Car Hits Schoolgirls On Pavement: One Dead

A 14-year-old girl has died and two others have been injured after being hit by a car on their way to school in Witney, Oxfordshire.

The crash, which also injured a male pedestrian in his 40s, happened just after 8am in Curbridge Road when the car mounted the pavement.

The 18-year-old driver of the Citroen has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

The girls were walking to school

Those hit were taken to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, where the girl, named locally as Liberty Baker, was pronounced dead.

One of the girls is understood to have been treated for serious injuries, while the other was unharmed.

The man is believed to have suffered a serious hip injury.

The Citroen is taken away from the scene

Inspector Paul Winks of Thames Valley Police said: "This is just an urban 30 miles an hour road, it's fairly straight, visibility is good.

"So I'm not 100% sure what happened this morning, it's something we need to establish.

"It may take weeks or even months to determine exactly what's happened here."

All three of the girls went to the nearby Henry Box School.

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Facebook: 'Creepy' Secret Experiment Attacked

Benefits Of Facebook Experiment 'May Be Huge'

Updated: 10:24am UK, Monday 30 June 2014

By Tom Cheshire, Technology Correspondent

Facebook has been manipulating your emotions for years.

It's why you like a friend's post, upload an image or update your status - every action is designed to make you engage with the site.

And it's why so many people use the platform.

This time, though, it has manipulated emotions in an unusually transparent way; it was for scientific benefit, yet it caused an uproar. Why?

The study - a collaboration between Facebook, Cornell University and the University of California at San Francisco - affected 689,003 users without their knowledge.

According to the study's abstract the experiment "manipulated the extent to which people were exposed to emotional expressions in their news feed".

It went on to talk of "massive scale emotional contagion".

This sort of language led MP Jim Sheridan to voice concerns about people "being thought-controlled".

It sounds very ominous.

However, Facebook has been manipulating emotions for a while. So does pretty much every web service.

Facebook is constantly adjusting the algorithm behind its news feed so that people spend more time on the platform.

One of the co-authors of the study, Adam Kramer, posted to Facebook to explain the company's own interest in carrying out the research.

He said: "We were concerned that exposure to friends' negativity might lead people to avoid visiting Facebook."

In the same way, YouTube offers different suggested videos to different people, to get them to watch more videos.

Amazon manipulates its store design – offering different deals and layouts - so that people spend more money.

Emotional manipulation has been important to every mass medium, from the novel to newspapers, radio, TV and film. It's why we keep reading and watching.

The difference is now that it's easy to measure that emotional engagement quite precisely: you can track every aspect of a person's behaviour online, compared to the less informative metric of number of books sold, or the estimated viewers of a television programme.

If you operate a web site that a lot of people use and make changes based on how they behave, you're already conducting a kind of psychological experiment.

Still, although the experiment was probably legal, people are rightly uncomfortable at the idea that their emotional responses were secretly manipulated.

Even if they agreed (or even read) Facebook's 9,000 word data use policy, they didn't give their informed consent to the experiment. Nor did Facebook explain exactly why they were interested.

But we shouldn't be worried about this particular study in emotional manipulation: it was relatively (and eventually) transparent, and it perhaps helped our scientific understanding.

The terms used aren't particularly helpful: "emotional contagion" sounds like harmful mind control, but it's a well-defined term in social psychology.

And it may be on a "massive scale", but that's because Facebook's billion-person reach is massive.

But we should be worried about the constant, less accountable experiments all web giants are making.

Many aspects of our lives are affected by these black box algorithms – we actually have no real idea how they work, and how they affect us.

Mr Kramer also wrote: "In hindsight, the research benefits of the paper may not have justified all of this anxiety."

He's wrong. If his paper makes us consider our relationships with these ubiquitous platforms, the benefits will be huge.

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Pistorius 'Not Mentally Ill' As Trial Resumes

Oscar Pistorius was not mentally ill when he shot dead his girlfriend at his home and is fit to stand trial, a psychiatric report has found.

However, the results of the month-long mental assessment may play a part in any future sentencing.

Pistorius' murder trial had been adjourned while an expert panel assessed whether an anxiety disorder could have played a part in his actions when he killed Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year.

The judge ordered the evaluation after a psychiatrist giving evidence in the athlete's defence told the court he suffered from generalised anxiety disorder, and that this may have influenced his judgement.

The tests were requested by the chief prosecutor and opposed by Pistorius' lawyer.

Reading from the psychologists report, state prosecutor Gerrie Nel said: "Mr Pistorus did not suffer from a mental illness or defect that would have rendered him criminally not responsible for the offence charged.

Media were outside the court in Pretoria to catch Pistorius arriving

"Mr Pistorius was capable of appreciating the wrongfulness of his act and of acting in accordance of an appreciation of the wrongfulness of his act."

Pistorius denies murder, claiming he mistook Ms Steenkamp for an intruder.

He faces a life sentence if found guilty.

With the resumption of the trial, the defence team called  Dr Gerald Versfeld, the orthopaedic surgeon who amputated both of Oscar Pistorius' legs when he was a baby.

The athlete was on his stumps when he killed Ms Steenkamp, and his defence team has argued he was more likely to try to confront an apparent threat, rather than runaway,  because of his limited ability to move without his artificial legs.

Dr Versfeld said Pistorius' disability made him "vulnerable in a dangerous situation".

The doctor told the court Pistorius might struggle on his stumps during a tense situation, and that he would have difficulty smashing the door of the toilet, where Ms Steenkamp was, with a cricket bat.

However, under cross-examination he was challenged by Mr Nel, who questioned his objectivity.

Mr Nel also raised the possibility that Pistorius could have fled from a perceived intruder on the night of the shooting.

He said Pistorius rushed back to his bedroom after the shooting and made other movements, indicating his mobility was not as restricted as Dr Versfeld suggested.

Later, Judge Thokozile Masipa expressed her unhappiness a piece of evidence from Pistorius' house - an electrical cord - could not be produced by the prosecution.

She ordered an investigation, when Mr Nel said he did not know where it could be found.

The next witness called by the defence was an acoustic expert Ivan Lin, who gave evidence about screams heard by neighbours on the night of the killing.

The trial continues.

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Giant Jellyfish Spotted In Cornwall Estuary

A 20kg jellyfish has been spotted in an estuary on Cornwall's south coast.

The one-metre-wide jellyfish was filmed in an estuary near St Mawes

The barrel jellyfish, said to be around one metre in diameter with tentacles two metres long, was filmed by conservationist Matt Slater.

He came face-to-face with the creature as he swam with his dog Mango in Percuil estuary near St Mawes.

The jellyfish, which are not harmful to humans, are normally seen in deeper waters, but it is thought the mild winter has brought more plankton near to the shore.

Like basking sharks, barrel jellyfish feed exclusively on plankton which it catches with its sticky tentacles.

Mr Slater, a marine awareness officer for Cornwall Wildlife Trust, said: "It was an otherworldly experience.

Barrel jellyfish feed exclusively on plankton

"These creatures are incredibly beautiful when you get a close look at them. The tentacles really look like soft coral."

He added: "Jellies are more aware of the watery world around them than you may imagine.

"They are constantly swimming up and down in the water looking for profitable patches of plankton."

The Marine Conservation Society has received reports of jellyfish being spotted across the south coast and west coast of England, as well as parts of Scotland, because of the warmer weather.

There have also been sightings of turtles in southwest England and Wales.

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The Fall Of One Of Britain's Best-Loved Stars

By Nick Pisa, Sky News Reporter

Despite being born in Australia, Rolf Harris' lengthy career in show business, spanning almost six decades, has ensured he is one of Britain's best-known and, until now, best-loved stars.

From his humble beginnings as a swimming champion in his native Western Australia, he moved to London in 1952 after deciding to abandon a teaching career and study art instead.

Within weeks he was singing in ex-pat clubs and two years after stepping off a liner, he signed a contract with the BBC which marked the start of a lengthy association with the broadcaster.

Artist, singer-songwriter and TV star, his legendary career earned him an MBE, OBE and CBE and Australian honours as well.

He was given a BAFTA fellowship, painted a portrait of the Queen and has met other members of the royal family countless times.

Harris also made numerous TV commercials and appeared at Glastonbury six times - opening the event in 2010 - and singing in front of a crowd of almost 100,000.

Appearing in a 1960s panel show

Countless generations of children and adults know him through iconic programmes from the 70s, 80s and 90s, such as The Rolf Harris Show, Rolf Harris Cartoon Time, Animal Hospital and Rolf On Art.

His wife of 56 years, Alwen, and daughter Bindi, 49, supported him in court throughout the seven-week trial, although only Bindi was called to give evidence in the case.

She described how she wanted to ''stab herself with forks'' after discovering Harris had been having a relationship with her best friend, who was the subject of seven of the charges.

In his 2001 autobiography, titled after his catchphrase "Can You Tell What It Is Yet", there is a telling passage in which he explained his feelings about his family.

He wrote: ''Alwen and Bindi have to come first. It has only been in the last five years that I have realised this. Late, but better than never.''

Rolf Harris appearing in a 1970s children's TV show

Telling, because it was in 1997 Harris wrote to the father of Bindi's best friend to tell him of the affair he had been having with his daughter when his own daughter found out.

He also wrote of how, as his career took off in the 60s, he found himself ogling women in backstage dressing rooms set aside for dancers he worked with.

Harris wrote: ''I tried not to watch - or be seen watching - but it wasn't easy, I spent most of my time reading the same page of a book 14 times realising I was holding it upside down.''

It's also clear he had a difficult relationship with his daughter and wife - blaming himself for not being with them as he devoted his time to his career - leaving them a painful second.

In the early 1960s as his career hit the big time, Alwen visited Australia with him and it later emerged she had contemplated suicide, Harris only finding out about it 30 years later when he found her diary.

Harris described how ''the words struck me like hammer blows'' adding that he ''felt terrible and I kicked myself for my selfishness''.

His awards and honours count for nothing and he will now swap his luxury Thames-side home in Berkshire for the cold harsh surroundings of a prison cell, as a convicted sex offender.

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Toffee Insult For South Korean World Cup Side

Angry football fans in South Korea threw handfuls of toffees at the national team as they arrived home after a disappointing performance in the World Cup.

The public demonstration of disdain came after the country exited the competition in Brazil, with a 1-0 defeat at the hands of a 10-man Belgium side.

South Korea finished last in their group with one draw and two losses.

It is the country's first Word Cup without a match win since the 1998 tournament in France.

Toffees were thrown at the team as an insult

The 23-man squad, coached by Hong Myung-bo, arrived back at Incheon International Airport on the outskirts of Seoul from Sao Paulo early on Monday.

They were greeted by frustrated supporters who threw dozens of sweets at the shame-faced players, who had lined up for a news conference.

The popular pumpkin toffees have become a shorthand for an insult in South Korea, where  "Go eat toffee" means a ruder version of "get lost".

Captain Koo said the young players had found the pressure too great in Brazil.

He said: "The pressures were bigger than we thought for the young players on the big stage like the World Cup."

South Korea fans watch their team crash out

The team's head coach is under pressure to quit but he insisted he had made no decision yet on his future.

"Here is not a good place to speak about it. I'll make the best decision," said Hong.

The fans who threw the sweets toward the team were members of an online group called "We lost because of you."

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'Dirty Old Man': New Allegations Of Harris Abuse

The Fall Of One Of Britain's Best-Loved Stars

Updated: 3:49pm UK, Monday 30 June 2014

By Nick Pisa, Sky News Reporter

Despite being born in Australia, Rolf Harris' lengthy career in show business, spanning almost six decades, has ensured he is one of Britain's best-known and, until now, best-loved stars.

From his humble beginnings as a swimming champion in his native Western Australia, he moved to London in 1952 after deciding to abandon a teaching career and study art instead.

Within weeks he was singing in ex-pat clubs and two years after stepping off a liner, he signed a contract with the BBC which marked the start of a lengthy association with the broadcaster.

Artist, singer-songwriter and TV star, his legendary career earned him an MBE, OBE and CBE and Australian honours as well.

He was given a BAFTA fellowship, painted a portrait of the Queen and has met other members of the royal family countless times.

Harris also made numerous TV commercials and appeared at Glastonbury six times - opening the event in 2010 - and singing in front of a crowd of almost 100,000.

Countless generations of children and adults know him through iconic programmes from the 70s, 80s and 90s, such as The Rolf Harris Show, Rolf Harris Cartoon Time, Animal Hospital and Rolf On Art.

His wife of 56 years, Alwen, and daughter Bindi, 49, supported him in court throughout the seven-week trial, although only Bindi was called to give evidence in the case.

She described how she wanted to ''stab herself with forks'' after discovering Harris had been having a relationship with her best friend, who was the subject of seven of the charges.

In his 2001 autobiography, titled after his catchphrase "Can You Tell What It Is Yet", there is a telling passage in which he explained his feelings about his family.

He wrote: ''Alwen and Bindi have to come first. It has only been in the last five years that I have realised this. Late, but better than never.''

Telling, because it was in 1997 Harris wrote to the father of Bindi's best friend to tell him of the affair he had been having with his daughter when his own daughter found out.

He also wrote of how, as his career took off in the 60s, he found himself ogling women in backstage dressing rooms set aside for dancers he worked with.

Harris wrote: ''I tried not to watch - or be seen watching - but it wasn't easy, I spent most of my time reading the same page of a book 14 times realising I was holding it upside down.''

It's also clear he had a difficult relationship with his daughter and wife - blaming himself for not being with them as he devoted his time to his career - leaving them a painful second.

In the early 1960s as his career hit the big time, Alwen visited Australia with him and it later emerged she had contemplated suicide, Harris only finding out about it 30 years later when he found her diary.

Harris described how ''the words struck me like hammer blows'' adding that he ''felt terrible and I kicked myself for my selfishness''.

His awards and honours count for nothing and he will now swap his luxury Thames-side home in Berkshire for the cold harsh surroundings of a prison cell, as a convicted sex offender.

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Surfers Accused Of Harrassing 'Pregnant' Whale

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A group of surfers who got close to a southern right whale off a beach in Sydney, Australia, are warned to stay away.

4:33pm UK, Monday 30 June 2014

Video: Surfers Close Encounter With Whale

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• Video: Surfers Close Encounter With Whale

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Rolf Harris Guilty Of String Of Sex Attacks

By Nick Pisa, Sky News Reporter

Veteran entertainer Rolf Harris has been found guilty of a string of indecent assaults against underage girls.

A police mugshot of Harris

Harris, whose showbusiness career spans more than 60 years, remained stony-faced as the jury returned guilty verdicts on all 12 counts after a seven-week trial at Southwark Crown Court.

His daughter Bindi held hands with a fellow supporter, and his wife Alwen and niece Jenny watched from the public gallery as Harris learned his fate.

The 84-year-old will be sentenced on Friday.

Mr Justice Sweeney warned Harris it was "inevitable" a custodial sentence would be possible.

It is the highest profile conviction achieved by officers from Scotland Yard's Operation Yewtree team - the unit set up to investigate historical sex abuse claims in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal.

During the trial, four females described their ordeal at the hands of the Australian-born cartoonist - with the youngest being just seven or eight years old.

He was accused of indecent assaults dating between 1968 and 1986, but several other women gave bad character evidence against him at the trial, reliving how they had been molested by him as late as 1991.

Prosecution sources confirmed to Sky News that dozens of other women have also come forward during the trial, claiming they too were assaulted by him and police are considering whether to bring further charges.

Harris at court with daughter Bindi (left), wife Alwen and niece Jenny

Two Australian women have also exclusively told Sky News they were groped by Harris in circumstances which echo some of the evidence heard during the trial.

The main complainant against Harris - who performed in the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012 - was the best friend of the singer's daughter Bindi.

The woman, who is now 49, told how she was first molested by Harris after she stepped out of a shower during a holiday in Hawaii in 1978 with Bindi and the rest of her family.

He then groped her again on the beach before carrying out further attacks on her in the bedroom of his family home in Australia - as Bindi slept nearby - and the assaults continued back in Britain.

Prosecutor Sasha Wass described Harris as a ''sinister pervert'' who used his fame to get close to young women and girls, adding that he had a ''dark side'' and was a ''Jekyll and Hyde character''.

Key to the case was a letter written by Harris to the father of the main victim in 1997 after she had told her parents of the abuse she had suffered as a teenager.

Harris's career in showbusiness spanned six decades

In it, Harris wrote how he was in a ''state of abject self-loathing'', adding he was ''sickened'' by the ''misery I have caused".

The prosecution said it amounted to a confession of his indecent assaults on her which went on until she was 29 years old - only ending when she moved to Norfolk.

The other allegations involved attacks on a girl in Portsmouth in 1968-1969, a woman in Cambridge some time between 1975 and 1979 and an Australian woman called Tonya Lee who was molested in a London pub in 1986.

In an interview broadcast last year Ms Lee said: ''I don't know how he lives his life day to day, and I don't know how he sleeps at night.''

The Metropolitan Police said afterwards Harris "habitually denied any wrongdoing" and "thought his celebrity status placed him above the law".

The Crown Prosecution Service added: "The victims in this case have suffered in silence for many years and have only recently found the courage to come forward. Each victim, unbeknown to the others, described a similar pattern of behaviour - that of a man acting without fear of the consequences."

Bafta confirmed Harris will be stripped of the Bafta Fellowship he received in 2012. The children's entertainer may also lose his CBE following his conviction.

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Juncker's EU Victory 'Humiliation' For Cameron

David Cameron has faced a grilling in the Commons over his failed attempt to stop Jean-Claude Juncker being nominated for the EU's top job.

The Prime Minister addressed MPs after European leaders backed arch-federalist Mr Juncker by 26 votes to two last Friday.

Britain and Hungary were the only EU countries who opposed his appointment - and Mr Cameron described the nomination as a "bad day for Europe".

He said his bid to block Mr Juncker - based on the belief the former Luxembourg leader would not reform the EU – was "a point of principle on which I was not prepared to budge".

And he told the Commons his right to veto any new Commission president was taken away when the last Labour government signed the Nice and Lisbon treaties.

European Commission President-designate Jean-Claude Juncker

Mr Cameron said he did not agree with the European Parliament effectively choosing the president, believing this was a power which should be retained by national government leaders in the European Council.

He added: "I believe the Council could have found a candidate who commanded the support of every member state.

"That has been the practice on every previous occasion and I think it was a mistake to abandon this approach this time."

But Labour leader Ed Miliband launched a fierce attack, calling the episode an "utter humiliation".

Facing Mr Cameron across the dispatch box, he said: "His combination of threats, insults and disengagement turned out to be a masterclass in alienating your allies and losing the argument for Britain.

Ed Miliband called Mr Juncker's appointment an "appalling failure"

"The truth is the Prime Minister returned to Britain on Friday having failed - an appalling failure of relationship-building, winning support and delivering for Britain.

"He lost 26 votes to two and comes to this chamber and claims it as some kind of vindication of his tactics.

"Your party may think it represents splendid isolation - it isn't. It is utter humiliation.

"He was outwitted, outmanoeuvred and outvoted… he is a defeated Prime Minister who cannot deliver for Britain."

On Sunday, Mr Juncker told Mr Cameron he was "fully committed" to addressing the UK's political concerns in Europe.

The pair spoke after the PM telephoned Mr Juncker to congratulate him on securing the nomination for the EU's top job.

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