where winds of up to 60mph and fresh accumulations of snow are predicted.
Parts of Scotland can expect up to 20 centimetres (eight inches) of the white stuff.
Sky News Weather Producer Rebecca Yussuf said: "There will be gusts of 50-60mph around the coasts and hills in the North and West.
Winds of up to 60mph are expected in some northern areas
"Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England will see fresh accumulations of snow, especially over the higher ground.
"The Scottish Highlands can expect significant accumulations of 10 to 20 centimetres (four to eight inches) overnight.
"There is a risk of travel disruption, with icy stretches on untreated surfaces, and the strong winds will also create blizzard-like conditions over the hills."
The Met Office has issued a yellow "be aware" warning for Northern Ireland, Scotland and northwest England that lasts until 3pm on Tuesday.
A man died after being swept into the sea by strong winds in Scarborough
The forecast follows a weekend of high tides as the 18.6-year tidal cycle reached its peak.
In Scarborough, a man walking his dog with a friend died after being swept into the sea by gale-force winds on Sunday night.
There remains a risk of coastal flooding during Monday, with 16 flood warnings in place covering Wales, the Midlands, the North West and South West.
Another 68 flood alerts are active, including 24 in the South West.
"Strong onshore winds will bring the risk of higher tide levels at high water," Yussuf said.
There will be fresh accumulations of snow in northern parts of the UK
"There is a continued risk of coastal flooding at high tide on Monday."
The latest bout of wintry weather is being caused by a deep area of low pressure moving to the northwest of Scotland on Monday.
The forecast for the rest of the week remains "unsettled, wet and windy thanks to a succession of low pressure systems", said Yussuf.
Written By Unknown on Minggu, 22 Februari 2015 | 18.54
"Super tides", 50mph winds and large waves are threatening to combine to bring flooding misery for coastal communities in England.
The biggest flood risk is in the South West, with four "immediate action required" warnings issued by the Environment Agency (EA), mainly for the Somerset coast; and three for the North West.
Two warnings are also in place around the Wye Estuary in the Midlands. There are also dozens of lower-level amber flood alerts - meaning flooding is possible.
Most of the serious warnings are in England's South West (Pic: EA)
"It's possible we could see some large waves and spray and urge people to take care near coastal paths and promenades and not to drive through flood water," said the EA's flood risk manager Jonathan Day.
The spring "super tides" occur regularly when the gravitational pull of the sun and moon combine.
But the pull of the planets is also at an 18-year peak, making the tides slightly bigger this year, according to the EA.
The South East saw a dusting of snow on Saturday
Surfers on the River Severn made the best of the tidal boost, riding the incoming bore wave on Saturday morning.
Crowds gathered on the banks to watch the phenomenon, which at its peak can reach 13mph and three metres in height.
Saturday's wave was one of several large surges expected in February and March.
Meanwhile, heavy snow is also set to add to a turbulent mix of weekend weather, causing travel problems in Pennine areas and the Highlands.
A woman on a paddle board prepares for the Severn bore surge
Parts of England's South East have already had snow this weekend, with rural areas of East Sussex, Surrey and Kent seeing some picture postcard scenes.
The Met Office said freezing temperatures on Saturday night would see more wintry showers sweeping in in the morning.
"The whole of the country will experience strong winds and severe gales over the course of [Sunday], meaning it will be a wet and windy day for many - and a snowy and windy day for northern parts," said Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge.
A gang of men, believed to be Chelsea fans, are being hunted by police after being heard shouting racist chants at St Pancras station.
The men were returning from Paris by train on Wednesday, the day after the club played Paris St Germain in the French capital.
The incident happened at the central London station at around 8pm, and was reported by a member of the public who was "disgusted" by their behaviour, the British Transport Police (BTP) said.
It comes after police released images of three men - believed to be Chelsea fans - who they want to speak to in connection with a separate incident on the Paris Metro on Tuesday.
The three men police want to speak to
A group of fans were captured on video stopping a black man boarding a train and chanting: "We're racist, we're racist, and that's the way we like it."
Speaking about the incident at St Pancras station, Superintendent Gill Murray of the BTP said: "The men shouted as they walked through the station having alighted from the train a short time earlier.
Video:Victim: Metro Incident Was Racist
"If you travelled on the train from Paris or were at the station and have information which can assist our investigation I would urge you to get in touch as a matter of urgency."
The club has suspended five people from Stamford Bridge, the club's stadium, while it investigates the incident on the Paris Metro.
Chelsea said it had received "substantial information" following an appeal for witnesses.
The club has reiterated its vow to ban for life anyone proved to have been involved, and is helping police in the UK and France.
Video:'We Don't Want Them At Our Club'
Manager Jose Mourinho has said the club is "ashamed" of the supporters, and said he would welcome the victim - Souleymane Sylla - to a future home game.
But Paris-born Mr Sylla, who believes the fans who abused him should be jailed, has rejected the invitation.
"I appreciate Mr Mourinho's invitation, but I can't get my head around being in a stadium at the moment," he said.
In a coincidence, Chelsea's home match against Burnley on Saturday is the club's designated annual "Game for Equality".
Video:'It Was Raised By A Concerned Fan'
Before kick-off, fans of the London side unfurled a banner that read: "Black or white we're all blue."
The matchday programme also denounced the Paris abuse over several pages, including in a column by captain John Terry.
Terry was banned for four matches in 2012 after being found guilty of racially abusing then Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand.
He wrote: "This club stands against all forms of discrimination.
Video:Chelsea Manager 'Ashamed'
"Football is a sport for everyone, that is one of the main reasons why we love it."
Club chairman Bruce Buck wrote: "We are all appalled at what we saw and the club would like to apologise unreservedly to Mr Souleymane S for the behaviour of a group of individuals and their unforgivable actions towards him.
He added: "The people involved in that incident in Paris do not represent Chelsea Football Club, they do not stand for the values of this club and they have no place at this club.
"This has been echoed loud and clear by the vast majority of Chelsea supporters."
Lord Prescott's return to Labour's frontline is more about bringing in a big name to appeal to the "Lidl People" than it is about climate change.
The Labour veteran may have been a prime mover on Kyoto but he also earned the sobriquet "Two Jags" and was once pilloried for using an official car to make the 230m-journey from his hotel to the party conference.
No, his return is more about his voter appeal - especially to the traditional working class people in the northern constituencies being targeted by UKIP.
And about bolstering his shadow cabinet.
When it comes to the election campaign trail, Lord Prescott is to Ed Miliband what Boris Johnson is to David Cameron: a "star player" and the perfect Labour antidote to Nigel Farage.
All three – Prescott, Farage and Johnson – manage to weather media storms with barely a dent to their popularity.
With Lord Prescott's return, here's a look at some other talents Mr Miliband might look to employ.
DEPUTY LEADER: Alan Johnson.
The former Home Secretary's name has continued to pop up as a possible future leader should Ed Miliband fall on his sword. So why not keep your enemies close? Or at least make the transition simple.
SHADOW FOREIGN SECRETARY: David Miliband.
A role he would comfortably fit in to, having served from 2007-10. He would likely enjoy a good working relationship with Hillary Clinton, widely tipped as the 45th US President, who once revealed she had a crush on him. It could add an extra dimension to the "special relationship".
SHADOW CHANCELLOR: Alistair Darling.
Having also served in the role, he emerged from the global financial crash and leadership of the Scottish referendum No campaign with his credentials intact. With relations between the two Eds currently at the top said to be strained – a pair of safe Labour hands maybe precisely what the party needs.
SHADOW HOME SECRETARY: Tony Blair.
The man who said he would be "tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime". He may even been able to re-introduce his policy of marching petty criminals to cash points.
SHADOW JUSTICE SECRETARY: Cherie Blair.
The former first lady of British politics, has been Queen Counsel since 1995 and a leading specialist in human rights law. She would also become Britain's first ever female Lord Chancellor.
SHADOW BUSINESS SECRETARY: Lord Mandelson.
The master of the dark arts and Labour's ultimate comeback kid, who once said he was "intensely relaxed about people getting filthy rich". He could help repair the sour relations between many businesses and Labour, over a glass of champagne and canopy on the yacht of a Russian oligarch of course.
SHADOW EDUCATION SECRETARY: Tony Robinson
Baldrick always had a "cunning plan" and undoubtedly this actor, historian and author would enthuse our children - digging deep into the past.
OPPOSITION CHIEF WHIP: Alex Ferguson
The former Manchester United manager and Labour supporter, could take his "hair dryer treatment" to Parliament, keeping rebellious backbenchers in line and tempting rivals with some great transfer deals.
SHADOW DEFENCE SECRETARY: Clare Short.
She resigned over Labour's Iraq War and is strongly against renewing trident but Clare Short could at least prove useful in managing relations with the SNP in any coalition.
SHADOW CULTURE SECRETARY: Alastair Campbell.
Blair's former spin doctor, is a former newspaper political editor and a big Burnley fan. His deft communication and strategising skills which could prove useful in helping to improve Ed Miliband's photo opportunities and stop him eating bacon sandwiches.
John Prescott is to return to frontline politics ahead of the General Election after Ed Miliband appointed him a climate change adviser.
The former deputy prime minister will be working with heads of state and foreign governments to "raise their ambition", according to the Labour leader.
He wants Lord Prescott to work on an agreement in the run-up to a crucial United Nations summit in Paris at the end of the year.
Mr Miliband said he was inspired to appoint the life peer because of his experience in getting an agreement at the landmark Kyoto Protocol in 1997.
Lord Prescott became known during the premiership of Tony Blair for his pugnacious style and is considered a formidable negotiator.
Video:2001: Prescott Punches Protester
Writing in The Observer, Mr Miliband said: "His abilities and experience... must be used at this critical time for our future and there is no one better than John at bashing heads together to get a deal."
In his column in The Sunday Mirror, Lord Prescott said he will continue to work with politicians from around the world.
He said: "For the last two years, I've spent my time trying to get agreement from elected parliamentarians around the world.
"From Mexico, to India and Europe, politicians have agreed it could be a way forward. But now we need to get the world leaders involved."
He said he was prepared to work with the current coalition Government in order to try to get a deal in Paris.
Mr Miliband said that following last year's floods climate change had become an issue of national security for Britain.
It would be a "disaster" if the summit failed to achieve a meaningful agreement, he added.
Video:Labour Welcomes Prescott
"There is a real danger that this great chance to achieve action is going to slip by, without the world even noticing."
"I do not want to see Britain or any country having to adopt crisis measures to halt the slide into global catastrophe because we missed this critical opportunity now," he said.
Mr Miliband said he would use the talks to push for ambitious carbon emissions targets for all countries.
Shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander told Sky's Murnaghan programme: "The truth is John has for many years been one of our strongest campaigners and I think whether it's his work on social media or whether it's his work motivating supporters over many years, he's done a fantastic job.
"The role and brief that John has been given right now is to focus on climate change, but I fully expect that as well as that policy role he'll continue to support the Labour campaign in the months ahead and I certainly welcome that."
Former Labour director of communications Alastair Campbell also welcomed the move, saying on the BBC's Andrew Marr show that Lord Prescott was "absolutely brilliant" when the Kyoto protocol on climate change was being negotiated when the party was in power.
