Weather: Britain Set To Sizzle This Weekend

Britain is set to bask in the hottest temperatures of the year so far this weekend as summer finally arrives across the country.

Sun worshippers will enjoy highs of up to 28C (82F) to 29C (84F) on Saturday in London, with temperatures soaring to 30C (86F) in parts of southern England on Sunday, while most of the UK will feel the heat in the mid to high 20s.

Crowds gathering in Hyde Park to watch The Rolling Stones later can expect to swelter in the sunshine, and Britain's Andy Murray will feel the glare of more than just the eyes of the Wimbledon faithful tomorrow.

The sun rises over a ship off the coast near Tynemouth, in the North East

The weather is much hotter than usual for the time of year - the average maximum temperature for July in England is 20.9C (69.5F).

Many parts of the country can expect to enjoy temperatures on par with popular Spanish holiday resorts.

And the heat wave gripping Britain this July shows no signs of letting up, according to Sky News Weather Presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar, with the good weather expected to last throughout next week and beyond.

It means the UK is on course to enjoy its longest spell of hot weather since 2006, when temperatures were above 28C in many areas for around a fortnight.

The Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, central London

She said: "Finally it seems the summer weather has arrived and is set to stick around for a while.

"This weekend the mercury could rise up to 30C (86F) in the south-east of England, elsewhere will be very warm as well with temperatures into the mid to high 20s.

"This time of the year the average maximum temperature in England is 20.9C so most areas will be above that.

"However, not everywhere will bask in the sunshine. Most of Scotland and Ireland will have cloudier skies with rain across the far north-west on Saturday, slowly spreading south and eastwards bringing a few showers to northern England by Sunday.

"Although the north-west of the UK and Ireland will be mostly cloudy, there will be some sunny spells at times and in the sunshine it will still feel quite warm."

Sunb lovers flock to Fistral Beach in Newquay

"Coastal areas will be another exception to the sunshine and warmth. Throughout the weekend and into next week it will feel cooler around the coasts with onshore breezes. Mist or low cloud may plague some coasts too.

"Although most people will enjoy this sunny period, for some it will be too hot, especially across the south this weekend. UV levels will be very high on Sunday and Monday as will pollen levels for the next few days."

More recently, temperatures peaked at 30.7C (87F) between July 23 and 26, last year.

The previous highest temperature of 2013 so far has been 27C (80F) on June 30, but recent years have seen Britons endure wet and overcast summers.

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Andy Murray Through To Wimbledon Final

Andy Murray is through to the Wimbledon final after beating Jerzy Janowicz in four sets.

He will face world number one Novak Djokovic on Sunday after the Serbian came through a five-set thriller against Juan Martin del Potro.

Murray came back from a set down to beat his Polish opponent 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.

Fans celebrate the victory on Murray Mount

Speaking after a packed Centre Court crowd gave him a standing ovation, he said: "I'm obviously delighted with that. Very tough match today, completely different to any of the matches I've played so far.

"He's a very talented player, very unpredictable. He had some huge serves out there and gave me very little rhythm. It was very hard out there today. I'm glad to get it done."

Standing at 6ft 8in, 22-year-old Janowicz was the first Polish man in history to reach the semi-finals of a grand slam and he made life difficult for Murray through more than just his play.

The pulsating match, which played well through the evening, was interrupted for 20 minutes in order to close the roof due to poor light.

Murray argues with referee Andrew Jarrett about the light

Coming at the end of a storming third set for Murray in which he had just won five games in a row and had worked up momentum in the game, the world number two was clearly dismayed.

Janowicz had been repeatedly complaining about the light but Murray branded the decision to give in to the Pole's requests as "ridiculous" and "unfair" during a loud tirade against referee Andrew Jarrett.

Speaking afterwards about the hold-up, Murray added: "I like to think this is an outdoor event and you try to play as much outdoors as you can."

Murray now faces Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final

But Janowicz was unconcerned by the upset he caused, saying: "I don't care. What I can do? I care about myself. I don't care if he was angry or not."

The British number one revealed that he used the break to have a shower and refocus, while Janowicz called a friend.

"He was calling someone. He seemed very, very relaxed - he's in the semis at Wimbledon. But that's the kind of player he is," Murray said.

The win will give Murray a second go at breaking Britain's long wait for a men's Wimbledon champion, following Fred Perry's success in 1936.

Last year he broke down in tears after being beaten by Roger Federer in the final, but made amends by winning gold at the Olympics just weeks later against the Swiss.

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Abu Qatada To Finally Be Deported To Jordan

Timeline: Qatada Legal Battle

Updated: 6:39am UK, Saturday 06 July 2013

Abu Qatada has challenged and ultimately thwarted every attempt by the Government to detain and deport him for many years.

Here is a timeline of the legal battle.

1993: Abu Qatada claims asylum when he arrives in Britain on a forged passport.

1994: Allowed to stay in Britain.

1995: Issues a "fatwa" justifying the killing of converts from Islam, their wives and children in Algeria.

1998: Applies for indefinite leave to remain in Britain.

1999: April - Convicted in his absence on terror charges in Jordan and sentenced to life imprisonment.

October - Speaks in London advocating the killing of Jews and praising attacks on Americans.

2001: February - Arrested by anti-terror police over involvement in a plot to bomb Strasbourg Christmas market. Officers find him with £170,000 in cash, including £805 in an envelope marked "For the mujahedin in Chechnya".

December - Becomes one of Britain's most wanted men after going on the run from his home in west London.

2002: Arrested by police in a council house in south London and detained in Belmarsh high-security jail.

2005: Freed on conditional bail and placed on a control order but arrested again in August under immigration rules as the Government seeks to deport him to Jordan.

2008: April: Court of Appeal rules deportation would breach his human rights because evidence used against him in Jordan might have been obtained through torture.

May - Granted bail by the immigration tribunal but told he must stay inside for 22 hours a day.

June - Released from Long Lartin jail in Worcestershire and moves into a four-bedroom house in west London.

November - He is rearrested after the Home Office tells an immigration hearing of fears he plans to abscond.

December - Qatada's bail is revoked by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac) after hearing secret evidence that the risk of him absconding has increased.

2009: Five Law Lords unanimously back the Government's policy of removing terror suspects from Britain on the basis of assurances from foreign governments and it is ruled he can be deported to Jordan to face a retrial on the terror charges.

He is awarded 2,800 euro (£2,500) compensation by the European Court of Human Rights after the judges rule that his detention without trial in the UK under anti-terrorism powers breached his human rights.

2012: January - European judges rule he can be sent to Jordan with diplomatic assurances but not while "there remains a real risk that evidence obtained by torture will be used against him".

February - He is released on strict bail conditions.

April - Rearrested as the Government prepares to deport him after Jordan gives assurances it will "bend over backwards" to ensure he receives a fair trial.

March - Qatada's legal team loses its bid to have the case heard by the Europe's human rights judges, clearing the way for deportation proceedings to continue.

May and August - Siac rejects Qatada's applications for bail.

October - Siac holds appeal hearing.

November - His appeal is granted and he is granted bail.

December - Qatada is moved to a larger residence in the greater London area.

2013:

March 9 - It emerges Qatada has been arrested for allegedly breaching his bail conditions. He is ordered to stay in custody and sent to Belmarsh.

March 21 - Police reveal the cleric is being investigated over extremist material.

March 27 - Home Secretary Theresa May loses her appeal over Siac's decision to allow Qatada to stay in the UK. The Home Office vows to appeal.

April 17 - The Home Office formally announces that it is seeking leave from the Court of Appeal to take the case to the Supreme Court.

April 22 - The Court of Appeal refuses permission to go to the Supreme Court, forcing the Home Office to appeal directly to the highest court in the land.

April 23 - Theresa May tells MPs she has signed a new treaty with Jordan that should pave the way to deportation, but warns it might take "many months".

May 10 - Qatada's barrister says he will go back to Jordan voluntarily if the treaty on the use of evidence obtained by torture, guaranteeing he will not be tortured, is ratified by the Jordanian parliament.

May 20 - Qatada is refused bail by the Special Immigrations Appeals Commission after "jihadist material" is found on a computer memory stick.

July 2 - The new treaty between Jordan and Britain is fully ratified, sparking claims Qatada could be on a plane within days.

July 3 - A Jordanian government official tells AFP the cleric is due back on Sunday.

July 7 - Due to be flown from RAF Northholt to Jordan

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Father In Court Over Daughter's Murder

The father of an 11-year-old girl found strangled at her home has appeared in court charged with her murder.

Rebecca Thompson was discovered at the house in Holmefield Road, Bushey, Hertfordshire, on Saturday, June 22.

Her father Simon Thompson, 52, was taken to hospital after being involved in a car crash in the early hours of the same day.

He has now appeared at Hatfield Magistrates' Court, where he was remanded in custody.

Rebecca's headteacher paid tribute to the schoolgirl.

In a statement, Rita Cooper, head of Sacred Heart Primary School, said: "It is with great sadness that we heard of the death of Rebecca who was in Year Six at Sacred Heart.

"Rebecca was a lovely girl who was hard-working and did well in her learning. She was looking forward to secondary school.

"The whole school is very distressed by this tragedy and our thoughts are with her family and friends."

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Met Approved Stephen Lawrence Friend Bugging

The man who was in charge of the inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence authorised a secret recording of a meeting between the teenager's close friend, his lawyers and police detectives, it has been revealed.

Scotland Yard said Former Deputy Assistant Commissioner John Grieve, who headed up the Met's racial and violent crimes task force, gave permission for at least one meeting between Duwayne Brooks and investigating officers to be recorded - without Mr Brooks' knowledge or permission.

John Grieve says the bugging was necessary to catch Stephen's killers

Eighteen-year-old Stephen was waiting for a bus with Mr Brooks when he was murdered by racists in Eltham, south-east London, in 1993.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Fiona Taylor, who is in charge of the Directorate of Professional Standards, has written to Mr Brooks' solicitor Jane Deighton saying documentation authorising the recording of the meeting in May 2000 has been discovered.

The actual recording has not yet been found and is still being searched for.

Ms Taylor was asked to urgently assess what happened after it emerged at the end of June that the police had allegedly launched some sort of smear campaign against Stephen's parents, Doreen and Neville.

Following those shock revelations it was claimed that the police had made secret recordings of interviews between Mr Brooks, his lawyer and detectives.

Scotland Yard launched an investigation into those allegations last week. Nothing illegal has been uncovered so far.

Mr Grieve, who is now retired, has defended authorising the covert recording of the interviews at the offices of Ms Deighton, insisting it was done in order to protect the integrity of the evidence and make sure he was doing everything he could to find Stephen's killers.

Stephen Lawrence was murdered in a racist attack

Acting within the parameters of the law, he claims that if he had offered Mr Brooks and his legal team the option of recording the interview and keeping it, there would have been objections and the interview would have been quite different. His request to conduct the secret recording was approved by Scotland Yard.

But Mr Grieve has apologised for any "discomfort or dismay" the actions might have caused Mr Brooks and the Lawrence family. 

Former undercover officer Peter Francis, who worked with Scotland Yard's former Special Demonstration Squad, last month alleged that he had been told to find information to use to smear the Lawrence family, and spoke out about tactics that he said were used by the secretive unit in the 1980s and 1990s.

In the wake of his claims, Mr and Mrs Lawrence called for a public inquiry into the allegations, which the teenager's mother said made her feel "sick to the stomach".

Shadow minister for policing David Hanson said Mr Grieve's admission over the secret recordings "mean an independent inquiry is all the more needed".  

"These differing accounts of secret recordings and the activities of some police officers surrounding the Lawrence case and Macpherson inquiry (the 1998 public inquiry into Stephen's death) make it more vital we get full disclosure," he said.

Prime Minister David Cameron has said he remains open to further probes into the allegations but has so far resisted calls for another full public inquiry.

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James Bulger's Parents' 'Terror' Over Ruling

The father of Merseyside toddler James Bulger has said the announcement that one of his killers is to be freed from prison "fills him with terror".

Ralph Bulger, in a statement issued through his solicitor Robin Makin, said the family was "disappointed and dismayed" by the decision to release Jon Venables.

He said: "In 2011 the Parole Board determined that it was 'not safe' for Jon Venables to be released. It is not known what has changed. No reasons for the decision have been given.

"The decision to release Jon Venables is misguided and fills Ralph with terror.

"Ralph fears that an innocent person may be mistaken for Jon Venables and be injured or even killed.

James Bulger was tortured and left dead on railway tracks in Liverpool

"If such occurs then Ralph will feel guilty of not having done enough to have prevented such an obvious tragedy.

"For Ralph and his family the living nightmare continues and is exacerbated by the problems now created by the reckless decision to free Jon Venables without any publicly disclosed safeguards."

Venables, now in his 30s, was jailed in 2010 after admitting downloading and distributing indecent images of children while on parole from his life sentence for killing two-year-old James.

He was originally jailed for life alongside 10-year-old classmate Robert Thompson in 1993 for the abduction, torture and murder of James in Bootle. This year marks the 20th anniversary of James's murder.

The two boys were released on licence with new identities in 2001.

James's mother Denise Fergus is dismayed by the decision to free Venables

Earlier this year James' father and mother, Denise Fergus, both addressed Venables' parole hearing and pushed for him to remain in prison.

Mrs Fergus, who broke the news of Venables' release on her Twitter page, said: "I got a call from the Probation Service, but they only told me that the parole has been approved and that preparations are being made for his release.

"I have not been told what conditions they are going to impose and even whether he will still be banned from entering the county of Merseyside."

She added: "I've been fighting for justice for James for 20 years now and I will continue to do so."

A spokesman for the Parole Board said today: "We've had confirmation that all parties have been told and we can confirm that it was a release decision. He (Venables) will be released."

Ralph Bulger addressed Venables parole hearing earlier this year

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "The re-release of life-licensed offenders is directed by the independent Parole Board once they are satisfied they can be safely managed in the community.

"Their life licence lasts for the rest of their lives, and they may be recalled to prison at any time for breaching their licence conditions.

"Additionally, they will be subject to strict controls and restrictions for as long as their risk requires them."

Venables' former solicitor Laurence Lee said: "My thoughts go out to Denise Fergus and the rest of James Bulger's family.

"But the Parole Board have decided that he can be freed and he can't be kept inside forever.

"Jon Venables may be at liberty but he will never be free."

Mr Bulger released a book - titled My James - earlier this year in which he described blaming his former wife for letting their son out of her sight.

He also said he drank two bottles of whisky a day to escape the pain and that he considered suicide after his son's murder.

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Fugitive Murder Suspect 'Using Canal Paths'

Detectives hunting a man suspected of murdering his ex-girlfriend believe he may be using canal pathways to avoid arrest.

Michael Cope, 28, is wanted by police over the "sustained and vicious" killing of mother-of-two Linzi Ashton, 25, whose body was found at her home in Winton, Salford, on Saturday.

Police say Cope has "good knowledge" of the pathways around the Bridgewater Canal between Winton and Leigh after he was last spotted at The Moorings in Worsley at about 9am on Saturday.

More than 30 addresses in the area have been searched as part of the investigation with three arrests made so far.

Chief Superintendent Kevin Mulligan said: "It is vital we find and speak to Michael Cope to assist our investigation into the brutal murder of Linzi Ashton.

"Understandably, her family are absolutely shattered by what has happened to her, and we are committed to giving them the answers that they need.

"We have made it abundantly clear that Cope needs to be found and we suspect that he may well become more and more desperate as the manhunt continues.

"He therefore could be sleeping rough. We urge people to call the police if they notice any suspicious behaviour around their outbuildings, sheds or gardens."

On Tuesday, police released CCTV footage of Cope buying snacks hours before the young mother was murdered.

A Home Office post-mortem concluded she died as a result of pressure to the neck and multiple injuries.

Cope was in a brief "acrimonious" relationship with Miss Ashton, who worked at the Duke of York pub in nearby Eccles.

Police had been seeking to arrest Cope since the end of April when Miss Ashton made a complaint of rape against him.

Her body was discovered by a relative at her home in Westbourne Road shortly before 6pm on Saturday. Her two daughters, Daisy, two, and Destiny, seven, were not at the address at the time.

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Azelle Rodney 'Unlawfully Killed' By Police

An inquiry into the death of a man shot dead by police eight years ago has concluded that he was unlawfully killed.

Azelle Rodney, who was 24, died after the car he was in was stopped by armed officers in London.

An official report found the police marksman who shot Mr Rodney had no reason to believe he had picked up a weapon - so there was "no lawful justification" for killing him.

The officer who fired the fatal shots could now face criminal charges after the case was referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Mr Rodney's mother Susan Alexander said the report backed her view that her son was "executed" and demanded an apology from Scotland Yard.

Former High Court judge Sir Christopher Holland released his findings following the public inquiry into the shooting in Edgware, north London in 2005.

The VW Golf in which the victim was travelling with two other men was stopped by officers who feared the trio were on their way to stage an armed heist on Colombian drug dealers and had an automatic weapon capable of firing 1,000 rounds per minute.

Mr Rodney was shot six times, once each in the arm and back and four times in the head.

Sir Christopher's critical conclusions raise the possibility of the officer, known only as E7, facing criminal charges for the shooting.

He found that even if the armed officer believed Mr Rodney had picked up a weapon, it was disproportionate to fire the four fatal head shots.

Mr Rodney's family and legal team spoke out after the report was published

E7 told the inquiry that he had seen Mr Rodney start moving around, reaching down and then coming back up with his shoulders hunched.

But Sir Christopher's report dismissed this account, which was also contradicted by eyewitnesses.

It said: "E7's accounts of what he saw are not to be accepted. Prior to firing he did not believe that the man who turned out to be Azelle Rodney had picked up a gun and was about to use it.

"Further, on the basis of what he was able to see, he could not rationally have believed that."

The officer has written to the inquiry to claim that the findings against him are " irrational".

Three guns were found in the Golf - a Colt .45 calibre pistol, a Baikal pistol and a smaller gun that looked like a key fob.

The Colt was not loaded, the Baikal was loaded but was not cocked and the safety catch was on, and the key fob gun was loaded, cocked and the safety catch was off.

Sir Christopher found that Operation Tayport, which led to Mr Rodney's death, was not run in a way that would minimise the threat to life.

He also concluded that the "hard stop" on the Golf "fell short of the standards set by the MPS".

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said the Met "deeply regrets" the killing

Drivers were not supposed to deliberately ram the suspect car but two of the police cars did.

The firearms officers were also supposed to be wearing police caps, but the two that could be seen in a video of the shooting were not.

Two officers also fired rounds into the tyres of the Golf after it had been rammed and hemmed in by unmarked police cars.

Sir Christopher has recommended that Scotland Yard now nominates a senior officer to carry out a review of the operation.

Speaking after the report was published, Susan Alexander said: "I do not seek to justify what Azelle was doing on the day he died, but he was entitled to be apprehended and, if there was evidence, to be charged and brought before a court of law to face trial before a jury.

"The fact that he was strongly suspected in being involved in crime does not justify him or anyone else being summarily killed."

She said she did not want any further delays in investigating what happened to her son, and asked for apologies from the police and watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said: "I have read the findings carefully and want to express my personal sympathy to Mr Rodney's family.

"The MPS deeply regrets his death, and I recognise how distressing the inquiry must have been for them."

He said the force accepts recommendations made by Sir Christopher about how officers are debriefed after firearms operations.

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Man Charged With Murder Of 'His Grandmother'

A man accused of murdering an elderly woman believed to be his grandmother and stabbing a nine-year-old boy in a skate park has been remanded in custody.

Nathaniel Flynn, 26, of Shipley, West Yorkshire, is accused of stabbing to death retired teacher Louisa Denby, 84.

Ms Denby lived at the same address in Prospect Mount as Flynn, and was believed to be his grandmother.

Police were called to the address on Monday night after reports that a boy had been attacked in nearby Carnegie skate park.

A nine-year-old boy was injured after he was stabbed in this skate park

Flynn was arrested and charged with the murder of Mrs Denby. He was charged with attempting to murder the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

He was also charged with possessing an offensive weapon and assault following another incident on Monday in which a 59-year-old man was attacked with an iron bar outside his home in the Idle area of Bradford.

The victim suffered a broken hand and required treatment at hospital, according to police.

Flynn, wearing a blue jumper over a red T-shirt, stood in the glass-fronted dock at Bradford Magistrates' Court flanked by two security guards for a three-minute hearing.

In a quiet voice, with what appeared to be an American accent, he spoke to confirm his personal details.

District Judge David Scanlon remanded Flynn in custody. He is next due appear in court on July 9.

Four other people who were arrested on suspicion of murder have all been released without charge.

Mrs Denby was described by distraught neighbours as a "lovely woman" and "everyone's grandmother".

David Cameron spoke during Prime Minister's Questions in Parliament of his shock at the attack.

On Wednesday, police said the boy who had been stabbed was in a stable condition after he suffered chest and arm injuries and was airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary.

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Falkirk Row: Labour Calls In Police

Labour is handing its investigation into alleged irregularities over the selection of an election candidate in Falkirk to the police, according to Sky sources.

Facing potentially the biggest crisis of his Labour leadership, Ed Miliband has told Unite boss Len McCluskey to face up to "malpractice" over the selection of MPs.

Mr Miliband insisted the union - Labour's biggest donor - should not be defending the "machine politics" allegedly used in an attempt to swing the selection for its favoured candidate in Falkirk.

It is claimed Unite crammed the Scottish constituency with 100 or more members whose subscriptions were paid by the union, some of them without their knowledge.

Earlier, Mr McCluskey said he had "no trust" in the the party's handling of the Falkirk issue, after Mr Miliband's chief election coordinator resigned and two party members were suspended.

Mr Watson, who has close links with Unite, stepped down from the shadow cabinet on Thursday, saying that he was quitting to safeguard "the unity of the party".

Mr McCluskey has demanded an independent inquiry, accusing the party of "smears" over claims that it sought to swing the contest.

But Mr Miliband dismissed the union boss's smear claim as "total nonsense" and said Mr McCluskey should "face up to what people within your union were doing".

Tom Watson has resigned

Speaking at a charity event in London, Mr Miliband said: "The Labour Party I lead will select its candidates in a fair and transparent way.

"We will act without fear or favour.

"Instead of defending what happened in Falkirk, Len McCluskey should be facing up to his responsibilities.

"He should not be defending the machine politics involving bad practice and malpractice that went on there, he should be facing up to it.

"We had members being signed up without their knowledge, bad practice, malpractice and, frankly, instead of defending that kind of thing, Len McCluskey should be condemning it."

In an incendiary letter to Labour's general secretary, Mr McCluskey said a party inquiry into claims the union tried to stitch up candidate selection was a "disgrace".

"I ... am obliged to uphold the integrity of Unite, and I can no longer do so on the basis of going along with the activities of a Labour Party administration in which I can place no trust," Mr McCluskey wrote.

"I will therefore be publicly proposing that an independent inquiry be held into all circumstances relating to Falkirk CLP and the conduct of all parties involved."

Mr McCluskey also complained that he had not been shown the "flimsy" internal inquiry report which he said "has been used to smear Unite and its members".

"Even if the allegations of people being signed up to the party without their knowledge were true, this had nothing whatsoever to do with my union," he said.

"It is noteworthy that members of the shadow cabinet have been in the lead in initiating this attack upon Unite. Have they had sight of this report while I, the leader of the union put in the frame, has not had the courtesy of a copy?"

Conservatives have capitalised on the Falkirk row, with David Cameron repeatedly goading Mr Miliband over the influence allegedly wielded by Unite, which has donated more than £8m to Labour since he became leader.

"It's quite clear the trade unions have far too much control over Labour," Mr Cameron said.

"This has happened on Ed Miliband's watch. It is something of a scandal that is unfolding and he badly needs to grip it."

Sky's deputy political editor Joey Jones said: "Labour badly needs some time away from the parliamentary hothouse to lick its wounds and try to restore some order to its selection procedures.

"However, the Tories will take every opportunity to crow at the opposition's misery."

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Stone 'Geordie God' Head Discovered By Student

A student has discovered a 1,800-year-old stone head of a "possible Geordie god", buried in an ancient rubbish dump.

The 20cm sandstone head, which dates from the 2nd or 3rd century AD, is thought to have been worshipped as a source of inspiration in war.

The find was made at Binchester Roman Fort, in County Durham, by first year archaeology student Alex Kirton as the team dug at an old bath house.

A similar head, complete with an inscription identifying it as Antenociticus, was found at Benwell, in Newcastle, in 1862.

Mr Kirton, 19, from Hertfordshire, said: "As an archaeology student this is one of the best things and most exciting things that could have happened.

"It was an incredible thing to find in a lump of soil in the middle of nowhere - I've never found anything remotely exciting as this."

Dr David Petts, lecturer in Archaeology at Durham University, said: "We found the Binchester head close to where a small Roman altar was found two years ago.

The site where the discovery was made

"We think it may have been associated with a small shrine in the bath house and dumped after the building fell out of use, probably in the 4th century AD.

"It is probably the head of a Roman god - we can't be sure of his name, but it does have similarities to the head of Antenociticus found at Benwell in the 19th century.

"Antenociticus is one of a number of gods known only from the northern frontier, a region which seems to have had a number of its own deities.

"It's possibly a Geordie god, though it could have been worshipped at the other end of the wall."

The find was made as part of a five-year project at Binchester Roman Fort that is attempting to shed new light on the twilight years of the Roman Empire.

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Prisoners To Be Moved To Jails Near Home

Where Are The Resettlement Prisons?

Updated: 10:29am UK, Thursday 04 July 2013

Plans for the use of 70 jails across England and Wales to prepare offenders for release have been announced. (Some prisons serve more than one area)

Northumbria
Durham, Northumberland

Cumbria and Lancashire
Preston, Haverigg, Kirkham

Durham and Cleveland
Durham, Holme House, Kirklevington

North Yorkshire, Humberside and Lincolnshire
Hull, Lincoln, Wolds & Everthorpe, North Sea Camp

West Yorkshire
Leeds, Wealstun

Cheshire and Greater Manchester
Manchester, Altcourse, Forest Bank, Risley, Thorn Cross

Merseyside
Liverpool, Kennet

South Yorkshire
Doncaster, South Yorkshire

Staffordshire and West Midlands
Birmingham, Hewell, Oakwood

Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire
Leicester, Nottingham, Ranby, Sudbury

North Wales, Dyfed-Powys, South Wales and Gwent
Cardiff, Swansea, Altcourse, Parc, Stoke Heath, Prescoed

West Mercia & Warwickshire
Hewell, Featherstone

Gloucestershire, Avon, Somerset and Wiltshire
Bristol, Guys Marsh, Portland, Leyhill

Dorset, Devon and Cornwall
Dorchester, Exeter, Channings Wood

Hampshire
Winchester, Bullingdon, Coldingley

Thames Valley
Bullingdon, Woodhill, Springhill

Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire
Bedford, Peterborough, Highpoint

Norfolk and Suffolk
Norwich, Wayland, Hollesley Bay

Essex
Chelmsford

Metropolitanm and City of London
Belmarsh, Pentonville, Wandsworth, Wormwood Scrubs, Isis, Thameside, Highdown, Brixton, The Mount, Onley, Highpoint

Kent, Surrey and Sussex
Lewes, Elmley, Highdown, Rochester, Standford Hill, Ford, Blantyre House

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Tour De France: Team Sky Blame Tacks For Flats

Team Sky have blamed tacks placed on the road by spectators for the punctures suffered by two of its cyclists during stage five of the Tour de France.

Geraint Thomas and Richie Porte were two of a handful of riders to suffer flat tyres during the 228.5km (142 mile) run from Cagnes-sur-Mer, a stage won by Mark Cavendish on the seafront in Marseille.

Neither rider lost time, although the stop for a change of tyre and another standing start caused further pain for Thomas, who has been riding on a cracked pelvis since a crash on the opening stage.

"Richie (Porte) and G (Thomas) both experienced flat tyres, and we think they might have been down to people placing tacks on the road," Team Sky sports director Nicolas Portal said.

Mark Cavendish took victory in the fifth stage of the Tour De France

"They were in the tyres when we inspected them after the race, and a few other teams also experienced similar problems.

"That's a bit of a worry, but thankfully nobody was hurt."

Chris Froome avoided both the tacks and two major crashes near the finish to remain in seventh place overall - just three seconds off the leader, former Team Sky man Simon Gerrans who is now riding for Orica GreenEdge.

Last year, Sir Bradley Wiggins earned the title "Le Gentleman" after stage 14 of the Tour to Foix came under attack from saboteurs.

Wearing the yellow jersey, Wiggins slowed the peloton to allow rivals to catch up after they stopped to deal with punctures.

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Mum And Child Found Dead In Merthyr Tydfil

The deaths of a mother - who has been named locally - and child in a house in South Wales are being treated as "unexplained", according to police.

Officers found the bodies of Joanne Thomas, who was thought to be in her 20s and a baby after being called to the property in Church Street in Troedyrhiw, Merthyr Tydfil, at around 4.20pm.

One neighbour told Sky News that social services had been knocking at Ms Thomas' door in the afternoon and called police when no one answered.

Locals said Ms Thomas, who had not been seen for several weeks, had been struggling with depression.

Yonni Bengorion, 45, who lived next door said: "She moved in here about three months ago and was very pleasant.

"Her baby was a beautiful girl. Joanne had problems with depression. The ambulance has been called out here a number of times with her being unconscious.

"I became concerned when I had not seen her for a few weeks and I noticed her washing was still on the line.

"I knocked the door a few times, but did not get an answer.

"I've later discovered that her door had been unlocked the whole time. This is such a tragedy."

Mr Bengorion said Ms Thomas had two older children who would sometimes stay with her at weekends.

He added: "Joanne told me she was happy to come live here because it was a fresh start for her. She told me she had been at a woman's refuge in the past."

The area has been cordoned off and house-to-house enquiries are under way.

Police have yet to confirm the age and identity of the two victims. Post-mortem examinations will be carried out over the next 24 hours to establish the cause of their deaths.

A police spokesman said: "The deaths are currently being treated as unexplained and an incident room has been set up at Cardiff Central Police Station."

Borough councillor Gareth Lewis said he found out about the deaths on Twitter and said it would be wrong to speculate on the nature of what had happened.

He said: "All we know is that a child and somebody else, perhaps a young adult, have lost their lives.

"It is a very close-knit community, the people are very nice and will help the police as much as possible with their inquiry.

"The information started to spread online, and it will have a big impact on this community and its people."

Troedyrhiw is part of an old coal mining area, which Mr Lewis described as a "typical, traditional Valleys community".

Detective Superintendent Paul Hurley, of the South Wales Police specialist crime investigations team, added: "Troedyrhiw is a close-knit community in Merthyr Tydfil and local people are obviously shocked.

"We would like to hear from anyone who has seen or heard anything suspicious or unusual in Church Street in recent weeks. The information may seem insignificant but could be important to the investigation."

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Madeleine McCann: New UK Police Investigation

Madeleine McCann's parents have welcomed the launch of a new UK police investigation into their daughter's disappearance.

More follows...

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Wales Approves Organ Donation Opt-Out Law

People in Wales will be presumed to have given consent for organ donations unless they opt out after a vote in favour of the law.

The current system, which operates across the UK, relies on people signing up to a voluntary scheme and carrying a donor card.

But Welsh ministers keen to drive up low transplant rates say the new scheme - set to come into force in 2015 - will save countless lives.

The new bill for Wales to adopt a system of presumed content passed its final stage in the Welsh Assembly, despite objections from religious groups on moral grounds as well as concerns about it adding to the distress of bereaved families.

Assembly Members voted in favour of the bill by 43 votes to eight, with two abstentions.

The Kidney Wales Foundation welcomed the vote, saying it "gives new hope for all those waiting for a transplant in Wales and will gladden the hearts of those in the UK who see this as a sign that other parts of the UK may follow this vote".

The organisation said one person dies every week in Wales - and three die every day in the UK - while waiting for an organ transplant.

Ministers insist the scheme will be implemented sensitively - saying they will launch a major publicity drive so people are fully informed about which choice to make.

The British Medical Association's spokesman in Wales said: "A few years ago, Wales was ready to lead the UK on banning smoking in public places, but we didn't have the necessary legal powers.

"This time we are delighted that our National Assembly has shown the rest of the UK the way forward and fully support its implementation."

The Welsh government said it hoped the new law would increase donors by a quarter. It will mean people would have to choose not to donate their organs and would apply to over-18s who died in Wales if they had lived in the country for more than a year.

Organs made available under the scheme could be used anywhere in the UK.

Despite five years in the making, the issue was still hotly contested for five hours before the vote with AMs from the Assembly's four parties mulling over more than 70 amendments.

Clwyd West AM Darren Millar voiced his objections saying: "I'm opposed in principle to a system where organ transplantation becomes a passive act, and consent for it is presumed, or as the Bill puts it deemed, by the state."

But his Tory colleague Angela Burns said she was still undecided right up until voting time.

Plaid Cymru's health spokeswoman Elin Jones said the Bill was an "important piece of legislation", but added it needed to be supported by an awareness campaign.

Lib Dem leader Kirsty Williams acknowledged the issue was an "incredibly emotive" one, but said the Bill would save lives.

Celebrity doctor and Embarrassing Bodies TV presenter Christian Jesser tweeted: "Having an opt out system for organ donation has not removed any rights from you. You can still opt out. That's the point!"

However, those views were not shared by campaign group Patient Concern, whose spokeswoman Joyce Robbins said: "This legislation will result in human bodies being treated like clapped-out cars. You strip them of parts for re-use, unless the owner prefers to scrap the whole vehicle."

The Christian Medical Fellowship branded the presumed consent model "unethical". Its chief executive Dr Peter Saunders said: "It should be encouraged as a gift, but this system lays the framework for the taking of organs as a right. That is a very dangerous precedent indeed."

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Health Tourism: Foreigners Face £200 NHS Levy

Foreigners face being charged around £200-a-year for using the NHS in an attempt to tackle so-called health tourism.

Ministers will outline plans to introduce the charge for foreign workers and students who come to the UK for more than half a year.

The Department of Health said it would make sure migrants contributed towards healthcare costs without adding to NHS red tape.

A public consultation will be launched about the move, which would form part of a raft of changes to immigration laws.

Foreigners could be given a temporary NHS number which flags up to the system that they should be paying for treatment.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told Sky News: "Hard-working British families pay their taxes for the NHS and we think that people coming from overseas should make some contribution as well.

"At the moment we don't track properly who should be paying and who shouldn't and the result is it is costing British taxpayers a lot of money."

Mr Hunt rejected claims the levy was too low, suggesting it could raise £100m, which would pay for 1,000 GPs.

He will say later: "We have been clear that we are a national health service - not an international health service - and I am determined to wipe out abuse in the system.

"The NHS is a national treasure and we need to work with the entire health system to develop plans and make sure it is sustainable for years to come."

Mr Huntwill also outline plans to end free access to GPs for short-term visitors and pledge to cut the bill for treating tourists, which currently stands at £200m.

But he has already made clear foreign patients would not be refused treatment in an emergency. In those cases, efforts to recoup the money would be made later.

The changes are part of a Government-wide push to cut down on abuse of British services, but doctors warned they feared becoming a "form of immigration control".

Clare Gerada, chair of the Council of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "I don't think we should be turning the GP surgery into a border agency."

Dr Gerada also warned immigrants with highly infectious conditions could end up "wandering around for fear of being charged" or going to more expensive emergency units, which could cost more.

And she accused the Government of failing to "find the facts" about the actual cost of NHS use by immigrants and launching a "rushed consultation".

"We need to make sure that what comes out the other end is sensible, proportionate and fair and doesn't cost us all much more money and put us at much more risk than the current situation which is one that, even at the worst estimates, is a tiny proportion of NHS costs," she said.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister David Cameron said immigrants could not expect "something for nothing" in the UK.

But shadow health minister Liz Kendall said: "In its three years in power, the Government has a poor record on announcing policies that sound good, but prove to be completely unworkable.

"We will have many questions to ask about the details when they are published, but the key tests for their proposals are: can they be properly enforced and will they save more money than they cost to put in place?"

Shadow public health minister Diane Abbott suggested in a post on Twitter that the Government was being xenophobic.

"What price xenophobia? Stigmatising foreigners accessing NHS creates a public health risk," she said.

"Stigmatising foreigners accessing NHS will undermine years of work to encourage at-risk groups to access HIV testing."

She said she was "not against people paying who are not entitled to free healthcare" but added there were "obvious public health risks re communicable disease".

Downing Street said Mr Cameron "emphatically rejects" her claims. His official spokesman insisted: "This is about fairness" and pointed out the exemption on public health grounds.

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Pelka Case: Sibling Says Boy Had Head 'Bashed'

The sibling of Daniel Pelka, who died after allegedly being starved to death, has told a court how the four-year-old had his head "bashed" in the bathroom.

The jury at Birmingham Crown Court is being played a tape of evidence given by the child, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

The prosecution claims Daniel died of head injuries after being subjected to a campaign of "incomprehensible" cruelty at the hands of his mother and stepfather.

Magdelena Luczak and her partner Mariusz Krezolek deny murder and causing or allowing Daniel's death.

The child said the last time they saw Daniel he was "sleeping in my bedroom" and they "tried to wake him up ... I listened to his heart ... I couldn't hear his heart ... it couldn't beat".

The child said they used to hide and cook food to give to Daniel "because he's not allowed to come down the stairs".

The court heard that the boy's bedroom "smelled disgusting" and the sibling said they had seen bruises on his legs.

The child said: "I love him and I didn't want him to be hurt."

More follows...

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CQC Bosses Admit Errors Over NHS 'Cover-Up'

Bosses at the crisis-hit health regulator have admitted they should have named senior executives alleged to be involved in the cover-up of a critical report.

Appearing before the Health Select Committee, Care Quality Commission (CQC) chairman David Prior said he "regretted" the error, adding: "I got that call completely wrong. I accept that criticism."

Chief executive David Behan said: "I made the decision. I clearly got that wrong."

The CQC's latest report detailed how officials might have suppressed a damning internal review into its inspections at Furness General Hospital.

The critical report said the body failed to properly investigate University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital where a number of mothers and babies died.

Three senior executives - former chief executive Cynthia Bower, her deputy Jill Finney and media manager Anna Jefferson - have been accused of agreeing that the report should be deleted, which they have strenuously denied.

But when the independent report into the alleged cover-up was first published, the names of the trio were redacted - a move made after the CQC received legal advice suggesting that publishing the names could breach data protection laws.

Amid mounting pressure to name those involved, officials sought new legal advice and decided to publish the names.

Ms Bower and Ms Jefferson are alleged to have "verbally agreed" to cover up the internal report under the instruction of Ms Finney because it was "potentially damaging to the CQC's reputation".

More to follow...

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TA Overhaul: Army Reservists Given Benefits

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

Army reservists will receive military pensions and healthcare support as part of a major drive to increase numbers.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond unveiled a £1.8bn overhaul in the Commons aimed at boosting reserve numbers to 30,000 by 2018.

Under the plans, the Territorial Army will become the Army Reserve, with members given 10% more training and better equipment.

Smaller firms employing part-time soldiers will also receive an extra £500 a month when they are away and be given more notice about training and deployments.

Companies discriminating against people wanting to serve will also be more at risk of being sued, with possible new laws to ensure there is no disadvantage.

The package, outlined in the Reserve White Paper, is expected to cost around £1.8bn over the next decade with a £40m investment in kit brought forward.

Philip Hammond says employers will benefit from the changes

It comes nearly three years after the coalition said it would be reducing regular Army numbers from 100,000 to 80,000.

Mr Hammond told MPs the changes were "key" to making sure that Britain has the military capability it needs in the future.

"The job we are asking our reservists to do is changing. The way we organise and train them will also have to change," he said.

Chief of the General Staff Sir Peter Wall told reporters at a briefing earlier that the reforms were "welcome and timely".

"The Territorial Army, as it has been called until now ... is ready for change. It has been waiting for this filip to its vibrance for some years now," he said.

The TA name was felt by senior military officers to have a Dad's Army connotation which would not suit the new, more integral organisation.

As part of the changes, 36 TA centres will be "vacated" - although this is far less than the 88 initially predicted - and used for other purposes.

A total of £80m will be spent refurbishing the remaining centres, with 68 major units for the reserve force.

Speaking to Sky News before his statement, Mr Hammond promised to listen to the concerns and views of businesses to ensure their co-operation.

Neil Carberry, the Confederation of British Industry's director of employment and skills, said small businesses were willing to work with the MoD, but fear being told what to do.

"What we want to see is not a 'thou shalt do this' when you employ a reservist from the MoD, but rather a 'let us tell you how we can work together' to make employing a reservist a really enjoyable experience," he said.

The total reserve force, made up of all three services, currently stands at around 22,000, of which around 19,000 are in the Army.

The aim is to expand it to 35,000 members, with 30,000 in the Army and a major marketing drive has been launched with recent adverts broadcast live from Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.

Sir Peter Wall admitted recruitment would be a challenge, but expressed confidence it would be achieved.

"We need to remember that historically we had a big reserve and when I joined the Army a few decades ago it was over 100,000 in the reserve," he told Sky News.

"We also need to remember that other nations make far more use of reserve manpower than we do, particularly the American army."

The Army Reserve will train alongside the regular troops and go on more overseas exercises.

Sergeant Gary Shepard, a lorry driver and a member of the Army Reserve, did not foresee a problem with a closer working relationship.

"I'm actually an ex-regular soldier, but when I joined 1 Para we integrated very easily and within a few weeks they actually forgot we were part-time," he told Sky News.

"What we do is 'beat-up' training prior to going and joining them (the regulars) so that we're on the same level as they are." 

The restructuring comes as the regular Army is being slashed to 82,000 troops - the lowest level for more than a century.

The Ministry of Defence escaped the worst of the budget cuts in last week's Spending Review but is still undergoing a major restructuring following the Strategic Defence and Security Review a few years ago.

There will be a fourth and final round of redundancies early next year which will largely affect the Army.

Dan Jarvis, a former soldier and now a Labour MP, has his doubts. He said: "Let's be clear, these decisions are being made not about capability, but about saving money.

"The Government has considerable challenges ahead to recruit the number of reservists it needs.

"We accept and understand that changes do have to be made, but it will be a difficult a process to make all those changes happen smoothly and effectively."

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Organ Donation: Wales Set To Approve Opt-Out

By Rhiannon Mills, Sky News Reporter

Wales is expected to become the first part of the UK to bring in an opt-out scheme for organ donation.

The Welsh Assembly will hold the final vote on the Human Transplantation (Wales) Bill later, which if enacted would bring in a system of "presumed consent" for organ donation.

Under the proposals, people in Wales will have to clearly indicate that they do not wish to give their organs when they die in order to be excluded from the donor register.

Kidney Wales Foundation (KWF) has campaigned for the proposed change in the law for the last five years and believes that donor organ availability could be boosted by up to 35% if it goes through and many more lives could be saved.

"The UK is one of the lowest donor rate countries in Europe," said Roy Thomas, KWF chief executive.

"The new Bill is new progressive law. We are proud to have led the debate in favour of this law.

"When introduced in Belgium only 2% opted out, currently only around a third of the Welsh population is on the organ donor register and this is around the same for the UK as a whole."

Those against the proposals claim it will cause extra distress for bereaved families and could put medical staff in a difficult position.

The UK currently has one of the lowest donor rates in Europe

Laura Raffour's four-year-old daughter Ava was born with a life-threatening liver condition and underwent heart surgery and two liver transplants before her first birthday. In total she has undergone over 60 operations.

Ms Raffour, who is now on the organ donor register, said: "Ava has been given a second chance at life and I want other people, young and old, to also have a better quality of life.

"For us, organ donation comes down to the premise that if you're willing to take, you should be willing to give. Simple as."

In 2004, Gaynor Taylor from Barry, South Wales, lost her 23-year-old champion skater son Richard in a freak accident.

They had never talked about being an organ donor but Ms Taylor eventually agree to donation.

She only later found out that Richard put his name on the NHS Organ Donor Register without telling anybody.

"While we were in favour of organ donation, knowing his wishes made the whole process a lot easier to accept and meant we had done the right thing by him," she said.

"Making a decision on whether to allow donation is a very difficult decision at the most traumatic time.

"Six people's lives were saved as a result of donating Richard's organs and the recipient of Richard's heart went on to win gold at the Transplant Games which is an incredible story and proves something positive can sometimes come from tragedy."

If the legislation is passed, a two-year public information campaign will follow in Wales to ensure members of the public are fully informed on what the changes will mean and how to make their wishes known through a single organ and tissue donation register.

Yet a group of faith leaders and senior health professionals in Wales have issued a joint statement calling for a soft opt-out option, which would take into consideration the views of bereaved families.

The signatories, who include the Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, and the Catholic Archbishop of Cardiff, George Stack, said: "The law must be amended in this way if it is not to be inhuman, unfeeling before the suffering of relatives, and a danger to the public trust and support which are necessary for the practice of organ donation to flourish.

"Without this there is a real danger that the law could backfire."

One person dies every week in Wales waiting for an organ transplant. The figure for the UK as a whole is three people a day.

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Status Quo Debut Fiji-Based Action Movie

Status Quo stars Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi have shown off their big screen debut - an action film set in Fiji.

The band, famous for hits such as Rockin' All Over the World, star in Bula Quo! where they go on the run with their manager after accidentally getting on the wrong side of a shady gangster.

Rossi, 64, said he was surprised that the film had got a cinema release.

"Normally bands just make documentaries but it's a real movie and that's what it had to be for us. And it's in 200 cinemas, we thought it would go straight to DVD," he said.

However, it is thought some cinemas will only play the film for one night.

Parfitt and Rossi, original members of the Quo five-piece, previously tried acting during a cameo on Coronation Street in 2005 when the band performed at Les Battersby's wedding.

"If I'm honest with you, I thought we were appalling," admitted Parfitt.

Rossi in a scene from the Fiji-based adventure

"But the stunt co-ordinator said we'd like to do a movie with you and we were highly surprised and highly delighted. And especially the fact we've now pulled it off."

The band have also recorded nine new songs especially for the film, as well as a "Fiji Style" version of their track Living On An Island.

Status Quo have not forgotten their on-stage roots, and will be embarking on a Bula Quo! arena tour in December.

Bula Quo! takes its name from the Fijian islanders' traditional greeting.

The film, which is on general release on July 5, also stars Lemon La Vida Loca actress Laura Aikman, US comedian John Lovitz and ex-EastEnder Craig Fairbrass.

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Sex Offenders To Face Lie Detector Tests

Compulsory lie detector tests are set be introduced to monitor convicted sex offenders under a change to the law due to be approved later.

MPs will debate the relevant legislation in the House of Commons and are expected to approve routine use of polygraph screening for the most serious offenders across England and Wales from next year.

If convicted rapists or other dangerous sex attackers are found to have lied about crucial matters or breached the terms of their licence after being released from jail they could be sent back to prison.

Justice Minister Jeremy Wright issued a statement saying: "Introducing lie detector tests, alongside the sex offenders register and close monitoring in the community, will give us one of the toughest approaches in the world to managing this group.

"We recently announced the creation of a new National Probation Service tasked with protecting the public from the most high-risk offenders.

"They will be able to call on this technology to help stop sex offenders from reoffending and leaving more innocent victims in their wake."

The Government aims to roll out the tests next spring, subject to the parliamentary timetable.

The move follows a successful pilot scheme in the Midlands. Trials in two areas found the tests made sex criminals more open with probation officers.

Polygraph tests measure blood pressure, heart rate, breathing and levels of perspiration.

These vital signs display subtle changes when someone is deliberately evasive and polygraph experts can usually determine if that person is lying.

Studies have shown that polygraphs are accurate around 85% of the time.

The method is widely used in the US, with 19 states using lie detector tests in criminal cases, including during court testimonies.

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School Summer Holiday: Six-Week Break Could Go

'Looking East' For Better Education

Updated: 12:04pm UK, Tuesday 02 July 2013

By Mark Stone, China Correspondent

For some time now, Education Secretary Michael Gove has been "gazing east" as he grapples with what he sees as a British education system in need of much improvement.

He is said to admire the education systems in Singapore and Hong Kong, and his advisers have looked at the systems in China, South Korea and Japan as well.

SINGAPORE

In Singapore there are four annual holidays. The first in March lasts a week. The second in June lasts the whole month.

The third in September lasts a week and the last one begins on November 16 and lasts until the end of December - a full six weeks - making an annual total of 12 weeks' holiday.

The length of the school day is determined by each school, but the Singapore government issues guidelines.

For secondary schools, the curriculum time guidelines stipulate 40 periods of 40 minutes each per week.

This works out at six hours a day including break time. Primary schools have slightly shorter classes and a one-hour shorter day.

HONG KONG

In Hong Kong, part of China but with an independent education system, students are given two weeks in the spring for the Chinese New Year holiday.

In the summer, they have six weeks off and, in December, they are given a further 10 days. That totals about nine weeks.

Hong Kong students begin their day at about 8.30am (depending on the school) and finish their classroom time at about 3.30pm.

They then stay for a further two hours for extra-curricular activities.

CHINA

In mainland China, the holiday periods and lengths differ from province to province.

On average though, students are given two main holidays. The first is seven weeks in July and August. The second - two weeks on average - is over the Chinese New Year.

The length of the Chinese school day varies. On average though, they tend to start work at 7.30am and end at 5pm but many offer evening activities too.

In Beijing, after pressure from parents that the school day was too long, the local education ministry introduced a compulsory regulation that required schools to reduce their working hours.

It stated that schools must not begin before 7.30am and must end by 3.30pm.

SOUTH KOREA

In South Korea, the holiday periods are entirely at individual schools' discretion.

There is an optional one-to-two week holiday in February.

For two weeks in the summer, there is a holiday of sorts, but students are still required to go to school for half a day.

In December there is a further holiday for up to one month.

South Korean school classes begin at 8am. Again, the working day is at the discretion of individual school management teams.

Thirteen to 16 year-olds must do 33 hours a week and 160 study days a year.

In reality, they will often do much more, such are the pressures to succeed.

High school students - aged 16-19 - must do 42 hours a week but again, they will often stay in school for up to 18 hours a day.

The South Korean education system is known to be one of the world's most strict in terms of hours, curriculum and competition to succeed.

Results are good - South Korea was second only to Finland in a recent global education report, but the pressures can be extreme.

According to the South Korean teachers' union,11.2% of children expressed a wish to commit suicide and of those, almost half said it was because of pressure at school.

Broadly, the ethos which drives the Asian education systems puts significant emphasis on the "fear of failing".

The ultimate goal set for students is their final examination which, they are told, will determine their destiny.

In some cases, experts argue, the "fear of failing" outweighs the pleasure of succeeding.

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Abu Qatada Deportation Moves A Step Closer

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

A legal treaty between the UK and Jordan has been fully ratified, bringing the deportation of radical cleric Abu Qatada a step closer.

The treaty was passed by parliaments in both countries last month but not fully ratified until it was published in the Jordanian government's legal gazette.

It guarantees that the Jordanians will not use evidence which might have been obtained through torture in any future trial against Qatada,

The cleric's legal team have already said that once that guarantee is in place, he would be willing to return to Jordan of his own volition.

Security Minister James Brokenshire has welcomed the latest development.

He said: "The publication of the treaty in the Jordanian Official Gazette is welcome.

Theresa May signing the treaty with Jordan earlier this year

"Whilst further steps remain, our focus is on seeing Abu Qatada on a plane to Jordan at the earliest opportunity."

Sky News understands there still has to be an exchange of letters between the two countries, allowing the Jordanians 14 days to confirm they are still seeking deportation.

However, a delay is not expected and confirmation from the Jordanians could come within days, allowing Home Secretary Theresa May to issue a new deportation order.

The cleric's legal team would have three days to appeal. If he does not, he will deported at the earliest opportunity.

The Home Office recently revealed the eight-year legal fight to deport Qatada has cost taxpayers more than £1.7m.

He claimed asylum in the UK 20 years ago but was convicted on terrorism charges in his absence in Jordan in 1999 and sentenced to life in prison.

He now faces a retrial on those charges, but his lawyers have said some of the evidence may have come from people who were tortured to testify against him.

His legal team believe the new treaty gives the cleric a key guarantee that any retrial in Jordan would be fair.

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Rotavirus: Babies To Get Vomiting Bug Vaccine

By Rhiannon Mills, Sky Reporter

A vaccination programme aimed at protecting babies against one of the most common causes of diarrhoea in young children begins today.

The rotavirus vaccination will be given to all infants aged between two and three months.

According to Public Health England, it will protect more than 675,000 babies from the highly infectious bug which causes diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever and dehydration.

At the moment, almost every child will have had the viral infection by the age of five and it is the most common cause of gastroenteritis in infants and very young children.

The vaccine is already routinely used in many other countries

Children will receive the vaccine orally as two separate doses of liquid drops.

Dr Paul Cosford, medical director at Public Health England, said: "Rotavirus is a highly infectious and unpleasant illness that affects thousands of young children each year.

"While most recover within a few days, nearly one in five will need to see their doctor, and one in 10 will end up in hospital as a result.

"Although good hygiene measures can help prevent spread of the disease, the best way to protect your baby from catching rotavirus is to get them vaccinated."

Vaccination experts believe the immunisation programme will halve the number of vomiting and diarrhoea cases caused by rotavirus, meaning fewer children end up going to their GP or to hospital.

Dr Sarah Jarvis, a GP, told Sky News: "The vaccination has been routinely used for many years in other countries. Overall it looks extremely safe.

"It's given by a couple of drops in the mouth and it's a weakened form of the virus which you'd be exposed to anyway, but this way you're being exposed to a weakened form so you don't get the symptoms but you do build up an immunity."

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Marriage Tax Breaks Fast-Tracked By Cameron

Plans for a tax break for married couples will be introduced this year in a move to head off a revolt by Tory backbenchers.

Details of the policy, which is a pet project of David Cameron's, are now expected to be in George Osborne's Autumn Statement.

They should then be included in the next Finance Bill and come into force early in 2014, with couples starting to benefit around the election a year later.

Government sources had previously indicated it was likely to be tabled in April 2015 but a backbench revolt has led to it being brought forward.

The move will now reportedly form a key part of Mr Cameron's party conference speech in October, with Mr Osborne fleshing out the plans in his statement in November.

Rebel MPs led by former minister Tim Loughton had been preparing to back an amendment to this year's Finance Bill in the Commons on Tuesday calling for an immediate tax break.

But the Prime Minister, speaking on his Asia trip, urged MPs to let the Government "get on with it" instead and promised plans would be outlined soon.

He said: "The point is that we are going to be putting in place the marriage tax proposal in law. We will be announcing plans for that in this parliament, quite shortly in fact."

Of Mr Loughton's proposed change to the Finance Bill, he added: "I don't think that the amendment is in line with the plans that we have."

Mr Loughton said that if the plans were officially confirmed to him, he would be happy not to push his amendment in the Commons.

He added: "If it is going to come in the Autumn Statement I, for one, will be absolutely delighted to welcome it."

Fast-tracking the policy may placate Mr Cameron's restive MPs but will highlight divisions over the policy within the coalition.

The Tory manifesto in 2010 promised a tax break worth £150 to married couples but the Liberal Democrats argue it discriminates against unmarried couples.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has previously ridiculed the proposals as "patronising drivel that belong in the Edwardian age" and launched a fresh attack on Monday.

He warned it would punish widows or spouses abandoned by their partners, as well as people who are unmarried and said he would rather see the money spent on childcare support.

"This desire of the Conservative Party to hand-pick couples through the tax system who conform to their image of how you should conduct your life, I don't think it's fair," he said.

"And I certainly don't think it's fair on all those other people who are going to have to pay higher taxes to fund this proposal.

"If you have got hundreds of millions of pounds to spend on tax breaks like that then I would much rather spend it on all working families to improve the tax breaks we are going to give them on childcare, for instance."

The coalition agreement spells out that Lib Dem MPs can abstain on a plan to recognise marriage in the tax system, which would split the Government.

Labour has also condemned the measure.

Shadow Treasury minister Catherine McKinnell said: "At a time when the Government's failed economic policies mean living standards are falling, we should be helping all families and not just some.

"Millions of people who are separated, widowed or divorced, as well as married couples where both partners work and use all their personal allowance, won't get any help from this out-of-touch policy.

Campaigners accused the Tories of promoting a "fantasy 50s family" where a married couple includes a breadwinner and homemaker.

Julianne Marriott, from group Don't Judge My Family, said: "It's out of step with modern families who come in all shapes and sizes and discriminates against families with single parents, widows and widowers, couples who both work and couples who chose not to marry.

"This marriage tax announcement isn't about keeping families together; it's about keeping the Tory party together. We believe the Government should be spending £500m on helping all families, not judging them."

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Woolwich: Lee Rigby Funeral In Next Two Weeks

The funeral of Drummer Lee Rigby will be held in Bury in the next two weeks, according to Sky sources.

Drummer Rigby was attacked as he returned to base in Woolwich after working at the Tower of London in May.

He died from multiple cut and stab wounds, a post-mortem examination found.

Bury has strong links with Drummer Rigby's regiment, the 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

Michael Adebolajo is one of the men charged with Drummer Rigby's murder

The regiment traces its roots back to the famous Bury-based Lancashire Fusiliers. Drummer Rigby is from nearby Middleton.

An inquest heard the soldier, who was 25, suffered such "extensive and serious" injuries that he had to be identified using his dental records.

Michael Adebolajo, 28, of Romford, Essex, and Michael Adebowale, 22, of Greenwich, London, are both charged with his murder.

They are accused of hacking the soldier to death, and will be asked to enter their pleas in September.

On Friday they spoke only to confirm their names as they appeared at the Old Bailey via video link from separate rooms at HMP Belmarsh.

The men were told a plea and case management hearing would take place on September 27. They are expected to stand trial on November 18.

They are also charged with possession of a firearm with intent to cause others to believe that violence would be used.

Adebolajo faces further charges for the attempted murder of two police officers.

He appeared to still have his left arm in a bandage after being shot by armed officers at the scene of Drummer Rigby's death.

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Hot July Across UK As Summer Finally Arrives

Summer could finally be around the corner with weather forecasters predicting that the UK could enjoy warm weather for the rest of July.

With parts of Britain on Sunday experiencing the hottest day of the year so far - 27.2 Celsius being recorded at London Heathrow - memories of one of the coldest springs on record could soon be banished.

Forecasters have said that a build-up of high pressure will lead to fine weather across the UK resulting in below-average rainfall and above-average temperatures.

Enjoying the sun after one of the coldest spring on record

A few outbreaks of rain are expected between now and Friday but then the warmer weather is expected to return and stay right through into August.

Sky News Weather Producer Joanna Robinson said: "There will be showers around today, but more prolonged rain will move in from the west tonight, which will extend slowly eastwards tomorrow. 

"The wind will pick up as well. Wednesday and Thursday will see showers or longer spells of rain, but by Friday high pressure will build from the south-west settling things down. 

"This coming weekend looks mainly fine and dry, with temperatures climbing across all areas, not just south-east England. England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland will see temperatures into the mid-20s, while Scotland and Northern Ireland will see the low-20s."

"It looks like high pressure will keep things settled and very warm for a good part of July too," she added.

"I'm sure there will be showers around at times and some coastal areas may be cooler, but overall the next few weeks currently look dry and very warm, with plenty of sunshine."  

This follows a particularly cold start to the year, with March being the coldest on record since 1962.

March was colder than the preceding winter months of December, January and February, which had not happened for almost 40 years.

June looks like it was fairly average in terms of temperature, with below-average rainfall for England, Wales and Scotland.

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Smethwick Fire: Massive Blaze At Recycling Plant

A blaze at a plastic recycling factory, described by firefighters as one of the biggest ever seen in the West Midlands, is believed to have been started by a single Chinese lantern.

At its height, some 200 firefighters were tackling the blaze at the site in Smethwick, on the outskirts of Birmingham.

An estimated 100,000 tonnes of recycling material and a factory unit were set alight, and crews battled to stop the flames spreading to neighbouring businesses.

Vij Randeniya, chief fire officer at West Midlands Fire Service, told Sky News: "We believe a Chinese lantern dropped onto some bales of plastic and, looking at CCTV, it would appear that was the cause.

"Chinese lanterns have been involved in a number of incidents and firefighters have been campaigning for there to be better controls.

"They look really nice but they do pose a danger."

Two firefighters were taken to hospital and 11 more were treated at the scene by paramedics, although their injuries are thought to be minor.

Mr Randeniya said firefighters were tackling "one of the largest fires we've experienced", with intense heat released from the burning plastics.

"These are difficult fires to extinguish and we anticipate being here for a number of days," he said.

A spokesman for Birmingham International Airport said there was no disruption to flights, despite a plume of thick black smoke more than 1,800m high that could be seen from 30 miles away.

A number of roads around the recycling plant were closed but the nearby M5 motorway remained open.

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Meat From Diseased Cattle Sold By Defra

Meat from cattle slaughtered after testing positive for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is being sold for human consumption by Defra, the food and farming ministry has said.

The meat is banned by most supermarkets and burger chains, The Sunday Times reported.

Tesco, for example, rejects it because of "public-health concerns surrounding the issue of bTB and its risk to consumers".

But carcasses from around 28,000 diseased animals are sold to caterers and food processors every year.

The meat then finds its way into schools, hospitals and the military, or is used in products such as pies and pasties, the newspaper said.

A Defra spokeswoman said: "All meat from cattle slaughtered due to bovine TB must undergo rigorous food safety checks before it can be passed fit for consumption.

"The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has confirmed there are no known cases where TB has been transmitted through eating meat and the risk of infection from eating meat, even if raw or undercooked, remains extremely low."

Cattle which test positive for bTB must be slaughtered. Unless a private slaughter is arranged, the animals are taken to slaughter by Defra, which then pays compensation to farmers based on the market value.

Compensation ranges from £81 for a dairy calf up to £1,717 for an older breeding bull. Payments for pedigree cattle vary from £639 to £4,471.

Meat from slaughtered cattle is sold with no warning to processors or consumers that it comes from a bTB-infected herd.

A spokeswoman for the FSA said: "All meat must be marked with an identification mark which will indicate the approval number of the plant of origin.

"However, meat from TB reactors (animals that have failed tests for TB), once it has been passed as fit for human consumption, is not required to be marked in any way to distinguish it from other meat.

"Meat which passes the post-mortem inspection is fit for human consumption and does not need additional labelling."

The spokeswoman said that where an inspection of a carcass reveals tuberculous lesions in more than one organ or region it is declared unfit for human consumption and destroyed.

If the lymph nodes in only one organ or part of the carcass are infected, that area is removed and the rest is considered safe to enter the food chain.

"Cooking this meat would be an additional safety step, but we would emphasise the risk even before cooking is very low," she said.

George Browning, an organic farmer in Frankton, Warwickshire, told Sky News he would be "happy enough" to eat meat from a TB-infected animal.

"It's a waste for one thing," he said. "I'd rather eat something that had had TB than had been filled with drugs of all sorts, which I'd view as more unsafe to eat.

"People have got used to having cheap food and if you want cheap, you can't afford to be picky about what's in there."

The Sunday Times claimed Defra's reassurances contrasted with experts' warnings that rising levels of bTB in cattle are becoming a serious threat to human health.

Such claims have been used to justify a cull of tens of thousands of badgers which are said by some to help spread the disease between cattle.

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Duchess' 'Hotel' Baby Birth Not For Everyone

The Duchess of Cambridge is just weeks from becoming a mum for the first time - in the "hotel-like" environment of a private hospital.

The experience at the Lindo wing of St Mary's Hospital, where it costs £5,000 for the first day of a normal delivery, will differ significantly from that of most expectant parents.

Manchester couple Chloe Renwick, 27, and Matthew Lee-Cook, 28, whose baby is due at around the same time as the Duke and Duchess', have been speaking to Sky News in the months leading up to their big day on July 17.

The pair, who are more than happy with their NHS treatment at St Mary's Hospital in Manchester, told Sky's Adele Robinson what they make of the offering at the other St Mary's - which includes a glass of champagne to toast the new arrival.

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Dundee's Landmark Tower Blocks Demolished

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

A church in Dundee was the meat in a "demolition-sandwich" when two neighbouring tower blocks were blown down.

St Martin's Episcopal Church is situated just metres from Butterburn and Bucklemucker Court multi-storeys, which have been razed to the ground.

The congregation was decanted elsewhere for their Sunday worship, where prayers were said for the church to survive intact.

The top of one of the buildings appeared to fall onto its side

The Bishop of Brechin, the Right Reverend Dr Nigel Peyton, told Sky News before the demolition: "We'll be praying for everyone involved in the whole day, really. 

"There'll be a lot of other neighbours anxious about their properties and we'll be praying for them. We are confident that the blow down of the 'multis' will go well. 

"We've made our preparations, we've talked to the contractors and have a lot of confidence in them and we've certainly told our insurers!"

A huge pile of debris was left after the towers were brought to the ground

Preparations for the plume of dust included sealing the church organ in plastic, removing valuable items from the premises and taping up exterior doors.

The demolition of the 25-storey blocks removed two landmarks that have been prominent on the Dundee skyline since 1971. 

The 374 flats were demolished by explosives placed strategically in the structure of the buildings. 

A cloud of dust hangs over Dundee after the demolition

More than 10,000 detonators were used by the contractors SAFEDEM, which has worked on the tower blocks for several months, removing internal fittings and weakening support walls prior to the final 'blow down'. 

An exclusion zone has been set up closing off 20 surrounding streets and, as well as St Martin's Church, around 600 homes and 60 business premises were evacuated.   

Dundee City Council advised people in the area to keep windows and vents closed, not to hang out their washing and to cover garden fish ponds.

The demolition took place as part of a regeneration project for Dundee's Hilltown area.

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Salford Murder: Police Seek Linzi Ashton Ex

The ex-boyfriend of a 25-year-old mother who was "brutally murdered" in her home is being hunted by police.

Detectives in Salford said Michael Cope, 28, was their main suspect in the death of Linzi Ashton and have warned locals against "harbouring" him.

Bar worker Ms Ashton suffered "obvious face and head injuries" in the attack and her body was found in the early hours of Saturday by relatives, police said.

It is understood her daughters Destiny, seven, and Daisy, two, were not at home in Westbourne Road, Winton, at the time.

The couple had an "acrimonious" relationship, police said, and officers had been called to the address in the past. Because of this, the case has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Ms Ashton's children were not at home at the time of the attack

A post-mortem examination on Ms Ashton's body was taking place on Sunday. Neighbours have laid flowers close to the scene as police continue to look for clues.

Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Shenton said: "I have named Michael Cope as I believe he is responsible for Linzi's death.

"Linzi and Michael Cope have been in a relationship and that relationship has been acrimonious and the subject of reports to police.

"A young woman has been brutally murdered and our thoughts are with her family and friends at what is obviously a totally devastating time for them.

"I will take a dim view of anybody who provides assistance to Cope knowing that he is being sought by Greater Manchester Police."

:: Anyone with information should call police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

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Cameron Meets Newly-Elected Pakistan PM

David Cameron has promised to "stand together" with Pakistan in the fight against terrorism after holding talks with the country's newly-elected prime minister.

Mr Cameron, the first world leader to visit Nawaz Sharif since his surprise landslide victory in June, said the battle required "tough and uncompromising" action, as well as efforts to tackle the causes of extremism and radicalisation.

Afghanistan was high on the agenda for the Prime Minister following his visit to Camp Bastion and talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai a day earlier.

Afghanistan was on the agenda following Mr Cameron's visit to Camp Bastion

"I profoundly believe that a stable, prosperous, peaceful and democratic Afghanistan is in Pakistan's interest, just as a stable, prosperous, peaceful and democratic Pakistan is in Afghanistan's interest," Mr Cameron said.

He told Mr Sharif: "I know you and President Karzai will work together towards those ends."

Mr Cameron's visit came as a car bomb exploded in a market in Peshawar, killing 15 people and injuring 28. At least three children were among the dead.

Children were among those killed and injured in the blast in Peshawar

Speaking after his meeting with Mr Cameron, Mr Sharif condemned the attack.

"Pakistan has suffered the most in terms of human and financial losses," he said.

"We are, therefore, resolved to tackle the menace of extremism and terrorism with renewed vigour and close cooperation with our friends."

Mr Cameron said Mr Sharif was in a "strong position" to put pressure on the Taliban to negotiate a peace deal.

Mr Cameron holds a news conference in Islamabad following the talks

"Pakistan has had this democratic transition, which ... will raise its profile in a thoroughly good way in the eyes of the world," he said.

Mr Cameron also used the talks to urge Pakistan to go "further and faster" in boosting trade links with the UK.

A Number 10 source said there was "potential for British business given the growth in the Pakistan economy".

Earlier, the Prime Minister visited Pakistan's national monument where he met people taking part in the British Council's Active Citizens programme, which aims to empower young people to bring about change in their communities.

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