Prince Andrew Asked To Respond Under Oath

Greek Poll: PM Warns Of Election 'Catastrophe'

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 24 Januari 2015 | 16.08

By Robert Nisbet, Europe Correspondent

The Greek prime minister has urged voters not to take the country to the "brink of catastrophe" in this weekend's general election.

Antonis Samaras told the final campaign rally of his centre-right New Democracy party that he had little choice to enforce austerity because the "ship was sinking".

Starting in 2010, Greece agreed to make drastic cuts to public spending and increase taxes in order to unlock two successive bailouts, totalling €240bn (£179bn).

As the Greek electorate enters a "day of reflection" to consider the wide array of parties on offer, the front-runner, the radical left group called Syriza, has extended its lead in the polls.

Forty-year-old leader Alexis Tsipras has said he wants to end the tough bailout conditions, which he argues have locked the country into a straitjacket of debt, unemployment and stagnation.

His opponents counter by saying the policies have spurred the country to a primary budget surplus and a slow return to growth.

It's still difficult convincing many Greeks though, as youth unemployment is running at almost 60%, with general unemployment over 27%.

The election has wide-ranging implications for the rest of the Eurozone.

If Mr Tsipras is able to win a simple majority he will be able to take a much stronger stand with Greece's creditors.

That would be tempered if he had to govern in a coalition with more centrist, pro-European parties.

He has said he wants to stay within the Euro, but his critics warn that if he's too tough in his negotiation, the so-called troika of the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the European Union may withdraw their support.

That could lead to a debt default and a so-called "Grexit", or departure from the single currency.

Syriza's hand will be determined by the dynamics of the electoral system.

The 300 seats in the Greek parliament are handed out according to proportional representation, with the most popular party securing a 50 seat bonus.

To enter the chamber, parties have to achieve a 3% share of the total vote. Polls suggest seven parties may achieve that on Sunday.

The more support that goes to the smaller parties the more Syriza's chance of an overall majority are diminished.

That's an outcome which will be watched with interest across Europe and by those with their hands on the levers of the world's economy.

16.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

PM To Pay Tribute To Saudi King Amid Flag Row

Prime Minister David Cameron and The Prince of Wales, representing the Queen, are flying to Saudi Arabia today following the death of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz.

They will join a host of international dignitaries in Riyadh to pay their respects to the Saudi royal family.

King Abdullah, 90, died on Thursday evening after almost two decades leading the world's biggest oil exporter.

Both Mr Cameron and the Queen said they were "saddened" by his death.

Their decision to fly to Saudi comes amid sharp criticism over a decision to lower flags at Whitehall and across England a mark of respect for the late monarch.

Downing Street and Whitehall buildings, including Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, were instructed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on Friday to lower the Union Flag for 12 hours in tribute.

But some politicians and human rights campaigners have slammed the tributes to Abdullah who presided over a country where a woman was recently beheaded in public, a blogger was sentenced to receive 1,000 lashes for 'insulting Islam' and where women have been banned from driving.

Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, dismissed the flag tribute as "a steaming pile of nonsense", adding that it was "a stupid act on its own and a stupid precedent to set".

Former Conservative MP for Corby, Louise Mensch, took to twitter to vent her anger: "It is so unacceptable to offer deep condolences for a man who flogged women, didn't let them drive, saw guardian laws passed and starves them."

She even tweeted "F*** YOU" in reply to a tweet from the British Embassy in Riyadh which quoted the Prime Minister's sorrow at the king's death.

The head of Amnesty International implored the world not to forget the country's human rights abuses amidst the tributes to the dead king.

Salil Shetty said: "The Saudi regime seems insensitive to human rights and human dignity and unfortunately they are also protected by many Western countries because they have oil and because they are seen as allies in the fight against terrorism."

But Westminster Abbey argued refusing to lower its flag would not have helped the "desperately oppressed Christian communities of the Middle East".

"For us not to fly at half-mast would be to make a noticeably aggressive comment on the death of the king of a country to which the UK is allied in the fight against Islamic terrorism," a spokesman said.

A spokesman for UKIP leader Nigel Farage said lowering the flags showed "respect for an ally in the war against terror" and that the issue of human rights should be taken up with the new king.

But one of his MPs, Douglas Carswell, disagreed, saying officials had seriously blundered and showed "immoral" values far from those of the British public.

Referencing the civil service mandarin from television series Yes Minister, he said: "Sir Humphrey's values need to be aligned more closely to people in this country rather than being quite so immoral.

"Saudi Arabia is a country that doesn't let women drive and publicly executes people."

Archbishop of Canterbury The Most Rev Justin Welby told Sky News: 'Freedom of religion is essential and freedom to express Christian faith in Saudi Arabia is something that should happen.

"A few weeks ago there was a group of migrant workers arrested for holding a private service in a flat. That's not right.

"But I know that King Abdullah himself - it's a complicated place Saudi Arabia, like all countries - King Abdullah himself is someone who has worked very very hard on these issues and has contributed much and I think it's right that the prime minister should send condolences and should recognise what he's done over the years."

King Abdullah had run the country as de facto leader since the mid-1990s after his predecessor King Fahd suffered a debilitating stroke.

He was admitted to hospital on 31 December suffering pneumonia and the royal court announced that he was breathing with the aid of a tube.

He has been succeeded by his 79-year-old half-brother, Salman.

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Teenager Murdered In Pub Machete Attack

A murder investigation has begun after a 19-year-old man was killed in a machete attack outside a pub in Gloucester.

He was attacked near the Pike and Musket pub at about 12.40am on Saturday morning, and police are appealing for witnesses.

A 22-year-old man was left with serious injuries after the attack, and investigators believe the weapon used was a machete.

The victim is now in a stable condition following surgery at the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

A third man, aged 18, sustained minor injuries in the fight, which unfolded on Windsor Drive in Tuffley.

"We would like to speak to anyone who witnessed what happened in the pub's car park or was in the area around the time of the incident and may have seen something which may help with inquiries," a police statement added.

More follows...

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Prince Andrew Asked To Respond Under Oath

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 22 Januari 2015 | 16.08

Prince Andrew Asked To Respond Under Oath

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Prince Andrew has been formally asked to respond to allegations by a woman who claims she was made to have under-age sex with him.

A letter addressed to the Prince at Buckingham Palace has been filed by lawyers acting on behalf of Virginia Roberts.

The document, filed on Wednesday in a Florida court, asks him to take part in a two-hour interview under oath.

Ms Roberts, who is referred to in court as Jane Doe No 3, claims when she was 17 she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew by his friend Jeffrey Epstein - a financier and now convicted sex offender.

The Duke, who is not a party to the proceedings, strenuously denies the claims.

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Gallery: Profile Of Prince Andrew

Born on 19 February 1960 at Buckingham Palace, Prince Andrew is the second son and the third child of the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh

The Prince served in the Royal Navy for 22 years as a helicopter pilot - he took part in the Falklands campaign

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He married Sarah Ferguson in 1986 in a wedding that captured the public's imagination

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But the couple separated in 1993 and divorced in 1996

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The Prince holds several posts in the British Army, Navy, Air Force and Commonwealth forces

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The letter, dated 14 January, said: "This letter is a formal request ... to interview you, under oath, regarding interactions that you had with Jane Doe No 3 beginning in approximately early 2001. Jane Doe No 3 was then 17 years old.

"The interview could be conducted at a time and place of your choosing, and with your co-operation, I believe the interview could be completed in two hours or less."

The Prince is expected to publicly deny the allegations when he hosts an event at the World Economic Forum in Davos later.

He is due to speak at around 5.30pm, with coverage on Sky News.

A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said: "We would not comment on speculation about what the Duke might say."

It is the first time Ms Roberts has spelt out in her own words what she claims happened.

Sky's US Correspondent Dominic Waghorn said: "She says at one point: 'I knew he was a member of the Royal family but I just called him Andy.'

"I think that's what's new about this - these are claims she is making in detail about Prince Andrew."

Buckingham Palace has issued a number of denials over the woman's claims.

An earlier statement insisted "any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors" was "categorically untrue".

And following the latest development a spokesman told Sky News they had nothing to add.

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Written By Unknown on Rabu, 21 Januari 2015 | 16.08

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

A secret Government file has been unearthed that documents "unnatural" sexual behaviour taking place when the Westminster paedophile scandal was at its height.

It has been kept under lock and key for 35 years on grounds of national security - but will now be released to the child abuse inquiry established by the Government.

Security and intelligence expert Dr Chris Murphy stumbled across it last November while searching documents at the National Archives in Kew.

He was immediately alerted by the title: "PREM19/588 - SECURITY. Allegations against former public [word missing] of unnatural sexual proclivities; security aspects 1980 Oct 27 - 1981 Mar 20."

"I was looking through the 'PREM' Prime Minister file series for the 1980s," the University of Salford lecturer told Sky News.

"I think I did a double-take and then started wondering what the potential implications of the title, which is a little vague, could be."

It is highly likely then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher saw the documents, and was briefed on the security implications, but the identities of those within them remain secret.

Dr Murphy added: "The fact that this file is concerning the Prime Minister and these allegations are being taken to the Prime Minister I think would strike anybody of being potentially of some interest."

Sky News highlighted the existence of the file to the Cabinet Office earlier this month.

A spokesperson for the department said: "In this case, the file was kept closed and retained as it contained information from the security services and advice from the Law Officers.

"These classifications are reviewed periodically."

The department would not reveal whether David Cameron or Home Secretary Theresa May were aware of the contents, but promised it would be made accessible to the child sex abuse inquiry.

"We are clear that any files that are pertinent to the historical child sex abuse inquiry will be made available to the panel," the spokesperson added.

Mrs Thatcher's former press secretary, Sir Bernard Ingham, told Sky News he could not recall the file.

He did though confirm that both he and Mrs Thatcher were aware of allegations against a Government minister in the early 1980s.

Sir Bernard would not name the individual, but said: "I asked him about it and he denied it, so no, I didn't do anything else. What was the alternative?"

In July last year, the Prime Minister promised the survivors of sexual abuse that "no stone would be left unturned" in the pursuit of the truth.

Officials at the Cabinet Office have previously attempted to block requests for information relating to Cyril Smith, the late Liberal politician who is now known to have abused youngsters.

Simon Danczuk MP, who exposed the extent of Smith's offending, told Sky News the "sexual proclivities" file had to be released.

"I think it is right and proper that the Government now open up this document, let us know what is in there," he said.

"I think there is a culture within Government departments of not releasing information and that has caused some of the problems we now have in getting to the bottom of who was involved in this paedophile network and who was involved in covering it up."

The abuse inquiry was announced in July but currently has no chairman, after first Lady Butler-Sloss and then Fiona Woolf were appointed and then stepped down following concerns over their links to the political establishment.

It is still yet to appoint someone to lead it amid growing calls for action from survivors and campaign groups.

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Iraq War Report Delayed Until After Election

The Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war will not be published until after the General Election, it has emerged.

Its chairman, Sir John Chilcot, will explain the reasons for the further delay in an exchange of letters with Prime Minister David Cameron on Wednesday, according to Government sources.

The inquiry was set up by the Labour government six years ago and heard from its final witnesses in February 2011.

Mr Cameron is understood to have written to Sir John saying that he would have liked to have seen the report released before the election, but accepted that publication was a matter for the inquiry.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg says the public will find the latest delay "incomprehensible".

In a letter to Sir John, Mr Clegg wrote: "Neither administrative processes nor a constant back and forth between the inquiry and witnesses criticised should frustrate an independent report so important to the country's future from being published as soon as possible .

"If the findings are not published with a sense of immediacy, there is a real danger the public will assume the report is being 'sexed down' by individuals rebutting criticisms put to them by the inquiry, whether that is the case or not.

"The inquiry into Iraq will both resolve the issues of the past, and set the tone for future British foreign policy. We cannot wait any longer for these lessons to be learned."

The latest news of a delay comes as MPs prepare to stage a Commons debate next week on the matter.

Former Attorney General and Conservative MP Dominic Grieve said the public deserved reasons for the "extraordinary delay".

He told Sky News: "It's absolutely imperative we should have an explanation as to what is going on. I think a chronology setting out what's happened... is essential."

Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker told Sky the delay was "not acceptable to the British people" and that the public should have had the findings before the election.

"These were major events in 2002/2003, when government in its normal way was abandoned... when we had Alastair Campbell writing dodgy dossiers - or at least editing them - and when we had weapons of mass destruction lauded around which didn't turn out to exist."

Publication has been delayed by disagreement over the release of confidential messages between Tony Blair and former US president George Bush.

The so-called "Maxwellisation" process, by which people who are criticised in the report are given the chance to respond, has also contributed to the hold-up.

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Gallery: Protests At Tony Blair's Chilcot Appearances In 2010 And 2011

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Paris Supermarket Siege: Four Men Charged

Four men have been charged with providing support to the gunman who killed four people at a kosher supermarket in Paris.

Three of them bought "equipment" for Ahmed Coulibaly, who shot dead a policewoman on the outskirts of the French capital before taking hostages at the store a day later, prosecutor Francois Molins said.

At least one of the suspects had met Coulibaly in prison, he added.

The four people have been jailed while further investigations are carried out.

Mr Moulins said police were investigating who was responsible a video if Coulibaly, which was edited and released on the internet several days after he and the two brothers who attacked the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo were shot dead by officers.

In the video, Coulibaly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, which has seized control of large areas of Syria and Iraq.

He also claimed the attacks were co-ordinated with Said and Cherif Kouachi.

More follows...

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Gallery: Paris Hero Gets French Citizenship

The Malian who helped hostages at a Jewish supermarket to hide during the terror attacks in Paris has been granted French citizenship. Lassana Bathily (C) was praised for his "courage" and "heroism" during a ceremony in Paris

French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve, pictured, said Mr Bathily's "act of humanity has become a symbol of an Islam of peace and tolerance"

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IS Demands $200m Ransom For Japan Hostages

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 20 Januari 2015 | 16.08

Islamic State has issued a video threatening to kill two Japanese hostages unless a $200m (£133m) ransom is paid within 72 hours.

In the video, a black-clad militant brandishing a knife addresses the camera in English as he stands between two hostages wearing orange jumpsuits.

"You now have 72 hours to pressure your government into making a wise decision by paying the $200m to save the lives of your citizens," he says.

The footage, identified as being made by the militant group's al Furqan media arm and posted on militant websites, also sees the militant criticising the Japanese government's support for US-led airstrikes against IS.

But the Japanese government has said it will not bow to extremism.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference in Tokyo: "If true, the act of threat in exchange of people's lives is unforgivable and we feel strong indignation.

"We will make our utmost effort to win their release as soon as possible."

The militant who appears in the video appears to be the same one involved in the beheadings of other captives by IS.

Speaking in a British accent, he says: "To the prime minister of Japan: Although you are more than 8,000 and 500 kilometres (5,280 miles) from the Islamic State, you willingly have volunteered to take part in this crusade.

"You have proudly donated $100m to kill our women and children, to destroy the homes of the Muslims."

The two hostages are identified as Kenji Goto Jogo and Haruna Yukawa.

In August, a Japanese citizen believed to be Mr Yukawa - a private military company operator - was kidnapped in Syria.

Mr Goto is a freelance journalist who went to report on Syria's civil war last year.

IS has seized swathes of territory across Iraq and Syria to form an Islamic Caliphate.

Videos featuring a British-accented jihadi were published showing the murders of US hostages James Foley and Steven Sotloff and British hostages David Haines and Alan Henning.

The Foreign Office said it was investigating the video and reports the militant is British.

"We are aware of the video and we are studying the content," a spokeswoman said.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is currently on a six-day visit to the Middle East.

Last week, Shinzo Abe pledged around $200m in non-military assistance for countries battling IS.

Japan's foreign ministry said it was checking the video, but if it was genuine "such a threat by taking hostages is unacceptable and we are extremely resentful".

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Horror Of Guantanamo Revealed In Inmate Diary

By Adam Boulton, Sky News Editor At Large

A diary written by a Guantanamo Bay prisoner has been published, revealing the mistreatment inflicted on inmates at the high-security jail.

It is remarkable that Mohamedou Ould Slahi managed to write his memoirs at all – and even more remarkable that the world is getting to read of his experiences.

Everything written by "gitmo" inmates is impounded as an official secret by the US Government.

The litany of mistreatment and "torture" Mr Slahi experienced at the hands of American authorities is both shocking and appalling, as you can see from this extract.

Most remarkable of all is how Mr Slahi is still in prison in Guantanamo, illegally and without charge, after 13 years in US custody – 12 of them within the detention camp.

He was born in Mauritania, West Africa, 35 years ago. At the age of 18, he won a scholarship to study electrical engineering in Germany.

As a young man, he spent a year or so in Afghanistan with the mujahideen, who were allies of the US at the time, fighting against the Soviet invasion.

He pledged his allegiance to al Qaeda in 1991 but claims he cut all ties with the group when he left a year later. The US insisted he had acted as a recruiter and supporter for the organisation in the years since then.

In 1992, he returned to Germany – subsequently working there, in Canada, and Mauritania. Following 9/11, he turned himself in to the Mauritanian authorities at their request.

The US authorities subjected him to rendition in Jordan, then, after the Jordanians found no case to answer, to Bagram military base in Afghanistan.

In August 2002, he was transferred to Guantanamo Bay and has been held there since.

While there, he underwent torture by sleep deprivation, freezing, isolation and diet manipulation, as well as physical and psychological humiliation. These experiences are described in his diary, and have been subsequently verified in declassified documents released to US investigators.

The diary was written in 2005, and it has taken a decade of legal battles to bring it to publication now.

In 2007, the FBI, CIA and military intelligence conceded they could not link Mr Slahi to acts of terrorism.

And while a US District Court judge ordered his release in 2010, he is still imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay with no obvious prospect of freedom.

Before his election in 2008, President Barack Obama pledged to shut down the prison camp but has failed to do so. Around 200 inmates are still detained there.

Even with the blacked out lines redacted by the authorities, Guantanamo Diary is a vivid and moving personal testimony.

Mr Slahi is still bearing witness to what many regard as one of the most shameful and evil chapters of US history.

This true-life account is, as the writer John le Carré puts it in his endorsement of the book: "A vision of hell, beyond Orwell, beyond Kafka."

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Coronation Street's Anne 'Deirdre' Kirkbride Dies

Coronation Street actress Anne Kirkbride, who played Deirdre Barlow in the soap, has died aged 60 after a short illness.

A statement on the soap's website said the cast and crew were "heartbroken".

The actress was part of the ITV soap for 42 years after joining in 1972 - and has been part of some major storylines.

William Roache, who played her on-screen husband Ken Barlow, said: "I feel Anne's loss so personally having worked closely with her for over 40 years.

"We had some rows over the years as Ken and Deirdre, and it was wonderful to play those scenes opposite her.

"Coronation Street has lost one of its iconic characters and Anne will be greatly missed."

One of the most memorable plots - the love triangle between Deirdre, Ken and Mike Baldwin - led to her being voted TV Personality Of The Year in 1983.

When her character chose Ken Barlow over Mike Baldwin in 1983, cheers went up as the "result" flashed up on the Old Trafford scoreboard.

It read: "Ken and Deirdre reunited. Ken 1 - Mike 0."

In 1993 it was revealed she had throat cancer and she took three months off the show while undergoing treatment.

Many major storylines led viewers and fans to act as if Deirdre was a real person.

So much so that in 1998 then-Prime Minister Tony Blair promised to intervene to get Deirdre released from prison after she was duped into mortgage fraud.

Mr Blair gave his full support to the "Free The Weatherfield One" campaign.

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Gallery: Coronation Street Actress Anne 'Deirdre' Kirkbride Dies

Anne Kirkbride has died aged 60 after a short illness

The actress was one of the best known on British television, having played Deirdre Barlow for more than 40 years

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Boko Haram 'Abducts' 50 Children In Cameroon

Written By Unknown on Senin, 19 Januari 2015 | 16.08

Suspected Boko Haram fighters have abducted up to 80 people, many of them children, in a deadly assault on villages in northern Cameroon, officials say.

"According to our initial information, around 30 adults, most of them herders, and 50 young girls and boys aged between 10 and 15 years were abducted," a senior army officer deployed to northern Cameroon told news agency Reuters.

That would make it Boko Haram's largest abduction in Cameroon to date.

Government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary confirmed that three people were killed in the attack on Sunday, which targeted the village of Mabass and several others along the Nigerian border.

He said soldiers had intervened and exchanged fire with the assailants for around two hours.

He added that up to 80 houses were destroyed.

The assault comes just days after Amnesty International released satellite images of "catastrophic" Boko Haram attacks on two towns in Nigeria.

It believes hundreds of people were killed and that over 3,700 structures were either damaged or destroyed in the attacks in Baga and neighbouring Doron Baga earlier this month.

The campaign group said the pictures, taken on 2 and 7 January, provided "indisputable and shocking evidence" of the scale of the assaults.

The Islamist organisation was also responsible for the kidnap of more than 200 teenage girls from a school in the northern Nigerian town of Chibok last April.

Boko Haram has been fighting a bloody six-year insurgency to create an Islamic state which has left thousands dead and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.

Attacks are increasing in frequency as Boko Haram continues to seize territory in northern Nigeria, and expands its insurgency across the border.

Chadian troops began to arrive in Cameroon on Sunday in order to help repel the extremists' offensive.

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Imams 'Must Do More' To Root Out Radicals

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has written to over 1,000 mosques in Britain urging them to do more to root out extremists - but the move has been branded divisive by some Muslim leaders.

In the letter, Mr Pickles stressed he was "proud" of the way Muslims in Britain had responded to the terror attacks in Paris, but there was "more work to do".

There are fears about the spread of terrorism after the Paris attacks that left 17 people dead and the arrest of more than two dozen people in anti-terror raids in Belgium, Germany and France.

EU foreign ministers, including Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, are meeting today in Brussels with the terror threat in Europe high on the agenda.

Mr Pickles insisted Whitehall could not combat jihadist ideology alone and Imams must explain to young people what it means to be British.

"You, as faith leaders, are in a unique position in our society. You have a precious opportunity, and an important responsibility: in explaining and demonstrating how faith in Islam can be part of British identity," he said in the letter, also signed by communities minister Lord Ahmad.

"We believe together we have an opportunity to demonstrate the true nature of British Islam today.

"There is a need to lay out more clearly than ever before what being a British Muslim means today: proud of your faith and proud of your country.

"We know that acts of extremism are not representative of Islam; but we need to show what is."

Mr Pickles also sought to reassure the leaders that he had been in touch with police chiefs "to make sure they are providing the support that mosques need" - a concern that some imams expressed in recent discussions.

But the letter immediately drew criticism from some Islamic leaders.

Harun Khan, deputy secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "We will be writing to Mr Eric Pickles to ask that he clarifies his request to Muslims to 'explain and demonstrate how faith in Islam can be part of British identity'.

"Is Mr Pickles seriously suggesting, as do members of the far right, that Muslims and Islam are inherently apart from British society?"

The letter emerged as the Metropolitan Police announced it had increased security around its buildings and bolstered numbers of firearms officers available.

Home Secretary Theresa May also promised to up the Government's efforts to tackle the terrorist threat and a "chilling" rise in anti-Semitism.

Speaking at an event to commemorate the Jewish people who died during the Paris massacre, she said: "Britain would not be Britain" without Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, Christians and people of other faiths.

"I know that many Jewish people in this country are feeling vulnerable and fearful and you're saying that you're anxious for your families, for your children and yourselves.

"I never thought I would see the day when members of the Jewish community in the United Kingdom would say they were fearful of remaining here in the United Kingdom."

Mr Hammond and US counterpart John Kerry will also host talks in London on Thursday with ministers from around 20 countries, including Arab states, to discuss ways of tackling Islamic State.

:: Lord Ahmad, the co-author of the letter, will be speaking to Sky News at around 8.30am this morning. Watch Sky News on skynews.com and our mobile apps, or on channels Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

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Parties Harvest Voter Data For Election Battle

This will be the UK's first truly data-driven election.

Political parties are tracking, processing, and interpreting several hundred bits of information on key voters across the country; from house type to shopping habits and credit quality.

In uncertain times, this data could decide the winner.

In Wirral South - shadow minister for children and families Alison McGovern held the seat for Labour in 2010 by just a few hundred votes - the clipboards and chats on the doorstep are important, but she believes it was data that made the difference.

"We had a small dedicated bunch of volunteers who went out and talked to people about what they were really interested in," said the MP.

"And we used data to make sure that we were able to win, even though the local Tories certainly thought that we couldn't - and it was a victory against the odds."

Labour uses two pieces of software, Contact Creator and Voter ID, coded by Labour enthusiasts.

The Conservatives have a database called Merlin, which was developed by EMC Consulting, and contained 200 million records - even at the last election.

The Liberal Democrats use a system called Connect.

Most simply, 'Big Data' is used to create computer models to model the likelihood or "propensity" of every voter to vote for your party.

It is done on the basis of target marketing groups from the popular Mosiac database that splits the population into affluent professionals, people with elderly needs, or "careers with kids".

It can increasingly be done in an even more sophisticated way. Scarce volunteer canvassing time can then be focused where it is most effective.

But "data" means much more than that.

The actual message can be focused on groups and subgroups. And then, actual policies are developed to focus on giving those groups the "right" message.

The campaigns don't want to give too much away about these strategies - it's a kind of secret sauce. But it's changing the way we do politics.

So Sky News has developed its own analytical tool to try to understand the insights the parties have gained using data.

We've heard from more than 20,000 voters across the UK. The patterns we can now track show how the parties are gaming out the next few months.

The answers emerge from a large panel of Sky customers, who have answered questions on politics.

Sky Data, as we call it, enables us to mimic what the political parties are doing.

It shows us, for example, that on average UKIP voters are most similar to Labour voters in terms of consumer behaviour and affluence.

UKIP supporters are much more likely than average to have pay as you go mobile phones, shop at Aldi, live in a smaller-than-average house and drive a small utility car.

However, if you shop at Waitrose, drive an executive car, own a house worth more than half a million, and have a good credit score - you're more likely to be in the sights of two parties - The Conservatives and Lib Dems. Perhaps THAT explains the coalition.

Among Conservative to UKIP switchers, the largest single issue for well over half, is immigration.

Europe is the priority for fewer than one in five.

SNP voter priorities - so crucial to Labour's chances - are poverty and devolution, very different to rest of the UK.

In Washington DC, sophisticated American political data labs are starting to move into the UK market, exporting the techniques developed by the Obama campaign.

Analyst Drew Dougherty has been tracking who in the UK is in favour of a living wage: "People who are in favour of a liveable wage have these 15 or 20 similar data points, and then we can go from there."

Closer to home, these techniques have had an early outing in the rash of recent by-elections.

Back in November, UKIP won their second MP by targeting less wealthy voters in Strood who were sympathetic to their message.

The Conservatives focused their efforts on more affluent Rochester, minimising their margin of loss.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage used what he calls "data mining" techniques for the first time in the two autumn by-election wins.

He says he has no doubt UKIP would have won in Heywood and Middleton had these technologies been used there.

Across the country, canvassers are arming themselves with this data - the crucial ammo that will decide the battle of the doorstep - and feeding the information back to their party.

The Conservatives are trialling a new phone app to make use of these methods.

A big test will be in the last hours of the campaign when all this data is used to track core voter turnout. But it is impacting the campaign right now, in ways few understand.

As competing databases are deployed during the election, Sky News will keep you in touch, using Sky Data.

In The Margins: The 150 Key Election Constituencies

16.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

UK To Host Summit To Tackle Islamic State

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 18 Januari 2015 | 16.08

Members of the coalition fighting Islamic State extremists in Syria and Iraq will meet for a summit in London.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and US Secretary of State John Kerry are expected to host talks with ministers from about 20 countries, including the Arab states.

They will discuss the progress of the fight against Islamist militants who have taken control of territory in Iraq and Syria.

The meeting on Thursday will take place at Lancaster House in central London, according to an official.

Details of the summit emerged as the former boss of MI5 has warned that Britain's anti-terror laws are "not fit for purpose".

Lord Evans told the Sunday Telegraph: "The ability of the police and security agencies to do this important work of protecting our society and its vulnerable people is under threat from changing technology.

"They can only do this if they have the tools to do so - and the tools at their disposal are no longer fit for purpose."

It comes as Prime Minister David Cameron gave an interview to the American network CBS in which he spoke about measures to tackle extremism at home.

Mr Cameron said Britain is facing a "very severe threat" from Islamist extremists, including so-called "lone wolf" terrorists.

"In Britain's history, we've had some very intense times of terrorist threats," he said.

"Certainly we face a very severe threat.

"That's what we're calling it: severe, because we believe an attack is highly likely.

"But frankly, we've been in this struggle against extremist, Islamist terrorism now for well over a decade and a half, so we know what it takes to win, but it's going to take a lot of perseverance."

He said the terror threat "keeps morphing" over time.

"This threat keeps morphing, because it's the same fundamental problem, extremist Islamist terror," he said.

"But whereas the majority of it was coming from the Afghanistan, Pakistan area, now you see more of it coming out of Iraq and Syria, and the threat posed by ISIL.

"Added to that, you've got the so‑called 'self‑starter' or 'lone wolf' terrorists, people who've been radicalised because of what they've seen on the internet who... may not be connected to some plot that is being hatched in Iraq or Syria.

"So the threat has changed and altered, but it's still based on the fundamental problem of a poisonous death cult narrative which is the perversion of one of the world's major religions.

"And that's the thing we're still up against."

Earlier, Mr Cameron vowed to tackle what he called the "poisonous narrative of Islamist extremism that is turning too many young minds".

He was speaking following two days of talks with US President Barack Obama in Washington where they said a new group would be set up to exchange information and expertise to tackle the terror threat.

There are fears about the spread of terrorism after the Paris attacks that left 17 people dead and the arrest of more than two dozen people in anti-terror raids in Belgium, Germany and France.

On Saturday, an 18-year-old woman who was arrested at Stansted airport on suspicion of terrorist offences was released on bail.

Anti-terror officers arrested the teenager when she arrived on a flight at around 4pm on Friday.

:: Watch the Murnaghan programme on Sky News at 10am on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202 and Freeview 132.

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Indonesia: Foreigners Executed By Firing Squad

Six people, including five foreign nationals, have been executed by firing squad in Indonesia after they were convicted on drug charges.

The foreigners, from Brazil, the Netherlands, Vietnam, Malawi and Nigeria, were executed at around midnight, authorities said, despite international appeals.

The sixth, an Indonesian woman identified as Rani Andriani, was also killed.

"The execution of the six convicts has been carried out," spokesman for the attorney general's office, Tony Spontana, told news agency AFP.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff had issued a last-minute plea to Indonesian authorities to spare former pilot Marco Moreira.

It was rejected by Indonesian President Joko Widodo who said the judicial proceedings had followed Indonesian law.

The Dutch government had issued a similar appeal for its citizen Ang Kiem Soei.

Brazil and the Netherlands have recalled their ambassadors from Indonesia in the wake of the executions.

Clemency appeals for the pair, as well as Namaona Denis of Malawi, Daniel Enemuo of Nigeria, and female convict Tran Thi Bich Hanh of Vietnam were rejected in December.

All six had been sentenced on drug charges from 2000 to 2011.

"What we do is merely aimed at protecting our nation from the danger of drugs," Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo told reporters on Thursday.

"There is no excuse for drug dealers, and hopefully this will have a deterrent effect."

Five of the convicts were killed on Nusakambangan Island, off the south coast of the Indonesian island of Java.

The sixth was killed in Java's Boyolali district.

They were the first executions carried out since President Widodo took office in October.

At least 138 people are on death row in Indonesia, mostly for drug offences.

Roughly a third of them are foreigners.

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Delays As Eurostar Services Resume After Fire

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Passengers are being warned to expect delays on Eurostar services after a lorry fire left thousands stranded on both sides of the Channel.

Passenger services and the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle car service were stopped on Saturday after the vehicle caught fire on the French side of the railway's south tunnel.

The incident led to long queues at St Pancras station in London as services were cancelled. Queues have formed again at the station, where Sky's Charlotte Lomas-Farley reports this morning's first Eurostar train has now departed.

There were also delays and queues in Paris.

A Eurotunnel spokesman said services resumed at 2.45am UK time.

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Gallery: Travel Chaos In London And Paris

This is the scene at St Pancras International station in London as Eurostar services are cancelled in both directions

The company said trains would not be running on Saturday

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Large queues of passengers have formed - but they are being told they will be unable to travel

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It is a similar scene at Gare du Nord station in Paris - this board shows all services have been cancelled

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Passengers are having to make alternative arrangements

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Passenger service Eurostar says it plans to run a full service today, but only "for passengers who have an existing reservation for this date".

Trains are expected to be delayed by between 30 minutes and an hour.

The company added that people whose trains were cancelled on Saturday are advised not to arrive at stations unless they had already been re-booked.

A Eurostar spokesman said: "All passengers who are booked to travel tomorrow, Sunday 18 January, should check in as normal half an hour before departure.

"Eurostar services tomorrow are already very busy and availability is limited."

Earlier, Eurotunnel spokesman John O'Keefe said a "smouldering load" was found in the trailer of the lorry.

The alarm was triggered after CO2 detectors were activated in one tunnel, Eurotunnel said.

A Kent Police spokesman said: "A lorry fire has led to the closure of both bores of the Channel Tunnel.

"The fire was at the French end of the tunnel and is being dealt with by the French authorities.

"There are no reported injuries."

In March, hundreds of Eurostar passengers were delayed after a lightning strike triggered a fire in a building close to the entrance to the tunnel in Kent.

Although there was no damage to the track, four trains in and out of England were affected.

Three eventually reached their destination but the fourth, which had been heading to Paris, was forced to turn back to London.

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