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Egypt Reveals Grand Plan To Build New Capital

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 14 Maret 2015 | 18.46

Egypt has unveiled its plan to build a new administrative and business capital that will house five million people and feature a theme park "four times bigger than Disneyland".

Housing minister Mustafa Kamel Madbuli said the new 70,000 acre city, east of Cairo, would take five to seven years to build at a cost of $45bn (£30bn).

Details on how it would be funded were not revealed.

"The idea to build the new city originated from our awareness that Cairo's current population (18 million) will double in the next 40 years," Mr Madbuli said at a conference showcasing the details.

The proposed city would have "large green spaces, an international airport, a theme park four times bigger than Disneyland in California, 90 square kilometres of solar farms, and an electric train" to link with Cairo, Mr Madbuli said.

Parliament, presidential palaces, government ministries and foreign embassies would move to the new metropolis.

The plan for the new city was first announced in the summer of last year, but further details were kept under wraps until now.

President Abdel Fattah al Sisi is hoping the plan will help kick-start Egypt's troubled economy.

Mr al Sisi, who has positioned himself as a bulwark against Islamic extremists, said investing in the Arab world's most populous country would help stabilise the entire region.

Egypt's stability "is a cornerstone in regional stability," he told the conference in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh.

Arab states including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia pledged $12bn in investment aid.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, who was at the gathering, said Washington stood beside Egypt as it seeks to recover from years of turmoil.

Mr Kerry, who earlier met Mr al Sisi and the leaders of Jordan and the Palestinian Authority, told businessmen that Washington was "eager and ready and willing" to help Egypt's economic development.

But a US diplomat travelling with him said there had been "no decision" on freeing up $650m in military aid frozen during the height of a crackdown on Mr al Sisi's Islamist opponents that left hundreds dead.


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NATO Chief: 'Deterrence Is Working In Ukraine'

NATO can not guarantee Ukraine's security in the face of Russian aggression, but a policy of deterrence is working, the alliance's Secretary General has said.

Jens Stoltenberg also told Sky News the UK must maintain its military contributions to the organisation, which is set at 2% of GDP.

But, asked if NATO would do anything stop Vladimir Putin's forces in Ukraine, he said: "Our main responsibility is to defend and to protect all NATO allies and no NATO ally has been attacked.

"So deterrence is working because everyone sees that NATO is a very strong alliance and we are now implementing the biggest reinforcement of our collective defence since the end of the Cold War.

"Ukraine is not a member of NATO, so there is a difference between Ukraine and NATO members, because the security guarantee is for NATO allies.

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  1. Gallery: Ukraine: The Rubble Of Donetsk Airport

    A Ukrainian army tank destroyed in fighting with the separatist self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic army lies outside a terminal at Donetsk airport

The once-gleaming Donetsk airport has been one of the most fiercely contested spots in east Ukraine

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At Least 8 Killed By Powerful Cyclone Pam

Powerful winds from Cyclone Pam have caused widespread destruction in the Vanuatu islands, killing at least eight people, aid officials have said.

Unconfirmed reports say dozens more people are feared dead.

The Category Fire storm struck the South Pacific archipelago with winds of up to 167mph, threatening more than 267,000 residents.

The storm blew roofs off houses, uprooted trees and downed power lines.

Officials in the capital Port Vila say there is no power or running water.

Vanuatu is about a quarter of the way from Australia to Hawaii and the population is spread over 65 islands. About 47,000 people live in the capital.

There are reports of entire villages being destroyed in more remote areas, according to Chloe Morrison, a World Vision emergency communications officer.

"It's still really quite dangerous outside. Most people are still hunkering down," she said.

"The damage is quite extensive in Port Vila but there are so many more vulnerable islands.

Save the Children's Vanuatu Country Director Tom Skirrow added: "The scene here this morning is complete devastation.

"Communications are down across much of the country with the total extent of the devastation unlikely to be known for several days."

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  1. Gallery: Red Alert In Vanuatu Ahead Of Cyclone Pam

    A map showing the location of Vanuatu

A satellite image of Cyclone Pam. Pic: Japan Meteorological Agency

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Juror: Hands Were Tied In Sleepwalking Trial

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 13 Maret 2015 | 18.46

By Sky News US Team

Jurors have spoken out about their decision to acquit a man who strangled his four-year-old and tried to kill his other two children because he was "sleepwalking".

A jury in Durham, North Carolina, decided that Joseph Anthony Mitchell was not guilty of murder and attempted murder after an expert witness said he was effectively unconscious at the time of his attacks four years ago.

Mr Mitchell testified at the trial that he was in financial distress and had not been sleeping well. He said he had no recollection of the attack.

"I didn't believe one word out of that man's mouth," one juror, who asked to remain anonymous, told ABC.

But, the juror said, they felt their hands were tied.

The jury of  nine women and three men had asked Superior Court Judge James Roberson if they could consider a lesser verdict of manslaughter, but the judge said it was all or nothing: murder, or not guilty.

"If manslaughter had been an option, that's what we would've done," the anonymous juror told ABC.

"We weren't thinking that he should get away with it by any means."

Mr Mitchell, 50, sobbed after Wednesday's verdict. His ex-wife, Christine Perolini, was so shocked that she hyperventilated and had to be wheeled out on a stretcher.

Prosecutors said financial difficulties drove Mr Mitchell to kill his son Blake and try to kill the others. Mr Mitchell's 13-year-old and 10-year-old children said they fought him off.

An expert called by the defence said Mr Mitchell's stress and lack of sleep likely resulted in "non-REM parasomnia," a sleep disorder whose sufferers can perform random acts unconsciously.

Because of this disorder, he was incapable of exercising criminal intent, the expert said.

A psychologist who testified for the prosecution after repeatedly interviewing Mr Mitchell said he had no mental condition that would have left him unconscious during the attacks, and that he must have consciously planned them.


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Islamic State Accepts Allegiance Of Boko Haram

Islamic State has accepted a pledge of allegiance from the Nigerian terror group Boko Haram and called on Islamists to fight in Africa.

Abu Mohammad al Adnani, a spokesman for IS, announced in an audio message the group's leader, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, had accepted the loyalty of the Nigerian militants.

"Our caliph, God save him, has accepted the pledge of loyalty of our brothers of Boko Haram so we congratulate Muslims and our jihadi brothers in West Africa," he said.

It comes after an audio statement attributed to Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau was released on Saturday through the group's Twitter account.

The statement urged "Muslims everywhere to pledge allegiance to the Caliph".

The apparent alliance highlights increased co-ordination between the two terror movements across North Africa and the Middle East.

IS has declared a caliphate and captured large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.

The group has also faced global condemnation for killing or kidnapping members of ethnic and religious minorities, as well as Western hostages.

In his audio message, al Adnani called on Muslims who could not join IS in Iraq and Syria to enter combat in Africa instead.

He added that Boko Haram's pledge had opened a "new door for you to migrate to the land of Islam and fight".

"We are calling you up for jihadis, go."

The group, which rejects all but its own limited interpretation of early Sunni Muslim theology as heresy, also issued a threat to Jews and Christians.

"If you want to save your blood and money and live in safety from our swords... you have two choices: either convert or pay jezyah," he said, referring to tax for non-Muslims under Islamic rule.

"(Otherwise) you will soon bite your fingers with remorse."


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Last Stand For IS Fighters In Tikrit Battle

Islamic State fighters are surrounded and preparing to make a last stand in Tikrit, the Iraqi home town of Saddam Hussein.

"We don't want to be rushed because we want to avoid casualties," police Staff Major General Bahaa al-Azzawi told the AFP news agency in Albu Ajil, a village across the Tigris River from Tikrit.

He added: "Tikrit is sealed off from all sides." All towns and villages on the river's eastern bank have been under the control of anti-IS forces since Thursday.

Black and white IS flags on walls have been painted over with slogans cursing the jihadist group or praising Shia militia groups.

Tikrit is on the west bank of the Tigris and until floating bridges are put across the river by army engineers, the nearest bridge is in Samarra, nearly 30 miles to the south.

IS took Tikrit as part of an invasion from Syria last June. Recapturing Tikrit would be the Iraqi government's biggest success against them so far.

Casualty numbers are not available, but  AFP reported dozens of bodies being driven south to Najaf. IS is using suicide car bombs, snipers and booby traps against the advancing forces.

Tikrit is the birthplace of Iraq's former dictator Saddam Hussein, and is a predominantly Sunni Muslim town.

Remnants of his Baath party are said to have cooperated with the IS fighters against the Shia dominated government in Baghdad.

The fighting has raised fears of sectarian killings because most of the Iraqi forces are Shia. Militia groups backed by Shia Iran are also helping the Iraqi army.


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Aid Agencies Accuse UN Of Failing Syrians

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 12 Maret 2015 | 18.46

Aid Agencies Accuse UN Of Failing Syrians

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The UN Security Council has failed to alleviate the suffering of Syrian civilians, according to a report by international aid agencies.

More than 20 groups said the UN had not implemented three resolutions passed last year that were aimed at increasing aid assistance to Syrians.

The resolutions had been "ignored or undermined by the parties to the conflict, other UN member states, and even by members of the UNSC itself", the agencies said in a report called Failing Syria.

While violence in Syria has risen, the ability to provide aid has fallen and there is not nearly enough money provided for humanitarian assistance, they said.

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  1. Gallery: Prince Charles Meets Syrian Refugees Who Fled To Jordan

    Prince Charles met Syrian refugees during his trip to Jordan on the first day of his Middle East tour

His first official engagement was to meet Syrian refugees who were displaced during the troubles. Continue for more images

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Aid Agencies Accuse UN Of Failing Syrians

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

The UN Security Council has failed to alleviate the suffering of Syrian civilians, according to a report by international aid agencies.

More than 20 groups said the UN had not implemented three resolutions passed last year that were aimed at increasing aid assistance to Syrians.

The resolutions had been "ignored or undermined by the parties to the conflict, other UN member states, and even by members of the UNSC itself", the agencies said in a report called Failing Syria.

While violence in Syria has risen, the ability to provide aid has fallen and there is not nearly enough money provided for humanitarian assistance, they said.

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  1. Gallery: Prince Charles Meets Syrian Refugees Who Fled To Jordan

    Prince Charles met Syrian refugees during his trip to Jordan on the first day of his Middle East tour

His first official engagement was to meet Syrian refugees who were displaced during the troubles. Continue for more images

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Australia's 'Jihadi Jake' In Suicide Attack

Australia's 'Jihadi Jake' In Suicide Attack

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A Melbourne teenager who went to Iraq to join Islamic State has reportedly been killed carrying out a suicide bombing.

An image from video apparently released by the group, which controls large areas of Iraq and Syria, showed a white four-wheel-drive with an inset image of a young man who looks like Jake Bilardi sitting behind the wheel.

Another image posted on Twitter showed the 18-year-old sat beneath an IS flag with a caption that suggested the Australian had been involved in a "martyrdom" operation.

Militants carried out 13 suicide car bombings on security personnel positions in Ramadi, the provincial capital of Anbar province on Wednesday.

Two soldiers were killed and eight others wounded in the near-simultaneous attacks, Sabah Karhout, head of Anbar's provincial council, said.

In a statement posted online, IS said the suicide blast had been carried out by foreign fighters from Australia, Belgium, Syria and Uzbekistan.

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  1. Gallery: Iraqi Forces Enter Tikrit

    Members of Iraqi government forces drive on the outskirts of the city of Tikrit as they prepare to launch a military operation to take control of the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters

The Iraqi forces enter a northern neighbourhood of Tikrit, marking a new stage in the operation launched 10 days ago to wrest the city back from jihadists, army officers said

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Members of Iraqi paramilitary Popular Mobilisation units, which are dominated by Shia militias, carry a box loaded with weapons on the outskirts of the northern city of Tikrit

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Some 30,000 Iraqi soldiers, police and the increasingly influential paramilitary Popular Mobilisation units, which are dominated by Shia militias, have been involved in the operation

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Iraqi fighters in north Tikrit. The city has been one of the jihadists' main hubs since they overran large parts of Iraq nine months ago. Continue through for more pictures

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Australia's 'Jihadi Jake' In Suicide Attack

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

A Melbourne teenager who went to Iraq to join Islamic State has reportedly been killed carrying out a suicide bombing.

An image from video apparently released by the group, which controls large areas of Iraq and Syria, showed a white four-wheel-drive with an inset image of a young man who looks like Jake Bilardi sitting behind the wheel.

Another image posted on Twitter showed the 18-year-old sat beneath an IS flag with a caption that suggested the Australian had been involved in a "martyrdom" operation.

Militants carried out 13 suicide car bombings on security personnel positions in Ramadi, the provincial capital of Anbar province on Wednesday.

Two soldiers were killed and eight others wounded in the near-simultaneous attacks, Sabah Karhout, head of Anbar's provincial council, said.

In a statement posted online, IS said the suicide blast had been carried out by foreign fighters from Australia, Belgium, Syria and Uzbekistan.

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  1. Gallery: Iraqi Forces Enter Tikrit

    Members of Iraqi government forces drive on the outskirts of the city of Tikrit as they prepare to launch a military operation to take control of the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters

The Iraqi forces enter a northern neighbourhood of Tikrit, marking a new stage in the operation launched 10 days ago to wrest the city back from jihadists, army officers said

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Members of Iraqi paramilitary Popular Mobilisation units, which are dominated by Shia militias, carry a box loaded with weapons on the outskirts of the northern city of Tikrit

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Some 30,000 Iraqi soldiers, police and the increasingly influential paramilitary Popular Mobilisation units, which are dominated by Shia militias, have been involved in the operation

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Iraqi fighters in north Tikrit. The city has been one of the jihadists' main hubs since they overran large parts of Iraq nine months ago. Continue through for more pictures

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Boy, 15, Held In Attempted Kidnap Of Toddler

By Sky News US Team

Police have arrested a 15-year-old boy on suspicion of attempting to kidnap a toddler in an incident caught on camera.

The teenager, who lives in the small farming town of Sprague in eastern Washington state, was arrested on Wednesday.

Dramatic surveillance video footage showed a male running down a sidewalk with 22-month-old Owen Wright in his arms in Sprague last Sunday.

The child's two siblings screamed and chased him. The scene ended after two teenage boys joined the chase, and the man put the toddler down and fled.

Owen was not hurt, police confirmed.

The 15-year-old was booked into a juvenile detention facility on suspicion of second-degree kidnapping, Lincoln County Sheriff Wade Magers said.

Detectives working on the case started focusing on the arrested suspect in the past 24 hours. They collected additional evidence, DNA and carried out interviews and surveillance to identify the suspect, Sheriff Magers said.

One of Owen Wright's siblings also positively identified the suspect.

The identity of the youth was being withheld because he is a juvenile. The Lincoln County Prosecutor's Office will make the formal charging decisions.


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11 US Troops Missing After Helicopter Crash

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 11 Maret 2015 | 18.46

Seven US Marines and four soldiers are missing after an army helicopter crashed during a night training exercise in Florida.

The crash happened at Eglin Air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle.

Base officials say the Marines are part of a Camp Lejeune-based special operations group and the soldiers are from a Louisiana-based National Guard unit.

Military spokesman Andy Bourland said the CH-60 helicopter was reported missing at around 8:30pm on Tuesday local time.

Search and rescue crews found debris from the crash at around 2am on Wednesday.

"At this time all are missing," Mr Bourland said.

The helicopter went down during a routine training mission on a beach between Pensacola and Destin.

The beach is owned by the military and used for test missions.

Officials said the helicopter had taken off from a nearby airport in Destin and joined other aircraft in the exercise.


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IS Video Shows Boy Killing Israeli 'Spy'

A video posted online by Islamic State militants has shown a boy killing an Israeli Arab accused by the group of spying for Mossad.

Published by the group's Furqan media outlet, the footage shows Muhammad Musallam talking about being recruited and trained by the Israeli intelligence service.

He is then shown being escorted to a field and shot in the head by a boy, described by an older, French-speaking fighter as one of the "cubs of the caliphate".

The 13-minute video's authenticity, which also appeared on Twitter feeds used by Islamic State supporters, could not be verified.

The older fighter is heard in the footage stating the group's verdict on Mr Musallam.

Then the boy, wearing a military uniform and armed with a pistol, stands face to face with the victim and fires one bullet into his forehead.

Musallam falls forward to the ground, then the child shoots him three more times and chants "Allahu Akbar!" (God is Greatest).

In the video, Musallam repeated what he said last month in an interview published by the militants' English language magazine, Dabiq.

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  1. Gallery: Fighting IS Militants In Iraq

    A Shi'ite fighter launches a rocket during clashes with Islamic State militants on the outskirts of al Alam

Iraqi security forces and Shi'ite militia fighting IS took control of the centre of a town on the southern outskirts of Saddam Hussein's home city Tikrit

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Armed Attackers In French Jewel Heist

Armed robbers have attacked two heavily guarded vans on a French motorway before making off with jewels worth millions.

The stash is valued at around €9m (£6.4m), according to sources.

The robbery happened in Burgundy on the A6 near Auxerre at the Avallon payment kiosk, around 200km (125 miles) southeast of Paris.

The drivers were forced to leave the vans and the thieves then drove off with the jewels. No one was hurt.

The burned-out vans were later found in a nearby forest, with the jewels all gone.

Police have set up a cordon in the area, backed by air support.

France has seen a number of high-end jewellery raids in recent years.

There were three dramatic raids in the south, including one at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes which was believed to have been carried out by the Pink Panther gang, named after the famous film.

One man suspected of being involved in the gang is 47-year-old Milan Poparic, a Montenegrin-born former member of the French Foreign Legion.

He and others are accused of stealing jewels with a value of more than €330m (£281.5m) since 1999.

Eight people were last month convicted in connection with one of the most spectacular jewel thefts in France in recent years at a Harry Winston boutique in Paris.

The 2008 robbery was particularly remembered because the raid involving about  €87m (£61m) of jewels was carried out by three cross-dressing gunmen.


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Olympians Among TV Cast Killed In Air Crash

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 10 Maret 2015 | 18.46

Two French Olympians were among 10 people killed after two helicopters apparently collided during filming for a reality TV show in northern Argentina.

Camille Muffat, who won an Olympic gold medal in swimming at the London 2012 games, Olympic boxer Alexis Vastine, and champion sailor Florence Arthaud were taking part in the French series Dropped.

They were in two helicopters flying over mountains near Villa Castelli, in La Rioja province.

Photographs showed the burning wreckage of the aircraft in dry scrubland with people gathered nearby.

Police said eight French nationals and their two Argentine pilots were killed.

A statement from La Rioja's government confirmed the identities of the three athletes.

Ms Arthaud, 57, was considered one of the best sailors in the world and had won the 1990 Route du Rhum.

Ms Muffat, 25, won gold in the 400-metre freestyle in 2012, along with two other medals.

Mr Vastine, 28, won a bronze medal at the Beijing games in 2008 in the light welterweight category.

In her last Facebook post, Ms Muffat had written: "Eveything is going well for me. Leaving Ushuaia early this morning. See you soon."

Cesar Angulo, secretary of security for the province, told TN television: "An explosion occurred and it's believed that they must have collided.

"Aeronautical experts will have to determine that."

The statement from La Rioja's provincial government added: "The helicopter from La Rioja was a Eurocopter with a capacity to hold six people.

"It appears to have brushed against the other helicopter from Santiago del Estero shortly after take-off."

French President Francois Hollande said: "The brutal demise of our compatriots is an immense sadness."

Former Arsenal footballer Sylvain Wiltord, who is reportedly one of the show's contestants but was not in either helicopter, tweeted: "I'm sad for my friends, I'm trembling, I'm horrified, I have no words, I don't want to say anything."

Olympic swimmer Becky Adlington tweeted: "So sad and shocked to wake up to hear the tragic death of Camille Muffat. She was an amazing sportswoman, competitor and lovely person.

"My thoughts go out to not only all her friends and family but to all the family and friends of all the 10 victims."

The show they were making involves sports stars being put into inhospitable environments and trying to survive by foraging for food.

Production company Adventure Line Productions (ADL) said: "All the ADL teams are devastated and share the deep pain of the families and loved ones they are in contact with.

"We are in contact with the production teams on site (and) with the French and Argentine authorities. We will give more information as soon as possible."

A cast and crew of around 80 people were in the area to film the series.

Shooting began in February in Ushuaia, at the southern tip of Argentina, before moving north to La Rioja, a remote area on the edge of the Andes mountain range that separates Argentina and Chile.

Police and firefighters were still working to recover bodies from the wreckage of both helicopters.

An official at the scene said: "It's been four hours since the collision and (the wreckage) is still on fire. There's smoke rising from the helicopters."


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IS Hostages Subjected To Execution Rehearsals

By Stuart Ramsay, Chief Correspondent

An Islamic State defector claims militants routinely subjected foreign hostages to mock executions and gave them Arabic names before they were killed.

Speaking exclusively to Sky News, "Saleh" said he was employed by a Turkish man in the group to reassure hostages their lives were not in danger - yet he says he always knew they would be killed.

Saleh said the execution rehearsals took place so that when the moment of death finally came the hostages were not expecting to be killed and were relaxed to appeal for their release on camera.

He said: "He would say to me 'say to them, no problem, only video, we don't kill you, we want from your government [to] stop attacking Syria. We don't have any problem with you; you are only our visitors'.

"So they don't worry. Always I say to them 'don't worry, doesn't matter, nothing dangerous for you'. But at the end I was sure [they would die].

"Maybe they [the captors] raise their voice, but without hitting. All the time he say to him 'it's a rehearsal, don't [be] afraid'.

"I will explain. He want, when he will kill you really… [it] don't enter his [hostage's] head. Exactly, of course, you [hostages] should say this message: 'I'm living in ISIS and will stay and continue'."

Saleh worked as a translator before he was employed by IS. He fled across the border to Turkey to escape the group and claims to have looked after a hostage with an English accent.

He said: "This man from England, or Netherlands, I don't know. He was speaking English so nice. Sometimes I don't understand what he say.

"He was with mask. All questions around gun, around job in Syria. 'Who send you to Syria? Who is your partner there? When you came into Syria? Where you stayed in Idlib? In Aleppo?' All thing [the time he] give answer. 'No, I'm press, I'm press'.

"So after that he said to me, the Turkish man, 'don't worry, don't worry'. After that he was so afraid."

Saleh claimed hostages were given Arabic names to convince them they were amongst friends in order to calm them down. He says Kenji Goto was given the name "Abu Saad".

"ISIS gave the hostages an idea; 'You should be Muslim and come with us'. When I went to the rehearsal he said to [Kenji] Goto 'Abu Saad'. Maybe I was thinking to myself 'maybe they try [find] this name so hard, 'Kenji Goto'.

"Maybe they could not say [Kenji Goto] so [they say] Abu Saad. But when I noticed Goto, when they said Abu Saad to Goto, direct [he] relax."

"Saleh" said Mohammed Emwazi, known as Jihadi John, is employed as the chief killer of foreign hostages for Islamic State's media wing and that his murderous influence among the group is feared and respected.


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IS Defector: I Saw Jihadi John Kill Hostage

By Stuart Ramsay, Chief Correspondent

Sky News has spoken to a former member of Islamic State, who claims he witnessed the man known as Jihadi John murder Japanese hostage Kenji Goto.

The former translator said that the masked man in the video was indeed Mohammed Emwazi, the 26-year-old Londoner who has become the face of the world's most notorious terrorist organisation.

"Saleh" said Emwazi is employed as the chief killer of foreign hostages for Islamic State's media wing and that his murderous influence among the group is feared and respected.

Speaking from Turkey, where he fled to escape IS, Saleh explained in broken English how he was employed by the group to convince foreign hostages they were safe. He is the only person to admit seeing Emwazi kill.

He said: "When he killed Kenji Goto I live showed this [saw this] but not near, from a little [distance].

"After he was killed him, three or four person come and take over the body and put in a car. After that, John went on a different road.

"The big boss was there with them. Turkish man say 'put this camera there, change place there' but John [was] the big boss. All time, all time say to all 'fastly, fastly, fastly, we should finish'. So respect him. Only he talks orders – others do."

Saleh suggested Emwazi commanded such respect within the group because of his willingness to murder foreigners. 

"Maybe because he use the knife," he said. "I cannot understand why he is so strong. One man can kill and all people will respect. A Syrian man anyone [in IS] can kill. But strangers [foreigners], only John."

Saleh claims foreign hostages captured and murdered by the group were subjected to numerous mock executions until the procedure became normal. It could explain why many hostages appeared calm in execution videos published online by the group.

He said: "He would say to me 'say to them, no problem, only video, we don't kill you, we want from your government [to] stop attacking Syria. We don't have any problem with you; you are only our visitors'.

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  1. Gallery: Jihadi John's email exhanges with Cage and a reporter

    This email Mohammed Emwazi sent to a Mail On Sunday reporter in 2010 revealed his first encounter and his fear of MI5

He later made contact with the campaign group Cage and told them about clashes with border control officers

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St Lucia Probe Finds Cops Kept 'Death List'

Written By Unknown on Senin, 09 Maret 2015 | 18.46

Police in St Lucia maintained "death lists" of people deemed to be criminals and planted guns at crime scenes to legitimise police shootings, a report has claimed.

The Caribbean island's prime minister Kenny Anthony said the "extremely damning" report found that in the deaths of 12 people, police had staged the shootings and reported them publicly as homicides by unknown assailants.

Members of the police high command may have been involved in covering up the truth about the alleged extrajudicial shootings in 2010 and 2011, investigators claimed.

In a national address on Sunday, Mr Anthony said: "The report confirms that the blacklist or death lists referenced by the media, human rights organisations, victims' families and citizens alike did exist."  

The investigation - carried out by the Jamaica Constabulary Force - was ordered after the US withdrew all assistance to island police in 2013 over concerns about unlawful killings.

It found evidence had been interfered with at scenes of police shootings, while a server used by some police commanders was "deliberately tampered with".

The dozen killings occurred during a security initiative called "Operation Restore Confidence," which was launched as the tourism-dependent island grappled with a worrying rise in violent crime.

At the time, former prime minister Stephenson King publicly warned criminals that "no stone will be left unturned and there will be no hiding place for anyone".

During the period under review, five of the dozen men fatally shot by police were killed in a single operation in the southern town of Vieux Fort.

Mr Anthony said the investigators made 31 recommendations in their report, the main one being prosecutions for "all police officers involved in the unlawful killings of citizens" that they reviewed.

The prime minister said the public prosecutor must now determine whether to pursue cases against the officers.


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Awestruck Cycling Chiefs Accused In Doping Report

Cycling officials turned a blind eye to doping so Lance Armstrong could cheat his way to becoming the sport's much needed superstar, according to a scathing report.

Although the Cycling Independent Reform Commission (CIRC) report found no evidence to sustain allegations Armstrong paid the International Cycling Union (UCI) to cover up a positive doping test, it revealed it acted favourably towards "cycling's pop star".

The UCI is criticised in the study for its lethargic attitude towards Armstrong and other riders in an era "infested" with the use of the blood-boosting hormone EPO.

"UCI saw Lance Armstrong as the perfect choice to lead the sport's renaissance," the report said, adding: "The fact that he was American opened up a new continent for the sport."

The investigation concluded: "Going after the cheaters was perceived as a witch-hunt that would be detrimental to the image of cycling."

In 2012 Armstrong's use of performance enhancing drugs was exposed by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and he admitted he used blood transfusions during all seven of his Tour de France wins.

In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, the 41-year-old said it was "not possible" to win the gruelling race so many times without doping. He subsequently had his Tour wins taken away and was banned from the sport for life by the USADA.

Although the year-long probe by the CIRC turned up no major revelations it suggested doping is still rife in top-level road cycling.

"One respected cycling professional felt that even today, 90 per cent of the peloton was doping," the report said.

The UCI hopes publishing the findings will help turn the page on the doping era, prove it is serious about stamping out cheating, and instil confidence in the sport.

"I am grateful to CIRC for seeking the truth and allowing me to assist in that search," Armstrong said, adding he was "deeply sorry for many things I have done".

The cyclist was among 174 witnesses from across the sport interviewed by the panel chaired by Dick Marty, a Swiss politician who formerly investigated the CIA's use of secret interrogation prisons in Europe.

"No rider came forward to voluntarily admit an anti-doping rule violation," the report said.

Though Armstrong wants to reduce his lifetime ban imposed by the USADA the report did not include such a recommendation.


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First Round-The-World Solar Flight Takes Off

By Sean Dilley, Sky Reporter

The world's first all-electric transatlantic flight has taken off from Abu Dhabi on a round-the-globe trip.

Solar Impulse 2 is expected to spend the next five months navigating the world in the hands of Swiss pilots Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg in a demonstration of technology they believe could revolutionise the future of air travel.

The 12-leg journey will see the plane heading to Oman, then over India, into China, then across the pacific and the US before crossing the Atlantic into Europe before finally landing back in Abu Dhabi.

The first leg of the journey will see the craft fly for 400km (249 miles).

The 2.3 tonne plane has a top speed of 87mph, some 527mph slower than Boeing's commercial 747.

It can carry just one passenger compared with Boeing's capacity to carry 524, but whereas the 747 pumps out 101kg of CO2 emissions every 1,000 kilometres, the Solar Impulse 2 emits precisely zero.

That will excite climate campaigners.

The plane's wingspan is 72 metres - some 3.5m wider than the 747 – but this allows it to sport 17,000 solar panels which produces enough electricity to power the flight and to charge the 633Kg lithium batteries which account for a quarter of its total weight.

Despite its large size, the pilot's cabin is smaller than that of a car. The flight requires intense concentration throughout the five to six-day maximum flight time.

Long sleeps are out of the question with both men having to take 20 minute power naps every two to four hours, and both are restricted to their multifunctional flight chairs which act as a seat, a bed and a lavatory.

The Swiss pilots say their aim is to create awareness about replacing "old polluting technologies with clean and efficient technologies".

It's slow, it's uncomfortable and for commercial purposes it's entirely impractical, but the Solar Impulse 2's pilots will hope that its green credentials and cutting edge technology will prompt the aviation industry to pay attention to its potential for the future.


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Obama: US Racial History 'Casts Long Shadow'

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 08 Maret 2015 | 18.46

Obama: US Racial History 'Casts Long Shadow'

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Barack Obama has said that America's racial history "still casts its long shadow" upon the nation despite 50 years of progress.

Speaking on the anniversary of the 'Bloody Sunday' march in Selma, Alabama, the President praised civil rights activists who struggled for equal voting rights.

"We just need to open our eyes, and ears, and hearts, to know that this nation's racial history still casts its long shadow upon us," Mr Obama said.

"We know the march is not yet over, the race is not yet won, and that reaching that blessed destination where we are judged by the content of our character requires admitting as much."

Thousands gathered in the riverside town of Selma for commemorations to mark the civil rights protests of 7 March, 1965.

1/6

  1. Gallery: Selma: Thousands Remember Civil Rights Landmark

    Thousands have been gathering in Selma, Alabama, to mark the 50th anniversary of a landmark event in the civil rights movement

President Barack Obama will make a speech in the town of roughly 20,000, where in 1965 police attacked marchers demonstrating for voting rights

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'Bloody Sunday' is seen as building momentum for congressional approval of the Voting Rights Act later that year

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On that day 50 years ago the marchers tried to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge on the way to Montgomery, and the Obama family will take part in a ceremonial walk across it

]]>

On the way to Selma, President Obama signed a resolution to grant the Congressional Gold Medal to the 'foot soldiers' who participated in the 1965 march

]]>
Obama: US Racial History 'Casts Long Shadow'

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

Barack Obama has said that America's racial history "still casts its long shadow" upon the nation despite 50 years of progress.

Speaking on the anniversary of the 'Bloody Sunday' march in Selma, Alabama, the President praised civil rights activists who struggled for equal voting rights.

"We just need to open our eyes, and ears, and hearts, to know that this nation's racial history still casts its long shadow upon us," Mr Obama said.

"We know the march is not yet over, the race is not yet won, and that reaching that blessed destination where we are judged by the content of our character requires admitting as much."

Thousands gathered in the riverside town of Selma for commemorations to mark the civil rights protests of 7 March, 1965.

1/6

  1. Gallery: Selma: Thousands Remember Civil Rights Landmark

    Thousands have been gathering in Selma, Alabama, to mark the 50th anniversary of a landmark event in the civil rights movement

President Barack Obama will make a speech in the town of roughly 20,000, where in 1965 police attacked marchers demonstrating for voting rights

]]>

'Bloody Sunday' is seen as building momentum for congressional approval of the Voting Rights Act later that year

]]>

On that day 50 years ago the marchers tried to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge on the way to Montgomery, and the Obama family will take part in a ceremonial walk across it

]]>

On the way to Selma, President Obama signed a resolution to grant the Congressional Gold Medal to the 'foot soldiers' who participated in the 1965 march

]]>

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Boko Haram Militants Ally With Islamic State

Nigerian militant group Boko Haram has pledged allegiance to Islamic State in an audio statement, according to SITE.

The monitoring group said part of the message, which has been translated from Arabic, read: "We announce our allegiance to the Caliph of the Muslims Ibrahim ibn Awad ibn Ibrahim al Husseini al Qurashi and will hear and obey in times of difficulty and prosperity.

"We call upon Muslims everywhere to pledge allegiance to the Caliph."

The pledge of allegiance has been attributed to Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau​, and was released through the group's Twitter account.

Ibrahim ibn Awad ibn Ibrahim al Husseini al Qurashi - better known as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi - is the leader of Islamic State.

He has already accepted pledges of allegiance from other jihadist groups in the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan and north Africa.

Boko Haram has staged a military campaign to establish its own Islamic caliphate in northern Nigeria over the last six years.

Shekau was not pictured, but did identify himself in the recording.

The group has begun releasing videos in recent months which resemble those made by IS in Iraq and Syria where hostages, including British aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines, were murdered.

This month, it released footage purporting to show two men being beheaded.

Nigerian government spokesman Mike Omeri said: "(The audio) is confirming what we always thought. It's sad, it's bad.

"It's why we are appealing to the international community... hopefully the world will wake up to the disaster unfolding here."

Rita Katz, director of the SITE Intelligence Group, said: "Boko Haram is now being elevated from a local jihadi group to an important arm of the Islamic State.

"With Boko Haram's wide network in North Africa, the Islamic State's projection of creating an Islamic Caliphate is gaining headway.

"Furthermore, Islamic State's infrastructure, resources and military capabilities will enable Boko Haram to expand its operations and control even faster in North Africa."

On Saturday, four bomb blasts killed at least 50 people in the city of Maiduguri in some of the worst attacks since Boko Haram militants tried to capture the town in two major assaults earlier this year.


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Mystery As Ship Goes Missing With 49 On Board

A Taiwanese ship with 49 people has gone missing near the Falkland Islands.

The Hsiang Fu Chun, a 700-tonne squid fishing vessel, vanished shortly after its skipper reported it was taking on water, but no mayday call was made.

Its crew include a Taiwanese skipper and chief engineer, along with 11 Chinese, 21 Indonesians, 13 Filipino and two Vietnamese.

Hsiang Fu Chun, which was built 28 years ago, sailed off from Kaohsiung in January and was about 1,700 nautical miles off the coast of the Falkland Islands when it disappeared, according to satellite data.

The ship lost contact with its owners soon after reporting that water was leaking on to the deck at around 3am on 26 February.

Some Taiwanese media have said the vessel could have lost power and be drifting or that it could have been hijacked by crew but a Taiwanese search effort has found no trace of it.

The search is being hampered by bad weather and the remoteness of the location, with officials saying it takes six days for a boat and 11 hours for a plane to fly to the area and back again.

Taiwanese authorities have now appealed for help from Argentina and Britain to find the ship.

Huang Hong-yen, spokesman for the Taiwanese Fisheries Agency, said: "We still don't know where the ship is and what happened to it."

There was no evidence that the boat has sunk, he said, adding that its system should issue a mayday signal when placed under certain water pressure, but no signal was sent.

He said: "We'll do everything we can even though the search is like searching for a needle in the ocean" but he did not say why it had taken almost two weeks to make the ship's disappearance public.

The South Atlantic Ocean attracts up to 100 squid boats from Taiwan each year, with most of their catch being for domestic consumption.


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